377. Jenny Lake

 

'Jenny Lake'

6" x 6"

oil on gessoboard

In 2003, my sister Rita and I road-tripped from Washington state back home to Minnesota. We planned our route through Jackson Hole and Yellowstone, and the sightseeing was absolutely unbelievable. 

Part of the reason I'll never forget this trip was that I had recently received my first-ever digital camera. It was a Nikon Coolpix 2100, a whole 2.0 megapixels! For those of us who grew up on film cameras, the idea of taking limitless photos is something I still get excited about. And you could see them instantly! Lol. 

This scene of Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park is from the summer of '03.

Enjoy!

View auction and bid here.

376. Blueberry Morning

 

'Blueberry Morning'

6" x 6"

oil on gessoboard

My little town is home to the 'dikelands'; 11,366 acres of river-bottom farmland reclaimed through an extensive network of dikes holding back the Columbia River. The flat, farmy goodness peppered with old barns and livestock reminds me of my home state of Minnesota.

  

The dikelands close to me are also home to blueberry fields, and in winter, the reddish hue of the blueberry bushes becomes prominent. When the long rays of sunlight hit just so, the rows of dormant blueberry plants are ablaze. I can't get enough! I'm sure I take photos every year, but this is only my second attempt at painting them. The first was almost thirteen years ago! 

Enjoy!

View auction and bid here.

Mini 19. Poppin'

 

"Poppin' "

4" x 4"

oil on gessobord

In the summertime, California Poppies are plentiful in Oregon ditches.

They never fail to brighten my day. 

Enjoy this mini!

View auction or bid here.

Mini 18. 'Snow Day Sunset'

 

'Snow Day Sunset'

4" x 4"

oil on gessoboard

It rarely snows in our small town, but it's truly stunning when it does.

This mini is from a snowy December day a few years ago.

Appropriately, this painting will be 'December' in my 2026 painting calendar! 

I just ordered them yesterday, and I will post all the info when I'm ready to start taking orders. 

Enjoy this mini!

View auction and bid here.

Mini 17. Utah Sunset

'Utah Sunset'

4" x 4"

oil on gessoboard

A couple of summers ago, we spent a little time in Utah.

Here's a mini road trip sunset.

Enjoy!

View auction and bid here.

 

Mini 16. Minnesnowta

'Minnesnowta'

4" x 4"

oil on gessoboard

A mini winter scene. 

Enjoy!

View auction and bid here. 

 

375. Main Attraction

 

'Main Attraction'

6" x 6"

oil on gessoboard

It was the fall of 2019, and my youngest was in third grade. 

I was a chaperone on his class trip to watch a performance by the Oregon Children's Theater in downtown Portland. 

I don't recall the play, but I do remember this tree, lol.

Stunning color on a gray November day.

Enjoy!

View auction and bid here.

Mini 15. Tobacco Root Rainstorm

 

'Tobacco Root Rainstorm'

4" x 4"

oil on gessoboard

It's storming over the Tobacco Root Mountain Range west of Bozeman, Montana.

We drive through Montana at least twice a year, and I took a series of photos of a distant storm on our 2017 trek. I didn't know the name of this 'little' mountain range, or even where in western Montana the photo was taken, but after zooming in on a random mile marker in one of my photos and a little searching via Google Street View, I found the exact spot on Interstate 90. Should have been a detective. ;)

Enjoy this mini!

View auction and bid here.

Mini 14. Hibernating

 

Mini 14. 'Hibernating'

4" x 4"

oil on gessoboard

Another Minnesota winter mini. 

When it's frigid and clear, the evening sky gets to shine.

Enjoy!

View auction and bid here.

Mini 13. Minnesota Moon

'Minnesota Moon'

4" x 4"

oil on gessoboard

New Year's Eve many moons ago. 

Enjoy!

View auction and bid here.

 

Mini 12. Canyonlands Sunset

'Canyonlands Sunset'

4" x 4"

oil on gessoboard

A little scene from Canyonlands National Park in Utah.

The park was deserted on a Sunday evening, and the sky show was a lovely way to end our day.

Enjoy this mini!

View auction and bid here.

 

Mini 11. Saturated

 

'Saturated'

4" x 4"

oil on gessoboard

This evergreen part of the country also has its share of deciduous trees that burst into color every fall.

This soggy scene is from a rainy day a couple of Novembers ago. 

I love the contrast of the fiery leaves against their moody surroundings!

Enjoy this mini!

(I'm listing this mini in a three-day auction, and I think I'll try that for all the minis for a bit. They'll start at $75. I don't like leaving you at the mercy of my random postings if you want to buy a painting. Thanks for sticking with me!)

View auction and bid here.

Mini 10. Million Dollar View

'Million Dollar View'

4" x 4"

Oil on gessoboard

The Million Dollar Highway between Silverton and Ouray, Colorado, is one of the most beautiful drives I've ever experienced. A bit harrowing at moments (where are all the guardrails, lol), but around every bend, another stunning view. I would love to go back again someday, especially in the Fall.

Enjoy this mini!

Purchase here.

 

374. Wink Wink

 

'Wink Wink'

6" x 6"

oil on gessoboard

I love to find a face on the side of a barn, and this one jumped out at me when I was going through my photos. It's winking at me! This stunning farm is the setting for Barefoot Frida, one of Thomas Dambo's trolls near Detroit Lakes, MN. Like the barn, Frida is also winking! ;)

Enjoy!

View auction and bid here.

Mini 9. Summer's Gold

'Summer's Gold'

4" x 4"

oil on gesso board

Oh, how I love summer! 

I've had this Oregon farm scene in my to-do folder for a long time, and I'm really happy with how it turned out. Enjoy this mini!

Purchase here.

 

Mini 8. Feels November-y

 

'Feels November-y'

4" x 4"

oil on gessoboard

The rain has returned here in Oregon, and it feels fitting to share this puddly fall scene from our little town. Enjoy this mini!

Purchase here.

Mini 7. Yaquina Head Lighthouse

'Yaquina Head Lighthouse'

4" x 4"

oil on gessoboard

A couple of winters ago, we traveled to the Oregon Coast for high school basketball.

It was a gorgeous sunny day, and we enjoyed a little sightseeing on our way home. 

Enjoy this mini!

Purchase here.

Mini 6. September Coneflowers

 

'September Coneflowers'

4" x 4"

oil on gessoboard

I saw these fading coneflowers on a recent walk and stopped to snap a few pics.

They were really fun to paint.

Enjoy this mini!

Purchase here.

Mini 5. Oregon Coast Highway

 

'Oregon Coast Highway'

4" x 4"

oil on gessoboard

A mini painting of dusk near Tillamook, Oregon.

These little ones are so fun to paint!

Enjoy!

Purchase here.

373. Cannon Beach Morning

'Cannon Beach Morning'

6" x 6"

oil on gessoboard

An early September morning near Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, Oregon.

The tidepools are plentiful and crowds of folks gather to take a gander at sea stars and anemones.

And I guess I'm turning into a birder because I've recently gained the desire to see the tufted puffins that nest here in the spring. Maybe next year.

Enjoy!

View auction and bid here.

 

Mini 4. Minnesota Birches

 

'Minnesota Birches'

6" x 6"

oil on gessoboard

A mini from Minnesota.

Birch trees are so pretty.

Enjoy!

Purchase here.

Mini 3. Wheatland Sunset

 

'Wheatland Sunset'

4" x 4"

oil on gessoboard

A little sunset scene from our road trip this summer.

Montana is soo huge and takes too many hours to drive through, but the skyscapes of Big Sky country never disappoint.

Enjoy!

Purchase here.

Mini 2. Leaving Mill A

'Leaving Mill A'

4" x 4"

oil on gessoboard

A mini painting of the view as we leave my sister's house. This road winds down the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge and offers some sweet glimpses of the river and the ridges of Oregon on the other side. I am having fun painting on a red ground and letting some of it peek through.

Enjoy!

Purchase here.

 

Mini 1. Minnesota Pink

 

'Minnesota Pink'

4" x 4"

oil on gessoboard

After many years of substitute teaching at our local elementary school, I recently started grad school in pursuit of a 'real' teaching license. I absolutely love being all alone in my painting corner, but I also really love being part of our school community and putting energy into something outside of myself.

(And I get real lonely for all those school peeps during the summer, lol.)

I'm super grateful for the challenges and rewards of both my 'jobs', and I try to give my full effort wherever my feet find me each day.

 So, as subbing starts back up and I'm in study mode, my painting time this fall is a little more precious. (I'm kind of using it as a reward to motivate my studying, lol.)

I've decided to make some mini landscapes on four-inch panels. I'm trying to keep it loose, as they say, and most of these will be done all in one sitting.

(I'll still hopefully get to some of my more detailed six-inchers as well.)

This first scene is from our trip to Minnesota this summer. The most beautiful display of mammatus clouds was breaking up, and the setting sun turned them pink. It was really fun to try to capture this evening! 

**Note: Four-inchers will not be auctioned; I'll just put a buy now price on each.

Purchase here.

372. Push My Buttons

 

'Push My Buttons'

6" x 6"

oil on gessoboard

I went to a market a few weeks ago and these bouquets of Billy Buttons were right on the button for me, lol. They're such fun little dudes. They made me smile, and their brown paper wrappers were a treat to paint.

A good time all around!

Enjoy!

View auction and bid here.  

371. Night Light

 

'Night Light'

6" x 6"

oil on gessoboard

Every so often, baseball or basketball brings us through the farming community of Tillamook on the Oregon coast. I love seeing the pastures, fields, and barns; it reminds me of Minnesota. The cheese curds at the Tillamook Creamery are pretty great, too.

This Tillamook barn was all tucked in when I drove by after a baseball game last spring.

Those lights just pulled me in, and I really enjoyed painting this sleepy little scene. 

Enjoy!

View auction and bid here.

370. Hood Canal

'Hood Canal'

6" x 6"

oil on gessoboard

A scene from Hood Canal, a natural saltwater fjord in Washington State. 

The Olympic National Forest is in the distance.

View auction and bid here.

 

369. Orchid in Magenta

 

'Orchid in Magenta

6" x 6"

oil on gessoboard

Another Lego bloom. 

Enjoy!

View auction and bid here.

368. Rose in Pink

 

'Rose in Pink'

6" x 6"

oil on gessoboard

I was recently introduced to Lego flowers, and I had so much fun building a brick bouquet!

I'm in awe of the people who design things like this. So cool!

Anyway, just wanted to try to capture a couple of blooms in paint.

Enjoy!

View auction and bid here. 

367. Take a Hike

 

'Take a Hike'

6" x 6"

oil on gessoboard

It was a sunny July day, and the trail to Panther Creek Falls was aglow.

Under the canopy, bouncing sunrays land in warm pools of light.

So welcoming! I had to try capture all that forest friendliness. 

Enjoy!

View auction and bid here.

Last Light of Yellowstone 2

 

'Last Light of Yellowstone 2'

11" x 35"

oil on panel

Redo! I painted this scene from Yellowstone Natl Park about nine years ago, and I've been wanting to tweak it for about eight years, lol. When you paint from photos (as I do), it's easy to get stuck focusing only on matching the photo instead of trying to capture the reasons you took the photo in the first place... 

After a full day of seeing all the iconic sights of Yellowstone, we were driving toward the northeast entrance of the park. The early evening sun was hiding beyond the peaks to our left and just kissing the tops of the ridges to our right. Wildfire smoke in the area made it hazy and stole most of the blue from the sky, but it also settled softly into all the low places, adding drama to their darker shades of blue. And then, this valley. Not so narrow as to make us claustrophobic, not so wide as to diminish the height of the hills. Peacefully flat, with likely a river or stream hidden among the lush wild grasses. So vast! A panorama reserved for high places, but we were safely nestled in the valley, and could still see for miles. 

I hope I captured a bit of it.

Before and after:

North Window Arch

 

'North Window Arch'

16" x 16"

oil on gessoboard

We visited Arches National Park last summer and I knew immediately I wanted to make a painting to add to our family memories wall. This is North Window Arch, and my boys posing under it helps to show the scale. So cool to see! I also loved Arches because the places one can fall into or off of are few, unlike a lot of National Parks in the southwest. My 'teen boys goofin' anxiety stayed pretty low.

Our wall is filling up with pretty scenes, but the memories they stir up are certainly not perfect. On this particular day, one of my boys was very not happy to be here and is posing under the arch absolutely against his will, lol. At one point in the day, I delivered an epic 'you don't know how good you have it speech'.😅 It would be great if all our trips were smooth sailing, but honestly, those rough moments (from all of us) make it all the more memorable and the sweet times even sweeter.

(Not for sale.)

366. Golden Gorge

 

'Golden Gorge'

6" x 6"

oil on gessoboard

One of my favorite places in the Pacific Northwest; the Columbia River Gorge.

The lavender fields in the foreground are in Washington; in the distance, the sunlit ridges of Oregon. 

Somewhere beyond the trees, the mighty Columbia rolls along toward the setting sun.

Enjoy!

View auction and bid here.