“This brilliantly colored gem was inspired by a sunset I watched just 5 minutes from my studio. I love the way the ocean reflects all that yummy color back at the sky it came from. How can I NOT love painting the sea?”

“It’s so easy in our fear-based society to focus on the wrong things: the panic over the economy, the violence of the world. It’s hard to remember the most important things: the joy of relationships, the power of beauty and nature to remind us of the truths of life: we were born to live life fully, to look for joy. Every day is an opportunity to Celebrate the possibilities of a turning tide in our lives.

“I painted this one on-site on the gorgeous Oregon Coast one beautiful, sunny morning. I get lost in the sound and the smells of the sea at times like these.”

“I love campfires on the beach, especially on a full moon. The sea loves to dance in it’s light. Showing off it’s beauty.”

“I painted this little charmer when there was a heavy fog layer on the horizon, dark and gray; but as the sun drew itself to bed the fog soaked up the colors of the rainbow. This moving blanket of fog caused the sun to play hide and seek and “you’re peeking” with me for a good 10 minutes, as if to delay bedtime as long as possible. It was a beautifully played game.”

“Okay, I’m a sucker for gardens. And what is that quote? ‘One is nearer God’s heart in a garden then anywhere else on earth.’
Yep, I pretty much believe that to be true about 105% of the time.”

“The soft, delicate, sherbet colors of the sky stole my heart this particular morning, in spite of the fact that the sea was in a raging, bursting-with-drama kind of mood. I took on the challenge of finding the balance of both. I went home feeling both softly caressed and alive.”

This is genuinely one of my personal favorites. It will hurt to let this one go. Painted “plein air” (which means on-site).

It was a lovely morning and the surf was up higher than usual in the San Diego area. I’m thinking I’m heading out to paint with a small group of friends on a quiet morning, and the next thing we know we are surrounded by hoards of people and TV crews, etc. I didn’t know what all the fuss was about. I thought somebody died or something.

Turns out people were amazed over the “GIGANTIC” and gorgeous surf. Being an Oregonian, this kind of surf happens nearly everyday up in the north. But they were right about one thing: It was amazingly gorgeous (and delightfully warm)! I was pleased with the resulting painting.

“This lovely view looks eastward, if I turn around I have the grand beauty of the ocean behind me. Sometimes it’s hard not to paint the ocean for me, but this spring day it was sooo inviting, how I could turn my back on a garden????????”

“Talk about DRAMA.  When lightening starts its dance it’s hard to pay attention to anything else.  I love the way a flash would light up a dark afternoon and show more color than one would think possible, for a few short micro-seconds. Reminds me of when I use to fly airplanes in Alaska and a quote we would laugh about:   ‘Flying is hours and hours of boredom sprinkled with a few seconds of sheer terror.’    Okay, not the best analogy, but it reminded me of it anyway.”