New England Barn in Winter

Just up the road from where I live is this small farm. I took a walk at sunset a few days ago and loved this scene. You can't see very well in the digital image, but the sunset has cast the palest wash of pink on the snow. I love painting snow because, as it's white, it reflects all kinds of colors.
Here is a story for you about the reflective qualities of snow: Some years ago, I belonged to a group of painters called Plein Air Painters. When referring to painting, "Plein Air" means out in the open air, or painting on site. This group would all gather in a different spot throughout the painting season. That particular year we were painting farms and barns and we started the season early - one Saturday in March.
Well, it just so happened that there was about two feet of snow on the ground and the temperature was hovering just above freezing. This meant that I could bring my watercolors. If it had been colder, they would have frozen. (I know, having tried this). For the first painting of the day, a group of oil painters set up easels in front of the white farmhouse as it was a great scene to paint. I, on the other hand, decided to paint the painters standing in snow at their easels, so I set up to the side between them and the house and faced them. All was fine with this arrangement but for the fact that I had on my ski-wear to keep warm. My ski jacket was neon pink and the sun was out - bright, and thankfully warm. Yes, you got it: my jacket reflected pink all over the snow and the house as well.
When I took a break to walk around and see what the oil painters were doing, I found they all had pink in their paintings! They were good-naturedly complaining that I'd changed the whole color scheme. Such is the reflective nature of snow.

• The original painting has been sold, but you can check my website for currently available barn paintings. Thanks for stopping by!

Laysan Alabatross

Laysan Albatross are large seabirds frequently seen on the major islands of Hawaii as their main nesting grounds are located on two Hawaiian islands. But these birds spend a good part of their life out on the open ocean far from land. A young bird will spend five years out at sea before finding a mate and returning to land to nest. That sounds like a long time, but consider this: they have a lifespan of 40-60 years! Once they have found a suitable mate, the same pair will continue to meet once a year to nest and raise a single chick, staying faithful for life.
Laysan Albatross are clumsy on land when taking off, however once airborne, they are magnificent flyers, able to spend hours or days gliding on ocean currents without ever beating a wing, even sleeping while aloft! Make sure you keep an eye out for these birds or their cousins, the black-footed albatross, next time you visit Hawaii.
This painting shows a pair of Laysan albatross flying near a Hawaiian beach as the surf crashes beneath them.

• This painting has been sold.

Lilacs Watercolor Painting

As the days grow longer little by little, and the sun is a bit stronger, spring can't be too far away. Lilacs will be blooming in May, filling the air with their rich sweet scent. Here is a painting to remind you of May and lilac-blooming time.

Twin Falls, British Columbia, Canadian Rockies

There is nothing quite like the majestic roar of a waterfall as it cascades over rocks. This spectacular waterfall is double the beauty. The river above, Twin Falls Creek, is cut in two by a wedge of rock before tumbling over a great limestone cliff to a narrow gorge below.
You will have to travel to the Yoho National Park in British Coumbia to see this sight, but if you only see one waterfall in the Canadian Rockies, make it this one!

Dories at Grand Harbor, Grand Manan Island

The two small boats in the foreground of this harbor painting are dories. A dory is a small, flat-bottomed fishing boat which can be used both in fresh water and out at sea. In the background are some larger fishing vessels. Grand Harbor is on Grand Manan Island off the coast of New Brunswick, Canada in the Bay of Fundy. The island's economy depends on fishing, so you'll see a lot of that industry if you visit there.
The pale green-gray waters of the harbor and a jumble of fishing boats in the distance add contrast to the simple, spare image of the two dories. I think it's that simplicity that makes this scene so compelling.

• This painting has been sold.

Pink Garden Rose

This one is from my garden. It blooms in June and then again later in the summer and has the sweetest fragrance!

• This painting has been sold.

Great White Heron

A pale pink tinges the early morning sky. In the stillness of dawn, a large white bird stands like a statue, it's shape reflected in the water beneath.
This heron, the largest white heron, is found only in southern Florida, coastal Yucatan and the Carribean. It is a morph of the much more widespread Great Blue Heron. You can tell this bird from the similarly colored Great Egret because the Great White Heron is larger and has pale legs rather than black legs like the egret.

• This painting has been sold.

Sugar Hill, New Hampshire

A U.S. flag flies atop one of the silos at this New Hampshire farm. In the distance are the White Mountains. Along this country road on Sugar Hill is the site of Polly's Pancake Parlor which is situated right across the road from this farm. Every summer when I was a child, our family would visit the White Mountains and one of the stops that could not be missed was breakfast at that rustic little restaurant where they'd cook flapjacks as you watched, making them to order with any kind of topping from blueberries to coconut to chocolate chips. Then, they'd serve them with their own maple syrup, maple butter and maple sugar. And you could have as much as you could eat!
The pancake parlor is still there though it's been updated and enlarged to accommodate the crowds that make their way there all summer. And the view of the mountains and farms are as beautiful as ever. So, I thought I'd share this little piece of New Hampshire scenery with you.

• This painting has been sold.

White African Violets

This plant is one of the violets blooming on my kitchen windowsill. I love these flowers because they bring blossoming color in the midst of the darkest winter!

• This painting has been sold.

Cathedral Ledge, White Mountains, NH

Near North Conway, New Hampshire, in the White Mountains this majestic-looking rock is a favorite for rock-climbers. But those who don't want to brave the cliff can take a road followed by a short hike to the top for some magnificent views. New Hampshire is stunning when the autumn foliage is at its peak as it is in this painting.

Ashness Bridge, Cumbria, England

A charming stone bridge arches over a rushing brook on its way to a distant lake. I am told by my brother-in-law that this is Ashness Bridge overlooking Derwenter. Maybe it's my Yankee ears, but with his accent (he's from that area of England) and the place names, I am reminded of Tolkein and the Lord of the Rings. Come to think of it, I can just picture a group of hobbits crossing the bridge. The scene is so pretty, it seems like fantasy! I'm hoping this painting will take you to another world.

• This painting has been sold.

New England Seaport - Mystic

If you've ever visited Connecticut, you may have made a stop at Mystic to enjoy its historic seaport, quaint shops and aquarium. Every August, the town of Mystic holds an outdoor art festival in which I participate. It gives me a great chance to visit after the show closes each day, take some photos and then do a painting or two when I get back to the studio.
This scene is part of the seaport. The sail ships in the distance will have to pass through a drawbridge to get to the ocean. I love the lone rowboat anchored in the foreground. It's been left to mark the place where the owners keep their sailboat. When they return from a day of sailing, they'll leave the larger boat there and take the small one home.

Gardenia Flowers Watercolor Painting

Gardenia flowers are so beautiful. I love painting white flowers, but Gardenias are especially wonderful because they have a blush of peach color at their center that seems to make them glow! I enjoyed using many colors to do this piece.

Pink Rhododendron

A pair of rhododendron blossoms to remind us of spring - it's only a few months away!

• This painting has been sold.

Cardinals in the Snow

Normally, the male Cardinal gets all the attention because of his bright red color, but, in this painting, I'm giving the spotlight to the female because she's pretty too. It's interesting to watch cardinals at a winter feeder. Males will chase each other off trying to mark the feeder as their territory, I suppose. I want to open the door and say, "Look, guys, there's enough here for all of you." The female will hide out in the evergreens, and while the males are chasing one another, she'll fly to the feeder. At other times, the male will stay back and let her go first.
In this painting, a new snow has fallen and the two cardinals have arrived to sit on some branches to watch the feeders full of birds flying to and fro. Once they've decided all is safe, they'll go to get a seed or two.

• This painting has been sold.

English Countryside, Cumbria, Lakes Region

Now, this is a serene view with the sheep grazing in a sunlit field bounded by stone walls, mountains in the background, don't you think? My Bermuda brother-in-law who is originally from this area of England sent a photo he took of this scene for me to paint. I did visit England some years ago, and the countryside is beautiful!

• This painting is sold, but you can find more of my paintings at Zeh Original Art website.

English Cottage Garden, Duck Island Cottage

Wouldn't I love to tell you that this is my garden. But, alas, it's not. My brother-in-law is from England and he sent a picture of this garden. It makes a beautiful painting. The cottage is Duck Island Cottage in St. James's Park, London. The garden is abloom with summer flowers.

• This painting has been sold.

Sea Birds, Black Skimmers

The birds in this painting are Black Skimmers. They are interesting sea birds. Their lower bill is longer than the upper and they use it when skimming close to the water's surface to snatch up food. Black on top and white on the belly, they have a bright red bill tipped with black. Even if you live near the ocean, you may not have seen this bird because they generally don't come very close to people. But a friend of mine in Texas has taken some wonderful pictures with a super zoom.
I love the sky in this painting and the solid crashing of the surf.

• This painting has been sold.

Pink Rose

A silky-petaled rose and a rosebud.

White Plumeria

This tropical flower is beautiful blooming in a mass like this. Plumeria is the Hawaiian flower, it grows everywhere in Hawaii even though it's not originally from there. My Hawaii son sent me a photo of Plumeria trees with white flowers blooming in them like these. So pretty!

• This 5x7 painting has been sold. You can get a print of a larger painting of these flowers here: "White Plumeria" fine art print

Appalachian Trail in Autumn

Here is another scene from the George Washington National Forest in Virginia. Bright red foliage enlivens the foreground. A nearby mountain is dotted with oranges and yellows and the mountains behind go on into the blue distance. What a view!

Vase of Pink Tulips

Here is something I haven't done many paintings of - flowers in a vase. Usually, I locate them in the garden or zoomed in close. But, I have a vase of tulips and they were beckoning me to paint them. So, here they are. Since nothing's blooming outside, it makes a perfect floral subject for winter.

Ocean Surf

The reference I used for this beach scene is on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, but it's a scene you could find on many tropical islands, so take your pick! A seagull soars overhead as the surf leaves a foamy swath just ahead of more waves as they crash in.

• This painting has been sold.

New England Red Barn

I have a long history of painting this barn dating back to when I first started watercolor painting fourteen years ago. Since then, I've done five large paintings of it. The first three sold immediately, the last two were commissions for the owners. But I've never before painted it in the snow, so this one is a first.
An early snow has blanketed the ground and covered the barn. The pond had not yet frozen during the storm so it is clear of snow, but a very thin sheet of ice is forming. If the weather stays cold enough for the ice to reach several inches thick, it will make a nice smooth surface on which the farm children can skate. I like how the snow-covered grasses in the foreground look sparkling and icy. Sometimes watercolors give the painter a happy surprise and that is one of them! 

• This 5x7 inch painting is matted to 8x10. Check my website for Red Barn in the Snow to see if it's available.

Red Garden Roses

Happy 2009! This is my first painting for the year.
Oh, how far away the months of roses in the garden seem right now! The temperatures are in the single digits (Farenheit) and snow covers the ground a half foot deep. Some of you are living where it's even colder and snowier.
Well, this painting takes me to summer. Behind the roses is a soft blue summer sky. I could almost smell the fragrance of the roses while painting them. Can you?

• This painting has been sold.

New England Covered Bridge

Covered bridges like the one in this painting are not only scenic, but their original purpose was to protect wooden bridges from deteriorating. In the nineteenth century, bridges were made of wood and would last, when exposed to the ravages of a New England winter, less than 10 years. But with a roof over them, they would stay sound for up to 80 years.
There are many covered bridges still in New England, especially in Vermont, where there are more per square mile than anywhere else. This one is in the New Hampshire White Mountain National Forest at the Covered Bridge Campground.

Burnese Mountain Dog

This is one of my pet portraits done in watercolor. Ben is a Bernese Mountain Dog and is a very sweet dog. These dogs have great personalities and are quite intelligent.
Ben enjoys the snow, so I have painted him in a snowy scene with a snowball - one of his favorite things.