"When are you going to do some BIG landscape paintings?" she asked. And he asked. And they asked. 

Well, the truth is anything much above 16 x 20 sets my mind in a whirl. So, this summer, I am facing my fears, taking out my bigger brushes and giving it a go. Facing a big white canvas is daunting. To get myself in gear I prepared the surfaces of a few older paintings and I am painting over them.  The Old Masters did this all the time, so who I am to argue with the practice? 

This painting of lavender at Sonoma's Matanzas Creek  winery is painted over a painting done in a class a few years ago.  It measures 24" x 30" which is a great size for a guest room, or over a couch or table or on an entry wall if you need decorating ideas. If it were a "new" painting, this size would sell for $2150.

However, I consider this one of my BIG studies and I am getting ready to break out and buy some brand new large canvasses.  So, if you would like to have it for your collection at a BIG price break - make an offer. Anything over 1/4 price (that's $430) will be entertained. Not exactly an auction - but the best offer this week takes it.  I can use the money  for more paint and larger canvasses!  Send me an email if you are interested.

Saying goodbye to summer isn't as hard in Northern California as it is in other locales. Right now the fog is at bay, the air is clear, the sky seems bluer and the light is spectacular. I'm counting on a gorgeous warm October so I can keep on painting outside.

"Palms" is a plein air study of a chapel building in a decommissioned military base in Marin County. Unity in Marin is very generous and allows artists to paint on their premises, which features white stucco and orange tile roofs reminiscent of California missions and Mexican haciendas.  I enjoy painting locations that evoke memories of unspecified, yet familiar places, and times of year. This painting reminds me of a beautiful summer day that can go on forever.

To celebrate the official change of season on September 22, this painting will go to the highest bidder at an auction that starts LOW and has a special twist:
It's all about the number 22. I originally posted this painting on Facebook on July 22, and I recall lots of people "liking" it. I went back to the post a few days ago and checked how many. At that moment in time it was 22. I was framing new paintings yesterday and tallied how many paintings had sold so far this year. When I saw it was 22, I knew the theme for the auction. The opening bid: $22. The incremental raise:$22. If the bidding ends at $220 or higher, the winner gets the original painting, and all other bidders can have a print for $22. The bidding ends on September 22. 

If you want to get in the game of 22, head over to my Facebook page and place a bid in the comments. If you aren't on Facebook or want to bid privately, send me an email and write "Auction Bid" in the subject line. I'll post your bid for you and keep you updated on your standing.

P.S. At 2:22 on Saturday the 22nd, you might just find me buying a lottery ticket!

P.P.S. Congratulations to the winning bidder, Jennifer Faulker from Colorado!

Three cheers for the Red, White and Blue! These painterly summer flowers are looking for a new home -- and the color combination is actually a lot more versatile than you might expect. Zoom in on this photo and you can see the actual brushstrokes and colors. Imagine it in a beach house, a summer cottage, or any room that needs a pop of color -- a kitchen, a hallway, a bedroom, a guest bath.  

Red, White and Blue is an 11 x 14 oil painted on canvas and framed in a classic light wood floating frame. The regular "Buy Now" price is $500, but to celebrate American Independence Day it will be sold tax-free to the highest bidder at auction.  

Starting bid is $150 - bid in increments of $10 - the auction ends Tuesday, July 3rd at 8pm Pacific. Collector gift certificates not valid for this sale, sorry. Shipping costs are extra. Interested? Leave your bid in the comments or on my Facebook Page.