Commissioned Painting

When my art patron was a nine year old child, her mother's friend had a vision about her walking ahead of Jesus in a field of white daisies. She was picking only the damaged flowers and handing them to Jesus. My art patron wished to have this vision, foretelling her future of healing through physical and massage therapy, be the inspiration for this painting that she could display in her physical and massage therapy clinic. She selected features from some of the many, varied ideas that I submitted to her. I combined her choices in a Photoshopped idea which she loved. It looked very similar to this finished painting. The finished painting is very textured, comprised of gel and rice paper collage, and acrylic paint.

Her mother's friend's vision:

Various proposals for ideas for the painting:

Preparing the canvas for painting:

Rice paper collage and gel on canvas, beginning to paint...

Working on the painting...

Detail of the painting as I worked on it...

The finished painting hanging at Enhanced Performance Therapy in Austin, Texas.

Juried and Win again in the Texas Watercolor Society!

I am pleased to be juried and win an award for a second year in a row in the Texas Watercolor Society's 67th Annual National Exhibit! My 2014 trip to India was so visually inspirational. This year's winner, Bangalore Street Scene, illustrates the congested city street near the KL Market. Color sparks through the neutrals in this painting capturing the hazy atmosphere. This painting won the Waterloo Watercolor Award, juror Frank Francese. This show runs April 1 - May 25, 2016 at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery, 239 W. San Antonio St, New Braunfels, Texas.

Commissioned Painting for Horizon Bank Lobby

December 2013. Stop in to view my newest painting! Framed and installed in the lobby of the Horizon Bank in downtown Austin, Texas on the northwest corner of Congress Ave. and 6th Street is a commissioned 30"H x 44"W watercolor painting. The theme is the Capitol of Texas, located in Austin, surrounded by some of Austin's classic live music venues: Stubb's Bar-B-Q, The Continental Club, Scoot Inn, Donn's Depot, Austin City Limits Music Festival, Armadillo World Headquarters, Carousel Lounge, and Ranch 616. The bank is located at 600 Congress Ave G-260, Austin, TX 78701.

Martha's painting in North Hills Gallery's Permanent Collection

My watercolor painting Guadalajara Mariachis was purchased as an award by the North Hills Gallery in Austin, Texas in 2007. See this painting and the exhibit which includes the seven Artists of the Permanent Collection Aug. 1 through Sept. 2, 2013.

Painting on location at Zilker Botanical Garden

July 18, 2013 I spent a delightful morning painting on location at the Zilker Botanical Garden near downtown Austin, Texas.

Above is the beginning of my acrylic painting of a gnarly rooted cypress tree with a Japanese pond in the background.

In this photo above you can see my building of color.

I like to glaze pigments on top of each other to create more exciting colors and depth.

I work on a very lightweight and portable Sun-Eden easel that has a nice shelf for holding my palette, brushes, water and paper towels. The adapter holding my canvas can be tilted if I want to work more flat or more upright.

Cypress Tree at Zilker Park, Austin, TX, Acrylic, 9"H x 12"W, $100

San Antonio, Texas Painting Trip

Welcome to my newly re-built Web Site and Blog! A huge thank you to my daughter Kate for building it and teaching me how to use it and get it launched! April 10 - 12, 2013 I enjoyed an inspirational painting trip with three art friends to San Antonio, Texas to paint the four historic missions and scenic, touristy RiverWalk on location. Below is a photo of me painting Mission Espada and four of my paintings from the trip!

Mission Espada, Acrylic on location, Image 8”H x 10”W Rear View of Mission Conception, Acrylic on location, Image & Frame 9”H x 12”W Bridge over the RiverWalk, San Antonio, Texas, Watercolor on location, Image 6”H x 9”W Umbrellas on the RiverWalk, San Antonio, Texas, Watercolor on location, Image 5 3/4”H x 9”W

Martha painting Mission Espada on location

Mission Espada

Rear View of Mission Conception

Bridge over RiverWalk San Antonio, Texas

Umbrellas at RiverWalk, San Antonio, Texas