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Summer Evenings

oil painting of a sunset viewed through the trees — Summer Evenings (8″x 10″ oil on panel)

I’ve had a bit of a slow start to the year but here’s my first oil painting of 2026. It’s a nostalgic piece based on remembered summer evenings where I grew up. Usually when painting, to get a sense of depth the background recedes with cooler colours and the foreground has warmer tones but here, I wanted to capture the light glowing through the trees with the cooler shadowed foreground with the warmer light in the background.

On the Wing

Oil painting of four geese flying across the late day sky — On the Wing (8″ x 10″ oil on panel)

Well, looks like this is my very last painting of 2025. I have found both joy and solace in painting this year. It has been a pleasure and honour to have you along for the ride.

I wish all a peaceful and fulfilling New Year!

Morning Flight

ink and oil painting of great blue heron in the early morning flying across the ocean — “Morning Flight” (24″x36″ ink and oil on canvas)

A larger piece painting largely intuitively. It was lovely to let it flow. A couple of details below.

detail from ink and oil painting of great blue heron flying over the ocean in the early morning — “Morning Flight” detail left side

Poised!

ink and oil round painting of red squirrel on a mossy stump — “Poised!” (5″ diameter ink and oil on raised panel)

This little red squirrel looks ready to leap!

Getting ready to paint some larger pieces soon but in the meantime, hope you enjoy this little 5″ diameter tondo!

Winter’s Coming

ink and oil painting of a puffed up bush tit perched on a branch — Winter’s Coming (4″x 4″ ink and oil on raised panel)

This tiny bird is called a bushtit – the smallest bird around here except for hummingbirds. This one is all puffed up to keep warm …winter’s coming!

I have been having some fun with the contrast between the representational birds and a fairly abstracted background.

Jaunty Junco

ink and oil painting of a dark-eyed junco perched in the forest — Jaunty Junco (4″x 4″ ink and oil on raised panel)

I am getting ready for an open studio in about 10 days so I’d better get painting …and cleaning lol!

This new mini is inspired by the juncos that are still darting about the garden.

Berry Point View

plein air oil painting of a rocky shore looking across the ocean to other islands — Berry Point View (8″x 10″ oil on panel)

It’s been a while. I haven’t been able to paint for one reason or another recently but decided this week to kick start myself by going to the ocean to paint. Just a quick sketch but it’s a (re)start.

Sunflower Path

ink and oil painting of sunflowers in a tangled garden — Sunflower Path (12″x 24″ ink and oil on raised panel)

This one is based on some delightful local community gardens. This time of year the sunflowers are reaching high, glowing yellow and busy with bees. I wanted to capture that feeling as well as some specifics of the tangled garden including sweet peas, nasturtiums, and runner beans climbing in the background with their distinctive scarlet blossoms.

There’s a balancing act between creating a scene that has enough detail to be meaningful while still leaving some space for the imagination. I’m pretty happy with where this one landed.

Bloomin’ Delightful

5" diameter ink and oil painting on raised panel of Anna's hummingbird and crocosmia — Bloomin’ Delightful (5″ diameter ink and oil on raised panel)

New mini – this time it’s round! 🙂

The local hummingbirds are still around looking for blooms to sip from …so I’m thinking of planting more of their preferred flowers so they hang around even more next year. This is a male Anna’s Hummingbird visiting some crocosmia.

Blooms Aglow

ink and oil painting of a bouquet of flowers backlit by the sun — Blooms Aglow (9″x 12″ ink and oil on panel)

There were some gorgeous flowers at the market this week …so of course I had to bring a few home to paint. Such rich colours picking up the afternoon sun on the deck!

Green Tea Doodles

take some time for tea and check out my doodles