April 26, Summer Paintings

 So, I have a lot of paintings in my studio, and planning for an event like this weekends Open Studio/Bizarre Bazaar means I have to decide what paintings I'll be hanging on my walls, and which will stay hidden. It's always an interesting connundrum. Should I hang MORE paintings out, in case one catches someone's eye? Or do you hang fewer works so there's more space between them and they can be seen more easily?

You never know what's going to hit a viewer just right...

And it's so fun when something does!

So come on over to the Ivy this weekend and see what we've got for you! My friend Kelly Newcomer is joining us too! And Duane has some of his wooden birds up too~

This is a painting from last summer up at Camp Mishawaka!

14x7 acrylic on wood

$195

click here to buy!

April 25, Another Otter, for Emma Norton

 Here is another otter I've painted for the Emma Norton Restoring Waters, and my understanding is that the clients get to pick what artwork they want for their space~

Hopefully, they like ducklings and otters....

And we'll be open at the Ivy this weekend for the Bizarre Bazaar!  12-5 each day!  It's supposed to be rainy and wet, so come into the warmth and pick up some cool new art for spring!

Hope to see you!

April 24, An Otter for Art4Shelter

 Here's another little painting for Art4Shelter!  Which is Friday May 3rd! At the Glass House over by the Farmer's Market in Downtown Minneapolis! All 5x7 artworks are $35 and all 8x10s are $75!

And do please come on by this weekend and say Hi at the Ivy Building!  I'll be in my studio, #210 upstairs and the lovely folx of Bizarre Bazaar will be downstairs around the side of the building, and other studios will be open as well as the Vine Arts Gallery and it's new show, InFocus: Injustice in America.

We are open from noon to 5, and I'll have a table set up for you to make your own art creation to donate to Art4Shelter too!

I hope to see you this weekend!

XOXOX

5x7 acrylic on paper

for Art4Shelter!

April 22, Earth Day! And Wood Duckling for Art4Shelter!

 Good morning!

THANK YOU everyone who came to Diamond' yesterday! It was a lovely mob, and I really hadn't thought that many people would come by because it was such a glorious day, so THANK YOU! Thank you Judy and Bella, and Julie and Jeff! And Rosemary and Ihore and Sheryl and Elizabeth and Linda and Joe and John and Lara and Pipi and Bergen! And Linda and Lori and your partners whose names I've forgotten I'm so sorry! I'm sure I've forgotten someone, oh yes Wendy and your lovely two youngster fashionistas! THANK YOU all!!!

Happy Earth Day!

This is that sweet baby duck I've painted a couple times already, and once more for Art4Shelter!

AND we are going to have an OPEN STUDIO this coming weekend, Sat and Sun from noon to 5 for the Bizarre Bazaar! My studio-mates and I will have paintings and glass and jewelry and cards for you, and the lovely bunch downstairs will have WAY more wonderful original unique items that you will NEVER find anywhere else!

We are in Studio #210 at the Ivy Building, 2637 27th Ave S, Minneapolis in the Seward Neighborhood! The Garage Doors directly facing the Greenway on 27th STREET will be open, so you can come upstairs that way, OR we will have our delightful son Max manning the door on the 27th AVE side and you can come up that way, elevator included!

It is always lovely to see you all!

OH And I will ALSO have a TABLE set up for YOU to make some art to donate to ART4SHELTER as well!!!  Come on up and paint or draw something!  I'll have all the materials you'll need including the forms! If you want to make something ahead of time and drop it off for me to take in, bring it along! Here's the Submission Info for you!

5x7 on paper

 going to Art4Shelter!

April 21, 30 Cats 2-4 TODAY and a Mug for Art4Shelter!

It is surprisingly fun to paint mugs!  In class yesterday, I made my poor students paint 4 mugs, each about 8x8 inches, in just over 15 minutes each... how's that for domineering? And they did great work, with the idea that we notice the planes of the shadows...

Art is all about observation. 

As an artist, I am constantly poking myself to make sure I'm paying attention. I try to notice things, like the light on a fender, the glint of blue in a brown eye, a pug puppy's dancing, flopping feet as she trots joyfully down the sidewalk. It's all part of one big painting I haven't done yet!

And today I'll be at Diamonds (1618 Central Ave NE) with the 30 Cats (and One Donkey) that I just completed! I'll be there from 2-4, you can pop by and say hi and see the work, and I totally understand if you find yourself outside in this beautiful weather and can't move from your place!  The work will be up through May 19th, Diamond's is open every day from 7 to 4, and you can always look at all the paintings on my blog here!

5x7 on paper

come to Art4Shelter on May 3rd!!!

April 19, A Large Woodduck Painting...

 I painted this duck for Art To Change The World because I was accepted as one of the artists to create work for the Emma Norton Restoring Waters Home and they asked for four pieces, by May 1st, so I have one more duck and a couple otters to complete. I'll be painting this weekend!

It's also my 30 Cats in 30 Days Celebration at Diamond's this Sunday from 2-4, if you're around and want to pop by!  I'd love to see you!

18x24 acrylic on canvas

teapot for scale!

April 14, A Plum for Art4Shelter!

We had a lovely day yesterday!  For me it started with my Paint Love Class at the Ivy in my studio, and  yes, we painted fruit, and then mugs, to get those brushes and painting muscles warmed back up again...

The fruit we painted on 5x7 paper for Art4Shelter, the Annual Fundraiser for Simpson Housing Services that I usually am way more up on and have painted more work for by now, but this year with packing and moving and unpacking and still setting up the house (I think it will be June before we are closer to "Settled"!) I have had to let a number of things slide.  Art4Shelter is one of those events that you SHOULD for SURE go to!  Especially if you love art and supporting people experiencing homelessness!

April 12, Asher, from 2022

 Here's another commission, from 2022~ I've been a bit too busy to paint the last few days, but I have a Paint Love class starting tomorrow so I'll be painting then for sure!  If you're interested, I do have a few spaces left and you can just come along and I'll set you up with materials for the day! here's the link with more info- $275 for 5 weeks of FUN with ME!

And of course I'm always happy to take on commissions as well!  Send me your critters!  I NEED to paint! 

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

Salacious B Crumb!

  Yes, this is NOT a cat.

He is a Kaworkian Monkey-Lizard who acts as Jabba the Hut's court jester in several of the Star Wars movies that I am more familiar with because they came out when I was a kid...

Salacious B Crumb was selected by my 15 year old son as the pet he'd like painted for this month. He thought it was pretty funny to include him, and he was so delighted that he's been helping me wire all this month's 30 paintings with not much complaint!

Here is a link to the Wookipedia Site for our little friend!

April 11, A past Comm!

 This is Kylie, from a year ago- it is weird how our brains kinda shut out bad experiences (or maybe it's just me!) because I have to work to remember things well from last year, after the fire, which is making getting this year's taxes done rather difficult.

I also wanted to make sure an announce here that the 30 Cats in 30 Days Opening Party has been rescheduled to SUNDAY APRIL 21st from 2-4 at Diamonds! In several places I said it is this Sunday, the 14th, but that can't happen, so we are sliding it over to the 21st!

I'll be there with snacks and beverages and postcards and books and of course all the cats! The paintings will be up through May 19th, after which I'll get them down and get them to all of you amazing people who've purchased them.

Wahooo!

Kylie 8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

April 10, Mo!

 Whew!

So I'll take a wee break here, since I have to get all our tax papers in order for our Zoom appointment tomorrow afternoon- man!  Every year I tell myself I'm going to be more organized with this and I'll keep track throughout the year so this isn't such an ordeal, and then I don't do it. Mostly because I don't know how to use a spreadsheet, or how to simply organize the information. Maybe this year...?

This is Mo! Isn't he something? He's a bit of a pup yet, and is the companion of our now retired friend at school, Darryl, and I painted it for him for his retirement party. What a face!

April 7, Estrella for Joe and Charlie

I have painted Estrella a few times- she is an absolutely beautiful cat. Glowing eyes, full thick fluff, long elegant whiskers, what more could I ask for?

And I omitted the date of April 5th when I made my initial Official List... I wonder why no one else noticed that? Which means that tomorrow, Cranky Toph, is actually my last cat!  I do have a special request though, so there will likely be one more creature...

6x6 acrylic on wood

spoken for

 

April 6, Clark and Cleo

And this one took me a little longer too! I was a little afraid of it, with the darker shadows and bright lights, I wasn't sure I could get the back kitty to read well, and I'm thinking I did it!

There were a number of photos to pick from, but there is something so sweet about how they are lying together in this one- I love that Cleo's eye is juuuuuust slightly and slyly open....

Here's what Lori wrote about the pair~

They were littermates and were together for 18 years until our orange boy Clark passed away last April. We took lots of pix of them but this is one of my faves as it shows how much they loved each other! Cleo is still with us and hasn't lost her "tortitude" but she is withering away due to old age and the heartbreak of losing her bro.

6x12 acrylic on wood

sold

 

April 5, Beatrice

 My friend Cami is an irrerpressible optimist who is also a professional nanny and has lived and loved many children to adulthood. She is also an artist and one of my early art group buddies, and she sent me Beatrice to paint and I love something about Beatrice's glowing eyes and mixed grays and browns and that mysterious little chunk missing from her ear...

There's got to be a story here!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$150

click here for purchase info!

April 4, Sherlock for Bill!

Sorry this is SOOOO late!!!  I did get it started this morning, but I've been at an art teacher convention all day! I'm sure that puts a great image in your mind, doesn't it? The downtown Minneapolis Convention Center full of art teachers!  It was SUPER fun!  The main speaker this morning was Cartoonist/Writer/Teacher Lynda Barry who was just fantastic!!! SO good!  And I learned SO much and got to talk to all kinds of creative people, and THEN this evening I went to our local library, the Roosevelt Library to see local writer Lorna Landvik speak!!!!  She was SO GREAT!!!

And now I'm posting sweet Sherlock here, who Bill said lived to be nearly twenty, I think... and had some medical issues at the end that made it difficult to leave poor Sherlock alone for very long, which meant he and his wife haven't really had a vacation for a while. Such dedicated pet owners. What a face~

6x6 acrylic on wood

spoken for

April 3, Pete Wayne

What a gloriously dark cat!  Look at the shine on his fur and the gleam in that eye, and the luxuriously looooooong whiskers!

What a great face!

And here's what Charlotte says about this fella~

"Pete Wayne is a three year old Persian mix who our family just adores!  His special talent is snagging flies out of midair from any vantage point.  My boys named him; they couldn’t decide if he was going to be Pete or Wayne, so he’s Pete Wayne😊

Thank you Kat! You’ve captured him beautifully!"

6x6 acrylic on wood

spoken for!

 

April 2, Shorty!

I have to love a cat named Shorty! That sounds like a story in itself- and I believe this creature is also a Bengal cat, which leads to her amazing eyes and coloring-

My goodness! Only 7 cats left, people!

And I hope you can come by the Ivy this Saturday from 3-5 for my Closing Reception of Nature's Gaze~ I am so proud of this work!

Here is a little note Maryam sent me about Shorty, and I'm looking forward to a little longer one!

"Yes, Shorty is pretty special. She doesn’t seem to age!  I do feed her only the best (Royal Canin) and Fancy Feast. As well, living in a home that has 4 flights of stairs means she zips up and down quite often."

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold

April 1! Charlotte and Bud! For Linda and Joe!

 Although it might be Bud and Charlotte.... am I being sexist if I think a cat looks more feminine and the other more masculine? I'm assuming Charlotte is the fluffier one, and Bud the darker one with the intense expression. Hmm. Am I wrong?

Yes!  I am wrong!  Bud is the more orangey one!  These two are siblings and Linda and Joe decided to go ahead and adopt them both and they are so pleased that they did. And I had to paint them together on this stool... they weren't placed there, they hopped up there themselves. TOO much!  I also had to paint them larger, and I will easily admit that I started this painting a couple days ago because I knew it would take longer, being a bigger one... and it isn't done yet!  I didn't get to the whiskers this morning!

I'm back to school today after a long busy spring break. I still don't have my clothes unpacked yet, and my jewelry is in little boxes on the floor of the bathroom, and we keep realizing we're missing something.... either packed somewhere else or never made it out of the house after the fire. We were living in the rental for over a year, and now are attempting to start all over again in the house I've owned for 20 years... it's a bit surreal.

I'm also not in love with our memory foam mattress...

14x11 acrylic on wood

spoken for

March 31, Mabel!

 Happy Easter!  This is Mabel, because I wanted to paint her for my friend Adam and his wife Lisa, and she looks like she might like a little rabbit... because she lives with one! I'd love to paint Milton the rabbit sometime too!

It's a beautiful day up here on the Great Lake and I know we're all sad to be leaving... I hope you are having a great day wherever you are!

6x6 acrylic on wood

spoken for~

March 30, Kitty for Steve!

 This is another glorious fun-eyed cat- I love those eyes! Sometimes a photo doesn't look like it will be a good painting, but sometimes they totally give you the gift of inspiration and you roll on from there!

I didn't get a story for Kitty yet, but I'm hoping to- those eyes just tell a huge story~

I tried getting up early so I could get photos of the sunrise, and I was up and outside with the two pups, it had snowed and the lake is very wild today, but the sun didn't make an appearance below the clouds.  Darn. Those are some of my favorite versions of the lake to paint~

Well I can try again tomorrow!

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

March 29, Marley for Melody

 And this is Marley! Wow, dang did I have fun painting this one!  Tortoiseshells have just SO many different colors in their fur, and these green eyes too, were just great to paint!

We are up in Grand Marais for Easter weekend because this year Max's 15 birthday falls on Easter Sunday and we love to come up and hang out by the lake for a couple days here and there. It's gorgeous right now, but everything is exceedingly icy and it's tricky getting around... the pups are doing well with it, and it's fun to all be together. I hope you are enjoying this wicked lion out March too!

I'm having so much fun painting these cats- and I'm switching the cat for Sunday too, because I forgot to bring Toph's canvas up here with me- so I'm painting Mabel instead!

8x8 acrylic on wood 

sold

March 28, Trudy for Molly!

My friend Carolyn asks me every year to paint several portraits for her friends and family and I love this because it makes Carolyn one of my very favorite patrons and supporters, and also she inevitably has the cutest and most interesting looking critters!

This is Trudy, who belongs to Molly, and I'd forgotten that Carolyn had asked me to paint her on St Patrick's Day, so here she is today, with her green eyes and Irish looking expression...

Isn't she cunning?

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

 

March 27, Frank!

Here is the brilliant eyed Frank! Another really fun one to paint, and I'm pretty pleased with his electric whiskers!

My friend Gennae also painted a version of Frank, and I'm honored she decided to have me paint him too! Love those black cats~

Frank is a tiny panther. He loves to hunt and use his enormous collection of whiskers to investigate everything. He has a distinctive voice that he exercises judiciously. He’s of even temperament, unlike his frenetic genetic sister. He loves a good lap sit and a cuddle in the basket with Polly. His fur is so silky and soft. 

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold

 

March 26, Shady Kitty

 This is Sunny Kitty's sister, Shady and it's another photo that just begged to be painted- love those eyes!

"Sunny and Shady were from the same litter (different fathers).  Shady was feral compared to Sunny.  They had bonded already when I went to pick a Sunny.  Sunny was hugging Shady.  I could not not take her home, too!  Shady turned out to be a very sweet lovable kitty, though shy.  When I first brought the kittens home, Sunny would always run and hug Shady if Shady cried out!"

This is also a good example of trying to LEAVE IT ALONE when I get it somewhere I like it. When time allows, I get the painting started a bit the night before so I can let it sit in my brain all night long, and then I do the color and details in the morning. Sometimes it takes letting it sit a bit for it to really come out right.

I like this one!

Ooo, not that I don't like any of the others!  Sheesh, Kat! way to go-

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold

March 25, Miss Kitty!

 Painting a whole body of a cat is strangely more time consuming than painting just a face! This has taken me a lot longer this morning than I anticipated, although it may be possible that I'm putting off working on my taxes...

Here is what Linda wrote about this lovely Miss Kitty! And happy Birthday Mark!

Miss kitty was a control freak. Reading the newspaper was an extended event every morning. She seemed to know where our eyes were reading and would move to that article. She was a lap lover and if mark said it was time to go she would wait for him to get out of the chair and then move to the warm spot. We loved her and miss her every day. We lost her in June, Comforted in the vets office with Kat’s artwork.

acrylic on wood, 10x8

sold

March 24, Maisy Mae for Mikayla!

 Wow, sorry I'm so late this morning with this one! Technically it isn't even morning anymore. I just got back from New Orleans yesterday and had a great evening with my family rearrannging furniture and  attempting to make sense of our new/old living situation. Stuff is all over the place and I had to dig just now to find my winter boots to take the puppy out to poop in the snow before she did it on the fireplace rug! We were living for over a year in our neighbor's house, and got pretty settled in there, and now we're moving stuff back into our new/old house and it's funny how much stuff a person can accumulate in a year! We also don't have all our dressers and bookcases yet, so a lot of stuff is boxed and tucked somewhere...

Ah well. It's great to be here!

And this is Maisy Mae, who has an incredibly regal presence with all that fabulous fur.

Here is what Mikayla wrote about her!

I love it so much. The colors are beautiful and she looks like the perfect mixture of regal and goofball that she is.

I've had her for all 6 years of her life and we got her to be my emotional support animal. She's really good at her job and her favorite way to make me feel better is to talk! Her meows and trills are very expressive and they always make me smile. 

Thank you so much for picking Maisy Mae I love it so much.

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold

March 23, Sunny Girl

 Another incredible set of eyes... this was another that I had to paint. And I'll have to paint Shady too, of course!  Maybe I can get to her later today, since I'm running out of spaces!

I really appreciate having these fantastic paintings to look forward to every morning. Thanks for giving me an opportunity to paint your pets, people!

Here's what Amy says about Sunny AND Shady!

Sunny and Shady were from the same litter (different fathers).  Shady was feral compared to Sunny.  They had bonded already when I went to pick a Sunny.  Sunny was hugging Shady.  I could not not take her home, too!  Shady turned out to be a very sweet lovable kitty, though shy.  When I first brought the kittens home, Sunny would always run and hug Shady if Shady cried out!

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold

March 22, Katie the Kat!

I admit it is her eyes in this one what I wanted to see if I could capture~ what a beauty! And this is what Sandy wrote about her~ 

This is Katie! I have been catsitting for my neighbor for about eight years.  Katie was rescued from the county landfill when she was a baby. Now she lives a life of luxury and is the Queen of the house. She's very persnickety, with green eyes like Scarlett O'Hara and a temper to match!

6x6 acrylic on wood

sold

March 21, Sabrina

 I kinda love this name, Sabrina... though in my mind it is associated with fun witches... This photo of Sabrina with her eyes shut, napping peacefully, made me feel so comfy and safe, I had to paint it. The world feels at peace with a sleeping cat on your lap.

Here's what Rachel says about Sabrina!

Sabrina is our new kitten and shares a name with the Welsh river goddess. It’s fitting that she loves to sit on the edge of the bathtub and dip her paws into the water. Sabrina thinks the sink is the best place to get a drink, and she is eager to meet the beautiful kitty in the mirror.

6x6 acrylic on wood

spoken for~

March 20, Anya for Cathy!

Now, I've painted Anya before, just in case you're wondering,  here, and here, and you can tell by looking at her that she's got movie star cat looks...

So I had to paint this one too! 

And I also have to admit that I'm currently in New Orleans with my friends, hanging out and chilling for a few days in a new world, and it's really great!  I'm still posting, but am letting a few other things wait til I get back. Duane is setting up our house, Max is in school, my show Nature's Gaze is up til April 6th at the Vine Arts, and I'm painting in New Orleans!

Wahooo!

6x6 acrylic on wood

spoken for!

March 19, Lord Chompa!

 Good lord, I hope I've done justice to THIS huge personality!  Read on~ this is what Eric has written of his companion~

"In a world ripe with myths and legends, one tale stands out like a raging fire in a field of snow. A tail of the small tail; a cat who will lead our people to salvation. Born of unknown origin and circumstance, this feline is said to rise from the depths of hardship and triumph over all obstacles in his path toward his final destination. From a lowly street urchin to supreme royalty, this handsome four paw is believed to one day be king of all cats big and small. I believe in the prophecy, for I have beared witness to such a creature... even more. I have the honor, the privilege, to serve under whom I believe to be this chosen one. This is my cat... this is... 

Lord Chompa, His Grace -"

Lord Chompa

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold

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...

Here's what his owner Eric says of him~

“There are Donkeys and there was little Jack .
Such a personality, yet such a gentle soul.
He filled all our hearts with joy and never failed to put a smile on the face of anyone who saw him.
Wherever he is now, may his soul continue to brighten everything around him “

12x6 acrylic on wood

sold

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!

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!

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!

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

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

 

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!

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~

Starting bid $50

thank you!

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!

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

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

click here for purchase info~

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!

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

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Though this one is going to be in an exhibition at the arboretum and so won't be available for a while!

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!

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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. 

 

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

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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

click here to buy or come to the show!

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

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

click here for purchase info!