2011 Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Healing Arts Commission,
Main Lobby Murals:

Along with hundreds of other Santa Barbara artists, I responded to a "Call for Artists" for the Cottage Hospital Healing Arts program. Several months after I submitted my work to the company managing the project, Aesthetics Inc. I received a request to do a second submittal for the 8' x 23' art niches located 19' above the floor of the Main Lobby of the hospital. The only guidelines were to provide "Iconic images of Santa Barbara" that would be in keeping with the concept of Healing Arts. Bill and I combed the whole Santa Barbara area from Casino Silo to the Harbor and the beaches. We found two views that inspired these murals. A view across Santa Barbara's West side over State Street and the Riviera to the Santa Ynez Mountains glowing in warm winter evening light became "Peace, A Quiet Evening". For the other Triptych we went to the end of Mission Creek at the ocean near Stern's Wharf. We chose a bright, fresh (and chilly) early morning after a storm for "Hope, A New Day". I painted two 5 foot long "maquette" paintings while Bill did CAD drawings showing the construction and scale of the Triptychs to complete the submittal. Weeks later we were very pleased to find out I had been awarded the commission. Then reality set in and we began 10 months of work to complete what was by far the biggest art project I've ever even considered. After we installed the paintings on December 9, 2011 I spent the next several weeks hibernating. In 2012 we worked on Limited Edition Archival Canvas Prints of these Triptychs in sizes from 20" x 60" to 40" x 120". These are on display at Corridan Gallery

"Peace, A Quiet Evening" - Triptych -6'8" x 20'0"

Hope, A New Day - Triptych - 6'8" x 20'

February 2012 Montecito Magazine
Cover and Feature Story Art:

Christine Flannery, the Art Director of Montecito Magazine called to discuss a commission to paint images for the Spring / Summer 2012 Edition of the magazine. She requested that I visit the Historic "Huskalow" Estate, a home designed by Reginald Johnson, located at the top of Mission Ridge in Santa Barbara. My husband Bill and I went to the home and met the gracious owners, Jim Knight and Janice Cook-Knight. They showed us through the house and around the property and we saw that there was a lot to paint. The views from this lovely property were breathtaking. From one side of the house I sketched the view from their courtyard across Santa Barbara to the ocean and Channel Islands. From the other side of the home we saw a spectacular vista of the Santa Ynez Range.

After spending a wonderful afternoon at "Huskalow" we had sketches an photographs for many paintings. The hard part was to narrow down the concepts to a few that would best depict the essence of the property. These five paintings were the ones I chose and the editors of the magazine used them all.

Earlier Commissions

I have had the pleasure to do commissioned paintings for many of my clients. The client shows me the place of their interest. They may indicate the time of year and time of day that they enjoy being there the most. I will then go to the location and study the possible compositions in various light conditions. After sketching and photographing the area I return to the studio to create the painting. If the client likes the piece and wishes to purchase it, they can. If not, I have a beautiful artwork to add to my collection and exhibit elsewhere. Telephone or e-mail me to discuss having a painting done of your favorite place. See examples of commissioned paintings below. Several of these pieces have been used to create Limited Editions on canvas, which are available.