"Later.. That Same Night.." new painting for 'On the Shelf" series..

I finished my latest painting for the 'On the Shelf' series this weekend. Again, the series deals with the abundant, excess and often obsolete items mostly found in thrift stores. This was a pile of old silver toned kitchen items. I really liked the warm and cool play of colors and the crazy way they were piled up. It made me feel like there was a story I had missed somehow.... that I was coming in on the tail end of it.... hence the title, "Later.. That Same Night".


48" 60"

Charley Parker's Lines and Colors

A huge thanks to Charley Parker for his very kind article about my paintings! He maintains a wonderful sight called 'Lines and Colors" about art and artists, creativity and things he finds visually interesting! Check it out and spend some time there!

"Seltzer"

This is the second painting for my new series, on the shelf, titled, "Seltzer". These seltzer bottles were sitting on top on an old oak buffet with the mirror behind. I love the fuzzy reflection of the pictures on the opposite wall and the red writing on the two bottles.
I learned a lot on the last painting and it made this one much easier. I painted in layers and made sure the background was completed before moving on to the foreground... it was a tough lesson learned when painting the fans cages!!


48" x 48"

New Series, On the Shelf, painting, "Feeling Caged in and Left Out"

I started a new series this week that I have had in mind for a while.. I titled it, On the Shelf. It is about the multiple items available at thrift stores and auctions. I have gone to auctions and antique and thrift stores forever and I love them. But in the last few years I have been amazed that often people didn't have just one or two of any item, but several... or boxes full... or shelves full! So much excess and often obsolete stuff!! What will become of it all? So last month I dragged my husband to one of my favorite stores and took hundreds of pictures of these treasures. He was just glad I didn't buy anything, as I certainly have plenty of my own "treasures"!

My first painting is titled, 'Feeling Caged In and Left Out'.

36" x 60"

"Preserving Memories" oil painting

This painting is a commission from a woman who had seen my work and it reminded her of her mother canning every fall when she was young and she now cans her own salsa every year. I too have fond memories of my parents canning a lot of the produce from our farm. As a kid you have no concept of how much work goes into every jar, but as an adult I am so grateful to have been raised by parents who cared enough to work that hard to keep us all eating home grown produce all year. I was excited to get started on this painting and am very pleased with the outcome!


I titled it, "Preserving Memories"


48" x 60"

Art show... up through January 26

Thanks to all who braved the weather on Friday to come to the artist reception for the show in Mount Vernon! We got there a little early and I was able to get a few pictures.. I was so pleased with the way the show was hung...

Lori Wilkes, the gallery director, did a fabulous job!! It was a wonderful evening and it was great to meet many new friends and share ideas with some other artists.

It is a new gallery in the downtown area of Mount Vernon, OH.. owned and operated by Mount Vernon Nazarene University.... A really GREAT space!

The show will hang through January 26, 2010.

Mount Vernon Nazarene University - News, Sally Tharp, Michael Litzau, Art, Paintings, Printmaking, Ohio Artists, Exhibit, Gallery

I almost forgot to send out the invite for my show in Mount Vernon! The artist reception is tomorrow night, 6-8. I'd love to see old friends and meet new ones! I hope to see you there! And if you can't make it tomorrow, the show runs through Jan. 26.

Mount Vernon Nazarene University - News, Sally Tharp, Michael Litzau, Art, Paintings, Printmaking, Ohio Artists, Exhibit, Gallery

Strong Shoulder Painting

Last night I finished this painting that I had started before Christmas. It was kind of hard to start back at it after such a long time away from it. I like to work on paintings non-stop until they are done... maybe an afternoon off to run errands or a day off to do something, but not a whole month!! I ended up basically painting it all over again.. which was okay!

I have been playing with cropping the images really tight, making the painting almost abstract, but with elements of realism. I have a few more of these I'd like to do, but I also have an idea (and some images ready to go) for a new series! Argh, so such to paint and never enough time. I still haven't cleaned the house nor taken down the Christmas decorations... Oh well.. painting today! :)

Strong Shoulder

48" x 60"

Up Front and Slightly Off Center painting

I promised my friend, Vicki, that I would post this painting I had been working on. I titled it, "Up Front and Slightly Off-Center". I'm still not sure it's done. I will have to live with it for a while. I'm quite intrigued by things that are out of focus.. my husband thinks I'm crazy... and it's probably from never wearing the glasses I finally succumbed to getting this year... but they have such a softness and are far more difficult to paint than I could have imagined.. and yet... I'm very anxious to paint more!


36" x 48"