Kitchenscape

I love painting landscapes in oil. As long as I stay focused I can paint indoor-scapes with the same enthusiasm. Here is Instructor Richard's kitchen in the new spacious studio space. While purple is not the regular Home&Garden kitchen recommendation, it works great for a painting about a kitchen space. I vote for purple to stay...

Every single time I pick up a brush I learn something new and this one was no exception. The mantra: stay focused, on task, and think about the relationship of all elements together, is my guiding principle as learned from John Muir, the founder of the Sierra Club back in 1890s: "Tug on anything at all and you'll find it connected to everything else in the universe." This quote has carried me through Sierra Club advocacy campaigns, Grad school, painting, and life in general.

I can paint everything... including the kitchen sink...when I see the connections and simplify the complexities.

Winter is Over!

Cousin KK from CA is the only one enjoying snow scenes because she is basking in relatively balmy weather. Is the garden up yet?...While Minnesotans are getting testy and are starting to "request" spring paintings with open water and blooming trees to lift their spirits. Geez! Look outdoors!... Well, here is the last winter painting. And I saved the best for last! I (personally) think that MN outdoor painters must be the best due to extreme conditions and close values. In winter, we take 2 colors and capture a light that is rarely observed from inside the car driving down the freeway, and in summer, we take "salad bowl green" and give it perspective and form. Add the ability to draw graceful lines to represent trees and the courage to use #10 brushes to add some atmosphere and you could place us anywhere....except a cityscape, perhaps.