A sample of my new focus

Here are a couple of paintings I finished today.

After so many years of painting how I wanted and what I wanted, I decided I needed to focus on a particular style. After months and months of thinking I finally am happy with what I would like to be my 'style'. The funny thing is that it is not really something new, I have been doing it for several years. I think the major change is zeroing in on some techniques that I have been experimenting with and then making the decision to paint only in this particular way.

I determined some elements I wanted in my paintings that helped me arrive where I am now. I love impressionistic painting and decided that I wanted this painterly-looking technique that kind of painting affords. Then for about the last two or three years I have used patterns in my work, something I really like doing and wanted to continue. My experimentation of new techniques was using collage in my work and I decided that some of the elements in my paintings would be collaged. Then another thing is there are some artists that I admire that leave a bit of the sketch as a part of the element of the work. I like using charcoal pencil and am using it to define some of the details.

Last but not least was finding that I really prefer to have my subject matter be painted in a more realistic manner. For ebay I have long painted subjects that have been from my imagination. I always identified it as my ebay work, and never felt it was art that I wanted to have in the gallery -not that I didn't try it, I just didn't like it. Also I just love whimsical and there is something in me that just has to put the odd twist into my work. I call my style 'whimsical realism'. So tonight the paintings I am posting here, 'Polka Dot Cowgirl' and 'Laughing Alice' are an example of the direction I am heading.

Hooray! it's taken me about two years to arrive at this point!