Ginger Jar 8 x 10 on Panel

My aunt had given this ginger jar to my grandmother years ago and then sent it to me recently. After taking Robert Johnson's workshop I read his book again and found that he had the same ginger jar in his paintings. The ginger jar must have been popular in Virginia because that is where Robert and my aunt live. A few weeks ago I was looking at one of the art magazines and had seen that Elizabeth Robbins had one and also another artist. Boy, is that thing popular. I can believe it because its fantastic to paint. It has such an old look about it. My aunt told me that originally when she bought the ginger jar it had candy in it. You would never have guessed that the way everyone paints it. Thank you Aunt Judy for the ginger jar. I will be painting it again.

Neighbors 9 x 12 on Panel

There are all kinds of neighbors. When you are a child your neighborhood friends in many cases become lifetime friends. As you get older it seems as though neighbors come and go and you lose touch with them. I am lucky in that I have many childhood friends that were all my neighbors. They were as important to me then as they are now. One of my childhood friends brought me dinner over this weekend after my surgery. Gail Clarke's website is http://www.deliciousdishes.net/ . Gail does catering for parties, weddings, tennis teams and meals for families. She is one of my first childhood neighbors. Even though we lost touch for years we ran into each other somewhere and our friendship picked back up where we had left it. I am so fortunate to have wonderful friends from childhood, school and friends I have met along the way. Thank you for all of your support and friendship.

Brother, Sister 8 x 10 on Panel

I have been watching different birds picking up pine straw and sticks the last few days. I am trying to see which tree or bush they are headed to so that I can hopefully get their nest when they are finished for the season.

Happy Family 12 x 12 on Panel

Finally its Spring! I know everyone has to be ready for spring after that harsh winter throughout the country. In honor of spring and the bird's making new nests I painted a nest painting. I guess the Robin's will have to build another nest since I took this last year from a tree.

Two Pink Roses and Antique Vessel 12 x 16 On Panel

I finally found this Chinese antique soy sauce jug that David A. Leffel used in many of his paintings in one of his recent books. During a workshop a few years ago someone asked what the jug was and he told us. The jug was brought over by the Chinese when the Chinese men built our railroads. They used it for soy sauce originally, but I had the feeling that it might have also been used for alcohol from what David learned. It took me years to find this jug and I just happened to look one night and found one that had been passed on at a auction in South Carolina. I called the auction house and begged the owner to sell it to me. Finally it arrived and it is so much fun to paint. Now I understand why David used the jug in so many of his paintings. It is a great size, shape and you can put flowers in it. I really like how this painting turned out. I think you will see this antique soy sauce jug in many more paintings in the future.

Red Roses in Glass Vase 12 x 9 on Panel

After the workshop I bought some roses to paint. I decided to try red ones in this painting. I had posted one of the paintings where Robert Johnson had painted the red rose and I wanted to see if I could do the same thing in this painting. The glass vase is a new find from Home Goods store. I will use that vase again.

Roses and Apples 12 x 16 on Panel

This set up was from the workshop in January using my vase and fabric. When I got home I tweaked it a little more.