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.

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.

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...

Leo the Red Rooster

Oil on canvas, 12 x 12 inches --  Sold

This piece is a part of my "Red Rooster" series. I got an inspiration from a song, Little Red Rooster. I emphasized the red and orange colors of his body and head, as well as the blue-green  sheen on his tail.

This piece will be available at the live auction during the 44th National Fine Art Show & Auction in Ellensburg, WA, on Saturday, May 21. 

Leo the Bodyguard

Oil on canvas, 12x12 inches

This is a painting of my pet chickens, Leo and Coco. They are our loving Welsummer rooster and hen. Leo's plumage glows so bright in the sun light. I also love the blue-green sheen in his tail and chest. He has an enormous comb, and you can see the cast shadow of it on his back.

He was escorting Coco, while she was enjoying grazing in the backyard. It was somewhat breezy when I shot this photo, and I noticed that his tail feathers were blowing in the wind. I paid extra attention to the value contrast, especially highlights.

Connie the Steller's Jay

Oil on linen on panel, 8 x 10 inches -- Sold

This is a painting I did as a demo during the Celebration of Western & Wildlife Art Show & Auction last weekend in Puyallup, WA. It was sold at the live auction in the evening. This is based on a photo I took of a young Steller's Jay we rescued after falling out of the nest. We named her Connie, and took care of her until she grew up and started flying around the backyard, while coming back to the house to sleep in the living room at night. It was so much fun to see her around. One day, she never came home for the night. We don't know exactly what happened to her. We sure miss her.

Listening

Oil on canvas, 18 x 24 inches -- $900 -- Available at Women Painters of Washington Gallery

This is another painting of seagulls from my visit on Vashon Island. I painted a small study of this painting a while ago, and finally decided to paint a larger version of it.

I was watching them closely, and realized that they are a couple, and they do pretty much everything together. I figured that they also talk a lot to each other. In this scene, the one on the right is listening to the one on the left. I wonder what they are talking about.

Taking Off

Oil on canvas, 24 x 18 in. $900 -- Available at Women Painters of Washington Gallery

This painting is based on photos I shot in Vashon, WA. I also used a plein air study from the same beach for the color palette. I like the dynamic movements of the seagulls, especially the left foot of the front bird making a last kick on the beach. My favorite part of this piece is the reflected lights under the birds from the sandy beach  with the warm tone, so I spent extra time getting it right. I also carefully added the last touch of the white foams in the wave, because this is what really suggests the environment.

Dipping Gull

Oil on canvas, 24 x 18 inches -- $900 (framed)

This is another scene from the off shore of Vashon Island, WA. The seagull was just jumping into the water. This is my second version of this composition in a larger scale. The fist version was 6x6. It was actually more fun to work on a large canvas with both brushes and palette knife. I like playing with texture.

Walking on the Beach

Oil on canvas, 24 x 18 inches -- $900 (framed)

I saw these seagulls on the beach in Vashon, WA. I could see they were really enjoying hanging out together. I spent a quite some time watching them, and shot this photo and more. I've painted this composition in 6x6 a while ago, but I really wanted to see how it would look on a bigger and rectangular canvas. There were layers of small waves behind them. But I decided to abstract the patterns, rather than copying the details. Instead, I created my own patterns with brush and palette knife marks. I wanted to make their beaks the focal point, as well as the small accents in the blue-gray scene. I like how the underpainting in transparent oxide red is showing through here and there, and echos with the pink legs of the birds.

Apple Inspection

Oil on canvas, 12 x 12 inches -- $500 (framed)

I painted this based on a photo of our pet house sparrow, Tobi, checking out the apple. Then, I composed the still life stage in my shadow box to recreate the scene without the bird. She seems very interested in the new apple on the counter, but skeptical about how she could eat it. This is a great metaphor of my feeling when handling an apple as a still life model.

Sophie in the Evening Light

Oil on linen on panel, 6 x 6 inches -- Click to Bid

This is based on a photo of our pet chicken, Sophie. I shot this photo while I was painting at home. It was a few days after the snow. I have a portable easel in the dining room, by the large glass door and window. When I'm painting, I see our chickens on the deck. I usually let them in to hang out with me, especially during freezing winter. So I always keep a camera near me. Sophie, the Delaware hen, was just visiting me in the house, and ready to head back to the chicken coop for the evening. I was drawn to the light on her body, particularly the way it glowed on her tail.

Eastbound - Midnight

Oil on canvas, 28 x 36 inches -- SOLD (Prints available on paper and canvas)

I painted this a while ago, and it's been already sold. But I make limited edition Giclée prints. They are printed by Bellevue Fine Art Reproductions with archival ink on paper or canvas.

Giclée print on Fine Art Paper: image size 9 x 12 inches, edition size 250, 2 inch white margin. Ready to be framed. $60
Giclée print on Canvas: image size 28 x 36 inches (actual size), edition size 100, Gallery Wrapped on 1.5 inch stretcher. Ready to hang. $450

Please email me for purchase info.

A Giclée print on canvas of this painting is currently on display at 420 Loft Art Gallery. Please check it out.

Laptop Rooster

Oil on linen on panel, 6 x 6 in.-- Click here to bid

This is our Welsummer rooster, Leo. We got him along with two other female chicks a couple of years ago from a hatchery when they were a-day old. Whenever I pick him up and put my lap, he likes to stretch his neck, draping down on my lap, and just relax with his eyes closed. My sweet rooster, thus the title. This painting is based on a photo I took when he was just a few month old. Leo's face was still yellowish at that stage, and it turned more red as he matured. I used orange and it's complementary blue, plus red-orange and yellow-orange.

Kiki in the Nesting Box

Oil on linen on panel, 6 x 6 inches -- Click here to bid

It's been so hot these days that many of our hens seem to be taking summer break from laying eggs. Kiki and a few others are the only hens who are laying eggs regularly. This painting is based on a photo I took while Kiki was resting in the nesting box. Kiki is a Barred Rock chicken with black and white stripes. But I modified her color and made nice contrast with the golden straw.

Robin by the Lake

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

This painting is based on a photo of a robin I took in our backyard. I made up the background. I painted this as a demo during the Roslyn Art Festival, WA, and finished it at studio. It's been so hot lately that I though of a cool lakeside in the mountains.

Leo the Rooster No. 3

Oil on linen on panel, 10 x 8 inches -- SOLD 

This is the piece I painted as a demo during the 42nd National Art Show & Auction in Ellensburg, WA. I used a photo of my rooster Leo as a reference. After painting the entire canvas with brushes, I used a palette knife to enhance texture on the feathers and grass.

Hanging Out on the Beach

Oil on linen on panel, 12 x 16 in. -- SOLD

This painting of duck family is based on my memory of a summer vacation by Lake Chelan, WA.The mother duck was taking these ducklings for a walk on the beach. She sometimes stops and stares at the offshore for a while, Ducklings patiently hangs out by their Mama.

This piece will be available at the live auction on Saturday, May 17th, at the 42nd National Art Show & Auction in Ellensburg, WA.