Sno-White

Color Corrected and Poster Effect Added

Original Photo

A bit of nostalgia from my home town. This sign graced the state highway approach even before my earliest memory of it.  Made a great stop on the way home from "The Plunge" after a swim. It's still there, and I couldn't resist a photo!

Up In Smoke

Up In Smoke, graphite  (11" x 14")

Reference (Original) Photo

A warm, sunny, lazy, October Barcelona, Spain morning.  Is this smoke part of her daily routine? What is she thinking? Her gaze is inscrutable.

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, Watercolor  (12" x 16")

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse (Original photo)

Lauren at the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse

I painted the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse in Long Beach, Washington, from a sketch I made several years previously, and without a reference photo.  Recently, I finally took my photo (above).  My niece, Lauren, says that "Cape Disappointment" is somewhat of a misnomer, since it is anything but. 

Abstract I

Abstract I, Mixed Media  (10" x 14")

Remember those art projects back in second grade when the assignment was to scribble something and make it into a piece of art?  Well, one day (a few years back) that sounded like fun, so I tried it. The medium is watercolor crayon and colored pencil. My other half said that he liked it, so he got it for Christmas.  It is now getting proper respect hanging on the wall in his office.  Maxine Masterfield (see "Tropical Delight ", September 28, 2010) even gave it a thumbs up.

Lavender Fields Forever

Cropped and Poster Effect Added

Color corrected with Photoshop

Original Photo

Yes, purple is in my soul!  So, I couldn't resist shooting these lavender fields when I came upon them in Escalon, California (lavenderhollowfarm.com).  Again, lovely patterns and experiments with Photoshop.

Peacock Sublime

Poster effect added; again I was pleased
(and surprised) with how this turned out.

Cropped and color corrected with Photoshop

Original Photo

There are a few things that must be in heaven as they are on earth, and as far as I'm concerned, peacock feathers are one of them.  What gorgeous art!  I am awestruck by the patterns and colors in nature.  This German peacock was very cooperative while I photographed his tail.  Maybe I am over-using the poster effect, but remember, I'm still experimenting, and I did really think that the end result was pretty cool!

Tropical Delight (8" x 12")

And now for painting. This piece is one of my favorites, and I look at it every time I need to transport myself to Florida (if only in my imagination) for some sun, white sandy beaches, and intense color.  It was painted at a workshop with Maxine Masterfield in Sarasota, Florida.  Maxine is truly a master in her field of experimental watermedia (masterfield.net.).   The technique is poured ink, and was so fun to do!!  Not much control here and the end result was a pleasant surprise. For all of these reasons, I call it "Tropical Delight".

Rays

Top--original photo.  Below--Edited photo
(cropped, exposure-corrected and annoying
white spots removed using Photoshop)

Poster effect added

More fish!!  But then, I'm not sure whether rays are actually fish. I was enamored by their spots, and they were fun to watch just floating there by the cruise ship dock in Aculpulco.  Somehow, though, I managed to get a great photo.  Once again, the poster effect is pretty cool, I think.

Koi And Turtle

Top:  Original photo.  Bottom:  Poster effect added after cropping and correcting the exposure (see below).

Photo cropped and exposure corrected with Photoshop

These koi were in the Japanese garden in Fresno, CA.  They were very cooperative in posing for photos, including the turtle!!  I didn't even know that he made it into the photo until after I shot it!  When I got home I decided to play around with the magic of Photoshop.  Cool, eh? As I am new to Photoshop, this was really exciting.