margaret

cori & bella

ISABELLA WATCHING THE WATER

In this painting Isabella is a little over a year old. She has crawled on top of the cabinet to look out over the canal at my parents beach house. Always curious, she always gives me wonderful images to paint. This one is going to my mom for Mother's Day. 22" x 30", acrylic on canvas.

WATER LILLIES

Nothing is more dramatic than a close up of a flower. Georgia O'Keefe gave us so many of her beautiful interpretations. Here's one of mine. 14" x 18", acrylic on canvas ~ $225

SIDE PORCH

Ok, so here's another of my porch. Come visit me sometime! 11" x 14", acrylic on canvas ~ $175

BEDSIDE SUNFLOWERS

I love paintings that make you feel like you could just crawl right in. In the case of this painting, a soft, cool breeze, lush feather pillows and the scent of fresh flowers made me want to curl up and take a huge nap! The painting is not as soothing as the real thing but it still makes you take a deep breath and think twice about it! 18" x 24", acrylic on canvas.

SOLD to Bridget McPherson for her daughter Katie, who lives in Florida and loves sunflowers and naps like I do!

FAVORITE PASTTIME

Paintings tell you what you need to paint. In this example, I began with just a simple "living room" scene. Just as I thought I was finished, I realized that there needed to be someone enjoying what I considered to be a very comforting space. As a result, the "person" developed into someone reading a good book. You know, the kind that you can't put down despite the fact that you have a million things to do. This just happens to be one of my "favorite pasttimes"! 24" x 30, acrylic on canvas ~ $290

TK's GARDEN

My dear friend TK Miller and her husband Rick are fabulous gardeners! Though many do not realize it, they have created an authentic medieval "knot "garden (complete with lavender and boxwoods) to the right of their front porch. It is accentuated by a vintage sundial that evokes a spirit from a different time and place. Between the garden and the house, a petite brick pathway leads you through a jasmine covered arbor (as seen above) to their amazing backyard where the beauty continues. Right now (in april), everything is just about ready to burst out of the ground. In a few more weeks, their back deck will seem like their own private island in a sea of lush and color. My favorites include the hostas with their periwinkle "flags" that carpet the flower beds and the curly willow tree that has literally grown from a branch that had broken from another neighbor's tree during an ice storm. I am so fortunate to have the Miller's talents to view from my front porch!!! 24" x 36", acrylic on canvas ~ $300

EMMA & LACY

Emma & Lacy ~ This, of course is my neice, Emma and her cousin, Lacy. This was done from a photo taken moments before their ballet recital. Don't let them fool you, the angelic faces are part of the costume. Most of the time they are full of energy and on the move! This painting will be given to my brother, Fred and his wife, Melissa for Christmas...don't tell! They don't know my website address, so I hope my secret is safe with you!

COTTAGE VIEW

I painted this with many childhood beach trips in the back of my mind. Though I never got to see it, I'm sure one of the rooms at my Great-Grandfather Allen's beach cottage at Holden Beach, NC looked like this before it was destroyed by Hurricane Hazel in 1954. 30" x 40" acrylic on canvas ~ $425

PERCY STREET PORCH

This painting is of my friend Julie Stallings front porch. As with all front porches in our neighborhood, it has been shared with friends and family on many occasions. 30" x 40", acrylic on canvas.

SOLD to Julie in April 2005. Julie says she needed to be able to see her porch while she is living in Winston Salem. We can't wait for her to return to "the 'hood"!

Gotta Love Technology!

Thanks to everyone who has visited the site and sent comments!!! When I began accumulating all of my canvases around the house, I had no idea how to get my work out there for others to see! (Sothebys hasn't called yet) With a suggestion and lots of help from another friend/artist (thanks Tonya!), I started this weblog. Since then, I have had a generous blurb from the all too famous (and fabulous neighbor) David Hoggard (great site... www.hoggsblog.com). David blurbed me on his weblog and then notified me that I had been picked up on the legendary, Ed Cone's site (www.edcone.com). I cannot begin to thank them both for seeing me fit to grace their postings but I am thankful beyond words.....Now, let's get down to business...for those who are interested in purchasing any of the work that is for sale, information and prices have now been posted on the site. I love to paint and want to continue....BUT, in the tradition of the poor starving artist, it would be nice to buy a few more canvases and paints to support my habit!!!..........Since the last painting I posted, I have finished two more and anticipate their being up as soon as the sun comes out and I can photograph them. PLEASE COME BACK AND VISIT OFTEN TO SEE WHAT IS NEW!

DOUBLE DAFFODIL

DOUBLE DAFFODIL: 30" X 24" acrylic on canvas.

SOLD to my Uncle David for a gift for my Aunt Leslie's birthday this past January.

DIANA THE HUNTRESS

DIANA THE HUNTRESS ~ This garden statuary view was too much to resist! I love the light!

FLOWERS & CANDLES

FLOWERS & CANDLES: 24"x 30" acrylic on canvas.

DONATED to the Jaycee's Bachelor/Bachelorette Auction

AMARYLISS

AMARYLISS ~ yes, more flowers!..........15" x 30" acrylic on canvas ~ $250.

SUNFLOWERS

SUNFLOWERS ~ Up until this point, all of my painting had been done in the studio under the close and protective supervision of my instructor, Denise Landi. Though I had only been painting for four months, Labor Day weekend, I decided to challenge myself. I took my canvas and my paints onto our front porch (during residual hurricane leftovers) and began this painting. It is done from a photograph that I took a month earlier. When I brought the painting into the studio for Denise to inspect, she was thrilled with my work. I couldn't believe I did it! ........16" x 20" acrylic on canvas ~ SOLD...to a person who I thought, at the time, was a true, sincere friend. I learned later that this was as far from the truth as possible. I hope that one day I can recover this painting as the only reason I let it go was because of the friendship.

TULIPS

TULIPS ~ Painted from photograph, I couldn't resist the petal soft tulips with the limey green melon..........22" x 28" acrylic on canvas ~ $300.

LILIES

LILIES ~ This painting was done from a photograph of a beautiful arrangement made by my dear friend Daniel Garrett. The special occasion was a brunch in honor of Matthew and Isabella being Baptized. The arrangement sat on the pier table in our front hall.........24" X 30" acrylic on canvas ~ $325....SOLD!

FRONT PORCH VIEW FROM CYPRESS STREET

FRONT PORCH VIEW FROM CYPRESS STREET ~ This painting was done from a photograph that appeared in Out State Magazine. The article had several "front porches" from across the state. We were honored enough to be one of them! The part that I love most is that you see so clearly our neighbors homes. This is what we are truly about in the Aycock Historic Neighborhood.

ISABELLA DISCOVERS THE BEACH

ISABELLA DISCOVERS THE BEACH ~ This was my first painting. Who knew I had it in me. I think the subject was my inspiration!

ISABELLA'S FIRST EGG HUNT

ISABELLA'S EGG HUNT ~ This is my second painting. Isabella was just a little over two years old and participating in her very first Easter Egg hunt at her Great-Grandmother Taylor's home in Vass, NC.