Big Fishtrap Cove

6x12
acrylic on hardboard

Big Fishtrap Cove is in Olympia and it can get pretty shallow at low tide so you have to watch  your depths.  Needless to say, we didn't take our sailboat in here!  It's this beautiful watery oasis that not a lot of people know about.  I was excited to paint this.  The water was like glass that day, so the reflections were amazing. I wanted to create more excitement in the foreground so I used a number of darker hues to create that.  I also wanted to create more visual depth so I used blues and little violet to paint the distant trees.  I'm really happy with the way it came out.  I hope you enjoy it!

Eagle Harbor

8x6
acrylic on gessobord

Nice view, huh?!  Eagle Harbor is at Bainbridge Island in Washington.  It's across the water from Seattle.  This is one anchorage we enjoy stopping at on our way North or South.  This particular afternoon the Sound was as still as a pond.  I enjoyed paddling around the harbor with our dogs (they think the sup is theirs and won't let me go out without them!)  I am so excited for summer days like this!

Watchers

6x6
acrylic on gessobord

I had a hard time figuring out what to title this painting.  My first idea was, "I'm more interested in what's behind you", but that was just too long.  Then I thought of, "I've got your back", and "Rest Stop" but neither seemed right.  So I settled with "Watchers".

 The photo I used for this piece is from one of our daughter's regattas.  This guy was walking around with his sweet pup.  I got my camera out and started snapping photos as inconspicuously as possible (I wish I had one of those 007 secret spy cameras so nobody would think I was a crazy stalker!).  Luckily, when I took this photo, everyone was turned in the same direction (except for this curious dog- he almost blew my cover!)  

Regatta season is about to start up again for spring and I'm hoping I'll have many more opportunities to  capture the fun.

Matia Island Evening

6x6
acrylic on gessobord

Matia Island is a beautiful place north of Orcas Island (in the San Juan Islands).  It has a couple of coves that boats can anchor in as well as a dock in one of the coves.  I think my favorite thing about this place is the little islands that are hanging around the coves as well as it being a park with great hiking.  We haven't been there in numerous years due to the fact that dogs aren't allowed on the island (and what fun is that?!).  

My initial plan for this painting was more of a daylight scene, but as I got going with it I decided to use warmer colors for the sky and reflected water.  It was the sky and water that attracted me to this.  I hope you enjoy it!

White Pass

8x6
acrylic on gessobord

I had soooo much fun painting this!  I didn't think I was going to be able to finish this one today, but I couldn't put my brush down!  With this piece I really wanted to bring out the trees in the forefront, but still find a flow throughout the painting, as well as give a warm snow day kind of feeling.  I like working on a 3-value thumbnail before starting my paintings, and that seems to give me a really good idea of what I want to end up with.  I'm still learning to be more comfortable with vibrant colors, and the more I practice with them, the easier it gets. The weather people are calling for lots of snow here this weekend, so I hope I can get out with my camera to capture some cool photos.

Blue Skies At White Pass

6x8
acrylic on gessobord

Oh these colors!  They are so fun to paint with!  I am really enjoying working with more vibrant colors, especially violets and oranges, thanks to artist Mike Svob.

My husband, daughter and I went skiing the other weekend and it was breath taking beautiful!  It was actually really warm too!  I hadn't skied in 15 years, so I was a bit nervous to hit the slopes again.  Luckily, no injuries were sustained! 

This is the photo I used for my painting.  The figure in red is my sweet hubby waiting for me as I took pictures.  Thankfully, he stayed with me all day.  I probably would have ended up skiing off a cliff or something without him!   I'm looking forward to heading to the mountain again before this winter is over.

Resting Laser 2

6x8
acrylic on gessobord

I decided to do another laser painting;  this time with colors I'm a little more used to. This painting is from a photo I took over a year ago in the fall. 

 I'm really looking forward to sailing season (for me that means warm weather!).  My husband and daughter are much heartier than me.  They love going out in all kinds of weather.   My husband bought an old Laser sailboat so he could go out on the water when our daughter was out on her boat.  It is so fun watching them out there having a blast. 

Resting Laser

6x6
acrylic on gessobord

Just having a little fun with color...and dreaming of warmer days!  Enjoy!