Floral & Landscape

This is a painting of local area atttractions for the restaraunt Sunny St. Cafe. Squire's Castle is  popular as it has a rich history behind it, hiking trails and is a popular wedding photo location.

Another painting for the Sunny St. Cafe restaraunt in Concord, Ohio. This is a beautiful waterfall in Painesville, Ohio and is owned by Lake Metroparks. 

The Cleveland Botanical Gardens are a crown jewel to our area. Much of my art has been inspired by the beautiful floral themed gardens they offer to the public to appreciate.This waterfall caught my eye as I was drawn to the ferns & ivy in & around the falls. The firey red Japanese maple gives a nice contrast to the greenery. I hope you can hear the gentle sound of water, as if you were there.

While visiting my brother in Utah, he took us up this awesome mountain on a 3 wheeler & motorcycle. Was warm at the mountain base but snowing at the summit. You could smell the pine trees in the air and it all looked and felt like heaven. Was the best day ever!

While in Utah, I took this photo reference to depict a painting representing the vastness of the region and the big sky that the west possesses. I felt the painting size had to be large as well (32x40) to reinforce the feeling of being there. It placed 2nd in the painting category at the Burton annual art show in Ohio. 

Another great view while in Utah.

I enjoy pastels for their instant color and blending capabilities. As an avid floral & garden enthusiast, I grew this sunflower along with other varieties one summer & this one stood out from the rest. I enjoyed the strong contrast of color and bright light source wich is prevalent in much of my work.

Lilies are a favorite not only for their fragrance but also for their giant blooms and numerous flowers on the stem. I felt this piece had to be large (20'x30") to amplify the statement they were making.

In this painting, I wanted to concentrate on the intricacies of the flower and insect. It's a small painting (6"x8") but large on the image and detail.

Gold finches are my favorite at the feeder for their bright color and cheerful chirps. My friend is also a huge nature and bird lover and she supplies me with some great photo references from her own gardens. They always bring happiness to my day when I see them!

This painting was inspired by a particularly colorful autumn in our back field. I felt that the colors of the leaves would be perfect to capture in oil, as they all blended into each other just as the passing of the seasons do. 

Again, the play of light and shadow is a constant inspiration.

I'm always fascinated with the way design plays a role in nature. There's so much color and texture to consider when planting a garden. This was inspired from my back garden which is always changing & evolving. Consistant with my style, I enjoy the bold contrast of color against the dark backround.

I always found it interesting to get up close and watch bees and other pollinators bury themselvesin head first, to get as much pollen as possible. They're so busy doing the job mother nature gave them, it makes you wonder if they take the time to stop and smell the roses!

These colorful lilies caught my attention with their bold shapes and interesting textures. They seem to dance in the sun as if to say "Look at me! Paint my portrait!"

This piece was titled "The Alien", as upon completion of the drawing I noticed that the anther (or stamens) appeared to look like little brown space ships, and the stigma (or pistil) looks like an alien above them! 

These ladies live up to their name and are frequent visitors to my gardens. They are one of the most familiar butterflies in North America and are seen in habitats across the continent. Adults don't survive in freezing temperatures, so they migrate to warmer places like Mexico & other southern areas. In spring, they disburse back northwards, sometimes numbering in the millions.

Sunflowers are another favorite. So many varieties, sizes and colors. This one is self- explanatory as to it's title.