Category Archives: Painting

St. Michael’s in Owermoigne

In addition to finding her family’s old homestead in England, my friend also found the parish church her ancestors would have attended, and I painted it from the photos she brought back. Working with these historic buildings, I end up … Continue reading →

Posted in Commissions, Painting, Studio Snapshots, Travelogue | Comments Off on St. Michael’s in Owermoigne

New year’s journey to Greenfield

As I traveled to Greenfield, Iowa last Friday, I was feeling anxious about the time and getting to my destination — until I drove south of I-80, and the countryside made me feel like I was coming home! The anxiety … Continue reading →

Posted in Classes, Painting, Paper, Studio Snapshots, Travelogue | Comments Off on New year’s journey to Greenfield

English homestead

This is a commission I’ve been working on for someone who’s been doing genealogy. She traveled with a family group to England to find their roots, and they found this homestead where their ancestors used to live. She tells me, … Continue reading →

Posted in Commissions, Painting, Studio Snapshots | Comments Off on English homestead

Journal birds

The feathered friends flocking around their journal — we had another retreat recently at The Left Bank Studio working with the meaning of color and finding gratitude, awe, and wonder. We painted, cut things out, and made funny lettering for … Continue reading →

Posted in Classes, Painting, Paper, Studio Snapshots | Comments Off on Journal birds

Seasonal trees

The Left Bank Studio class members wanted to paint Christmas trees one week, so we painted trees in snow. I told them, think of the snow as whipped cream and you’ll be fine! First we painted the “whipped cream,” then … Continue reading →

Posted in Classes, Painting, Studio Snapshots | Comments Off on Seasonal trees

Happy holidays

from The Left Bank Studio!

Posted in Painting, Studio Snapshots | Comments Off on Happy holidays

First wash

The Thursday-afternoon students at The Left Bank Studio have been working with value and composition, learning how to take their sketches and better compose them for painting. Then when you paint, it’s fun! The planning has already been done, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Art Tips, Classes, Painting, Studio Snapshots | Comments Off on First wash

Thanksgiving trip

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving! I made new figures (shown at right) to repair the All the World’s a Stage BookMarks sculpture, and took advantage of my trip to Iowa City to hand them over to the Parks … Continue reading →

Posted in Commissions, Painting, Sculpture, Studio Snapshots | Comments Off on Thanksgiving trip

Working toward a watercolor

In a value study, you focus on the relationship of lightness-to-darkness in the subject, and how this gives a sense of space and perspective and gives form to things. The Drawing & Composition class did value studies by drawing with … Continue reading →

Posted in Classes, Painting, Studio Snapshots | Comments Off on Working toward a watercolor

Literary influence

(Update: the opening reception is past, but you can see my exhibit at the Octagon through December 22, 2012.) I have an exhibit going up in the Octagon’s third floor Main Gallery (427 Douglas Ave. in downtown Ames), and there … Continue reading →

Posted in Painting, Sculpture, Studio Snapshots | Comments Off on Literary influence