"Mailbu Canyon" ©

When I started this blog 7 years ago and I saw paintings that I thought were finished on the computer screen I would see glaring portions that I had failed to address.  Usually I had things all lined up in a neat row or the values so close that shapes were not clearly defined or a very strong angle screaming for the viewer to "look here", all very wrong for my style of painting.  After posting on the blog I would then "fix" these issues and move on to start the next painting.  

For the first time I posted this painting on Facebook before the blog and again I saw many little things that needed tweaking.  I hope this helps other artists when critiquing your own paintings.  So often we paint in the vacuum of our own studios without another set of eyes to look at a painting and a viewer to offer helpful suggestions for improvement.  Try photographing the painting and looking at it on your computer monitor in a small size.  You might be surprised at the different perspective the computer screen provides.  

Oil on Canvas,  20" X 24"

"Golden Moment" ©

Once in a while there is a moment at the end of the day when the earth seems dusted in gold, just before the sunlit finally dims into dusk.

Oil on Canvas, 38.5" X 17"

sold

"Morning Fog" ©

A photographer sent me this image as a gift of inspiration to paint. At first I was lost, missing my own reaction to the scene, the cool morning air, the sky changing by the second, since she had taken the photo. Then I just decided to imagine myself being there and came up with this little painting. The lesson learned was that I really need to experience a location first hand to paint as well as I am capable.

Oil on canvas, 14" X 18"