Have Brush, will Travel

Near Her Door - Montesor, France (Loire Valley)
18x 14 Oil

I love to paint intimate scenes, close-ups that capture the little corners of the world.

Creating paintings everywhere I travel, gives me a special insight into each new location, be it a new country, state, city or wilderness. The very act of standing very still in one spot for several hours sliding my brushes over canvas, enables me to hear and smell and feel the environment. For that brief time span, as I paint my painting, I am merged with the locals’ world. If I am in a city or village, my ears are filled with conversations floating on the air of family and friends (often in a foreign language that my ears translate into lovely melodies) as they walk past or their voices float through an open window as they congregate in their homes.

Standing still, barely moving as I sway to the rhythm of my brush strokes, I enjoy the laughter of children on their way to school, beautiful music playing on a radio, church bells ringing out the hours, the tinkle of silverware as a table is being set for lunch, the smells of culinary delights being lovingly cooked. Not only do I take with me these freshly created paintings, but all the tickles of my senses, as well, and the memories firmly attached to each spot of color. They become “souvenirs” far greater than any treasure I could buy at the local markets of the world. Some of these paintings I will keep, but most will find themselves in someone’s home that can somehow feel, smell and hear the location that I painted.

Everywhere I go, people love to plant flowers. Those little touches of color reach out to all of us as we pass by. These paintings express a few of the flowers that have caught my eye through the years.

Red Flowers Near Her Door, Montresor, France, (Loire Valley)

12 x 9 oil

Sunny Side, - Tourettes sur loup, France

16 x 20 Oil

Even in my own little world right here in Bozeman, the corners are always so intriguing to me.

So Many Blossoms, from my own garden, Bozeman, Montana (2003) 18 x 14 Oil

This last painting was painted, plein air 7 years ago in June, when our peonies were in full bloom. We have had a very wet and cold spring, delaying our flowers. Our lilacs are still in bloom as are our iris’ …… next will come the peonies. They are finally just about to burst into bloom. Time to paint them for sure!

If all goes well, I will be painting peonies by 4^th of July.

Daddy’s Day....

a day to appreciate all the many ways that our fathers have taken care of us, taught us and helped us become the people that we are.

Artists throughout the centuries have captured in paint, mothers with their children, those tender times of warmth and love. Fathers, on the other hand, were hardly ever depicted

in paintings. They were the providers and worked long hours, hardly involved in the day-to-day demands of raising a child. In this day and age, fathers now have a very active part in raising their children. You see them in every aspect tenderly and lovingly caring for their little ones.

Here are two paintings that I have done that attempt to capture tender moments in a Father’s arms.

Turn Around and He’s Grown

Watercolor

Father’s Touch

16 x 20 Oil

...and I miss MY dad

my dad and me

Spring has sprung

Spring has finally come to Montana. While Howard and I were teaching in Kansas, the weather here was rainy and cold, but yesterday as we drove home, the sky opened up and the sun was brilliant. Our trees are green and our flowers are finally starting to bloom. This is such a colorful time of year. I love it! It is probably safe enough to plant new flowers directly in the ground. But for now, I will start planting pots to surround my porch with color. With all these beauties at my fingertips, my brushes are eagerly waiting for me to paint.

These two paintings are two of my very first oils and were painted back in the summer of 2003, when I first decided to find out who I would be when I painted in oils.

Pots of Pretties 14 x 18 oil: I bought the little pansies in a “six Pack” at the local nursery. Eager to start painting the little pansies, I did not even plant them in the pot, for fear that they would wilt. Instead, I gently set the “six pack” and all into the pot, set up some low exciting lighting, grabbed my brushes and the paint started flying. This painting was accepted into the CM Russell Museum Show that year and it was my first oil painting in a national show. I was hooked on oils.

Planted First 16 x 18 oil: Howard and I were at the florist looking for cut flowers to paint when this little begonia plant looked up at me. It was love at first sight. She had to be painted! Now I will remember her always.

Memorial Day Memories

Reflecting on all those we love.

We don’t stop often enough and think of the very many ways that our service men risked their lives for us each and every day, not only in war but in natural catastrophes as well. I am so grateful for all that they have done and are doing for us.

my dad….David Swartwout – Coast Guard

My dad was proud to serve his country in the Coast Guard during WWII. Besides protecting our freedoms during the war, my dad was also an artist for the service men. Drawing and painting was always his passion and later his career. In high school, he was the newspaper cartoonist and he continued cartooning in the Coast Guard to entertain and cheer up the troops. He lived 40 years past the end of the war, had a very successful art career and, with my mom by his side, raised a family. He managed to turn all three girls into artists. I am so blessed.

Betty and Dave

Memorial Day also marks the day that I lost my mom 4 years ago. She was one of the first civilian women draftsmen for the Coast Guard. During the war, she drew up the blue prints and plans for the ships and destroyers. To read more about my mom click here.

Reflecting back on all my loved ones that are gone, I have so much to be thankful for, most of all for their love. Good memories never die, their love is with you always.

Little Kids to Big Kids

Where do the big kids go to play? How about Yellowstone National Park, just south of Bozeman. That is where Inger, Howard and I went last week. It is a great place to see animals of all kinds. In one day, we saw 16 different species of animals and lots of baby bison! Yellowstone is a great place to study animals and get good reference.

I love to paint wildlife. They capture such a feeling of independence. One of my favorite critters is elk. They are so regal! I created this oil painting of a little elk herd in January. It is currently at Montana Trails Gallery in Bozeman.

ps…… still snowing in Bozeman today….sigh.

the ties that bind

Do we really know, right from the beginning, that our little childhood playmates would mean so much to us as we grow older? No, we just played and had great fun. Years later, now that we have experienced the bumps and bruises of life, we can look back to those blissful years of innocence and really treasure our buddies.

One such play pal from my past has come to our house for a two-week visit and arrived last Friday. The fact that we are even in communication again is a miracle story. Inger and I met when she was 6 years old. She grew up right across the street from my house. We played together almost every day. Here is a photo of Inger (right) and myself (left). We were around the age of 5 or 6 when these were taken.
Then we each went off to college and somehow we lost touch as friends sometimes do.

32 years later, through a series of amazing events and to both of our amazement's, we found each other in St. Paul de Vence, Provence, France! I was teaching watercolors and oils to artists from the United States and Britain and she had been living there for many years. We chose a quaint café to meet. Once again our friendship bloomed. Thirty-two years is a long time and we have had lots to catch up on.

And so the bond continues. Somewhere in our lives there really is a thread of continuity that weaves us all together. I am just thrilled to have her in my life again and see this thread come full circle.

This painting, Little Bugs, is a reminder of just such friendships!

Howard Mandville Gallery

The Howard Mandville Gallery in Kirkland, Washington held their 38th Anniversary Show on Saturday from 5 to 8. I had 3 new paintings in this show:

Laundry Day

8 x 10 Oil
I painted this last September in Vence, Provence, France.

The Visitor

8 x 10 Oil
Also painted on the same trip last fall in Vence, Provence, France.

Top of the Stairs

15 x 30 Oil
This painting is of a friends dog named Diego, he was watching all the Thanksgiving activities from the top of the stairs. I added a ball to create a bit of a story and an environment.

The show will be up for several weeks. Wish I could attend!