Snowy River

"Snowfall, Sammamish River" 18" x 24"  $850 Framed  

This is the Sammamish River, just down the hill from where I live. I wanted to show the quiet stillness that happens when it snows. Snow is not common here in western Washington, and everyone stays home when it snows. I love the silent hush that covers the busy city whenever the snow falls.

It was quite a challenge for me to paint softly and without many edges, but wonderful to have the chance to paint with so many beautiful grays!

 

I've been going the extra mile with the framing on my latest larger pieces and I'm particularly pleased with this one. I've framed "Snowfall" with a "float frame" instead of my usual double mat. (You can see the soft edges of the painting.) Thank you to Ben Franklin Frame Shop in Redmond for creating this gray weathered frame that compliments the painting so perfectly!

"Snowfall, Sammamish River" will be one of more than 20 of my watercolors hanging in the Woodinville City Hall in an exhibit titled "Seasons in the Wild Garden" during December and January.  The art exhibit is open to the public weekdays during City Hall hours: Monday-Thursday 7:30am-5:00pm and Fridays 7:30am-4:00pm. I hope you'll have a chance to stop in and see this significant show of so many of my watercolors!

Woodinville City Hall
17301-133rd Avenue NE
Woodinville, WA 98072

Wishing the Fall Leaves Farewell

"Autumn Light"   18" x 24"   $750 Framed 

We've just had a week of frosty weather and autumn has changed into winter. The dying of the leaves is always tough for me. Our winters in Seattle are short compared to many places, but 4 or 5 months without leaves is never something I look forward to. But I am grateful for the beautiful show the leaves put on as the season closes.

I've been watching this week how the light and colors are changing with the cold. The sky has become more of a blue-green than the rich blue of summer. The greens are tired and faded. The shadows are long. The frost lingers in the cold shadows and there's always a faint low fog in the trees. The light is low and it catches the colorful leaves from the side and sets them ablaze.

This scene is from near the entrance to Marymoor Park in Redmond.

Autumn Vines

"String of Hearts"  11" x 14"  Framed $475 

These vines are planted everywhere in the Seattle area to cover and soften concrete walls. Intertwining vines make such beautiful pictures. I've probably taken hundreds of photos of the ones near Marymoor Park in Redmond, not far from where I live.

One of the reasons I enjoy painting with watercolor is because I am so fond of lines. Watercolor makes it so easy to paint such clean, lovely lines! And of course vine-covered walls are just filled with elegant lines.

I love how these vines change so unevenly in the fall, showing a whole spectrum of color at once. I especially love how the younger leaves in these vines look like necklaces of colorful hearts.

Collecting Chestnuts

"Autumn Treasures, Chestnuts"  18" x 18"  SOLD

When I was little, I always looked forward to collecting chestnuts behind my grandmother's house. Inside the spiky hard covers I would discover these jewels of smooth beautiful redness that were more magnificent treasures to me than gold coins.