Owens Valley Cottonwoods IV

Owens Valley Cottonwoods IV - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

Click to Bid

The trees just weren't enough, I had to throw in some fences to spice things up!

Owens Valley Cottonwood III

Owens Valley Cottonwood III - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

Click to Bid

Cottonwoods are tricky! They grow in big clumps, and finding which shapes are important to include to show their structure and which aren't needed is a delicate balancing act.

Owens Valley Cottonwood II

Owens Valley Cottonwood II - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

Click to Bid
Some trees have so much character. As I was looking through Google Streetview down Owens Valley in California this little golden tree really jumped out at me, it almost seemed to be posing!

Owens Valley Cottonwood I

Owens Valley Cottonwood I - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

OK! I think I got the grey snowy paintings out of my system, now onto a new series! I've been virtually driving through Owens Valley on Google Maps and really love the way the trees stand against the mountains and the sky. I decided I could use some dedicated tree studying, so I'll be doing a series of these cottonwoods for the next little while!

Snow Patterns

Snow Patterns - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

Click to Bid

Variations on a theme. It's very nice to be able to drive through scenes like this in a warm, heated cab with someone who knows how to drive on icy roads! I think I'm all snowed-paintinged out, though all the patterns and the atmosphere have been really enjoyable.

Blue Day Red Barn

Blue Day Red Barn - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

Click Here to Bid

Yeah, I think this barn kick could last a while! There's something really nice about having that little touch of structure in a landscape painting.

Sunshine Barn

Sunshine Barn - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

Click Here to Bid

I've had the opportunity to explore the eastern Washington countryside finding all sorts of neat little barns and outbuildings. I really loved the cheerful color of the barn, but the star of the day was really those big billowing clouds rolling overhead!

Clustered Elms

Clustered Elms - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

Click Here to Bid

This grove of elms is just off a highway I travel along regularly; I love passing it at different times and seeing how the light transforms it throughout the day. This particular scene was lit by the hot light of the afternoon!

Creekside Willows

Creekside Willows - Oil on Linen Panel - 6x8

Click to Bid

Another quiet eastern Oregon scene! One thing I loved about the reflections in the photo I took was the shade of green. It's probably because the water was gross, but aesthetically it complemented the willows nicely. =)

Sauvie Island Inlet

Sauvie Island Inlet - Oil on Linen Panel - 6x8

Click to Bid

I was in Portland for the weekend, so I decided I should see for myself what all the hubbub was about concerning this Sauvie Island I keep hearing about! It's definitely a gorgeous area, I wish I could have spent more time exploring!

Freezing Fog

Freezing Fog - Oil on Linen Panel - 6x8

Click to Bid

I was so spoiled the past few days with warm and sunny weather! We had some freezing fog roll in and the temperature dropped, but it made the scene along the Lower Yakima River very interesting! I love the way fog simplifies all the shapes.

Grey Skies Over Fossil Beds

Grey Skies Over Fossil Beds - 6x8 - Oil on Linen Panel

Click Here to Bid
Yikes! Long day, I'm so glad I had this little study from my visit to Fossil, Oregon, ready to go! I hope later this year I can stay longer in the area, these rock formations are amazing.

Winter Wetland

Winter Wetland - Oil on Canvas Panel - 6x8

Click Here to Bid

I loved seeing Rattlesnake Mountain out behind the Yakima Delta wetlands. The skies were a little hazy near the horizon, but the sky was still blue and the sun was out. No complaints here!

Palisade Study

Palisade Study - 6x8 - Oil on Linen Panel

Click Here to Bid

**Please note, I didn't sign this one while on location, a signature has been added in the lower right corner since this photo was taken**

I had the most fantastic New Years Eve and Day! My husband was working in Condon, Oregon, and I decided to tag along and paint the scenery. That's right, this desert scene is from the Pacific Northwest, believe it or not! These palisades are part of a huge National Monument called the John Day Fossil Beds, in the remote Clarno Unit. They are the remains of ancient mud flows, called lahars, and are chock full of fossils! But more importantly to this plein air painter, they are stunning and have a decent restroom nearby!

Work in progress on the trail

Wahatis Peak, End of Day

Wahatis Peak, End of Day - 6x8 - Oil on Panel

Click Here to Bid!

Just outside of the frame was the setting sun, but I loved these clouds radiating from Wahatis Peak, a part of the Saddle Mountains north of the Tri-Cities.

Flower 1

Flower 1 - Oil on Panel - 6x6

Click Here to Bid

What! I wanted to get myself something special, so I got a little bunch of chrysanthemums. They looked so beautiful I just had to paint one, but man did I not realize how big a bite I was taking out trying to paint a complex flower in a glass vase. It was very enjoyable despite (maybe because of?) the challenge!

John Day River Valley

John Day River Valley - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

Click Here to BidFor a couple months per year this little area near the John Day River in Eastern Oregon will be green. Soon the grasses will dry out and create the usual summer wildfire threat, but I saw this scene while it was still full of life!

Under the Weather

Under the Weather - 5x7 - Oil on Gessobord

Click Here to Bid

One of my favorite things to paint is that lovely soft distant rain as it passes over our little desert. This scene obviously isn't from a particularly deserty area, it's actually part of the long stretch of farmland running along the Walla Walla River along Highway 12. I'll have several paintings from this area this week, as the different shapes the trees clumps along the water made really struck me!

Dayton Hillside

Dayton Hillside - 6x6 - Oil on Gessobord

Click Here to BidThese clouds were the last remnants of a rainstorm near Dayton, Washington. It was a beautiful day!

Simcoe Hills

Simcoe Hills - 6x6 - Oil on Panel

Click Here to BidWhile using Google Street View I was cruising down Highway 97 south here in Washington. Something about the pattern of trees and clouds really grabbed me!