Nov 30, "Mona Goat"

I just couldn't not name this one after the Mona Lisa, because there is something about that glint in her eye, and that little tiny grin...
SO I am dropping off a pile of stuff at the Bloomington Art Center this week for their Holiday Sale!  Come see me there at the Opening Reception next Tuesday Dec 9 from 6 to 8!  Ah but BEFORE then come see me this weekend at my new studio in the Ivy Building for the Seward Winter Frolic!  Sat from 10 to 5, Sun from noon to 5, Studio #210, 2637 27th Ave S!  Mpls 55406!
Wahoo!

6x6 acrylic on panel, click HERE to purchase at $75!

Nov 28, "Polar Bear Dives"

Wow this one was harder than it looks... and when I asked my seven year old neighbor what she thought of it, she thought it was a sock...
This is the Como Zoo Polar Bear, diving repeatedly in a loop in a meditative kind of state.  I wanted to get the sense of movement and that sleek, close-eyed expression,  but wow!  This was difficult!
Does it work?

Hmmm... not gonna post it for sale yet...

Today, "Wonkity"

Okay, it's late- I managed to make a painting and you have no idea how many times I had to correct myself,,,
Ack!
Much better tomorrow- maube a tudne,sh...  sne,,tns ks wna skt cja;smf ,s .a .love kat!

6x6 acrylic on panel, click HERE to bid!

Nov 25, "Octo-Time"

This is the little octopus from the Mn Zoo again- I like how huge he looks in this!  There was a giant red octopus when we were out at the Seattle Aquarium last, and I loved watching that one move too-  I'll have to look for those photos...
I love the sinuous movements and the curvy roundness and that one clear golden eye-  slit so similar to a goats... isn't that curious?

6x6 acrylic on panel, this is another AUCTION!!!! 

Click here to bid!

Nov 24, "A Knowing Eye"

Found this photo with the floppy eared goat at the Minnesota Zoo!  Yay!  I love those ears-  and that eye-  man.  Honestly, I can't tell you how happy I am when I get to paint.  Really people. If you WANT to do this and love it, you HAVE to do it everyday!  Make the time for it, squeeze it in there!  Even just sketching and drawing are all a part of exercising that creative muscle!
I've been getting work from people for our Small Art Holiday Show at Diamond's which I will hang this weekend, and I am loving what I am seeing!  These are all from people who've taken my painting class (most of them had a chunk of talent before I had anything to do with them!) and who've continued to work!  I am SO impressed!  You gotta come see Rosemary's CHICKENS!!!!

6x6 acrylic on panel, click HERE to purchase at $75!

Nov 23, "The Rose Chair"

Hmmm, maybe that highlight in his eye is a little big...  this is our pensive and intelligent Gus, posed prettily in the chair that was reupholstered by Duane and his dad some years ago.  Still a lovely and well used piece of our furniture, by both humans and beasts.
I do like the shadows and the combo of purples and tawny yellows in our Gus...
This one is an AUCTION!!!

6x8 acrylic on panel, click here to bid, starting at $25!

Nov 22, "Octopus Green"

Well, yes, it is an octopus.  I do have a few more shots I'd like to try painting.  It's a bit more than you realize, compositionally, trying to arrange those darn limbs with some accuracy and color.  And the COLOR is what makes me want to paint them!  There's that translucent quality to their skin, those strange cells they have that allows them to immediately camouflage themselves like the sand or coral or whatever they happen to be near....
I do still have those photos of the glorious cuttlefish (PLUS a video!  LOVE them!) that I need to paint... and there are STILL goats... and of course DOGS...
AGH!!!  I need more TIME!!!!

6x6 acrylic on panel, click HERE to purchase at $75~

Nov 21, "Pressing the Advantage"

Man!  I've been a bit busy for the past couple days, and only painted a bit yesterday and am looking forward to bingeing this evening!  I knew it would be a crazy week, but still...
And this is a goat from the Mn Zoo, there's another lovely pile of them to paint!  I loved how he was skootched up tight to the fence, trying to stick his little head through to get some of the little biscuits the kids were giving out... and it was also fun to add the little pops of bright blue in the corners of his eyes and just at the flip of his nostril... those little bits of bling really add emphasis!  And it's almost instinctual somehow...  when I shut off my brain and just paint it is amazing what happens!

6x6 acrylic on panel, click HERE to purchase at $75!

Nov 17, "Goat Lips"

I still seem to have this goat-painting lust going on...  I am sure it will wind down soon-  bear with me!
And the title for this one came from the fact that this face has more pronounced lips than any one I've painted yet...
And there's just such a whimsical look in those eyes!

6x6 acrylic on panel, click HERE to purchase at $75~

Nov 16, "Thinking Goat"

It has been a lovely day, a Sunday with a very friendly brunch!  Yay!  And here is a goat, I believe from the farm at the Minnesota Zoo.  Last summer we took Max out there to see the critters and there was a mob of children in the goat pen and this one was surrounded-  such friendly beasts too!  And all scampering up and down their wooden platforms- one goat perched on top of a large stone in the enclosure and a small girl carefully gathered it into her arms to put it safely back on the ground, at which the young goat immediately returned to its perch, at which the girl wanted to remove it again... how we want to insist on our versions of the world despite all evidence!

6x6 acrylic on panel- Click HERE to purchase at $75!

Nov 14, "Eye to Eye"

Yup! Same goat again... slightly different posture- and I gotta say, I am so off on my dates right now! I almost put Nov 23rd-  what is going on?  Sometimes I wish for the simplicity of life as a goat... what would that be like?  Scratching yourself against a doorpost, climbing up the fence meant to keep you in, butting heads with your friends and enemies... ahhh~  what a life!

6x6 acrylic on panel, click here to purchase at $75!

Nov 13, "Sheepish"

Sorry I missed yesterday!  My car overheated again on the way to work, had to call a tow, then ran off to our Service Site with my sixth graders, taught my upper school paint class (did the one-color-per-stroke lesson- drove them NUTS but they did well!), finished City Perspective Drawing with my other 6th graders and Duane picked me up, we nabbed Maxie, then ran down to Burnsville to the hospital where dad is now waiting to have knee surgery after having hip surgery on monday....

ANYWAY... I got a bit busy and distracted yesterday-  so here is a SHEEP!  She is from Dee and Adam's farm up in Twin Oaks, and there's plenty more sheep where she came from!  It is interesting how the shape of her nose and the goat's facial structure are so similar.  I really am enjoying these, and my neighbors came over last night and picked out a goat for their collection so if you are thinking of buying one, you may want to jump on that!
I don't know if it will be sheep or goat tomorrow!  OOOOO the suspense!

6x6 acrylic on panel, click here to buy at $75!

November 11, "Goat Grin"

Yup,  just can't get enough of that face!  I don't think I have any more photos of this particular goat, though, so you may have to wait for some more paintings of tortoises...  I did have some difficulty with the background of these goats, because they were a traveling petting zoo out in the back parking lot and the tarmac is a grey close in value to the goat's coat... I do like this peachy warm color now because I think it accents the eye and that lip!

We have had some snow here in Minnesota...  just what we love.  At least, if you are five and active and like to fling yourself about in the snow banks, we are in heaven!

6x6 acrylic on panel, click here to purchase!  $75

Nov 10, "On The Edge"

I was asked a while ago to paint a turtle in trade for a gorgeous silk scarf, and finally got around to it. This is our family pet, Plato the Greek Tortoise, who is not yet hibernating.  Not sure if he will-  he's a pretty fun guy who likes to clamber around the living room, bumping into the furniture and pushing aside the shoe collection., gathering a scum of dust bunnies along the rim of his shell.
Because of the light and the fact I was painting with a different shade of yellow, I feel that the browns on this one really pop!  It was darn fun to paint!

6x6 acrylic on panel, SOLD

Nov 9, "Goat Ears"

I painted this one the other day but didn't get a chance to do anything about it til now!  I just can't get over that expression~  somehow those eyes know something about me that I don't even know myself!
Mischief recognizes mischief, most likely~
And I just got some lovely new T-shirts in and want to do a give-away, so if you are already receiving this in your e-mail you are automatically entered, and if you haven't subscribed to my blog, you just need to click on the SUBSCRIBE button on the side column!

Yay!
And I'll be at Art Attack at the Northrup King building again today!  waiting for Mom to pick me up!  We are in studios next to one another!  I'm #394 and she's #39-something... ack- don't tell her I can't remember!

6x6 acrylic on panel, click here to bid at $35 or BUY at $75!

Nov 6, "Goat Eyes"

Hmmm, yup.  I am just loving this goat!  Not sure about this painting tho-  I want to do it a bit bigger...  I think the proportions are off somewhere...  maybe the forehead is too wide?  The eyes are too low?  Or is it all working to give the viewer a lovely sense of the power of GOAT EYES?

6x6 acrylic on panel, Click HERE to bid in the auction, starting at $25!    

Nov 5, "The Goat Got It"

Same goat, different view~  not as much fun as yesterday's goat, I am afraid, a bit more of a challenge to get that eye to read as an eye.  I am loving playing with that black fur though!  You'll have noticed that I haven't painted my new dog Teddy very much, she isn't black.  I meant to get another black dog so I could paint black fur, and I also no longer have a black cat.  Sure didn't plan that out very well, did I?  Hmm.  Where do I go to find black animals to paint?  Maybe the Human Society...?
Or more goats?

6x6 acrylic on panel, click HERE to buy! $75

Nov 4, "Get the Goat Out!"

Yes, I voted today!  Not gonna tell ya who I voted for but if you know me you probably have a pretty good idea, since I'm for clean air and water and education and the arts and all...
And I am SO happy with this little goat, I wanna do a bigger one!  It is so true that you take a bunch of photos for that one that turns out~  the angle of her head, and that little gleam in her eye, and those long soft ears all work together so well~  and the combination of darks and lights in her coat with that little patch of white on top of her head made this just a pleasure to paint!
Can you tell I love painting animals?  Especially nice ones that come right up to me and look into my camera!

6x6 acrylic on panel, click here to purchase at $75!

Nov 3, The Neighbor's Tree Yesterday Morning

Seriously I forgot about Daylight Savings and was walking the dogs yesterday morning and was heading home and saw this tree with the early morning sun just lighting it up and had to take a couple photos of it and as I was taking them the house owner, in pajamas, stuck his head out to get his paper and I was a bit embarrassed and was trying to explain that I was taking pictures of his tree because it was so beautiful in the morning and I went on a bit, and I really don't think he cared at all and was just listening politely because I couldn't shut up, so I finally said "Thanks!" and kept walking~

SO here it is!  Can you see that morning sun?

And I have managed to hang ALL the paintings I brought over to Claudia's Studio for Art Attack!  It is this weekend, starting Thursday at the Northrup King Building!  We're in Studio #394!  Up to the third floor then head to your right!  And there ARE elevators!!!

I'll be there for SURE Sat Night from 4-8 and all day Sunday, noon to 5!  Intermittently in between!

Call me if you are wanting to see me!

6x6 acrylic on panel, available on my Dailypaintworks site for bid here, starting at $35!

November 2, "Theo Wirth September"

Yes, I know- it IS now November, but this one was a fun one to paint!  Those trees and the sky, so compelling!

8x10 acrylic on panel, available for purchase HERE at $160~

November 1, "Otter Pose"

Yes, this was so fun to paint!  Really, it IS the space around the otter that defines it~  the water as the negative space around the otter explains what the otter IS~  both shapes are working together to create the dynamic of the whole~  so much FUN!
And that the water can be almost an abstract painting in itself~
Dang!
Can you tell I am enjoying myself?

6x6 acrylic on panel, Click here to buy $75!~