"Pharoh"

20"x16" oil on canvas

When I started back into painting I was introduced to painting the human portrait. I loved it, but it wasn't coming easy for me. I started to wander and paint fruit, flowers, landscapes, etc. I painted anything to avoid people. Then the animals started, all from a few commission pieces and I have been running with them ever since. I LOVE painting animals and I would have been the first one to admit that I never saw myself painting animals.

Then, my girlfriend lost her husband a year ago. I told her I wanted to paint him when she was ready. Almost a year later she had a fundraiser in his name, there on the table was his photo that I knew I had to paint. I really hoped that I could capture him. I had been so hard on myself with previous portraits that I talked myself out of painting them. In fact, I still have a couple unfinished.

Well, not only was I surprised of the outcome, but I painted him in 6 days. I think the second full day was when it just poured out of me. I also felt this amazing energy when painting him.

Normally the best part of a painting is looking forward to seeing a clients reaction, but knowing that it would be an emotional viewing for my friend I decided to wrap it up and dropped it off for her and her family to open in privacy. She had a different opinion...she wanted me to be there. She had a family dinnter last night and asked if I'd come over after since she had everyone there.

They all loved it! I was glad to be there. I shared that when I first started to paint him I kept seeing a race car behind him. She informed me he LOVED and watched the racecar races. He definately was with me the whole time I painted him. I look forward to the next one!

"Chocho"

8"x8" oil on gallery wrapped canvas

This is a commission I recently finished for a girlfriend of mine. She didn't need it until next summer, but I thought, why wait? He's a Siberian Husky. Another fun new breed for me to have painted.

"Sammy"

8"x10" oil on panel

This is my girlfriend's dog, Sammy, a schnauzer. I'm really enjoying painting different dog breeds. It brings new challenges to me. I actually did this painting in about 5 hours, which is a first for me. I guess I'm getting more efficient these days. That's a good thing.

"Snowy Owl"

12"x12" gallery wrapped canvas

This painting was pretty much done and I tweaked it today, complete now! This is actually a juvenile snowy owl, adults are pure white. He was fun to paint, especially the right side with his whispy feathers. I also signed my initials to look like feather markings on the right. There are so many more owls I want to paint. I do have a short eared owl in flight I'm still working on. Will post that one soon, I hope. I have so many paintings I work on at a time I never know which ones I will complete first.

"Flag of Freedom"

24"x30" oil on canvas

I took a photograph of our home flag around the 4th of July for my fb profile picture. I decided to paint it and here it is complete. It was a joy and honor to paint this as a tribute to the men and women who have given to our country for our freedom and to those who have given their lives for our country so that we can have our freedom! Thank you to all our troops!!

"City Paws"

10"x8" oil on panel - SOLD

This painting is another one of "City the Kitty". I painted an earlier painting a 16x20 of him sitting in his favorite bowl. His mom, Lori Shepler is a professional photographer. Her photo, that I used for this was and is my top favorites. I asked if it would be okay to paint this one as well. I wasn't too sure of painting it in black and white at first. I must say though that I learned a lot from this painting. I handled the blending so differently and I was able to paint wet on wet with this. I look forward to the next black and white picture with open arms, I mean hands.