"Peaches and Cream" SOLD

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"Peonies and Reflections" SOLD

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I will get a better photo tomorrow. I always struggle with getting the photo indoors (but it's late so I don't think the moon shot would work either.....) Peonies are such lush, exuberant flowers. When you have so many petals you need help to hold your head up, then one pretty much knows.... peonies don't hold back. They live life full out. A lesson on living from my friends, the peonies--now pause to reflect on that!

*Well, it's now morning and I have re-shot and posted a better image of the painting--sorry for the fuzzy one last night!

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"Silver Lipped Bowl with Sun-kissed Flowers" SOLD

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My same bouquet of flowers (thank you Gretchen!) continues to inspire. Plus I found a few new treasures at one of our local antique stores here in Paris---swweeeett! Painting has an addictive nature and it can be so restful. When you are "in the moment" as often happens with painting, I think a full scale riot could break out on the street where I live and I probably wouldn't notice...now that's peace. When are you at your most peaceful state of being? Pin It

"Juice(y) Glass" SOLD

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I will re shoot this tomorrow--shooting indoors runs a poor second to the great outdoors! I think I may be finished painting the blue glass with the flowers, but one never knows (big grin here!) And yes, that's my signature crawling up the right side. The bottom felt perfect without it. The signature becomes part of the balance in the painting, whether we like it or not, and this would have felt to cluttered had it been on the bottom. Besides, it's my painting. I can sign it wherever I like. Mom said so. Pin It

"Apart from the Crowd" SOLD

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Yesterday's bouquet rearranged itself with no help from me. When I stepped into my studio today, the three blooms had pulled out from the crowd and placed themselves where they were swaying gently in the breeze generated by the ceiling fan. Singled out from the crowd, one can see just how delicate and beautiful the individual blossoms are that make up the greater whole. Painting causes us to examine things more closely........ and keeps you in a constant state of awe of the greater whole ...Nature itself. And for that reason, if no other, it is good to be a painter. Pin It

"Twins?"

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Looking at the two brown eyed girls got me to thinking back when I was growing up and running around the southeast with my sister, the one question that inevitably came up--"Are you all twins??" I am not sure who was more insulted--me at 14 or my sister at 18! Looking back now at our then, stick straight hair, parted down the middle and matching brown eyes (not to mention matching dresses....we sang in a gospel group and you had to have matching outfits), I have to get a bit tickled. We did look alike --kind of like my brown eyed girls in this glass. I bet they're sisters too (I started to ask them if they were twins, but figured they would just get annoyed..) Pin It

"I'm Ready for My Close-up" SOLD

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Finding a subject that draws you into it when painting is akin to having a really good meal...you try to stop when you're full, but if the food is there you just keep nibbling on it. Well, here's my latest nibble and I am making no promises that I'm ready to throw in the napkin (brush...) Pin It

"One Step At a Time" SOLD

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"One step at a time. We live and we learn to take one step at a time. Take one step at a time--there's no need to rush. We find the reasons why, one step at a time."

For today, savour your painting time, savour your life. Don't rush past this moment. Life is so full, good and abundant.

Listening to good music and painting with great joy--one step at a time.

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"My Little Brown Eyed Girls" SOLD

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These sassy girls are hand-picked from my artist friend, Gretchen Gossardt's garden (and they were a gift (as in I didn't sneak and pick them, although her yard is tempting...) Its a sumptuous little painting----this photo doesn't capture it as well as I would like, but I have shot it several times and it's just misbehavin' ! So this is all the attention it gets today--I am chompin'at the bits to get to my studio......

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"Family Ties"

Today's posting is meant to inspire you. And it is also meant to annoy my brother. You may or may not know that I have a brother. A brother who is an artist. A brother who is a very good artist. Over the years, it has been tough trying to develop myself, always in the shadow of my OLDER brother---I'm having a show at the local video store--he's unveiling an new book of his work. I'm traveling door to door trying to sell my work---he's painting the President of the United States (as in President Jimmy Carter) (yeah, for all you who feel like the competition is tough out there, cry me a river--trying having the competition at every family get together.....) But time heals all wounds. Or at least if one lives long enough, you may get your own audience with which to club an older sibling with (ooops, did I say that out loud?) So after suffering through many an "unveiling" I have felt the time is right to do a little unveiling myself. No matter how good you get, remember there is always someone in your family who "remembers when". This is me at 8--being mercilessly teased about my knobby knees and "refrigerator door" sized teeth (aren't brothers kind) I modeled while he painted. Just so I can still stay in the family, you will now have to visit his website to see if you feel he has improved any.

And I almost forgot the inspirational part.....after looking at his new work, let me know if you think painting regularly makes any difference....

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Paris Workshop

Words kind of fail me in trying to relate just how much joy I derive from doing my workshops. This was an incredible group. Everyone came excited and open to living in the moment and painting from their heart. They did some amazing work. We laughed, we painted, we ate (well, best not go there.....) we harassed Bobby Shiflet (the owner of Frames on Main Gallery where the workshop was held) we just generally had a great time together. And, I think to a person, everyone left inspired and ready to go their places and PAINT THEIR PANTS OFF (figuratively speaking of course!) Thanks to all of you gals and guy (Neil) for taking the workshop!

Also, this little group here may look innocent, but they have single handedly forced me into having a landscape workshop at the same location in mid September--and Bobby has lost his mind 'cause he agreed with them! We will be working indoors from photos that I provide. There are already several signed up so contact me ASAP to save your spot!

Last, but certainly not least, Paris Artwalk is this Friday night, July 17th from 5-9. All over downtown artists will be displaying their newest loves and great nibbles will be at most locations along with music at some of the venues. Paris is a quaint downtown area and summer evenings at the artwalk is a perfect time to enjoy it. My paintings will be hanging out at Ardery's Antiques and just across the street at The Frames on Main Gallery---and I will be there as well. Looking forward to seeing some of y'all!

P.S. My next workshop is coming up August 28, 29, & 30th in Carlisle--save the date and get ready to paint (your pants off).....(figuratively speaking of course)....!

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"It's All Fun and Games 'til Somebody Gets Paint on Them....."

Nancy Klek and I look like two kids turned loose in a candy store! Nancy is a fine equestrian painter---she declared that she had finally discovered her "inner Schmid" (as in Richard!) during this workshop.....

Above is some of the gang hard at work in the gallery--surrounded by beautiful artwork, they added to the beauty in the world by creating some of their own!

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"A Daisy Kind of Day"

I am always thankful for a good painting day. It is sacred, meditative, intuitive, a communion of sorts. It conjures up the things that are more real than reality, that we never truly understand, but always have an abiding knowing of--the place where time is irrelevant and some thing comes from no thing. Pretty amazing stuff. I never expect to understand the creative process , I'm just glad it's part of life ... what are you thankful for today?

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"Simple Pleasures" SOLD

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Nothing says summertime like simple daisies paired with a canning jar. It doesn't take money to have a bouquet that brings pleasure. Many years ago, much younger and short on funds, I would gather flowers from the woods where I lived. Trilliums, forget-me-nots, and of course the occasional daisy. I had a worn white table cloth trimmed in blue that I would place the simple bouquet in the middle of. It brought me much pleasure then and the thinking of it still does to this day. Crystal clear water, flowers made by God's hand and a simple blue canning jar--such are the things that a life is made of. Needless to say, I enjoyed my painting time today---and just in case you were wondering--hot pink was the flavor of the day for the undertone on my canvas--can you see it playing hide 'n' seek?

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"Rose Garden Path" SOLD

Aah! Today was definitely a "next" day. Those of you who have studied with me know what I mean. Those of you who haven't will understand when I tell you---sometimes, when you paint, you have to just wrap it up and say "next"! Detach from the outcome. I always assume I will have a great painting day, and for most part I do. Today was one of those days that wasn't. I used a different camera on this shot, late in the day, so I will probably re shoot it again tomorrow to capture it better. I have been juggling with getting everything moved onto my new computer (you forget just how much you have stored on one--including your stuff for your camera--til you switch horses!) I keep thinking I am almost finished when something else rears its ugly little head.......kind of like when you're moving and you think you are almost getting there...and then 3 long days later...you realize now you're almost getting there...and 14 hours later......you get the picture. I am thrilled to be working on my new computer because it is so much faster, but I do better when I am immersed in my painting head....or at least that is what I am telling myself today!

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"To Much of a Good Thing is .....Wonderful"

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Eddie obviously subscribes to the Mae West theory. My bathroom sinks (I have two, one of which Eddie has been sleeping in for the better part of a year now......so much for the purchase of a heated pet bed) are surrounded by mirrors on three sides. Eddie spends, shall I say, a goodly amount of time checking himself out. There was actually a second reflection of him when I was snapping this photo, but it wasn't right for the square format. At any rate, you pretty much know now what Eddie does all day---not that you asked.

I toned this canvas a pretty intense pink --it just seemed to call for it--I think maybe because the pink metallic cup was bouncing a lot of its color around. I think its the first bathroom scene I have ever painted...Bonnard, move over!

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"Saturday Night in Paris" SOLD

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This was a relaxing piece to paint. I have always loved the time of day when its dark enough to trigger the street lights on but light enough to see the purple blue glow of the buildings and surroundings-- it always feels magical to me. Downtown Paris at night is, for most part, a quiet little town. Varden's is a unique place all its own--an old drugstore restored to a wonderful eating/giftshop establishment. Steve (Walton) adds so much character to the store that it's always like stopping by a friend's house. One of the reasons I guess it appealed to me to paint it!

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"Countryside Roses" SOLD

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I have been preoccupied with other things and had forgotten my trip to Asheville and the Biltmore so I was pleasantly surprised when cruising my photos today to come across some shots from there. I was in the mood for a non-still life subject and this hit the spot. It was a busy scene filled with tons of rose bushes and foliage. As always, one has to think of simplifying and massing things into bigger shapes of color, especially when it comes to painting it on an 8 x 8 inch panel. I like the way that the wires for the roses to climb on repeat the roof line of the garden house. It was an overcast day which always makes me think of Richard Schmid's work when he paints the countryside. The colors look truer to their nature when not bleached out by strong sunlight.

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"Winner Takes All....Well, not all, actually one 8 x8.."

I am like a kid in that I can't wait to see who has won the painting.....! I love having all the contact with people, locally, regionally, California way and even from Australia and England--- the world becomes so intimate and just shows up at my door--I wish all of you had won! Maybe someday I'll get up, drink a gallon of coffee (or two) and whip out 95 paintings........You gotta think without limits! For now, I have one cat (plus one owner) who is the winner for the June drawing. Gabriel, along with owner Carla Pasley, is now the proud owner of a Dreama Tolle Perry petite original (actually they now have two, Carla purchased one from my Ebay store a few months ago). Carla--I fully expect to receive a photo of Gabriel opening his package along with his assessment of it....!

Can't tell you how happy I am to share what I do. If you enjoy my stuff, do me one favor today--please forward my blog to a good friend and then they can forward to one of their good friends and then that friend can forward it to a good friend............you get the picture......share the love (and the good painting) with good friends! Pin It