Inkspots

So much to update...

2011-11-01T00:10:00.000-04:00

It has been 6 months since I updated, better get crackin'!
First off, Birds in Art update: The painting in the last post, 'Gulf Surf, Winter' was selected to be included in the show this year. I went to the Birds in Art weekend festivities and had a marvelous time as always, catching up with friends I only see once a year (at most).
The painting will go on the 6-venue tour when the exhibition closes at Leigh Yawkey Woodson art museum. The bigger news is, when the tour ends the painting returns to the museum as part of the permanent collection, courtesy of generous memorial gift in memory of a long-time museum supporter.

'First Step' 12"x24" oil/panel

'Yellow Ball' 20"x16" oil/panel


'Matched Pair' 16"x12" oil/panel

Part of the summer was devoted to preparing for Pembroke Welsh corgi nationals, with 3 new paintings.

Also prepared for gallery receptions including the McBride Gallery annual 'Autumn Celebration' show the last weekend of October, which had me as the feature artist this year.

'Dutch' 8"x10" oil/panel

'River Shallows' 36"x48" oil/canvas


'Settling In' 12"x24" oil/canvas

Birds in Art submissions in. Next up: a bunch of other stuff.

2011-04-18T13:17:00.000-04:00

'She' 13x36 scratchboard of my favorite almost-prehistoric bird, an anhinga


Gulf Surf, Winter (36x36)	From my recent trip to FL (well, I suppose both artworks shown here are fromt hat trip). A day at the beach near Venice FL when a fog bank rolled in and softened all the tropical colors.

Newest work for Maryland Galleries

2011-03-15T17:03:00.000-04:00

Offering----30x30 oil on canvas To McBride Gallery for the upcoming 'Artist Plus One' exhibition and sale.

She -----13x26 Scratchboard Anhinga from my Florida trip, also at McBride Gallery

Summer Mist -------28x22 oil on linen Went to Troika Gallery today with another painting, 'Fluffed'.

Dropped paintings and Scratchboards off today for upcoming events.

More winter work

2011-02-26T09:56:00.000-05:00

Stirring the Waters (24x36)

Fluffed (24x20)

Finally able to start working with my material gathered from a terrific short trip to Florida last month with good friends/fellow artists. On the easel now is a painting of Maryland's Eastern shore marshes in summer; but already completed these 2 for upcoming shows at McBride Gallery, Troika Gallery, and Mystic Maritime Gallery. (OK, that's 3 destinations for 2 works, but since I am continuing to work on new stuff and haven't specifically committed to what is going where, I can do that).

Winter Work

2011-01-26T22:06:00.005-05:00

"Out of the Storm", oil on canvas 36"x48" First major work of the new year.

I really should update this more...

2011-01-02T13:38:00.005-05:00

...because I do paint more than you would think by reading this blog. Wrapped up a busy 2010 with 2 months of non-stop Busy, so only just now am I updating things. In October I went to Waco TX for a combined trip of dog show and art show at the Australian Shepherd Club of America National Specialty show. Had some nice times attending my booth and selling originals and prints of my dog art, did some dog photography, and had a nice time showing my young Aussie Thumper. You can read all about the dog aspect on my dog blog, http://inkwellaussies.blogspot.com

Thumper's Nationals Class Placement. Good puppy!

As soon as I got home the day before Halloween I was off and running in the studio working toward this years Studio Open House held at my home on December 11. I even got several small scratchboards done, a nice change after having not worked in the medium for several months.

Sand Road (6x6)


Wren (12x6)


Late October Field (9x12)


Fresh Grass (6x8)


Tortoise Dutch (6x6)


Winter Finch (4x6)


November Field (6x12)


First Snow (6x8)


Zebra (6x6)


Nuthatch (8x8)


Sassy Wren (4x7)


2 Weeks (7x5)


Tai Shan (7x5)


Mockingbird (4x4)

Studio Open House with Karryl, Terry and me represented.

Work from each of us in the 'wrong red' dining room. This color's days were numbered at this point!


Art panels in the room filled with bookshelves helped make room for art and reduce	visual clutter (a bit!).

Fellow artists Terry Miller and Karryl helped fill my walls with lovely smaller works for the holiday shopping season and we had some faithful collector friends and some new faces. We all called the Open House a success as we dismantled at the end of that day.

The following day was time to dive into the first of 2 important commissions with a Christmas deadline.

Commission of Meg, a lovely black bi (no copper) Aussie. 12x9

Nikki, the subject of my other deadline commission. 8x10.

With the help of the clients in the form of email consultations and progress critiques the paintings were completed and shipped (wet but protected) the week of Christmas. Whew!!!

This year's tree!

Then cleanup as I had 2 sets of house guests simultaneously (with their 2 dogs each!!) for the week of Christmas. Dinner was at my house but rib roast and Yorkshire pudding is easy no no sweat there!.

The day after Christmas my guests helped me gut the dining room to paint it as promised, from the wrong red I'd used several years ago to a nice neutral grayish color, very sophisticated and calming.

Walls back to hanging my collection, with the new wall color in the dining room. A world of difference.

Dining Room with most of my Terry Miller collection on the wall.

Rehung art and then got ready for the New Years Day brunch I annually do. That went well though a very small turnout compared with other years, but after everyone left yesterday I de-Christmas'd the living room. Tonight the tree comes down and then, done til next year. Oh in the midst of all this my oven broke (just before Thanksgiving) and this week the washer broke and the dryer started malfunctioning. All these appliances, along with the dishwasher (still working, knock on wood), were ancient and heavily used when I bought the house 10 years ago but they all worked until this past few weeks. Fortunately gallery biz has picked up a bit and I am in the position to replace things. So tomorrow the washer and dryer arrive. None too soon either, I have a LOT of laundry piling up after this week of cooking, cleaning, and dog guests!!! (I'll spare you photos of the laundry).

Happy New Year!!!

Back from Corgis, now onward!

2010-09-28T12:17:00.000-04:00

Had a good time and a successful show at Pembroke Welsh Corgi Nationals in Lancaster PA last week. Now to prepare for the ASCA Nationals in Waco Texas in a few weeks plus some commissions and some preparation for the fall gallery shows. No rest for the weary during the lovely autumn weeks! Check my main web site for the calendar which is evolving.

More August work

2010-08-24T22:12:00.000-04:00

Fluffy Pup (10x8) is a recessive gene longhaired Pembroke Corgi puppy, unbelievably cute and sweet.

'Visit' (20x16)

'Observation Post' (12x12)

All of these paintings are being done for Corgi National Specialty next month in Lancaster PA. All will be printed and originals will be for sale if not sold beforehand. I plan to do several more before the show in one month. Come see me there!

First works for August

2010-08-02T13:51:00.000-04:00

Preparing for a few early-Autumn events including McBride Gallery's Best of the Chesapeake exhibition and sale to hang in early September. Also working on more Corgis for the Pembroke Corgi National Specialty in Lancaster in late September; more art of Corgis coming, promise!

Surface Tension (16x20) (Snowy Egret)

Lazy Comets (7"x5" each)

July's work

2010-07-29T22:29:00.002-04:00

Golden Hour (24x48)

Sun Seeker (8x6)

Red Ball! (12x24)

Some recent work

2010-07-03T11:13:00.000-04:00

I have been negligent in posting newer work but here are dew pieces. I am starting to concentrate on some corgi subjects this month in preparation for holding a booth at the Pembroke Corgi national specialty show in Lancaster in September. I will post the paintings and scratchboards as they are completed.

But first, these paintings:

February Field (6x8) A reminder of our snowy winter here in Maryland, painted on an unusually hot June day.

Daybreak (24x48) Still trying to document every egret on the east coast.

March Surf (8x10) Painted after a trip to the Joizy shore.

Misty Morn (10x8) Hey, look! No birds!

Carol Sebold has died.

2010-07-02T20:00:00.001-04:00

Got some very sad news a couple of weeks ago while at Camp, of the sudden death of an old friend. Not sure many of my wildlife artist friends even knew of Carol Sebold but she was a painter of the Maine landscape in watercolor, and more recently, in oil as well. She knew her subject, knew her market, and as a result her work became known throughout the region; her work could be found all over the state in galleries and shops. But Carol's true legacy was her profound effect on people she met, for she was a true force of nature. She swept friends and strangers alike into her whirlwind of, well, ACTION, for lack of a better term. She had an astonishing number of TRUE friends, people she got to know while showing her artwork or while traveling, and she maintained contact with these friends and maintained involvement with them, whether they came to her or she went to them during her frequent travel. She was the most active and athletic 71 year old I think i will ever know, skiing, snow-shoeing, hiking, kayaking, and in the process leaving everyone in her wake. She was just starting to significantly reduce her business obligations after a lifetime of hard work to secure her 'retirement', and she'd had several surgeries in the past several months for various joint issues which she would have preferred to have had done all on the same day, so could could get on with her life and plans. Unfortunately the last one, bilateral knee replacements 2 weeks before her sudden death, might have been a problem; we'll never really know.. There were around 600 people at her memorial service 1 week ago in Camden Maine and she could almost certainly have named every person there; some traveled from a great distance to be there for Carol, as I did. I found the 4 days leading up to the service to be very difficult as I saw so many of her local friends come together to remember her (and cry and cry and cry).

Anyway rest in peace, Carol, I will miss you and your presence in Camden forever.

I have been working....

2010-03-23T20:41:00.001-04:00

But didn't finish these scratchboards up and photograph them until today.

"fluffed' 11"x6"

'Featherwork' 19"x16"

Some More

2010-03-15T23:26:00.000-04:00

"Play Ball!" 24x36 oil on linen
(Poodle Nationals must be coming)

"Red Flag" 10"x20" oil on canvas board
Seascape from a trip to New Jersey coast a few weeks ago.

"Party of Three" 12"x36" oil on canvas

Because there are always more egrets in need of painting.

Some newly photographed paintings

2010-02-23T14:33:00.000-05:00

Summer Dawn, Easton (24x36, oil on linen)

Morning Stretch (18x24) oil on linen

Might as Well...(16x20) oil on linen

2010-02-13T17:47:00.000-05:00

Poodle Nationals coming up, I started this weeks ago and then had to set it aside for a while, now finished and photographed (I think!).

Lazy Day (36x48)

2010-02-11T21:41:00.001-05:00

Thought I'd tackle a large painting while snowed in this week (several times). Not as concentrated a set of painting sessions as I'd envisioned, since I had a lot of shoveling to do, over and over, and continue to be way over-puppied. But finally got this completed. May not get the van unearthed to deliver it to the gallery until spring, but once I do unearth the van, this will go to McBride Gallery in Annapolis.

Yes, it snowed a little

2010-02-07T10:55:00.000-05:00

White Ducks (4"x12")

2009-12-31T13:11:00.000-05:00

Seen at the base of the falls in the harbor at Camden, Maine

2010 USASA National Specialty Artwork

2009-12-18T21:44:00.001-05:00

See the USASA web site for souvenir items which will use the artwork. As always the image will also be the limited edition print used for the major trophies.

A couple of smalls...

2009-11-24T20:25:00.001-05:00

'Small Gems' is what McBride Gallery is calling the focus of their holiday season this year, little paintings done by gallery artists. So these 2 paintings joined the party along with several other small works I have already posted in recent weeks and months.

Eider on Waves (4x12)

Bunny (4x12)

Waiting Egret 20x24 oil on linen

2009-10-30T16:46:00.000-04:00

Destined for one of my galleries for the fall season.

All sorts of arrivals

2009-10-28T17:18:00.001-04:00

Well, I did some paintings (so they arrived), autumn is here (so it arrived), I got back from Wausau after being their artist-in-residence (so I arrived) and last and most important, Ribbon has had her litter of 7 so THEY arrived. You can see more about them at this news page though I have included a picture of mom and babies here.

The Signs (16x20)

Egret Primping2 (6x4)

Egret Primping 1 (6x4)

2009-10-08T14:03:00.000-04:00

Splash (8x10) Saw this fellow chasing a stick in a local small river and had to paint him.

Cleveland Bay (15x30) This was posted a couple of weeks ago but the horse disappeared into a very dark green background so I lightened it and was much happier with this.

Sand River Cheetah (24x30) Haven't done Africa in any real way for a good while so I needed to rectify this.

Some more work finally photographed. Art is destined for various upcoming shows including McBride Gallery's Autumn Celebration, Troika Gallery's Gala Anniversary show, Mystic Maritime Museum Gallery's winter show, and Simpson Gallery's miniatures holiday show. Early in 2010 I plan to have work included in the American Society of Marine Artists' regional show in Delaware. Hope to see some of you at one or more event! If you want to know which specific pieces might be going where, just contact me.

Horses on my mind...

2009-09-27T16:31:00.002-04:00

Cleveland Bay Stallion (15x30)

I've been reading a lot of my friend Lyn's blogs and looking at her photos documenting her newly reawakened Horse Madness and I confess it has me revisiting my love of horse as well. Haven't been on one in decades but certainly have watched, and photographed, them recently and now want to paint them.
Not sure this is done (OK, it isn't, a few cleanup strokes needed) and no idea how to photograph it without all that glare on the paint strokes, but wanted to put it up. From a trip to Howard County fair, watching several Cleveland Bay stallions being led around near their ring. This was a particularly handsome fellow.

Some more new art

2009-09-21T13:57:00.004-04:00

I have been busy doing a variety of things including preparing for fall gallery events. Attended McBride Gallery's 'Best of the Chesapeake' opening a couple of weekends back and got to chat with some old friends, and to see the exhibition that was, as always, so beautiful.
Now preparing for the gallery's autumn celebration show coming up in October, and also for the big November Anniversary exhibition at the Troika Gallery in Easton. Wonderful to have such representation in both galleries.So to that end I have been toiling away. Here are a few smaller works. Have a couple of larger things not yet ready for photography and also will have my great blue heron sculpture represented in the galleries again when they arrive from the foundry. Just a little color...Watery Sky (5x7)

White Chair (4x6)

Greeting the Day (10x20)

Tension (8x8)

Gee Bee (16x20) A special piece for a special perosn.

Scarlet Macaw (8x8)

Fleet (12x12)

Some new art

2009-09-09T21:37:00.003-04:00

Settling In (8x12)
This is the rtwork I used as a demonstration piece for my tutorial at the Woodson Art Museum next month. I photographed it in stages from initial drawing to completion; those photos and the finished artwork will hang at the museum with 3 other scratchboards of mine from now until the end of Birds in Art 2009 exhibition at the museum.
I do very few scratchboards anymore so it was nice to settle down in front of the drawing table for a change.

2 beloved dogs belonging to a friend; the blue merle girl died last year and the blac tri boy is getting on in years.

My new website dog pages

2009-08-25T23:00:00.002-04:00

I finally decided, since I am breeding Ribbon for an October litter, to add pages to my website for my Australian Shepherds. I am also working on other updates including adding a few new print images and updating the calendar (which has not been done quite yet!).See the new web pages here. Or just go to my regualr web page and find the link to Inkwell Australian Shepherds.

Stargazing(24x18)

2009-08-22T22:54:00.002-04:00

An egret. Because there are not enough paintings of them in the world.

Exciting Updates

2009-08-13T11:08:00.011-04:00

I have been working out my schedule for a week of talking about and demonstrating the medium of Scratchboard, to be hosted by Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. This will happen the week of October 19-25, 2009. I have a Scratchboard included in this year's Birds in Art exhibition (I believe my 15th year of inclusion) and for the first time I will not be attending the Birds in Art weekend festivities because I will be out to see the show that week in October when I teach.
I will have several new scratchboards there in a mini-gallery during the Birds in Art display time (guess what I am working on right now?).

In addition I have learned that Ampersand Art Supply tm is donating all materials for the adult workshops portion of the week. Ampersandtm makes a masonite board with the kaolin clay surface that is definitive of Scratchboard; they call the un-inked version Claybord . Their donation includes 50 white and 50 black boards measuring 5"x7", as well as a few other sizes for the ambitious student. In addition they are donating the fiber scraping tools and another scratching tool. I buy mine white (no ink yet, called 'Claybord') because I like a lighter background, but many artists like the black boards, which are simply Claybord tm with India ink already applied. That is what they label Scratchboard. I have been using their product since I first learned about it over a decade ago because the quality and consistency is so excellent. Now the company's generosity will allow attendees to try both materials if they like. Thank you Ampersandtm!

Here is the beautiful Birds in Art calendar produced by the Museum. You can read the pages by simply clicking on them to enlarge.

Some new work

2009-07-30T22:47:00.009-04:00

Finally getting some new work up.

Dusk Watch (12x24)
This painting is at McBride Gallery in Annapolis.

Koji's Girl (7"x5") Commissioned portrait

Kaz's Girl (7"x5") Commissioned portrait

Summer Sparkle (18"x24")
This painting will be a part of McBride Gallery's 'Best of the Chesapeake' Autumn exhibition in September.

Aphrodite(8"x8")
This painting too will be a part of the 'Best of the Chesapeake' show at McBride Gallery.

It's been a while...

2009-05-20T23:06:00.008-04:00

'Stretch' 24"x12"

But not because I haven't been working. The past 3 months were spent painting art for the 2 specialty dog shows I planned for this year. Preparation included making the artworks, preparing prints, framing prints, and doing the trophy framing for the Australian Shepherd national specialty. Also had new paintings and prints for the Shetland Sheepdog National Specialty. I was in Perry Georgia for the Shelties first, where I met old acquaintances and new ones, all with a common interest in this pretty and versatile breed.

'Little Tri Girl' 6"x8"'Blue & Black' 11"x14"

My dog Encore went into the ring as did a number of his close relations, and as always it was a spectacle of great animals. Then I had a week to burn before heading for St. Louis area to do the Aussie Nationals. I spent that week at Meramec State Park in Missouri where I camped with my Sheltie and a friend's nice young Aussie in my little travel trailer. The plan was to set up camp in this park and to work on a couple of paintings I wanted to complete for marine art exhibitions which had entry deadlines during my trip.

Great plan except that it rained Every.Single.Day. All.Day. while I was at Meramec. So I was finally painting inside my small trailer with 2 bored young dogs. Not the ideal situation. But what can you do, right? I had no way to know it would be that unpleasant and I did not really want to drive all the way home before then heading west to St. Louis, so there I stayed. I never did make deadline for the juries of those shows but have a couple of paintings almost finished which will go to galleries instead. I did do this little goose while holed up.'White Goose' 5"x7"
When the day came to move camp on up the road at Purina Farms for the Aussie Nationals it was sunny and nice (of course). Well, the best way to fold up my little hybrid trailer is in dry weather at least. I packed up and moved on Sunday and waited until they were able to allow the RV's to get their spots.
'Deep Snow' 8"x10"
The following day I set up a somewhat abbreviated booth space under the main show tent and gave Blossom, my friend's Aussie girl, a bath in prep for her show debut on Tuesday.
Also started the process of pulling out the framed prints that were prepared for the trophies and judges' gifts during the show.

Blossom's debut in the ring was not an auspicious one though she did fail to trip me in the ring. Her second time in the ring on Thursday we were much better as a team though no ribbons resulted. But she is simply very green and needs to learn, well, stuff. And she will, back home with her owner.
The sculpture of the Aussie that we have had up for raffle in benefit of the Australian Shepherd Foundation was on display all week and final raffle ticket sales topped $9000 for the Foundation. I was honored to be the one to draw the winning ticket at the Thursday night banquet and, as very interesting luck would have it, the winning ticket was held by the niece of Nadine Grady, a board member who had the assignment to judge Best of Breed the next day! Nadine's niece said a few words about her aunt Nadine's influence upon her and her fun dog show field trips with her when a child, and then announced she was giving the sculpture to Nadine.

It was all very fitting, and I shipped the piece to Nadine this week. The art auction at the banquet was also quite successful and the original painting used as the official artwork for the specialty fetched a nice price at auction. (I always donate the art for this).

'Spring' (9"x12") 2009 Aussie Nationals logo image

After 3 weeks I was quite happy to return home and I packed up the art booth that Thursday (the day before actual end of show) as the forecast was rain for Friday. Sure enough Friday started with heavy thounderstorms (Tornado Alley duirng Tornado Season, in a trailer!) and they continued, and continued, aand continued some more. I finally ended up folding up my trailer wet as I'd have had to wait til noon or later for rain to end. The storms caused hours of delays in judging Best of Breed (a few hundred entries plus junior showmanship that day) and I was on the way home before judging was partway through. But I was ready to go and mission , for me at least, had been accomplished with the wrap up of the year-long sculpture fundraiser plus the delivery of all the trophy prints.

I will plan to attend Poodle Nationals next year after having had to sit them out for thew past several (since they are now in April in conflict with shelties an Aussies). Unfortunate bad luck on the timing; these are the only dog shows I even do (as an artist) as a matter of fact. But time to give Aussies a break (though I will continue the logo art) and Shelties will be in Tucson next year. All at the same time as Poodles, and I want to get back to my big canine topiary show again, I really enjoy it and I adore the breed.
"Not Sleeping' 10"x15 "scratchboard for Birds in Art at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau WI.

And new Aussie art

2009-02-16T21:25:00.002-05:00

'Bringing Them In" Oil on Canvas 16x20

I started this painting a while ago but had to set it aside until I was able to resolve a problem with it. These sheep were seen at Dicky Renn's farm a couple of years back.

A New Egret

2009-02-16T16:10:00.001-05:00

Because there are many thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of egrets in the world and I have only painted a small fraction of them, I add another, chipping away at the list.

More new dog art

2009-02-11T14:24:00.005-05:00

Still working on new images for shows I plan or hope to do this year.

Berner pups ('Sisters', 10x8)

Sittin' Pretty (Bernese Mountain Dog) 10x8
Perfect Angel (Berner Puppy) 8x10

In Triplicate (Berner Trio) 10x20

Also a Heron painting for the The Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport
Evening Wade oil 10x10

New Work for the New Year

2009-01-26T19:55:00.003-05:00

Its been a few weeks since I last posted but I have been working!

In Her Element (Bernese Mountain Dog) 11x14
Oil on linen
This is one of Pete Zaluzec's dogs Midge.

Black n' Blue (Sheltie Puppies) 9x12
Oil on linen

Tess 8"x6" oil on panel

Happy New Year and also stuff about my friend Lyn

2009-01-03T14:45:00.003-05:00

Well, 2009 is now underway. Had a nice but busy season with 8 at my dinner table on Christmas and a few dozen friends in for my annual New Year's Day brunch. Now I have de-Christmas'd the house and will get back to painting, something to which I am looking forward!
I somehow failed to ever mention the Lyn St. Clair project on this blog and so I will now rectify this oversight. I have developed a web log for an on-line gallery of available artworks by some of the best artists there are, in assistance of our friend Lyn St. Clair as she faces some big medical bills. Please go here to get the details and of course to see the artwork being offered. Each artist participating has a link to their web sites and their email addresses included in the post about their work, and many of these artists have other work they would fit into the project if asked. Hope you check it out and please also spread the word by sending the link to the artistsforlyn blog to other friends. And additional note: The Lyn-blog will be updtaed as additional artists come on board so please check back regularly; in fact there is a mechanism for signing onto these blogs to be automatically notified when a change is made on a blog and you can take advantage of this. It is explained at the site.
In other news, nothing really; plans for the new year include more Shetland sheepdog subjects for the dog show I will attend and show in Georgia in April, perhaps some new Aussie art, and in the immediate future some Bernese Mountain dog subjects! I want to perhaps go to that breed's National specialty show in Wisconsin next year and so I will start preparing by doing some paintings this month and going to the local specialty in February. This is not a certainty yet so I won't post it on my calendar.
Of course the vast majority of my paintings are not dog subjects and I will continue to bring new work to McBride Gallery, Troika Gallery, and the Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport .
Speaking of McBride Gallery, my solo show there last month went very well and the remaining the work has stayed at the gallery as the winter gallery show hangs; much of the show was posted on this blog over the past several months; if you are curious about the availability of any specific paintings please contact me.
Once again Happy New Year, hope everyone has a healthy and prosperous 2009~!

Another Bunny

2008-12-19T19:41:00.002-05:00

Cottontail (8x6)
Had one more painting to post; might not get much more done before Christmas, a couple of commissions beckon.

More smalls

2008-12-01T12:39:00.002-05:00

These are 8x6 paintings prepared for Troika and McBride galleries for the Christmas season. McBride in Annapolis is holding their Midnight Madness hours this Thursday and Thursday the 11th. Most importantly my solo show will continue to hang at the gallery until late December. The opening reception a couple of Sundays ago was well attended and a wonderful opportunity for me to meet collectors who'd acquired my work from the gallery over the years.
Troika Gallery will have its holiday hours and showings as well, and some of these small pieces are destined for their walls.

More new small pieces

2008-12-01T12:32:00.001-05:00

These four pieces are little commissions, all 5x7 or smaller.

Found my Marbles

2008-11-23T21:59:00.002-05:00

I started painting these marbles that belonged to my father about 2 months ago, one little painting at a time. I found I really loved the refraction of light through the glass, the highlights and distortions. I had in mind a set of 9 little paintings that would be mounted together in a frame but at this time they remain individual, sitting on a table at McBride Gallery to pour over during my show. Might still mount them sort of like they are shown here, but maybe not. Right now they are fun to rearrange on the board. They can go as a set or individually, only 4x4 inches each. You can click on the image to enlarge it to see the individual paintings.

McBride Gallery Solo Exhibition

2008-11-23T21:25:00.005-05:00

7 Jewels (18x24)

Symbol (10x8)

Cottontail (8x10)

Marsh Grass and Yellowlegs (15x30)

My solo gallery show at McBride Gallery opened this weekend and I met a number of collectors who'd acquired work of mine over the years through the gallery; that was a pleasure, as was sharing the space with Sandy Scott and her world-class sculpture. I delivered a vanload of works last Tuesday and then returned to Annapolis for the evening reception that opened the show. Back to Annapolis today for the daytime reception (the traditional show opening time for the gallery). Had some good traffic through the gallery and got to catch up a bit with Sandy Scott and her assistant Trish. Also got to see some friends who've come to my various events over the years.
The show will hang through most of December, including Midnight Madness I & II - December 4 & 11, 2008 (extended shop hours throughout Annapolis).
Here are a few more images from the show.

Some little ones

2008-10-30T00:14:00.003-04:00

Snow Bear (7x5)

Dutch Bunny (5x7)

Egret (8x10)

A few new scratchboards

2008-10-29T23:36:00.005-04:00

I find myself doing fewer scratchboards every year. These will be at the gallery show for which I am preparing, at McBride Gallery in Annapolis, in late November.
Contemplation (Colobus Monkey) 25x11

Ruffed Lemurs (16x19)

Ghost Bird (11x23)

Watchful (25x11)

A couple of Wisconsin friends' dogs

2008-10-08T17:28:00.003-04:00

Just informal portraits I've wanted to do for a while.

Ravyn, an Irish Terrier

Brad, a German Shepherd Dog who works for a living as a guide dog.

Some New stuff

2008-09-24T11:09:00.002-04:00

A variety of things from the studio in the past month or so...

Asparagus (10x8)

Markers and Trophy Plate (4x6)
Audition (24x30)

Some more new work

2008-09-24T10:18:00.003-04:00

I wish I were as disciplined as my friend TM (you know who you are) and could photograph a painting in stages but frankly, not sure I can teach much with that since I tend to flounder a bit before a painting finds itself. Except the really good ones, then they just paint themselves and I cannot say how I arrived there. Oh well. Here are some new ones. Been in an egret mode. (Imagine that).Summer Green(24x30)Watching Ripples (6x8)
Scattering Crows (24x36)

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

2008-09-08T13:23:00.002-04:00

Well, after a few weeks' correspondence and email conversation with my brilliant webmistress Winklebee, I have a completely redesigned website! It looks beautiful and is far more functional than before, as I did not do enough to update the previous incarnation to reflect the evolution of my work and business (such as the increase in dog art, ad work and photography). We are still tinkering with some details but most links are now active. I hope I do a better job now keeping this redesigned site relevant and current.

Judy, and Judy

2008-09-03T13:01:00.005-04:00

2 Views of one of the greats of the breed

Australian Shepherd Bayshore's Russian Roulette

A few new paintings...

2008-09-01T17:20:00.007-04:00

Including some still lifes (lives?). I have been wanting to paint from 'life' for a while and took this opportunity to try my hand.

Terry's Pears 12x24

Raku Pot and Silver Ribbon 11x14

Golden Evening (24x20)

Published! (And published, too)

2008-07-23T14:05:00.004-04:00

Well, today I received my copy of the book Humans, Nature, and Birds ; Science Art from Cave Walls to Computer Screens by Darryl Wheye and Donald Kennedy, and I must say I am quite humbled by my inclusion in this publication, which explores the use of art in depicting our relationship with birds over the ages. There are 60+ artworks described and shown in this book and I am in august company with works included by the likes of Carel Brest van Kempen, Robert Bateman, Tony Angell, Lars Jonsson, Chris Bacon, and Ray Ching, to name a few.
The artwork the authors have included is 'Picnic', an oil painting of mine from 1997 (omg!) that was included in that year's Birds in Art exhibition and which belongs to a friend and collector from way back. They write a narrative of the subject and the significance of the behavior shown (ravens with a bit of trash) and then follow it with a lovely evaluation of the painting itself. Very gratifying indeed.

A few weeks ago I was graced with my copy of The Australian Shepherd Annual 2007 which included a feature article on my artwork, The Artist's Eye. Last year the editor had contacted me and asked if they could feature me, and asked me to write something and send artwork so they could do this about me. Well I wrote and I wrote and I wrote, and figured they would sort it all out, edit what they wanted to include, and that was that. I really did sort of forget about it until the book arrived and I saw they'd used the entire document and included all the artworks I'd sent (not all dog art either). Anyway it is a really nice thing to be featured in this book and I intend to add the article to this site as soon as I get clearance from the editors. (Yes, I did write it but it is their publication so permission needs to be granted, I think, to scan the pages and post them). Incidentally the entire book is interesting as the annuals always are and so it is a worthy addition to any dog person's library, I feel.

A few more new little pieces

2008-07-20T20:46:00.004-04:00

Late Day (6x6)

Tall Grass (5x7)

Highland Cow (5x7)

Spring Light (6x8)

Artists' Open House

2008-07-12T16:42:00.003-04:00

Well, Terry Miller, Karryl, and I had our Artists' Open House today at my home and have had a nice day visiting some our faithful collectors and meeting some new people as well. We converted my house to a full service gallery space with sculpture, paintings and drawings filling the house's 3 main rooms. This is the first time we've done this event in the summer (usually done in December) and we will be discussing what time of year we want to do this in the future. We are open to suggestions from our collectors of course!

Here are some of the newer works I have hanging.

Time to post some new artwork

2008-06-17T16:40:00.005-04:00

Yes, I am still making art. It has been a busy couple of months so I have been remiss in posting work. Here are a few paintings. Several will be available at the Artists' Open House of July 12 in Eldersburg, showing the new works of Terry Miller, Karryl, and me. Contact any of us for directions, hope you can come!

I spend a fair amount of time on the roads of the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Last Light (6x6) oil

The marshes of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge are of endless interest to me.
Marsh Afternoon (6x6 oil)

The marshes of Blackwater also provide countless good painting subjects in the form of birds.
Gliding (12x24 Oil)

She is a lovely girl I photographed last year and then did her portrait for the Sheltie National Specialty last month. Black Bi Sheltie (10x9) scratchboard (in print).

Changes in the household: More loss, and a gain as well.

2008-06-05T21:11:00.005-04:00

In the beginning of April I left home for 3 weeks to go to Colorado to attend 2 National Specialty dog shows: Sheltie Nationals and Australian Shepherd Nationals. It was a hectic few weeks leading up to my departure for a number of reasons.I was preparing for a show I'd not taken artwork to before (Shelties) and so I needed to prepare a lot of new artworks and prints of the artwork. I had the trophy art for the Aussie Nationals to frame and package. In addition I had a litter of puppies out of Ribbon which were growing by the day and turned 7 weeks the week I was leaving town. They needed their veterinary eye exams before heading out for their new wonderful homes and lives. It was a particularly busy week of calls for Poodle rescue, which I'd been doing for several years for Greenspring Poodle Club. I actually was handing off the rescue duty immediately prior to leaving town but of course got calls to place dogs just before I could hand off.
I was leaving on a Sunday and the plan was to go to Virginia on Saturday to drop off the remaining 2 Ribbon puppies with their co-breeder. As for the resident population I planned to board Flash (my adult male tri Aussie), to leave 13 year old Emma with 9 year old Ziggy my Standard Poodle in the care of neighbors and my sister, and to take Ribbon and Encore. with me on the trip. Encore was entered at the dog show and Ribbon was leaving her litter and is an easy travel mate and company for Encore.
Friday night was the normal routine at bedtime: everyone had a cookie at bedtime and Ziggy slept in the 'dog room' off the kitchen. All was normal and nothing out of the ordinary.

Except that when I got up Saturday morning and went to let everyone outside, I found Ziggy in his crate, dead. He always went in to eat his cookie there and then slept out on the floor or a dog bed. There had been no sign of any illness the evening before, he'd been his usual energetic self, normal appetite, etc. I think he'd been dead only a couple of hours before I found him.
After giving the dreadful news to my sister, who adored Ziggy, we took him to the vet to be left for a limited post-mortem exam (nothing found, incidentally) , and I then went on to VA as planned to deliver the puppies to their co-breeder and co-owner, and arranged for Emma to go stay with a friend for the month as she'd have been extremely lonely without a buddy in the house . (Flash is too much dog to leave in a dog-sitting arrangement with neighbors; where he boards he gets to run with girls and get some serious exercise).
I left for Colorado with Ribbon and a loaded van on Sunday (well, left with Ribbon and had to travel EAST for 2 hours to pick Encore up at a dog show in Southern Maryland, THEN start heading west. ). Not much time to process the loss of my dear sweet Ziggy and terrible for my sister, who was truly bereft over the loss. (A side note: I had originally planned to leave for Colorado about 3 days before I ultimately did but plans changed due to my host's schedule; I can't begin to express how fortunate that change was, as otherwise my sister would have been the one to find him that morning instead of me).Ziggy and Bobby a couple of years ago.
My 3 day drive gave me plenty of time to think about Ziggy, and Bobby, and the importance of my dogs in my life, but leaving home after his death was a bit surreal as well; I would not have had him along anyway, so I had a distressing sort of removal from the occurrence; I'd much have preferred to have been at home to experience his absence in the proper way, if that makes any sense. My departure so soon was also difficult for my sister, who had a very profound sense of loss. She'd been having him over to her house when she wasn't working and had really become his favorite person, and he, hers.
I talked to her at least daily the first week or so after his death, and after a couple of very sad weeks she decided she would like go ahead and get a dog. Up to now she had always planned to do this after retirement in a few years. But with her living so close it would be easy for me to help out by letting her dog out during the day. So I sent out some feelers to friends likely to come across possible candidates (young adult female something-mix, not too many issues for a novice dog owner) . In addition we made plans to go see Ziggy's breeders and talk about Ziggy when I returned home. Thy don't breed anymore, we just wanted to visit and tell them how much we'd loved him.
We walked out of that visit a couple of weeks later with my sister resolving that indeed it would need to be a Poodle for her, and we discussed a little about how we might find something suitable. Of course the paradox was, the day before Ziggy died was the day I mailed all the Poodle rescue paperwork to the club and had my name removed from the web site's rescue page. I would probably be filling out one of my own applications and mailing it to the new rescue chair.
A week or so after our visit to Ziggy's breeders my sister and a friend and I were watching TV at my house and I did a quick email check and decided to check the dedicated rescue email account I'd created, just to be sure I wasn't getting correspondence that needed to be forwarded. Well, a friend from the club had included me in a small group mailing telling of a 3 yo cream StdPoodle in her training class on the Eastern Shore, who needed to go to a new home. She reported the dog as basically perfectly trained, sweet, no apparent issues, needed placement because of a conflict with another dog in the house which had seniority over her. She been with owner SS for a year, having been adopted by her as a favor to an acquaintance who'd gotten displaced in Mississippi by Katrina. So Deja was the odd girl out in the household. SS is a kennel manager and a true Dog Person, working in agility and obedience with her terrier breed and also had Deja ring-ready for Rally, but she had decided the best thing for this dog would be a home of her own if something really good were around. She wanted the best for this dog and she wasn't in a hurry.

We were, however. I called the writer of the email immediately and got the contact info and some more details ; at 9am the following morning we were on the phone to the owner and by 9:30 were on the way to the Eastern Shore to the property where Deja lived .
Well, too late to make a long story short but Deja is here at my feet now (my sister's double shift day) and is beyond perfect if that is possible. Bright, good natured, sweet, friendly with everyone though very 'soft' in attitude, extremely well trained (unlike any of my dogs, come to think of it...!) and a pleasure to be with. We took her home that morning. And since then, every day my sister pinches herself over the good luck of having her come along and she is a perfect First Dog, if deceptive (since few are so good and none are unless trained well by a good trainer) . Anyway, that is the story of loss and gain in this little family. I include pictures of my dear sweet good boy Ziggy, who opened the way for Deja to become a member of this family. And then lovely lively Deja, who is turning my sister into a Dog Person. This is a good thing to be, of course!

Conference (oil, 30x30)

2008-05-16T23:13:00.002-04:00

This year's Birds in Art contribution from me. I completed this painting just prior to heading to Colorado last month, having come up with an approximate composition but lacking good Magpie reference. The generosity of a sculptor friend provided the reference I needed. Of course my trip resulted in hundreds of excellent photos of my own of Magpies in every conceivable position and light condition, well after I could have used it. I suppose a few more Magpie subjects will be painted (or sculpted?).

Snow Games (9x12)

2008-02-27T12:44:00.003-05:00

More work for Sheltie Nationals. Took advantage of last week's snow to get some photos of playing dogs.

Cleaning Up (20x16)

2008-02-27T12:42:00.001-05:00

For one of the galleries.

Green & Gold (20x24)

2008-02-20T15:36:00.002-05:00

Because every single koi is deserving of being painted at least once, and I hadn't done these particular fish yet, here is their portrait

Evening Roost (15x30)

2008-02-19T16:09:00.002-05:00

My other artwork destined for the Modern Marine Masters exhibition at the Mystic Seaport Museum gallery in the early spring.

Observer (11x14) oil on linen

2008-02-18T21:01:00.002-05:00

The first of a couple of pieces earmarked for The Gallery at Mystic Seaport's spring exhibition. Yes, according to them I am a Modern Marine Master. Imagine that! Next I need to decide what to submit for the Mystic International Exhibition. I think I feel more egrets coming on...

Quintet (24x36)

2008-02-18T20:56:00.002-05:00

5 Egrets (my favorite painting subject, you might have noticed). This landed at Troika Gallery last week and it will be used for their spring show invitation card. That spring show opens in April, I do believe.

Semiprecious (30x30)

2008-01-19T12:03:00.001-05:00

Back to the fish theme. More from the National Arboretum, which has an impressive collection. Don't go looking for them this month however, they are pretty much dormant and invisible during these cold winter months.

Breezy Day

2008-01-16T00:21:00.000-05:00

My first sculpture in metal, at last. I had this bird in my head for many years before I finally surrendered to the inevitable and started working in clay. I actually did the lion's share of the work on this piece over a year ago but didn't wrap it up and send it (in a friend's car) to the foundry in Colorado until summer. They are a busy place and so it took several months to complete the work, with me having no real input since I couldn't go check the work, until it was almost complete. The foundry sent me jpegs of the piece in raw metal and I could see some areas which needed some adjustment (mold making can distort the clay and then you have the distortion in the mold, which needs to be corrected for each wax pour but which is better corrected in wax than later in metal). Anyway they then proceeded with the patina finish, doing a cupric blue green with carbon in the recesses as I requested, and voila, it is suddenly done and in my house.
The edition size is 14.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

2007-12-21T17:01:00.000-05:00

And the happiest of New Years in 2008!

Ziggy, Emma, Ribbon, Flash, and Encore (and Paula, behind the camera!)

Some more new smalls

2007-12-11T11:59:00.001-05:00

A few new pieces

2007-12-11T11:46:00.000-05:00

Here are some small new artworks for the holiday season. If you want to know where any one (or more) of them are, feel free to contact me and I can direct you to the appropriate gallery

Stretch (oil on linen, 16x20)

2007-12-11T11:29:00.000-05:00

This painting is earmarked for the American Society of Marine Artists Member's exhibition which will open in Wilmington, DE in 2008. More information to follow as the details are sent to me. The painting is available but must be permitted to hang in the show and go on the year-long tour.

Bobby

2007-11-20T15:13:00.000-05:00

I lost my special Good Boy last week. My Bobby, my heart dog, my first Aussie, the dog from whom I learned the most about training, showing, and just Dogs, was killed early Saturday morning the 10th of November. He'd gone walking with his Poodle housemate Ziggy and my sister, and after an hour, as they were approaching the car at dusk, in the drizzle, he simply went walkabout into the woods never to be seen alive again (by us, at least). After calling to him for 2 hours she called me and I returned home from Easton to join in the search. Overnight I made 'lost' fliers and went back out to call again, but all along I worried that rte 32 would be the ending to this story. Early Saturday morning we met up to resume the search and to distribute 'lost dog' flyers. Within 10 minutes of my sister's having posted a notice in the area I got a cell phone call from someone asking if I was the person looking for a dog. To keep it brief, she was calling from literally across the road from where I was putting fliers in mailboxes, to say she'd found him roadside. He was right there, dead. He'd been hit, probably within the past couple of hours judging from his condition. I got another call later in the day from someone asking if I'd found him (they saw a flier we'd not retrieved from a power pole, I suppose) and she told me she'd had him in her house for 6 hours...he'd been at their kitchen door barking at 10pm so they let him in and fed him (happy dog now!) and went to sleep in the kitchen (extra-happy dog). But at 4am he barked to go out, and these kind people let him out to pee, thinking they could just call to him and he would come right back in but of course he trit-trotted right up the driveway and out of sight. He was killed on rte 32 right at their driveway, probably within an hour of leaving their house, just being Bobby. And if I had put an ID collar on him before I went away that week like I used to do, he'd be home with me right now because the Powders would have called me, hopefully right away when he first arrived there. But I didn't, so we all failed him.
He was 11.5 years old.

Ringtails (20x10)

2007-11-02T17:46:00.000-04:00

My first Scratchboard in a while, wanted to do this pair. They are ring tailed lemurs and they will be with me at the Waterfowl Festival (Elks Gallery) next weekend. Hope to see you there!

Glide(24x36)

2007-10-31T16:01:00.001-04:00

This painting will be at Troika Gallery for November.

Black&Tan Rooster (10x8)

2007-10-31T15:57:00.000-04:00

A little something for Troika Gallery in Easton, MD this coming week.

Eastern Waters Son (10x8, oil)

2007-10-22T12:46:00.000-04:00

A friend's handsome Chessie

Evening Preen (48x24, oil)

2007-10-21T15:30:00.000-04:00

Finally some new work posted! These paintings are destined for McBride Gallery's Autumn Celebration show opening October 25

Red&Black Rooster(10x8, oil)

2007-10-21T15:28:00.000-04:00

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

2007-08-21T11:53:00.000-04:00

12x24 oil of my puppy's aunts, cousins, whatever.

Red, White, & Blue

2007-06-27T19:01:00.000-04:00

McBride Gallery is having their summer theme show this next week, with red, white and blue being the theme to commemorate the July 4th holiday. Since I am not inclined to wave flags, I went with the more literal interpretation of the title. So I have 'Red White & Blue (9x12, oil, of an egret) and 'Redwing' (8x8, oil) for the show, along with my recent koi painting 'Flotilla', shown further below. The reception for the show is Friday July 6 evening but the show will hang for several weeks.

Aussie Clay (10"long x 9" tall x 4" wide)

2007-06-04T10:30:00.000-04:00

Now I have all of my sculpture clays up on the blog. This is the Aussie I started at the USASA Specialty in MO in April; still working on surface treatment and head, but hopefully have now gotten the balance right. I did the first hours of this sculpture sitting ringside during Bitch classes (not for me, silly, I already know how to do that!) at the Nationals, so I got a lot of lovely Aussies to look at while working, and input from many master breeders. Pulled this back out to work on this week and then I was able to identify a couple of areas needing revision (I love a long neck but it was really too much!) like reducing the ruff, shaping the head to a more feminine profile since I am trying to portray a bitch, and of course portraying coat texture.

Sheltie Clay (12" long x 9" tall x 5" wide)

2007-06-04T10:23:00.001-04:00

This is actually the first sculpture I created but it has sat on the shelf for a while as I ponder surface treatment (depicting plush thick Sheltie hair without getting too detaily) and getting the head/expression just right without again getting too detailed. Body mostly modeled on the Sunebank/Caerleon body type because I like their balance and amount of coat carried (not too much).

Might be close but not sure this one will be cast anytime soon. On this and any of my clays, please contact me if you are interested in the precast price.

Great Blue Heron clay

2007-06-04T10:13:00.000-04:00

Maybe finished, almost ready for the foundry. The same heron as shown in earlier post but with some anatomical refinements.

Flotilla (oil on canvas, 24x48)

2007-06-01T19:19:00.000-04:00

Finally a new painting, Koi I saw at the National Arboretum last fall.

New Poodle Clay

2007-05-31T19:00:00.000-04:00

Well, this is an in-progress look at my clay of a Poodle in sporting clip. It measures about 7" top of head to base and 13" long. When finished it will probably go into bronze. I hope to complete this and have another started to work on at the Poodle Club National Specialty in Salisbury, MD in 10 days.

Sleeping Beauty

2007-05-10T17:06:00.000-04:00

She really was asleep, she does this a lot.

Lord of the Manor (20x28)

2007-05-10T15:51:00.000-04:00

This year's Birds in Art-work. My model was found at last year's Howard County Fair in Maryland.

Toy Time (10x13)

2007-05-10T15:49:00.000-04:00

Newest Poodle art, 3 toys.

USASA 2007 National Specialty Print Art

2007-04-04T13:09:00.000-04:00

This is the image being used this year for the AKC Australian Shepherd National Specialty Show at Purina Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri this month. The art will be seen on souvenier tees, aprons, tote bags and tapestry-type throws. Orders have closed but there will be a few items available for sale still.

As for the print, this year we are offering the art print for the top trophies. There are 3 large prints framed to 18x24, for Best of Breed, Best Opp Sex, and Most Versatile. Another 19 smaller version, framed to 14x18, will be used for the next tier of awards (ie Winners Dog, HIT Aussie, etc). The print will be given as judges gifts and I will have 6 only, available for sale at the show, framed to 14x18 with double or triple mats. Contact me if you would like one of the 6 prints I have available for sale, framed only. The total printed edition for this art is 3 large prints and 35 smaller prints.
I show the art in 2 forms: the painting as it is printed for framing, and with type overlaid for the logo items like tee's, etc.

Young Divas (12x16)

2007-03-30T14:44:00.000-04:00

Lovely puppy girls

Cat on Sill (16x10)

2007-03-05T13:37:00.000-05:00

This cat posed for me a few months ago. This and all the subsequent scratchboards shown below are a part of the Black & White exhibition and sale currently hanging at Troika Gallery in Easton, MD, through early April. The show is my scratchboards and my friend Terry Miller's exquisite graphite works. Please go see it!

Yellow Ducklings, Brown Ducklings (18x12)

2007-03-05T13:36:00.000-05:00

Followers (20x30)

2007-03-05T13:17:00.000-05:00

Herring Gulls in the search

Nuzzle (17x20)

2007-03-05T13:10:00.000-05:00

Frederick County residents

Finding the Spot 15x11

2007-03-05T13:09:00.000-05:00

Self-explanatory, I hope

Longtail (18x12)

2007-03-05T13:07:00.000-05:00

My favorite cat

In the Fold (19x27)

2007-03-05T13:04:00.000-05:00

This is one of the larger pieces in the Troika Gallery show, of longhair sheep at the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival in May at Howard County Fairgrounds

Chickadee (8x8)

2007-03-05T13:03:00.000-05:00

A bird from my garden

Formal Trio (Jackass Penguins)

2007-03-05T13:01:00.000-05:00

These birds were such fun to watch as they interacted with their keepers at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore a couple of months ago

Ivan The Cat (8x8)

2007-03-05T12:40:00.000-05:00

This is a friend's beautiful cat, done for the Black and White show I recently did with my friend Terry Miller for the Troika Gallery in Easton, Maryland. The ashow will hang until early April.

Late Flight (36x48)

2007-01-09T23:40:00.000-05:00

Here's something I've been working on for a few days. In case you were wondering why there weren't more EGRETS on my blog...

2007-01-09T23:26:00.000-05:00

And the hard work of the studio just goes on...

Chatter(5x3)

2006-12-13T00:17:00.000-05:00

This bird is a neighbor which I see every day. This and the other paintings in this entry are a small sampling of new paintings done for Terry Miller's and my recent Artists' Open House. This is the first time in weeks I have had time to post new art.