Mitchellesque is a riff on Joan Mitchells' Untitled 1972, which features multiple blocks of layered color that nearly overlap, with each block retaining its own distinct color and shape. Mitchell's marks and brushwork are very intriguing and my intent was to explore ways to add some of her technique into my love of the square. This piece was also a challenge to myself not to paint the entire available space, a natural tendency that I'm hoping to lessen. Completed in fall 2022, it was on exhibit at the Long Island Children's Museum in the summer of 2023 and the Eden Prairie Library from September 29-October 30, 2023

Color Blocks is a summer plein air painting that captures the sights, sounds, and feelings of my backyard in August 2022. The greens growing in the raised cinder block vegetable garden; the reds and oranges of marigolds and cardinal flowers planted around the edges to invite pollinators and deter our squirrel friends; the turquoise blue of my worn folding chair; the cool gray shade slowly receding as the sun makes its way over the roof an into the yard. A group of wild turkey hens stop by, undeterred by my presence a few feet away or the pair of blue jays squawking in the pine trees, to peck at some dried corn knocked out of the bird feeder. Then they slowly ambled away. A perfect, peaceful summer morning. This pieces was part of the Inspired by...Works by Cheryl Kessler at the Long Island Children's Museum in the summer of 2023.

Blue Landscape started as a loose landscape from two photographs. Following a technique used by Sarah Wieben in her fall 2022 course at the Minnetonka Center for the Arts, I "subtracted" areas of paint to thoroughly abstract the landscape idea. I also experimented with variations of blue and red to create contrast and depth. It was on exhibit at the Long Island Children's Museum in the summer of 2023.

Early Autumn continues the explorations of seasonal color and sensations begun in Color Blocks but in a looser, quieter fashion. There are some signature line and sweeping marks, stenciling, and a color palette taken from the view out of my studio window. Completed fall 2022, it was on exhibit at the Long Island Children's Museum in the summer of 2023.