This is my last posting for 2007, and although I usually paint in oils, this is an 8 x 10 acrylic painting. I haven't painted with acrylics for a very long time, so it was quite an adventure. Acrylics dry fast, so I painted fast which resulted in a very painterly style. 
I'm dreaming about the beach. I love spending time on the Pacific Coast--walking, taking it easy, and flying kites. There are kite festivals in the spring and summer all up and down the coast--Long Beach, Westport, and Ocean Shores. They all partake in sponsoring kite festivals. This 11 x 14 oil painting on stretched canvas is my contribution to the sport of kite flying. 
Record snow is falling in the mountains and it makes me want to paint a snow scene. This little 5 x 7 oil painting on gessoed hardboard is inspired by snowfall on a little red farmhouse. I'm glad to be in a warm house and painting little scenes like this one rather than trudging through the cold. This painting has been SOLD. 
A storm brewing over the Nisqually Delta prompted original 5 x 7 inch oil painting. I prefer warm colors, so even though a cold rain was likely to hit, I painted it with a warm palette. This painting is SOLD. 
After yesterday's look at the mountains in winter, I had to think about the mountains in spring. Green grass, warm sunshine, and fresh air. I'm looking forward to the season. This 5 x 7 inch miniture oil painting was painted on gessoed hardboard. 
The Cascade Mountains are covered in snow now, but it was just a few weeks ago that a glimpse toward the foothills provided a scene like this one. The fields of the lowlands are brown, frost etches its way into the treeline, and the hills get ready for a wintery coat. This 5 x 7 miniature oil painting conveys the feel of the cold, dampness just before the snows fall. 
An Eastern Washington field of grain was the inspiration for this little 5 x 7 oil painting. The wide open spaces and warmth of the landscape are a delight in the spring and summer. Memories of warm weather are a comfortable change from the drab cold of winter dampness most of the northern states are experiencing. This painting is SOLD. 
An afternoon walk through the trees of fall inspired this 5 x 7 inch oil painting on gessoed hardboard. Leaves on the ground created a carpet of red as the bare limbs of winter began to show. This painting has been SOLD. 
This was a fun little landscape painting to create. I used the inspiration of the wheatfields of Eastern Washington as the inspiration for this 5 x 7 oil painting on gessoed hardboard. The area around the Palouse provides acres of rolling fields that take on a delightful green in the spring and warm gold in the fall. 
I'm still longing for summer. Floods, snowstorms--the glut of bad weather keeps me looking forward to warmer weather. When I painted this sunny little 5 x 7 abstract oil painting this morning, I imagined basking in a summer field with sunshine, warmth, and wildflowers. This painting has been SOLD. 
The cold weather and the rain is not very productive for cheerful thoughts, so I took my imagination and my paints and created this sunny light 5 x 7 oil painting. I imagined warm sunshine sifting through the trees, gently touching the floor of a warm little forest clearing. It is only a short time until the days start getting longer. I'm looking forward to spring. 
In the mountains it is snowing which means it is pouring rain on the coast. Living in Washington State, it is a treat to know that within a couple of hours I can be either in the mountains or on the Pacific Coast. This 8 x 10 oil painting on gessoed hardboard is reminiscent of cold, wet days on the coast where hearty fishermen practice their skill even on the wettest of days. 
The ski slopes are opening for business. Last week's storm provided more than enough of the white stuff for the most of the ski resorts to open. This little miniature 5 x 7 oil painting is inspired by an early snow. The leaves are faded, but have not fallen. Straw pokes through in places. It won't be long until all the leaves are gone and the straw is completely buried. 
With winter in full swing, I want to think of warmth and springtime. This little 5 x 7 oil painting was created with these ideas in mind. I love the smell of fresh blooming lavender. It is a joyous reminder of that special time in spring when blooms begin to appear. This miniature painting of lavender fields was created on ¼-inch gessoed hardboard with professional grade oil paints. It will fit easily into a standard sized frame or can be displayed on a small table-top easel. It can be purchased at ETSY this month for $35.00 plus $6.50 for shipping to US addresses. Click here to purchase it. You can see more of my Small Impressions paintings for sale by clicking here. 
The Pacific Northwest has just emerged from a vicious storm. The flooding has been devastating. Much of Western Washington is submurged and a massive effort is underway to rescue people from their flooded homes. I feel very fortunate that my home and family survived without damage. While the storm waged its war, I tried to think of sunshine and summer evenings. As the wind whipped through the area and the rain poured down, I painted theis little 5 x 7 landscape painting. I had no idea of the results from the nasty interval. I'm glad I was able to create a little diversion for myself. My heart goes out to all who were not as lucky and I wish them the best in their recovery efforts. If you click on any of the links in this posting, you can see some photos of the horrible effects of this storm. 
Today I am violating my policy of sharing only my small works in this blog because I had so much pleasure in creating this 18 x 24 landscape oil painting. Yesterday I stumbled across the web site of Canadian artist, Brian Simons. He creates beautiful representational paintings of a variety of subjects. His work is colorful and painterly. He also offers workshops and has written a book, Seven Steps to a Successful Painting. Although I had never purchased a downloadable book before, I took my chances and purchased the condesnced e-book edition. His instruction is clear, concise, and directed toward beginners. His instructions are for those interested in learning about acrylic painting, but the concepts are easily applied to oils as you can see by the results of my painting. The most exciting part of the book for me is that he recommends starting with a canvas that is at least 24 x 30, only a few brushes, and a limited palette. If you have been considering picking up a paintbrush, I'd certainly recommend looking into the instruction Brian offers. 
Saturday morning is grocery time at my house. It often means I get some exciting new subjects for my art. This little oil painting on hardboard panel is approximately 8 x 8 and is the result of a Saturday grocery trip. I love the brilliant red of fresh radishes and the contrasting green of their leaves. I think the grocer bunched them just for me. This little painting has been SOLD. 
This little 5 x 7 oil painting is one I began working on last spring and finished this summer. It took me a while to complete because it was created using a glazing technique that requires drying time between each layer. Since oil paint can take a week or longer for each layer of paint to dry, glazing is a time consuming endeavor. It begins with a value painting using eight shades of gray. You can see the painting here just before the color glazing began. I allow each color to dry completely before adding the next color. In this case the background received several layers of yellow before adding the blue of the glass. So, even though this painting is small, the effort to create it was large. It is for sale at Etsy this month for $35.00 plus $6.50 for shipping to US addresses. You can purchase it by clicking here. 
This 5 x 7 landscape oil painting was inspired by the Nature Center at the Nisqually National Wildlife Preserve and the fall colors that surrounded it. Since my visit, the leaves have all dropped from the trees and the afternoon sunshine appears less often. My paintings will probably begin to take on the look of winter as the seasons continue to change. 
In the mood for bright colors, I painted this little 4 x6 oil painting along with two others. The day was gloomy and cold, so when these pears travelled home from the grocery store, I placed them on a blue cloth and painted the day away. I love bright colors. This little painting is for sale at ETSY for $24.00 plus $6.50 shipping to US addresses. If you click here, you can purchase it through Paypal. 
It was just a couple of months ago, in the beginning of September, when I painted this 8 x 10 landscape. It was inspired by a walk in a park near my home. The summer foliage was still hanging on the trees and the grass had just begun to turn golden. Now that November has arrived and the trees are bare, I enjoy looking back at that comfortable time of year when I could still walk around without a jacket. This painting is for sale at Etsy this month and you can purchase it for $80.00 plus $12.00 for shipping to US addresses by clicking here. I will mail this painting US priority mail; additional small paintings can be shipped in the same box for no additional charge. Contact me directly at smallimpressions@hotmail.com if there are paintings on this blog you are interested in purchasing. I can quote you a price. 
Most people who have visited Seattle have seen Mount Rainier. On clear, sunny days locals look for the mountain to "come out," as though it can walk in and out of our lives. It is a familiar vision. If, however, you travel to the southeastern side of the mountain, it takes on a slightly different personality. This painting is based on that alternative view, the one that is seen less often--a view from the other side of the mountain. This painting will be offered at Etsy when the paint dries. In the meantime, you can visit here to see other works that are for sale. 
This 5 x 7 oil painting on gessoed hardboard is one of a series of paintings I have done over the past few months of pathways and roads. This particular landscape was inspired by a sunny summer walk I took at a county park near Lakewood, Washington State. The park was full of sunlight and a mix of warm yellows and cool greens. I tried to capture my adventure in this bright little painting. It will be for sale this month at Etsy. You can click here to purchase it for $35.00 plus $6.50 shipping to US addresses. If you like this painting or this painting, they are also for sale at Etsy. 
While the rain beats against my windowpane, I'm thinking about sunshine. This sunny little 5 x 7 oil painting is the result. It is hard to resist the feeling of warmth when I paint with sunshine in mind. This painting can be purchased for $35.00 plus $6.50 shipping to US addresses if you click here. 
This week I played with shadows. Among the results is this 5 x 7 oil painting on gessoed hardboard. The cool shadows on a tree-lined pathway were fun to create. Adding yellow dapples of sunlight helped me think of summer strolls--a delightful memory on a cold, damp winter day. This painting can be purchased here for $35.00 plus $6.50 for US shipping. 
This 5 x 7 oil painting on 1/4-inch gessoed hardboard is another of my series of Puget Sound landscapes. This particular landscape was inspired by the new Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place, Washington State. It is a brand new Scottish Links course that opened in 2007 with breath-taking views of the sound. It makes a great companion piece to my “Chambers Bay View” painting of the same subject; however, this painting focuses on one of the greens rather than just the view of the bay. This painting as well as the companion painting is for sale at ETSY and can be purchased for $35.00 plus $6.50 shipping to US addresses. Click here to purchase this painting. 
This 5 x 7 oil painting on 1/4-inch gessoed hardboard is another of my series of Puget Sound landscapes. This particular landscape was inspired by the new Chambers Bay Links Golf Course in University Place, Washington State. It is a brand new Scottish Links course that opened in 2007 with breath-taking views of the sound. It was painted using professional grade oil and can be purchased at ETSY for $35.00 plus $6.50 for shipping to US addresses. Just click here to purchase. 
This 8 x10 oil painting celebrates the colors of fall. This past fall was especially colorful here in the Pacific Northwest. Recently I read an article that Vermont was losing its beautiful colors due to global warming and changes in the weather patterns. The beauty of those colors must have moved west, because our autumn colors were wonderful. 
I woke up to wind and rain. The sparkle of fall was hiding and left me cold and damp. A longing for the warmth of sunshine inspired me to create this sunny little 8 x 10 oil painting. When I finished, I looked out my window to see a beautiful sunny afternoon with a gentle fall breeze asking for forgiveness for its cranky morning behavior. 
The Cascade Mountains in Washington State stand guard over Puget Sound. It doesn't take very long to travel from Bellingham Bay at the northern end of the sound to the mountains. This 5 x 7 oil painting is another of my Puget Sound landscapes. If you visit the Skagit Valley just south of the town of Bellingham on Bellingham Bay in Washington State, you will see similar vistas. This painting is for sale at Etsy and is a wonderful little companion to the other Puget Sound landscapes I have been offering for sale this month. You can purchase it here for $36.00 plus $6.50 for shipping to US addresses. 
This 5 x 7 oil painting on 1/4-inch gessoed hardboard is one of a series of Puget Sound landscapes I will sell this month at Etsy. This particular landscape was inspired by a sunrise over Lake Cushman located at the foot of the Olympic Mountains in Washington State. Lake Cushman is all about fishing, camping, and waking up early to see the mist lifting off the lake--the sun glinting off the evergreens of the surrounding hills. This small format oil painting would be great addition to a collection of similar small format landscape paintings. I picture it in a den or an office surrounded by other delightful small paintings that offer respite from daily routine. It would make a great gift for an outdoorsman. I created it using professional grade oil colors. You can purchase it here for $35.00 plus $6.50 shipping to US addresses. 
