Small Still Life, "The Last Azalea," 3x4 Oil on Wood, Framed, Floral Painting

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 We were at Bok Tower in Lake Wales, Florida as Spring was waning, and this flower was stubbornly hanging on. I painted it as a tiny painting in a dramatic frame. 

Bok Tower is on Iron Mountain in Central Florida. Florida is very flat everywhere but that area, and folks from Tennessee would laugh at Iron Mountain being called a mountain; however, it is an anomaly in such a flat state, so deserves a dramatic name. Bok Tower used to be one of the Big Three tourist attractions; the other two were Silver Springs and Cypress Gardens. Every drugstore had postcards with those three displayed. That was before Disney came and changed everything. Cypress Gardens is now Legoland, Silver Springs is a state park, and Bok Tower is still as beautiful as it ever was. A side attraction near Bok Tower is Spook Hill, where you can put your car in neutral and it rolls uphill.

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The Old Folks, 5x7 Oil Painting on Canvas

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These little people were gifts from my son when he was stationed in Okinawa. They are two of my favorite things, and so cleverly done. I really enjoyed painting them. 

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Storm Watch, 6x8 Original Oil Painting on Canvas Panel, Seascape

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One of my favorite dramatic lighting conditions is what we have been having the past few weeks: a dark and threatening sky as a backdrop, with a bright, sunny foreground. In this case, the sailboat might want to get to port as quickly as possible. After our big Florida drought, we should be thankful for all the rainstorms.

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Onion, 5x7 Oil on Board, Still Life Daily Painting

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Sometimes the simplest things are my favorites. I like the brushstrokes and the colors in this little painting.

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Strawberry Mansion, 5x7 Oil on Panel

This is the old Strawberry Mansion, a restaurant in a historic building in Melbourne, Florida. The place was sold, remodeled, and is now a restaurant called The Mansion, and all the strawberry colors are gone. 

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Oil Painting, Indian River Lagoon, 8x10 Daily Painting

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I was taking a stroll on Riverview Drive when I saw this lovely view of the Indian River. What a beautiful place I live in. I hope not too many people find out, because it's getting pretty crowded here already.

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Field Flowers, 6x8 Oil on Canvas Panel Floral Daily Painting

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I painted a big happy sunflower on this canvas, then decided I hated it, so I scraped it off. The result was a lovely background that looked like a green field, so I painted these flowers in the field and now I like it. "Scrapers" frequently produce interesting results. I think I'll do more of it. 

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Oil Painting, "Down the Garden Path," 6x6, Oil on Canvas, Small Daily Painting

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I wanted an Impressionistic look, so I painted this small painting with a very large brush. I restrained myself from putting in a lot of details, which is not easy for me. I painted this once before, but with detail, and I wanted to do a loosey-goosey one for a change.

I love paths in paintings--I always wonder where they lead. Guess what's at the end of this shady path? More shady paths. 

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Dawn, 6x6 Oil on Canvas, Sunrise with Palm Trees

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With our gorgeous Florida skies, I barely have to move to be inspired. I can see beautiful sights right outside my window. I got a little wilder than usual with this one. 

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