Teacup

MINI Yesterday I asked my daughter if she would mind bringing me a cup of tea. Anyone who's been here knows we have a...well..."eclectic" bunch of mugs. Designs range from the standard Tim Horton's to school logos. I have a few tucked in the back of shelves that I've picked up from garage sales that I really like, and she came upstairs with one of those, with a pansy she'd picked gracing the side. Attention to detail! Thanks honey - and the tea hit the spot : ) 2.25" x 3.25" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / SOLD

An apricot and 2 plums

MINI I made it to the fruit market just before they closed up for the day and picked up some luscious apricots and tangy, golden plums. Shiro's maybe? Delicious. I had to hoard a few to paint as they were being eaten faster than I could assemble them. Now I get to eat my still life : ) A little reward. 2.25" x 3.25" / acrylic on canvas / SOLD

Win-A-Mini Winner!

Congratulations to Debra of Port Credit who won this week's Win-A-Mini draw. She chose "Cherries in bowl" but it sold this week, so I have contacted her to tell her she may pick another Mini.

Okay - just heard from Debra and she would like "Apple." If you'd like to enter next week's draw, just send me an email noting your favourite Mini and a sentence telling me why you like it, and your name will be entered in that week's draw. For more details, please read the sidebar to the right. Cheers!

Apple

MINI Tonight, an apple. I found it in the fridge. With all the fresh fruit growing in Niagara right now there is no reason to be painting apples from the grocery store! Tomorrow I will get to the market. 2.25" x 3.25" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / Won in contest draw

Walnuts

Here are some walnuts growing on our black walnut tree. I really like the sculptural quality they add to the leaves. It's a nice contrast to see the leaves being madly tossed in the wind, flying around like they are today, and then the heavy, solid clusters of walnuts. 6" x 6" x 1.5" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

Bowl of sours

This is a bowl of the leftover sour cherries from the pie the other night. This is almost the end of fresh cherries for the year. 6" x 6" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

Apple blossoms

For those readers new to the blog, Sunday's I take the day off, and post a piece I've previously painted. Today I am posting one of my favourite pieces from spring: Apple blossoms. It was a warm, fresh spring evening and although I was surrounded by vast fields and woods, I was drawn to this young, wild apple tree and it's blossoms, growing near a fence. 36" x 36" / acrylic on 1/2" plywood

Cherry pie

Okay - it's been a crazy day. Running all over the place, trying to get things done. In fact, I'm surprised I actually got a painting done. I thought this would be the first day I'd have to skip. Above is a cherry pie I just baked for my Dad's birthday. Now I gotta run and make the salad! 6" x 6" x 1.5" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

Sobie Road field, Sobie Road barn

MINI Tonight I went driving again. I just love the landscape, especially now with all the vibrant greens. The first piece is a field and tree line. I've done a few on this blog and will do many more. Something about the combination of field and sky. Wide open.

The second painting is the view across from the field: a barn and some lovely country trees - just lookin' happy to be there.

1.5" x 2.25" / acrylic on canvas / $14 each

Sobie Road barn: SOLD

Sobie Road field: available

Win-A-Mini Winner!

Congratulations to Dawn of Huntsville who won this week's Win-A-Mini draw. She picked the purple pansy from July 16th. I will put it in the post tomorrow. Thank you for entering!

For next week's draw, please feel free to keep entering. Just send me an email noting your favourite Mini, a sentence explaining why, and your name will be entered in that week's draw. If your name is pulled and the Mini you like has ended up being sold, I will contact you and you can choose a different Mini. Cheers!

Sunset over Elm Tree Road

Tonight I got away from the house to paint. I drove to one of my favourite spots and a beautiful sky full of colour was there to greet me. I'm glad I got the sky in right away, because it changed in minutes. 6" x 6" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

Bottle and glass

MINI Didn't start painting till late again. Was looking around for a subject and saw this wine bottle from the Legends Chardonnay we enjoyed the other night. The shades of green were intriguing. I just wished there had been a little left! And a special "cheers" to my Dad, who achieved his bike-trip goal. Awesome : )

2.25" x 3" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / SOLD

Rain before dark

A little spooky-looking tonight. It feels like fall. I began painting just before dark...it's been cool and rainy...I saw a house fire today...and Harry Potter on the weekend. Maybe it all cumulated in tonight's piece. 6" x 6" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

Field and sky

MINI It's a pretty morning here. Green grass and a nice blue sky. To be honest, I began the morning painting candy and everything was looking great until I screwed up the shadows on the foil wrapper. Why didn't I just leave well enough alone?! : ) Oh well, I turned my attention out the window and ta-da (!) here's the result. I'll leave the candy for a rainy day. 3" x 2.25" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / SOLD

Nude from behind

"Nude from behind" is one of my favourite figure paintings. Gestural and loose. I intend to do a lot more figure work - I love painting from a strong model. 36" x 36" / acrylic on canvas

Yellow beans

This is the basket of beans we picked from our garden today. They taste great! I think we'll steam them tomorrow for supper with a little butter and salt. It's so good to see that it's actually producing something! With my track record - I had some doubts ; ) 6" x 6" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

Teapot

This afternoon I had my dear friend and her two sweet kids over for tea and lunch. It felt quite decadent. We're happily at that stage where we can now finish a meal while it's still hot! Over the years we've had many good talks over pots of tea and coffee (and glasses of wine : ). Here's the pot we drank from today. 6" x 6" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

Pansies

MINI The humble pansy. They looked so sweet I had to do two.

1.5" x 2.5" / acrylic on canvas / $14 each

Purple pansy: Won in contest draw Yellow: SOLD

Hollyhocks

Yesterday I was driving through Vineland and a wonderful garden caught my eye. Every square inch is bursting with lush hollyhocks, chamomile, roses, hostas, Russian sage...the list goes on and on. Today I drove back, knocked on the door and asked the residents if they would mind if I painted in their garden. Carol said I was more than welcome and this is the result. Thanks Carol!

10" x 30" / hollyhocks / SOLD

Cherries in bowl

MINI Well... I'm still eating them so I figured I'd still paint 'em : ) Yum.

3.25" x 2.25" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / SOLD

Coneflower

It is good to be alone in a garden at dawn or dark so that all its shy presences may haunt you and possess you in a reverie of suspended thought. ~James Douglas, Down Shoe Lane

This post goes out to all Guerilla Gardeners with a shout-out to the Cambridge Garden Project. I love your spirit. Want to know more? http://www.guerrillagardening.org

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/07/guerilla-gardening-nano-scale.php

http://cambridgegardens.wordpress.com

6" x 6" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

Daisies and anemones

I love a field of daisies. Especially when a few petals are missing or bent over. Adds character. And also brings to mind the whole: "Does he love me or love me not?" game I played as a kid. Innocence and happiness. My shasta daisies are blooming right now. Maybe I'll do a series of them this week. acrylic on canvas / SOLD

3 cherries

MINI Delicious sweet cherries. They taste so good right now and the orchards are heavy with fruit. 3" x 3" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / SOLD

Radishes

These are radishes from our garden. Red, crisp and very hot. My dad grew up eating radish sandwiches - slices of radishes between two pieces of thick, fresh buttered bread and salt. It may sound suspect but they're really quite delicious. Try it!

6" x 6" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

Summer sunset

MINI Aren't sunsets beautiful?

It’s the idea that people living close to nature tend to be noble. It’s seeing all those sunsets that does it. You can’t watch a sunset and then go off and set fire to your neighbor’s tepee. Living close to nature is wonderful for your mental health.” ~ Daniel Quinn

2.25" x 3" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / SOLD

Fresh air

I started "Fresh air" last night and put the finishing touches on today. I was taken with the billowy clouds floating across all that gorgeous blue. The air was fresh and clean, there was a good breeze blowing around and the grass was like crushed emeralds. 24" x 24" / acrylic on canvas

Lavender posy

MINI Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting my dear friend Iris who lives in an enchanted German cottage. Everywhere you gaze, you find something of beauty: fossils and coloured stones hidden among the plants, golden paper stars, colourful stitchery, calligraphy and paintings tucked in all corners, stacks of antique books, and one of my new favourites - an antique rocker that until quite recently belonged to a ghost who used to sit on the side of the road and gently rock away the day. Okay, the ghost bit may be a bit of an embellishment, but I swear the rest is true : ) When I left she handed me a lavender posy wrapped in golden cord. 2.5" x 3" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / SOLD

Strawberry cheesecake

Ahhh....another stop at the deli. Today I bought this mini cheesecake. I love how they package each in their own box, a little treasure. When I lifted it out I was about to remove the paper wrapping but then thought it looked quite fanciful in its ruffles. 6" x 6" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

Grassy Path at Lennon Road

Welcome to the Sunday post. On Sundays I showcase a larger painting from my collection and today I'd like to dedicate this entry to David. It was quite a story I heard yesterday. It's always lovely to share a conversation with someone who has maintained a sense of wonder, optimism and humour despite having gone through some seriously rough days. I raise a Guinness to you : )

"If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life" ~Rachel Carson

Grassy Path at Lennon Road / 24" x 30" / acrylic on canvas

Across the street

MINI A struggle today. I'm really tired and it's just not coming. Today's painting is a view across the street. The sunlight was good and strong this morning, casting nice shadows across the lawn. The tree in the foreground is a black walnut that grew from seed. 2.75" x 3.5" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / Won in draw

Puffy cloud

MINI A perfect white puffy cloud in a blue sky. I tried to capture the serenity of a country field on a beautiful summer day. 2.5" x 3" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / SOLD

Watermelon rinds

The remnants of supper. 6" x 6" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

Two green apples & drunken plums

I love this jar of plums in liqueur. My parents gave them to us last year and we eat them sparingly because we really enjoy them and want them to last. The colour is so warm and rich (as is the taste!). Maybe we'll have a few tonight to celebrate Canada Day. I thought the green apples would look good beside them. 6" x 6" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD