"The Last Tango" SOLD

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Wanted to visit with the teacup and rose one last time--my roses have held up amazingly well--between the heat from the spotlight and visits from Eddie it has been a death defying act! Someone on my last post had asked how I go about getting the "gold" look. I use Indian yellow mixed with white to get the color I want (sometimes a smidge of sap green). And the other thing I do is lay it in next to an intense dark. Metallic things have the extremes in them of light and dark. So with those two things, you can achieve the look of gold.....most of the time.

The door is still open for Christmas commissions (blog size). I have hired a couple of elves to help although I am not sure how it's going to work out. They're too short to reach the easel and they seem to be spending a lot of time with Eddie...which is worrisome. At any rate, consider this your cyber art gallery and place your orders--(I need the income, elves do not work cheap.)

*Note: If anyone from the Elf Union is reading this, please disregard --I am just joking--I would never hire try to hire elves away from Santa at the height of the Christmas season.....

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"Best Supporting Actors" SOLD

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Setting up a still life is like directing a mini-play. It could be a monologue. Or you could introduce some new faces to support the main character. In this case, the curved lip teacup certainly has the spotlight, but it's made a little richer by the addition of a great cast of roses. There is something about the pairing of delicate china with velvety soft roses--tried and true like good love stories in the movies. We know how it's gonna end and yet we pull up a chair like it's a first....!

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"Leftovers" SOLD

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I started out with a full dozen last week. The white ones have bitten the dust. The lighter pinks followed suit. A few succumbed to the ravages of Eddie (my cat). But good things come to those who wait. Older roses, like older people, become more individualized in their appearance. So these girls get a new vase, fresh water, and a smart trim.

And how do I know they're girls? I overheard them talking about heading out early Friday morning to go shopping.

Guess I better paint 'em while I can.

P.S. I am having so much fun working on petite holiday commissions. I will be posting after Christmas (can't spoil surprises!) I still have time for yours....so get your photos to me already...:)..I will need something to do to work off all the turkey I plan on eating!

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"A Cuple of Cuties" SOLD

"A Cuple of Cuties"

oil, 6 x 6in on canvas panel

$150 unframed

Continuing a bit further with my earlier posting on words--couldn't resist twisting the couple word into cuple to make it fit my subject (get it?? cuple as in cup as in mug...) Gosh, I am sorry. This is what comes of staying in the studio talking to yourself all day. It seems almost brilliant 'til you see it in cold hard print....

Back to the painting itself--love this cup. Addicted to the blue. Using some of the new radiant colors I learned of from one of my favorite artists, Karin Jurick. Something about blues with some red that just hits the happy-o-meter for me.

And a note to the friends and artists in Lexington, KY area---I just discovered a wonderful wholesale flower shop called, appropriately, 'The Cutting Garden". Mellow Ellis, the owner, carries beautiful flowers with lots of personality (as in fresher and more unique varieties) at wholesale prices. You can just walk in the cooler and pick out what you want--a single stem or a whole dozen plus (which I just did---okay, I had to do it, I am working on a still life that I needed fresh roses for---sometimes it is so tough being an artiste'.)

Well, over and out for now. Must get back to the studio. Show date looms large on the horizon. Feeling a bit like Howard Hughes these days.....except I did trim my fingernails last week (just in case you were wondering...)

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"Mugged" SOLD

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It's no wonder the English language is said to be one of the most difficult to learn. Take the word mug for instance. According to the dictionary it can be a cup to hold something or it can be a human face. And if you ad an "ed" to it, it can become, of all things..... an act of violence! Now call me crazy, but I don't quite follow the dots on that one. Which leads me to quit, quiet, and quite--a whole (hole) other dilemma ......suddenly painting seems like child's play.

By the way, I chose to ad another meaning to the mug word. I figure if things can be bottled, wrapped, and sacked---then this rose can be mugged.

Too much heavy thinking--must stop before I get a headache.

Also, have been reading some great books lately. Picked up a new term I love. Ever have those days that you just avoid everything and feel guilty for doing so?? Yep, there's a word for it. Multi-shirking. As opposed to those great days of multi-tasking and feeling so in control. It's all about balance. Somedays I am a multi-tasker and other days....a multi-shirker. I at least feel better now that I know the name for it.......

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"Mission Squared" SOLD

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I love the mission (as in San Juan when the swallows come back to Capistrano mission) anyway you can paint it. Like with Forrest Gump and the shrimp (you can barbecue it, boil it, bake it, saute it.....) the mission has lots of ways you can paint it. It is a place that has been painted for many years (some beautiful paintings by early California artists) by many artists (ad me to that bunch). It has a peace it exudes even when packed with people. And the bougainvillea is legendary. So of the many ways to paint it, you can now ad to that list.....6 x 6 and squared.

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"Cheap Thrills" SOLD

"Cheap Thrills"

Oil, 8 x 8in on canvas panel

$200 unframed

Believe your eyes. Tulips in November....! For a mere three bucks, I have a bit of spring while the leaves are piling up outside my door. Who would of thunk it. The vase is an old favorite of mine, purchased many years ago at a thrift shop. Funny how life changes, moves forward-- we shed so many things. Homes, jobs, friends of convenience, outfits with huge shoulder pads (need I remind you of the 80's?). I look around and am sometimes surprised at the things that have clung to me through my many moves (15 at last count), two marriages (hanging tight, now 20 years to my guy) and spring cleanings. The vase falls into the odd assortment of things that have survived my living. And will, no doubt, outlive me.

To turn up once again in a thrift store! Maybe by then the big shoulder pads will be back in style. No one should have to live through that era twice.

Well, I am very excited to tell you --- I am now a member of the Daily Painters Group. It was one of my goals when I set out on my blogging journey so long ago (okay, it's actually only been 10 months). I got the news I was juried in just this week. For those of you new to the daily paintings/blogging concept, it is a group of painters who paint daily ( or at the very least, several times a week) and post them on their blog. This group shows all the works done on a given day. I have their site posted in the right column on this blog--just above my favorite blog sites. Check it out when you have time--I think you will enjoy the diversity and seeing what so many fellow artists are up to on any given day.

And that's all folks--I gotta get back into the studio. I just know the oil paints are drying on my palette as I type. Oil paints have their own agenda. When on your palette, they will dry in minutes. Need a painting to be dry so you can frame it for a show? We're talking months on the dry time. What is that about????

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"Last Workshop for 2009...It's Been a Great Year!!"

The Maysville workshop is over. I have to say, it was a great note to end 2009 on. I have added so many new wonderful people this year to my life and all because of art! Thank you to each of you (Barbara, Sarah, Betsy, Carolyn, Claudia, Dana, Marilyn, Donna, Ann, Vicki, Joan, Patti, and Pati) for making this workshop such a wonderful experience!

My number one reason for teaching is the desire to help others to allow themselves to (re)discover the joy to be had in simply allowing yourself to create. To leave all the angst, the should haves, the critical voices, outside the door and immerse yourself into the creative flow. I truly believe that is when your real work, your real gift, emerges. When you have joy in the doing, you do it more often. And the "secret" to making incredible art that moves people comes through the making of art. ... Lots of it.

So we did our exercise of moving from easel to easel, carrying only our paintbrushes, to work on the "next" painting (copying Leslie Saeta's wonderful sailboat paintings). Our intention was to practice the art of detachment, to be able to move on in our own studios when doing our painting, detaching from the outcome and being present in the moment. A reminder that we can learn the same lessons when we work on a small canvas and learn it in less time. And training our eye to assess what our painting needs, to go for the big shapes and big designs first. Lots of things to learn in 45 minutes on a 6 x6 panel.

Artists at work (play)!
Betsy is living proof that you can't keep a good artist down....!

Just a note on some other things. I will be demoing in Morehead, KY next Saturday, November 14 at the Carl Perkins Center. I will be posting the time of day later this week. Also, I am having a joint show with Cate Wagoner at Southern Ohio University in Proctorville, OH. It will be opening December 7 and will hang until the last week of January.

Other than that, I will be keeping my nose to the palette (grindstone) getting ready for my February show at Gallery B in Lexington, KY. Somewhere I plan to squeeze in those holidays....what were they??? Oh yeah, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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"On the Banks of the Ohio... the Maysville, KY Workshop!"

It's going to sound a bit corny, but I actually got a little sad tonight realizing this workshop was coming to a close. Tomorrow is the last day. So many precious people that I have had the privilege of spending some time with, painting, laughing, teasing, and getting a peek into their personalities. There are so many special people on this planet and I feel like they are the ones that show up for my workshops! This is the last group for 2009 and they, like all of the others this year, have enriched my life, made me think, helped me grow. It's interesting 'cause I always work hard to give my best, but the truth is, the goodness from the people I am around comes rushing back so fast it could knock you down! Wow, wow, and wow!!

I hope to post photos of their work tomorrow--my computer is misbehaving this evening. These girls have worked hard and produced a lot of great pieces---I swear, they said they did lunch today, but when I came back from the break, they were in the same spots painting.....I am not really sure they stopped to eat! This is a motivated, dedicated bunch of artists!

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"October's Painting Giveaway"

I love finding out who has won one of my paintings each month. It's a little perk of doing what I do. It's nice to know you can do something that is so simple and yet is going to make some one's day a little special. The above piece, "Lilly Ann", will be heading out to her new home with blog follower, Catherine Jeffrey. Catherine, I truly hope you enjoy your newest little art piece and that it brings its own special sunshine to your place!

Each one of you who take the time to read and view my art---it is so amazing for it creates such a sense of family--- it is a way of putting our heads and hearts together on art and life. Along with the comments here on the blog, I receive so many nice emails--it is just interesting because it truly is like opening a little bit of love in the mail. My heart is brimming over so I always want to remember to say a very, very sincere thanks to each of you. You are special and your contributions enrich my life and my art. Thank you--thank you!

*Note to Catherine: Email me with your address so I can send Lilly Ann on her way!

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