Red wine (sold)

5x7 inches, oil on panel.

I had an audience in the studio while painting this one... not sure how much that helped, but it was fun!

Uncorked (sold)

Painted this one a week ago but neglected to post it. 5x7 inches, oil on panel.

I'm back! Bowl of cherries (Sold)

5x7 inches, oil on panel.

My first painting in a year. Can't believe how quickly that went by! This was a bit of a struggle but glad to be back at it.

Anjou Pears (sold)

I was going to do more work on this one, but it has grown on me just the way it is. That's often one of the hardest decisions to make when painting: when to stop. Click on the image for a larger view.

Pink Lipstick (sold)

6x6 inches, oil on panel.

Kiss #2 (Sold)

5x7 inches, oil on panel. Painted on commission.

If this painting looks familiar, that's because it is! A woman saw my first kiss painting hanging in her friend's house and she had to have one of her own.

Jack Daniels (Sold)

5x7 inches, oil on panel. Painted on commission.

Satin Shoes (Sold)

6x6 inches, oil on panel.

Guinness Is Good for You. (Sold)

6x6 inches, oil on panel.

Ah, the beer that's like a meal. This one is sold, but I'll be painting more like this. Check back!

Brown Shoes (sold)

6x6", oil on panel.

Magnolias (sold)

5x7", oil on panel.

Kiss (Sold)

5x7", oil on panel.

The Elusive Emu (Sold)

6x6", oil on panel.

The emu is a strange bird. First off, they're HUGE (the second largest bird alive). They make weird sounds with their neck that sound like a loud, booming drum (it probably means "Leave me alone!").

This is one of my dad's emus (a few years ago, he and my stepmom started acquiring a flock of animals). The 2 emus hang out with a miniature deer. Not something you see every day!

Orchids (Sold)

12x12", oil on canvas. Painted on commission.

The person who commissioned this painting bought it as a birthday gift for his girlfriend. Now that's a cool idea! He scored a lot of points with his significant other; she was thrilled and said she would have never expected it.

So, gentlemen, something to think about the next time you can't think of a gift idea!

Good Fortune (Sold)

6x6", oil on panel.

First painting of the new year! Sold to a new collector in Alhambra, CA, who gets to find out what the fortune was :)

Fabulous Shoe (Sold)

6x6", oil on panel

Finished! It's not cool to be materialistic, but shoes are a major source of weakness for me. Especially when they look like this one...

Tomatoes on velvet pillow (SOLD)

6x6", oil on panel

Oranges and reds are my favorite colors, but they are also the hardest to photograph (esp. at midnight) ...

Habaneros (Sold)

6x6", oil on masonite panel

These bad boys will put a hurt on your tastebuds! That's why nature made them this color, I think. I caught one of my cats trying to EAT these when I turned my back for a minute (cats are color blind). He would have been crying for days.

This is only my fourth daily painting, but I'm starting to see an improvement already. It's been a while since I've painted alla prima, and I've never painted this small before, so it's been a little tricky.

Blue Mug (Sold)

6x6", oil on masonite panel

Coral Lipstick (sold)

6x6", oil on masonite panel

As you can see by its unused condition, this is not my favorite shade! Pretty to paint though. I'll definitely be doing more beauty-related items, as soon as I get through with all of the fruits & veg that Phil bought specifically for me to paint.