Hearts Aflutter

 

oil on panel, 18" x 18"

Here's yet another in my series of abstracted botanicals.  

On the Lookout

 

oil on panel, 18" x 18"

Another palette knife project, working on a rough surface.  I like it more than I thought I would.

Floralescent

oil on panel, 16" x 16"

The title of this painting contains a double entendre, as the inspiration for it is a painter named Flora Yukhovich.  It's another in my abstracted botanicals series.

My Cup Runneth Over

oil on panel, 16" x 16"

This is the next in my abstracted botanical series of paintings, originally inspired by those garbage can bouquets in New York City created by Lewis Miller.

Mixed Breeds

oil on panel, 16" x 16"

This composition is for me a meditation on springtime.

Pretti Flowers

 

oil on panel, 10" x 10"

This is my rendering of a bouquet of flowers left in honor of Alex Pretti, the ICU nurse who was gunned down by ICE agents in Minneapolis on 1/24/2026.  They are partially covered in snow and ice, lest we forget the cruel irony of his martyrdom.

It's been a while since I've posted any paintings to my blog due to a ruptured aneurysm, followed by a fall that led me back to the hospital with a fractured lumbar.  It's been a slow healing process and I can only spend a couple hours a day, tops, standing at my easel.  Hopefully, that time will increase as my bones continue to mend.

Flower Tower

 

oil on canvas, 36" x 12"

For a change of pace, a painting of stacked hollyhocks.

White Hydrangea

 

oil on panel, 11" x 14"

I rarely do still life paintings, but I came upon an early Matisse still life of flowers in a vase and felt compelled to do one.  

Black Beauties

 

oil on panel, 12" x 9"

I get the urge to paint flowers every year at this time.  Ah, springtime!

Floral Abstract of 8-17-2024

 

oil on canvasboard, 8" x 8"

This little freeform ditty was inspired by admiring a neighbor's garden this morning that contained multiple stalks of gorgeous Mexican sunflowers.  

Fragrant

 

oil on panel, 9" x 12"

This was an attempt to meld abstract and realist elements in a still life.  I was working from a bouquet of lilies on the kitchen table and didn't want to get too realistic but did want to suggest lilies.  More importantly, I wanted to convey their scent in pictorial form.  I'm already longing for spring.  Can you tell?

A Row of Roses

 

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

This is just another study in a series I'm doing of flowers in a vase, and again, mostly done with a palette knofe, just to refamiliarize myself with subject of still life, the least attempted of all my work. 

Aglow in the Dark

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

Here's another botanical study.  Just playing around here, trying to push the abstract and botanical elements together.

Peonies in a Mauve Vase

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

Continuing with this little burst of still life exploration that I'm going through, I'm trying to push more abstraction into the mix with the palette knife here.  I do like the warm textural effects of the background and the cool green foreground, but the mauve vase was what I was after.

Upon Reflection

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

This is a palette knife study in progress, about 95% done.  I rarely do still life paintings, but I'm pushing myself to do them now in a way that is more expressive than representative.  Still, it's all about color for me.

 

Black and Yellow Irises

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

Flower study.

Complementary Couple

acrylic on panel, 6" x 12"

This is the result of my desire to make a painting with the complementary pairing of reds and greens exclusively.  I chose these two red hollyhocks because they are among my favorites.

Asian Arrangement

oil on aluminum panel, 6" x 12"

Just having some fun here with a semi-abstract rendition of a short round green vase with pink and white flowers of an indeterminate genus. 

Persistence

 

oil on panel, 24" x 12"

I've gone as far as I can go for now on this painting of a stalk of black hollyhocks.  It may be done; then again, it may not.  Whenever I feel this way, it's best to step away.

Fifth Street Flowers

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

The other day, I passed by a section of sidewalk on Fifth Street in Petaluma with the most amazing collection of wild flowers which inspired this floral study.  I may attempt another version, as I found the scene utterly enchanting.