3/6 Oswald, and REVISED Official List!

Yes, I had Gideon the African Grey set for today, but I revised that to accommodate this fella, Oswald~  and this is the first one I've struggled with this month.  Hmmm.  What does that mean?  It's only the 6th! This is one of those lighter colored cats that sometimes causes problems with my value judgement. As in I have some trouble really seeing where areas are darker than others- I originally had the background as green, because of his green eyes, but I think it works better now-  I've included the original at the bottom of the Revised List for you!

6x6 acrylic on wood

Spoken For!

1- Waldo for Kate R

2- Blue for Sonya J

3- Basil for Alexis 

4- Chimney Sweep for Cat 

5- MiaoMiao for Bette J

6- Oswald for Barb 

7- Smokey for Jimmy  

8- Ella for Lindy  

9- Pilar for Constance 

10- Felix for Solveig 

11- Angel for Judith Rae

12- Naldo for Joe L

13- Tigger and Trixie for Robin N

14- Buddy for Kathy P

15- Zuko the Yak for Lois, and maybe Gideon the African Grey

16- Kitaro for Michaela 

17- Princess Peach for Kelly

18- Silly for Wanda 

19- Francois the Tuxedo for Barbara S 

20- Isabelle for Barbara S  

21- Circe the Calico for Barbara S  

22- Flint on the tires for Anne W

23- Zoe the rag doll for Marcy

24- Bear and George for Harper 

25- Winnie for Harper 

26- Dreamy the Rat for Greta  

27- Sonny Boy and Stella Bella for Roxanne W

28- Dorian Grey for Robin W

29-Georgina for Theresa Moe 

30- Freddie and Archie for Jenny B

first try at Oswald- too dark-

3/5 Miaomiao

I had fun with the darks in this one-  and I hope I spelled the name right!  As well as those golden eyes, and that calico-y coat~  yup.  Cats are fun!  here's what Bette wrote~

MiaoMiao appeared in our Cody Wyoming pasture a couple years ago — a tiny frightened stray
kitten

We already had three cats but she was a keeper and has become my forever feline friend~

6x6 acrylic on wood

$85

click here for purchase info~

3/4 Chimney Sweep for Cat~

Another example of a cat photo that caught my eye immediately~

And here's what Cat, Chimney Sweep's one, told me~

"I found her at the Hollywood Farmers market, my first weekend in my new Hollywood home, 8 years ago. Was not planning on adopting so soon, but when I picked her up, she wrapped her arms around me and... that motor - Purrrrrrrrrr! Her first two week trial with me she was a total asshole - peeing in plants, destroying things, biting and scratching people, and trying to escape up the chimney. Hence, her name. 

At the end of the two week trial, I called the rescue, telling her what a jerk this cat was, and perhaps it wasn't a good match. She assured me that Rainbow (her given name) was probably just testing me/settling in, and would I be willing to give her another two weeks? By the end of the second two weeks, you couldn't pry that snuggle bug out of my arms! And she never went up the chimney again."

6x6 acrylic on wood

spoken for!

3/3 Basil for Alexis and Josh!

Again, here's a photo of a beautiful cat that is darn near irresistible, along with the fact that Basil lives in Nashville with my cousin Alexis who is also an artist in silver jewelry  (I think I attached her instagram link there...) and her hubby who is a musician in the band Halestorm~  and she hasn't sent me a note about this gorgeous cat, though I know she is planning her spring garden, which seems much closer to someone in Tennessee than someone in Minnesota, I imagine...

8x8 acrylic on wood

spoken for~

3/2/19 Blue!

I chose this photo to paint because there is so much personality coming through in that face and that pose. My friend Sonya sent it, and when she found out I chose it to paint, she sent me this note~

"Blue disappeared over a year ago. He enjoyed going outside and exploring, but one day he left and never returned. 

This painting will be a great way to remember the sweet boy~"

I think Blue must have been named after his eyes-  what do you think?

6x6 acrylic on wood

$85

sold

3/1/2019 Here's WALDO!

This is the first cat of my 30 Cats in 30 Days Daily Painting Challenge!  Thanks for joining me!  I'm super excited about this because it really makes me accountable for getting in some painting every day (which I usually do anyway, but this makes it more official) and also by having you out there following along and making sure I do get this done every day.

I chose this photo because Waldo's eyes are just so huge!  And plus I love painting black animals.  Have I mentioned that before?

Maybe...

6x6 acrylic on wood

$85

click here to purchase~

2/28 OFFICIAL LIST of "30 Cats in 30 Days" 2019!

Hi there people!  It is here!

The Official List for "30 Cats in 30 Days" March 2019

I've been working on this list for days, and the first thing I'll say is that it is a FLEXIBLE list.  

Because I am human and I have a life and I'm being more gentle to myself, I reserve the right to squeeze two cats into one day or swap creatures around or substitute someone for someone else. Of course, I will not do that if you have already asked to buy your painting or if you've told me a special date for your painting. I really really really will do my absolute best to not miss any days, because that is the point of this entire process, and I very much appreciate your acting as a cheerleading squad/dominatrix by making me responsible for my word. So please follow along here on my blog and yell at me!

And if you expected to see your name and pet on this list but it isn't there, please email me immediately and we'll get that straightened out.  Also, if you are planning on purchasing your painting, do let me know so I can mark it SOLD so someone else doesn't buy it out from under you.  

This has happened before.

I'm just saying...

Oh and I've left a couple days open near the end so I can do some juggling if needed.

And now, 

THE LIST.....

1- Waldo for Kate R

2- Blue for Sonya

3- Basil for Alexis 

4- Chimney Sweep for 

5- MiaoMiao for Bette J

6- Oswald for Barb

7- Leo for Jenneke

8- Ella for Lindy   

9- Pilar for Constance

10- Felix for Solveig M

11- Bear AND George for Harper 

12- Winnie for Harper

13- Tigger and Trixie for Robin N

14- Buddy for Kathy P

15- Zuko the Yak and Gideon the African Grey for Lois

16- Kitaro for Michaela 

17- Princess Peach for Kelly

18- Silly for Wanda

19- Francois the Tuxedo for Barbara S 

20- Isabelle for Barbara S  

21- Circe the Calico for Barbara S  

22- Flint on the tires for Anne W

23- Zoe the rag doll for Marcy

24- Angel for Judith Rae

25- Naldo for Joe L

26- Dreamy the Rat for Greta  

27- Sonny Boy and Stella Bella for Roxanne W

28- Dorian Grey for Robin W

29-Georgina for Theresa Moe

30- Freddie and Archie for Jenny B

2/26 Poppy Puppy!

This is from a Valentine's Day "Secret Cupid" thing we did at school, and I knew my secret person loves her dog and I didn't have a lot of time to go shopping so I snuck onto her facebook page and found this photo of her newest family member of a puppy and painted it and she loved it!
Yay!

4x4 acrylic on wood

taken!

2/25 Upcoming painting classes!

Okay, I just posted a bunch of new painting sessions on my Mailchimp, which you probably already get, so I'll just pop a copy of it at the end here-  and I'd also love to remind you that I am working on that list for my "30 Cats in 30 Days" project which is starting THIS FRIDAY!  Holy cow!  It's already MARCH almost...
Here's a kitty to be getting on with~

8x8 acrylic on wood

$150

click here for purchase info~

2/23 Mugging Spoon AUCTION!

I know, this was supposed to be posted yesterday but I ran out of energy.  I know, that sounds crazy because I have endless energy!  Not really~
This was a fun demo mug painting I did in my class yesterday morning, and I was so tired and my brain was a bit off, if you know what I mean, but my lovely students were incredibly supportive and amusing and possibly even amused...
We were working wit the idea of value and a change in color/gradients though I don't think I said that word.  And I also realized how important it is to really pay attention to your background shapes too! Negative space is really truly important~

6x6 acrylic on wood

"Mugging Spoon"

$45 starting bid!

click here to join the fun~

2/22 Best Foot Forward

Another lovely wolf!
I am loving those feet- those paws- shaped like trapezoids, and the angles and bumps on those long, long legs...  it would be fun to try an abstraction of this too~

I am realizing how being a creative person often means being your own curator, photographer, writer, advertiser, cataloguer, hawker, and all that... and I'm also realizing I may be needing some help with some of it. Not that I don't have helpful people and friends, and all that, but I think I may be in the market for a Virtual Assistant...

I'm starting my Pilot On-line Painting Class tomorrow, to see how that goes, and I've been having a great time learning something new.  I highly recommend it!

5x7 acrylic on canvas

$75

click here to purchase~

2/21 Wolf Pose

My son just got back from Cub Scouts and is filling me in on the exciting obstacle course race they did at the meeting tonight, where they timed each other going through a course made by putting folding chairs into a maze-like formation... creativity is key here!

And here is a wolf, who lives at the Mn Zoo, in his own kind of Obstacle Course~  I'm really happy with this one- it's a different material, canvas, and a different shape too~  and I'm liking the abstraction of the background, and that lifted front foot...
So fun!

5x7 acrylic on canvas

$75

click HERE to purchase~

2/20 Snow Day!

We walked over to Max's friend's house this morning, after the snow day was called and we'd already been up (me because I wasn't sure that my school had called a snow day, until 5am when it was announced) shoveling and playing, and so we all walked over, less than a mile, but wow!  it is so much harder walking through snow than you'd think.  Max popped under a couple different pine trees, and we talked about how animals need to have spaces like this, and how it is hard for everyone to get through deep snow, critters included, and so we need to be nice to them too.

What a treat!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$84

click HERE to purchase!

2/18 Puppy!

And here's another holiday present painting!
I'm really looking forward to getting in gear with this year's 30 Cats Project!  I'm getting a seriously beautiful pile of pussy cats to get my teeth into, and there's still time to send in yours if you want!

And I also have openings in the Paint Your Pet Class at the Phipps this coming Sunday, the 24th!  From 1-4pm, we'll be painting your favorite pet, just send me your photo ahead of time and $85 covers all materials!  More info and sign up here!

8x8 acrylic on wood

sold~

2/16 That Kitty

Sorry for my absence yesterday!  I'm working the last few bugs out of the on-line class, and also getting the list updated of some up-coming one-day classes, if you're interested in that kind of thing~ and of course, I'm also wanting to get that list together for my 30 Cats in 30 Days project!  Thank you everyone for all the photos I've gotten so far!  I am happy to have more!  Wahoo!

This is a Christmas commission Kitty!

sold!

2/14 Happy Valentine's Day!

Ah!  What a great day!  It is funny how much a little sunshine can do to improve your mood!  SO here is a lovely commissions from the holidays!

This one was such a delight to paint!  You know how much I love black dogs!

XO

9x12 

sold!

2/14 Otter Up

I'm working towards some more rectangular panels... which means I'm talking Duane into cutting some for me~  I do love painting on squares, but those do seem best for portraits, and there's not a lot of drama you can fit into a square.  Something a little longer seems more able to suggest movement.  And this is an otter, who was standing on his haunches fiercely listening to something above his enclosure.  I don't know what it was that had his attention, but he was so focussed it was amazing!

I need a bit of that sometimes.  Focus, I mean.  Often, I sit down at my laptop to work and I can't remember what it was I was going to do.  I've taken to putting post-its onto the keyboard so I can make notes of what it was that I intended to work on.  Otherwise, I find myself floating around the net, shopping or art-searching, or cabin-drooling....

Which reminds me!  I just locked in camping at the Grand Marais Municipal Campground for the Summer Solstice Pageant, which is June 22 this year, and for the weekend of the 4th of July, because I'll be teaching a class at the Art Colony THAT weekend!  ACK!  I don't know HOW that's gonna go, because I don't know where people are going to stay if I had such a hard time finding a spot!  But if you're interested, I'll be posting that on my website soon!  Along with other closer classes and my on-line class too!

Wahoo!

6x9 acrylic on wood

$108

click here to own this fella!

2/12 Apple Light

Tonight is a bit late and I'm a bit tired so here is an apple~  I kinda like it~
oh and send me your cats! here's a link!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$75

click here

2/9 A Birthday Thing

I meant to post this yesterday!  Darn it- We had a GREAT class in my studio yesterday!  I'll post a couple demo paintings later- and really DO try painting fabric for a challenge!  It's tricky and abstract, and an exercise in paying attention.
Which is also what painting people is for me!  This is my friend's daughter, for my friend's birthday which was celebrated yesterday and was such a great time for all of us!  We are so lucky to have friendships with loving creative people who have kids of similar ages, and who are so in touch with their inner kid too!  We all had a great time- and I gave my friend a painting of her son several years ago and intended to get one done of her daughter someday...

That was the day!

7x7 acrylic on wood

spoken for!

2/8 Otter Portrait

Yup, another otter... just can't stay away from these guys!  And I don't know what they were doing, but the two of them were up and curious about something, looking way up above their enclosure for something. And I painted a few versions of this until I was finally simplified it to just the head, because there is something about the slant and that nose and that muscular neck that I love!

5x6 acrylic on wood

$65

click here to purchase~

2/7 Another commission!

A sweet double commission!  Those fun fluffy dogs- how to suggest curly hair with acrylic brush strokes... good question! I think it is all about looking for the shade and color changes, and trying to use the brush stroke to suggest the texture.  I'm pretty happy with the eyes, above all else!

A few glitches with the on-line class-  working them out-  should be ready to post by this weekend! Wahoo!

12x12 acrylic on wood

sold!

2/6 A commission!

So I'm trying to get more of this On-line painting class figured out, and I'm not having as much time to paint-  that's the bummer about this kinda thing...  not having time to learn a whole pile of new stuff about technology that I don't know!
So here is a lovely kitty from a commission in December, for your viewing pleasure!  He's just got one good eye~  i was so drawn to the composition of this photo, and yes, to that shiny black coat he's sporting!

And I'll post a note as soon as I figure more of this out-  I'm about ready to just invite some people to be guinea pigs and we'll run a session on-line and see what happens...

Thanks for all your enthusiasm and support!

8x8 acrylic on panel

sold

2/4 Another Orange!

This one was a demo for a catch-up painting class at my studio yesterday, and is on a 5x5 wood panel~  it was a quickie but I have to say I am really pleased with it!  Those oranges are just the greatest~ I mean the colors of orange!  And it was a delight to pop those little specks of white on the top for some bling!

And i've been a bit busy trying to figure out how to create an on-line painting class for people who don't live near me, and it's taking a bit of figuring out-  I'll put something out soon on my newsletter to let you know how it's going.  It's a big learning curve, trying to figure this stuff out!  And i'm not sure it's going to look at professional as I'd like it just yet, so this may be just the first iteration of it~
But I'm super excited about being able to try this for you!

And I'll just be pricing this one at $45 for the whole thing!  So no auction, just a reasonable price-  how's that?

5x5 acrylic on wood

$45

and it is YOURS! Click here!

2/2 Clementine Day!

And Happy Groundhog Anniversary to US!  It's our 11th Anniversary today!  Yay!  And this is the demo clementine I painted this morning, so I'll be auctioning it off for you, for a little starting bid!

And everyone knows a little vitamin C is great right about this time of year!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$22 starting bid!

click here to jump on the auction train!

12/1 Otter Logic

Yeah, that just sounded good as a title when I said it in my head...
So of the three lovely snow days I just experienced, I'd say two of them were spent dealing with a pretty ferocious cold, that I now feel I am somewhat on top of...  thank goodness.  And now the air is a bit more fun to breathe too!
SO here is an otter for the first of February!
I love their shapes-  those feet, that head, that sturdy strong muscle of a body!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$75

this can be yours! Click here!

1/31 Portal by Bde Mkay Ska

I love how the trees bend over the road, and that far distant space becomes a whole into another dimension... or just the farther bit along the road there.  The mystery of distance, of what lies just around the corner... that's one reason painting is so fun.  You get to make your own worlds~
I'm having some fun playing with thinner layers of paint...
I'm also working on a larger piece that's taking a bit more futzing, cuz it's people...
and they is HARD!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$75

click here to purchase!

1/30 Duluth Sunset

Yes, it is very cold here- yes I am wearing a number of layers, and relaxing in front of our fireplace watching "A Fish Called Wanda" because I can. And yes, I am still painting sunsets from this weekend!  Just incredible!
And hey!  Its a First Friday Painting Party this weekend at the studio!  6:30-9!
And I have a couple spots left in Saturday's class if you were wondering!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$75

click here to purchase!

Max's Duluth Sunset Shot

Max took this photo from a pull-over spot just before Brighton Beach as we headed home from the GLA on Saturday evening- he was looking in the side mirror a lot, commenting on how beautiful it was~  "Holy COW!" kinda thing...
It is rather chilly here- and so we have no school for the next two days.  We're still loving our gas fireplace but I'm feeling a little worried and think we should turn on the good old reliable furnace.  I'm also thinking we do need to have some kind of furnace in the house, and that this beautiful fireplace won't work be as all-encompassing as I'd hoped...
This one is a 9x12-  I'm rather pleased with it, though I still consider it a "study", so I'm making this one an auction as well~

9x12 acrylic on wood

$216 ...

Though yes, let's do an auction!

$60 starting bid-

click here to bid!

1/27 Snow Rhythm, Wolf Ridge AUCTION

We had a super day yesterday! Got the dogs in the car and headed up to Gooseberry Falls, where we traipsed around in the snow all the way to the great lake and Max and Duane poked at the ice and the rocks and I went a bit mommy on them ("get away from there!  You'll fall in!!!" kinda thing...) and then we popped the frosty dogs back in the car and went to the visitor center (GIFT SHOP) where I cleaned the snow out of Teddy's toes and left the dogs in the car so we could trot to the top of the falls.  JUST gorgeous!!!  But I don't have a finished painting of those photos yet...
Then we stopped by David Gilsvik's studio to pick up a painting and were delighted with his space and his root cellar, and then Max and I went to the Great Lakes Aquarium where I took even MORE photos (and we hit the GIFT SHOP) and then we came home and made dinner and were in bed by 10~ and today we head home!
This painting is another indoor plein air painting out my dorm window at Wolf Ridge! So yes, I didn't actually paint it this morning...
And I have a NEW Painting Lessons Session starting NEXT SATURDAY MORNING!  Click here for more info on that!  Just a few spaces left~

6x6 acrylic on wood

$35 starting bid!

Click here to join the auction!

1/26 Pines Out The Window

Ahhhh~  snow, light, shade, branches making shapes... what more could I ask for?
If you paint something while looking at it through a window because it was minus 40 below wind-chill, does that still count as plein air?

6x6 acrylic on wood

$75

1/25 Wolf Shy Pink

Okay, yes it is actually Saturday now, and I didn't get this posted last night-  forgive me-  I will post another today!  This is a wolf from our zoo again, but the color of the snow is approximately the colors of what I'm seeing where I am right now!  This morning it is -6 degrees, cold enough that the dogs can only be out for a short time before their tender feet start freezing... what do wolves do?
More later!  Lots of stuff I'm working on painting at the mo...

6x6 acrylic on wood

$75

click here to purchase!

1/24 Wolf in the Wood

Good morning!  I'm a bit further up north, enjoying some actual sub-zero temps and getting dressed to go out and play in them.  I'm at Wolf Ridge in Finland, MN this weekend with our 7th graders, for a winter adventure camp-  we had a bit of an adventure on the drive up, with our first bus losing a belt, requiring an hour and a half wait for the second, which didn't have a working defrost for the windshield, which meant we took it in turns to clear it for the driver, who is close to retirement and who felt terrible for all the trouble with the busses-  the kids were actually really great about it!
SO this is a wolf from the MN zoo, not one that I saw up here- but I'm really enjoying these!
And a photo of me in my son's super warm hat, and the view from the ridge, and the moon through the trees last night!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$75

click here to purchase

1/23 Wolf Wary

And this one was really fun to paint!  I think I got the shape of that head, with that sharp, intelligent muzzle~  and the background was so fun to play with!  More of these, I hope!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$75

purchase this one NOW!

1/22 Wolf Inspection

Maybe it was the wolf moon this weekend that's inspired me-  maybe its a bit of the feel of a need to connect with my wilder self-  maybe it's time for me to go into the woods a bit and play outside and see what it's like out there....

This one's an auction-  I struggled with that profile-  want to keep playing with that shape...

6x6 acrylic on wood

$35 starting bid!

Click HERE to join the bidding!

1/21 Wolf Glance

So.....  I painted a wolf today...
Kinda like it~

6x6 acrylic on wood

$75

click here for purchase info!

1/20 Winter Blues AUXCTION

You know, I think I'm just gonna not worry about posting every day.
Winter is tough. It's cold, which is tiring, and sleeping is a lovely way to spend your time. And yes, I am painting too~
This one is another near abstraction, to me anyway.  It is possibly a study for a larger work-  we'll see where I go with this idea-  It's all that color that shows up in the snow, you know!  Just amazing.  And we have more sunshine the last few days, which always helps with the energy, and I just got a new pair of snow boots too- going on an adventure this week with my 7th graders up to Wolf Ridge and needed better boots-  Maybe I'll do some boot paintings too~
And thank you all of you who've been jumping into the auctions!  I'd really rather these paintings go to people who'd like them, and it also helps me contribute to the DNR!
Wahoo!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$35 starting bid!

Click here to WIN!

1/17 Cedar Lake Morning AUCTION!

Another one- it's so pleasant and unrushed, soothing even, to drive to work along the lakes.  Especially when it's a sunny morning, and when I can take pics out the car window one-handed.  Beats driving to work on 94 any day!
And I have to say I went a bit more abstract with this one, though the ice on the bottom right really did have a lovely teal green sheen~  and the fun thing about these paintings is this could be water anywhere!
Oh, and guess what?

It's another AUCTION!

6x8 acrylic on canvas

$45 starting bid!

click HERE to get in on the fun!

1/16 Tree Arch, Fort Snelling AUCTION

So I finally found the Do Not Call number that you're supposed to call so your cell phone won't get robocalls (Add your phone number for free by visiting donotcall.gov, or calling 1-888-382-1222 from the phone you want to register (TTY: 1-866-290-4236).)  So I tried calling, and of course there was a message saying this won't work until the federal shutdown is over.  I think it took that for me to really recognize that YES this is a BIG PROBLEM. The longer this goes on, the more trouble we're gonna be in when it is finally resolved.  Lots of people are not being paid, but being expected to still show up to work.  This is ridiculous! And it sounds like most of them aren't sure they will be compensated for the work they've done this past 26 days...

 That's why I'm posting these paintings of the Fort Snelling park, down below the airport there. Because we need our DNR funds to come back, so these can be taken care of.  We need to have a government that works. Not one that goes out for fast food, as if it's a novelty- treating a supposedly highly esteemed recognition as a joke.
Ack.
I don't often get too political here because I'm not always sure I understand all the underlying stuff, but I do know that it's time for this shutdown to be over, and that I appreciate the leaders who are not giving in this time...
To be clear, I AM a progressive Democrat~
And I'm donating half of whatever these landscape paintings of January sell for to our DNR-
XO!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$35 starting bid

Click here to join the AUCTION!

1/15 Morning Light, Cedar Lake

And another grey morning in the great midwest!  I'm just really wanting some snow. It's been such a grey winter, it's starting to have an effect on my emotions.  When the sun comes out, it's like a huge event!  Everyone wants to be outside absorbing the rays~
This one is another auction!  Thanks so much for bidding on them!  It's so fun at the end to find out who's won!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$35 starting bid!

Click HERE to join in the frenzy!

1/14 Great Weekend!

Wow!  Thank you everyone who came to our last show at the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization on Saturday!  It exceeded our highest expectations and Max was so excited he couldn't control Oscar the Otter on the 2nd show and needed reinforcements from the crowd!  It is such a delight to be able to perform silly little educational puppet shows like this with my family~  thank you!
And I have been painting, yes, though I just wanted to repost this sweet otter who sold on Saturday to a young collector-  thank you Oliver and Reid!

6x12 SOLD!

And I wanted to also post the video of our show~  this is from November, actually, but it will give you the idea!

Click HERE to watch it!

1/11 Pink Cedar Lake AUCTION

Sounds like a cocktail, dunit?
Not sure I got enough warm colors in this... it is a bit pink...
Hope you are enjoying your Vitamin D!
And this is another AUCTION!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$35 starting bid!

Click HERE to join in the FUN!

1/10 Below Fort Snelling

Yes there's more shadows out there- it's a bit of an abstract puzzle, painting these... I'm looking at the lights and darks and deciding what to put in and what to put out.  Sometimes it helps to paint them upside down too...
Don't forget to come on Saturday!  We are rehearsing at our house tonight!  Otterways and Waterways at the MWMO 11-2 on the 12th!

6x6 acrylic on panel

$75

click here to purchase!

1/9 Coniferous Light (auction!)

White has so many colors in it. Especially snow white. Especially with shadows. In Minnesota, it is most beautiful when there is snow on the ground and it is sunny, and those sunniest days are usually the coldest. Snow is amazing at giving color to shadows~  serious fun, folks!
Oh speaking of serious fun, do please come see us this Sat (Jan 12th, 11 -2pm!) at the MWMO in NE Mpls for our final "Otterways and Waterways" event!  It has been a fantastic run and we've loved having the otters so available, and it's always a joy to perform with my family-  we have two puppet shows at least-  Max really wants to also perform "The Mitten" so we'll see how that goes...
Oh, and this is another auction!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$35 starting bid for auction, or Buy Now for $75!

Click HERE to join in the fun!

Stoodley Pike, Todmorden, Yorkshire

I was hoping I was on a roll again, and could keep posting every day... I would like to get 365 posts in a row, at some point.  Wouldn't that be something?
But I was pooped yesterday by 7pm- it's funny how much energy playing with kids and art all day can take!
So this is my landscape painting I started at my Holiday Landscape One-Day Class back in December.  The little pokey thing way back on the down is Stoodley Pike, a very big and familiar landmark visible from all over the place when we go visit our friends in England.  Here's a link with more info about it, because I find it fascinating.  Duane and Jonny walked up to it on one of our last days there, in June of 2017.  I wanted to paint a series of paintings of it, because it's just so obvious and always there.
So there are more in the works!
I'm particularly happy with the variety of vegetation I was able to depict in the foreground.  This photo was taken on my daily walk up behind the Old Chapel School House where we were staying.  It's an Airbnb!  If you ever want to stay there, I'd highly recommend it!

12x24 acrylic on 1.5 inch cradled wood

$576

click here for purchase info~

Fort Snelling, Sunday Afternoon

Oops I meant FRIDAY afternoon!  Have to change that one... loving the sunlight on the snow lately!
Hope you are having a great Sunday!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$35 starting bid!

Check out the action auction HERE!

Driving Past Bde Mka Ska, Sunset

Another winter driving one~  did I mention my secret for getting these shots?  Really technical, you know-  I hold my phone in the direction of the window and hit the button and take a bunch of photos and then go through them and pick something that looks like it will work.  There's that glory of light through branches that I love~ and the colors of sunset on snow~
Yay!
And this one is another auction, just because~

6x6 acrylic on panel

$35 starting bid!

Click HERE to join in the fun!

1/4 2019! First post of the year!

It is a little disconcerting how having an unscheduled day really makes me lose track of time and I don't seem to get the stuff done that I need to get done...  as an artist, a creative person, when I was younger I greatly resisted the idea of a SCHEDULE because that seemed so constrained, so conservative, so... like my PARENTS.  Ack. 

But now, as an adult artist and creative person, who also teaches kids and adults, I am much more aware of how a schedule can help me make sense of my day and I can get more things done.  It's kinda crazy but it works!

Of course, there's also been the small lovely fact that Max has been off these two weeks too, and so it's been a delight doing random fun things!  like going and getting his passport renewed, and depositing checks, and picking up medicine for the cat...

Anyway, I was finally able to spend some time yesterday working on what I'm hoping will become an On-Line Painting Class, putting together some videos...  we'll see, and I was also able to do a 6x6 daily painting!  YAY!  That felt GOOD!  Just to paint something that I wanted to paint- so I'll be auctioning this one off, with the hope that this will be a generous new year!

And if you aren't on my Painting Lessons newsletter but have taken a class from me, do feel welcome to join us at the First Friday Painting Party tonight at my studio, #210 at the Ivy Building!

6x6 acrylic on wood

$35 starting bid!

The first AUCTION of this year!

Give it a go and have fun!