Blog Anniversary

"My Song" 36" x 48" oil on stretched canvas

Last March - one year ago - my blog came into being with an older oil, "My Song" the first painting posted. Somehow it seems fitting to post it again since, as my all-time favorite, it's the one I consider my "signature piece". And, yes, I sold it - almost before the paint was dry! Didn't mean to sell it! Entered it in a show with a price way beyond what I thought someone would pay and, at the end of the show, it went to live in Brevard, North Carolina. The collector sent a photo of the painting on her wall in a lovely room which warmed my heart! That was so thoughtful of her and showed me "My Song" had found a special home! The painting began as a self portrait of me at my piano - well, didn't end up being "me" exactly but is a good portrait of my piano!

This year has flown by and via the blog, I have a journal showing me what I've painted and a reminder that I probably need to accelerate! Last March I had no idea whatsoever that anyone outside my family would ever visit, or that I would meet so many wonderful people and become blogging friends with artists around the world! Thanks to each and every one of you who visit and especially to you who leave comments! You mean more to me than you know! My intent is to make the posts more interesting in the year to come and to visit your sites more frequently and to leave comments!

Keep Looking Up

11 x 14 - oil on stretched canvas

Meet my sister-in-law, Monte. Her nickname is Sunshine and, while she now lives in central North Carolina, she is a "beach girl" at heart! A guest bath in her home is decorated with a beach-theme and she heads to the shore every chance she gets! This is another in the "Shades" series. My intent to showcase the shadow holes from the brim of the straw hat so attractive in the reference photo, - didn't work!! So, painted over the face which muted the stripes leaving a few "dots" for interest around her eye and mouth. This is much looser than I usually work...even used a palette knife on her shirt and the surf! I my revisit this little painting in the future, but for now will put it aside to look at later with a fresh eye. Monte's motto is "Keep Looking Up" and I hope she likes this interpretation of her reverent and fun-loving spirit!

Frank and Me

10 x 8 - oil on canvas

This is a painting of my wonderful husband using a reference photo from an outing last spring. He wasn't concerned about how I painted his face but he wanted that cap to look just right! Aren't men funny! Anyway, the legs in the reflection of the sunglasses are mine and thus the title. I painted this last week, and Monday it was juried into the "Arts of March" show at the Cape Coral Art League Center, 516 Cultural Park Boulevard, Cape Coral, and will hang through April 5! The show judge is watercolorist Joan Klutch and the opening reception takes place this evening! Getting in is an honor and I'm eager to see the show!

Sunshine Award

Thanks so much to Ann Rogers and Pat Koscienski for nominating me for this blogger award for creativitiy and positivity!
The rules for accepting the award are:
Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
Pass the award onto 12 bloggers.
Link the nominees within your post.
Let the nominees know they received this award.
Link to the person from whom you received this award.

Picking only 12 is really impossible - so I'm taking some liberties (we artists often do that, don't we?)- here are some artists you may or may not know and will certainly enjoy visiting!
Desiree
Ruth Bodycott
Lois Anderson
Lokelani Forest
Dennis Bailey
Colette Theriault
Jo Castillo