Playful White Tulips

6"x6" Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

Although I almost always paint with oils, lately I have been playing around with thick acrylic paint in preparation to assist my 7 year old granddaughter, Jenna with a series of palette knife paintings.  She is learning to use the palette knife & is anxious to create her own art collection to decorate her newly revamped room.  Can't wait to see what she comes up with

~ Sarah

Casita Sunshine

16x20 Oil on Canvas

"Casita Sunshine" is my latest painting drying on the easel.

Recently I stayed at a charming little casita nestled on a ridge outside of Taos.  It overlooked a large valley scattered with lovely adobe houses.  Each morning I got up early to see the sun rise over Taos Mountain & the spectacular shadows on the colorful gates & doors of the adobe structures.

I couldn't wait to get home & paint one of these colorful doors.

~ Sarah

St. Remy Olive Trees

12x19 Oil   SOLD

If there was ever a place on earth that I felt completely at peace, it was the monastery & grounds at Saint-Paul's Mental Home (or hospital) near St. Remy where Van Gogh painted a large number of his works (150 from May 8, 1889 - May 16, 1890).

"St. Remy Olive Trees" was painted from a photo I took on the right side of the lane leading up to the hospital.  Even after experiencing all the beauty of Provence, this was one of my favorite places, a place where I could meditate & feel at peace, a place where I would have loved to have had the luxury of lingering longer.  I truly believe that Vincent felt at peace here also.  Many times, I have asked myself if my feelings had anything to do with me being a psychiatric nurse.  I'm not quite sure of that answer but I do know how I felt.

This painting was done rather quickly entirely with the palette knife.  Some of the colors are a little harsh but the convey the emotions I felt while painting.

- Sarah

Memories of Tuscany

16x20 Oil

I have many wonderful memories of Tuscany & LaVitaleta Chapel is definitely one of them.  We had just visited Pienza & all their wonderful cheese shops & were driving back to the villa on that crisp, fall day when ~ bam ~ there it was on the right side of the roadway in a freshly plowed field.  It was more beautiful than any of the pictures I had seen on postcards & calendars.  I knew then that one day I would paint it but wasn't sure just how.

This painting is representational of my memories as well as my dreams of Tuscany ~ large open doors & windows, sunflowers, poppies, peace and beauty, and the spirit surrounding this special little chapel.

- Sarah

Hydrangeas in Glass Bowl

12"x12" Oil on gallery-wrapped canvas

These hydrangeas are very textured with several layers of thick, buttery paint.

Sunflowers in Red Pot

12"x12" Oil on gallery-wrapped canvas

I added lots of texture on this one with the palette knife.

I will be creating a series of these 12"x12" painting of my favorite flowers & possibly a few extra sunflowers

-Sarah

Roses in Blue Pot

12"x 12" Oil on 3/4" gallery-wrapped canvas

After a lengthy beak from painting and posting, I am finally getting back into the groove.  This painting is mostly done with the palette knife but I did the block-in and most of the background with a brush.  I am accustomed to doing 100% palette knife paintings but lately have been experimenting with a combination brush and knife technique.

In this painting I made and used a fracturing tool that Julie Ford Oliver uses in her paintings.  "Thanks Julie for inspiring me to get back to painting."  Check out her great blog.  She is very generous in sharing her knowledge and artist tips.

Sunflowers are coming up next.  Stay tuned.

Thank you for stopping by.

-Sarah