Wednesday, February 27, 2013


The Official "30 Cats in 30 Days" March 2013 LIST!
Yes!  Here it is~  so now, all YOU have to do is wait every day til I get the cat for that day painted, and then tell me what a great job I did!  Or, tell me that one eye looks like it is infected... you know, helpful stuff like that...
And here is another cat I couldn't resist~  I do also have to say that the last cat I posted IS Molly, and she belongs to someone in CA who will be arranging for her return~  so if you know whose cat THIS is, tell me!
Ha!

1- Luna - Diane A
2- Java (The Bean)- Janet S
3- Trissy and Crusher- Lisa A 
4- Duffy, The World's Most Perfect Cat 9, Val C
5- Squeaky Kitty- Brad K
6- Ruby - Caroyln B
7- Boscoe- Ari J
8- Kaki- Andrea M 
9- Mikiko -  Maggie J
10- Buzz - Annette B 
11- Kholarabi -Cristine D 
12- Grace G
13- Mr. Buster- Diane A 
14-  Bubba- Melanie J
15-Moo - Layl M
16- Bonita T 
17-  Link- Wendy L
18-Homer & Mo, Karen S
19- Mr Smithers- Gillian
20- Kitty- Mina L
21-Monty- Gillian  
22- Captain- James K 
23- Jack -James K 
24- Oscar - Tanya A
25- Morticia- Diane A 
26- Pandora- Diane A 
27- Sammy- Tanya A 
28- Helen- Susanna S 
29- Susan - Jenn S
30- Hobbs - Sandy E  
31- Kia- Joyce L

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Sunday, Feb 24, 2013!

Yay!
I've been busy getting my cats in a row!  Wow!  There are a LOT of cat lovers out there!  This is gonna be a packed month!  And I am sorry to say that I don't have many slots left as of now!  Only one-  and I still haven't really gone through my "not a commission" pile yet, though I have used a couple of those to paint a few early "practice" paintings...
 Like this one...  I just couldn't resist!  And I think I'll see if the owner of this cat recognizes her...  otherwise, I'll post her up for sale in a few days~
Yay!
This is so FUN!  I am learning how to really get those eye glints in~
 
Oh and I kinda just had to throw in an attempt at Max, from a photo taken in December when he was helping grama decorate the tree-  such concentration~
He put a staple through his thumb today~  such concentration... Wow!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Wed Feb 20th!

Last painting class of this session!  Next one will be in April,May and I am also trying to work out a Sat morn Open Studio time... more on that later!
Here are the last batch of paintings from tonight- though I am realizing I forgot to take a pic of mom's pieces!  Darn it-  and after I'd berated her and made her waste her paint and all... it was a lovely white horse...

 A student's dog!  Great work!

 And we had treats, of course....  great incentive to work!  Thanks Sarah!


 Rosemary's brushstrokes are fantastic in her evil bunny...


Monday, February 18, 2013

Monday, Feb 18th! HAPPY PRESIDENT'S DAY!

Or is it "Presidents' Day"?  At any rate, I am still pretty happy with the one we've got!  And I also had a little revelation today, after watching "Downtown Abbey" last night...  My little epiphany was somewhat presented in Bates watching Anna dance the reel, which noone knew she could do, and she'd been practicing with Rose, the titled daughter of the house, and Mary, the Duchess I suppose? said "Isn't she MARVELOUS?" and Bates just looked at her, with this love, and this appreciation for the risk she took to reveal this part of herself to him, that he knew what she had had to ask, this wasn't easy stuff, she couldn't just go take lessons down the street... and he said, "Yes, she is marvelous."  okay so THAT already had me in tears, and THEN Mr Borrow taking the hit for drunken, winning Jimmy, and JIMMY coming to him and saying, "I can't give you what you want" but then they can become friends, and Jimmy starts by being totally normal and reading the paper for him, with his damaged face and that is enough.
BUT when I saw Matthew, deliriously happy, driving away, I think it was that stretch of suggested road that made me cringe.  Damnit.  If he were driving up to the Abbey itself, that would be another story.
And I slept poorly last night.
What I feel like I learned, is to always tell those you love, that you LOVE them, and that if they are DRIVING,  then worry the HELL about them until they get home!
Dadgum it all!
Tho I have to admit, that the fact I was still thinking about Matthew's death, and what will they do now, makes that decision, on the part of the writers, a very wise one....
damn.
Anyway, here is a cat I painted today...

This is my friend Kelly Lyles cat, out in Seattle-  I took the pic last August, when I got the chance to see her incredibly awesome house while my son took a nap in the car and Duane stood guard...  I better know that this is her cat...
I kinda like this painting...
Feels like a goooooooooood start...

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Thursday, 2/14!

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope you have some love flowing and popping around you today, whether it be human, feline, canine, or spiritual!
Some paintings from our class last night~  yay!














Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Ash Wednesday

How 'bout a repentant looking pup for the start of lent?  Well, I don't know that he's all THAT repentant...
...more like scoping for an opportunity...
I kinda like the background as an abstraction of a wood floor, but I think I'll go back into it anyway...
more later!

Sunday, February 10, 2013

February 10th, Sunday



I finally had a little time to paint today, what with the snow and the kids running all over!  I've been wanting to get dig into the photos I took at Afton State Park on Friday~  here are a couple...
Snow is a darn tricky thing, but those shadows in the sharp sunlight are gorgeous!

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Saturday, Feb 9th!

I meant to get some painting done last night-  I took some gorgeous shadows on the snow photos down at Afton yesterday-  it was Middle School Ski Day and I went for a walk!  I'll post those later-  We had a great class on wednesday night, talked about how to paint from a still image, a photo or an image on a laptop or phone or camera, and one student requested that I NOT post his, so we'll save that til he has a chance to like it better.  The lesson was also meant to be the "One Stroke per Color" lesson I learned from Carol Marine at her workshop a couple years ago.  I love that lesson, as it really makes ME think about where I am putting my strokes and what shape I want them to be.
AND this is Whiskey, my aunt and uncle's dog, who passed some time ago.  I sent the painting to my uncle in AZ with my mom and dad~  apparently it is a hit!



Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Tuesday, Feb 5th!

Man, this time of year is hard...  especially when there isn't any sunshine.  I was delighted to be let out of school early today so I could get home and be in the sun for a bit, and make the boys walk to the lake, where we found that the warming-house at Lake Hiawatha has lots of free skates to borrow!!!! Isn't that incredible?!  PLUS our neighbors were also there skating, using the free skates, so Max got to totter around on the ice with Bear and Athena~
Yay!
Oh, and I am so sorry!  Here are the pics from Painting Lessons last week!  We had a tough time with those darn clementines!  This week we'll be looking at using photos to paint from as reference~
Yay!
And get your cat in soon!  I am starting to fill up!