11/29 Buck It!

I just have to say how thankful I am for people like you!  Well, actually, I'm thankful for YOU! Yay!  I'm just getting lots of commissions painted and catching up with things, and getting bins together for Gifts in the Gallery at Artistry (Opening Reception this Wed Dec 4th from 6 to 8!) and to drop off at Articulture too, and stuff for next weekend's Seward Winter Frolic!

And this little buck will be at Artistry for Gifts in the Gallery, if you'd like to nab him!  I'd dropping him off tomorrow, but if you want to nab him now, I'll hold him for you!

8x8 acrylic on wood

$130

click here to nab!

11/27 Bear it!

Happy THANKSGIVING!!! Don't let this guy eat all the turkey!

We managed to have a snow day today! And I'm getting work together to drop off at Artistry for the Gifts in the Gallery sale, Dec 4-18th, as well as for the Seward Winter Frolic, and the Art and Soul Event at the Eagles Club Dec 12th from 4-10. So come on out and snag some art~!
This bear will be somewhere...
Or you can buy it NOW!
Wahoo!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$110

click here to buy now!

11/26 the Barn

So this is really the last day of my HOMEvember project, and I want to thank all of you who sent me photos!  It keeps me on my toes to get great unusual places to paint.  And it is also a great shift of thinking to paint a landscape or building rather than an animal.  I know where to make the point of interest on an animal- the face or head, usually. With a landscape it can be a little trickier figuring out how to get the eye to move and be interested.
Wahoo!

8x10 acrylic on wood

$240

SOLD

11/25 The Corrigan Command Center

This is my brother's house, in Highland Park in St Paul, Mn, and he doesn't know I've painted it.  I'm not sure he'll discover it this way because I don't think he goes on-line for fun, much...  he and his wonderful wife are two of the most generous, giving people I know, and they are having us over again for Thanksgiving this week.  We get to have a fire in their awesome fireplace, and I imagine that Max and Duane will be in the basement playing with the legos while I make another stuffed and jointed teddy bear upstairs.  That's been the tradition for the last few years, since 2015, the year our dad died so suddenly.  It's been really lovely, having a new tradition.
I will try to paint one more home tomorrow.
It will be the 15th of the 15, and I'll be putting their hanging bits on them and shipping them off this weekend, so if you nabbed one or were hoping to, that's your cue!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$110

but I think this will go to my bro's family...

11/24 Green House with Big Tree

Okay so I missed yesterday totally! Wow-  We had an awesome last class for our Paint Love sessions, and I miss everyone already. And then we had a trip to the zoo with 3 ten year olds, which was also awesome!  and then we entertained three 10 year olds, painted pictures of what we'd seen at the zoo, made dinner on Duane's brand new stove, and had a sleep-over, watching "Spirited Away", which if you've never seen it, I highly recommnend!  and so do the 10 year olds...
And this is a house I've actually painted before, and was delighted to paint again~  such an amazing tree!

XO

7x10 acrylic on wood

$140

click here to grab this one!

11/22 The Childhood Home

Inevitably every road leads home.
This is home, and shall forever be.

6x9 acrylic on wood

I think this one should go to mom...

11/21 South Eden

Tricky painting desert foliage.... lots of grey and brown.  And looking for the contrasts in there too!
If you know this is your home, and you'd like this painting, you should send me a note with where to mail it to!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$110

but may be spoken for... nab it fast if you like it!

11/20 Home Tree

This tree lives in Seattle, at Lincoln Park in West Seattle, at 8011 Fauntleroy Way SW, Seattle, WA 98136. Lincoln Park is near my cousin's house, and we always visit it at least once when we are in the area.  There are numerous huge trees like this one. I find really big trees comforting. I hate that Minneapolis is cutting down big trees. I find that disturbing.  There's a lot of stuff I find disturbing these days, but not trees.  I need trees. YOU need trees.  Trees make our homes possible.  We need more trees.  If you don't have any trees in your lot, you must plant some. Oaks are nice.  Pines like this one are really nice too.  They grow and create a mini-atmosphere around your house, tempering the weather for you, making it cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, protecting you from winds.
Trees are good.
Yes, it isn't a house.
I may be veering into painting a few trees...
We hug the big ones when we walk by...

6x9 Acrylic on wood

$110

click here to own~

11/19 My Other Sister's New House

So our youngest sister is a world traveler as well, and at the moment she seems to be in love with Costa Rica to the point that she has purchased THIS house!  So now we all have somewhere to stay when we go there!  It looks pretty awesome, with high mountain views all around- hmm, Duane doesn't much like heights...
Ah well~
It appears to be a white house, though with stucco and that lighting, it is hard to tell.  There's apparently a story attached to it-  and I'm realizing I painted this from the photo on the real estate thingie, without permission, which always bugs me...  darn it!

5x15 acrylic on wood

spoken for~

but I'll paint yours for you!

11/18 Beaner's Abode

SO my sister Colleen, who is always known as Beaner by family and friends because our dad called her The Queen Bean, bought this house in the Cherokee Park neighborhood of St Paul, close to the High Bridge, and she periodically lives in it with her two cats and a housemate. It's a lovely big house, with wood floors and amazing pocket doors and just gorgeous built-in cupboards and things I wish my house had, so I had to paint it for her!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$110

sold!

11/17 Irish House

This one was taken from the car on our trip to Ireland in 2013, with mom and dad and my sisters. It looks like a newer cottage, with skylights and an electric gate.  Still has those brushy trees, and the Irish sky.

6x9 acrylic on wood

$110

click here to purchase!

11/16 The Brick House

bit crazy again today~ somehow I keep thinking the weekend is a chance to catch up, but it almost never is. It's another opportunity for more stuff to happen!  We had an awesome class this morning, with just one more in the series. It just never ceases to amaze me how incredible a group of people committed to learning can be! There is so much energy and enthusiasm, and great comments towards each person's efforts. And it is always a delight to hear someone else also loves to paint, and that the feel of the brush moving the wet slick pigment across the surface is something to look forward to.
Yay!
This is the house for today-  it's getting a bit tougher to get them done!  That's why I only wanted to do 15-
Whew!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$110

click here to nab!

11/15 Winter Tree

This is a nearly monochromatic painting- and it was really fun to do!  Houses can be a bit of a pain because of all the detail that feels necessary to maintain the illusion of the reality- and it can be hard to determine what is absolutely needed, and what can be left out.  This one was more of a "leave it out" kind of painting. And I had so much fun exaggerating that yellow sky!  It was morningish, in the winter of 2010, when this photo was taken.

6x9 acrylic on wood

$110

click here for yours!

11/14 Wendy's House

Wendy is a magical person, and whenever I get the chance to be with her, it just feels great!  Kinda like if you lived in a magical house with a magenta tree dropping magical puffs of color all over your pristine pillowed driveway....
This was a fun one to paint, for sure!
I've been working on commissions too, because I can't not paint animals... and a few squirrels too-  we'll see where those pop up!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$110

click here to buy!

11/13 Dave's Cabin

I am very fortunate that my family takes good photos!  This one is from my sister, Colleen, know as Beaner, who travels all over.  The cabin belongs to Dave Gilsvik, famed painted from Two Harbors who has become a friend and colleague to my mom and me.  I was happy to include this one today because it makes me think of my dad and the first time I came to Dave's cabin, following dad in the camper on all these windy backroads.  Dad always loved a short cut, and he loved looking around other people's workshops, and he and Dave got on well.  I think it may have been when mom and I were doing an art event in Two Harbors, so Duane and Max were along too- I do remember taking photos of Max playing in Dave's creek below his mini-bridge.  Lovely memories~ lovely place. Dave raised his family in this little cabin while they built their bigger house just across the creek.  He has a very patient and loving wife~ here's his facebook page too!
I had to rush a bit on this one- amazing how much time even a small painting can take!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$110

click here to buy~

11/12 Cottage on Iona Island, Scottland

Yes, a cottage on an island~ there's something about those skies...
Have I mentioned that I've been listening to Afrocelt Soundsystem lately? I have a couple of their cds, and remember dancing to their music in the basement of at least one South Minneapolis house...  there's something really soothing, moving, invigorating about their music.  We ended up using it as background music at the Boutique on Saturday, and it made the day just rock, for me!  And I'm pretty sure other people enjoyed it as well.  I've been playing it in my classroom too, and the kids like it because they don't know what it is and can't quite categorize it as "Art Teacher" music...
Check out the wikipedia page, and then order some of their music!  I'm listening to it on Amazon music, but I also have the cds~ here is a link to SEED-

6x9

acrylic on wood

$110

click here!

11/11 Tim's Neighbor's House

So, this year I am just painting whatever house I want, on whatever day I want to!  How's that for no pressure for me? I still say, DO send me your photos!  And if you know you want one painted, let me know so I include it for sure.
This is a photo sent to me by Tim, who is Brad and Carolyn's cousin and who came to our Boutique By The Creek on Saturday and so I am sure this house is somewhere in that neighborhood~ I really love these houses.  There is so much personality!
Thanks Tim!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$110

click here to nab this one!

11/10 The First HOME, of HOMEvember! Irish Laneside House

So, I'm going to paint a house/home for the next 15 days.  I don't have them all lined up yet.  This will be quite a bit more casual than my dogs and cats projects, because I'm not planning on having a show of these. I just like to try to follow through when I say I'm going to do something, so here goes!

My first HOME is from a roadside photo taken when we were in Ireland in 2013.  This little cottage is situated in a curve in the road with a tight little fence and very neat windows. I think it is taken care of and it appears to be lived in by someone who keeps it up. And the atmosphere is really close to the one we are living in in Minneapolis right now.  We have the fireplace on and are hunkering in for warmth and light.

Yup.

And thank you everyone who came to our Boutique By The Creek yesterday!  It was SO fun!!! And I've got more squirrel photos so I'll be painting more-  they are all sold except for my RedHeaded Raider!  Thank you Wendy!
And I also have some more wonderful commissions to be working on- thank you!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$110

click here to nab this one!

11/8 Oh My Darling, Clementine~

I was trying to think of a title for this one, and that just popped into my head~
A favorite song of my dad's, actually...
I've been whistling around my classroom, and my 3rd and 4th graders want to know how to whistle like I do, and I tell them my dad taught me.
One of many things he taught me.
Such a great guy.  I miss him.
But this is still a great piece of fruit!
I'll have it with me tomorrow at the Boutique By The Creek! 10 to 5pm, at 5012 South 12th Ave, Minneapolis, 55417-

pin

5x5 acrylic on wood

$50

click for this one~

11/7 Red Headed Raider

Larger than life, this one... I think anyway.  How big are those little buggers?  They probably weigh like 4 ounces, but sure can cause a huge amount of damage!  They've been wanting to live under our front porch, and Duane has sealed up the holes, but I still see them flitting in and around there.  I suppose we should move the pumpkins further away...
Did you ever read Chatterer The Red Squirrel? by Thornton Burgess?  These were my mom's books when I was growing up- lots of wildlife wearing jackets and hats, like Beatrix Potter.  I wonder if they knew each other?
I will have this guy with me at the Boutique By The Creek this Saturday!  Come on by and see him in  person!  Though if you buy him before then, I will ship him to you as soon as I can!
Wahoo!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$110

click here for this little bad guy!

11/6 Tiny Deer!

I think this one is my favorite tiny painting so far...
The wonky, winky eyes, the active fiery background, those EARS!

What's not to love?

5x3.5 acrylic on wood

$45

click here for this lovely little nugget!

11/5 Tiny Bear

I'm kinda loving these...
Gotta get more wooden plaques~
It's a little more fun changing up the dimensions of paintings-  going from 5 feet by 4 feet to 3.5 inches by 5 inches can be a great brain exercise!
And I don't know about your family, but mine is having a bit of a time with Daylight Savings again... I'm pooped by 8, and can't sleep past 4:30 am.... and my son and husband have a tough time getting up before 7:30am, which is when I leave.  Max has asked me to set his alarm clock so he can get up at 6:30, and I keep going up to wake him, but he still can't get himself out of bed- "coooold" he mutters as he digs deeper into his quilt~
So a bear for today!

3.5x5 acrylic on wood

$45

click here for this little lovely!

11/4 Tiny Wolf Painting

So I'll be starting the HOMEvember project on Sunday, November 10th, and painting one HOME a day til November 25th, for a total of 15.  This is reasonable.  I can do this.
And that way, I can continue to paint other critters!

Here's a tiny wolf!
Painted on a pine oval with a periwinkle/lilac edging, this tiny original work of art is ready to hang in that small special spot, or even to give as a gift to hang on a tree!

3.5x5 acrylic on wood

$45

yours HERE!

11/3 Another Commission!

Whew!
Bit of a late last night, with the daylight savings... had a sleep-over of 10 year olds, so we watched "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "The Simpsons' Movie" and "Bob the Builder and the Golden Hammer"... I went upstairs to go lay down at 12:30 while they were watching episodes of "64 Zoo Lane". Have you ever heard of that one?  We love it!
 And I'm still planning on attempting a HOMEvember kinda painting project, though I haven't gotten any submissions at this point, and I think I'm going to drop the price a bit, and I'll start by painting places I've lived or stayed at... but I'm not sure I'll be starting on that tomorrow~ so goes my work towards being impeccable with my word...
Ah well.
I don't think I'm done with squirrels yet either!  Stay tuned!

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

11/2 Jeepers Peepers

Okay, so it's a parakeet~
I was a little tired today~
Though there's always another day!  Happy Saturday!  Do something great with your extra hour tonight!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$75

click here for this budgie!

11/1 Mauer

This is a commission-  one of the ones I've been working on when I'm not painting squirrels...
That is a huge soul, looking out of those eyes. Sadly, Mauer is no longer with us, and he was a community dog, with a large following of people who love him, so I'm honored to be a part of his remembering.
Good one for All Souls Day...

10x10 acrylic on wood

sold