2026 Pumpkin #4

$145 (unframed) 4x6" mini original watercolor

Available to the 1st person to email.
(framing 10x8". $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 10/29 the price goes to $225.

The MOOD is set in this painting! 
Full moon, shadows and a pumpkin.

Another painting ready for Open House...

Quiet Afternoon   framed 14x18   $850

Available on 11/20/25 at 2pm!

Quiet nostalgia...warm sunlight pouring through an old window. Shadows of the panes stretching across the floor and a glimpse of peaceful landscape beyond.

2026 Pumpkin #3

SOLD!  $145 (unframed) 4x6" mini original watercolor
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 8x10". $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 10/28 the price goes to $225.

Pumpkins on a wall in VA.

Open House invites are IN THE MAIL! 
Please carefully go through all your voting mail so you do not miss my card!!

2026 Pumpkin #2

SOLD!  $145 (unframed) 4x6" mini original watercolor
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 8x10". $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 10/23 the price goes to $225.

Pumpkin time!

I don't know how it can be so busy here!  I cut down two cases of glass and painted.  Lori was framing and packing for our LAST show of the year. I packed the van.  Linda is working on cleaning out the studio basement.  There are antique oil lamps and holiday garland for sale on marketplace.  AND some items FREE on our curb!  Anyone doing a craft project and can use some large old wood window screens, they are on the curb!  The basement cleaning out will take some time but the annual shop vac was done.  It is currently a spider free zone!  The painting of the studio porch will start next week. We have painted it ourselves SEVERAL times over the years and just are NOT doing it again, we hired Cover It Painting, owned by a classmate of Abbeys. Linda is excited, our carpenter cut out the middle bar on our lower kitchen cabinets and attached the bar to one door, making the opening the full cabinet and she now has pull out drawers installed. Things just did not fit before... Its the little things that keep a wife happy!

Piles are waiting for the new print to arrive.  50 frames, glass and mats.

A clients new paintings...  

2026 Pumpkin #1

SOLD!   $145 (unframed) 4x6" mini original watercolor
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 8x10". $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 10/21 the price goes to $225.

Not your usual pumpkin but I liked the shape and color.
From a local market!

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I finished my commission; it turned out really nice,
I was pleased. It is a gift so I cannot show it till later.

I finished a painting for Open House
2026 Field of Dreams        framed 18x14"               $875.
I just love Lancaster fields in fall. I had fun working on the cornstalks!

Almost SOLD OUT!

I have 3 prints almost sold out.
If they are on your wish list, do NOT wait!!

"Seasons Beauty"

Only 3 prints left... framed 18x14" $95.



"Sanctuary"
Only 7 prints left... framed 18x24" $135.



SOLD!!    "Collectors Row"
Only 1 Print left. Framed in black wood. 22x11" $95.

2026 Sunflower #7

SOLD! $145 (unframed) 4x6" mini original watercolor
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 8x10". $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 10/16 the price goes to $225.

This is the LAST sunflower for the season.
Thinking about some pumpkins next. We had some on our porches and within two days the squirrels had them all eaten and left a huge mess!

Next weekend is my last show of the year... great show to end with!  Worth your time!

UPDATE:  I am BACK in my boot for two more weeks.  Got a nasty large blood blister, probably from doing too much too fast.  In my defense, the doctor said resume my activity.  Guess he miss-understood how busy we are!

2026 Sunflower #6

SOLD!  $145 (unframed) 6x4" mini original watercolor
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 10x8". $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 10/15 the price goes to $225. 

I think I will do one more sunflower...

______________________________________

Another larger watercolor ready for Open House!

2026 Where the Light Falls
framed 17x21            $1500.

Take your time and study this painting. Notice the beautiful light streaming in, the worn wood floor, the warm shades in the drape...this painting invites you to pause and appreciate a fleeting moment of afternoon light and the sense of calm it brings to a familiar space. From Pottsgrove Manor, Pottsgrove PA
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Oct. 24-25 is my LAST show of the year!

PA Guild of Craftsman Fall Craft Fair held at
the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA
100 Station Ave. Oaks PA
Oct. 24-25 from 10am to 5pm
$10 admission

Saturday, October 10

Saturday is Chocolate Walk in downtown Lititz
I thought I would open the Studio so you can see some SWEET paintings!!

Saturday, October 10
Open from 10am to 5pm
at 4 N Spruce St. Lititz

Stop in, pull up a chair and watch me paint.
Chit-chat and questions are always welcome!
There is a huge selection of prints and originals.

2026 Sunflower #5

$225.

A clients wall of mini originals! 
I always like seeing how clients hang my paintings.

Annual Open House countdown: 43 days, sound like a lot of time, but the "to do" list is LOOOONG!  I picked up a load of larger frames.  There is a pile of framing scheduled for Friday.  Today we proofed the new Holiday prints. Discussed postage with the printer.   Ordered 100 frames for the Holiday prints.  Linda and Stacy cut down mat board for 2 hours.

Meanwhile, I have been drying out ALL the tarps and tents from the weekend rain.  Hosed off the rug. And I am working on my commission, had to have something approved before I could continue.  I got the OK!  Kinetic (our house phone company) was here to talk to our carpenter about running fiber in our crawl space. Something about conduit to run the lines and the cable lines through.   The iron maker was here to do a railing repair, the electrician has been here twice to fix an outlet  problem. Which meant we had to empty and move a large heavy hutch so he could get at it.   While everything was off, might as well clean it all...  The furnace cleaner person is coming back tomorrow to finish the job.  We had a chimney cap put on, had to be custom made because of the size.  I don't think there is room in the house for one more workman!  AND, none of it is anything nice or fun that anyone would even notice!  It has been a hectic few days.

2026 Landscape #13

$225.

I have a "thing" for sheep lately.
Over the weekend I also finished this one...

2026 A Shepherds Moon 
framed 14x18       $850.00

2026 Sunflower #4 and more...

$225.

I am still working on Sunflowers...

________________________________
There is so much going on...

Another painting ready for my Open House:

Isle of Skye     framed 19x25"        $2000.



Annual Open House countdown:
Invites are designed and approved and ready to print!
More supplies have arrived.  Two more large piles of matts were cut.


Packing for:
2026 Waterford Fair
October 2, 3 & 4 from 10am to 5pm
Held in Historic Waterford, VA
My space is outside the Old School (up the hill!)
rain or shine!
discount tickets & info at: www.waterfordfairva.org

And most important...my boot is OFF.  Toe is healed, finally.  It felt like a very long 8 weeks.  I plan to go back to some PT to get my balance and strength back after I get back home from the Waterford show.  Will need a shoe insert to help with my neuropathy toes (due to chemo).  But my boot is OFF!

2026 Sunflower #3

SOLD!  $145 (unframed) 4x6" mini original watercolor
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 8x10". $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 9/26 the price goes to $225.

Another sunflower...

2026 Sunflower #2

 
SOLD!  $145 (unframed) 4x6" mini original watercolor
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 8x10". $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 9/25 the price goes to $225.

Sunflowers!  It is that time of year.

I am trying to balance a new commission (it is a surprise so I cannot show it), paintings for my Annual Open House (November 20-22)  and the occasional blog painting!

AND still squeeze in a few shows.  Waterford is a gem...

2026 Waterford Fair
October 2, 3 & 4 from 10am to 5pm
Held in Historic Waterford, VA
My space is outside the Old School (up the hill!)
rain or shine!
discount tickets & info at: www.waterfordfairva.org

Commission Finished!

My commission is finished, framed and my client is thrilled and already has it hung! 
I totally enjoyed this painting, there is so much to see in it and I love how it looks.

Annual Open House countdown:
Open House is 58 days away and that sounds like plenty of time! But it goes by fast. My job is to paint, paint and paint some more! Linda handles the rest and she is ORGANIZED! There is a long list hanging on her board with things to do by certain dates.
Already accomplished:
1. We have been to the printer for the design of the invitation.
2. We decided NOT to do a large print this year. This will be the first year not doing one, but we
are looking ahead to cutting back on shows and already have a wonderful selection of prints available. HOWEVER there are 2 Holiday Mini Prints and I am excited about them. They are at the printer now!
3. Huge amounts of mat cutting and framing to boost stock is happening.
4. Supplies roll in daily. I just picked up a pile of frames.
5. The menu is together and I was informed we are trying something different this year.
She did a dry run on two items. Both passed the test!
So we are on schedule!  

Save the date: Nov. 20-22 ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE
                       Nov. 27-29 Open Studio

Magnolia and commission update:

I took 2nd place in watercolor over the weekend for body of work!

I finished a painting:

2026 Magnolia      10X10 frame            $400.

AND, more work on my commission.
Washes on the porch ceiling and roof lines.  Detail on the farms in the background and on the grass on the foreground.  May not look like a lot but that little bit was hours of painting!

reminiscing...

 Somethings you just remember.    On September 11, 2001 we were having breakfast at the Chimney Corner Restaurant with friends James and Sandy Bock.  The TV was on in the dining room and we could not understand what we were seeing.  We went home and were shocked and glued to our TV for days.  

25 years has brought so many changes.  I long for the feeling of togetherness in the US.  I miss the ease of flying and traveling.  That old restaurant, Chimney Corner on Rothsville Road in Lititz is no longer there. Our good friend James is no longer with us.  AND 25 years has slipped by in a blink...

Back to my commission...

I think it is good to be away from a painting for a bit.  When I pick it up again I have a fresh perspective and see things a bit differently.  

I am playing at stone masonry!  Building the column a stone at a time.
Light washes and then building the colors.

I added a lot more detail to the 1st column stones .

Started the underpainting wash on the 2nd column and roofline.




I now added a wash over the wood on the 1st column.
A warm wash over the wood on the 2nd column.
Stonework on the 2nd column.


I can "see" how it will look when I am finished and I am getting close to the end!

new painting

If you came out to the Heart of Lancaster show this past weekend you saw me working on this painting. I finished it!

Salt-glazed    framed 14x18     $875.

Busy weekend!  I had a double booth; prints on the right and original paintings on the left. 2 tents, 7 tarps, 15 panels and 2 rugs with a long set up and pack up!

Our helper in the studio unpacked, framed and repacked for the next show.
This Sunday I am returning to Bel Air, MD.  It has been YEARS since I was there.  Plan on stopping out!  Booth #138

New painting...

 I finished another painting...
Another painting from Zoar, Ohio.  They had some beautiful antiques!  So simple; just a solitary basket on a beautiful cabinet  with a hint of a reflection on the wall.

2026 Solitary    framed 14x18"         $850.

I am packing the van between the storms!  This weekend I have a double booth, two tents, and LOTS of paintings and prints!  Not a free inch of space in the van!!

commission:

I am moving on to the siding.  First washes
Excuse the blue tape, its holding my paper to the board.

Going darker and more work on the railing

Need something free to do on the weekend...
I am in booth #136

Update:  I had a wound care appointment yesterday for my toe.  The sore is almost closed, its healing.  BUT I will need the boot several more weeks.

Commission

Moving along on my commission. 
Working the landscape towards the house.

Underpainting for the grass. Steps and rail.

New 14x18 painting...

I finished another painting in between working on my commission.

SOLD!    "2026  Blues"        framed 14x18"        $900.

A painting from Zoar Village in Ohio. 
I wish we owned that cabinet! 
Shades of "Blue" everywhere.
Looks even better than it photo'd

A client purchased  "Waiting for Fall"   framed it herself and it inspired her to collect other small chair prints and used mine as her center piece.  Looks great!

My next show is: Heart of Lancaster...

Next weekend: Sept. 5 & 6
It is FREE!  I am in my usual space #136

over the weekend...

I have pretty much just been sitting at the table working on my commission all weekend. Staying off my foot! Yes, I have the boot on every moment except when I sleep. I think its looking better, next check up is another week. Linda has a long list of errands to run today. I am along for the ride!  Linda is having a fit about the length of our grass, but it rains (pours) daily and never dries enough to mow.  I'm thinking we can bale it soon!

Commission update: Saturday, my client came to watch me work on her painting, she is excited and happy with it, which takes the pressure off.  I am confident enough at this point to enjoy the process

I am adding the trees


Looks better without seeing my blue tape! I use painters tape to hold the paper to my board.  I am saving the white of the paper for the farms, painting the grass and trees around them.  Suddenly there is a horizon and a the feeling of distance.  This is slow going, I don't want to get green where it doesn't belong.

todays painting

The view from the porch is stunning.  
Layers of wash to get a sunset.  Started a bit of green.


Added the flag which has light shining through.

My client is coming to watch me work on this tomorrow!

New painting and commission progress

My demonstration painting from the show at The Oaks.
"Going Out"     framed 14x18    $850.

Commission: 

I am starting with washes in the sky.  Drying hard between each layer.  Slowly building.