Illustration Friday: Glow

May we all coexist in peace

and bask in the glow of friendship.

Wishing all of my friends a most brightest and best holiday season, no matter how or what you celebrate.

Love always,

Lo♥

for Illustration Friday: Glow

Watercolor and ink on bristol board.

Illustration Friday: Puzzled

Okay, I know you've all done this.

You walk into a room and say WTF did I come in here for, and then you start a project which leads you to yet ANOTHER project which has absolutely NOTHING to do with why you went into that room to begin with!

Puzzled? Maybe. Aging process? Most definately!

This is an illustration I did in my Moleskine 4 years ago. I looked back and I know none of my current followers and friends have seen it, so here's an encore!

Acrylic paint and colored pencils and a wee bit of puzzlement ;)

I have had three glorious, soul-nourishing days off. Thank you, Universe!

xo

Lo♥

Illustration Friday: Shades

I live in a small room on the bay large enough only for myself and my cat. The wallpaper is a lovely pattern, although quite faded. It reminds me of my Grandmother's old china pattern.

The furnishings are sparse. A cot that was meant to hold someone much smaller than myself, an old ladderback chair and one electrical outlet which sits unused.

There's a tiny window that overlooks the bay. I'm so grateful for that window! No matter how small my world is inside, that little window lets in light and hope and a promise of better days. If I were to put shades on my little window to the world I would miss so much.

So very, very much indeed.

acrylic paint, pencil, patterned paper and imagination :)

Go to Illustration Friday to see other entries from around the world!

Illustration Friday: Yield

To cherish what remains of the Earth and to foster its renewal is our only legitimate hope of survival."

~Wendell Berry~

For Illustration Friday: yield

Some of you may recognize this piece from a few years back.

It's encore time while I nurse a cold .

acrylic paint and colored pencil (man tending the rice paddy)

Illustration Friday: Intention

Just think of the trees: they let the birds perch and fly, with no intention to call them when they come and no longing for their return when they fly away. If people's hearts can be like the trees, they will not be off the Way.

~Langya~

for Illustration friday: intention

pen and ink and watercolor

Quote from Zenquotes.com

Animal Wednesday: Leap Year!

I thought I'd pull out my only frog illustration for February 29th.

Happy Birthday to all the Leap Year babies out there!

(acrylic paint, colored pencil on Canson pastel paper)

Illustration Friday: Capable

Ravens are so smart, they even know how to use tools.

But you knew that, right?

Just a quick illustration before heading off to work.

Acrylic paint and colored pencil on patterned paper.

Hi everyone!! I miss you all!

xoxo

Lo♥ 

Suki's Emily

Okay, I have been absent long enough.

I really miss posting and visiting, so I'm going to start with the very last painting I did and then hopefully have more to post very soon.

This is a portrait of our friend Suki's beloved and sorely missed cat, Miss Emily Dickinson.

I went to Suki's blog and borrowed a photo to paint from. The photo wasn't very clear but I did my best to capture her spirit. Suki approved and was quite touched and grateful.

It's a simple portrait trying to capture an enormous little spirit.

We are never, ever ready to let them go, but we must in order for them to move on.

I hope to be back soon with something new from my easel. I miss you all!

xo

Lo♥

A Letter to my Uncle

Dear Uncle Don~

I learned this morning that you left us in the wee hours of the night.

That's just like you to slip away quietly. I hope you know you were surrounded my many in mind and spirit. I'd like to think Aunt Jean was waiting for you with open arms.

I'm sure she was. And Hogan and Tom were there wagging their tails.

You were more af a dad to me than an Uncle. You were my rock.

We shared so much. Our love of nature and all living things.

Quiet moments...

There wasn't anything that didn't fascinate you.

I'll miss our weekly talks and I'll treasure all the conversations between us.

You were my confidant and true friend.

When my friends put you up in their guest room while we were packing to move, you became family in an instant. You never enter a life without entering their hearts.

You dazzled us all with your self-taught piano magic. Fats Waller would have been proud of you!

My life is richer for having known you.

There's a giant space in this world without you in it, but I know there's a new star in the sky now.

You shined bright while you were here, too.

Goodbye dearest Uncle. I know I'll hear from you again.

 I'll treasure your drawings which have a place of honor in my studio.

You were the kindest, dearest soul and I will miss you deeply.

Thank you for all you've taught me and shared with me for so many years.

Blessings to you on your new journey,

Love always,

Laurel♥

Illustration Friday: Grounded

Whether soaring high, surveying the skies,

or grounded with feet firmly planted where he stands~

Raven is King of all the land.

For Illustration Friday: grounded

Acrylic paint and colored pencil on patterned paper, and a sticker for his crown. 

Pulled from my archives because I miss playing :)

Holiday Hope

This is the time of year when many people complain about what they don't have. They make huges lists of material 'must haves" for Santa to bring or for other people to buy because they think life will be better with them.

For others, this is a time of year when we remember the less fortunate. Those without food, shelter or warmth. Those who are battling life-threatening illnesses. Those who don't have any family members left and feel totally alone. Big TVs, Ipods, computers, diamonds or fancy cars wouldn't fill their needs or their hearts.

 

What all of us need to keep in mind in any of these situations is that people care. I still believe that good outweighs bad. So let's remember the less fortunate in this season of giving. Let's show them that hope is always on the horizon.

Wishing you all who celebrate, A Very Merry Christmas. Sharing with you week after week is one of my greatest gifts of all!

( And for those of you who don't know my secret signature, the 3 cypress trees are always in my heart. They represent the 3 cats we drove from Rhode Island to California with 18 years ago. I miss them dearly and feel blessed to have had them in my life for so many years. Merry Christmas, boys.)

( click the image to see hope on the horizon!)

This is a repost from 2007, but worthy today.

xoxo

Lo

New paintings and Bear winner!

Somehow I've managed to whip up two new small paintings for Grasmere.

This snowy lamb ...

And this Baroque-era raven.

There's shiny coppery bits on the rave's background which is hard to make out.

It felt good to paint again!

And now....drum roll please...

The winner of the cute bears is

Marion!

Congrats my friend! I know your grandkids will give them lots of love♥

How funny that you entered just in the nick of time :)

Thanksgiving Grace

I don't need one particular day of the year to give thanks for all that I have in life.

I try to be thankful every day, and yes, sometimes it's hard

Like when friends and family get sick. Or when there's not enough money for bills.

But even if I'm in a weeping heap, I know how blessed I am just by being given another day to try to get it right. To make a difference even in some small way.

Here's to all of you who have made a huge difference in my life. I'm grateful to you all even though I may not say it (or visit) often enough.

I really love knowing you're there.

Really ♥

xoxo

Lo

full moon photo taken in Pacific Grove, CA.

raven photos taken at Nepenthe, Big Sur, CA

Animal Wednesday: Meditation

I had a day off today and all I asked for was to find a few moments to take a shot or two of the foliage before today's rain brings down all the leaves.

This is one of my favorite vistas. A house on the marsh looking as if it's its own island. I was thrilled to see it had visitors today as I was driving by on my way home from the market. 

Hello, Mr. and Mrs.!!

Soft rain falling in Autumn...and swans!

Thank you, Universe. ♥ 

P.S.  My nickname at work is tree hugger. And that's a bad thing?

Happy Animal Wednesday!!

Sunday Thoughts

Wow, what a whirlwind couple of weeks.

A new job with intense hours. (40 hours in three and a half days.)

My dear friend and Uncle stricken with end stage pancreatic cancer even after having gone to doctor after doctor only to be diagnosed too damn late because they weren't listening to him.

My friend's daughter in law, age 32, diagnosed with bladder cancer after having been given three rounds of antibiotics and NO urinalysis tests. She had surgery to have the tumor removed, but here we are three weeks later and now she has a tumor on one of her kidneys. 

And now another friend facing her own challenges and waiting to confirm a cancer diagnosis after months of being ill. Let's hope it's a false alarm and her battle can be won.

What's happening here? Aren't we in a time where diagnoses are easier to form?

I'm exhausted and sad today.

All I can do is send out prayers and stay true to myself by being authentic.

I miss you all and love you. Once I get adjusted to all of these changes and life challenges I will be better at visiting.

Life is good still, but overwhelming at times, no?

xoxo

Lo♥

Oh Joy!!!!

I had the day off today. Oh Joy!

I spent time cleaning my messy studio. Oh joy!

And then I made myself take a little time to paint.

Little painting for Grasmere.

BIG joy in my heart to make art again.

5" x 5" for my new "Teasers" series.

xoxo

Lo♥

Illustration Friday: Stripes

Cats will do anything to find a sunny spot.

This is a painting of my old cat Biff who graced my life for nearly seventeen years.

He had malnutrition and pneumonia and weighed 5 pounds when I adopted (stole) him from his neglectful owners.

He showed his gratitude for life every single day.

Meanwhile, I started my new job at the veterinary hospital on Tuesday. I have put in nearly 30 hours in 3 days which is why I've been so scarce, yet again.

It will take some time to get acclimated to these hours, but so far it's going well.

Everyone is nice and helpful, but best of all I get to hold puppies again and greet so many new fur friends!

Oh, and getting a paycheck again? Priceless!

I hope to visit you all soon. It looks like I've missed a million posts!

xo

Lo♥

Illustration Friday: Fuel

methane!!

Hey, I didn't want to be a poop and not participate this week :)

And yes, those are HOT AIR balloons on the cow.

Happy Weekend everyone!

xo

Lo♥

For other illustration Friday entries, click here.

Illustration Friday: Scattered

Scattered leaves like confetti on the shallow pond.

The Koi feel celebrated by Autumn.  

For Illustration Friday

acrylic paint, colored pencils and patterned paper, 10 minutes

Animal Wednesday: Chick with attitude!

This is one of the resident chickens at Coggeshall Farm when Robin visited.

She came out to greet us....

...turned and stepped through the gate when I got too close,

And then told me to go home! hahahaha!

Could she have been more clear?

And I thought I'd throw this is seeing as I haven't posted much art lately.

I painted this chicken a few years back and sold it in California.

It's one of my best selling notecards on Etsy.

Happy Animal Wednesday, my friends!