Shady Lady

"Shady Lady," 6 x 6 oil on panel.

After the Move

The Earnest One, 6x6 oil on panel

This is my first post in months because in October I bought a new (actually old) house, packed up my studio and sold the house I had, moved, and began some serious remodeling tasks. I had intentionally kept my painting gear packed up and unavailable so that I could concentrate on making my "new" house habitable. I finally broke down last week during the on-going kitchen remodel, dug out my buried paints and panels, fashioned a makeshift palette, and started a couple of small paintings just to keep my sanity. Painting sure keeps a person centered and healthy.

Lucy

Lucy, 6 x 6 oil on panel

This girl, a Scottie-Westie rescued from her career as a puppy mill producer, is just beginning to emerge from her shell and is learning to play like a normal dog. It's fun to watch her scamper around with her stuffed monkey in tow. From a painting perspective, mostly-black dogs are a challenge, and photographing this was difficult because surface textures produced by oils are so reflective. (And it's just those textures that make oil painting so much fun!)

Bid at Daily Paintworks.

Fun Run

Fun Run, 6 x 12 oil on linen on board

Barley the labradoodle has crazy fur that is too much fun to paint.

See at Daily Paintworks.

Treat-Seeker

Treat-Seeker, 6x6 oil on linen on board

Jack, our rescue spare-parts-dog, offers up his most hopeful expressions at meal-time. Painting such foreshortened shapes in a pose like this is an interesting challenge, because all you can do is paint "shapes of color."

See at Daily Paintworks.

First Flight

Because I've been having too much fun experimenting with painting ideas to organize any new workshops, I've decided to use a blog to pass on new things I’m learning, and materials and processes I’m playing with. I’ve also been working on small paintings of still life objects, animals and even some fantasy elements, and will make some of those paintings available through online sales.

 I recently discovered a painting panel that's primed on both sides, and 3/8" thick, so it can be either framed, hung without frame, or mounted in a table-top easel. (You can also paint on both sides.) Purchase panels at http://raphaelsap.com. This is my Westie-Scottie mix rescue, Winnie, who was liberated from a puppy mill about a year ago, along with her sister, Lucy. You can see/purchase "Shoe-Chewer," 6 x 12 oil on panel, at:

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/mary-lou-epperson/shoe-chewer/76257