"150 Paintings and Miles of Smiles"

2500 miles (from Paris to Pasadena), 500 lbs of luggage, 150 paintings in 4 days,  148 bottles of water,  the 72nd Artists Helping Artists blog radio show, 60 rolls of Viva,  48 muffins, 30 artists, 24 lavender macadamia nut  cookies, 15 bottles of wine, 4 hours of sleep, 3 coffee cakes, 2 Dogs, and 1 angry Eddie left in Paris.

Whewww! What was I thinkin'??????

But then the girls came bearing gifts and all was forgotten:))

"We Three Queens of ........."

Note:  Box with bow contains bell used for herding cats , er I mean artists...

Artists love to talk shop!!

Nancy  won the prize (a hug) for traveling from afar.....all the way from Singapore:))

My co-host (and amazing artist and dearest friend) for this workshop, artist Leslie Saeta doing her palette knife demo for the group!!

Me with an audience--(albeit a few hecklers in the bunch, sent there by Eddie no doubt.)

Paintings from Musical Easels:))

The Incredible Shrinking Workshop

This is what happens when you remember to take the group photo after the workshop is over---Eddie says this would have never happened if he had been in charge. ... 

Lots of oohing and ahhing as the paintings are stacking up:)!!

and up

and up:)!!!

We even got "framed" with a visit from the King of Frame himself, Randy Higbee.  Randy took orders for his famous floater frames and delivered finished frames the very next day.  What a guy!! 

Great food served up to "starving" artists:))

And two special evenings of relaxed conversation for the artists!

Workshops are rich and hold so much, 

trying to capture it all with words and photos, 

well, 

as Eddie would say....

"May as well try and ...

Never mind, you really don't want to know what Eddie says:)) 

Thanks to Cherry, Susan, Lisa, JoAnn, Tina, Linda, Julie, Silvia, Julie, Kristy, Nancy,

Jean, Susan, Maria, Ann, Sharon, Karen, Kadija, Patricia, Gloria, Lynette, Marie, Fiddy, Paula, Denyse,

Emely, Annmarie, Nancy, Carol, and Jack 

California 2011 Oil Painting Workshop was simply, as Eddie would say 

(and every once in awhile we actually agree)

The Cat's Meow:))

If you would like to come paint with me, you can visit my workshop page to see what's coming up--Click Here!

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"A Fondness for All Things French" SOLD

"A Fondness for All Things French"

6 x 6in oil on museum quality panel

$200

Love.  I love so many things--including Eddie and you.  When we say we love  something it is, I think, because of the joy it adds to our life.  We love a good cup of coffee with a dear friend, we love the feel of a soft shirt against our body, we love home-grown catnip (okay, maybe only Ed loves that..), we love the smell of the air after a rain, we love our favorite song--played loudly while we pretend we are actually a great dancer (not that I know anyone who does this---ahem).  We love a lot of things, from very tiny to very great, and all because of the way it makes us feel inside.  Take a moment to look around and think of all the things you love--from the tiny to the great.  Kinda fills your heart up all the way to your eyes, doesn't it??

So here I sit on an island, with a dear friend who delights my heart, looking at water in an unbelievable shade of blue while dreaming of France too (we can love lots of things at once--gotta love that option!!).  Love is such a wondrous thing, no matter how you shape it or what you use it on. Today is your day to take on an extreme awareness of all the things in your life that you love and how much joy it adds to you..:))) Even write it down--if you have enough paper on hand!

So I am in Hawaii, thinking of France and writing about love and you and Eddie.   In a few days I will be in Kentucky, thinking of Hawaii, writing about Italy and painting France.  And of course, fighting with Eddie.  But I love to fight with Eddie--it keeps me on my toes and makes me realize that I love the fact that Eddie doesn't have a twin....

In Other News:

•  The California Workshop was amazing.  I was sharing with a friend last evening that it was that and more due to the individual artists who were there.  Hearing them share their stories, one by one, was just one of the best moments of the workshop for me.  Beautiful, beautiful women.  I was honored to be part of their lives for that 4 days.  I created a page on my blog to cover it a bit more so you can check it out by clicking here.
• The book that Eddie and Phyllis are going to be part of is nearing completion.  You can get a sneak peek of all the great artists work included in this by clicking here.  
• This week on Artists Helping Artists which both Leslie Saeta, my co-host, and I will be up early for (she is in Hawaii this week too) our guest is Maria Brophy--an expert on art licensing.  For artists, creating multiple streams of income is vital and Maria has worked with her husband and his art to do just that.  You can join us live or download it to your MP3 player for listening to later.  Go to Artists Helping Artists for details

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"Storybook House of France"

"Storybook House of France"

6 x6in oil on museum quality panel

$200

Sometimes you round the corner in France and stumble upon those places that look like a page torn  right out of a childhood book.  Fantasy meets real life--what a delight:)!  Don't you love the colors?!

Speaking of fantasy and real life....I finally got to meet and spend some real time with Leslie Saeta, my "partner in crime", best buddy, great artist, co-host on Artists Helping Artists, and now co-teacher for workshops!   As you may know already, I met Leslie through art and being online a little over a year ago.  We had only met in person for a quick lunch one time--but we made up for it these past few days. Leslie invited me to stay with her for our Pasadena workshop and what an incredible treat it was.  Leslie is as warm as you might have suspected from reading her blog and seeing her art.  Here home is truly a home--made beautiful by her presence (and that of her sons, husband and Spef the dog).  We laughed, worked hard, did our radio show, cooked (I was the helper..:) for 20 wonderful artists two nights, and ended with getting a foot massage together (our feet said thank you!)  I feel so blessed to have Leslie as my friend and wish for each of you those people in your life who appreciate you, help cheer you across the finish line, always make you feel better for having spent time with them, and know they genuinely are happy when good things happen to others!

I just left Leslie's this evening and am getting to hang out a few days with my one and only daughter, Desiree, in LA.  I am still learning to use her mac, so I will post photos of the workshop and all of the great gals in it over the next couple of days--just as soon as I have a tutorial on how the heck to do it..:))

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