Six more little paintings 8" x 8" X 2" deep, for the Mountain Heritage show this weekend. Mostly acrylic paint, some collage pieces, black and white charcoal, oil pastel. 

When I apply gesso to these wood cradle boards to start the paintings, I score the surface before it dries with the end of the brush handle, making sweeping lines and scribbley shapes. When the gesso has dried, I scrape on thin layers of neutral color, like ochre and raw umber. The scored lines show up darker because they have filled with pigment. I add other colors over that surface and the abstract, random lines and shapes that result are what I use to find the landscape features and figures. 

Twelve small paintings

Twelve paintings ranging in size from 10" X 10" to 12" X 12" on 2" deep wood panels with the image wrapped around the edges as usual. They will go with me to the Mountain Heritage show in Jefferson County, WV next weekend. No collage in these, just paint and charcoal, some oil pastel. 

Some more new paintings for a show in Gaithersburg

These ten paintings are headed for a show at the Arts Barn in Gaithersburg, MD. I will be with four other very interesting artists in this mixed media exhibit. (see postcard at bottom of post)

Each painting is on a 2" deep wood panels, with acrylic, painted and hand-printed papers, charcoal, and oil and chalk pastel. The images continue around the sides.

40" X 40" This one was inspired by a little visitor to the barn. We had a guinea hen adopt us for a few weeks, but, sadly, she has moved on. We got quite attached to her and she was great at eating up bugs! She would gently peck the flies from the horses legs and fly masks. And I miss her running commentary of chirps and whistles. 

Birdtown, 40" X 40" 

Giraffe and Goat Visit Birdtown, 20" X 20" 

Cat Visits Birdtown Beach, 20" X 20"

Birdtown Park, 24" X 18"

Birdtown Friends, 24" X 18"

Two Horses Visit Birdtown, 24" X 24"

Birdtown Beach, 24" X 24"

Birdtown Northend, 24" X 18"

Birdtown Pond, 24" X 18"

Here are some of the paintings at beginning stages with layers of paint and texture. I'd started to find images on some of them, drawn in with charcoal. 

On the bottom of the left panel you might see where I found the guinea hen. I called her Mutt because she had shown up with Jeff, who moved on the next day. Later I changed her name to Jean Louise having just listened to To Kill a Mockingbird on CD. It fit her better, but her nickname remained Mutt...not Scout.