"Hmmm. . . . ."

This is a small work in-progress. It is oil on wood panel and measures 8 inches high by 4 inches wide. It's my impression of Neko when she's thinking: "Hmmm. . . what can I get into next?"

Often I paint on small panels to "warm up" before doing anything else. And just as often, I end up liking the spontaneous quality of these small works. Always, the warm up paintings are as much about paint as they are about subject. This particular work will, no doubt, lead to more and larger works based on Neko.

The eyes at this point are simply lifted out of the blackish/brownish paint but I may decide to leave them at this stage. For me, there seems to be enough "attitude" in the gesture of the tail, head and ears. And there is a sense that the cat is lifting itself slightly on it's toes, ready to spring into action.

Neko, by the way, is a small black kitten growing into a leggy long-tailed mischievous cat who needs to know absolutely everything about everything in the whole house! Neko's fur is black, but her attitude is pure sunshine!

"North Of Town"

"North Of Town" is a 5 x 7 inch oil painting. The town referred to is Lewistown and time of year is late winter, when the snow is getting yellowing thin. This is a memory work--i.e., I created it based on landscapes recalled from auto trips taken in the area. My initial intent was to create a study that would resolve some compositional thoughts leading to a larger work. When it reached this state, it felt "finished." Pinning it to the studio wall, I left it to dry for several weeks and then decided to sign and frame it.