Amber the Horse

Oil on linen on panel, 6 x 6 inches -- SOLD

I love painting horses, especially close up. I was particularly drawn to her expressive eyes. I used palette knife to create texture and blend the horse and background.

Cat with Blue Eyes

Oil on linen on panel, 8x8 inches, $400

This is another portrait of a cat I saw at our friend's house. I was drawn to his beautiful blue eyes. I used a small palette knife to enhance the texture of his fur.

Unwind

Oil on linen on panel, 6 x 6 inches --

This is another portrait of our 11 year-old pet house sparrow, Tobi. Her name, Tobi, is Japanese for flight. She's a great flyer, and loves flying freely around in the house. She often visits me at my computer desk, and perches and relaxes on the big handle of wooden basket on the edge of my desk.

Recently, she injured her left shoulder, and she's disable to fly. She's been hanging on the bathroom counter top in our bedroom all day and night. I pinned a half-size, cubic Kleenex box a few inches above the counter as her nesting box, and lined it with a small soft rug as bedding. Every night she jumps into the box to sleep. Normally, this nesting box is pinned over our bedroom door, but she can't fly up there for a while. I can't wait to see her fly again soon.

Tea Break

Oil on linen on panel, 6 x 6 inches -- Sold

This is a portrait of our pet house sparrow, Tobi. She is 11 years old, and she lives inside our house. She likes perch on the rim of my coffee cup. She probably likes the warmth. I usually use a to-go cup with lid for protection, in case she poops inward. But for this painting, I used a ceramic mug for a better composition.

Laura in the Morning Light

Oil on linen on panel, 8x10 inches --Sold

This is a portrait of a horse, Laura. I saw her at my friend's place. It was in a sunny morning, and she was galloping in the pasture. I was so drawn to the back lighting on her head. I made the background more abstract by repeating the same color palette from Laura's body over the dark space, instead of rendering the details of the things in her background. 

Walking in the Tailwind

Oil on canvas, 18 x 24 inches -- Available

I took the reference photo of our pet chicken, Shantie, in the front yard on a very windy day. I was very intrigued by the light on the feathers that are blown by the wind. I also liked the her determined look for foraging in spite of the wind.

Greeters of the Meadow

Oil on canvas, 18 x 24 inches -- Sold

I was greeted by these friendly horses in the countryside while visiting my friends on the island. I was drawn to the back lighting on the horses as they appeared from the forest and started walking toward me.


The painting is framed (a light color, rustic wood with gold lip). It looks like this.

Dancing in a Thermal

Oil on canvas, 60 x 84 in. $6,000 -- Available

My husband and I are both advanced hang glider pilots. But he is also a tandem hang gliding instructor and takes people for flying. Sometimes we fly in his tandem hang glider and go cross country for several hours, sometimes soaring over 12,000 ft MSL under cloud base. This painting is based on a view above the Columbia River during a tandem hang glider flight from Chelan, WA, with him. I usually take photos while he flies the glider. I missed our major cross country season this summer due to my art show schedule, etc., but our spirit was with the fellow pilots in the sky.

How did I paint this?
After doing several studies with clay, drawing, and painting, I painted this on canvas stapled on the wall. First I primed the canvas with a paint roller with acrylic gesso. I painted with many thin layers so that it wouldn't crack, and also to add more visual depth. I usually like to review my painting progress from the distance. But since this is so big, I had to walk outside the house to see it through the window. It took me a few month. After the painting was completely dry, I mounted on a 1 1/2 inch deep stretcher. So the painting wraps all the way around the stretcher, and no frame is required.

How do I transport it?
When shipping, I remove staples from the back of the canvas to dismount the canvas. I roll the canvas like a carpet, then wrap it with soft blanket and tarp for protection. Once at the destination, I unroll the canvas and stretch it on the stretcher. It's ready to hang!

Three Sisters

Oil on canvas, 18 x 24 inches -- Sold

This painting is about the three young chickens we got a few years ago. When I took this reference photo, they were just a few months old. During the warm season, as  I walked to my studio on our property, these chicks would always follow me to the door. I usually let them hang out in my studio while I paint. I just leave the door open, so that they could pop outside to eat foliage or sun bathe as they want. The left girl is Kiki, the Barred Rock hen, the center is Kara, the Ameraucana, and the right one is Nikki, the Rhode Island Red. This moment really depicts their unique personalities.

This painting will be available at the live auction of the Heart of the West: Bozeman show. Absentee bidding/online bidding available. See more info...

Glow in the Old Cabin

Oil on  linen on panel, 6 x 6 inches, $300 -- available

I painted this in Round Valley near Bishop, CA, in the beginning of the fall. I was drawn to the bright red glow in the window of the cabin, as well as the texture on the roof. I enjoy painting old structures like this.

I am pleased to announce that my paintings are featured with the work of Peggy Gray, my mother-in-law and well established watercolor artist, at the Inyo Council for the Arts Gallery in Bishop, CA. Peggy passed away in 1997, and she left many paintings behind. We are honored to showcase over 40 pieces of her original watercolor paintings at this gallery in Bishop where Peggy lived and painted. All the artwork in this show is available for sale. This painting is a part of the show.

Inyo Council for The Arts Gallery
137 South Main St., Bishop, CA
Open M-F 10-5
tel: 760-873-8014
Visit the Gallery website