Whimrab

Spring Fever

2012-01-27T17:52:00.000-08:00

After last week's arctic blast, I am so tired of cold and dark weather. I'm ready for Spring and am so happy to see signs of a little more daylight on both ends of the day. This little mixed media piece is my way of dreaming of spring. It has a gouache underpainting with pastel pencils and soft pastel on top painted on hot-press watercolor paper. Tulips always make me happy.

Staying Warm. Staying Focused.

2012-01-18T10:39:00.000-08:00

B-r-r-r-r. The Pacific Northwest is getting the big chill this year. Fighting the urge to hibernate is at the top of my to-do list. Remembering that spring is only a few weeks away helps. With spring comes the Farmer's Market and the need for new card designs for my loyal patrons. In between long winter naps, I've checked off a couple of winter to-do items:
I've combed through my painting idea piles and prioritized the card projects that strike me as ones that will resonate with more than just me.
I've gotten my new-to-me Epson printer up and running to create archival prints.
I've completed several Christmas designs for next year, since I never seem to get them done in time for Christmas if I wait until the holiday season to start them.

Well, time to go feed the squirrels and birds.

Love and Hate

2012-01-02T12:18:00.000-08:00

I have a love-hate relationship with my computer when I use it to create artwork. Sometimes I do it, but there's a teeny, tiny voice inside my head that says "You're cheating, you know." Then why do I love seeing what fun new thing "Hal" comes up with using my artwork? I'll have to think about that.

Out with the Old - In with the New

2011-12-31T12:31:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve - The clock ticks toward the end of another year. I've always loved the process of making lists...not the doing of lists, but the making of lists. I love to imagine how things would be if I actually did the things on those lists. Need to work on that. The first two bullet points are always the same....get out of debt and lose ____ pounds. I need some sub-bullet points of how I plan to make those happen. This year, point 3 is to start creating and posting archival prints on my Etsy site. Sub-bullet is to paint new images weekly and re-list on Etsy at least daily. I'm hopeful that this year I will be adding silk-screened products to the site. You can visit my Etsy store by clicking on the Etsy grid on the right sidebar.

As I reflect on 2011, I'm so amazed at and thankful for the threads of friendship, family, and well being that make up my tapestry of life. I wish you all the same for the new year.

It's Almost Christmas

2011-12-24T07:20:00.000-08:00

Well here it is...Christmas Eve. Keeping my Christmas preparations very simple has been an interesting development for me. This year I've spent more time appreciating the holiday embellishments displayed by others, i.e the office, the lights on houses, etc. I'm going to try to carry that simplicity into the new year, although a flurry of artistic ideas have been percolating and I'm anxious to put them to paper. Plans include a greater emphasis on my Etsy shop with more bird and animal paintings and completing several large-scale commissioned pieces. Maybe this is just the calm before another artistic storm. I hope your holiday has been filled with the things good memories are made of. Merry Christmas to all.

Super-Size That?

2011-11-20T15:50:00.000-08:00

On a recent trip to Dakota Art, I spied some brushes with inordinately long handles. I wondered, "who paints with those?". Uh, people doing very large paintings paint with long-handled brushes, that's who.

With the Allied Arts holiday show set-up complete, my energy has turned to finishing the first in a series of commissioned pieces representing the four seasons. I'm quite sure this is the biggest painting I've ever done...two panels totalling 48" wide x 24" tall, like a giant jigsaw puzzle until I would step back a couple of feet. These pine cones were on a huge pine tree in my yard planted by my parents. Beautiful in the snow.

Now that I'm warmed up, the next one will be even bigger!

In Praise of Small Shows

2011-11-06T10:35:00.000-08:00

Many an artisan participating in art shows has probably taken a gamble on a first-year show. This past weekend I participated in one such show. The venue was beautiful, the weather sunny and autumn golden, the products diverse and well made and displayed, but sales overall were a bit lackluster. As I have some past experience with this sort of thing, I decided that I would bring along some interesting props and do as many small paintings as I could. As I tend to be a reclusive studio painter, these paintings are never as polished as my studio paintings, but I enjoy doing them and they stimulate conversation with onlookers.

A couple of jewels for the day were:
1. I finished the above little painting and started another.
2. I had sales enough to cover my show expenses and a lovely buffet lunch was served.
3. I made a possible wholesale contact in another state.
4. I made two possible Art-Startz contacts for the spring.
5. I made a possible show contact for the summer.
6. I got a jump start on my inventory for the next 2 shows.
7. I met and talked with some wonderful people I would not have met if I'd stayed home.
8. The cards that were purchased will fly off into the world with kind words for people I'll probably never meet. Those kind words will make my images look even better.

So, given all that, how could I consider the hours I spent a waste of time. I don't. Thanks to all who made the day such a success.

To Blog or Not to Blog

2011-10-22T13:04:00.000-07:00

Well, after several years of pseudo-blogging (many thanks to the faithful few that have found and followed my posts), I'm taking the opportunity to attend a real class on blogging at Whatcom Community College. Dawn Groves is our very capable and animated guide and I'm reminded of the original passion I felt when I started my journey into the blogosphere. There is so much that can be done with a blog....even for the techno-challenged. Community building is something that has been lacking in my blogging. Twitter, affiliate marketing, back links, video, widgets--all so very exciting.

Letting Go

2011-10-02T09:14:00.000-07:00

Summer is over. Time, once again, for letting go of the anticipated days of warmth and beauty....time for embracing whatever winter brings. Time to catch up on artistic projects. Time to curl up with books. Time to learn new skills, indulge in hot soup and warm bread and watch romantic movies. I'll hold those thoughts for the next 5 months.

Hot, Hot, Hot

2011-08-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

While most of the U.S. has been suffering a long, hot summer, we here in the Pacific NW have been complaining of our numerous unseasonably gray days....until this past weekend. That's why we live here...for the 2 days in a row of hot weather. Today it's raining....but it's a warm rain.

Cupcakes

2011-08-20T06:26:00.000-07:00

With the mist lifting in my early-morning brain, I realize that today is my birthday. Truly significant only to me and my mother, but Darth seems quite excited when I share that information with him....but then Darth seems excited with just about anything I say. Note to self, spend more time with Darth. Having a summer birthday isn't as disappointing as it was in my grade-school years. With school being out, there were no cupcakes to share with the class. Over the years, I've learned to make my own fun and have adopted a personal birthday WEEK. Let the party begin!

Little bundles of creativity

2011-08-06T20:02:00.000-07:00

My earliest recollection of being interested in artistic endeavors was in first grade. I was not an artistic whiz-kid. Coloring inside the lines was not my strong suit, which caused me much angst. My very wise mother kept the art supplies available and I kept trying to do something with them. I'm so very glad my granddaughters are loving the creative process as well. A new chalk-board door in my kitchen is decorated with wonderful designs that only children can think of. Every grandmother should have one. Priceless.

Chalkboard paint (available in spray or brush-on applications) from Home Depot.

The not-so-lazy days of summer

2011-07-31T10:22:00.000-07:00

I still have very fond memories of childhood summers. Life seemed to pass in slow motion. Our Whatcom County Library book mobile would park at the top of our driveway every other week and I can still remember the magical feeling I got inside that vehicle. It was so quiet, the sun always seemed to stream down through the little sky light, and there were all those books to chose from. Fast forward several decades...let's just say life is different.

Faux Splash

2011-07-25T18:42:00.000-07:00

With the arrival of my high school reunion and a high school classmate came the need to "feng shway" my house a bit, so that it looked merely lived-in, as opposed to ransacked. I've always loved tile back splashes, but being too lazy to learn how to do tile work for myself, I've looked for more painterly ways to achieve the look of tile. This is my latest attempt, which involved wood burning, acrylic paint on pine with a couple of real tiles rescued from a family member's remodel.... what's not to love about aqua tile? The bathroom walls were painted bright-need-sunglasses white. Periwinkle bath mat and towels. Sort of Cape Cod-ish I think. I'm thinking I should have company more often.

Reunion

2011-07-22T19:39:00.000-07:00

I am so looking forward to being back at the Bellingham Farmer's Market again tomorrow, although I have to say that attending my high school reunion last weekend was well worth the absence. It was wonderful to see all those faces (that once intimidated me) looking a lot like mine and most conversations were about grandchildren. If I'd only known then what I know now about what is important in life...

This is a giclee print on canvas that will be going to market with me tomorrow.

June Art-Startz

2011-07-09T21:23:00.000-07:00

The June Art-Startz session was a special time of artistic energy. Whether it be a simple plate with a couple of strawberries or a garden gate, each of us brings a new perspective to the things that inspire us. To watch a piece of white paper and some pigment become a new thing is magical.

Fate of the Forest

2011-06-03T22:13:00.000-07:00

For most of my years, I have lived on family acreage backed by a stand of enormously tall evergreens. Ravens, crows, eagles, and numerous smaller varieties of birds make their homes in those trees. Deer, coyotes and rabbits make their homes among those trees. I have the privilege of observing all of them from my kitchen window. Those trees have just always been there and I can't imagine....I don't want to imagine.... the scenery out my back door any other way. When I read the call for artists to submit artwork illustrative of the forest, my mind immediately went to work. This is the painting that emerged. Over 200 works of art have been received for the "Fate of the Forest" exhibit at the Whatcom Museum Lightcatcher and Old City Hall, June 17. I don't want to miss it.

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

2011-04-30T19:43:00.000-07:00

Nothing says “Pacific Northwest” quite like snow falling softly on tulip fields or artisans bundled up in gloves and scarves braving early spring elements to show their wares at the Tulip Festival street fair. This year, I had the good fortune to visit with and purchase from one of my favorite artists, Jennifer Lommers. A former Bellinghamster, Jennifer has relocated to Oregon, but ventures up north from time to time. Check out her web site and blog where she generously shares the details of what it is like to live the artful life.

New creative energy

2011-04-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

How time flies. I never get used to how fast it passes. Time to take stock of what has happened in the past 30-some days since I last posted. Managed to create and ship the above acrylic painting in time to be included in the Northwest Watercolor Society signature members show being held at the Seattle Design Center in May. I'm hoping for some double mileage out of that venue. This painting is a result of numerous influences I've been pondering.....trying to reduce an image to succinct shapes in a large-for-me format. I hope to explore compositions that have an iconic element, that shout from 10 feet away "Hey, I am really into the beach" or whatever. Aside from that, it was therapeutic to set a creative goal, overcome the obstacles without cutting off an ear, and actually creating something I felt I could share.....with a couple days to spare. Yeah me!

I will start the Bellingham Farmers Market next Saturday, April 30. It's under the pavilion, away from the rain, for me this year. Look for me along the wall with the windows.

More creative stuff to write about later...hopefully not a month-from-now later.

Turning the corner on winter

2011-03-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

Everything is coming up primroses and with them the promise of 6 months of warmer weather. Time to put away the wooly socks and gloves. I love this time of year. It makes me forget how long and dark winter is.

I also can be reasonably sure that Art-Startz won't get canceled again on account of icy weather. Twice was enough. I've reserved Sunday April 3 and Sunday April 10 for our next sessions. We will use a watercolor wet-on-dry technique, mixing color on the paper, and try out watercolor pencils and crayons. They're perfect for capturing the tulip fields. Very fun! Ready to paint? I sure am.

Breaking Rules

2011-03-13T00:58:00.000-08:00

I recently have discovered the artwork of British painter, Shirley Trevena. I have purchased her DVD "Breaking the Rules of Watercolour" from Creative Catalyst Productions and have also purchased one of her books "Taking Risks with Watercolour" from Amazon. Mixing paint on the paper rather than on the palette reminds me of the way I used to paint before I began glazing. It's a much more spontaneous approach. A chance to get excited about surprises. A chance to suspend expectations. A chance to throw exactness out the window.

Winter Art-Startz

2011-03-03T09:06:00.000-08:00

The January session of Art-Startz brought a welcome dash of color to an otherwise gray day. Sadly, snow dictated that we cancel the November and February sessions, but spring is coming. Everyone was asked to bring 3 simple-shaped objects that they would find interesting to paint. I brought a few of my own favorite things as well. Already I think they have seen the positive effect of filling the whole picture plane, varying the size of the shapes and thinking about foreground and backgrounds. So fun.

I am on the edge of a flurry of creativity. Several wholesale card orders, the spring Antique and Craft fair in Lynden where Christa Warren will include my prints in her lovely display from her shop, Surroundings. The Bellingham Farmer's Market is only about 6 weeks away for me and I have also committed to 5 large original paintings! I'm honored to be asked. Biting off more than I can chew? Time will tell. But hey, life is short and anything worth doing is worth overdoing. I think Mae West said that.

Simple Stems

2011-02-13T15:06:00.000-08:00

Spring is just around the corner. The garden is showing signs of perennial life. It wasn't such a bad winter here in the Pacific NW, thus far at least. Winter is a time to paint new things for the farmer's market season coming up. Life is getting in the way...as usual. A couple of new card images have been accomplished. Art-Startz #4 is coming up here shortly on February 27. I am totally enjoying the time of artful exploration. Can't wait to see what they paint next. I hope they're doing their homework.

This painting is one of a series I plan to do, exploring refraction of stems in water. My market "neighbor" displays her wonderful dahlias and lilies in these wonderful blue jars and I haven't been able to resist taking tons of photos. Glass and water....what a challenge.

Bright Future

2011-01-15T18:17:00.000-08:00

I'm intrigued with the idea of applying artwork to the OUTSIDE of a snail-mail envelope. I'm pretty tired of all the window envelopes that fill my mailbox day after day. Maybe my friends would appreciate a creative envelope once in awhile too. It would tie in well with collage using my own artwork. Hmmmm, another tangent.

2011 - Year of the Rabbit

2011-01-02T21:09:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! December kind of flew right by...like it does every year. With the new year comes renewed energy for projects. It seems like the perfect spot to make a new start on all the goals I didn't accomplish in the past year... or the year before that. This is the Chinese year of the rabbit. I have a feeling this is going to be a great year for the Whimsical Rabbit. I've already concocted several new artistic endeavors to pursue. Never mind that I won't make a dime from them or have no time to carry them out. It's the scheming that fuels my zest for the creative life.

Many Thanks

2010-11-25T21:57:00.000-08:00

With the Thanksgiving Day festivities behind, I'm compelled to reflect on how very much I have to be thankful for. Twenty-two of the 24 members of the Dahl clan braved the snowy weather to gather and share food and fun and plans for midnight Black Friday shopping sprees. I'm thankful for the gainful employment that will prompt me to arise at 4:45 a.m. tomorrow morning. Needless to say, I won't be going on a midnight shopping spree tonight. My mother wasn't there, having passed away a decade ago, but her love and laughter was there amongst us. She is the reason we gather and enjoy each other's company as we do. I know she's smiling somewhere on the other side. Thanks Mom.

White Stuff

2010-11-19T06:12:00.001-08:00

It's coming...again. Earlier and earlier every year it seems. Maybe we will see an ice age again. Did I mention I'm not a big fan of winter? I'm never sure if I've stashed away the right stuff. Dog food---check, cat food and litter----check. Candles, batteries, extra water, sunscreen...no, not sunscreen. Well, I'm off to try to get to my cubicle dwelling. It hasn't even started to snow, but I'm way ahead of the curve in worry.

This image is from a larger watercolor called "Sheep in the Woods".

Holiday in Full Swing

2010-11-13T21:11:00.000-08:00

My first show of the holiday season was a great one. The Covenant Woman's show is always like a big reunion for me. Lots of familiar faces and catching up to do. This year I tried several new artful ventures and a couple of them did well. My collage fridge frames and my new line of photo cards were both a hit....wish I'd brought more of them. I also connected with more people interested in coming to an Art-Startz session and picked up a commission. Pretty nice for one day's work.

Going Home

2010-11-11T23:22:00.000-08:00

Home. The word has a lot of meanings. Whether it's a real place or simply a vague imagining, I think it's a place we're all trying to get back to. I was going to post this yesterday in remembrance of Veteran's Day, but ran into computer issues. The sentiment is still the same the day after. A big thank you to all the people who have contributed to the freedom we enjoy in this country and around the world.

This piece was one in a series of collages I made using copies of my own artwork.

Cat Naps

2010-11-10T22:12:00.000-08:00

Is there anything more refreshing that a 15-minute catnap in the middle of a long afternoon? I've honed it to a fine art. Armed with a small pillow and my oven timer, I can fall asleep almost immediately and bolt wide awake 15 minutes later (with the help of the timer) feeling refreshed, ready to finish the afternoon. Of course, a strong cup of coffee and a Snickers bar is also a viable option.

This drawing, "Dream On", was done in charcoal and pastel on newsprint.

Deep End

2010-11-09T22:54:00.000-08:00

In over my head....that about sums it up. I've bitten off too much. Seven projects and they're all coming due by the end of the month.

When I made the artistic commitments, it all seemed so do-able... months to plan and get stuff ready, but it will all work out, I keep repeating to myself. It always does.

This painting is called "Deep End" and was painted with acrylic on board. This painting is sold.

Also, here's how it would look as a rubber stamp.

The Way Things Work

2010-11-08T21:44:00.000-08:00

There is a book out there (geared toward children, as I recall) called "The Way Things Work". It shows how mechanical things work. I wish there was some kind of a manual to show how things work.... or don't work in real life.... a manual that would convince you to .... get a college education.... marry well the first time...save your money for a rainy day...eat your veggies....but alas, everybody gets to write their own version.

This painting is titled "The Way Things Work" and was done in gouache on gold gessoed watercolor paper.

Wild Abandon

2010-11-07T01:28:00.000-07:00

Throwing caution to the wind, I've begun to chop up my stash of fabric (some of that stuff I've been saving to conquer boredom during a month-long snow storm). A series of mixed-matched little pillows with various sentiments seems like a good way to use up some of the fabric. I have no idea what I'll do with them after that. One thing I do know....art is messy.

Last Minute Again

2010-11-06T08:44:00.000-07:00

Once again, I'm feverishly preparing for several upcoming art venues. The Whimsical Rabbit and I will be participating in the Covenant Women's craft show on Saturday Nov. 13 from 9:00 to 4:00 and then Allied Arts will be starting on Nov. 19 through Dec. 24. They always sneak up on me. If you live close by and need directions, let me know. Also, I'm readying FIVE framed original paintings for the St. Joseph Hospital caregiver show in December. More details to come. Have a great weekend.

Bullseye

2010-11-04T22:43:00.000-07:00

Please keep the natural disaster-striken people of Haiti in your thoughts. There are a lot of very special children at the Good Shepherd Orphange and elsewhere that could sure use a special measure of grace right now.

Waiting Rooms of LIfe

2010-11-03T20:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it feels as though life is one big waiting room. I'm not very good at waiting. I moved from Seattle to escape the waiting, only to find my little hometown had grown considerably in the decade I'd been away. We have traffic now. One thing waiting is good for is daydreaming... until you find out the guy behind you in traffic is worse at waiting than you are.

This painting, entitled "Another Waiting Room" was done in gouache and watercolor on hot press watercolor paper.

We're Not in Kansas Anymore, Toto

2010-11-02T19:55:00.001-07:00

The freedom to vote for our leaders is not a privilege to be taken lightly. It was bought with a huge price by those who have gone before us. Whether our favorite candidates win or lose, the democratic process is what makes America great. God bless America...and every other country as well.

Art-Startz 2 Stars

2010-11-01T20:49:00.000-07:00

Here they are...the brave souls who trusted me with the right side of their brains for the second in what I hope will be a long series of art adventures. Each participant brought a unique skill set to our time together, but I feel each was successful. Watercolor is like learning to drive a car with a manual transmission, you can read about it all day long, but until you get behind the wheel, you'll never know how much "gas to give it". You have to put a loaded paint brush to paper....over and over again.

Flying

2010-10-31T22:28:00.000-07:00

I hate to fly. There, I said it. It's not so much that I have a fear of flying...it's that I have a fear of falling. I'm good with other people traveling as long as I'm not related to them.

This is a little collage piece I did last winter. The original painting was acrylic on hardboard.

Little Traditions

2010-10-30T21:32:00.000-07:00

Oops. Almost forgot to unwrap the little family pumpkins. If you grew up in our neighborhood in the 60's, you probably made one of your own. Being the eldest, I was the first to make one of these little heirlooms. It's not easy being a trendsetter. They clearly got better as each of us took our turn. By the time my youngest (at the time) brother made his pumpkin, I was in middle school and was sculpting little round owls out of plaster of Paris. I'm thinking the pumpkin on the right may have been influenced by my sculptures. Mom.... he's copying me.

Creative Minds Think Alike

2010-10-29T21:39:00.000-07:00

After several months on our respective "new jobs", I got together with two of my fellow outsourced coworkers this afternoon. We had spent six months in a "project pool" as compensation for being outsourced and it was during that time we forged a special creative bond. The "pool" project was monotonous (putting it kindly)and we soon found that no one in the corporation was terribly concerned about how much of the project we completed. (It reminded me a bit of that scene in Dances with Wolves where Kevin Costner is sent off to an abandoned outpost by a suicidal superior officer. You've been sent on a mission, but no one cares whether you accomplish it. Weird feeling.) We found creative ways to cope. Etsy, Apartment Therapy, and Stampington magazine reviews were daily escapes. Imagine our surprise to discover these "perks" weren't built into our new jobs. How did our new coworkers survive without these therapies? we asked ourselves. Vowing to hold fast to our artful natures, refusing to succumb to corporate standardization in our inner beings, we've made a pact to meet frequently at Tully's Coffee for some serious rejuvenation.

Care Giver Art Exhibit

2010-10-28T18:51:00.000-07:00

I just received notification from the art committee at St. Joseph Hospital here in Bellingham that my work has been chosen to be included in the upcoming Care Giver Art Exhibit. I'm honored to be selected by the distinguished jurors. I submitted several images, so it remains to be seen which one they picked. I've never been an art show juror, but I can imagine it's a huge task to put together a collection of paintings that look good together. For the Northwest Watercolor Society shows, I've been told that there are sometimes 500 submissions and less than 100 paintings chosen for the show. An artist really has to calculate what to paint that will catch the juror's attention while they're flying through those slides at break-neck speed. This image is one of the four I submitted.

Creature of Habit

2010-10-27T20:58:00.000-07:00

It's not something I'm terribly proud of.... this resistance to progress technologically. I blame it on my DNA. I'm not wired to pick up a new techno gadget and be heard to say "How cool is that", but more likely to mutter..."What is this thing?". I wandered up and down the gadget aisles at Fred Meyer the other night... just to see what had been invented while I wasn't paying attention. This photo was taken with my ancient Minolta film camera. I'm tempted to start looking for yet another camera body for it on Ebay before I frustrate myself with a newer digital camera.

Fade to White

2010-10-26T20:15:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I had the privilege of taking a photography workshop from Brooke Gatterman of Roxsey Photography this past weekend. Very fun and I learned so much. First I learned that I need a new digital camera...which I pretty much knew before I went. I brought along my ancient Minolta X-700 film camera with my beloved 28-200 mm Tokina lens just in case. I did actually use it. The adjustments of shutter speed, ISO and whatever that other thing is you fiddle with... oh yeah f-stops, were actually easier to visualize with my old camera.

So much to know, so few brain cells with which to learn.

Getting a Grip

2010-10-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

Being a creative type, I'm always on an artistic tangent and with each tangent comes a boat-load of supplies. Once again this year, I will resolve to use up my supplies so I can rid myself of the guilt of not using up my supplies. I think I'm fearful of getting snowed in for a month and running out of things with which to entertain myself....like that's going to happen.

This painting was done using gouache, watercolor and acrylic on gold-gessoed illustration board.

Horse of Another Color

2010-10-24T21:00:00.001-07:00

With winter drawing nearer, my mind wanders to the thought of becoming a snow-bird, those enviable individuals who spend their winters in mild climates and venture up north when the threat of snow and Northeasters has passed. I imagine what it would be like to spend Christmas in Taos or Santa Fe. I know they get snow too, but somehow snow falling on adobe seems way more artful than snow falling on composite roofing.

This painting, "Horse of Another Color" was done with oil bar on metallic gold gessoed illustration board.

This painting is sold.

Like Ships in the Night

2010-10-23T22:49:00.000-07:00

It seems the older I get, the more I see people who bear a vague resemblance to someone I've known in my past. I did more mystery solving in my younger years, trying to make connections with people, and would strike up a conversation to see if there was a reason they looked familiar. I'm older and wiser. Experience has taught me that some acquaintances are best left unrenewed. So they pass, like ships in the night.

This painting, titled "Ships in the Night", was done with oil bar on metallic gold gessoed illustration board.

Morning Jump-Start

2010-10-23T08:26:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure which foreign country is due the credit for the discovery of coffee, but I'm eternally grateful for their sharing of it with the world. It is truly a remarkable thing...and legal. I do partake of a good cup of tea from time to time, but coffee makes my world go round. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we seem to be famous for making coffee part of our culture. That works for me. Woods Coffee is a little coffee company that seems to be springing up all over our county and probably beyond. Their decor is so Pacific Northwest and their coffee is great.

This is a little watercolor painting of mine that I scanned and altered using a couple of Photoshop Elements filters.

Change in the Weather

2010-10-21T18:08:00.000-07:00

It was inevitable. After all, it's nearing the end of October. We've enjoyed some wonderful sunny days, but now it looks like a change has come. Speaking of change, I managed to find enough of it at the bottom of my purse to pay for parking so that I could see the "1934: A New Deal For Artists" at the Lightcatcher today. The paintings were wonderful! Note to Bellinghamsters: There are tours for nonmembers. Check into it.

This is a watercolor painting I did utilizing a wet-into-wet technique, using various things like dry paper towels and a plastic credit card to create texture.

Flying South

2010-10-19T21:37:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty happy with the flock of my greeting cards that has just been shipped down to the Frye Museum's gift shop in Seattle, among them this image, "Raven Calls the Morning". If you're in the Seattle area, check out the Frye....and buy one of my cards.

This painting was done in acrylic treated like watercolor, painted on 140# hot-press watercolor paper.

Body Art

2010-10-18T21:16:00.000-07:00

While browsing my photo files for something to share, I ran across this image and I was reminded of the fellow who visited my booth at the farmer's market several weeks in a row asking if I would grant him permission to use one of my designs as a tattoo. I told him that I was not a big fan of tattoos actually. They remind me of that old Rod Steiger movie "The Illustrated Man" in which his character had managed to tattoo EVERY inch of his body with illustrations that became his reality. I eventually acquiesced and granted the gentleman permission to tattoo my painting on his body....what part, I never found out. To date, he has not returned to the market to show me the results. I hope it worked out to his satisfaction.

This painting was done using Oilbar on metallic gold gessoed hardboard (Masonite).

Good Stories

2010-10-17T09:31:00.000-07:00

When I was growing up my mother would read to me. Not just at bedtime, but anytime we had a few minutes to spare. Looking back, I think it must have been something she loved to do. She would read me stories like Secret Garden complete with the cockney accent. Have you ever tried to read with an accent? Not easy. I loved the stories. There weren't a lot of pictures, but my mind became filled with visual images and the warm memory lasts to this day. I had the good fortune of being invited to a Stuart McLean Vinyl Cafe event last night at WWU here in Bellingham. The stories he wove were wonderful and reminded me so much of those stories with my mother.

Contemplating

2010-10-15T21:20:00.000-07:00

Contemplating Crows' Feet. This is the third of three paintings that earned me my signature member status with the NW Watercolor Society a few years back. The judge for the show was Carla O'Connor, of whom I am a huge fan. The catalyst for the painting was turning 50 and coming to terms with my age. I refuse to try to out-run it. There's actually something quite comforting in living "below the radar".

This painting was done using gouache, watercolor and water-soluable crayons on metallic gold gessoed 140-pound hot press watercolor paper.

Meet Darth

2010-10-14T21:46:00.000-07:00

He is my little "rescue" dog. I rescued my grandchildren from him. He was advertised as a teacup Pomeranian... no more than a couple of pounds...such a darling little fuzz ball. Darth has morphed into a 9-pound dust bunny with fangs. He is 100% alert. Nothing moves in our house without Darth's approval. He is systematically eating my couch, long sections of duct tape have disappeared....stray socks...plastic containers of all sizes. I've been accused of altering his personality by naming him Darth.... uh.. I don't think so. This little guy marches to a different drummer... but he's growing on me.

A Periwinkle Day

2010-10-13T19:32:00.000-07:00

When I was much younger, I used to describe my feelings in odd ways. Maybe I was some kind of over-the-top, in-touch-with-my-inner-poet little person back then. I remember telling my mother at one point that I felt like an "R". I have no clear recollection of what that meant. I think it was synonymous with feeling blah - borderline sad - close to tears maybe. Today was a periwinkle day -- not quite a blue day, but definitely not a pink day. Come to think of it, I felt like an "R".

Connection

2010-10-12T21:42:00.000-07:00

He was fast asleep when I snapped this picture. His hands were so little, but I couldn't help but wonder what those hands would someday accomplish. Would he hold a paint brush and make paintings, would he throw a football or would he hold his only child's hand in his? It will be exciting to watch the changes...that zip by at the speed of life.

Up with ... Monday

2010-10-11T05:05:00.000-07:00

Well, it's Monday again. There sure seem to be a lot of Mondays in my week sometimes. It was different when I was a swing shift person, when it was almost Tuesday before I started my work week, but those were unique years. Reality is the 5:00 a.m. alarm clock, but I'm thankful to have a reason to get up that early. Reality is using my half-hour lunch to make greeting cards to get ready for fall/Christmas shows, trying to be artfully productive within any available morsel of time. I once read a book written by a guy who developed a way to paint watercolors in the driver's seat of his car (while it was parked, of course). Now that is artful determination. Happy Monday.

Windblown

2010-10-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

It started in high school, this looking down at my feet thing. It was all those scary boys that lined up along the lockers... what was that about? I felt like I was running the gauntlet passing by those guys, half expecting them to hold up a series of cards numbered 1-10. Sends chills up my spine to this day, 30 some years later. But I digress. Looking down at my feet last fall paid off big time in leaf pictures. I started looking for shallow puddles of water where spontaneous compositions had gathered. When I paint this, I think it will be a mixed media piece with acrylic treated like watercolor and an oil bar layer for the reflections.

Pumpkin and Stars

2010-10-09T09:34:00.000-07:00

I don't know...it's just me, but I like my pumpkins uncarved. They last so much longer that way. No squishy stuff to deal with. I also love polka dots and stars. The checkered-star floor cloth is one I did years ago. It's showing its age. I was going to repaint it, but I kind of like the worn look of it. It matches the rest of my treasures.

Art-Startz Revisited

2010-10-08T19:20:00.001-07:00

Art-Startz 2 has tentatively been scheduled for October 30. I'm really looking forward to introducing our merry band of watercolor enthusiasts to the wonderful world of SHAPES. We'll be playing with simple fruit shapes and work to create compositions that will be the basis for our paintings. We'll even throw a little salt around just for fun.

Everlasting...well, almost

2010-10-07T21:29:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited about a photography workshop I'm going to be taking later this month from Brooke Gatterman of Roxsey Photography. She does phenomenal work and I'm sure we're all hoping her talent and knowledge of pixels and shutter speed will magically transfer to us. You can check out her work at roxseyphotography.com.

Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

2010-10-06T05:36:00.000-07:00

After a hectic summer, I stole a couple of hours this weekend to work in my yard. I used to have time to garden and it was so therapeutic to get outside and putter around. My back wasn't too happy about the idea, but I pressed on. The 5 acres of what I call "elephant grass" (because it grows 10 feet tall if allowed to) was pressing in on all sides, but with my trusty weed-eater, I found the little patio of pavers I created several years ago, just before it started to rain. This aqua wooden box was certainly feeling neglected, but I love weathered surfaces and grabbed some of the Gravensteins I had picked earlier in the year and created a still life. The cloudy weather was the perfect condition for good pictures and gardening.

A Classy Class

2010-10-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

Here they are, the faithful friends who ventured out for the first Art-Startz session. The watercolor paintings they produced were so wonderful. They were complete novices and were able to follow my example to complete unique paintings filled with expression and their own creative instincts. When they took the masking tape off, they were amazed at what a difference the crisp white border made in their paintings. Session two coming soon.

On a Lighter Note

2010-10-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

For better or worse, I just finished a little "art-startz" of my own. How quickly my mind becomes lazy and I seem to forget how to paint.... as if I ever really knew before. I find that if I just sit down and "niggle" (translated to mean: apply paint to a given surface in a semi-orderly fashion), something will appear on the paper, which I'll either love or hate. Like they say, "It's easier to turn a moving vehicle." I just have to keep reminding myself to be brave enough to see what happens and MOVE.

Woodland Fairies

2010-10-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

They grow up so fast. You can try to hold the moments in your heart, but they slip away. I fear this is a generation of children being abandoned by parents preoccupied with the technology of the day.... techno abandonment, I call it. In my generation, it was the father who sat behind the daily newspaper and never uttered an encouraging word to his children for years. Now it's parents who are texting, talking on cell phones or surfing the internet. There will be a price to pay for this "advancement". Please, look your children and grandchildren in the eyes and talk to them. They miss you, even though you're standing right next to them.

Keeping it simple

2010-10-02T11:34:00.000-07:00

Coming off a week's vacation, during which I did more of what I usually do without the constraints of the 5:00 a.m. alarm clock, I feel refreshed and ready to paint up a storm. But alas, now I have to go back to work and time wrangling will be the order of the day. I'm not sure this little acrylic painting is done, but it's started, which is the real cool part.

Saving the Best for Last

2010-09-30T23:13:00.000-07:00

Personally, I think fall is the most colorful season of the four. Sure, summer has it's moments, but autumn seems to pull out all the stops before everything falls asleep... for what seems like forever. Or maybe it's because orange and golden-yellow are such brilliant colors that pink and green pale by comparison. Just speculating here.

2010-09-29T00:33:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite aspects of designing a painting is playing with shapes and the shapes that define those shapes (negative space). These peppers are a perfect example of the types of compositions that grab my attention. I can look right past the similar, almost monotonous shapes and get caught up in the black shapes between the peppers. Weird, I know.

Art-Startz Becomes a Reality

2010-09-24T18:48:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night, 5 brave friends and I will gather to explore some creative possibilities that I'm calling Art-Startz. At the urging of a couple of close friends, I have been imagining a way to coax others along the path of creativity. Believing that art has to be lived and cannot be taught, I see myself as a tour guide rather than a teacher. My own creative journey has been through years of self-experimentation, books and workshops. I would have been helped greatly by having a tour guide along my creative path, a path I nearly abandoned out of frustration. I'm very excited to see what grows from this special night.

2010-09-16T21:34:00.000-07:00

It's coming. The leaves are starting to turn. As a kid, fall held an air of excitement, once the disappointment over the end of summer had passed. It was a chance to start again...reinvent myself, if possible. I don't think I ever did succeed at becoming someone new, but hope sprung eternal.

Summer's Swan Song

2010-09-11T22:17:00.000-07:00

Here we are again. The calendar says we are on the edge of a new season. I always struggle with this particular seasonal change. I love fall, but I'm not a fan of winter. Well, I'll just have to make the best of it. New goals are waiting to be set. My new project, Art-Startz, is on the horizon. A new sewing and photography class and... of course... new paintings. Maybe I'll be so busy I won't notice it's 20 degrees outside.

Apple a Day

2010-08-31T18:03:00.000-07:00

Remember when about the only kind of apple you could find in the store was a Delicious--take your pick--red or yellow. I usually picked the yellow ones because they were less mushy. I so looked forward to September when the Gravensteins were ripe. Now that the stores are packed with ten different kinds of apples, Fujis are my apple of choice. What a great invention, the apple.

A pear is a pear is a pear

2010-08-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

Ever notice how pears always look like pears? If you say something is "pear shaped", people always know the shape you're describing. I love to paint pears because they always look like pears....no awkward questions to answer, like "What is it?".

All my marbles

2010-08-24T21:32:00.000-07:00

Some days I have to count them to make sure I'm not losing any. The ducks won't stay in their row and there are way too many loose ends. Filled to the brim and often messy. Trying to find bits of time to squeeze in more.....life.

Farmers' Market

2010-08-21T17:53:00.001-07:00

Most people who buy produce, either at a farmer's market or the supermarket, take their food home and eat it rather directly. I can't help but see food as potential for a still life. These beautiful orange tomatoes were grown by my neighbors at the Bellingham farmer's market. After I played with my food, setting up various compositions with the little toms, I ate them. So yummy.

Good Excuses

2010-08-20T21:50:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, this is not an abandoned blog. I know my last post was in March, but I have excuses.... good ones. For starters, it has been summer...kind of. We had our usual 2-day scorcher, the two days out of the year that justify our slogging through endless rainy, gray days. Additionally, I have been on a quest for more secure gainful employment, which I'm happy to report I have found. The Bellingham Farmer's Market is only a few weeks from concluding for me...the end of my 9th season. Then there are all the mental artistic endeavors.... you know, all those paintings that line the inside of your mind, but never quite get to paper. I do have high hopes, however, that some of my reference photos will become paintings and not just blog posts. Stay tuned.

Rags to Roses

2010-03-16T21:51:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it's our balmy end of winter or if I'm just looking for a 3D tangent, but I've continued to have the urge to make these fabric roses... actually, they resemble gardenia more than roses. I've been knee deep in romantic fabrics and lace and have started a new Etsy store as a result. Soon my shop, Lace and Tulle (LaceandTulle on Etsy), will be filled with gardenia-like hair adornments and corsages, hopefully romantic wedding veils and ring pillows, all hand sewn and one of a kind. Where in the world do these ideas come from?

A rose in winter

2010-03-01T20:32:00.000-08:00

I really have no idea where this tangent has come from. I found myself attracted to some of the handmade flowers sold by various sellers on Etsy and went Googling to discover their techniques. I don't believe I ever discovered how to make the fabric flowers I was originally looking for, but along the way I gathered a few new ideas and developed some unique flowers of my own. I'm hoping to apply them to pins, hair adornments and maybe even bridal veils. Stay tuned.

Got Friends?

2010-02-01T23:27:00.001-08:00

One of life's pleasures is a leisurely visit with a good friend over a cup of tea. I love bringing out the cups and linens, a variety of teas to choose from and getting comfy, catching up after way too long. It's the best. This is a new acrylic painting on hardboard that I've titled "After the Visit". It measures 12x12 and will be posted for sale on Etsy soon.

Healthy Living

2010-01-29T00:38:00.001-08:00

With the new year comes new resolve to eat better. I was raised on home-grown vegetables from my mother's garden, so I know a brussel sprout from a parsnip and actually like most veggies, but just finding the time to cook them is the tricky part. I bought a new juicer....apple, pear, carrot is my favorite so far. Maybe I should throw a brussel sprout in there for good measure. This collage is from 3 different paintings and drawings arranged in a new way. Very fun.

Out of my mind happy

2010-01-20T10:03:00.000-08:00

When I look at the colors in this piece I did a few years back, I can almost feel a chemical change in my brain. It's not how I traditionally have worked, but I like it so well, I wonder why I don't do more. This little jewel-like painting was done on hot press watercolor paper using a Sharpie marker and watercolor paint. So simple.

Making this up as I go

2010-01-17T10:49:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't it be nice if the artistic life came with some guidelines? Not really "instructions", because then it wouldn't be unique to each creative spirit. With so many possibilities, sometimes it feels hard to get any bearings...just a "jungle" of tangled creative ideas. That's when I pull back to simple shapes and play with composition, suspending expectations for any outcome....just exploring the possibilities. I think it's time to pull out the oil bars again.

Half Way Through

2010-01-10T14:50:00.000-08:00

Being that we are almost half way through January means that we are half way through candy season also. If you are a chocoholic like I am, you know that the candy season starts in September with early Halloween candy and flows in a blissful blurr into May when the last of the pastel M and Ms are consumed. This collage pays homage to that tradition. So many of life's difficulties can be solved with chocolate, I think we should send a few boxcars full of the stuff to the Middle East.

Fresh Start 2010

2010-01-08T00:33:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all! I love January 1. It's a time to reflect on what worked and what didn't work so well in the previous year. It's a day to plan new things. I get out my notebook of lined paper and a pen or two and start to map out a strategy for the new year. I'm careful not to make resolutions, because they seldom work for me. A series of collages using copies of my own work combined with vintage drawings has jump-started my creativity this month. It has been so fun to take familiar shapes and arrange them in new ways. I found that just the exercise of rearranging the shapes in different configurations helped get my creativity rolling again after a couple of weeks of "artlessness".

First snowfall

2009-12-13T23:16:00.000-08:00

They've been promising snow for days now and finally the first of it has arrived. Not a lot, just enough to make me glad I don't have to drive anywhere. There is one thing that always intrigues me about snow and that is the variety of footprints that appear from the creatures that inhabit the area, clues that there is more drama in my yard than I am aware of. Some rather large paw prints appeared today that I can only hope belong to the large dog that lives up the road.

Chilly Christmas Cheer

2009-12-08T09:21:00.000-08:00

Brrrrrr - I really am trying to embrace this winter season. With my winter craft shows now completed, it's time to think about getting those little tokens of my love for my friends and family tied up in bows. There is so much to be thankful for. I hope to get a personal Christmas card done....before Christmas... and really like this image. We'll see. May your holiday preparations be warm and cozy, no matter what's going on outside.

Gathering momentum

2009-10-10T10:09:00.000-07:00

It's definitely getting "crispy" around here. The leaves are turning and starting to swirl in the not-too-chilly-yet wind. The last Gravenstine apple was picked from the tree... every bite savored to the core. Since winter seems to be my most productive painting time, fall is my time to gather momentum. I love books that spur me on and I've been gathering some good ones. The latest are "I'd Rather Be In The Studio" by Alyson B. Stanfield and "Creative Time and Space - Making room for Making Art" by Rice Freeman-Zachery, available from Amazon.com. I'm almost looking forward to that big fall storm as an excuse to hunker down with my new books.

Embracing the New Season

2009-09-30T11:31:00.000-07:00

Autumn is such a tease...but in a good way. How else could our psyches go from the beauty of spring and summer to the dismal gray of winter? I've got to figure out a way to embrace winter. Any ideas?

Shared moments

2009-09-16T00:29:00.000-07:00

The last of the summer sun and sandals. A shared moment with my beautiful little granddaughter, wandering downtown to some of our creative artists' open studios. (Her feet are definitely cuter than mine.)

Indian Summer

2009-09-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

Ah -- Another Indian summer in the Pacific Northwest. At least that is what it is today. With one more Saturday (for me) at the summer farmer's market, my mind turns to more creative endeavors. I'm anxious to get back to the drawing board (if I can find it under all the flotsam that has accumulated in the past 4 months) and work through the reference photos I've been gathering. My plan is to explore a particular composition from a number of different angles/mediums, beginning with a wild blind contour drawing and maybe ending up with something more realistic....maybe not. I'm really hoping to discover something new...something exciting to carry me emotionally through a soggy fall and winter. I can go a long time on a good artsy tangent.

Vision in Orange

2009-08-25T09:41:00.000-07:00

I continue to be amazed at the endless artistic inspiration I can glean from the farmer's market (this is a photo). I wish my own tomatoes would be so inspirational. Only 3 more Saturdays for my summer season at the market. It has gone by so fast. Another year of good fun and friendship.

Miles of Cabbage

2009-08-17T23:59:00.001-07:00

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."

The fall season is inching closer and the farmers markets are filled with wonderful produce... a feast for the artistic eye. I only wish I could paint this well. Try, try again.

Life is short

2009-08-14T20:56:00.000-07:00

Well, I've ventured out with the etched metal and have posted my first two Mixed Rhetoric pendants on Etsy. I'm still very enamored by the process of creating these little metal pieces with such a simple element.... salt and water. Who knew? Well actually, my father knew. As a commercial fisherman, he would secure a zinc plate to the bottom of his fishing boat so that the salt water wouldn't eat his propeller. Made absolutely no sense to me then. Forty years later... I get it.

This pendant is sold.

New tangent... New adventure

2009-07-31T09:27:00.000-07:00

One of the magnificent things about the creative spirit is the discovery of new materials that feed that inner hunger to create something. Metal is something that is begging me to explore the possibilities. I've always been a painter and probably always will be, but for now I'm compelled to dabble a bit in a harder surface. I can't wait to see what happens.

This pendant has a new owner.

Collection of Shells

2009-07-22T00:10:00.000-07:00

Summer is slipping through my fingers.... again. I've just had a blissful week off from my "real job" and enjoyed every unstructured second of it. No tropical vacations for me... no way. I'm content to stay at home and putter. Yes, putter. Not your everyday ordinary kind of puttering where one actually accomplishes something domestic. My puttering is for brainstorming some new creative project..nothing that actually furthers the cause of having an organized life. More details to follow... as soon as I think them up.

THIS PAINTING IS SOLD

Dog Days of Summer

2009-06-10T23:03:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful June we have had so far. Soon the strawberries will be ready and the shortcake will follow. My little paintings at Whimsey are being well received. The image above, "Bluebird of Happiness", is one more from that series. The Bellingham Farmer's Market is in full swing and filled with incredible goodness from fresh fruits and vegetables to flowers and plants to handmade crafts and.... cupcakes. If you are within visiting distance, you simply MUST stop by on a Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Farmers Market

2009-05-02T22:25:00.000-07:00

Well, today was my first day back at the Bellingham Farmers Market, the beginning of my 8th year. It was good to be back. My inventory was a little low, but adequate. It was so fun to see all the friends and acquaintances from seasons gone by. Thanks for all who stopped by to chat. The market is my social life. This image is one more bird on it's way to the walls of Whimsey.

THIS PAINTING IS SOLD.

By the Sea

2009-04-25T16:06:00.000-07:00

The quest for the perfect etch continues. This one comes close, if one overlooks the parts that aren't there. The P and P seemed to fall off, but it gives the piece a look of having been lost at sea....rather than just by the sea. Either way, I'm happy with it.

This piece is sold.

Nesting

2009-04-17T19:55:00.000-07:00

The last bird has sprung from my brush for my "For the Birds" series due to go on the walls of Whimsey in Fairhaven the first week in May. It will be just in time for Fairhaven's "Girls' Night Out", but men are also welcome. A portion of any sales of these 8 acrylic paintings will be donated to Paws Awhile, a wonderful eclectic little shop a couple of doors down from Whimsey that helps support the Whatcom County Humane Society.

This painting is sold.

Tulips on my mind

2009-04-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

The last 2 days here in the Pacific Northwest have been the best I can ever recall for April. It sure helps to lift the spirits in these dark days of human history.