01/31/11 It's Complicated - finished

I added the leaves and the hanging vines on this great old tree. I'm proud to donate this picture to "Incrementum."

Thank you for looking at my blog today.

01/30/11 Trees - It's Complicated (like life)

Not quite finished with this challenge. I decided to paint this tree from south Texas because it WAS so complicated. I am entering this in an auction for a charity that wanted trees to represent "continuous growth." This tree reminded me that like life, it is complicated. There are a lot of things in life that cling to us and twist the way we grow but the base of this tree is solid and strong. We can and are solid and strong for many and varied reasons but we can also support a lot of other people emotionally with our strength. Thanks to all who have and still do support me in my life.

Thank you for checking out my blog.

1/28/11 Seaside

You might be wondering why I'm painting in a book! It is actually a moleskine! Not the kind you put on feet to alleviate blisters. Moleskine, as in journal like Hemingway wrote in and other famous people. This is a project that I was excited to begin. In December some artists that I belong in a group with had lunch at Cheesecake Factory and our leader, Angela ,told us about a group she was a part of that painted in molskines and then sent them off to another artist who would do the same and so on. She was awaiting hers as we sat there eating. By the time you get it back, it is full of fabulous paintings, drawings and such! Well, we all decided to do this in our little group and this is the first entry in my own moleskine. It was a little messy and strange to gesso water color paper and I finally figured out how to keep the paint off of the whole book - did I mention that I'm messy? It is also challenging to paint small - I mean a one hair brush!! This is my result - and I am proud of it! It will take a while to dry but should be ready to pass on to Ann by the end of February. My theme is "sides". Any side: seaside (my own favorite),countryside, East Side, West Side, any kind of side you can think of. I wanted it to be very flexible. Can't wait to see what becomes of it. Linda is kind enough to start a blog for us and that is where I will be posting the rest of my paintings. I'll let you know more when I do.

Thank you for looking at my blog.

01/22/11 The Greats

This is Morgan and Payton McNally, my great niece and nephew. They are 5 and 3. Cute as little puppies and quite a bundle of energy! I painted this for their mom and dad but I'm going to use it as an example of my portrait abilities for an auction at The Taste of The NFL before I send it to them. I love painting their little faces and it usually goes quickly. Hope Mike and Nancy like it because I sure do!

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01/19/11 Finally finished!!

Ta-Da!!! Looking forward to calling Pam to let her know that I've finished her commission! It will need to dry for a while but I'm pleased!

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01/19/11 Hello, Cupcake!(happy birthday to me!)

When I sold my four cupcakes a month ago I decided to paint a single with a lot of impasto to make it stick out. This one had 3 layers of impasto on the frosting and I would have liked more but I kept running out of impasto! For being only 20x20 it is incredibly heavy and I didn't want to ruin it with too much impasto and have it fall off the canvas!!

Also tomorrow is my six-O birthday and I'm going to dedicate it to 60 wonderful years (and it is only getting better)!!!

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01/18/11 Almost finished!

I have fallen in love with the canals of the English countryside! This commission has come together fairly easily. My only problem is that I get too much paint on it and have to stop for the day. Just a few more details and I'll be ready to let it dry for several days before I deliver it!

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01/16/11 still on the easel

Small steps on this painting! I forgot my camera yesterday so there is more progress than what appears here. The studio was busy and full yesterday. Suzy had 4 HUGE canvases and then Sharon's canvas isn't even stretched ............. it must be 7 ft. tall and almost as wide! I was sandwiched between the two with my little things and saying a prayer that I wouldn't get gessoed or splashed! There is still a lot of very wet paint on this picture so I'm taking the day off to let it dry for a bit while I "veg" out at home to watch the games on TV.

Thank you for looking at my blog today.

01/14/11 On the easel

Just started this commission yesterday. Got to the studio late and drew it on and began to block in some colors. Usually have trouble with the greens but they came together easily - what's up with that! Maybe I'm getting better at mixing them!

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01/13/11 The littlest Cowgirl

As a child, I got up VERY early(4 AM) on Saturday mornings so excited because I was going to see my favorite program :Roy Rogers! I used to dress up and play around the house until he was on. My father captured this youthful image of me in Fantasy Land and I painted it last week. Hope you enjoy!

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01/11/11 Mommy and Me

Hope Lorena, mommy, will like the portrait that I did of her and Natalie. The artists in my studio gave me some constructive criticism and I worked on it for a good bit of the day and hopefully it is better. This has not been one of those easy portraits to paint.

Thank you for looking at my blog. PS I won't shy away from any criticism, so please, let me know how you feel.

01/09/11 STILL on the easel

This is "Mommy and Me." I signed it and then took the picture and while I'm pleased with the faces, I've got a problem with Lorena's blue neck - it just isn't right. I will correct it on Monday and hopefully repost for the last time!

Thank you for taking time on this cold snowy day to look at my blog.

01/05/11 On the easel

This is my friend Lorena Cannellos and the smallest of her three girls, Natalie. I am working on the underpainting for both faces. I couldn't stand it so I painted Lorena's eyes and began on Natalie's before it was time to go. It was a difficult day at the studio -- not because of the painting but because I started Weight Watchers yesterday and I'm going through the" Impulsive foods that I grab," withdrawl! If my friends hadn't been there to help, I'm sure I would have eaten the whole studio! Thanks Suzy and Kay.

I do have a LONG way to go but it was good to paint faces again!

01/02/11 New Years Day

New Years day was spent at the studio with the Upton girls painting dogs! The top picture is of Grayson at the easel finishing up her dog and the bottom is of Kennedy painting the sides of her dog picture. We all had our cornbread and black-eyed peas for good luck this year and so far, it has been marvelous!

I wish everyone looking at my blog a Happy New Year for 2011!! Thank you for reading my blog this past year also.