IF: Dogs and Cars

What is it with dogs and cars? Some hate them because they get car sick, or perhaps the only time they ride in the car is to go to the vet. Other dogs just have to hear the slightest jingle of keys and they're off like a shot waiting in the car for you, smoking a cigarette, elbow propped on the window and that "what took ya so long" look on their faces.

My dog Emma knows that a car ride most likely means going to the beach. She sits in her little booster seat (so she can see out the window), safely strapped in riding shotgun with Mum while hubby is relegated to the back seat. My husband thinks I have my priorities mixed up. Emma thinks life is good as long as we're together. That's my girl!

watercolor, pen and ink. Wasn't loving the topic, but hope I rose to the challenge :)

IF: Signs of Stillness

I love marshes. There's something calming and serene about them. They're uncluttered by man-no signs sticking up out of the grasses telling us who to vote for or what to buy. The only signs of life are the birds that reside there like Egrets, Herons, Peregrine Falcons and Redwing Blackbirds. There are frogs, of course, and in some areas, otters.

You can sense the stillness of the water reflecting the twilight sky. The ever so gentle "hush" of the grasses when an errant breeze passes through. Perhaps the song of a cricket or two. And all is right with the world.

"Stillness" First in a series of marshes painted last week in the studio. Acrylic on canvas 24"x36" . (I've been hoping for a word to use this for.) Click to enlarge.

Wallflower 4

What a slow day at the gallery today! It's Mother's day, for one. People just aren't out browsing open art studios. So I took advantage of the time and painted another Wallflower for my series. My goal is to have eight, so I'm halfway there! Obviously I didn't make the May deadline I imposed on myself, so now I'm shooting for June sometime. I was browsing in my latest issue of Somerset Studios Magazine and was inspired by one of the illos in it. It was done by using gel medium and doing transfers, etc. I don't know how to do any of that, soI just painted mine and hoped for the best. No gel medium or anything else except for this awesome piece of paper that came in the magazine and had the word "Flower" all over it. What a sign! I stamped over some of the letters in paint and incorporated them into the design.

So, here she is. Again, I'd like to know from you what you think her story is! This one was a lot of fun to do, keeping it all in blues and greens with just her lips and bracelet in persimmon. The flowers on the edges are shapes cut from magazines, just the colors I needed. Thanks for your feedback. You're all the best!! And Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there :)

acrylic and colored pencil on printed scrapbooking paper

IF: Citrus Memories

I'm so grateful for simple things. Fresh flowers, my old cat , Slick, on the table, the smell of citrus mixed with sunshine streaming in the window. I managed to capture this image in a snapshot many years ago. The day was perfect and Slick was sill fairly young.

I'm grateful for the fifteen years he gave me, and for the smile that sweeps across my face every time my heart remembers him.

I had to pull one from the archives today, sorry. I think it fits for the theme, however. Big art opening at the gallery tonight and tons to do!

IF: Friends and Neighbors

It baffles me that some people never get to know their neighbors. Some folks just don't want to bother. There are some neighbors of mine who act that way. I wonder what they're afraid of. I don't think we need to become best friends with them, but just be there to watch out for one another. Say"Hello, how's it going?" Some people just never will though. That's okay, their loss in the long run.

I think this bird and this cat have the right mind set. They've weathered the storm together and are happy to be here to talk about it. Nobody feels threatened. Nobody feels they have to impress the other one. They're just hanging back, enjoying life, enjoying being good neighbors.

Not my best illo, but I can't miss a post. Tough week, but this too shall pass.

Acrylic on canvas, very hurried!!