Monday, March 18, 2024

March 18, Jack the Donkey

Yes, Jack is not a cat. Sometimes during my 30 Cat projects I do like to paint a creature other than a cat, and when Carolyn asked me to paint Jack for her friends, Donae and Joe, I said yes, please.  What a face!

Sadly, Jack is no longer with us, as he somehow escaped from the hobby farm and was struck on a highway, poor fellow. I would have loved to have met him. He looks so wise and soft...

12x6 acrylic on wood
sold


Sunday, March 17, 2024

March 17, Fernadina Lou!

 Okay, not the most Irish of names at all, but I consider her owner to be one of the most charming and leprechaun-ish people I know! Lara talks about her cat, and her eyes light up- she told me a story about cleaning out behind the stove and finding all the little nerf bits that Fernadina loves to chase, plus one hairy mass of fur that Lara at first thought was a dead mouse, and turned out to be a beloved long lost toy that Fernadina commenced to tossing and stalking and chasing all over the house.

It is really difficult to remain crabby and sulky when there is a creature enjoying the heck out of life right in front of you!

I think this photo was of Fernadina Lou under the Christmas Tree, so that may account for the multitude of glimmers in her eyes... she looks like she's gonna do something spritish!

6x6 acrylic on wood
spoken for!


Saturday, March 16, 2024

March 16, Crosby!

 A lovely sweet faced kitty for this windy, cloudy morning that I hope brings some rain!  My boys are off doing the Pinewood Derby for Scouts and I'm heading to the rental house across the street to continue packing and moving stuff, and I loved painting this cat at my dining room table in our HOUSE!

Here's Crobsy's little story~ and I have to say, Gennae writes GREAT little stories!

Crosby is the perfect cat. He balances his independence with a desire to be held…only on my right side…with his head buried…weight being held in my hand. He sits for treats. Comes running when called, and answers in chirps and meows when talked to. He practices yoga and looks so sophisticated while doing it. He might also have the longest tail of all. 

6x6 acrylic on wood
spoken for!


Friday, March 15, 2024

March 15, Polly!

Wahoo!  I seem to be managing to keep this up, despite the chaos of trying to move houses and re-settling in and oh just life! The cats are just so sweet, and the faces so fun, though I think I may go back in and play with Polly's whiskers a smidgen...

Here's Polly's story!

 Polly is frenetic, playful, intense, silly, a talker, bounces like a kangaroo, a little short on smarts, exuberant, always on the verge of doing something dangerous or trouble making, and has the most innocent eyes. She’s perfectly kooky and only stops making noise when she’s asleep. 

6x6 acrylic on wood
spoken for!


Thursday, March 14, 2024

March 14, Timmy!

 This little face belongs to Timmy! I loved the quizzical little head tilt here, and the green eyes... and I didn't notice his nose until Kendyl explained~

 That was my sweet baby boy Timmy. He passed away in October. When I adopted him years ago no one wanted him because of his cleft nose, but their loss because he was the biggest love.


6x6 acrylic on wood
sold

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

March 13, Mozzie, the 4th Cat

I think ever since I saw Lady and the Tramp I loved Siamese cats!  Isn't Mozzie the sweetest face ever? I have to admit I had a lot of fun painting him. That face has such an amazingly sculptural quality~

And here's what Gennae says about him!

Mozzie was my first introduction into the quirks and nuances that are cats. He constantly sang the “song of his people.” He made piles of socks and mittens as offerings and gifts. He aggressively nose-smooshed, and was just the best at snuggling. 


6x6 acrylic on wood
sold



 

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

March 12, Agate is Cat #3!

 I have never met an animal named Agate before, and I love that name for this cat!  Isn't is totally suitable? What a sweet face!

Here's what her owner Rachel says about her!

Agate joined our family ten years ago, and we call her a “nurse cat”. When one of her humans is sick (or even crying!), she comes running to offer a lengthy snuggle. If Agate is not purring on someone’s lap, then she is watching for wildlife in the garden from her perch by the front window.

Agate
6x6 acrylic on wood
spoken for!


Monday, March 11, 2024

March 11, Kip the Wonder Cat!

 I kinda fell in love with this fella's face, and just had to paint him! MJ is fostering him and here's what she says about him~

Hi, here's Kip - our new foster cat! (luxuriating after playtime). He was left behind in an empty apartment shortly before Christmas & brought to animal control. Staying with us until he's adopted. An amazing feline, resilient, intelligent & playful!

6x6 acrylic on wood
this one is up for Auction!
All proceeds go to Minneapolis Animal Control~


Sunday, March 10, 2024

March 10, Cat #1 is COOPER!

 Here is the first cat of the 30 I'll be painting over the next 30 days- this is Cooper, for Jeremy, whose birthday was on Friday. This is one of his favorite poses which he called Superman pose- love those long paws stretched out~ and that slightly aloof expression~

Cats are so beautiful!

10x8 acrylic on wood
spoken for!


Friday, March 8, 2024

March 8, Hello Kitty!

 Here's a kitty from last year's 30 Cats in 30 Days Project~ I can't wait to get started on this year's 30 Cats!  Which will commence this SUNDAY March 10th, and I'll post the Official List tomorrow, which will most likely shift a bit and change, and I am still accepting more photos of cats and other small critters if you want to send me something!

Here's the link to more info!

6x6 acrylic on wood
sold


Thursday, March 7, 2024

March 7, The Approach

 We are still not in the house yet, thanks for asking. Apparently there's a problem with communication with the floor people. One layer of final polycoat is all that stands between us starting to move things in. We're waiting with no actual dateline... it's so weird. We get our hopes up and get excited and get some stuff packed, and then the date changes, and we get lethargic and stop our hopeful boxing of books...  The floors were supposed to get done on Tuesday, but the guys putting handrails in and finishing the fireplace were there, so they left. And no word on when they'll come back.

Ack~

SO this is a painting I started a few years back up at Grand Marais at the Art Colony, and I've touched it up and changed things a titch through the years~ the otters are playing underwater, rolling and curling around one another, and I loved that negative space between them just where they are about to touch! And I might have called this something else too-  I can't remember...

It's hanging at the Vine Arts Center and you can come see it this Saturday!  I'll be there from 6-9!

2637 27th Ave S, Mpls, MN 55406 in the Ivy Building! 

The Approach
36x36 acrylic on wood
$2595


Wednesday, March 6, 2024

March 6th, Danny Boy

 This is a commission I've been completing. Yes, there's a lot going on around here. We are essentially living between houses at the moment and I am hoping and praying that the floor guys come today to finish our final layer because when that is done, we can start sleeping over there! It's been just a wacky week I have to admit. On Sunday I got a citation for my tabs that are two years expired and of course this happened at Highland Hills while I was picking up four teenage boys after skiing- we were like a clown car with a cop car behind. And then we went out and picked up our new PUPPY!!! Who is currently living with our generous friend and neighbor, Mike, while we scramble around. And yesterday morning some wacky people rammed the garage my car parks in, crushing the garage door in so one of them could hop in and go through my unlocked art car to steal my tire gauge...  which Duane found in the alley later.

It's been a bit of insanity around here!  I'm looking forward to my art opening this Saturday at the Vine Arts Center and I hope you can come if you're in town! Nature's Gaze reception is 6-9pm this Saturday, and the gallery is open every Saturday from 11 to 5 through April 6th!

And I'll be starting painting my 30 Cats in 30 Days this coming Sunday March 10th! MAYBE from my NEW DINING ROOM!!!!!

10x8 acrylic on wood
sold!

Monday, March 4, 2024

March 4, Northern Iris

These are irises from up in Grand Marais a couple years ago, and I just reframed them and I think they look great in the new frame. I don't paint flowers often, though I admire artists who manage to paint them and have them look like a painting and not like an advertisement, if you know what I mean. I think flowers are a subject that is easy to dismiss as "cute" and not serious art, hmm... maybe kinda like painting dogs and cats. 

Hmm.

We are hoping to move into our house starting this week, hopefully by Thursday, at least partially! Lots going on!

12x9 acrylic on wood
$265 framed
Though this one is going to be in an exhibition at the arboretum and so won't be available for a while!



Sunday, March 3, 2024

March 4, Study in Grey

 So this is possibly that same turkey as the other day, but looking the other direction... 

And this will be hanging at my SHOW!  Come see it next Saturday night! 6-9 at the Vine Arts Center!

In The Ivy Building! 2637 27th Ave S!

Study in Grey
10x8 acrylic on wood
$160
FREE SHIPPING!


March 4, Hanging the SHOW!

I spent yesterday afternoon hanging my exhibition at the Vine Arts Center with my great friend Jean Wright!

I wanted to get it up as soon as possible and I spent Friday carrying all the paintings I thought I'd want to use down the hall from my studio to the gallery. I had used our little collapsible wagon on Thursday morning to get a lovely pile started already. So as you might know, I have a LOT of work- I tend to get interested in a series of photos and then start painting those specific animals for a while, which is great because I get to know the anatomy and coloration and shading of those creatures really well. This is why I love doing my 30 in 30 projects!

This is one of my all time favorite paintings. It's called "North Shore Yoga" and I don't think I can ever sell it. 


 

Friday, March 1, 2024

March 1, Side-Eye To The Left

 Dang! It's MARCH already! 

I like March, really I do- it's the month that has my Spring Break in it, its the month of St Patrick's Day, it's the month of the birthday's of many people I love, and it often feels like the hopeful month of spring. 

So here is a hopeful turkey for you! With a bit of snow behind it~ 

This painting and more will be at my solo show at the Vine Arts Center this month!  The opening is next Saturday, March 9th from 6 to 9 and I'd LOVE to see you there!

And yes, usually you would be seeing a kitten painting from me on the 1st of March!  I've postponed the 30 Cats project to start on March 10th because of all kinds of way too many things happening right now!

WAHOO!

10x8 acrylic on wood
$170



Thursday, February 22, 2024

Feb 22, I'm Looking At You

 It's a TURKEY!!!  Yes, I'm painting some birds... these are for my "Nature's Gaze" show at the Vine Arts Gallery opening March 9th from 6-9!

This is from a photo Duane took a year ago at the Confluence Gallery in Bloomington. All the turkeys were hanging out close to the windows in the reflected sunshine and were just a hoot. I love them.  There will be more turkey paintings.  We have a local flock in the hood that walk around here. SO crazy!

12x6 acrylic on canvas
$155


Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Feb 21, Gus

This is a commission, and sadly Gus is no longer with us.

Time is strange. It is amazing the difference a day makes... or even a week. How things can change so quickly in a life...

Let's hope something good happens for you!

6x6 acrylic on wood
spoken for


Sunday, February 18, 2024

Feb 18, Gentle Glide

 Yup! Another dolphin!  I don't know if you have this kind of complication in your life, but sometimes I find myself wanting to paint things that I'm not sure people are going to be interested in, you know what I mean?  Like we live in landlocked Minnesota, not near an ocean, and I want to paint dolphins and whales and  sea otters... so I do.

I'll have to post some whales...  and I'll admit that the whales I paint are from an old National Geographic magazine, because I've never had the opportunity to dive with them anywhere.  Now, if YOU have, and YOU have photos of them you'd be willing to share with me, I'd be delighted to paint from them!

Oh and that said, I have a hankering to paint some turkeys too! For my show at the Vine Arts Gallery opening March 9th, I'd love to have a few big turkey paintings!  So if you have any great pics of our local turkey flock in Minneapolis (or anywhere really!) email them to me!!!!

Thanks all!!!

18x14 acrylic on canvas
$500

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Feb 15, Smile In The Light

 Ah!  More dolphins!

And WE HAVE SNOW!!!  What a great Valentine's gift!  SO much!  Pom pom was beside herself last night and would have stayed out all evening if we'd let her! Her life with us started last January and there was SO much snow and she LOVED running around in the backyard chasing snowballs thrown by Duane- that was her delight!  And we haven't had enough snow this year for her to enjoy that again- but NOW we do and she did NOT want to come in!  And she was the first up this morning, barking at 6am so I had to take her out and run around the block and say GOOD MORNING! to everyone who was out shoveling!  She just LOOOOOOVES it!

And this is another dolphin painting!

10x20 acrylic on canvas
$400


Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Feb 13, Waiting Below

 The dolphins in these paintings were our visitors from the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois.  And I only know this because my friend Merrit lives in Chicago and was aware of their visit to the Minnesota Zoo!  Isn't that fun?!

here's a video of their return to Brookfield!

I just always get a bit emotional about and around dolphins... when the Minnesota Zoo opened in 1978 we had them there, in the tropics exhibit where the tropical fish and sharks and skates are now. We also had beluga whales in another tank outside of where the interior wild bird shows are held. It was either that summer of 1978 or the next of 1979 when my brother Tom and my cousin Jim and I had a summer school class that dropped us off at the Zoo every other day at 9 when the zoo opened and picked us up at noon, and we were very unsupervised that entire time.

I can't even imagine that today!

One of the things we loved doing was playing hide and seek in the darkened nocturnal hallway in the tropics and running after each other on the Northern Trail. An amazing thing we did once (I'm not sure we were brave enough to do it more often, but I remember this happening at least once!) was we leaned WAAAAY over the railing of the dolphin tank and they came up with open mouths so we could scratch their tongues! I still can't quite believe we did that- we'd also play hide and seek with the dolphins below where the viewing windows are, running past the windows while they chased us, stopping quickly to hide behind the pillars... amazing to feel that this huge, beautiful, graceful water creature actually SAW me!!!  That made up for a lot of things in my awkward adolescence...



Waiting Below, 12x36 acrylic on canvas $865 click HERE for purchase info!