Bring on the Christmas Cheer

It's Black Friday, the official opening day of the Christmas season.  The weather is nippy and bright.  The shops have been in full-on sales mode for weeks now...the shoppers, not so much.  My list has been getting shorter and more realistic, which is a good thing.  Bring on the essence of the season.  Christmas music, spice scented candles, winter decorations that likely won't come down until Easter, keeping the holiday festivals and stores stocked with cards and calendars...there's plenty to do.

More florals

A couple more end-of-summer florals.  Each one is different.

End of summer florals

These acrylic on canvas florals are becoming some of my favorite artistic pursuits.  So relaxing with an element of surprise in what emerges from the underpainting.

July Watercolor Class

I had a great time with these talented ladies at Dakota Art yesterday.  There was a variety of skill levels, but I think a good time was had by all...even my work in progress appeared happy.

Two for the show

Once in awhile, I find myself indicating I'd like to create a body of work for a show, knowing full well that life will spin out of control before I get the paintings done.  Such was the case when I signed up to participate in an upcoming show July 5, 2019 at the Allied Arts Gallery in Bellingham, WA.  I'm happy to report that seven paintings were completed, professionally photographed and ready to hang four days ahead of schedule.  These are two of the four "totems", 18" x 36", acrylic on hardboard.

Putting A Bird On It

It would seem I'm currently into a pink series.  Two new cards for spring.  I'm still loving the abstraction of a random bouquet and I hope to pass that enthusiasm on to my class June 9 at Dakota Art in Bellingham.

Spring Chicks

Once again, I was privileged to share everything I know about watercolor with six creative ladies at Bellingham Dakota Art.  The four-hour class yielded six beautiful works.  I think everyone did a fantastic job and I hope they take what they learned and create many more paintings.

Spring is coming

Working on some new spring florals.  Warm January weather brings out the gardener in me.

Retro Dial-Up

This was the life line to the world beyond the walls of my childhood home.  It was a very important piece of technology, one that could mean the difference between staying home or being out with friends.  Not too much has changed.

A White Christmas Somewhere

Although it's uncharacteristically warm here in the Pacific Northwest corner of the U.S., I'm confident that somewhere there will be a white Christmas.  Good for them.  We don't have to shovel it this year. 

9-11, 2018

Wisdom, Focus, Freedom.   Time doesn't erase what happened on that horrible day.  We can only resolve to be watchful and see that it doesn't happen again.

Into the Greige

Anyone who knows me very well, artistically speaking, knows that I am IN LOVE with the whole GelliPlate mono printing process.  I have spent countless hours creating monoprinted papers, without any real regard for their future use, just because it is so fun to make the prints.  Well, I have finally pressed forward into uncharted territory (for me) to use these papers in collage and I am over the top excited about them.  Above are the first 3 collages I've mounted on 8" x 10" cradled boards.  Working in the same neutral color combination makes them seem to belong together, but each one is completely different from the next.  There is a metallic gold shimmer that can't be reproduced here, but adds drama to each piece.   

There Goes the Neighborhood

There is something about living "inside the city limits" that makes one think that certain remote country occurrences don't happen....like visits from wild animals.  That was before yesterday when this guy paid a brief visit to my yard.  With all the development in the area, it may not be the last time he wanders through.   Last seen heading toward Costco.  Clean up on aisle 9?

Safe and Sound

My latest paintings to sell have made their way safely to Wisconsin and rest on the wall in a beautiful home of a new friend.  Thank you Terri for wanting these for your home.  They look wonderful in this setting.

Spring is in full swing

The Whatcom Art Market in the Fairhaven District of Bellingham is definitely showing signs that spring is in full bloom.  It's a great place to find gifts and greeting cards to show the world that the Pacific Northwest is indeed a special place.

Saying Goodbye

Well, after sharing my life with these three paintings for a year or so, I will be sending them off to live with their new family in Wisconsin.  Am I the only artist who forms an attachment to my paintings, who feels a bit of a loss when they sell?  That is the point of painting them in the first place, right?  To send them out into the world with the love that I've poured into creating them.   I need to paint three more very soon.

New Work

Several new acrylic paintings on canvas.  I've got summer on my mind. 

Prelude to Spring

I know it's technically still the middle of winter, but my local grocery store has rolled out the primroses, hyacinths and daffodils and the bare alder trees are getting that pinkish tinge before they sprout leaves....all really good signs of spring being around the corner.  Can't wait.

Summer in the Middle of Winter

                                                                  "Seedless"


Remember when watermelon was only available in the summer.  Remember all those SEEDS.  This is an 8" x 8" acrylic on its way to DailyPaintworks.com.

What's in a name?

I think friends are a good source of help in naming a painting.  The name "Bunions" came to mind while imagining an apt title for this painting, but I went with my friend's "The Last Time I Danced".  Much better.