The original is for sale. Please contact the artist at joyce@JABSart.com. Prints, cards and posters may be purchased on this site. The medium is watercolor. I used Fabriano Artistico 140 lb. cold pressed 100% cotton paper, and the dimensions of the original painting are 12 inches x 18 inches.

The original is for sale. Please contact the artist at joyce@JABSart.com. The medium is watercolor. I used Arches cold pressed 100% cotton paper, and the dimensions of the original painting are 11 7/8 inches x 15 7/8 inches.

The original is for sale. Please contact the artist at joyce@JABSart.com. Prints, cards and posters may be purchased on this site. The medium is watercolor. I use Arches cold pressed 100% cotton paper, and the dimensions of the original painting are 14 inches x 18 inches.

The original is for sale. Please contact the artist at joyce@JABSart.com. The medium is watercolor, I use Arches cold pressed 100% cotton paper, and the dimensions of the original painting are 14 inches x 14 1/8 inches.

The original is for sale. Please contact the artist at joyce@JABSart.com. This painting was lovingly done of a woman washing clothes under a bridge in Aveiro, Portugal. The painting was featured in the Portugal Group. The medium is watercolor. I use Arches cold pressed 100% cotton paper, and the dimensions of the original painting are 11 3/4 inches x 17 1/2 inches.

The original has been sold. Prints may be purchased on this site. This painting was taken from a photograph from Portugal. We had windmills right across the street from the house where we lived. They were white and green though. The medium is watercolor. I use Arches cold pressed 100% cotton paper, and the dimensions of the original painting are 11 1/4 inches x 16 1/8 inches.

The original is for sale. Please contact the artist at joyce@JABSart.com. I put blobs of paint on the roof and walls of this house, washed water over it, and then pushed things around a bit with a brush. I used both wet and dry brush techniques in this painting. The medium is watercolor, I use Arches cold pressed 100% cotton paper, and the dimensions of the original painting are 11 inches x 16 7/8 inches.

The original has been sold. Prints may be purchased on this site. I painted this from a snapshot taken on a street in Lisbon. The medium is watercolor, I use Arches cold pressed 100% cotton paper, and the dimensions of the original painting are 11 inches x 14 inches.

The original has been sold. Prints may be purchased on this site. I lived in Portugal several times. This was one of my favorite sights. The medium is watercolor. I use Arches cold pressed 100% cotton paper, and the dimensions of the original painting are 10 7/8 inches x 17 inches.

The original has been sold. Prints may be purchased on this site. These women were white washing walls in Estremoz, Portugal.This painting is all about color and movement. I also liked the idea of painting people who were painting. The medium is watercolor. I use Arches cold pressed 100% cotton paper, and the dimensions of the original painting are 14 inches x 18 inches.

The original has been sold. Prints may be purchased on this site. I painted this in layers working first with an underpainting, then adding the field, trees, a little color to the sky, and finally the workers. The medium is watercolor. I use Arches cold pressed 100% cotton paper, and the dimensions of the original painting are 12 3/8 inches x 16 inches.

The original is for sale. Please contact the artist at joyce@JABSart.com. This painting was done off of a photograph taken in Caminha, Portugal. The buildings for storing the grain were so distinctive. The medium is watercolor. I use Arches cold pressed 100% cotton paper, and the dimensions of the original painting are 13 3/4 inches x 14 1/2 inches.

soft pastel on colour pastel paper 45 x 70 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 70 x 45 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 45 × 70 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 70 × 45 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 70 x 45 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 45 x 70 cm original sold www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 70 x 45 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 70 x 45 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 45 x 70 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 70 x 45 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 70 x 45 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 70 x 45 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 45 x 70 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 70 x 45 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 45 x 70 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 70 x 45 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 70 x 45 cm www.shevchukart.com

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watercolour on paper 70 x 45 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 70 x 45 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 70 x 45 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 50 x 70 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 35 x 50 cm original for sale www.shevchukart.com

pastel on paper 25 x 60 cm www.shevchukart.com

soft pastel on black pastel paper 25 x 60 cm original sold www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 25 x 55 cm original sold www.shevchukart.com

soft pastel on black pastel paper 25 x 60 cm www.shevchukart.com

soft pastel on black pastel paper 60 x 25 cm www.shevchukart.com

pastel on paper 25 x 60 cm original for sale www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 35 x 50 cm original for sale www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 35 x 50 cm original for sale www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 35 x 50 cm original for sale www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 35 x 50 cm original for sale www.shevchukart.com

Watercolour on paper 35 x 50 cm www.shevchukart.com The Prague Astronomical Clock or Prague Orloj . The Orloj is mounted on the southern wall of Old Town City Hall in the Old Town Square and is a popular tourist attraction.

pastel on paper 25 x 60 cm www.shevchukart.com

oil on canvas 55 x 120 cm www.shevchukart.com

oil on canvas 30 x 60 cm www.shevchukart.com

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comissioned portrait watercolour on paper 70 x 45 cm www.shevchukart.com

commisioned portrait watercolour on paper 70 x 45 cm www.shevchukart.com

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soft pastel Rembrandt on Fabriano black pastel paper 60 x 25 cm www.shevchukart.com

soft pastel Rembrandt on Fabriano black pastel paper 60 x 25 cm www.shevchukart.com

soft pastel Rembrandt on Fabriano black paper 60 x 25 cm www.shevchukart.com

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pastel on paper 60 x 25 cm www.shevchukart.com

pastel on paper 25 x 60 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 55 x 25 cm original sold www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 55 x 25 cm www.shevchukart.com

pastel on paper 25 x 60 cm www.shevchukart.com

watercolour on paper 25 x 55 cm www.shevchukart.com

pastel on paper 35 x 65 cm www.shevchukart.com

Ossian purports to be a translation of an epic cycle of Scottish poems from the early dark ages. Ossian, a blind bard, sings of the life and battles of Fingal, a Scotch warrior.

Jorge Luis Borges...Argentine poet.. Chess poem (first stanza..) In their solemn corner, the players move The slow pieces. The board detains them Until the dawn in its severe world In which two colors hate each other....... En su grave rincón, los jugadores Rigen las lentas piezas. El tablero Los demora hasta el alba en su severo Ámbito en que se odian dos colores....... ...................................................................

Three Ladies looks back to the medieval allegory and the morality play, with characters who are personifications of abstract qualities rather than distinct individuals. The three ladies of the title are the Ladies of Dissimulation, Conscience and Love.

Delivering "checkmate" is the ultimate goal in chess: The King is never actually captured, but the game ends as soon as the King is "checkmated".

The game of chess serves as a methaphor for society influencing military strategy, mathematics, literature and the arts.

Melancholy may be considered as an emotional state. The distinctive character of melancholy, with its dual character of creativity and anxiety and its differences from sadness and depression, distinguishes it as an aesthetic emotion. While Melancholy represents the limits of man’s understanding, the painting stresses the practical achievements of abstract knowledge. The Geometer, the central figure in the painting represents an architect and a positive allegory of Geometry measuring the world and thus defining its space. Melancholy stresses the practicality of geometrical knowledge, exemplified with several of its material and architectural possibilities.

In Genesis, Eden is the place where the first man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, lived after they were created by God. Literally, the Bible speaks about a garden in Eden. This garden forms part of the creation and theodicy of the Abrahamic religions, often being used to explain the origin of sin and mankind's wrongdoings.

Decantation is a process for the separation of mixtures, carefully pouring a solution from a container, leaving the precipitate (sediments) in the bottom of the container. To pour off gently, as liquor, so as not to disturb the sediment; or to pour from one vessel into another; as, to decant wine or perfume.

A pointe shoe, also commonly referred to as a toe shoe, is a type of shoe worn by ballet dancers when performing pointework. Pointe shoes developed from the desire for dancers to appear weightless and sylph-like and have evolved to enable dancers to dance on the tips of their toes (i.e., en pointe) for extended periods of time. They are normally worn by female dancers, though male dancers may wear them for unorthodox roles such as the ugly stepsisters in Cinderella, Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, or men performing as women in dance companies such as Les Ballets Trockadero and Grandiva. They are manufactured in a variety of colors, most commonly in shades of light pink.

"The Planets," is a ballet created by Antony Tudor to the music by Gustav Holst. The Planets, Op. 32 is a seven-movement orchestral suite by the British composer Gustav Holst, written between 1914 and 1916. The concept of the work is astrological rather than astronomical (which is why Earth is not included in the original work).

Prima Ballerina: A prima ballerina is the leading female dancer in a ballet company. A ballerina is a female ballet dancer. A male ballet dancer is called a danseur. The prima ballerina is the second highest title awarded to a ballerina to prima ballerina assoluta, an extremely rare accolade.

Christ is an icon for devotion, an image of the sublime……The hope for resurrection after death, after the Crucifixion..

Was Jesus a historical figure?  Are the stories and events of his life true?   Was Jesus the Messiah, the Christ? For centuries generations have stressed, by various means, different aspects of the life of Jesus ( Christ…).  Some resulting in diverse representations of the face of Christ…………..

The beret, associated with European art and romance, began as the headgear of choice for early 19th Century Basque shepherds. Artists, writers, and bohemians adopted it later in the century as a gesture of rebellion against the status quo. Members of the French Resistance, Le Maquis, wore berets during World War II.

The king is a playing card with a picture of a king on it. The usual rank of a king is as if it were a 13, that is, above the queen. In some games, the king is the highest-ranked card; in others, the ace is higher. The king and the other face cards represent no one in particular, although the king of hearts presumably represents Charlemagne.

Late afternoon in Paris. It is nice to finish the end of the day with a walk along the Seine. Illuminated cathedral, reflected in the mirror of the river. And the full moon, along the solitary quay, projecting my tour along the riverbank walk, under a floodlit Notre Dame, as a finale for the journeys past forsaken. I wander under gothic cathedrals, enlightened by the moon and centuries of history, the path that I should have taken........

A flower, sometimes known as a blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants. The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male with female in order to produce seeds and thus "life". Flowers have long been admired and used by humans, mainly to beautify their environment but also as a source of food.

Fruits are the means by which flowering plants disseminate seeds.......The beginning of life....

Lobster Thermidor is a French dish consisting of a creamy cheesy mixture of cooked lobster meat, egg yolks, and brandy or sherry, stuffed into a lobster shell... Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a pot of salted water containing the lemons, quartered onion and bouquet garni to a boil. Add the lobster to the boiling water and cook for 8 to 12 minutes. Remove the lobster from the water and place in a bowl of ice water. This will stop the cooking process of the lobster. In a sauce pan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes for a blond roux. Add the shallots and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the wine and milk. Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving: Calories 571 - Calories from Fat 269
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 47%, Protein 44%, Carbohydrate 8%

There is a ritual to eating oysters in Paris, a time-proven activity that seems specifically designed to produce a sense of well-being. The ideal time to eat "Huitres" or oysters is during the winter months (or any of the months ending in ‘er’). Paris is the favorite place to eat oysters - ............ Why ?? Well...make Paris your Oyster..........

"Tristesse" is based upon Chopin Etude, op.10, No. 3 Sadness. It was subtitled "Tristesse" by one of its publishers. The music displays a melody so beautiful that Chopin said he had never written another to equal it. "A study in expression", it never fails to move it's listeners, particularly when the haunting theme returns after the middle section's dramatic outbursts composed of fourth's and sixth's. The music must have had a special, private meaning for the composer for, when one of his pupils played it at a lesson, Chopin sighed sadly, "Oh, my homeland."

The term fithelere or fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, including the violin; it is a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music.

The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds. Humankind at its best!!

This is another work in the Rainy Days and Mondays collection, all oil paintings done entirely with palette knife. I wanted to show that rain isn't necessarily grey and cold as we usually think of it, but can be warm and inviting to splash in, rain drops dancing on pavement and pit-pat of heavy drops on umbrella nylon overhead. This particular painting is how I imagine walking in the city of Light-Paris- would be on a rainy spring evening, the couple slowly strolling as they gaze now and then into each others' eyes, a bright poem to love. This series is a celebration of life in the city and it is my great pleasure to make them available as prints. Enjoy !

This is another work in the Rainy Days and Mondays collection, all oil paintings done entirely with palette knife. I wanted to show that rain isn't necessarily grey and cold as we usually think of it, but can be warm and inviting to splash in, rain drops dancing on pavement and pit-pat of heavy drops on umbrella nylon overhead. This scene describes the experience of going into the city for a fun night of dinner and theater, window-shopping and Starbucks' afterwards. :) I love the glow of street lights, especially in Europe, enchanting and warming. This series is a celebration of life in the city and it is my great pleasure to make them available as prints. Enjoy !

Another in the series of "Rainy Days and Mondays", this palette knife oil study is meant to depict a joyous adventure int he rain; perhaps it is spring or early summer, the scent of the rain on the pavement and the pitter-patter of drops on the umbrella make a pleasing aesthetic environment I am delighted to record. Each of the paintings in this series is a LImited Edition Print, with a size of 100 prints available. When the 100th print is made, these will no longer be available, with the exception of giclees and originals.

Street Lights is another in the series of "Rainy Days and Mondays", all palette knife works featuring intense color and thickly built up chunky layers which are visible even in the prints. I wanted to make the figures loose and lightly described, allowing the viewer to superimpose thier own idea of form. This is my effort to capture a moment in the life of a City on a rainy day. Thanks for taking a look ! :) Warmly: Susi

This is another work in the Rainy Days and Mondays collection, all oil paintings done entirely with palette knife. I wanted to show that rain isn't necessarily grey and cold as we usually think of it, but can be warm and inviting to splash in, rain drops dancing on pavement and pit-pat of heavy drops on umbrella nylon overhead. This particular work looks at being in rush hour not just as aggravation to vex the spirit but an opportunity to be forced to really see what is around us, the rhythm of the city, of wet, shiny cars and brilliant tail lights dancing in the reflective pavement. This series is a celebration of life in the city and it is my great pleasure to make them available as prints. Enjoy !

This is another work in the Rainy Days and Mondays collection, all oil paintings done entirely with palette knife. I wanted to show that rain isn't necessarily grey and cold as we usually think of it, but can be warm and inviting to splash in, rain drops dancing on pavement and pit-pat of heavy drops on umbrella nylon overhead. This work describes the hive-like busy-ness of the city in the evening as the sun is staging to set, the city lights coming on, bright specks of light against a scarlet sky. Although the activity hums, there is a zen-like calm to the scene which drwas the viewer in. This series is a celebration of life in the city and it is my great pleasure to make them available as prints. Enjoy !

This is another work in the Rainy Days and Mondays collection, all oil paintings done entirely with palette knife. I wanted to show that rain isn't necessarily grey and cold as we usually think of it, but can be warm and inviting to splash in, rain drops dancing on pavement and pit-pat of heavy drops on umbrella nylon overhead. This series is a celebration of life in the city and it is my great pleasure to make them available as prints. Enjoy !

This is another work in the Rainy Days and Mondays collection, all oil paintings done entirely with palette knife. I wanted to show that rain isn't necessarily grey and cold as we usually think of it, but can be warm and inviting to splash in, rain drops dancing on pavement and pit-pat of heavy drops on umbrella nylon overhead. This series is a celebration of life in the city and it is my great pleasure to make them available as prints. Enjoy !

This is another work in the Rainy Days and Mondays collection, all oil paintings done entirely with palette knife. I wanted to show that rain isn't necessarily grey and cold as we usually think of it, but can be warm and inviting to splash in, rain drops dancing on pavement and pit-pat of heavy drops on umbrella nylon overhead. This painting describes a couple walking in a deserted part of the city after midnight, arm in arm, talking of things lovers do. The lantern shows through the golden leaves of the tree, making a magical moment of the street and surrounding buildings. This series is a celebration of life in the city and it is my great pleasure to make them available as prints. Enjoy !

I was recently commissioned by a local club owner to do a series of famous musicians; having a background as a singer myself who grew up in the "Flower Child" era, Jimi of course came to mind immediately. I used duochromatic acrylics for the underpaint and iridescent oils and palette knife for the top layers. Even in the print you can clearly see the textures of built up impasto. Jimi's music still resonates for millions of people and I wanted to honor that, hope it speaks to you. Warmly: Susi

I was recently commissioned by a local club owner to do a series of famous musicians; having a background as a jazz singer myself, Miles was an easy first choice. I used duochromatic acrylics for the underpaint and iridescent oils and palette knife for the top layers. Even in the print you can clearly see the chunky textures of built up impasto. I chose a cool palette for this work because well, nobody is cooler than Miles. :) This is my small homage to a one of the great legends of Jazz, hope it speaks to you. Warmly: Susi

I was recently commissioned by a local club owner to do a series of famous musicians; having a background as a singer & guitarist myself, I immediately wanted to capture Stevie Ray. I used duochromatic acrylics for the underpaint and iridescent oils and palette knife for the top layers. Even in the print you can clearly see the textures of built up impasto. This is my small homage to a one of the great legends of Rock & Blues, a man who named all his guitars and treated them like people he loved; hope it speaks to you. Warmly: Susi

This oil painting is not for sale, I just thought it'd be fun to share it with you. :) This was my entry into the Spring Bull Gallery ( Newport, RI) annual "Great Fakes and Forgeries" show. It is a hugely successful and popular show that artists prepare for a year in davance. The artist is invited to duplicate the Great Masters, but to add a twist of thier own, making the work uniquely thiers. I did Vincent as a close-focus portriat and you can see the photo I use on the left of my easel. I have a great kinship with Vincent, and at the risk of sounding really crazy, he often talks with me. :) I hope you enjoy my version of one of his 40 self-portraits. Warmest Wishes, Susi Franco ps--if you get a chance, check out my book on www.Amazon.com, "Angels With Stethoscopes". THANX~ :)

Inspired by the work of the Great Master Klimt, I wanted to portray a feeling of one-ness, surrounded by loving energy. Although the archetypal figures were relatively simple to execute, their background was excruciatingly tedious. I made my own gold-leaf paint; it does not photograph well, sadly, but it is real gold, the same as the Master once used in his work. I wanted to add that feel of precious-ness to it, the sense of love being even more valuable than gold. This is an 18"x24" Oil, Acrylic and Gold Leaf on Gallery Wrap Canvas, and I feel it depicts a moving moment in a love relationship, where two become intertwined as one. It is my hope it speaks to you of love.

Fishing off Barview Jetty on the Oregon Coast.

Watercolor

Watercolor

Save Americas wild horses.

Watercolor, seem to be obsessed with cats these days...

The funniest cat I've ever met.

Watercolor of a mostly white cat.

Bug hunter and chaser of birds, Gus is Zoey's bbf.

Watercolor of a cat lounging on a sofa.

Loves his ball !

My beautiful friend Zoey. Half Border Collie, half Austrailian Shepard and as smart as a whip. She was 8 yrs old last week.

Everyones best friend. Watercolor

We call her 'Lilly bin laden' because she's such a little terror around the house.

Watercolor

Watercolor

Three friends or maybe sisters.

Watercolor

A fun painting of a magical snowman.

Watercolor.

Watercolor of some holiday activities.

Watercolor

"By the Light of the Moon" came from a trip to Middle Valley, NJ in search of an abandoned property I had visited almost 13 years ago. To my surprise, a photographer friend of mine ran across it and told me it still existed! The property was a little worse for wear, but it was definitely the same place! On my first visit, the house used in this piece was too overgrown to get any usable images but not so this time! I liked the composition in this shot taken from beneath a huge old tree in front of the house but it needed something more. The old man is from my vintage photo collection, the bird and the moon from the back window of my house. I added some texture, filters and a little tweaking to get the final montage.

"The Water's Edge" is a montage of 3 separate images I combined for the composition I had in mind. The background photo was taken several years ago at a local park in Westfield, NJ. The figure is model and friend Mary Anne Christiano from a photo session we did a few months ago. The two seemed to fit perfectly together, along with the birds, to create a contemplative and serene image.

Another still life including a strand of pearls. For whatever reason, I like the way they drape and flow around the other objects in the image.

I've been doing some still life work recently and was intrigued how dying flowers have a beauty all their own. I love watching the evolution of textures and colors in the leaves and petals.

"The Twelfth Moon" started with a photo taken at Mill Creek Village, New Jersey several years ago. I always loved the textures involved with the with the wood of the old shed, the falling down fence and the rocks in the foreground but I never found the right composition until now. I was arriving home one day just after sunset, looked up and saw a perfect crescent moon with a beautiful lavender sky behind it. Of course, I ran for my camera and was able to get an image that created just the mood I wanted for the background. The title is a Native American name for the December moon which marks the onset of winter.

"Seeking Solace" began with a photo taken at the amazing ruins of the Wolf House in Glen Ellen California not far from San Francisco. It was to be the dream home of author Jack London ("Call of the Wild") and his wife Charmain but burned to the ground just days before completion. Located deep in the woods of Jack London State Historic Park, when I was there in 1998 it was only reachable by a long, narrow path thru the woods. The hike was well worth it when at the end a clearing revealed the majestic ruins of the stone house rising before me, hauntingly beautiful. If you're ever in the area, I strongly recommend a visit to the Wolf House.

I took this image at Cross Estate Gardens in New jersey earlier this year and was pleased with the composition and artwork I used but always felt something was lacking to make it work for me. Then, as if on cue, while I was working on the image, I heard lots of commotion outside my window and realized my birds were back! A huge flock of blackbirds comes to my neighborhood every fall filling the trees and sky and covering the ground! I grabbed my camera and got as many shots as I could before they moved on. They were just what I need to complete "The Gathering".

The quaint New Jersey town of Lambertville is located on the east bank of the Delaware River. Raritan Canal State Park runs through the heart of town with a picturesque path along the canal for walking or jogging. Many of the backyards of the row houses butt up against the path and this one became "A Quiet Corner". It seemed a perfect spot for daydreaming or reflecting according to the cat lying lazily across the wicker table.

A favorite pastime of mine on Sunday afternoons is getting lost on the back roads of New Jersey looking for photo ops. I especially love finding old, abandoned, rundown houses or buildings. They seem to have a soul of their own.

"The Ruby Slippers" began as a photograph taken at Cross Estate Gardens in Bernardsville New Jersey. As I worked on this image, it seem to take on a fairytale kind of feel and even though "the yellow brick road" is only a path and the shoes are my version of "the ruby slippers", it still seemed possible that Oz was just around the bend.

I captured this image (minus the ravens) a few years ago in Millcreek Village, a fantastic historically preserved early American village in New Jersey. I would love to know what happened to this amazing tree- some huge storm or maybe lightning. It's limbs were so contorted and angled it reminded me of a giant insect. I used this photo in color for a painting once but in black and white, all of the detail in the grass and brush reminded me of an etching. So again, it has new life as "The Raven's Wood".

I came across this old building in western New Jersey. The vines covering the roof reminded me of a tousled head of hair. I'm puzzled by all the different openings and what it may have been used for in it's past lives.

This old chair on the porch of an abandoned house is one of my favorite film negatives that I have been revisiting lately with a fresh eye. The image I originally envisioned that would have taken hours in the darkroom is now a lot more possible thanks to the digital medium!

"Miles to Go" began with a photo taken in The Deserted Village in the Watchung Reservation, New jersey. It was just after a thunderstorm and the afternoon light coming through the trees was amazing! I added the hiker and birds to complete the feeling I had in mind for the image. The title was inspired by a quote from a Robert Frost poem "the woods are lovely, dark and deep but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep".

I've always had a passion for gargoyles. To me, they represent protection from harm and a guard against evil. True or not, I have a collection of them all over my house (Hey, you never know!).

"Rear Window" is an abandoned building I came across in my travels. I'm still not sure what it's original purpose was but I love the way the vines crawling up the side seem to frame the lone window.

The Offering began as one of my black and white film photos. The vintage figure was added for interest and to create a mood. The entire image was then hand colored.

I was struck by how this graceful, white limb seemed to flow across all the trees behind it and float above the small stream running underneath.

I happened across this wonderful man on Rue de Chartres in the French Quarter of New Orleans, one of my favorite cities in the world. It was originally shot with black and white film but I think a little enhancement with toning, color and texture gives it a different mood and feel.

I captured this photograph of an old building in the quaint New Jersey town of Mill Creek Village near the Delaware Water Gap. It's a great place for photography with lots of historic buildings, dirt roads, and places to explore.

Exploring backroads can yield lots of interesting finds for photo opportunities. This simple, forgotten old milk can caught my eye. I tend to find a lot of treasures in what other people consider trash.

A montage of two photographs- a window of an old building and the figure of a woman peering in are blended together to evoke a feeling of mystery- just what does she see?

This old house has always been one of my favorites from my archives. Something about the three dark windows and the open door tugs at my heartstrings. It's almost as if the house is crying out for someone or something to come in and bring life back once again.

I came across this guy in a shop window in a small NJ town. The shop was directly across from the gate of an old cemetery, hence his title, The Gatekeeper.

Shelter from The Storm is a montage of two photographs. One is an old building at the edge of a rural cornfield. The sky was rather overcast and gray so the threatening storm clouds were added to enhance the foreboding feeling of the scene.

I first photographed this old stone building in 2006 on my New Jersey backroads travels. The resulting piece became "Shelter from the Storm" with the drying cornstalks trailing off into the tall grass in front. When I came across it again in 2009 the scenario was totally different. The cornstalks and grass were down revealing trees and fields in the background that weren't visible the first time around. The new image seemed to lend itself to minimal color and starkness that became "The Morning After".

The Lamp Post was originally a black and white film image that I digitally hand colored to achieve the final look.

When Shadows Fall is a montage of several photographs and scanned objects creating a thought provoking image for the viewer.

A thought provoking montage of a number of different photographs.

The Gardener is a montage of several photographs beginning with a bouquet of flowers. The woman was added along with color and texture to convey a feeling of mystery and draw the viewer in.

Lily began as a photo I took of a window in an old building. The black and white vintage figure of the little girl was added, hand colored and digitally painted to create a mood.

"With Strings Attached" is a still life of a bouquet of tulips with books that I photographed and digitally painted in the style of traditional oils.

On Golden Pond was digitally painted from an image I captured while roaming the backroads of New Jersey.

portrait digitally painted in the style of traditional oils

The Guardian is a montage of two photographs, digitally painted to evoke a feeling of protection and hope for the viewer.

different flowers

Romantic flower

Terrace

white horses

Dinner for two 1

Dinner for two

Tour de France, montventoux

Rose 2

Roos 1 Rose 1

Tango passion 3

Tango passion 4

tango

Bar

Bar2

poppies

Tango with view

Tango with view

Jazz

Toscane

White flower 1

Spanish village at the port

Spanish village at harbour

Concentration on the green

Tango Argentino

poppies

Tango Argentino

woman

girl

a walk in the rain

girl in the rain

boy looks at his classmate

first kiss

classmates meet at a bus stop on a raining day

a boy and a girl go for a bike ride

a boy tries to get acacia for his little sister

a boy tries to confess his love

Individual cross-country skiing north of Munich.

Little island in the frozen lake "Aibsee" at the foot of the highest Germany's mountain "Zugspitze" (2962 meters (9717 feet)).

north -- east Alps region on the mountain 'Hoher Kranzberg' near Mittenwald, [ 1.391 m, 4.564 feet ]

River "Isar" north of Munich near the town Moosburg.

Descent from the mountain "Old man of Coniston" [ Lake District, UK ] in the background "Coniston water".

Digital enhancement of an original photo.

I made this shot in the castle yard next to the Gardens of the 'Trauttmansdorff Castle' which is located just outside of Merano (Meran) in the formerly Austrian province of Südtirol or South Tyrol – called Alto Adige in Italian.

--- under the brawny brown cover --- there is the soul hidden ---

http://my.pho.to/tanyja/s1/albums/botgar_munich_march_2011/index.htm

...made this shot during my visit on the flower island Mainau (Bodensee) the area on the border among Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

...ready to take off...

Mixed technique, aquarell + original photo.

(...or what you see is what you have...)

The twins' first attempt at building a time travel device met with much derision from the scientific community.

Betty Anne proudly displays her award winning blowfish, Goliath.

Chester, the night watchman, had a real thing for the chambermaid Dot.

Professor Gertrude van de Roos was a world-renown expert of Greek antiquities.

In those days, any boy with a bicycle could pick up a few bucks making deliveries -- especially if, like Jack, he never got lost

That night his dreams were full of birds and whales and feats of derring-do.

Frank wanted to make sure that everything was picture perfect for Shelby's return this summer