What the Day Brings. . .

"With the Dogs at Solana Beach"

2009-11-10T15:36:00.000-08:00

6"x8"

Oil on Board

$150 includes domestic s/h

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Our recent trip to Southern Cal took us to this great doggie beach at Solana Beach, CA. Though I simplified for this painting, the beach was absolutely full of two- and four-leggeds enjoying themselves and each other. Our little dog, Tobey, found some dogs his own size and went wild with running while we went wild with laughter.

"Precious Bundle" (on hold)

2009-11-09T19:24:00.000-08:00

8"x8"

Oil on Board

$175 includes domestic s/h

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One more version of this subject. . .I wanted to try something different with the color, bringing in more of the warm golden tones. I'm pleased with the warmth of this painting.

It's cold with a mix of snow and rain here today, so it seems like eons ago when we stopped and visited some galleries in Laguna Beach--and it was just barely a week ago and it was gorgeous weather! There were about five galleries we stopped in along the main street through town. The one that sticks with me the most is Studio 7. I'm not sure, but I kind of think it's a cooperative gallery. It has a high caliber of work. One of the artists showing there was tending the gallery--Janine Salzman, an impressionist-style painter of landscapes, still lifes and some figurative work as well. I enjoyed listening to her talk about the workshops she's attended. Her brushwork is very good, as is her color. Another artist at Studio 7 whose work I enjoyed was Jeff Yeomans. He had a restaurant kitchen scene hanging that I did my best to learn from--great use of neutrals, very subtle. I also really like his street scenes--they are just like California in that it's mostly TRAFFIC! But they are really beautifully done. Living in Oregon, it was SO refreshing to see paintings with palm trees and ocean and lots of light.

"Mother and Child" (sold)

2009-11-08T19:13:00.000-08:00

8"x8"

Oil on Board

$175 includes domestic s/h

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For this first painting I've done in nearly two weeks, (!) I decided to go back to a subject I love and try to bypass the intimidation of a blank "canvas"! We've been in southern California for the past 9 days or so and have seen lots more artwork and galleries than I have for a long time. Lots of work inspired me and makes me want to try some new approaches to my painting. Alot of the paintings I was attracted to were very loose, so in this painting--and actually in others I've been doing, too--there's the attempt to not try to put in all the details, keep it soft, loose some edges. I'd appreciate any feedback on this! Truthfully, I really LIKE definition, I LIKE hard edges, I LIKE detail, I LIKE making it specific. Seems like "being loose" iswhat is "in favor". Really, though, it has to be a balance. There's a place for both. No matter, I most enjoy painting when the process flows. I think if there's the feeling of that flow, it shows whether the painting ends up looser or tighter. At any rate, it feels so good to paint again! I have started yet another painting of this image working with different tones which I hope to finish tomorrow.

Illustration of St. Francis

2009-10-27T14:51:00.001-07:00

app. 10"x7"

black color pencil on bristol board

sold

Yesterday's and today's "art-time" was spent on working on this illustration of St. Francis for a Christmas card for a group of Franciscan friars. Everytime I do something like this, it reminds me how much I love to draw. . .

"Portrait of a Little Boy"

2009-10-25T20:05:00.000-07:00

4"x3.5"

Oil on Board

NFS

This tiny painting is of a little guy named Zane. A beautiful child! I don't know that I could ever do him justice!

"Daniel Sperry, Cello Man"

2009-10-24T16:55:00.000-07:00

6"x6"

Oil on Gessoboard

$150 includes domestic s/h

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This is the third painting I've gotten to do of Daniel playing his cello Lithia Park in Ashland, OR. This time, fall is approaching and the colors are little more yellow-orangish. It's the greatest setting to hear his beautiful artistry. His website is http://www.cellomansings.com/.

I am going to take a couple of weeks off of trying to post everyday or so--it's time to catch up on some other things in life and take a little trip. I intend to paint on the trip and to post what I do. I just won't be showing up on Daily Painters Gallery for a couple of weeks. Stay tuned!

"Newell Grain Elevator Woodblock Print"

2009-10-23T19:10:00.000-07:00

11"x21"

Oil-based ink on Rives Lightweight paper

Edition of 8

$200 includes domestic s/h

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This two-color block print is of a grain-storage elevator (not sure why they called them elevators!) near Newell, California, very close to where I grew up. It is next to what is commonly called "Petroglyph Rock", the Lava Beds and "The Peninsula". Each of those places speak of the history of the area. The Lava Beds is a national park full of just that, the remnants of very old volcanoes. It was also a refuge for the Modoc Indians as they resisted being overtaken by the US cavalry and placed on a reservation--the story's much longer! Petroglyph rock looks like a big rocky bump on the landscape, but one side of it is full of ancient petroglyphs by the indigenous peoples. The Peninsula used to be a peninsula when the area was still under water. It, too, has petroglyphs drawn on it. Another landmark that is just a few miles from these grain elevators is the site of a Japanese internment camp from WWII. AND, another 6-8 miles from there is the site of a German POW camp, also from WWII. Quite alot of history in what can feel like the middle of nowhere!

"High Desert Country"

2009-10-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

App. 13"x10"

Color Pencil and Pastel on Bristol Board

$200 includes domestic s/h

email me if you're interested in purchasing this drawing

As mentioned in my previous post, the last few days have been full of teaching and illustration work. I just finished this drawing and two others to illustrate an article for the December issue of the magazine St. Anthony Messenger. The article by Kathy Coffey is on Advent and part of it incorporates a desert theme. It was nice to be able to use the desert that I know living here on the edge of the Great Basin as my inspiration for "desert". During Advent, we are called to go into our own "deserts" and prepare for the new life being offered to us---a season to shake off the dust and discouragement and to open up to renewal.

Smith Rock 3-Color Woodblock Print

2009-10-19T19:53:00.000-07:00

11"x17.5"

original hand-pulled 3-color woodblock print; edition of 5 plus 1 artist's proof

oil-base ink on Rives Lightweight paper

$115 includes domestic s/h

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This week and last week are filled with illustration work and teaching, so I am having to go to the "archives" for my post. This is a print I did quite some time ago of one of my favorite places to be "Smith Rock State Park". It's a subject I've drawn, painted and printed many times! As stated, this is a woodblock print that I carved three different blocks for, then printed. I've always done my relief block printing by hand, so registration is always one of those things I've held my breath to see if it worked! Actually, it's not that hard to create a system to register just a few blocks. More than that, though, to me it gets tricky!

"Blue Sky and Bull-Riding"

2009-10-16T13:19:00.000-07:00

4.5"x3.5"

Oil on board

$45 includes domestic s/h

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I just had this little board, so thought I'd see if I could actually paint this subject this small! It worked out OK! Thank heaven for "readers"!!

"Magpies and Cattails Woodblock Print"

2009-10-15T20:53:00.000-07:00

7.5"x12"

Oil base ink on printmaking papers

Edition of 9

$75 includes domestic s/h

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Magpies remind me of my childhood--they were everywhere in the high-desert landscape I grew up in. Till this day, I love the way their black and white feathers flash as they fly. This print is inspired by a trip to Burns, OR one autumn day.

"Union Station Afternoon"

2009-10-14T19:14:00.001-07:00

10"x8"

Oil on Board

$295 includes domestic s/h

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I finished this painting yesterday and forgot to post!! Anyway, the title is changed, the painting is a bit different, and I am happy. I really like the feel of the interior of the train station. For me it captures the feeling of how cool it was inside while being so hot outside. This was a joy to paint!

"The End of the Run" in process

2009-10-12T19:23:00.000-07:00

10"x8"

Oil on Board

NFS--unfinished

This is another scene from the lobby at Union Station in Portland, OR. . .a couple traveling with their baby, the porter bringing in his bags. It was the end of his work week on the passenger train. I'm looking forward to finishing this tomorrow!

"Evening Rite"

2009-10-11T17:56:00.000-07:00

4"x5"

Original Hand-painted Linoleum Block Print

Oil-based inks and watercolor on archival paper

Edition of 10 (3 left)

$40 includes domestic s/h

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Whew! THAT (above) was a mouthful for such a little piece! As titled, this image came from watching the swans one evening at our downtown Mirror Pond. The reflection of the sunset on the water made it such a romantic visual! The prints are hand-painted, so there is a little variation in each one. Basically, though, the story is the same: the sunset is reflecting on the water as the swan grooms itself. Each print is numbered and signed and comes with a certificate of authenticity.

"Smith Rock Sketch"

2009-10-09T19:07:00.000-07:00

app. 7"x9"

watercolor and pen on paper
$50 includes domestic s/h

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I took the afternoon off and went up to Smith Rock State Park for some "nature" time with my pup! It was a gorgeous, golden afternoon. . .lots of climbers going up the rock faces. . .lots of walkers, hikers. . .lots of dogs. . .by the time I got around to painting, the sun went behind a rock face and it turned pretty chilly--so much for a watercolor drying! This little sketch was what worked and I had a lovely time doing it!

And Scout Takes the Lead!"

2009-10-08T19:58:00.000-07:00

NFS

6"x8"

Oil on Board

This little painting is of a friend's dog, Scout. He's winning the race! It was so much fun to paint--such energy and enthusiasm! There's nothing like a dog! Love 'em!

"From the Trains"

2009-10-06T20:03:00.000-07:00

10"x8"

Oil on Board

$295 unframed includes domestic s/h

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Finished! This painting was really fun to do. There's something about the reflective surfaces that I love working with. I think it's the abstract quality they get and that it gets to be more just about color than objects. Another thing I enjoyed about doing this painting was the working with negative shapes and how they define the positive. I find myself going back to the simple palette alot lately--permanent crimson, alizaron yellow and ultramarine blue (plus the whites). "Simple" is the key word here for me!

"From the Trains" in Process

2009-10-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

10"x8"

Oil on Board

NFS until finished

This painting "in process" is one of a diptych I'm working on from Union Station in Portland, OR. I love working with the quality of light and space there and the abstract feel of the reflections. Stay tuned for the finished painting tomorrow!

"Art Appreciation"

2009-10-03T20:33:00.001-07:00

Image size: 7.75" high x 4.875" wide

Graphite on Bristol Board

$150 includes domestic s/h

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This drawing is of a fellow I saw at our monthly First Friday gallery walk. It always seems sort of miraculous to me when people love looking at artwork and truly pay attention and put effort into appreciating it. I am so grateful for them! They complete the process for those of us who put it out there.

Woman's Profile

2009-10-02T16:21:00.000-07:00

4"x3.5"

Oil on Board

NFS

I have all these little pieces of masonite that I thought I would paint a series of portraits on. Maybe I'll get that "50 faces" painted yet! In my mind, though, I see groups of these portraits hanging together, all the same size. I did the first one a couple of weeks ago which got me excited about the idea. This one, well, I'm not too thrilled with even after scraping it off and doing it again! Oh well! There's always tomorrow!

"Bareback on a Bucking Buckskin" (sold)

2009-10-01T19:54:00.000-07:00

6"x6"

Oil on Gessoboard

$115 includes domestic s/h

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It felt good to have enough painting time today to actually get this little oil sketch done. In my ideal life, there would be long uninterrupted stretches for painting--I wouldn't stop until my body clock said "enough for now". However, until that happens, I'll just keep on, brushstroke by brushstroke!

"Waiting for Breakfast at the Cadillac Cafe"

2009-09-29T20:34:00.000-07:00

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$150 includes domestic s/h

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This little painting is a "rerun"! Just so much happening the past few days that I haven't been able to have enough concentrated time to finish up a painting, so I decided to bring out one of my favorites that I painted over a year ago. That's the upside of busy right now--revisiting a painting that really brought me alot of joy in the doing of it. I loved catching her in mid-step. . .

"Coffee at the M&J"

2009-09-27T18:39:00.000-07:00

6"x6"

Oil on Gessoboard

$150 includes domestic s/h

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First off, I had a really nice thing happen today.

My work was profiled on the site http://www.kitchenandresidentialdesign.com/2009/09/artist-profile-meet-vicki-shuck.html. His blog thoughtful, well-written and interesting--actually, he comes up with fascinating stuff! If you've never heard of nephila clavipes, check it out!

OK, back to work! This little scene takes place in the M & J Tavern here in Bend, OR--the reference photo is courtesy of a friend of mine--of course, I don't go to taverns!! :) Actually, I spent so much time working, playing and dancing in them through the 70's and 80's that I don't seem to have much of that left in my system! OUCH! that sounds so old--might have to re-think all this!

"Morning Ride"

2009-09-25T18:28:00.000-07:00

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$135 includes domestic s/h

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I was inspired here by the movement of the horse and the morning light. This is one of those subjects I'd like to work with on a bit larger painting! I have been trying out a different brand of brush to see what it's like--a Princeton synthetic "mongoose", kind of like Windsor/Newton's. It works so beautifully! I love the brights. They are a bit spendy! Sure seems true, though, that you get what you pay for!

"Captive" (sold)

2009-09-23T20:35:00.000-07:00

8"x6"

Oil on Board

$200 includes domestic s/h

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Yesterday was not a good painting day! I ended up working all day on an 11x14 piece, then wiped it off! I must have learned something--at least I hope so as I'm not at all sure what it was! One thing that came of it, though, was in coming into work today, I just was able to let go of expectations and just paint. It's always amazing to me how much can ride on a painting--so many expectations and hopes, fears, self-worth, etc. Sometimes it's really hard not to get caught up in all that!