Cuddling Cats Pet Portrait Painting in Watercolor

It's always a delight to paint cats. I like cats and it's fun to try to replicate the softness of their fur.

I just finished a watercolor commission of two cats -  a white cat and his friend, a tabby. Read on and I'll show you how I painted these two kitties. (If you want to skip the demo, see the finished cat portrait here.)

Trout Stream Watercolor River Painting

Trout Stream fine art print

Have you ever sat beside a stony stream and watched it flow, listening to it bubble and gurgle over the rocks? Peaceful, isn't it? I think that is part of the allure of fishing. The last commission I did, "Our River" in oils, reminded me of such a place.  It inspired me to do a watercolor of a similar stream and add a fish rather than a fisherman.

River Painting in Oil on Canvas - a custom commission

This custom painting was requested by a new collector as a gift for her boyfriend. The two enjoy summer days by the river while he fishes (detail to the left) and she relaxes on the shore.

To skip to the finished piece click here. Otherwise, read on as I design and paint this scene.

My Mosaic Mural of the Resurrection is Installed!

A couple of weeks ago, I posted that a mosaic mural I created 7 years ago for St. Philips parish finally has a home. An outdoor stone structure was built by the men of the parish in what they decided to call "the Resurrection Grotto".

This past Saturday, the men installed the mosaic in its housing. I was invited to be there at 9AM to watch, but I waited until a bit after 9:30 to show up.  To be honest, I was too nervous to watch them carry the mural. It weighs a ton and it had to be carried down a steep, rocky hill to reach the grotto. (I was told their womenfolk were home praying they wouldn't drop it!)