Another challenging commission, this handsome young man; reference was a photo of a photo. The commission was bittersweet, as this young man who was bursting with health and vigor is now deceased. Hopefully, this painting gave the family a sweet memory of him
Archive for category portrait
Beloved son
Nov 20
Autumn Color
Nov 1
As I rushed around, doing my chores today, I could not ignore the glorious colors evident everywhere I turned. This is a scene painted from right outside my front door.
Lucy Melino – New World
Oct 25
When Lucia Melino was 10 years old she and her mother and sister and brother landed on Ellis Island after a long journey from her ancestral home (a little town called Sant’Agata di Puglia ) to the United States of America. We are very fortunate that some photos were taken that show her, a pioneer in her family. It was she that learned to speak English first, she who started working before she was a teen, and she who coached her father through his American Citizenship Examinations.
Baby Lovebirds
Oct 4
This painting is 7″ x 10″ . The subjects are baby lovebirds. You can barely see their tiny wings. They are adorable!
It seems that we have a family tradition, it is old time music. Donald’s mother remembers her own grandfather playing fiddle tunes. My son is lucky enough to own the fiddle he played them on.
Little did we know that so many years ago that old time music would bring so many different parts of our family together and provide a common language across the generations. A little Irish, a little Appalachian, a little gospel, and a little northwest can describe this kind of music – mostly instrumental, with a few songs thrown in. This painting shows cousins and a grand-daughter; they know the same tunes.
Due to the hiring and layoff rhythms where I work, about 10 years ago we were at a strange place, where everyone in our group was close to 40 or older. It was depressing to see the the most important age group missing here. With the advent of the 787 programs we finally started getting some new blood again, young idealistic engineers, full of enthusiasm, new ideas, and, well; youth. For every 2 new engineers that join our company, it seems like one leaves. They go to better jobs, they leave because they hate our climate, they get married to someone with stronger ties somewhere else. Kevin left to go back to Stanford – to learn how to create. I’m sure he’ll end up with a great job somewhere when he finishes, but we’ll miss him for sure.
PRUGNI – Italian Plums
Sep 9
This year the raspberries weren’t too great, the figs were a terrible disappointment, but we have plums! They are also called Italian Prunes. Now why would someone paint Italian Prunes? It came to me in a dream. I was frustrated because my paintings haven’t been inspiring me lately, and so I dreamed that my husband suggested I paint plums because they’re simple. I’m here to tell you that they are NOT really that simple, but it was a joy to paint them. Next; a portrait!
Itty Bitty Cat Paintings
Sep 3
A fun way to paint little kitties is to use a very small piece of watercolor paper to paint them on. Next, you stuff the paintings into a tiny little frame. PRESTO! These particular kitties are being donated to an auction to benefit Feral Cats, but if you want one, I can make one for you too! (Let me know)
Your roving painter found a great face to paint last weekend. Assisted by her energetic partner, Artist Seanna Jordan, Mimi was able to snap a few photos of this man while he wondered what the heck we were making such a fuss about. He’ll never know!
The UPS Store
Aug 24
Well, life continues to get more amazing. The general manager of a neighborhood UPS store asked if they could use my painting of President Barack Obama to demonstrate how large a print they could make. So now, if you want to go to this store, at 3815 South Othello Street in Seattle, you can see a big giant copy of my painting “Looking Presidential.”
