Still in the fine tuning stages of Britt's portrait. I'm anxious to be done.... 

My sweet little Pug still wearing her make shift anti scratch suit.... I think her injury will be well enough tomorrow to take it off her for good.... 

Love this little plant, she's growing like a weed right now. Seems to enjoy the eastern exposure best. 

Here's a little different view from the leaves underside... I keep waiting for this plant to inspire me to paint her. 

Beautiful Sunrise from behind Mt. Lassen 

Lift us from the Drizzle....

We celebrated this special day under dark and drizzly skies with a delightful
brunch at Marie Callendar's. I can never get enough of her corn bread w/ honey- butter
and the infamous potato chedder soup. My daughter is nearly 15 now but I still insist on giving her a chocolate Easter Bunny each year, she hasn't protested it yet... :-)
My little Pug has a hotspot on her neck that is driving her mad so I constructed a
barrier of plaid fabric w/ a make shift harness that wraps around her fat little belly to hold it in place. She looks so ridiculous, like a Scotchish Pooch and hates me for doing this but it's working !!! We'll try anything to get her from scratching those sore spots. I should post a pic of her in all her agony, poor Baby...
I know I'm straying from my artistic endeavors downstairs but I know I will be down there tomorrow wrapping things up.
Happy Easter to All

xoxo :-)

The Weather is too Beautiful !!!

Finally a freaking break in this rain ! I thought I was begining to lose my mind
here. This morning was so glorious with blue skies and little puff clouds passing through. There was definately some erotic energy fluttering around out there.
:-)
I've stepped back from my portrait painting for a day or two to rest a sore shoulder and realized a few things that
need changing. The deadline is quickly approaching, gotta get this thing finished.

My Sweet Pea... 

A Little Fine Tuning

Still moving along on the portrait, kind in the fine tuning mode now.
I've decided to hang her for a few weeks and then decide if I want to add more
to the left side, I kind of like the empty space. I've got more shading to do
on the face and a little more work on her hair them I "think" I'm done !!!! I'll
post the final pic in a few days.

Onto my next painting... :-)

My painting thoughts and raging headache

Going out for drinks with friends and eating very little last night, Bad Idea Butterfly.... I always forget how crummy a hang over can be even the little ones.
I was up at 3 am wondering about the painting, my ref pic's are really not so good,
one is a quick sketch I did of her and the other is just a poor quality photo-copied black & white. I'm going to try and get my other computer monitor set up next to my painting
table so I can have quick access to my ref photo's of her. It'll be nice to have it sitting right there next to me since all my pic's I want to paint and are all online. Okay... time for an intense cup of Joe to get rid of this hangover!!!! Damn, and the guilt riddened Burger King Whopper,always seems to settle the hangover blues :-) Can't wait to get back downstairs to take a peek at her again. Wish it would stop drizzling outside.

I was lazy taking this pic after 3 hours of painting, bit of a glare there.

Well, she's got hair today..... Actually I'm pretty happy with it so far. She loves chinese symbols so I'm thinking of adding her name on the left in Chinese, probably darken the background a bit too... :-) 

Painting like a turtle

It feels soooo good to be painting again, however I must go about it ever so slowly
taking lots of breaks whether I want to or not, and I usually hate taking breaks. It's funny how much you realize when you force yourself to change your routine a little. Stepping back frequently really does give you a better prospective on how your painting is coming along, you muddle in it less. You look at it as a whole rather than a small piece by piece puzzle, that's fine to do in the process but it SO important to step away and take it in as a whole constantly... I know I've heard that for years!!!! but don't do it enough.
I think I'll start on the hair today, I'll tie my own up on top of my head and go down to my studio! Have a great day ~~

Me and my little Pugsly.... She is my shadow with sooo much unconditional Love. This pic was taken a couple years ago, she really needs to be on some type of exercise program, it's amazing the way those dogs can store fat !!! I love her no less :-) she's my Baby. 

I started on Britt's portrait yesterday, wishing I'd chosen a smaller scale. This thing looks huge !!!! I'm wanting to keep it in a monochromatic scheme with the fleshtones only in a mixture of Transparent Red Oxide w/ French Ultramarine and White, but it's hard not to want to add more color. Not sure if I can force this to the finish line, we'll see what happens, lol.... I'll post pic's of the painting in progression to show how it's coming along. Have a great day and Happy Painting !!! 

Do you recognize these eyes ?  

This is something I snapped the other day, I'd like to maybe develop it into a painting.... 

Outside my window, a new day I see and only I can determine what kind of day it will be. It can be busy & sunny, lauging & gay, or boring & cold, unhappy and grey. My own state of mind is the determining key, for I am the person I let myself be. I can be thoughtful and do all I can to help, or be selfish & think just of myself. I can enjoy what I do and make it fun, or gripe & complain and make it hard on someone. I can be patient with those who may yet not understand, or belittle and hurt them as much I can. I have faith in myself, and believe what I say, and will personally make the best of each day. - Author Unknown 

Feel it, Breath it in......

Awwww.... Love this gorgeous weather we're having this week. The energy is fantastic, I can feel it everywhere. Nature is waking up again, the little birds
are frisky in the bushes as we float in the hot water and watch the sunrise.
Some fly so low overhead just clearing the railing from where we are that I wonder
if they are doing it on purpose because those humans are eaves dropping again on their freakiness, Lol... I love to sit and watch the hummingbirds rise sharply into the air above their favorite spots in the tree's, then swooping down steeply as if doing a little mating dance of some sort, completely lovely.

Just finished watching the movie "Their eyes are watching God" with Halle Berry
tonight. Loved it so much. I adore her anyway but the entire movie was just wonderful. So much to feel with an important message about letting go and allowing
yourself to be Free, free from the ties of what others expect you to be. I loved it when her beloved said, "You lived your older years in the first part of your life and now you are living your younger ones with me".

Peace to you & Sleep well (-:

A beautiful morning in Northern Ca..... 

This is the collage I was speaking of earlier. I think it's finished and I'm delighted with the fun of adding fabric to a piece.... Can't wait to do more, I'm thinking of maybe a few ladies in hats. 

Watercolor I did from my trip to Sedona, Az. 

I tell ya....

Why is it that every time I climb away from this desk I bump my damn knee and end up
limping around like a fool for the next three days ?!??? Whatever happened to moving with the grace of a gazelle ? I guess that idea left when I had to hide my high heels from myself... I miss those things, but love how my happy feet are feeling once again. Two things you really want to hang onto in life, healthy feet & a healthy back !
I've decided to try my first collage, a little of pop arty flavor. It's a lady in a red
oriental dress. I used a chiffon fabric and made a scarf out of the rest. Not sure which I'm gonna like better the scarf or the painting. I also put my final coat of varnish on the "Bamboo & the Moon" I'm liking all that REDDD on the sides. I'll post it soon when I can get a clear shot of it with my tempermental Olympus digital.
That little devil gives me alot of grief but also a whole lot of magic too. I guess
one more example of that good ole thing we call balance in what we do...

Have a wonderful Saturday nite and remember
when in doubt always choose Joy !!!

Another Lovely Day

I love this time of year when you are so desperate for spring that even the slightest hint of it makes you happy. I see the Red Bud are now blooming and the
Daffodils are raising there sweet faces to the sun. Wish I could convince Mother Nature to get the ball rolling a little quicker, yes I'm one of those people that like to open their Christmas gifts before the Christmas. Not very good about waiting for things.
Today was a special day, coming into more realizations... Personal internal journeys are so incredible when you let reality/imagination take hold. I just wish that humanity would have been given a clearer definition hundreds of years ago, to the true meaning of the word imagination.