Rhubarb pie

On a sort-of challenge by a fellow artist who also has a penchant for drawing what he eats, I did this little pastel of a rhubarb pie I baked during a too brief one-day period of coolness earlier this week. Knowing the pie wouldn't last long enough to paint "live", I took photos while it was still intact. Nothing is left now but the pan. But here's the evidence.

Soft pastel on Tiziano cream, 10x12 cm (4x4.75 in)

The other side of the hill

This little piece started out with the title, which just popped into my head. I know why: there's a personal symbolism at work here. But then I had to come up with something visual to express it. It's a lovely day today, sunny and just warm enough to be comfortable. And I live in Vermont. So here is a Vermont hillside in the early morning sun. On the other side of the hill, far far away, is home.

pastel on Tiziano sage, 10x10 cm. (4x4 in)

Sometime in October

watercolor on Arches 300, 25x25 cm. (10x10 in)

The last couple of days have been downright cold. I woke up to temps in the 40s. A bit of a shock after the hot humid weather of the last couple of weeks. I even had the furnace on! Perhaps that is what inspired this watercolor, which started out to be a summer rain... instead it is a misty autumn rain with late afternoon sunlight breaking through the clouds. Ah, symbolic: the seasons confused, and so am I.

Red potato

Shopping early this morning: fixings for potato salad. Here is one red potato. It will soon be joined by more potatoes, celery, onion, eggs, and my special home-made boiled salad dressing. But first it posed for me, a tiny vegetable portrait.

Pastel on Tiziano grey, 7.5x7.5 cm. (3x3 in.)

Sunflower bud

Pastel and colored pencil on Tiziano sage, 10x10 cm (4x4 in)

Almost a mandala. It is amazing to watch a sunflower open up. Other flowers seem to unfold or to emerge from the bud. A sunflower literally turns itself inside out as the flowerets enlarge from the outside rim inward to the center. This one is just starting to open, the "petals" starting to take on a yellow tinge. I found it more of a challenge to paint than I expected.

Light and dark

I am struck by how the light plays against Juliet's features. So in this tiny portrait, I pushed the contrast to extremes. I am delighted to discover that somehow it enhances the sweetness of her smile. I am entranced by her smile anyway, since she is my grand-daughter!


Pastel on Tiziano pearl, 8x11 cm (3x3.4 in)