Saturday, July 24, 2010

Win or Lose


20" x 12" oil sketch on canvas

When our performing arts theater, HART, presented GUYS AND DOLLS local artists were invited to enter paintings incorporating this theme to display in the lobby for the duration of the show. What fun! I did a number of small oil sketches toward working out a composition for a 30" x 24" oil painting. The mat area in this piece is painted.

Currently working on portrait commissions, I'm not at liberty to show the works in progress... so will show you these small pieces and then the completed painting which was my entry for the show.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Celebrating Friendship


Very Rough Watercolor Sketch
4-1/2" x 9"


A life changing event occurred in 2004 when I joined a small line dance class with an awesome instructor, Carol, and met Marlene and Nancy. Marlene and I discovered we lived in the same neighborhood and the four of us became close friends as we continued to dance, travel to line dance events and have great fun! Our husbands enjoyed each other's company but had their own interests that did NOT include dancing! Line dance was keeping me out of the studio and the urge to paint was ever present - so - slowly my dance slippers came off and I began to make up for lost time with the brushes. However, dancing or not, we four had formed a strong bond and have remained close getting together for special occasions and for our annual days at the beach. Two have health issues at the moment - so - this post is let all three know how special their friendship is to me. This little watercolor sketch was done in preparation for similiar watercolor paintings for each of them a few years ago. Nancy is wearing a bracelet since she designed and created friendship bracelets combining our four birthstones, Marlene is reclining, Carol's bag holds step-sheets for practicing on the beach ! I am under the big hat...

These strong women light up my life and I wish them well and happy!