Dreaming of a White Christmas

Once again, in my corner of the Pacific Northwest, we will have to dream on regarding any shade of white for Christmas.  We get green, warm-ish and wet...really wet.  It could be worse. At least we don't have to shovel it.

This is one of my Christmas card designs for this year.  Snowy owls are perhaps my favorite of all raptors.  This one was done in transparent and opaque watercolor.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas, white or otherwise.

Never Leave Home Without It

How many times have I said that.... "Never leave home without my camera."  It's a little argument I have with myself on the way out the door.  Why do I want to bring the extra weight of my camera (I don't have a smart phone)?  This day, a wintery December day last year, I happened upon a car rally of sorts.  Dozens of beautiful vintage cars and not a driver in sight.  They must have been in a nearby coffee shop celebrating the season.  Meanwhile, I was seizing the moment, crawling all over their cars (not literally) with my camera finding next year's Christmas card. (cards available on my Etsy "whimrab" site.)  Now, if I'd just brought my camera this year, I could have gotten some closeups of those reindeer.

Oil painting adventure

It has been a long time since I was a complete novice at some sort of art making.  Recently, I placed myself in the position of "total newbie" when I joined an ongoing painting group and brought out my oil paints.  Watercolor and acrylic have been my materials of choice for a good number of years, so working with slippery oil paint was a different thing altogether.  I wouldn't say the result is where I would like to remain as an oil painter, but there were some things that I wasn't totally unhappy about.  Long way to go.

So thankful!

On this Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving Day 2014, I reflect on what I have been blessed with thus far in my life.  So Much.  More than I deserve, for the most part.  I vow to be a better steward of my gifts and share more with those who have less.  Thanksgiving blessings to all.

Studio Tour Recap

It's been a month since the first weekend of the Whatcom Artists Studio Tour.  Being my first year on the tour, I didn't know what to expect.  I had hoped for 100 visitors and a few sales.  The response surpassed those hopes, so I'm very pleased and will definitely participate again in 2015.  Above are a couple of little original acrylic paintings I gave away in a drawing.  It was so fun to art-speak for hours on end.

Calendar 2015

After much muttering and gnashing of teeth, I was able to coax a calendar of my images out of my Photoshop program.  They have been well received so far and would make a nice gift, I think.  I'll start a little earlier for 2016.

Larger Than Life

Rhody Blossom - Acrylic on Canvas

The summer is absolutely flying by...as it always seems to.  My big goal is getting things painted for the October Whatcom Artists Studio Tour...enough paintings to fill my new 30' x 20' art workspace.  I got a big idea to "stage" interiors outside in my yard and photograph the paintings in natural light.  The problem that was quickly apparent was that sunny natural light creates too much contrast drama and overcast days have been few in number.  Not complaining...just saying.  This one is a little dark.  That's a birdcage next to the faux bed.  All in all, it was a fun photo shoot and I hope to keep dragging stuff out into the yard to set up the shots.  Wish someone would come over and put it all away afterwards.