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!

Thanks for looking at my blog!!

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!

Thanks for looking at my blog!!

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)!!!

Thank you for looking at my blog!

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!

Thanks for checking out my blog.