Sisters

 

20x16

acrylic on canvas

This is a larger painting I recently finished for a friend back in Hawaii.  Sadly, sweet Ellie (the Rotti laying on her side) passed away.  These two had a special bond that I was trying to capture in this painting.  The photo I used was of these two on a couch.  My friend wanted something a bit more fun for the background, so in came the pool!

Sunset Stance

 

6x8

Acrylic on panel

I've been chomping on the bit to paint this one for quite some time!  I love the warm glow on this dog's fur and the rumbling waves in the distance.  It felt good to work on a smaller painting again.  Thanks to Pixabay for the photo reference!  I have a bunch of photos from this summer that I'm excited to paint but will have to wait a week or two as I'm headed back to Oahu to spread my mom's ashes next week.

Curious Chihuahua

 

6x6

Acrylic on Gessobord

Have you ever met a Chihuahua that thinks she is a Labrador?  Well, let me introduce you to Gemma, queen of the neighborhood.  She grew up with a Labrador Retriever so she now identifies as a lab.  It's pretty rare to find her without a tennis ball in her mouth!  I love this funny girl (and so does our Chili Pepper!  He's got a HUGE crush on her!)

Happy Go Lucky

 

6x8

Acrylic on Gessobord

There's nothing like a Golden Retriever to bring a smile to your face.  This sweet boy was one of our dogs at our local shelter a while back.  I don't think I ever saw him unhappy!

I really tried focusing on not overworking this one.  That takes a bit of concentration from me and so often I get sidetracked.  I want to get to a more simplistic and direct way of painting.  I'm looking forward to doing more paintings this way.

Patos Island Tide Pools

 

6x6

Acrylic on Gessobord

Patos Island is my favorite island in the San Juans.  The history, clear water, and lack of crowds make this a winner in my book.  We were lucky enough this summer to hit the tides right and get the opportunity to explore the tide pools.

San Diego Sunset

 

6x6

Acrylic on Gessobord

A few years ago I was with our daughter at a women's national sailing regatta in San Diego.  On our last night there we found some time to make our way to the beach.  We were greeted by this amazing scene!  I'm not nuts about painting sunsets, but this one was calling out to me today, and I'm so glad.  Painting the ocean and vibrant sky really perked up my mood!

My Slice of Heaven

 

8x6

Acrylic on Gessobord

It has been a really long time since I've posted a new painting.  If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I was on vacation and then, sadly, my mom passed away in August.  It's been a really challenging road, but I'm trying to get back into a somewhat normal routine.  After spending a couple of weeks on Oahu, I came back feeling so homesick for Hawaii.  The best way I know to combat that feeling is to paint.  One of the best gifts my mom gave us was raising us in Hawaii.  I feel a special connection to this beautiful island that my mom so dearly loved.  This painting is of Kailua Beach, my home away from home. I hope you enjoy it!

Smooth Water Swimmer

 

6x8

Acrylic on Gessobord

The slow rolling waves, sweet Fathom's reflection, and the bright sun hitting all the right places made this a super fun painting to work on. I hope you enjoy it!

Making a Splash

 

6x6

Acrylic on Gessobord

The water was so much fun to paint in this one!  The hardest part was holding myself back from sprinkling dots everywhere. Oh, how I love painting splashing water!!

Unfathomable Fetching Skills

 

6x6

Acrylic on Gessobord

This is our friends' sweet pup, Fathom.  She LOVES fetching balls (and rocks) from the water.  She'll even dive, head first, to get that one special rock!  If only I had an underwater camera!  We had the pleasure of spending a couple of days in Sequim, Wa with our good friends.  When we took the dogs to the beach, I went crazy with the camera and got loads of photos that I can hardly wait to paint!