Sophia Way Auction to Benefit Homeless Women

"Lenten Roses, Strong Women"  8" x 8"

On March 2, Sophia Way is holding a dinner and auction at the Hilton Hotel in Bellevue, Washington. These two watercolor paintings of mine will be included in the auction. The Sophia Way provides the ONLY overnight shelter for single homeless women on the Eastside. They do a wonderful job serving women in crisis and helping them transition into long-term housing.

It's my wish that both of the paintings I donated will remind people of the struggle of homelessness and the tremendous hope that Sophia Way provides.



"Apple Blossoms"  8" x 8"

I choose to donate the painting of the hellebores (Lenten Roses) because they are such a symbol of hope and perseverance. If you live in the Seattle area and have a hellebore in your garden, right now, in the coldest days of the year, you might notice the buds starting to come up from the ground. The hellebores will be the first thing to bloom in my garden. Their blossoms will endure for months of cold and difficult weather.

The painting of apple blossoms is also full of hope and expectation. Something beautiful happens and then, with time and patience, the tree bears fruit.

The Sophia's Way is making a huge difference in the lives of many women right here in our community! Please consider purchasing tickets and supporting this amazing organization!

To learn more about The Sophia Way, please click here.

Keeping Warm

"Bushy Tail Blanket"  8"x 8"  SOLD

It's January and everyone is trying to keep warm! This gray squirrel has the most wonderful bushy tail that he can wrap around himself like a blanket when he gets cold. He's also rather fat and fluffy, which helps, I'm sure. This is a view from my kitchen window. I see this furry guy there everyday. He jealously watches me make peanut butter sandwiches through the kitchen window. I think he may be looking over his shoulder at me in a rather guilty pose after stealing from the bird feeder again.

It's been years since I painted an animal, so this was super-fun! Lots of fluffy little brush strokes. I am so pleased to have sold this painting right off the easel to a wonderful friend who plans to give it as a special gift.

Snow in the Mountains

"Long Winter Shadows" 18" x 21" $650 Framed

Over Christmas break, we visited friends in the Methow Valley. We did some cross-country skiing and enjoyed some incredible views.

So often, artists paint mountains as pretty pictures seen from a safe distance. The impressive thing about mountains is how very BIG they are and how small we become when we are near them. When I paint mountains, I want, more than anything, to show how grand they really are! This is a relatively small foothill in the Cascades, but the nearby houses are dwarfed by the scale of this great hill.

The thing that impressed me most about this scene was the incredibly long shadows. They rake across the entire hillside. Even the rocks are casting long shadows. The foreground is already in complete shade and we know the precious winter light won't last long.

To see another painting I did of the Methow Valley in winter click here.

Encased in Ice

Happy New Year everyone! I did this painting before the Christmas break and am just now getting the chance to put it into my blog. Yes, it's another Japanese maple! I thought you might enjoy the process used to create the painting, so I took photos along the way.

I began with the pencil drawing, then added masking fluid to preserve the branches. (The cream-colored areas are the masking fluid.)

The background was done first, wet watercolor onto wet paper. It's so much fun to just let the colors run together! After the background dried, the masking fluid was removed. 

Now the hard work began with the details. Some of the ice is transparent, some of it is foggy white, and some of the ice has reflections.
















I really like the warm red and yellow-green tips of the branches trapped in the ice and set against the cold icy background. The color shows the life still inside the barren branches and gives me hope for the spring.

I am so pleased that the winter solstice and the darkest days are past now. I know it's still January, but if I look carefully, I can see signs, like those little red branch tips that promise me spring will come!

"Encased in Ice"  9.5" x 16"   $475 Framed