Sunday, Jan 27, 2013

I've gotten caught up in re-painting this piece-  sometimes I just need to get the work out of my studio!
Lovely snow~
May be doing some painting of that too...

Wed, Jan 23, 2013!

First Painting Class of 2013!  Great bunch of eager people, and I got to talk about Carol Marine again and again, and talk about painting stuff, and all that great stuff!  Here's what we got done!  The first one is my demo, and the rest are students!

We'll be continuing on for five weeks!  Stay tuned, and I have a bunch of commissions too, and THEN the "30 Cats in 30 Days" March 2013 starts SOON!!!  Send me your CATS!

Sunday Night, postcard proof?

Hmmmm~
Working on a postcard for our Women's Art Institute Scholarship Fund Art Sale, coming up in March-  and this seemed to be one way to get a preview, so forgive me if you weren't expecting this, but PLEASE send me comments if you have any ideas!
AND if you'd like to participate by donating art or coming to BUY some, even BETTER!
Let me know!

Postcards by Vistaprint

Gosh darn.
And please let me know if this doesn't work either!  As like many, I learn as I go along!  Some things faster than others...

January 19, 2013

Are you still typing in "2012" too?  Some years it feels like it takes me til June to get in the swing of it- this year feels like a new year, somehow!  Here is yet another cat, and this reminds me that YES I am doing my 30 Cats in 30 Days project this March, which is coming up faster than a Jack rabbit with a wild cat on its tail!  So if you are interested in participating in this year's project, or if you know of anyone who has a cat that I haven't painted (or even if I have and they want another one!), send this on to them!  Here is a link to my little webpage I made up for it-  and I still haven't gotten another book out on the dogs of July yet...

And here is Puddy Cat...
I swear, even I think I get better with every painting!  What does that tell you about a commitment?  Hmmmmm!
New year's resolution?

Saturday, Jan 12th!

Spent the day creating a cardboard box car and a cardboard box house, and painting the car, and destroying the house~  what a great day!
And I got to paint a bit too!  The cats aren't quite finished yet-  comments are happily accepted!

And if you want a great breakfast tomorrow morning, come join me at Diamond's!  Last day of our Small Art Holiday Sale!
Oh and I have just a couple more spots for my Jan/Feb Painting Lessons!  Let me know if you are interested!

Wednesday, Jan 8th!

Hi kids!
It's been (as usual) a whirl-wind around here!  But now I think things are reaching a semblance of normality, whatever that may be in your realm...  whew!
I'll be at Diamond's Coffee Shoppe again on Sunday for the 2nd Sunday Pancake Breakfast with the HOLIDAY ART SALE so come on by and nab some art because it is all coming down to make way for a new show!  Debra Ripp will be hanging her work that same day!
I also will be teaching Painting Lessons this Jan and Feb, wed nights, 6:30-9, 1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20!  Let me know ASAP if you are interested!  Classes fill up fast!
AND the "30 Cats in 30 Days" of 2013 will be in March again~  send me your KITTIES!!!
whew!

Two more dogs who are hanging at Rye-

Wednesday Jan 3, 2013

I can't believe I haven't posted this guy yet!  Here's another white dog, and a couple more pieces I will be hanging at Rye tomorrow!  Join me on Friday between 4 and 7pm for a Happy Hour Opening!

Monday, Dec 31, 2012~

The last day of 2012-  sun on snow, brilliant glare on the highway for a last breakfast with Beaner before she flies back to England, two small boys making a fort behind the living room chair with all available toys, Gus appears recovered from his expensive teeth removal of last week, and we are smoothly moving into the next year~  I sincerely hope all is well with you and yours!

This is a larger painting, so much fun to paint!  One of the trees at Lake Hiawatha, before the snow... hmm, I guess maybe this doesn't quite fit in the "White on White"  idea, but I'm hanging it anyway!
Come see it and it's partner this Friday!

Saturday, December 29th, 2012!

Yay!  Had some time to do some painting today, as Duane took Max to the studio to run around and make giant wooden Semi trucks...  then to the Riverview Cafe, since they have a wonderful kids' play area~  I can almost get work done there while Max plays if there's another kid to play with!
So I am trying to get a few more dogs done, thank you SO much everyone who has sent me images!   I will be posting a couple every day til Friday, Jan 4th!  We'll be at Rye that evening, 4-7pm for Happy Hour and a White on White Opening!  I have been working on playing with the representation of white through the use of color~  and I love using my favorite models, dogs, as my subject though I couldn't resist a few landscapes!  All paintings are for sale, and if you see one you like here, send me an e-mail and I will hold it for you!  My brother said he was awed by how large they are!  He was in town for Christmas from Seattle and hadn't seen any of these in person, so come see them at Rye on Friday! 1930 Hennepin Ave , Minneapolis, MN

Wed December 26, 2012!

Yay!  What a great Christmas!  Lots of great people and great food and great gifts and recipients!  And now Max is sharing his popcorn with me while I post a few more dogs~

And I also have a quick request of all of you~  I am doing a series of "Winter White Dogs" that I will be hanging at Rye next week and I invite you all to join me next Friday, Jan 4 at Rye for a Happy Hour Opening Celebration of the new paintings!  AND I have time to paint a few more!  SO if you have any photos of white dogs, PLEASE send them to me NOW!!!!

Friday December 21!

wahoo!   most days I'm pretty darn glad just to make it back home!  But NOW I've made it to.... WINTER BREAK!!!!!!!!!

Man.
Seriously.

Some dogs~because I'm not done yet...
xo!

Tuesday, Dec 18, 2012

I love communication.  Thanks everyone for your responses to my last post...
NOW I just have a few more commissions for your enjoyment.
And I would appreciate your helpful comments as well-  does that look like reflections of trees in the water back there?

And can you see an angel on this kitty's head?

Saturday, Dec 15, 2012

There are so many things I want to say about death.
Our friend Jim Koplin died today.  I'd only just heard he was in the hospital with pneumonia, and was trying to figure out how to get Duane and Max over to inject some youthful energy in him this week when he'd be feeling stronger....  man.  It's just that that's the end.  Like the final end; like when I think I want to publish my memoirs, I'm not really thinking that for the reader, the end of the story is with MY end...
Ack.
And the suckiest thought.  
The HORRIBLE ickiest thing....
Your kids die before you do.

Sorry.
This has been a sucky, holding Max close and forgiving stupid things I'd usually jump on him about...

Anyway, some things that people love...

Thursday, Dec 13

We had a great painting class last night, and I totally forgot to take PICTURES of what the students accomplished!!! Dang it, Kelly and Sarah, I still want to see those again, darn it!!! And I forgot to take pics of my stuff too...
And yes, I am kicking out the commissions!

Here's another one...

Wednesday, December 5th!

Got some great art done tonight!  First, a commission~  and I don't think I'm blowing anyone's cover because this was for a birthday last week...
If I AM painting your pet, and you DON'T want it on here, do please let me know!

And we worked darn hard tonight at class!  These works are painted on a wash of complimentary color to the dominant color of the composition~
Whew!

Sunday December 2, 2012

WOW!!! Thank you so much everyone who came over for the Seward Winter FROLIC!!!  We had a gas at the Bottle Rocket Building, and Duane wants to throw MORE art crawls!  Max got filthy crawling around all the studios and I had to wash his blanket as soon as we got home last night, which caused a lovely ruckus....  but he's asleep, I'm working on commissions and watching "The Big Bang" first series with Duane, both of us laughing out loud and shushing each other because we don't want to wake Max...

 This is Giggs~

Sunday, November 24 2012

Wow-  just got back from a family adventure to the Fitzgerald to see Kevin Kling and Mason Jennings in a show about HOME.  And of course, I was all mushy and weepy-  man, two great guys with incredible stories that reveal you to yourself... that is ART.
And here's a few dogs...

Saturday November 17, 2012

Yup~  Saturday night and what am I doing?  What do you think I am doing?  I am PAINTING!  I am working on a series of White Dogs, as a matter of fact, and want to get a few more done and then go swap out some work at Rye and have a wee bit of a Winter Dog Opening Gathering thingie, to which you are invited whenever I get it figured out~
I also have a lovely batch of commissions to work on, which I am extremely grateful for.  To have work to do, and such delicious work, that feeds my heart and my imagination (to say nothing of my ego!) is one of the luckiest feelings I have ever known!

So here is one of my favorite dogs, painted last Tuesday-  I met this one at LOLA this August, in front of the Riverview, and he happened to be owned by a high school friend of mine that I haven't seen since high school and who happens to live just down 38th Street!  Ain't this a fun crazy ol' world!  SO we got to chat and chat and I snapped a few pics, and I am terrifically happy with the shadows and light play here~

Sunday November 11, 2011

I love PBS, and NOVA, and all those people who actually spend their lives researching such things as can animals be friends with other species (YES!)... and DO dogs know right from wrong (not really-  they know what we want them to do!)?
Man, my next career will be as Doctor Dolittle, which is really what I wanted to be from the first time I ever heard of him and read Hugh Lofting's books...  I did think I could talk to the animals for a very long time in my youth, and I do get clients remarking how well I get along with their animals, that other people usually don't click so well with them.  I love that.  Nothing like getting respect from other species~
This is Stoli- and yes, his tongue is meant to be sticking out~

Had a great weekend!  Hope you did too!~

November 7, 2012

SO, I'll just say "Yay!" and be done with it~
Tonight was the first of another session of Painting Lessons, and despite having a bit of a cold (sorry folks!  And I swear I kept all my germs as close to me as possible...) it was super dang fun!  I really REALLY enjoy talking to people about art and painting and how to see, and I always feel like I am learning at least as much as the students!
Rather than showing you my painting (because I forgot to take a photo of it) I'm showing you some of theirs~

Not too shabby if I do say so myself!~