Featured Artist: Wednesday, Nov 2 at Gallery Wine

Marcke Lhyle, owner of Gallery Wine, in his shop
in Kirkland with a couple of my paintings behind him.

There was a terrific article this week on Gallery Wine in the Kirkland Patch. I've had my work available at Gallery Wine since August.

Check out this link to read the article:

http://kirkland.patch.com/articles/gallery-wine-is-not-just-another-wine-shop

Gallery Wine does fun wine tasting events each Wednesday evening.
On Wednesday, Nov. 2, from 6-8pm, I'll be their featured artist. I'll be painting on site. I'll have my black and white sumi-style paintings available (see my blog posts from Sept. 30 and Oct. 7) at very affordable prices and some prints of my painting of Snoqualmie Falls. If you're looking for one-of-a-kind holiday gifts, this is a great place to visit!

Everyone who comes in from 6-8pm on November 2nd and says hello will get a free hand-painted bookmark from me! So, please stop by, taste some wine and take a look at the art. It should be a great evening!

Sunflowers



A Pair of Sunflowers, 17" x 13"

I've been working on some new illustrations for wine labels for Finn Hill Winery. These sunflowers were painted for a Sauvignon Blanc label. They remind me a bit of the wonderful winery owners, Rob and Karen. :)

Finn Hill Winery is in the process of moving into a retail space in Woodinville! Here's an article in the Kirkland Patch that talks about Finn Hill Winery's move. So very exciting!

Japanese Maples in the Snow

    
Here are some more of my simple black and white sumi-style watercolors.
There is something so surprisingly quiet about these monochromatic paintings.
I can never get enough of those branches.
So complex, yet so simply elegant.
   

Japanese Maple in the Snow #1 13.5" x 9.5"

     

Japanese Maple in the Snow #2 13.5" x 9.5"

Sumi Style

I've always been fascinated with sumi painting and the concept of making each brushstroke as expressive as possible. This week I tried something with watercolor that looks a little like sumi painting. I used Daniel Smith lunar black watercolor, a very interesting granular pigment, and worked on some smaller, monochromatic pieces. I love the elegant grays. It was wonderful to just focus on line and value.

Right outside my studio window is a bird feeder that is a popular hangout for the neighborhood chickadees.The chickadees are always so cheerful and friendly. They even try to get my attention when the feeder is empty! The magnolia near the bird feeder has really interesting branches. In the winter the flower buds are very visible and stand upright like little candle flames in the dark winter.

I would love to know what you all think of these. I'm thinking maybe I'll use the one of these as my Christmas card this year. Which one is your favorite? Please add a comment and vote for which one of these three you like best!


Chickadee #1,  7" x 13"



Chickadee #2, 7" x 13"

Chickadee #3, 7" x 13"

Painting Again!



My kids are back in school and I am THRILLED to be painting again! 

The kids and I had plenty of fun adventures this summer. On one of these outings, I followed the advice of one of my gardening friends and took the kids to Russell Watergardens in Redmond.  What a cool place! It looks like nothing from the outside, but the display gardens and koi ponds there are magical!

I must admit, since then, I have developed a terrible koi pond envy. Luckily, I've discovered that by painting a scene, it becomes mine - just like the world Harold creates with his magic purple crayon! In the winter, I paint spring. When the mountains are snowed in and inaccessible, I paint the hikes I love to do. ...And now I've made myself a koi pond complete with the loveliest of waterlilies in perpetual bloom! What an excellent thing to be an artist!


Lilypond Reflections, 13" x 26"

Art Walk Tonight! Stop by Gallery Wine & Art in Kirkland to see my paintings!

 

Tonight, August 12, is the Kirkland Art Walk from 6:00-9:00. The weatherman promises the sun will be out by then, so it should be a wonderful summer evening. Be sure and stop by Gallery Wine and Art to sample some lovely wines and see some of my art as well! They are in downtown Kirkland right next door to the Kirkland Arts Center on the corner of 7th and Market. If you miss the event tonight, stop in anytime! http://www.gallerywineart.com

It's Finally Summer!



Photo: Currants in my garden

Ok. I confess. In the two and a half weeks since my kids have been out of school, I've been goofing off instead of painting. It's such a wonderful time of year. The temperatures here have been perfect - 70 degrees F and sunny. Seattle in the summertime is heavenly! Our family did a lovely hike to Lake Dorothy and we've been biking along the Sammamish River Trail. Every day, I love to just wander through my garden, pull a few weeds, smell the English roses, and pick a handful of tart red currants or juicy strawberries...

This weekend my daughter, Liz and I enjoyed the Bainbridge in Bloom Garden Tour. The big adventure was to travel from our house in Redmond all the way to Bainbridge Island and back without a car. We had fun with city buses and ferries and shuttle buses. It was so good for me to slow down and wait a bit, and just enjoy the ride.

Regarding my watercolors, I am very pleased to announce that I will have three paintings on display and for sale in the Overlake Hospital South Tower beginning July 18. This display is part of the ongoing EAFA "Healing Arts" exhibit. My watercolors will be hung in the lovely 4th floor lounge. Paintings included will be "Portrait of a Peony", "Sweet Summer's Song" and "The Bridge to Far Away".

I hope you are getting outside and enjoying the summer, too!