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How to paint a portrait without painting a portrait.

6/25/2022

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The way you dress is an expression of your personality, and a reflection of the activities you love. Someone who wears a cowboy hat, jeans, and boots is telegraphing a different lifestyle than someone who wears an Armani suit (and possibly worn by the same person for different occasions). 

This series of clothesline paintings is nostalgic, yet timeless— and hopefully brings a smile to the viewer.
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On the Line by Rhea Pettit

12/19/2021

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I love the concept of clothes on a clothesline. If you are what you wear, they tell a story of the person who choses them. The yellow blouse is a favorite of mine, and a perfect subject for a nostalgic concept of a clothesline. when I did a photo shoot, the wind added a nice element of movement.

Here are three new ones in this series. Stay tuned for more in the new year!

Remembering, 20" x 24," available
Wonder Woman's Laundry, 10' x 8," sold
​Black Panties, 7" x 5," sold
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Texas Themed Art

9/2/2021

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Two new paintings for the Capitol Art Society exhibit at the Austin airport are very Texan! The first is a painting of a beloved central Texas Longhorn named Lanie, and is currently on display next to BookPeople at ABIA.

In the event that "Texas Longhorn" sells, I have "Even Cowgirls Get the Blue(bonnets)" as a replacement.

Both oil paintings are 16" x 20" 
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New Heavenly Bodies

6/28/2021

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I just completed a portrait of Roman, my amazing dance coach. He absolutely burns the floor, so I added a red hot sky to his Paso Doble pose. 

I think this one makes a great companion to the portrait of his dance partner Sasha. She is very beautiful and incredibly strong, and a wonderful coach as well. 

​They both love nature and I'm thrilled to have them be included in my Heavenly Bodies series.
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Brave Like Banksy

4/21/2021

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I bought a Banksy mask to make me feel brave during this scary year. I'm vaccinated now, and feel like I can exhale. Ahhhhh!
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Let's Talk | The Downtowner

4/21/2021

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I have two pieces in this show about important issues of our time. I'm honored that my "Breonna, Say Her Name" was used to advertise the show. It also sold during the show, which closes April 24.

​The other piece is called Earthlings. We share this earth with other humans and other species. We need to treat each other and the earth with respect.
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Mini Show in Taylor, Texas

4/21/2021

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Twenty-two of my miniature paintings are on display in an open house showing  in Taylor, Texas. I am one of five artists who were invited to show art in a beautifully renovated mid-century modern house. The open house is Saturday, April 24, and artist reception will be the following Saturday, May 1.
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Work in Progress: Aurora Borealis

4/21/2021

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A new work in the series of "Heavenly Bodies," I find myself painting Karla, a favorite model. Similar to a piece I did a year ago (see below), I have the figure blend with the background (sky). I love the idea of becoming the sky, or trees, or other part of nature. People, especially city dwellers, tend to separate ourselves from the natural world, and I think we are less happy for it.

I usually work with a semi-limited palette of Windsor red, Alizarin crimson, Windsor yellow, ultramarine blue, Titanium white, and transparent red iron oxide. To get the brilliance of the Aurora Borealis sky, I added Phthalo turquoise.

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PictureMilky Way Dancer, March 2020

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100 Portraits in 100 Days

12/6/2020

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After finding out that most of the gallery exhibits I was slated for this year were postponed or virtual, I decided to make good use of my time by painting daily portraits for 100 days. This daily practice was challenging, but I've seen improvement in both speed and execution. When I started the challenge, it would take a 7-8 hour day to complete a portrait; by the end most took about 5 hours. I didn't plan what I would paint; sometimes it would be an actor that I saw on Netflix the night before, other times it would be a master copy. A few were family, friends, or Instagram followers.

It wasn't always easy to post the unsuccessful ones, but it was part of the Instagram challenge (hosted by fellow artist AJ Alper). I had an incredible amount of support from friends and followers; I seriously doubt I could have stuck with it without them.

This is what 100 portraits looks like (minus the few that sold and the few that were painted over.
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A few favorite master copies; I loved following in their brushstrokes!
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Hamilton portraits

9/27/2020

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A series of small portraits of the original cast of the hit musical Hamilton.
These small studies are 5"x 7" and 6" x 6," oil on panel, $120 each
​All available except Groff/King George and Daveed Diggs/Jefferson.
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