I'm it.....again!!

Okay, so now I've been tagged by Laurel Neustadter, OttoBlotto and ForeverYoung to list 7 random and hopefully interesting things about me. Try not to hit the snooze button!

1) As a kid, I used to be on probabtion for truancy. (Long story!) Anyway, back in the day they used to send a truant officer to your house if you missed a lot of school. The magical thing that came out if this was my probation officer, Janice. She was my first mentor and 44 years later, we're still great friends!

2) I don't know how to accept comliments. For instance, if someone says "Hey, that's a beautiful blouse!", I'll go on about how it doesn't fit very well and it's really old and then probably admit I bought it at Goodwill!

3) I can't watch underwater scenes on TV or at the movies. I literally lose my breath. Maybe it has something to do with an ex-boyfriend trying to drown me. Nice guy. I hung in for ten years.

4) I have a greeting card addiction. I'm an old-fashioned letter writer and I have at least a hundred blank cards to choose from at all times, yet I still keep adding more. Whenever I see an off-beat card shop, I'm there!

5) I'm a published children's book author but I didn't get to illustrate them...Ashley Wolff did. The books were published in 1991 and are still best sellers~yay!! Last March they came out in bi-lingual board books and sales have sky-rocketed. Sixteen years later those nice checks are coming to my door :) For those of you who can't find them, here's the latest editions of "I Love My Daddy Because..." and "I Love My Mommy Because..."

6) There are so many places I'd love to see but I hate traveling! I'd love to drive the back country roads of Ireland and stop for a pint at the pubs~or go to Scotland to see where my Grandfather and Great Grandfather were born. But I'll never go. Besides, I can't stand to leave my animals!

7) I love to read but I never find the time. I bring books to bed with me but fall asleep after one page. I don't think I've completed a book in at least 2 years! How sad is that.

So there you have it. Seven things you could have gone along nicely without knowing about me. I'm just not that interesting!

Oh...and seeing as I've tagged so many of you before, I'm letting you all off the hook :)

IF : Superstition

" Carrying an acorn will bring luck and ensure a long life."

I love it when a painting I just finished happens to fit the "IF" theme! I painted this Thursday for my friend's birthday. She loves acorns, oak leaves and Ravens. Yesterday I had no computer access due to some glitch at the towers, or whatever. It was hell for me because I wait all week for Illustration Friday! I still could have gone to the studio to draw or paint something, but no, I frittered away the day in withdrawal. Today though, I hope to do something superstitious in my Moleskine! So check back on my moleskine site if you'd like.

Have a super weekend!

IF : Scale

Phyllis discovered she had a natural talent for playing the scales through her nostrils.

For some reason I found myself humming "Puff the Magic Dragon" while drawing this. Honest. It was torture!

acrylic, Prismacolor pencils, Pitt pen, collage notes and rubber stamp wings on a scrap of cardboard.

Done for Illustration Friday

click for a bigger dragon experience!

IF : A Magical Hat Indeed

Let me tell you about my hat.

I keep my secrets under it.

I store my worries and fears there where I can't see them,

and if I can't see them, how can they bother me?

This is my magic hat.

My no more troubles hat,

my reachin' up to heaven hat.

And when I wear it I stand tall

and proud and happy because I know

it's going to be alright.

acrylic, colored pencils on watercolor paper

Done for Illustration Friday's prompt...hats.

IF : Trick or Treat

Hello all! I don't have time to do a painting today so I played around with my greeting card program and made this image. I've also posted a small pumpkin painting I did last year for a friend. I think this fit's the theme because pumpkin pie is one of my favorite treats.

Happy All Hallow's Eve to those of you who enjoy it, and to those of you who have fond memories of that part of your childhood.

(click to enlarge the horror!!)

bwwwwwwaaaaa-haaaa-haaaaa-haaaa!!

My Virtual Store

Well, after seeing how many of my favorite folks have opened an Etsy shop, I decided to give it a try. I'm offering my notecards and small paintings, and many of the things I've done for Illustration Friday. So far it's a lot of fun, but I'm spending a lot of money there too! I'm not trying to solicit business, but if you want to stop by, please do. It's a fun place to support artists and craftspeople. And hey, the holidays are coming!

You can find my link at the right side of my blog under my list of "inspiring friends."

IF : Grow

I've been in a funny mood these days. Just a bit 'out of sorts' but I can't quite put my finger on the whys of it all. I'm wondering if it's because winter is setting in and my body is going into hibernation mode. I've had some stressful pet care cases which always do a number on me, but I think it's more than that. I think I need a break. Some sort of a 'pulling in' to take care of my own cries. When I saw the topic for this week I loved it, but ironically I came up blank. I sat at my studio all day today and this is finally what I came up with. I admire the mushroom that grows in the dank, darkest of places. In fact, it thrives in those conditions. I spent a large amount of time looking for inspirational quotes about mushrooms and didn't come up with anything, but I did come up with this quote on growth. And it's about nature, which is my church.

"Day by day I grow more knowing in the ways of the trees and the moss and the snow on the ground, and all things are my friends."

Knut Hamsun

So here I go into hibernation, willingly. But I won't miss an Illo Friday entry, no sir.

acrylic on canvas 6"x6"

My Best of "IF" Show

Well, as you may have read in my latest post, I had my Illo Friday opening but no pictures were taken because of a camera malfunction. Such a bummer! It was such a wonderful night. It was so great seeing people actually taking time to read the story with each illustration. Some of the comments in my book were so touching! Several pieces sold, bittersweet as that is. Here's what the place looked like after I hung the show. Hopefully when you enlarge the photos you'll recognize the work.

Thanks for stopping by! I couldn't have done it without you and your encouragement!

IF : Life's Extremes

What a fitting word for my 1 year Illo Friday anniversary! It's also been a year since I moved into my studio. I went from trying to find time to create art to having my own space not only to create art, but to display it at monthly art walks and open studio events. That's a huge extreme from painting at my kitchen table!

The other extreme has been becoming a blogger and joining the Illustration Friday community. Not being much of a computer person other than doing a little research and sending emails, I think I've settled in quite nicely with the weekly challenges. It's just what I needed to jump-start my brain and my drawing hand again. As a matter of fact, Fridays have become my favorite day.

And finally, the other extreme is how I went from doubting my abilities to gaining a little self-esteem encouraging me to keep at it. It's all because of the support I get from you. Thanks for helping me grow and stretch and to keep on doing what I do even when I draw or paint something crappy . It's all about the process and doing what we love.

Last night was the opening of my "Wallflowers" and "Best of Illustration Friday" show at studio lolo. It was a smash hit despite my anxiety. ( Sorry, due to a camera malfunction there are no pictures.) I just added pictures of the gallery above, just before the opening :)

Happy Anniversary to me!

Watercolor on Canson Tinted paper, rubber stamped wings, micron pens.

Click to enlarge the pencil lines I didn't erase

This was done for Illustration Fridays "Extremes"

IF : Open Mindfulness

I believe there is magic in every moment. We just have to be open and awakened to it.

Acrylic on patterned scrapbook paper, prismacolor pencils, dragonfly sticker as embellishment.

Done for the Illustration Friday Challenge, "Open."

IF : Chasing away the blues

I could have posted several images today seeing as I always use blues in my work. This is a painting I did called "In the Moment." I remember I had the blues one day and went to my favorite place down the street, Asilomar Beach. My heart was as heavy as the fog on the bay. I saw this lone gull just sitting and looking into the ocean as if all of his troubles were being washed away. He wasn't trying to be anywhere else. He was here, just as I was. He reminded me to be in the moment because that's all we have. So for a while I let the waves carry my blues away and my heart felt lighter.

The ocean is my sanctuary, my chase-away-the-blues place.

Thanks for coming along with me. Here's a photo of Asilomar, so you can see why I love it so.

acrylic on canvas 48" x 24" click to enlarge

Help the environment

Please go to this site on October 15th and post something relating to the environment and how we can help it. Many voices, one big message. Incrementally, we can all do something. Thank you!

IF : Juggling a move

Some of you know that my husband and I often talk about moving back to Rhode Island, but what some of you don't know is how much anxiety it causes me. It all hinges on finding work for both of us (which means no art for me for a while, at least)...and being middle-aged and set in my ways and missing my friends and this perfect weather and.....blaaahhhh!

But that's what I left behind when we left Rhode Island. A job and great friends and ....okay, the weather isn't very good back there most days, but I did have my art. So the other day I told my husband that we should go back without jobs. "Let's just go on faith!" I said. And then the wise old crow put his two cents in . "You ain't young anymore honey. Caaawww. Just how much do you think you can juggle at your age? Go, stay, run away!"

Damn crow's feet.

acrylic on canvas, rubber stamped alphabets, collaged raven

IF : Wedding

I find this week's word a bit limiting, so I thought I'd post a little painting I did for a friend's daughter's wedding gift. It's titled "Love Is In The Air."

She got maried in August and I haven't mailed the painting yet. Maybe it will get there by their first anniversary!

Lots of people get married on the beach which inspired me to paint this.

Have a great weekend everyone, and if you're getting married this weekend, I wish you all the best!

IF : Momentum in Nature

The soft free-fall of a feather swoops from side to side, being carried by it's own momentum, soon to be swirled into the ripples of a pond gathering it's momentum from the tossing of a pebble.

Two quiet forces of nature equaling a feeling of peace.

acrylic on canvas 10" x 10"

IF : Emma A to Z !

Okay, slow day at the studio today. I worked on projects for clients and then had a little time to mess around. I figured I'd draw to keep limber so I drew my dog with a Bic pencil on graph paper, nothing fancy. Then I thought I could perhaps use it as another alphabet entry for Illustration Friday, so here's the list of traits about my dog from A to Z. Some are not so flattering but I love her anyway!

(You can see my first alphabet post below.)

Angel

Bossy

Chihuahua mix

Delightful

Emma !

Ferocious

Grateful

Heart stealer

Intelligent

Jealous

Killer instinct

Licker

My girl

Naughty (sometimes)

Out of control

Petite

Queen of the house

Rescued from SPCA

Shy

Terrorist !

Under foot

Very special

Wacky

Xanax could help her!

Yappy

Zippy

IF : Alphabets

Yay...I finally christened my Moleskin! I was feeling very child-like and whimsical today so I thought I'd go for that style. Just loose and scribbly! I used acrylic paint, colored pencils and alphabet rubber stamps. In case you can't read it, here's what it says.

"What's good today?" I asked.

"We have really good duck soup with alphabets." she replied.

"Okay, I'll have that."

Who knows where my head was...but I know this makes me giggle!

I'm A Rockin' Girl, or so I'm told!

I've been given the "Rockin' Girl Blog Award" by one of the coolest bloggerettes , Kim Coles of http://www.imwithsully.com/blog/ Personally, most days I feel like I should have the "Rocking Chair Award." I have so many women here that I admire, and it's funny but the ones I'd like to pass this on to already had it passed on by someone else. So you know what that tells me?? We all rock!!

Here's to all my new rockin', bloggin' friends. Thanks, Kim!!

IF : Visitors

How appropriate the word is for me this week. My eighteen year old niece from New Hampshire came to visit us. It was her first time flying and being so far away from home. My husband and I took her to all the beautiful places in our area making sure she had the full 'peninsula experience.' It turns out her favorite place is also my favorite; Point Lobos State Reserve. There are walking trails along sheer cliffs surrounded by the restless sea. You can't help clicking shot after shot so you can take it all home with you to savor the experience again.

I did this little painting today of China Cove, one of the prettiest spots in Point Lobos that brings many visitors each year. It's truly a magical place.

If you ever come to the Monterey Peninsula, be sure to go there. And hey, look me up...I'll come with you!!

P.S. After having missed last week, I'm glad to be back!

acrylic on canvas, 6"x6"

My "Best of IF" show at Studio Lolo ! Save the date!

Okay fellow "IFers", I've finally come up with a date for my "Best Of Illustration Friday" show after much encouragement from many of you as well as my friends here at home. It will be one year since my first post on October 15th, so being the way the calendar falls this year the opening will be Friday, October 12th with a wine reception. It will also be the night of the Art Walk in Pacific Grove, so there will be many more galleries staying open. It's really a fun event!

Now I have the job of choosing which illos to frame and how to display their stories next to them.I do know that I won't use any of my collages, just paintings. I'd also like to find the time to get 3 more Wallflowers done so they can be a part of the show.

I'm hoping with this much notice many of you would be able to pop in to meet me. You have no idea how much this venue has meant to me this past year! I'll keep the show up for a month, so even if you can't make it on opening night, perhaps you could drop in on one of the weekends.

Okay...I have lots of work to do!! Thanks for all of your encouragement this past year, and today still.

IF: Emergency Grounding Energy

Many of you may be familiar with the Soul Collage process. You make your own deck of cards to use in your personal readings. It's an amazing intuitive process used by therapists and regular, run of the mill people like myself. To learn more about it, go to http://www.soulcollage.com/

This is one of my animal companion cards that represents the first chakra, the root chakra located at the base of the spinal column. It is associated with the material things of life, with shelter and food and with making money. It has to do with our sense of security in the world and is connected with survival and self-esteem. This chakra holds grounding energy. It stabilizes us and helps us keep our balance, physically and emotionally.

When I look at this card I see this magnificent bear making sure I'll be taken care of. He'll help me keep my balance and keep me grounded. I feel that I could call out to him in an emergency and he'd be right there.

(Note: when my family sees this post, they'll swear I've been in California too long!)

Princess Pepper Cloud visited!!

I was so thrilled to have met Princess Pepper Cloud the day she came to my studio! It meant so much to me that she took the time to look me up and hang out at Studio Lolo for a while. Her and her husband couldn't be nicer. She made this beautiful plate for me which I'll use at my art receptions. It has Monarch butterflies on it which is so appropriate because Monarchs migrate to Pacific Grove every year! We're actually called butterfly town and we have a butterfly parade and a sanctuary to see them in their natural habitat.

Now I have an original PPC creation which I'll treasure forever. I'll treasure that day as well. Thanks for visiting Kim!! Hug the cats for me and give my best to Ted.

IF : Missing you so much...

I worked all day on a painting for this topic today and ended up not using it. It just wasn't the right fit. I kept going back to one of my favorite illustrations I used for a promo mailer a couple of years back. This guy is really a heartbreaker, isn't he? Dogs miss us whether we're gone at work all day or just going to the bathroom with the door closed. They're missing us whether it's five minutes or five days, doesn't matter to them just as long as we come back. I feel sad for the ones who are waiting for someone who isn't going to return, ever. Thankfully a lot of those guys end up in new homes with someone new to miss! I have one of those rescues. Trust me, she never looked back! Now she's missing ME when I'm at work, or checking for mail, or out for dinner ...but at least I leave the bathroom door open. I know...too much information!

Fine point Sharpie, watercolor, and Prismacolor pencils.

Inspirational Award

I've just received an "Inspirational Award" from fellow blogger friend Ronni Fairy Girl! She and I have similar interests, mainly art and animals. We're also both animal communicators although she's been at it longer than I have. She inspires me as well, so kudos right back at ya Ronni!Here's her link... http://designingfairy.blogspot.com/

I'm supposed to pass this along to five people, but honestly you all get this award from me. Not to sound gushing, but I'm here because you all inspire me to step up my skills and to keep drawing and painting. When I joined Illustration Friday I had no idea it would mean so much to me. I'm actually going to have a show at my studio of my best "IF" work. That idea was inspired by my friend, Mary Helen. That's in the future though when I get enough money together for framing the work.

So, thanks to all of you who inspire me to continue, and for all of the amazing comments you leave, and also for the laughs from some of you. There are a few of you I have a "back and forth" game of wits with! I look forward to our time together every week. Consider yourselves recipients of this award!

IF : Moon Mother

Trying to come up with a different take on 'moon', I started writing my ideas down; moonglow, moonflower, moon heart and moon doggie (remember him?!) And then I thought of arctic moon and began to draw a seal lit by the moonlight. But then...my idea evolved into this thought and the whole picture changed. Well, at least the moon did.

The young seal asks his mother, "But what if you leave me too soon?"

To which his mother replies, "You'll see me in the moon, little one. You'll see me in the moon."

acrylic on paper, touch of colored pencils, not what I'd hoped for.

IF : Poem...Drink Your Tea

Drink your tea slowly and reverently,

as if it is the axis

on which the world earth revolves-

slowly, evenly, without

rushing toward the future.

Live the actual moment.

Only this moment is life.

~Thich Nhat Hahn~

I searched a million (or so it seemed) poems on the internet to come up with something that sparked a painting. Here it is, a painting I did today just for Illustration Friday. I've titled it "Tea and Ginkos." The cup and saucer are very Wabi-Sabi. Who needs a perfect elipse?

inspiration and acrylic on canvas

IF: Self Discovery

I see myself in windows and mirrors. Squinting, I try to get a better view of my reflection but it's not anyone I recognize. I refocus my eyes, still I'm not sure I know that woman looking back at me. There's a vague familiarity around the eyes and mouth. Her hair is shorter and red. It was never red, always blonde. And her weight, surely that can't be. And then to my horror and shame I realize it is me. As I pick away at my physical flaws I make an important discovery. I AM NOT THIS PACKAGE. I'm more than that. I'm a wife, a sister, a daughter, a friend, a healer, an artist and a kind-hearted, spirited woman.

And so, I've discovered that I am enough.

Collage, sweat and tears. And with love to my dear husband and friends who tell me this every day.

TAGGED...again!

Okay, Andy Doodler tagged me again and I'm supposed to tell you 8 hopefully interesting things about me. I'm supposed to choose 8 more to follow, but I'll let you decide if you want to join in or not. I've already tagged enough of you! Here's my list, lame as it is.
1) I'm pretty shy for the most part. I don't think you can tell that from my blogs though. Maybe because there's a bit of anonymity here :)
2) I'm very self-critical. I really need to be kinder to myself. I would never treat another person like I treat myself. Hey, we all have demons.
3) I have paint on almost all of my clothes! I hardly ever dress nice because of it. I make the attempt to look good, but that darn paint shows up everywhere!
4) I'm an animal communicator. I'm fortunate enough to be able to be very still and quiet in order to help an animal through intuitive communication. I get quite distracted during regular meditation though. My mind is everywhere!
5) I can't bear to watch animal movies. They always upset me, even if the endings are happy.
6) Nature is my church and kindness is my religion.
7) I have a large bank account...in the karma bank, that is! I'm always doing good deeds and not charging for my animal services even though I really need the money. I usually put my heart ahead of my financial needs. What goes around, comes around though. I'm very wealthy in my friends.
8) My mother wanted me to be a comedian! She'd always tell me how funny I was and that I should do it as a living. Other people have said that to me as well. They all drink too much.

IF: 6 things I think are Geeky

Okay, I really didn't like this word. I thought no matter what, someone was going to be offended by nearly every post. And then I thought, lighten up and let it rip Laurel! Still, I kept it tame and to a minimum of insults. Here are six things I think are geeky.

1) Bow Ties...I know some wonderful guys have worn them (and still do) but do you really think "hunk" or "sexy" when you see them?

2) Holiday themed sweaters...ladies, what are you thinking??? Get rid of them. Even homeless people don't want to be seen in them. Thrift stores can't give them away!

3) The Mohawk....do you really think you look cool? Well, you don't! And then if you make the hairdo a neon color you're really sending out a cry for help. Do yourself a favor and get some therapy. Or smoke a joint for goodness sakes if you need to make a statement. Chill out and fix your hair.

4) Socks with sandals...this is wrong on ANY planet! Men or women, please never, ever do this. Dark socks are a bigger faux pas, but still, ditch the socks if the sandals are on the feet.

5) Santa hats...how many store clerks does it take to wear a Santa hat? Every one of them!!!! And what about regular people who are out shopping and donning those hats? I just don't trust them. And how many kids do you think are traumatized by seeing so many versions of Santa out there? It's just wrong. And for those who don't celebrate Christmas (or the commercial version), must they have this in their faces day in and day out from Thanksgiving until Dec 26th?

6) and finally....adults with braces!! I stare at them, honestly. Do you really think at 40 you're going to get the same bang for your buck if you were 12? I think not. I have such a hard time looking at a balding man with wire and rubber bands in his mouth. I usually just hand him a kleenex to wipe the drool before I leave the room.

I'm sure I've offended some of you. Now you've seen my other side. Not so fuzzy is it? It's because the word was limited. I hope you'll still like me in the morning!

(The opinions of this post are not necessarily those of the readers, although they should be! )

watercolor on canson, glued onto scrapbooking paper with sticker numbers. Click to enlarge.

IF: Twist

Quite sometime ago Portnoy and Biff met at a no-kill animal shelter in the middle of America.

It seems Portnoy was a renegade that escaped a truck headed for the slaughterhouse. Afraid to go back to the farm, Portnoy walked for days until he met a kindly old gentleman who told him all about this shelter. Unable to properly take care of a pig, the old man gave Portnoy a ride to the door and waved a tearful goodbye. The volunteers at the shelter welcomed Portnoy with open arms and hearts. They brought him to his new quarters but on the way there he was struck by Biff, an old-timer stray dog with a twist in his tail just like his!

The shelter worker saw the connection between Portnoy and Biff right away and asked if they'd like to be roommates. Biff's spirits soared by having Portnoy around. They shared stories of life before being rescued and celebrated every day for the strange twist of fate that brought them together.

Two peas in a pod, those two. Old souls embracing a new lease on life.

Just for IF, watercolor, Pitt pens and gouache on Canson pastel paper...and lots of struggling with each blasted medium! Click to enlarge.

Thinking Blogger Award

A little while back I was honored to be nominated for a Thinking Blogger Award by http://getzapped.blogspot.com . I was surprised that my art could move people. I started contributing to Illustration Friday to give myself a creative kick in the pants, but so much more has come from the experience. I'm thrilled to have stumbled upon it and so many creative folks who share my passion. As part of my award, I'm supposed to nominate 5 people who's blogs inspire me to think. This is hard to narrow it down to five, but here they are in no particular order.(I'm sorry I don't know how to link them.)

Neilornstein: His rich paintings make me reach into the deep recesses of my mind. There's always a glimmer of light in a dark scene that draws me near. I'm always moved by his work.

Hardwax: Miri moves me along the same lines. Her work just draws me in and makes me go deep even if it makes me uncomfortable. I always come away feeling priveleged to be part of her art experience.

Quiet Storm: Nobody can draw like this guy. I'm left breathless with each post I come across. He makes graphite sing about having a purpose!

Ascender Rises Above: Not only does she post beautiful and thought-provoking images, but she always chooses a piece of literature or poetry to absolutely nail the entry. I never come away from reading her posts without saying "WHOA!"

Get Zapped: I have to give the award to the awarder! She gives us all a place to get centered in this crazy world. Her daily postings inspire and move me to a greater place than where I began. She's a breath of fresh air in a polluted world and reminds us that we can all be a part of the solution. Thank you Michelle.

I'm sorry to have left out so many more that inspire me. I thank each and every one of you who contribute to this experience for me. You've made me better in so many ways! I'll see you down the road.

IF: Camouflaged Pals

Domino and Greyling get tired of living their lives in black and white, so as often as they can they slip away into the colorful country. They love blending in with the birch trees so as not to scare the butterflies. The falling leaves and the flitting wings makes for such a relaxing, mesmerizing day!

Years ago I painted a Dalmation against a stand of birch trees all in blue tones. I don't have a picture of it anymore, but that's what inspired this digital collage. I wish I had time to paint something for this week, but alas, I must get the huge commission done so I can pay my bills :)

I hope this works well enough!

IF: Rejection

I love making cards! I have a line of these collage cards that I keep adding to. There are so many copyright free image sources out there waiting to be made into something. Anyway, these funny cards fly out of my studio and help me pay the rent so I have a place to do my art. I love it when that happens :)

Jello anyone?

IF: Well Suited Pets

Emma, my dog, is the ultimate Queen of hearts. She was one of seven neglected dogs in someone's backyard. She has many fears and anxieties that stem from her past life, but she's got so much heart that all she wants to do is to love us and smother us with kisses. I tell everyone that "she can't hold her licker!"

Slick, my King of hearts is one of the best cats I've ever had. He never complained about anything, not even when it was time to let him go. He was grateful for everything. If someone stepped on his foot, he'd head-butt them to let them know it was okay because he knows they didn't mean it. Gosh, I miss that boy.

I guess I played my cards right when I rescued them. We suit each other just fine.

Acrylic, Prismacolor, and Sharpie on Bristol. Click to play my hand.

IF: Dreams of Paradise

I've always longed for a home of my own, specifically an old New England farmhouse with a few outbuildings and a large barn. I'd have as many rescued animals as I wanted without a landlord's interference. A big part of this fantasy would be to turn the barn into art studios and a gallery, but...every summer I'd have underpriveleged children taking part in a free art camp. Some kids can't even afford a box of crayons. This is so sad to me. I'd have volunteer art teachers and myself ready to open up a whole new world to these kids. Oh, I can just see their little faces light up! And at the end of summer we'd have a huge art show of all the kid's work with the proceeds to go into the 'Hearts for Art Camp' kitty. (That's after buying pizza and ice cream for all of the young artists!)

So, that's my idea of paradise. A happy home of my own to share with animals and young, budding artists!

watercolor, micron pens and acrylic paint on Canson paper. Click to enlarge.

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!!

IF: Remember ' Little Girl '

One of my friend's cats passed away a few days ago. She was one of the sweetest cats I've ever known. After eight long days in intensive care, Little Girl lost her battle to kidney failure. Sadly, she was a victim of the melamine poisoning recently found in some brands of pet foods.

I remember Little Girl had huge sea glass green eyes.
She liked to sleep in late.
She insisted on drinking from the bathtub faucet several times a day.
When she chased her little foam rubber balls she looked like she needed a front-end alignment. It was hilarious!
She snored.
She had a delicate 'meow.'
She was kind and gentle.
I never got to say goodbye and I miss her.

Her dear brother Sammy was poisoned by the same food. He's home from the hospital now and is doing much better. I visit him daily to administer fluids to help keep his kidneys flushed. We're all hoping Sammy wins this fight.
I have a feeling Little Girl is right by his side, encouraging him every step of the way.

(For Judy and Carlos, with love....Auntie Laurel)

Watercolor, acrylic washes and many layers of glazing to make Little Girl seem "spirit like."

IF : Polar Fleecing

Olaf and Olga are very concerned about the changes in their homeland. It seems too many people don't believe that global warming is actually happening, and those that do know it to be true can't do enough, although every little change you make gets you incrementally closer to a better place. Some things can't be reversed. However, we can stop it from getting worse. It's a known fact that Polar Bears swim from ice flow to ice flow, diving for food in between them. The ice is melting at such a steady clip, The National Geographic Society has documented Polar Bears drifting in the water as far away as sixty miles. For the first time, the drowning of Polar Bears is a frequent occurence instead of a fluke you'd hear about every couple of years.

Olga and Olaf are expecting their first cub soon. I just pray it will have a place to call home.

For Earth Day, April 22, 2007

Watercolor and pen and ink on Fabriano paper. (click to enlarge the small iceberg)

IF: Reversal of Fortune

There's an old, old raven that resides in a Cypress grove high on a craggy cliff by the sea. Legend has it he used to be a man who owned a jewelry store and was fatally shot during a robbery. The thief got away with several rare Aquamarines worth a fortune. The jeweler's widow lived in poverty after his passing because they had no life insurance. The Aquamarines were what they were going to cash in for retirement, but with them stolen and the jeweler deceased there was nothing left.

Old man Raven made it his life's mission to stalk that thief and get every one of the gems back. Each year or special occasion he would deliver one of the reclaimed gems to his widow which afforded her a very comfortable life. However, the jeweler's widow would gladly give up her fortune if only to have her husband back. Something tells her he's still with her, even now. She just feels it. How fortunate to know that kind of love!

Acrylic, colored pencils, faux gem on patterned mat board . Click to enlarge. (The jewel didn't reproduce well)

IF: Spring Green

I love the newness and promises of hope that spring holds. The air comes alive with bird song and the smell of the first cut grass. The bulbs bloom and buds on the trees burst open as if overnight after waiting through winter. The birds start building their nests with care and anticipation of a new brood. What was bleakness all around us not so long ago is now green with new life, new energy. No wonder so many of us feel alive during this season of renewal!

Happy spring everyone!

(For some reason this thumbnail wouldn't upload on IF. After a zillion trys, I just uploaded a bunch of stems from my vase of orchids. Hey...it got you here!)

acrylic on canvas...click to enlarge

Wallflower 3

I worked all day in the studio today trying to finish up another Wallflower for the series. I'd love to have a show of them in May, so that means I should have at least 8 finished soon in order to have enough to call a "show." They take a lot of time to do, so in that respect I doubt I'll have enough time to get them all done. It's funny how their personalities change as I paint them. This one started out as a demure redhead, but the more I worked on her the more I knew she had to have blue-black hair. The tatoos came an hour later, like she asked for them or something! She reminds me of a very soft woman trying to show a hard edge, either to be 'hip' or just to protect herself. I don't know. Anyway, I'd love your comments and feedback. Tell me her story!

For newbies to my blog, the other Wallflowers are my "Lady in Red" post and my "Sprout" post. I can just imagine the energy in the room with all of them hanging out together!

Thanks for inspiring me to continue, and also for your wonderful feedback.

Acrylic on patterned card stock...click to enlarge