Free and Easy

Quincy, my "step dog" is a lively, loving dog whose tail never stops wagging. I wanted to do this portrait keeping the idea of movement, as it defines him. I chose to be spare and loose with brush strokes and not "finishing" the portrait to give the sense of a moment in time.

Making Changes

This image proved much more difficult than anticipated. I struggled with the design and the simplicity I wanted to create. I realized that the branch in the foreground was killing the painting. I attempted at first to diminish it but soon realized it needed to be gone completely. Then I decided to make it more abstract too. Not sure how I feel about the results but I think it's a good example of making big changes in a painting.

Paintbrushes

Often, though I enjoy painting them, still lifes don't make a lot of sense to me. Why combine the various elements...for what reason. But this just made sense.