At the Beach - Demo Images

Big Hat - Demo

14x11 mixed media on board

Towards the end of this painting I realized I wanted to change her facial features. The photo I was working from was too difficult to render a descent portrait. I also had to forgo the paper on her face and neck. I don't like when I have to do that, but sometimes it just doesn't work otherwise.

Three Surveyors - Demo

14x14 collage and oil

Pink Wig #2 - Demo

Pencil grid and sketch on stretched canvas - 16x20. I'm such a slave to my grids, I 'm ashamed to say. I may one day choose not to use them and let what may happen happen.


I have placed the paper here for a visual. I was happy with the placement, so I glued them done.

Here the paper is glued down with a coat of clear primer applied in case some of the paper isn't acid free.

First run through with the oil paint to unit the collage pieces.

After working the painting for a bit I felt the eyes were bigger than I wanted them. The eyes are significantly smaller on the finished version than they are here.

16 x 20 collage and oil on stretched canvas

The first version (6x8 study) of this painting was done over an older landscape painting which had some pink in it. That's where the pink hair came from. The brown skin tone came from a brown piece of paper. The blue shirt came from an old pastel drawing that I used for collage pieces. The reference photo was a mug shot from the turn of the century, the crime unpublished.

Clutches and Hats - Collage and Paint

16 x 20 on board

CSC was my grandmother.

I had a basic idea where the girls were placed. It was going to be a torso and head shot. I wanted to get the board completely covered with paper.

After I finished the collage, I put a couple layers of transparent gesso on it. Most of the paper is wallpaper samples from old sample books I picked up for nothing at a paint and wallpaper supply store. Although I do have to admit I did pick up some paper at Michael's (craft store). I happened to be there and couldn't resist.

Composition sketched in with paint.

First stage of paint - getting the drawing and color scheme established.

No Jack - Demo

18x33 pastel on wallis paper

I started with this pastel painting and at this point decided I could benefit by doing a study piece to help me decide on final color.


5x7 on board, gridded and sketched. The board I picked up happened to be this ochrey tone. Probably beneficial - lending the whole image to be a little warmer than the pastel painting above.

This time I decided to paint the image before applying paper. I used acrylics because they dry fast. My reference for this image was from two different photos. The girl is my grandmother and her dog Jack - this was one photo. The house was a picture of her house growing up in Massena, NY.


Some paper has been added. I used my larger pastel version as a guide to help me visualize where I wanted the paper. So to a certain extent I'm using each piece to help me with the other.


I have added paint in such a way to work the pieces of paper in with the image already established.

Pastel was then used to carve out the image.
No Jack (study for My House Your Dog)
5x7 mixed media

I was really happy with the colors in this piece, so I decided to go with them to finish my larger pastel.

My House Your Dog
18x33 pastel on wallis paper

Hair Strings - Demo

Hair Strings
4x6 paper and pastel


I started with a sketch on pastel paper using a grid as a guide. Her hair is dark so I wanted a dark piece of paper to establish this. Which in the end I struggled with a little.

An old piece of wallpaper goes across her face. The other pieces are old paintings - two pieces are oil, one is watercolor and the lighter one is oil on a piece of linen.

The purple on her face is an old pastel piece and in the upper left corner is rice paper colored with watercolor. I am satisfied with the layout of the paper, so I decide to go in with the pastels at this time.

There is really is an image missing after this one. I thought I had finished and sprayed the painting with fixative, which darkened the entire image and made it muddy looking. So I guess in my frustration, I neglected to take pictures at this point. My upper most thought was I needed to brighten it up - thus, the final image as you see it below.

Final image