Art by Andre'- AFC, AMA, MASF

Eagle mini, hippo scratch WIP's

2012-02-04T18:21:00.000-08:00

I have 2 going at once, the eagle is nearing completion, the hippo is in the UGLY stage! LOL.

The eagle is 4.5" x 4". It's done in caseins on board.

Here is the under-painting start.

More layers.

Starting to refine things.

Now for the ugly stage hippo- done in scratch and acrylic inks.

Coyote WIP

2012-01-06T18:24:00.000-08:00

I've been working on a large scratchboard that I had started a long while back. He's been sitting there "howling" at me to finish him. I'm finally getting there! I have a few WIP's for you to look at to see some of the progression. I don't have any early ones I'm afraid. You have to look closely to see some of the changes perhaps. I paint thinly, then scratch back.

I hope to have him finished in the next day or 2 if possible. But, I generally think I'm nearly done and always find more to do!!!

Sammy, a pet portrait

2011-12-20T19:06:00.000-08:00

I finished Sammy up and got him all framed, etc. He went home today with a happy couple to "meet" his mirror image. :-) Here he is in progress...

And all completed...

Arthur and Guinevere

2011-12-08T16:04:00.000-08:00

You've met Arthur nearly 2 years ago, but now he has a "mate". Ofcourse who else could it be but Guinevere?

I carved the callas for her over the summer and a luthier in Kentucky then built her for me. He did an absolutely amazing, gorgeous job. She is just beautiful- and her finish is just so smooth, you want to keep stroking her! Her sound is sweet and lovely as well. I couldn't be more pleased.

Here is one of the carvings ready to be sent off. I did a large calla and a smaller one for the other side. The body is quilted maple and the neck and pillar are birds eye maple.

Here are the two sides so you can see the 2 callas, and the Truitt levers on her.

Some close-ups of the carvings...

And here they are together... Arthur and Guinevere!

A Sammy Jr. portrait

2011-11-30T06:21:00.000-08:00

This little fellow was one of my "babies"- all grown up now. He looks almost like his daddy, just in a new color- especially his body- it is a carbon copy of my Sammie who died before he was born (the baby!) The folks who bought him didn't know about Daddy, nor his name. I was SHOCKED when they emailed "hello from Sammy"!!! Just a different spelling. Gave me goose bumps.

At any rate, they've decided to have his portrait done, so I've been working away at it. I'm loving every minute I spend with this special boy.

This was the pose they chose. I had gone over and photographed him one day before it got too cold.

Here's an "in progress" photo.

I can't believe the holidays are upon us! Time to get ready for the Christmas season. I hope it's a wonderful one for all my readers. :-)

I'm BACK!!!!

2011-09-18T10:08:00.000-07:00

I've been MIA for quite awhile now. Life isn't always kind, gentle, or undemanding! We managed a trip to Ohio and TN in May- attended a harp gathering and then spent alot of time in the Great Smokies enjoying the scenery, the people, motorcycing, etc. Also got to enjoy dinner and conversation with friends and fellow miniature artists Wes and Rachelle Siegrist while in Townsend. Our garden was in late, and then cool weather, so now it has been keeping me busy freezing and canning, while I also try to help my dad out with my mom 3 days a week (alzheimers). That has eaten up a huge amount of my time- thus no blogging...
We did get to have a quick family campout which was a wonderful time.

I hope to get back on track, posting weekly or so again. I promise to have more art to post soon. The harp and the art have taken quite a beating this summer, sadly.

Our family campout in Aug. Love our time together.
I absolutely love this photo...
Toenail polish?

This was the miniature show at Brio gallery in Galena, IL in Aug.

I am fascinated by all things nature... this is a TN beetle.

A few IL cattle. I love cattle- their faces are so cute!

A harp "tasting" (you get to listen to a bunch of them!)

Twins!With our harp twins...

Great fun at the harp gathering.

Dinner and good company with our friends, Wes and Rachelle Siegrist in TN.

Robert- relaxing, waiting, waiting for me to finish photographing - he does this alot with great patience. :-)

On one of our bike rides in the Great Smokies...

Best of Worldwide Animal and Wildlife Artists Book

2011-04-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I was surprised to learn I had been accepted and pre-juried into an upcoming book, with all my fees paid by a sponsor (I believe Dick Blick- I was not told who, but I know they were a sponsor). All I had to do was submit up to 9 pieces and up to 4 would be chosen. After checking to see that this wasn't just a "vanity" book I did submit. I was lucky enough to have the total of 4 accepted.

I can't seem to link here, but if you click on the title of this post it will take you to the book.

Then Sat. came the BIG shocker- one of my pieces made the COVER!!!!! There are a total of 101 artists in the book with somewhere around 350-375 works of art, so to be one of 7 to make the cover (and the front cover as well) is truely a HUGE honor. (My piece is the Great Blue Heron at the top under the title). I was walking on air all day. :-) If you click the link you will not only be able to see the cover but also by clicking the arrows you can see all of the artists and their work. It will be a gorgeous book and needless to say I am really looking forward to seeing it.

The Latest Minis

2011-04-13T06:50:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a couple of very dark background pieces, hoping to bring out the light on these white birds. I find working this way intriguing.

I've also been working on a couple of scratch art miniatures.

This one has been completed and will soon be going off to a show.
Now for the hard part- titles!

Puppy update

2011-03-25T11:12:00.000-07:00

This fellow is a bit younger in this photo, need to get an updated one.

I'm a bit slow at updating since I'm so lost on this new computer, but... they're worth waiting for!!! Here they are at 4 wks old. They are getting to be little lovers, licky, licky! 2 are long coats, my very first ones. The personalities are coming out now, and the tails, they are a-waggin'. SO CUTE...

There's a painting in here somewhere- I just know it!

This last puppy is also a bit younger, again need to update. It's difficult to get a good photo sometimes, they just WON'T hold still!

2011-03-11T13:02:00.000-08:00

I also finished the garden scene a few days ago. Again, color isn't quite correct. The rocks are a bit darker in the shadow areas, and appear "brighter" along the sunlit tops. It is actually prettier than this, but this will have to do...

New puppies and art

2011-03-09T16:40:00.000-08:00

I have a very difficult time getting photos of this miniature in focus. I did the best I could for now. I will have to try again and will repost/redo these if I get better ones. For now though, at least you can see the results of alot of hours. The feet always give me fits. They are about the size of a small flat pea to give you some idea of size. I plan to send him off to a show, just not sure yet which one. :-) He is sculpted in tupelo, painted in acrylics. Unfortunately the colors are washed out as well. I have a new computer and just have no idea how to "fix" things at all.
(I've reposted, they are somewhat better photos.) :-)

We've also had some excitement the past 2 weeks. Snuggles had puppies and they are so much fun to watch growing. She had FIVE!!! What a shock that was! Mama and babies are all doing well so far and I am having fun watching them grow.

New Puppies!!!

2 weeks old- well fed and comfy. :-D

I HAVE been working!!!

2011-02-03T18:11:00.001-08:00

I have been busy so between that and my issues with getting onto blogger and also not knowing how to crop a photo with the new computer I have alot of problems posting lately!!! But I thought I'd at least drop in (while I can) and post some of what I've been up to. Hopefully I'll soon have some finished pieces to show you and also be able to find some time to learn how to do what I need to with the photos for posting properly.

I'm doing this fox in oils which is new for me. I haven't decided if I love them or hate them!!! Time will tell. He has alot of work yet to be done, but he's drying for now...

Next is the pelican carving I've been working on sporadically- I have the "posts" carved and burned now. Nothing like making round pegs from square blocks! I've also done a bit more painting on the pelican.

You can see how he will look to some extent now once he is completed.

This last piece is done in casein. It may look "finished" to you, although you might wonder at the very WHITE flowers! LOL...

I am letting it cure before I finish it up. That way I can wash the flowers, etc. that I still want to work on without having to worry about picking up the paint.

Blogger doesn't like me!!!

2011-01-10T16:34:00.000-08:00

It has been quite awhile since I've posted. Some of that is my fault (and Christmas), but I have difficulties getting on blogger sometimes. It asks me to sign in, I do, it asks again, over and over, never accepting me in. Then a different day I get right in!!! Very strange.

I want to wish everyone a Happy, if belated, New Year as well. Here's hoping the new year will bring us into better times.

OK, here is what I've been working on: finishing a fish carving for my daughter. Painting the pelican, touching up a couple of pieces that I'd done awhile back, decided I wasn't happy with.

Now I'm painting a new piece, but no photos of it yet. I'll post the fish carving (not mounted yet unfortunately). I have to wait for my husband's help to drill out the base before I can mount the fish. Am afraid of slipping doing it alone and ruining the piece that's carved for the base.

Here's the pelican wip - painting the back feathers, the breast and belly are also painted, just no photo...

This is a princess parrotfish. This is NOT a miniature. They are rather strange looking fish (parrotfish). They also do something rather unusual when they sleep- they form a "bubble" around themselves of a clear substance. I imagine it is a form of "early warning" protection. But if something gets that close... But then, perhaps the bubble "stuff" would confuse the predator. There are alot of different ones. I chose this one because of the colors and subtleties of color change. You can see a bit of it in the photos if you look closely. There is a light, soft blue, turquoise, green over turquoise (just barely hinted at), orangey-salmon going into purple-pink, etc. He was a challenge to find reference for, and then to paint. I will be glad when he's finished and sitting in his new home!

Merry Christmas to you all!

2010-12-13T10:51:00.000-08:00

From our house and blog to yours, may you have a beautiful Christmas, a wonderful holiday season, and a blessed New Year filled with all good things.
Now then - as a good friend often says - "Let's Paint!"

Peanut Brittle- the EASIEST

2010-12-06T16:07:00.000-08:00

Do you like peanut brittle? Do you need a "quickie" for your Christmas celebrations. Here's a great, simple, quick recipe for you- alot better and alot cheaper than the boughten stuff. I just whipped up some for my folks to send for their Christmas and thought you might like the recipe... BTW- it's a microwave recipe.

Peanut Brittle

1 c. peanuts
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla
1 t. butter

In 1 1/2 qt. casserole, stir together peanuts, sugar, and syrup. Cook 5 min. 30 seconds on high, stirring well after 4 min. Add butter and vanilla. Cook 1 min. longer. Add baking soda, and quickly stir until light and foamy. Immediately (and I do mean immediately) pour onto a lightly buttered baking sheet. Spread out thinly. When cool, break into pieces.

This hardens quickly, so don't "loiter" over pouring it out and spreading it.

2010-12-06T15:27:00.000-08:00

I finished the great blue a few days ago, just haven't gotten him posted. Busy with the Christmas rush, wrapping, last minute shopping, etc. Now to get him framed. This fellow really posed for me when we were out in the boat in La.

Carving, Painting, and Christmas Fun

2010-12-02T17:26:00.000-08:00

Today was finally spent in the studio again after and absence of over a week due to holiday travel and decorating. The pelican has been sealed and now gessoed. I've begun to work on his legs.

I also spent quite awhile painting on the great blue as well. He is shaping up. Still more to do, but he should be complete with another day or so in the studio if I have enough time, altho with working on the pelican at the same time it slows me down.

It's holiday time again and lest you think I've been slacking off, here is what I've been up to, along with a Thanksgiving trip to visit my aunt in Iowa. I rarely get to spend a holiday with her so we had a lovely time.

I love the tree, but my favorite is my Krinkle Klaus's and my Christmas village, which takes me 2 days to put up. I could leave it up all year if only I didn't have to dust it! It makes me feel soooo nostalgic for the old time Christmas magic.

This is my entire village. I'll post close-ups of parts of it and some of my "special" personal pieces. I don't have one of those expensive sets, I have bought pieces from a number of sets from inexpensive places like K-Mart and JoAnn Fabric over the years. I buy what I like or what is special to my family.

I used to teach yearly at a woodcarving seminar in War Eagel, Arkansas and it was run by a family named "Sutton". So when I found an arts/crafts gallery and the "Sutton" name I had to have it!

Ofcourse I have to have a pet store- gotta buy more chihuahuas!

I used to live in the town of Jordan (note the name on the drugstore), my family owned a Hardware Hank store there (I made it from a candle shop- renamed it and added the Hank face).

My husband is a retired firefighter- gotta have a station and a firetruck!

And my favorite- a woodworkers/woodcarvers shop!

I even found a carver and a fellow sharpening his tools!

I hope you are enjoying the holiday season as much as I do. It goes so quickly, only to be followed by - brrrrr..... cold weather. :-(

2010-11-19T18:30:00.000-08:00

While I seal the pelican carving I started a new painting. Here's a WIP photo from last night and today. I'm hoping to get this finished before next Tues. with the holiday coming up. I know that's going to cut into painting time. This is as usual, a miniature, done in acrylic. The reference was taken on our recent trip to Louisiana when we were out boating with friends. This fellow was one of the few who stayed put as we passed. We decided he was a "ham" and was posing for the camera. ;-)

Carving "stuff"

2010-11-17T17:22:00.000-08:00

I'm finally getting back to post here about my carving equipment. I have been at this for a multitude of years so I have "accumulated" quite a bit, but I've used it all for years now. I love my power carvers and I also have a very special place in my heart for my dustbox as my father made it especially for me a number of years ago. I wouldn't want to be without it now.

These are a few of my favorite knives, which is how I started out for a number of years. The one in front with the silver band was my original knife. I used it "to death". The band is a wire wrap to hold it together. A friend of mine "saved" it for me after the handle split. I continued to use it for quite awhile after that. Then I got my very FAVORITE knife, the one right behind it, at a carving club auction. I still love that knife and never found another I liked as well. The small detail knife I used for special things as well as the larger, longer knife which a friend made for me. I rarely use a knife now, but now and again I fall back to them for some special reason or other.

These are my power tools. I started out doing power with only the Foredom (this is a flexible shaft tool), even my tiny detail work. Finally my hand would start "going to sleep" from the vibration. At that point I figured I had enough time into it to know I wasn't going to quit anytime soon, so I splurged and bought my NSK. That is the little box power tool on the right. The motor is in the hand piece and there is little or no vibration when using it. I still rough out with my Foredom, then do the detail work with the NSK. I had a different Foredom initially, and "drooled" over one like this- it reverses. I was lucky enough to win this one as a prize one year when I won a first place/Best of Show. I was one very happy carver that year!

Next comes my dustbox. It is a large "piece of furniture" as you can see. The bottom opens to allow for cleaning out the dust and periodically changing the filter.

Below is my wood burner, another lucky prize for another BOS. Again, I had a different burner, same maker (Colwood), but I "coveted" one with 2 units. I can have two different tips and flip back and forth. I have another burner I also won, a different brand, which is supposed to be really good, but I prefer my Colwood and never use the other one. I really should sell it!

Finally- here is the pelican WIP. I actually have him all carved and feathered. He's in process of being sealed now. I thought you might like to see the pattern I started with. When making the pattern for a carving you have to be able to visualize not only a side view, but also a top view. Then you have to draw it out and make it fit together for the sawing process. Also as I carve I have to figure out dimensions and when making a miniature I have to "miniature-ize" things. This means every dimension so you have to think in terms of 3-D. I end up doing ALOT of math- which I am NOT good at!!! Gives my mind a workout! Hope you find this all interesting and not boring!

Latest on mini WIP carving

2010-11-08T18:42:00.001-08:00

Worked on it yesterday and today (around the piano lessons) and he's getting to not look so "naked" as a friend so delicately put it!!! Boy, those pelicans have "nasty" feathers on their backs- try to make sense out of those groups!!! It's taking me a lot of studying, and alot of "more reference, more reference" and "where WAS that other shot of that area" to get it!!! I think you can see the detail here and the lifting of the feathering...

By the way- the body from neck to tail is 1.75" in length. So that should give you an idea of how tiny the feathering is. You can also see I've undercut the one lifted wing on the top. I have more undercutting under the wings yet, but that waits until the last minute once all the rest is done.

Miniature Carving WIP

2010-11-05T17:28:00.000-07:00

Well, quite a bit of time has been spent carving this fellow, although you may not think it looks like it! My carpal tunnel certainly does! Wrist is hurting big time from harp and carving... Yikes. My 2 loves. I can deal with the pain just as long as it doesn't make it impossible to work. The first photo here was from 2 days ago. May not look like much progress, but I put in quite a bit of time just getting that far.

Today was spent mostly working on the head area. The detail is very intricate and time consuming. I am looking forward to getting to the feathering soon I hope, altho there is still more to do on the underside and also to finish off the head and neck, plus detailing a bit on the wings. As I write this I realize I still have quite a bit left to go. Once you start to see a "face" it seems like you're getting somewhere I guess. It took me awhile to envision the bill but I finally was able to put it all together. Now if I only don't slip up when I'm sanding (I power sand)- one slip and it's all over. Bad enough on the full size pieces, these miniatures haven't a bit of error margine at all...

Hello again...

2010-10-30T18:17:00.001-07:00

I'm finally finding a bit of time to post a few more photos. Some from the photoshoot, and a couple more from our Louisiana trip. Then to finish... TaDa...
I've started a new miniature carving. I had a painting on the easel when I left, which has since been consigned to the trashbin. We won't talk about that one! It happens now and then. I've had so much going on this past couple of weeks since getting home from the trip- unpacking, then going to my folks to help them pack for their trip. A very, very ill dog to attend to (thankfully she's much better), the normal piano lessons, house cleaning, and much harp practice, being very "rusty" since we were gone so long. But it's coming back with much work. Yaayyy!

I hope you enjoy the photos I'm posting, and also that you will enjoy following along as I begin carving again - but never fear - I'll still be painting as well. Never a dull moment here...

Here's a few more photos from the photoshoot. The fawns were soooo adorable, and soooo approachable. How fun was this? :-)

This was the "look". Cameras in hand, a chat now and then, and constantly on the lookout for a good shot!

I got to hold a coyote, a wolf, a fox, and a racoon. That was alot of fun too.

Here's the beginning of the carving. I drew out the pattern, sawed out the piece, and now today I started carving. It's been a long time, but it's coming back. The "ugly" little piece of wood in the funny shape is the blank. I thought you might like to see my carving "dustbox" that I work in also. You can see how small the blank is compared to the reference photos.

You can see some of my reference photos I'm using.

This fellow really grabbed my attention. He was such a pretty fellow and I'm always into birds. ;-)

This was our Cajun motorcycle "gang"- we had a great time riding around together.

We ran cross this old church which had been hidden by brush and undergrowth previously. Our friends had never seen it before in all the times they'd passed that way. We wandered around, looking in the church and around the grounds, finding the cemetary behind it very overgrown. How sad... what memories are held within those crumbling walls? It was a very haunting, emotional place.

Missing Artist Spotted in New Orleans!

2010-10-12T12:25:00.000-07:00

And amid wild animals, trudging through swamps, and voraciously downing multiple Beignets, Red Beans and Rice, Jambalaya, and Crawfish Ettoufee!!!

Aren't these little fellows adorable. I love them (as long as they aren't living in my home!) I went to a photo shoot in Sandstone, MN, just up the road from where I live and spent 3 days photographing and watching the antics of animals running free from cages and bars. I actually got to hold a racoon, a coyote, a wolf, and a lovely little fox. I did decline the porcupine though. ;-)

These are just a tiny sample of the experience of walking with and experiencing the wild creatures we were so fortunate to spend time with.

This owl is not alive- it is a beautiful woodcarving at one of the carving shows I attended and helped to judge. Some of these carvings are phenomenal to see. Just astounding what can be done with a piece of wood, a few tools, and alot of knowledge, work, and yes- talent. But I do want to stress "work and knowledge". These carvers spend years developing and learning their art. It does not come easy, it comes at great cost of time and sometimes even sleep!

The swamps and bayous are just beautiful. Alot of areas are so very haunting. Filled with life of all sorts. Fish constantly jumping to catch a meal, birds and herons and bald eagles in multiples. What a grand sight to see a pair of bald eagles flying above us as we boated down the bayou to a friends "camp". The ease and grace of the great blue and white herons, the funny little galinule running across the lily pads. We kept a sharp eye out and saw a number of large and small alligators, several kingfishers, white ibis. After a wonderful afternoon of wildness in the bayous we spent an evening over some good Cajun food with some dear, wonderful friends, a glass of wine and good old "catching-up" chatter.

We spotted four of these little guys- 6-8 week old baby alligators. Mama must have been nearby, but all we could find were alligator trails.

We spent a couple of days learning more about the backgrounds of the Acadians, the history of the area, and touring an Acadian "village". We became very aware of the way homes were built in a very similar fashion for many years afterward. As we drive now we see the same basic plan, altho larger in back, but looking very much as the historical cabins did from the front.

I am fascinated by spiders (in the wild, not in my basement!) We found several rather interesting specimens. These seemed to be very common and we saw many of them. They are quite large and easy to spot hanging in the center of their webs between trees.

This beautiful plantation home was not nearly as large as it appears. It is just 6 rooms, 3 up, 3 down, and even though it is a Greek Revival exterior now, it was a Creole home. The original home was actually only 3 rooms with just storage below because of flooding issues. They also often slept on the porch (can you imagine the mosquito issues?!) The porch went all the way around. No hallway, doors simply opened from each room onto the porches. Now the back porch is enclosed as a long room/hallway.
Do you know what makes a "plantation"? We often think of them as the huge, beautiful antebellum mansions, but all plantations did not have that distinction. A plantation means it derives it's income from one main cash crop, rather than a farm which may have multiple crops. This home still had an original row of the majestic live oaks (foreground) and all 22 of the original slave quarters. We learned alot of very interesting history, and I have a book or 2 in mind I want to purchase to learn more.

We spent a day in New Orleans enjoying the French Market, beignets at Cafe du Monde, walking around Jackson Square and chatting with the artists there. Dinner of a multitude of Cajun favorites, an fun stroll up and down Bourbon St. Then the next day we drove around looking at and photographing some of the cute little historical homes in the area near New Orleans. Perhaps I'll try and paint a few of them someday.

More of the local wildlife scene. Several days spent with more old friends motorcycling and touring through sugar cane plantations, swampy areas, etc. Down to Grand Isle, a big Cajun family dinner of white beans and fried shrimp. Heaven...

I hope you enjoyed this tiny bit of our past month. I'll try and post a few more in a week or 2. Time to catch up at home and then get back to the easel! Until next time, be well my friends.

Missing in Action!!!

2010-09-13T18:40:00.000-07:00

My computer has died on me so I've been unable to post here for awhile. I nearly lost all my photos, but luckily I was able to have someone salvage them. Since I can't post any photos for you I happened upon this website which I found rather interesting and fun to peruse. It has all sorts of "tips" and "recipes" and "how-tos". Everything from making homemade laundry soap to how to plant tuplips to random household tips.
I hope to have a computer back in use within a week or so if all goes "as planned". I'll have a new painting or 2 for you then. Until then, I hope you enjoy the tips site...

http://tipnut.com/

Chihuahua puppies, mini painting updates

2010-08-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

Chillin' Acrylic 3"x5"

Here's the latest painting, unvarnished yet. I loved painting this guy. I LOVE pugs- they have so much character!
I'm reposting my rabbit- I just wasn't happy with him so painted some more on his body, it's softer now. Hope you can see the difference. Hard with computers...
Rabbit (Untitled yet) casein

Evening Stroll Acrylic
I also did a tiny bit of work on this piece and managed to scan it- I think the color is truer, so decided to re-post it as well.

This past weekend we had a really nice get-away in Galena, visiting BRIO gallery where my artwork is represented, meeting and lunching with another gallery artist from that area, and on Sat. we went for a motorcycle ride. It was very hot and humid the whole time we were there, but even so I managed to find some cattle out enjoying themselves- so ofcourse, heat or no- I HAD to get some photos. I've only managed to download a few. I have some really cute shots with my telephoto lense I have to download yet. The one group we found were in a gorgeous field with a beautiful stream so I got some shots with lovely reflections. Can't wait to paint some cattle! I love to watch cattle being cattle- I'm sure for most folks it would be a bit like watching paint dry. Poor Robert- he has to put up with my foolishness!

And finally- the puppies. I've sold 2 and (so mad at myself) the first went so quickly- they were going to come back that evening to pick her up, couldn't wait and arrived hours early!- so I didn't get an updated photo of my little black girl. My other two I will have through the weekend then one of them will be gone as well. I've been taking them outside to have some romps and fun. As you can see, the family is all having a great time in the sun! The puppies just love it- so much fun to watch them leap into the air and sometimes toddle over!

The Moms

Dad!

PLAYTIME!!!

SO LONG!!!

Puppies and Bunnies

2010-08-08T09:44:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest...
I just love to paint "soft-fuzzies"- the cute little animals. Here's a rabbit I just finished this past week. I had my mom here so it was a bit difficult to focus which gave me a few "moments" of frustration (with myself). But it finally pulled itself together. :-)

"The Local Guy" 3"x2" Casein on board

Here's the latest update on my new babies. They are all 4+ weeks old now. Getting cuter by the day. The sisters play together, wag their tails (which just sends me to giggling- soooo cute). They dream- what on EARTH are they dreaming about? They've seen nothing but mama and the 4 walls of a box, with now and then a look at me! But they "bark" in their sleep!

This girl is Pooka's baby- she is going to be just like mama- lazy, lazy! She has no one to play with (yet- I'll put her in with the other 2 soon for some fun). But every puppy I've ever had when you take them out of their box they are either frightened, worried, curious- something. Not her. She looks around, decides it's too much trouble and just lays down for a nap!!! VERY laid back personality. She is 3 days younger than the other 2, so she will get more active and playful- that may not seem like alot of time, but at this age can make a big difference. The other 2 just started to wag their tails a couple of days ago.

Widget's babies are more active- ofcourse 2 of them together makes a difference. The tan one is laid back- a bit like Pooka's baby, but not quite that lazy! The black one is going to be like her mama, Widget. Active, curious. She was my "complainer", now she's just looking, looking. I'm sure it will soon be- how do I get out of my box to go explore?! I think the photos actually show you their personalities a bit- you can see the "action" in little miss blacky's eyes!

Puppies and Miniature Painting- Doe and Fawn

2010-07-23T09:51:00.000-07:00

Time for an update. I just finished this piece yesterday. Now to let it cure before I varnish it. It is a traditional miniature, acrylic on board.

Evening Stroll
3.5"x5.5"

Here is a close up of the doe and fawn- being a true miniature you can enlarge it and it still looks good. I've had it fairly large on my computer screen and it holds up to that. :-)

The puppies are growing like weeds- all except for my little tiny fellow. He went over the rainbow bridge 3 nights ago. It was very hard after doing so much with him, but when you breed these little guys you know it happens. So it wasn't unexpected. The others though are doing wonderfully well and so fun to cuddle. Trying to get a photo of them can be tough! Wiggle, wiggle.

This one and the black one are Widget's babies- just over 2 weeks old. This little girl opened her eyes 3 days early! That's a first for me, never had one open them early before.

This little gal is the "complainer"- I could NOT get a photo of her face being held or of her full body. It was all I could do to get a photo at all- she just cries and wiggles so much you just get a blur. But what a sweet face it is!

This last girl is Pooka's baby. She's 3 days younger than Widget's girls. Very quiet, very self-satisfied. :-)

Puppies, Gardens and Latest Landscape Painting

2010-07-18T10:40:00.000-07:00

I finished this several days ago but have been so busy with my puppies I just didn't have time to get it posted. I hope you enjoy it- it's a watercolor. I love the midwest scenes. They are so nostalgic and peaceful feeling.

Here are the latest photos of the babies. Widget, the black mama is very laidback. She's a wonderful mama. Pooka is much less stressed now, and she's a good mama, but not quite as devoted as Widget. Widget sometimes helps me out with feeding Tiny Boy. She would adopt him happily. Unfortunately her little "horses" (my name for her babies) are doing so well he would NEVER get a place at the table!

Here you can see a bit better how much smaller he is than his sister, and she is not that big. Both are smaller than Widgets babies. They are 3 days younger, but also will be smaller dogs.

Lastly- here is a new joy in my life! My small garden plot my husband dug for me. It isn't large and as you can see I've crammed as much in it as I possibly can and still get to the harvest! I am hoping next year to have another small plot added and that will be enough for me (and my back!) Fresh green beans and summer squash tonight! :-)

Duck update and PUPPIES!!!

2010-07-13T15:43:00.000-07:00

It's been a VERY hectic week. We now have 2 litters of chihuahua puppies! It's been happy/sad for me. I lost one and have been working to save my littlest guy. I'm crossing my fingers, so far so good. He seems to be getting a bit stronger. I am getting up several times a night to feed him and also supplement him throughout the day. Mostly I'm doing "puppy, puppy, puppy"!
I have managed to fit in a bit of work on my art. I've added some darkness to the water, but I just can not get the color right on the computer. It looks too yellow and dull. It has a bit more life to it. Computers are wonderful things, but... I'm also working on another landscape miniature and hope to complete that tomorrow.

Here is the finished hen mallard...

I hope you enjoy seeing my babies. I absolutely love to have these puppies, even with all the work, heartache, and sleepless nights. They are little miracles to me.
This is the tiny fellow...
I show him with a quarter so you can hopefully get an idea of just how tiny he is.

Here's daddy. The baby by birth weight is weighing in to be a lb. smaller than his daddy, who is a bit less than 3.5 lbs!

Here are the two mamas. Both are good mamas, but poor Pooka seems to me to know her baby is having troubles, so she is more protective (with me) and seems to be "worried". I hope that is soon in the past. Widget, the black mama is protective with strangers, but not nasty, just very "on top of things". Otherwise she is laid back and relaxed with her babies. They are eating so well they even have chubby legs!

Happy Birthday America!

2010-07-05T07:03:00.000-07:00

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

I hope you all had a great Independance Day. We had a wonderful day of enjoying family, good food, and celebrating this great country's birthday. May she live free and stand for all that's good in life forever. May her coming year be a blessed one.

Experiments in Colored Pencil

2010-07-02T16:25:00.000-07:00

In my search for artwork that can be done at times I can't be in my studio I keep coming back to colored pencils. I find my strength in the "art arena" seems to be anything done in a "drawing" style. Such as scratchboard, pastels, colored pencils, and ofcourse illustration done with pen and ink or graphite.
I had my mom here for a few days again to give my dad a short break (she has alzheimers for new readers). When she's here I can't be in my studio, thus this is part of the reason for the search. I have to say if I can get it worked out to my satisfaction I think colored pencils will be the answer.

Experiment #1 was done using MDF board. It was going well until I needed to put more layers on in some areas and the board wouldn't take any more. So I sprayed it with workable fixative- either it did NOT like the board or it was because it was the bottom of the can. I'm suspecting the latter. It was like I had sprayed the piece with varnish- so that was it. I couldn't do another thing. :-( It was looking somewhat like a watercolor before it was ruined.

2.25"x3.25"
I finished this piece done on Arches water color paper yesterday. I was able to achieve my darks that I wanted, but still not really happy with the support. I'll keep experimenting.

In The Heartland and in my heart.

2010-06-24T16:39:00.000-07:00

Summer is here and that means BUSY! I've been away visiting my aunt, visiting BRIO, my gallery in Galena, camping with my family, etc. Been trying to fit in some painting around all this! Galena was beautiful and the gallery is filled with wonderful things- a number of which I'd have liked to bring home! I look forward to another visit hopefully before summer is over. Marsha, the owner is such a warm and friendly person. It was just a joy to get to meet her. I wish we had more time to visit and get to know each other. I am honored to be among her artists.
Here's what I've been working on lately...
Colored pencil, 2.5" x 6.5" Title: I'm Outta Here!
I finally got this piece photographed- it's been sitting around waiting... I learned alot working on this- my second piece in colored pencils. These are my "evening when I'm not too tired" pieces so they don't happen much or fast! But I really do enjoy the colored pencils. Had several people very surprised when I told them what the medium was. I intend to keep working and learning with these. It's a fun medium and very "transportable".

This next piece is casein, 2.5" x 6.5" Title: Summer in the Heartland
I just finished this piece this afternoon. I am feeling more comfortable with the landscapes and really, really enjoy doing them, although the buildings can give me "fits" at times- getting the lines right! These pieces of farm and country scenes are so nostalgic for me, and make me feel very peaceful. I love farm country- I don't think there's anything prettier than rich farmland filled with bounty. The midwest landscape speaks to my soul.

Great Blue Heron miniature

2010-06-02T16:02:00.000-07:00

3.5"x5.5" Acrylic on board

Just finished this this afternoon. It's actually more "3-D" than it appears on the computer. It loses something here- the greens pop out from a transparent darkness which just looks a bit more flat here and the heron seems to be closer, more "out there" than it shows here. I really had fun painting this one.

New Painting Subjects! Motocross- FUN!

2010-05-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

I went with my youngest daughter to watch my granddaughter while Melanie (daughter) raced her 4 wheeler in a motocross event this weekend. We camped there Sat. night and then all day Sun. was dirt bikes and 4 wheelers! We had a wonderful time and I unexpectedly found some new painting subjects. The weekend was GORGEOUS, weather beautiful, not a bug around, and the bikes and flags, etc. were just soooo colorful and watching them go up and over hills, fly up in the air on these machines and have such a great time and such nice camraderie was just wonderful to see. There are only a few girls doing this, but all participants- men and women- are very sportsman-like- they stop and help each other if they get stuck, they are courteous about moving out of the way if another is behind them and trying to get around, etc. It's done in laps with several groups at a time going round so they can be overtaken quite a bit plus each group has faster and slower riders. It's not so hugely about winning as about the actual sport. Ofcourse they want to win, but they still remember the meaning behind that word. It was a wonderful experience and I hope I get to attend more of them this summer. I thought you might enjoy a few photos from our day.

Just hanging out...

Unloading the "steed"

All suited up...

Waiting...

Waiting...

That's my girl!!!

Ofcourse, no outing would be complete without a visit to the park play area...

The PRIZE...

Latest mini- Field Work

2010-05-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

I have been working on this one all week. Just finished a little while ago. This one is acrylic on board. 3"x5". I love the farm scenes- they're such a calm and "summer" thing.

Duck, Duck, Goose- completed

2010-05-07T16:13:00.000-07:00

Just finished the last bits of touch ups this afternoon. These fellows were alot of fun to paint. This piece is done in acrylics, the ducks and geese were done mainly with the new interference acrylics. I do believe I will like them for certain applications.

Here is a close up of a couple of the fellas...
This piece is 3"x5". Traditional miniature.

Updated Works In Progress

2010-04-29T16:07:00.000-07:00

Last week was a total wash as far as getting anything done with having my mom here to take care of and this week has been almost as bad. I tried to work some on the turtles last week- the first photo of it was where it was previous to last weeks work.

I had a hard time trying to get the color corrected as you can see. I think the true color is "somewhere in between" these, although I believe it is closer to the bottom one. I have the sun coming in the window- directly in my eyes. Evening seems to be the only time I really have to do this sort of thing and it's always such a bad time to try and see the color.

I was able to do some painting today. When I go down to the studio I have hopes of getting further than I ever do. Today was no exception. I spent alot more time down there than it looks!!! These miniatures take alot of time to get them "right".
I've been "fighting" with that goose all afternoon, and now the duck has joined the fray! Persistence hopefully will pay off and I'll get them the way I want them!

Palettes for minis & an Interactive Paints WIP

2010-04-21T08:59:00.000-07:00

As long as I'm posting I thought I'd also post my WIP here- the goose is started in the new interactive paints. The bg I did with regular acrylics. Not quite finished yet with that but nearly. Wanted a more "fresh spring" quality so trying to use the pretty "Gail" colors (for those who read this from the miniature forum- for other readers she is a friend of mine who also paints miniatures). :-) You can see the purple lavendar area where I "messed about" a bit too much so it is blotchy and will have to be worked on. But it ofcourse is not finished anyway so no big deal...

I thought since I was doing this to try and answer Mona's questions I may as well go a bit more "in depth" on my palettes and experiments. So here is a bit more explanation on them and some photos to help you see them better (I hope!)

This first image is one of my "experimental" palettes. It is a shallow food container with simple paper towels under the palette paper. I've also tried it with sponges cut up to fit. It worked fine- kept the paint moist for days, etc. but I just can't deal with the depth. It is maybe 2-2.5" deep as opposed to the true palettes which are much shallower. So if you want an inexpensive wet palette and can deal with the depth this worked well.

Hopefully you can see and compare the depths on these 2 palettes. That's my finger you can see on the left holding the deeper one so you can get a feel for the size maybe. The one below that is the palette I believe Mona is curious about. My Masterson wet palette is very similar in depth to this one also.

These 3 photos are the palette Mona was asking about- it doesn't need palette paper, acrylics and caseins can be cleaned off easily after drying. If the paint is deep enough you can just peel it off. If you are like me and use it thinly and sparingly and end up with very thin films dried on you can just scrape it off. I happen to have an old "putty knife" type thing that is made of plastic rather than metal so doesn't scratch the palette. It worked very well. Possibly with "elbow grease" you could just scrub it off, but I was too lazy to try that when I had my putty knife! I believe these palettes would be absolutely ideal for water color and gouache. You can see the rubber seal on the lid. I've left one tab open on the photo of the closed palette so you can see it. The 4 sides "snap" into place. A bit tricky at times to get them to stay but they do seal very well. I put cut up household sponges in the little wells and wet them- the paints stay moist very well. I think gouache and wc would stay moist and you then could have your intense colors that you get with them when they first come out of the tube because you wouldn't have to re-wet to activate them. Just a thought.

These last photos are of my Masterson wet palette. These palettes (I have this one small one and several larger ones- I've had one for probably 20 years or more!) are my favorites. My first old one is the best- it is from the period when companies still cared what their customers thought and wanted. Masterson was (at that time) very good, helpful, etc. That first palette has little "hold down" tabs which held the palette paper in place. They would replace them (free!) if you lost them (I never did). They no longer make them with those tabs so the paper curls up unless you buy their more expensive paper (so- what do you do if they go out of business?) It was so much better in its original form. We won't go into my lastest experiences with their customer service- suffice it to say, I no longer think so highly of them. Thus- pennies in the corners to hold down the paper. I've pulled back the paper so you can see the yellow sponge, a very thin sponge. The older one also had a very different type sponge- also much better. These sponges when they dry get all contorted and you can NOT close the lid of the palette. I haven't figured out a way to dry them out and keep them flat, and you certainly don't want to leave them wet constantly. Again- the company doesn't seem to care. Obviously these must be cheaper sponges. But I do like the shape, the choice of sizes, etc. and haven't found another I like as well.

Hopefully this explains all this for you. Again, if you have any questions on anything, paints, brushes, etc.- please feel free to ask. I will do my best to answer you.

Richeson 75 Small Works and Miniatures Show

2010-04-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

I am very happy to announce that I won second place with my harpy eagle painting- which I believe is a $500 gift certificate for art supplies from Richeson. What an honor and how lucky am I?! I tried to put the announcement here but can't figure out how, so just have a bit of the wording pertaining to the show and my piece.
I can't seem to pull up the harpy photo- for some reason it comes up as other pieces. So you'll just have to go to my website and look in the miniature paintings category, the website for Richeson 75 show or look at my older blogs with the harpy on them. Sorry for the inconvience. I have my website link to the right- you can just link to that, then go into the miniature paintings to see the harpy eagle.

"Awards Jurors for this competition were Terry Howell Stanley, PSA, Richeson 75 Director; Julie Jilek, Richeson Gallery Director, and award winning Artist & Instructor Jeffrey Hargreaves. We are proud to announce the winners of the Richeson 75Small Works 2010 competition!

Second Place: Non-Oils is "Harpy Eagle" by Carol Andre. "This painting is only
3.5"x2.5" and the lifelike qualities of this miniature bird portrait are amazing."

Of Geese and Swans, Grebes and Turtles- a Day of Heaven

2010-04-18T06:01:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful day we had yesterday. The sun was out, the ducks and geese and swans were out- it was just heavenly- a bit more wind than I liked but one can't have everything! I thought I'd show you just a bit of what we were able to enjoy- and I hope you enjoy as well... one of those "wish you were here" moments. :-)

We saw bluewing teal and grebes...

...Swans- I need to see if I can figure out if they were trumpeter or tundra swans-

...Canada Geese...

More geese...

...bathing geese...

...after the baths...

...swimming ducks...

...sleeping swans...

...a few of these type shots- don't ya just hate when that happens?!...

Not great, but have you ever tried to photograph a flying teal- they are FAST!!!

Some of my favorites- them little "turtle bumps" on a log...

This fellow was very exciting to see...

...and then there are always the good old mallards and woodies...
My husband and I had an absolutely wonderful time together. What more could you ask of a day than this? Good company, beautiful day, relaxing moments, exciting views, wonderful times in nature. It was a bit of heaven...

My favorites-easel, palettes, brushes, and storage

2010-04-16T20:03:00.000-07:00

I thought you might like to see how I modified a very inexpensive small table easel to fit my needs for painting my miniatures and some of my favorite studio items as well.

This first photo is my easel as it looks when I'm painting- you really can't see much. Beneath it you can see my "treat" to myself for losing 18 lbs.- my New Years resolution which I started Jan. 2 and completed a week ago. I am wearing a big grin as I type this! :-D They are a small set of new acrylic paints called "Interactive". They are supposed to act more like oils and be able to be re-worked for several hours. I hope I like them!

These next 3 photos are the easel as it looked (more or less) when it arrived. I did remove the little bottom shelf thingy to fit my homemade tabletop over the easel. I added a little handle (a portion of framing material) to the front of the drawer for easier opening and I also chiseled 2 extra notches so I can lower my top nearly flat as you can see in the last photo. You can see the 2 notches I added by the different color (no finish on them).

This is the tabletop underneath (not very pretty, but you really don't see it) made of 1/4" masonite covered with non-skid material you can get in $ stores or Walmarts, etc. I hot-glued that in place. Then I glued on the little wooden strips to hold the top in place, but it can easily lift off when needed. You can see how it fits over the original top.

These are a few of my many, many brushes (some women like clothes- I happen to have a "thing" for all things "paint"!) My favorites are Qualita brand, (very inexpensive, but they seem to do the trick for me), Loew-Cornelle series 7020, and my absolute very favs are Beste brand. They are sooo fine and hold such a nice point. I do have some larger brushes and even on my minis I do use them occasionally, but mainly I use the small filberts and the liners and script liners from #2- 18/0. I prefer longer bristles (such as the scripts) to shorter ones on the very tiny brushes- they will hold more paint and really aren't difficult to make them do what you want with practice.

These last photos are of a couple of my palettes and some of my storage units. I have some larger palettes but for the miniatures I just don't like a large palette. I love the wet palette styles, but the newer one I am liking fairly well too- you don't need palette paper, the paint comes off when dried fairly easily and the top is air tight so the paint keeps for the days I am painting. I've found the inexpensive little storage units you can buy at Walmart, Target, etc. on rolly wheels work great for me. I store them under my countertop painting area, I can roll them easily around where I need them, use them to hold my palettes, etc.
I hope you find this to be an interesting post and perhaps it will give you simple ideas on how to make your own studio work more easily for you. If you are not an artist you can get a feel for how my studio works for me.

Junior and Pugsley WIP

2010-04-11T12:21:00.000-07:00

Here they are after a very frustrating day of painting on them. Had planned to do it in pastels. No go. So I had to restart and rethink. Now in acrylic! Much color adjustment on Junior (the tan one)... Pugsley should hopefully go better, even tho he's black he was nice and shiny and all his lovely folds and wrinkles and bumps stand out. Junior just bleached and faded out. I put 2 different photos together to get this piece the way I wanted. I took a ton of photos to try and get just the right one!

Mixed bag of Easter, Art, and Harp

2010-04-08T07:08:00.000-07:00

I've started a new WIP piece of 2 of the cutest pugs ever. What characters they are! I also have a second small WIP going so will post both so you can see the progress. I just did the drawing last evening.

I have been working on the small piece in watercolor pencil. Believe I will be adding colored pencil as well, unless I finish the wc and decide to stop there! I just love turtles on logs sunning themselves- never get tired of watching them do that! Have no idea why, not exactly alot of action! :-)

We had a wonderful Easter- the day just flew by. My granddaughter had a great time hunting the eggs Mr. Bunny left. We did a "potluck" which ended up being quite fun and made it easy on everyone. LOTS of good food too.

Thought I'd give you an idea of the size of my harp...

The Harp Has Arrived!

2010-03-28T15:49:00.000-07:00

It actually arrived a week ago, but it has been a rough week- alot going on and the loss of a very dear friend, which made it difficult to enjoy the new harp. But I've had my first lesson as of Fri. and now am the proud owner of very sore fingers. :-0 I will learn this harp thing! It actually seems to be improving a bit so I think I'm learning. :-) It's difficult to get a photo of the color. The stain took very darkly, but when a light shines on it it is just a beautiful color. It is a deep wine red. Hopefully you can get a bit of an idea in the photos. If I can when I have someone to help me get it outside in sunlight I will try to get better photos. Until then this will have to do. The sound is beautiful, all I could have hoped for. I am very happy with the harp and hope I am truely "harping" soon.

This is the pillar carving and the side inlay on the soundbox that I chose.

This is the carving on the pillar- both top and bottom, and you can see the color a bit altho in better light it shows much more beautifully. The birds-eye maple just makes it "shimmer".

A view of the soundbox.

Egret and Heron miniatures

2010-03-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

I've recently finished an egret miniature and also a great blue heron miniature. Don't usually do two birds in a row like that, and now I'm starting on a bald eagle. Must be in a "birdy" mood!

Heron is done in casein. 3"x2"

The egret is 3.5" x 2.5", done in mixed media (casein and acrylic)

BRIO Art Gallery

2010-03-17T06:29:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that I will be represented by BRIO Art Gallery in Galena, Illinois. The gallery is a beautiful space filled with lovely works and I am honored to be among their artists.

http://www.briogalena.com
Phone: 815-776-1010

Please drop by and check out my artwork there if you're in the area. And say "hi" to Marsha for me! (The owner).

Harp- Almost there...

2010-02-28T15:31:00.000-08:00

Well, here she is- ready for her color. I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait!!!

A painted "Painted Turtle"!

2010-02-26T14:07:00.000-08:00

My latest- "hot" off the easel! :-)

Casein. 2.5"x3.5" Now for a title...

Artwork Accepted!

2010-02-24T18:35:00.000-08:00

I managed to get so excited over the harp I never posted that I had 2 pieces accepted into the Richeson Small Works and Miniature Show! I am very honored and excited to be accepted.

Power and Glory (acrylic)

Marsh King- Great Blue Heron (casein)

Latest Landscape

2010-02-21T09:45:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest landscape, just finished Thurs. Acrylic. I finally remembered to photograph with a penny so you can get a sense of size. Can not get the colors quite right on the computer. Did the best I could... Next- back to an animal. :-)

It's Carved!

2010-02-21T09:22:00.000-08:00

UPDATE:
I have finally decided on the color of the stain- it's gonna be a color called Bordeaux (I'm not sure if I have the spelling right- but that's the spelling on the back of the sample he sent!) It's a deep wine color. If I can find the time I'd love to paint ruby-throated hummingbirds on the soundboard and name my harp Ruby!
Well, here's the latest. It's looking gorgeous! Now to figure out the color I want!!!

Age and Wisdom- and Regrets

2010-02-15T09:36:00.000-08:00

Since I posted on Valentine's day I have been thinking about all sorts of life issues. Now, please understand first off- I perhaps have a strange sense of humor, so please take my next few sentences in the spirit it is meant! (For those who don't understand, this means it's a joke. I'm trying to lighten a very intense emotion- at least for me- so I'm trying to add a bit of humor in before I get to the real issue I want to talk about- understanding and appreciating what we have been given in life. I've had one person not understand it's meant as humor, I certainly don't really believe I should tell God what to do!)

God made a few mistakes. Yes, that's right- over all He did a great job, but He should have talked to a woman. One of the mistakes I always felt He made was: ticks and mosquitos. Now, I know they feed something else, but really couldn't He have come up with a better foodstuff than something like these. Any small insect that didn't require my blood to pro-create would do!

Another mistake He's made- (I'm sure if I think awhile I could remember all of them I've noticed over the years, but we won't be too hard on Him today) is he got our lives all backwards... yup, backwards. We oughtta start at 99 and work towards 0!

Now to the serious parts of my thoughts. If only we could live from old to young. There are reasons for the old cliche' of "With age comes wisdom". Those wrinkles are earned. Oh, to be able to go back and know the things I know now. To relive my youth and be able to "stop and smell the roses", to appreciate each and everything and everyone as they appeared in my life. To be able to go back to those piano sessions and practice happily and say thank you to my mom, to have understood what one of my piano teachers wanted me to do with my music when she advised me to continue on and go to MacPhail Center for Music right here in MN. To have begun my art at a younger age and really have done something with it from my early 20's instead of doing this as an "old lady"!

To hold my babies again, to understand- REALLY understand that poem about the dust, vacumning, and work still being here after they are grown up. You know that intellectually at the time, but you don't "feel" it, it can't really be understood until it is too late. I look back at all the things I was "going to do" with my girls and grandkids. Too late. Some things ofcourse will always be impossible, perhaps money, time, whatever issues. But some things just didn't happen- I was always "going to" do them- someday. The real someday actually does come and go, and once gone it's never again attainable. With children it seems like you have such an infinity of time with them when they are little. Some things aren't initially apparent- like they may be 13 or 14 and still able to do some of those things with you- but will they WANT to at that point? You forget teenage happens! Other things I wanted to do didn't happen because of my husband (at the time). I always wanted to travel and take them to see things. But he preferred having a cabin. The girls loved it there so they always wanted to go there on vacations. I gave in. What a mistake. I wanted to show them the world, the majesty of our United States. The wonders of each area of this beautiful country. The strange and wonderful creatures that inhabit different regions, the immense changes in the scenery from desert to mountains to swamps and the beauty and grandeur of each. I wanted to be there when they first saw the phenomenal Grand Tetons, the mysteries of the Everglades, when they felt the heat of the day and the cold of the night of a great desert. Regrets...

Gettin' ready to carve...

2010-02-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest photo- he's starting the carving today! WOOOOOHOOOOOO!

True Valentine's

2010-02-14T07:59:00.000-08:00

Today is Valentine's Day and I'm here alone, contemplating the road of life. It doesn't matter why- it's just the way it is. I decided this day that is about love was a good day to post something very heartfelt- so here goes...
When I was a child my mother was just "horrible"- she made me take piano lessons, and then she made me practice!!! I was always a relatively easy child to raise, but that was one area I was a little bugger about- I fought her constantly, but she never gave in! And now I bless her nearly every day for it (I'm 56). She gave me a lifetime gift. She has alzheimers and is getting worse all the time. She has begun to think I am her sister alot of the time, which is very hard. I've had her here a few times to try and give my dad a break and I've begun playing for her- it's my way of saying thank you to her. Have you ever tried to read music with tears in your eyes and love and sadness in your heart? But with age has come the realization of what an absolutely HUGE gift she has given me. And now I plan to learn the harp- I would never do this without my knowledge of the music. So it will be another gift from her. I hope to be able to someday play for her. They say harp music is good for people with alzheimers.
This is a photo we took a couple of years ago on a "girls trip" we took- because we knew it was only a matter of time before we would loose my mother- she was already getting worse at the time. Thank heavens we did this. It would be too late now. I don't have any photos from when she was "normal". She would never let us take her picture. How sad. So all the photos now really don't look like "my Mom" to me. This one isn't too bad, (we're crooked because we were out in the country at a church and the only one to hold the camera was the car!) :-)
If you don't take the time to do something you will always regret it- do you have something you've always said "Someday we're going to..."? Don't wait- DO IT! NOW! This was such a blessing, we have no regrets now. I and my mom used to take trips to carving shows once a year- then would meander home and just enjoy being together. I'm not saying it always went smoothly. We had our "moments". But do you know- I don't really remember specifics about that- I remember the trips and the fun. Thank heavens we did this. I will have it forever.
May you all be blessed on this Valentine's Day with the realization of the true gifts you have been given in this life, and may you be very, very thankful for them.

Oh... one more thing...
Call them up (whoever they may be) and just say "I love you" before it's too late.

More harp WIP photos...

2010-02-11T17:13:00.001-08:00

Just got more photos. It's looking like a harp!!!

A future harpist!!!

2010-02-09T07:10:00.000-08:00

I have ordered a harp- to be built just for me! I've always dreamed of playing a harp (and the bagpipes!) I decided my husband would probably appreciate the practice learning the harp more than the bagpipes. :-)
I am buying a William Webster McFall style harp- it is designed after an antique McFall- I love harps, I love antiques, this one has a beautiful sound to go with a beautiful harp. Bill has been very patient with me and all the decisions that have to be made. We are now trying to get the "right" color- I want a stain similar to my grand piano. He is building the harp in birds-eye maple for me! Gonna have carving and everything!!! I'm a sucker for carving (being a carver and all.) I'll post a few "in progress" photos. I am soooo excited. I hope perhaps to eventually do harp therapy. Harp music is so soothing to the soul.
BTW- check out Celtic Americans blog for a link to a gorgeous piece of music (from Star Trek the Next Generation of all places!)

Finished swan, and my student's first piece.

2010-02-03T16:20:00.001-08:00

I completed the swan this afternoon. Just had touches left to do. I am definitely getting a bit "senile"- I could have sworn I had taken a photo in progress between this and the water- went to post it this weekend- no photo. Too late then. Had it so near completion you probably wouldn't have seen the difference! Ah, well....

I have been mentoring a young piano student of mine who I find to be a true sweetheart. She has always loved my paintings- even bought a small print once for her father's birthday. I believe she is 13 now and not a bit of the normal "know-it-all" teenager do I ever see. Just very enjoyable to spend time with. Anyway, I offered to teach her to paint and she has graciously let me post her first completed piece. It is a mini ofcourse, not tiny, tiny, but still in the correct size limits other than I'd have to see if the 1/6th rule was perhaps not quite on. She just finished it this evening. Hope you enjoy seeing her work. Maybe we'll have another new miniature painter! :-)

Swan WIP

2010-01-31T11:17:00.000-08:00

I've started a mini swan, actually have it nearly completed, just haven't gotten it photographed again. Had hoped to finish it Fri. but a bout with vertigo made me afraid to try finishing it as well as afraid to go up and down the steps. So I started another piece upstairs instead! This is in caseins which I really love to work with.

Rooster WIP #2

2010-01-14T11:17:00.000-08:00

Here's an update on the rooster. I can't get the darks as dark as I'd like on this piece. There must be something I don't know about cp's yet. Will have to do some trial and error stuff. In the photo, things aren't quite true either. The lower shadow is darker and the upper corner is slightly lighter! Don't know how or what the camera sees or why, but ah, well...
This fellow is my evening project. :-)

As promised- WIP and completed Wolf

2010-01-10T14:27:00.001-08:00

This is a bed and breakfast I photographed. It is a very interesting piece, but alot of work just even in the drawing.

Here is the finished wolf- a mixed media piece- acrylic and inks.

Following is something I ran across on a weightloss site I have joined. I asked permission to post it here- it is just too funny and too true!

The Real Enemy
In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

Then, using God’s great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream and Krispy Crème Donuts. And Satan said, “You want chocolate with that?” And Man said “Yes!” and Woman said, “And as long as you’re at it, add some sprinkles.” And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled.

And God created healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size 14.

So God said, “Try my fresh green salad.” And Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing, buttery croutons and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.

God then said, “I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them.” And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof. God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it “Angel Food Cake,” and said, “It is good.” Satan then created chocolate cake and named it “Devil’s Food.”

God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.

Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds.

God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald’s and its 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then said. “You want fries with that?” And Man replied, “Yes! And super size them!” And Satan said, “It is good.” And Man went into cardiac arrest.

God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.

Then Satan created HMOs!

New Year's and resolutions

2010-01-08T18:28:00.000-08:00

This has been a difficult fall and early winter. Too many things to do, illness, and just generally the "not enough time" syndrome! I never did get to really delve into my thoughts from that ride on the back of the motorcycle! I've not forgotten though! It will happen, eventually. I am going to try and get back on track with my original intentions for this blog- to let you into my thoughts as well as my life just a bit to learn who I am and what makes me "tick". Perhaps to understand a bit better where my art comes from. I believe art comes from who we are and what we experience. So to know an artist better is to understand their art just a little bit better. (At least I believe this!)
I have begun another painting, finished the wolf, and still need to get back to the rooster. He's my "evening, when I'm not too tired" project! I'll try and post a WIP of the latest- it's a real "bugger" for me. I've never done real architecture before and this one is just full of lines, corners, porches, dormers... I spent the entire afternoon just drawing out the house. The background is in. I'll try and photograph it and the finished wolf over the weekend and get them posted!
I've made several resolutions for the coming year. I've always tried to do that and it never involves anything large- just simple things like doing a better job of doggy toenail trimming! :-P This year I want to play my piano more, exercise more, trim those doggy toenails, continue to paint, and last but not least, I've purchased a gift for myself. A dream I've always had- to play the harp. One is about to be built just for me! It will take a couple of months, and then I resolve to learn to play it! I am so excited. I will post photos once it has arrived to take it's place next to my beautiful piano. They are both gorgeous instruments both to hear and to look at. What a lucky girl I am!
Do you make New Year's resolutions? I've heard many folks say they don't- they can't/don't keep them anyway. I've always made them for years with the exception of last year for some reason. Don't know why. And with the exception of one year, I've always kept them. I have never made multiple ones before. But none are "exceptional" or terribly difficult so hopefully I can follow through on all of them. I believe in doing this resolution thing. It's a commitment to the new year. It's a commitment to doing something useful, to doing something to make yourself a better person, to doing something that might be good for someone (or something) else. Why wouldn't you want to do this? Unless you don't like commitment! :-) So here's to the New Year- may it (and we) all be better, happier, and more productive than we were in 2009!

WIP- Rooster

2009-12-21T11:32:00.000-08:00

I just couldn't stand it any longer- I MISS MY STUDIO!!! I went down yesterday and got my colored pencils which I've never done alot with, just messing around in my sketchbook a bit- and decided to see what I could do with them. Climbed into bed, turned on the Christmas music, and worked on this rooster which I had drawn out already. I rather enjoyed my afternoon. My morning piano student (a man) really loved it- thought it was some sort of Christmas card sitting there! ha! Anyway, here's the latest from the "sickie"! :-) (I'm not sure how the colors will look to you- he looked fairly close when I worked on him in photoshop, now when I look at the post preview he looks too dark. The paper is white, his breast is just slightly cream colored so you can judge accordingly.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-20T05:11:00.001-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! from me and all my studio buddies!
(It's a miracle- I got them all to sit still for a photo at the same time!)
All our love- Carol, Pip, Pooka, Widget, and Snuggles

I must apologize for being so lax in posting lately. I am again ill- I have had something going on since Oct. at least off and on. Once a respiratory thing gets me I have always had a very hard time shaking it off and this year seems to have been especially bad that way. I haven't been able to paint in several weeks. I can barely do more than fix dinner and I am all worn out. I hope to get back to normal quickly in the new year- wow, 2010!!! Seems like we just got over the big "computer-crash" ruckus (2000) and it's already 10 years!
I did want to at least touch base with you to wish you all a happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year. When I turned on my computer- what a happy surprise- someone asking me to please keep updating! I don't forget you all and miss not only being able to update- but having a painting to update with!!! I do have a couple of drawings ready and waiting. Hopefully Santa will bring me some good health!
Before I post this I do have one bit of news- I am buying a harp! 2010 will hopefully see me learning to play it and also learning to become a harp/music therapist. :-) I have always dreamed of playing a harp- this is the year.
May your coming year be blessed with only good things- and thank you for visiting my blog, and especially letting me know you enjoy whatever I may have to offer that week, be it a painting, a WIP, or some of my thoughts about life and art or even my "silliness".

Hidden Homestead

2009-12-04T10:54:00.000-08:00

I somehow forgot to post this a few weeks ago when I finished it. Hope you enjoy it. I am enjoying painting these landscapes. 3" x 5", acrylic

Thanksgiving Memories

2009-12-03T08:22:00.000-08:00

Please forgive the slowness on the WIP wolf- between holidays and now I have a "bug" (hope it's not swine flu!) so no painting is happening... :-(

Well, Thanksgiving 2009 is just a memory, but what a nice one. We had a fairly quiet day just enjoying being "family".

I love them all so much- it was a wonderful day. And I hardly had to do a thing!!! We all brought food to share, and Andrea and Matthias made the turkey and trimmings.

We opened a few gifts as Grammy and Grampy will be heading south before Christmas sometime. Looks like there will be a few fish caught with Jenny's and Tony's new rods! :-)

Mah Lil' Baby Boy

2009-11-23T11:40:00.000-08:00

He weighs a whole 2lbs. 1.5oz now...

He's full of "Sass" like I said- lets us know at all times what he wants! The poor girls have to put up with him chasing them around, grabbing them by their scruffs and pulling, etc. They are very patient with him, although Pooka can sound VERY cranky at times. You'd think she was going to eat him alive- all noise, no "tooth"! :-) I'm a bad mama- I have to admit- he's my favorite, but I love them all. This morning was the dreaded "toenail trimming" day. Glad that's done for another time. Don't know who hates it worse- them or me!

WIP - Wolf

2009-11-22T16:39:00.000-08:00

I meant to do a WIP and then promptly forgot to photograph as I went. I have a terrible time with that...
He's a fair ways along, but still work to do- so you get to see at least part of the WIP. :-) Acrylic paints.

Hope you had a good weekend. I spent part of it wrapping Christmas gifts (for the early Christmas with my parents before they head south) and making banana bread. Also shopping for MORE puppy chow for my baby. He has a sensitive tummy so he's been on rice/hamburger for awhile. After a visit to see the vet about it, he's had major worming just to be sure it's not some strange parasite (doesn't seem to have been). So now we'll try special food. Hope that's it. He's happy, growing, and full of "Sass", but I worry- he needs good nutrition. Ah, the worries of children... :-P

Cider Painters of America Award

2009-11-17T14:49:00.000-08:00

I just received word that I have been given an Award of Excellance by the Cider Painters of America (miniature painters society) for one of my paintings. This is my very first award from a miniature society for my work. I have been painting miniatures just over a year now so I am very excited to receive this. The letter says "This is an award that is given to an artist for excellence in painting in any media." It also went on to say "The judges had a difficult time this year selecting the best of the exhibit to give the award to since they had so many wonderful entries, but your work stood out from all the others!" What a HUGE complement. I know there were some fabulous artists there so to be one of the lucky ones chosen is such an honor. The piece that was chosen was "On the Rocks- Meerkats".

Finished Harpy Eagle

2009-11-15T13:19:00.000-08:00

I've finished the harpy and finally gotten him photographed. These birds are soooo amazing. We were fortunate enough to be able to stand very close to this fellow and really get some close observation. So aloof, so regal, so "of another world". Just awe-inspiring. I'm very happy with my efforts on this fellow. He was a joy to paint once I got those feathers figured out!

A Pooka and a Harpy

2009-11-05T16:45:00.001-08:00

I believe I've finished the Pooka, altho I am not completely satisfied. It was a photo taken indoors and so more difficult to get the lighting. But for now I am calling her done. Do you know what a Pooka is? Do you remember the old Jimmy Stewart movie "Harvey" about Elmer P. Doud and his 6 ft. tall buddy, the white rabbit named Harvey? Well, Harvey was a pooka. A pooka is a large, mythical creature. This Pooka, isn't so large, but she can be "mythical"!!! :-) When she was a puppy she had "spectacles", but once she'd "caught" me with that face, she lost most of her sabling, so now she's mainly tan with a bit of sabling (the dark fur) on her back and a very dark sabled tail. This piece is done in casein.

I and a friend went to the Russian museum last Thurs. and really enjoyed it. She and I did alot of talking about Flemish masters and their technics. She is taking classes on how to do this. It turns out that is a bit similar to what I've begun doing so I started trying to do a bit more along those lines with this harpy. All these feathers are driving me crazy, but I think it is coming along ok. Time will tell. Obviously it is a WIP and has a long way to go yet. I think I like this technic more and more as I go along. I am doing this piece in acrylic as it lends itself to this technic more than the caseins or gouache.

Another castle website

2009-11-05T07:46:00.000-08:00

Just a quick link- I found this from one of the blogs I follow called Life at Willow Manor. I doooo love castles and ruins!
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~hanna/sorbie/Sorbie.htm

One last robin post and KLUTEN!

2009-11-01T14:17:00.000-08:00

I've reworked the robin to get his size and angle a bit better. He "grew" as I painted him and got a bit out of shape! I did also try to add a bit more darkness to his shadowed side as well. I'll post him at the bottom so you can see him closer to the "before" shots. He's a bit out of focus so I'll have to try and retake him and repost later.
I thought I'd post a family recipe made by my grandmother when my mom was growing up, often this was their dinner or a good portion of it. My grandfather came over "on the boat" with his father very early in the 20th century- they went through Ellis Island- and they were from Germany. The name of the recipe is Kluten and we believe it came over with them. It is a "by gosh and by golly" recipe as my aunt says, so you must realize things are approximate in some of the amounts. But it is yummy and very different from anything else I've ever had. Also very easy. This time of year we get all those lovely apples, so I thought as I made it yesterday- I should post this on my blog. :-) So, I give you...

KLUTEN
apples
1/2 c. sugar
cinnamon
Cake batter:
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. milk
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla
flour- approx. 1 1/4 c. (enough to stifen like a cake batter, not too thick)

Mix cake batter ingredients until well mixed.

Pare and slice apples (about 5-6) into a large Dutch oven. Add water to come even with the apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon and 1/2 c. sugar. (You can add some red cinnamon candies to make it pink, pretty, and a bit sweeter if you like.) Heat to boiling and cook until apples are half done. Lower heat, and drop cake mixture over. Cover and cook until cake is done, approx. 45 min. Very good with whipped cream or ice cream.

Hope you enjoy this old family recipe which warms our tummies each fall, and also has brought back memories in the past for my mother of her family around the dinner table.

Re-worked and refined robin on fountain

2009-10-31T17:16:00.000-07:00

I've reworked the values a bit more on this piece and also the warmth on the sunny areas. I believe you can see the difference- the top, larger photo is the newer version of the piece. Hope you find it to be improved.
BTW- I've named the newest "studio buddy"- he's Pipsqueak- Pip for short. :-)

A Fountain and a robin

2009-10-30T16:35:00.000-07:00

I finally got to finish this one several days ago, but just hadn't had a chance to photograph it. It is a combination of several references I had. The fountain was one I saw in a garden in Iowa with my aunt. It was huge, but just gorgeous. It wasn't running unfortunately, and it had a sparrow on it which I wasn't sure I wanted so decided to change to the robin. Hope you like it. It is in need of a title- as usual!

I'm working away on the puppy and hope to have it to post very soon.

A New Piece begun and a Final Thank You

2009-10-24T16:43:00.000-07:00

First of all, let me say- It's good to be back and finally getting a bit of painting done. I'll post the piece I worked a bit on while on our trip when my mini painting friend Gail and I got together to talk art and later on I'll post the piece I just finished today that has been calling to me for weeks now!

This is Gail and I during our visit. We had a great time, while our husbands spent their time cooking ribs over the fire and generally just waiting for us to quit painting and talking! :-)

I had my mom here for several days. She has alzheimers and has progressed to the point of constantly thinking I am her sister, not sure who I am when I tell her I'm her daughter, and not sure how many children she had (I'm "it"). This is difficult to deal with as I'm sure you'll understand. She did have a couple of "good" days and even though I thought I "should" be painting I decided to play my piano for her. I believe it will be the last time I'll get to do that and she will know who I am and what I am doing for her. She sat and listened and enjoyed, and I played (with tears in my eyes) thinking- "This is my thank you for putting up with all the "----" I gave you when you made me practice". If it weren't for her I wouldn't be able to play. I was generally an easy child to raise, but that was one area I was awful with a capital A! I bless her every day that I play for that gift she gave me, and this was my final thank you to her. I have a piano student who played for her grandmother and then at her grandmother's funeral. I don't know how she did it- I couldn't I know. So I am thankful the Lord gave me this final chance.
Thus, I still haven't painted as much as I would have liked, but it is a start and hopefully now that I'm done traveling for awhile and mostly back to normal health I can get back into the "swing" of things.

The piece I am posting is in casein, as Gail wanted me to show her how casein and gouache work/paint. Personally I find them to be like painting with the same paint, just that casein is permanent when cured, gouache is not. It was great fun to have someone to paint with for once and I wish I could do it more often.

New Studio Buddy!

2009-09-30T06:31:00.000-07:00

I just got this little fellow, and I can hardly stand myself he's so cute!!! Already love him to pieces. Tomorrow morning we go for our vet check. Sure hope he's A-ok! He's tiny, should be about a 4 to 4 1/2 lb-er. I didn't want him any smaller than that. His face reminds me of my Sammie. Just not as big of eyes (and different color ofcourse). I didn't want one just like Sammie anyway. I think that would be too painful actually, and I want a new guy to love all for himself. Yes- that's a regular coffee mug he's in so you can get a feel for his size! Now for a name!

Back from Branson

2009-09-28T17:23:00.000-07:00

We left on a motorcycle trip to Branson, MO. Sept. 18th and arrived home Sat. evening. It was a cold and rainy ride. I think it will be the only long trip we will be taking! I prefer our 5th wheel and all it's comforts. Besides- I missed my studio buddies!

We did get to take in a couple of shows and also went down to wander over our acres in northern Arkansas, just over the border and not far from Branson. Just out of the "big" town of Blue Eye which is part in MO and part in Ark.!

I'm posting the views from the spot we want to build a home someday. The views are to die for, and nearly all the way around. And wildlife (the animal kind!)... my idea of heaven.

I did alot of "thinking" on the back of that bike.

I'll put some of my thoughts in future posts (if I can remember them!) As usual, I thought about "what next" (to paint) and that sort of thing, but I also thought about the meaning art has for me and emotions. How can an animal or a still life or a landscape trigger "emotions". Light bulbs came on, now if only I can remember all that I realized on that rainy ride. I am too tired at this point to go there, but I hope to express some of what I realized and learned about this subject on that ride. Until I am able to do that I just wanted to say "hi" and "how are ya?"!
:-)

Hornbill miniature

2009-09-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

I did manage to get a bit of painting done this past weekend. I finished up this hornbill on Fri. I had a terrible time getting the color right to post, it's still not quite there, but fairly close, altho my signature doesn't stand out quite this much. I just loved this bird. He was HUGE and so interesting. This piece is casein on illustration board. 3"x2"
I'll be going on a motorcycle trip with my husband this week so this will be my last post I think for awhile, unless I stop by to say something about the radio interview which is happening in just a bit. Yikes! Stomach just did a flip! :-O

Radio interview!

2009-09-13T05:48:00.000-07:00

Just to let you know in case you would like to listen I will be a guest on the Kim McCool radio show this Monday (September 14) at 2PM Central Time. I hope you can
listen 'live' or listen to the replay! The name of the program is Discover the Heart of Art with Kim McCool. If you can't listen in "live" you can listen anytime at by clicking on Blog Radio button on her site and then clicking the "Play Now" button.

(http://www.kimmccool.com
and click on 'Blog Radio'.

I am excited and honored to be asked (and a bit nervous). Let me know what you think or if you enjoy it. Thanks.

Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce- Yum!!!

2009-09-10T05:34:00.000-07:00

It's been sooo hectic here with my new job, taking care of mom, etc. I just haven't had much time to paint. But I did get a bit of cooking done. So I decided it was time for a recipe. I used this one for my stepson's rehearsal dinner (I made 3 desserts, he made the rest- he's a professional chef! Do you know how scarey it is to cook for a professional chef?) :-0 But all 3 got rave reviews and they "licked the platters clean" which is always a good sign, as is going back for seconds (and
thirds!) So here it is, simple, and delicious...

BREAD PUDDING
6-8 c. bread, broken into small pieces
4 c. milk
2 c. sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 T. vanilla
1 c. raisins (optional)
1 c. chopped pecans (optional)
1 c. shredded coconut (optional)
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
Combine all ingredients, mixture should be very moist, but not soupy. Pour into buttered 9x12 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees approx. 1 hr. and 15 min. until top is golden brown. Serve warm with sauce.

RUM SAUCE
1/2 c butter
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 egg
1 t. rum flavoring + water to make 1/2 c.

Cream butter and sugar over medium heat until all butter is absorbed. Blend egg in a small amount of this in separate bowl and add back in slowly. Add in rum/water mix gradually, stirring constantly. Cook several more min. on medium heat, stirring constantly. Sauce will thicken as it cools. Serve warm over bread pudding.

I hope you enjoy this recipe- it reminds me of desserts in fancy restaurants.
(The photo is one of my granddaughter's on her first birthday- it's not bread pudding, but you can see she approves the recipe!)

Moms, Illustrations, and...

2009-09-01T08:31:00.000-07:00

Today I thought I'd show you a few of my illustrations for an upcoming atlas I have been working on for quite awhile. It is being published by the Mdewakanton Sioux tribe and is of breeding birds and animals found on their reservation here in Minnesota. I am taking care of my mother for a few days who has alzheimers so I will be working on the last illustration for the book today. Yipppeeee!!!
:-) They still have to decide on what they want for a cover for the book. It will have my illustrations along with a page or so of information on each individual bird or animal. It has been an interesting project to do. Hope you enjoy seeing them.
I've been out of town on a family campout so I'm a bit behind and feeling rushed.
Lots to do this week, and little time for painting. :-(

"Bugs"

2009-08-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest "hot off the easel"!!! Casein, 3"x2". This post should be about the correct actual size for you. I have such a hard time with titles...

Off to Elder Gallery, Houston, Texas...

2009-08-17T10:13:00.001-07:00

I packaged up my entries for the Houston, TX miniature show and they are off on their way. Whew- glad that's done. Always "issues" getting things all finished up- finding all the hanging wire, running out of hooks to attach the wire, then finding more, etc. Here's a few of the minis that will be at the show I don't think you've seen...

Iowa Farmscape

2009-08-15T18:23:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt from some of the photos I shot while on my Iowa jaunt with my aunt. I intend to give this to her as a memento of our time together and to say "thanks" for putting up with me. :-) She doesn't use computers, so this will stay a surprise until I give it to her- hopefully in Sept.
I redid this several times to get it more the way I wanted it. I hope I have the colors adjusted correctly- it's night and I can't see on the computer so may have to readjust tomorrow- if I have time!

Rice Pudding!

2009-08-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here it is- my Grandmother's recipe from 1923 when she worked at Altoma Hall, Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa! Very easy to make. Different from "fluffy" rice puddings- it's a carmelized version. Make sure not to over-bake and dry it out.

Rice Pudding
4 c. milk, heated
1/2 c. rice
1/2-2/3 c. sugar (more or less to taste)
1/2 c. raisins
Mix together adn sprinkle heavily with cinnamon. Stir in. Bake at 325 degrees until browned, (approximately 30 min.) then stir down. Bake another 25-30 min. until browned, stir down. Bake again until browned one last time.

I love to cook- I used to enter cooking contests now and then, won several with my own original recipes (I've always loved to create, be it with paint or with food!). I also enjoy exchanging recipes and would love to hear from you with your favorites. I believe I'll share more of mine down the road from time to time.
Just for fun I added the photo of my 2 granddaughters making play dough. I like photos, can you tell I love kids books? They have lots of pictures!

Castles

2009-08-12T18:04:00.000-07:00

I happened upon the most interesting website today- that is if you enjoy castles- and I DO!!! When I and my family were in England and Scotland a number of years ago we visited several castle ruins, museums, and abbeys. We all loved them. It was my favorite part of the trip and also my daughters- who were only 11 and 13. Some of them were just magical- very mystical to walk around in. If I ever get to return I am going to research and visit every castle I can find!!! Until then- I'm going to enjoy this site. Hope you enjoy it too.

http://www.castlewales.com/home.html.

Out of the Mire

2009-08-09T13:51:00.000-07:00

Says Coyote, "Continue on the journey of the art. Give a hint of the sadness which has filled a life, let it be known that great sadness can lead to great depth of feeling. That is enough."
So Crow continues the story of the woman...

The woman sank deep into her despair, nearly drowning in it. But there came a time when she grew strength. In that strength she gathered herself and became determined to find her life again. She did not know how, but she did know if she were to once again be whole she must continue her artistic journey. She must take back her artistic soul. It was who she was. Once again she took up the search for more knowledge, more ability to express herself, and once begun her world became clearer and brighter. There would always be a cloud, it would perhaps never be quite as bright, but in that shadow was the ability to not be blinded by the brightness and to feel more deeply than ever before.
To feel what another might feel in an experience not personally known, because of what her life had taught her. She had more depth to her soul. Gradually her world became a happier place and she could look back upon that darkness with an inner pride. She had not been overcome by the despair, but instead it had enriched her being!

Sun-Kissed King

2009-08-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

Well, he's almost complete- he still needs a title!!! As you can see by the edited post title- he has a name!!!

Just a little "aside" for your next trivia game: they've done studies and the lions with the blacker/darker manes are more "attractive" to the ladies! Guess if you're a boy lion, blondes don't have more fun!!!

I can't believe how quickly the summer has been slipping away- I'm going to blink and the trees will be turning! We've had very little warm weather here- a week or 2 of HOT, HOT, then the rest has been cool and nice- but we do need rain badly here.

I think I'm going to make some rice pudding from a recipe of my Grandmother's. She made it back in 1923 when she was a cook at Cornell University (Mt. Vernon, Iowa). It is a recipe dear to my heart. Perhaps I'll post it, along with a few other favorites now and then. Hmmm... I do love to cook, another way to share with my readers. :-)

The Quandry

2009-07-31T07:29:00.000-07:00

"I am in a quandry," said Crow to Coyote (if my spirit guide isn't a crow, I'm sure it would be coyote! Another favorite of mine.)
"What do I tell of this life explosion? How much do I reveal? This is about the journey of art. It is not about betrayal and despair. But all of life's experiences make up what each being is and how he sees the world. What do I tell of this time? I need council, oh sly one."
Said Coyote, "I will think on it..."

Lion WIP- the painting begun...

2009-07-26T11:32:00.001-07:00

I began this piece by using a new technic I have just begun to explore- a form of grisaille. Grisaille is a monochrome painting using shades of gray only (sometimes brown). I, being self-taught, and not knowing I was using a technic used by the old masters, began with a blue-gray tone, which I happen to like.

I then began to add a bit of color...

and more color...

I am enjoying working in this way and plan to continue to explore with this technic.

Once Upon a Time...Lost

2009-07-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

Then life exploded...

and art was lost...

the woman's spirit began to disappear...

Once Upon a Time...puzzle pieces

2009-07-24T08:23:00.000-07:00

Do you realize life is like a jigssaw puzzle. We've lost the boxlid, so we just have to blindly fit the pieces, and as we go along if we look we can begin to see the larger picture. The old saying "with age comes wisdom" is so true.
Looking back over the years of the girl's life, one could see the need to be creative all along. Creativity and artistry come in many forms. The girl began knitting, doing crewel work, painting on barn boards, carving small figures, and creating her own recipes (entering them in contests, and sometimes winning! Pillsbury Bake-Off, 1988, what a wonderful experience!) That creative spirit came out in many forms over the years, but it was always a driving force.
The girl/woman was happy in her role as wife and mother but did not realize she was getting "lost" in other peoples lives. No where was she "someone", rather she was "someone's mother" or "wife". She did not mind this but as she became more known in the carving world and became "someone" herself, with people knowing who she was and giving her respect for her work, it suddenly became clear to her how lost she had been. The carving world became her life- she would live for the shows and classes, and work toward them in between times. She still loved her family just as much, but this world filled a huge void in her life. Art became her life.
Meanwhile, her second world was filled with joy and wonder. She and her family moved to 11 acres in the country, teeming with wildlife. Deer, racoons, turkeys, woodducks, pheasants, foxes, bobcats, 67 different birds seen from her own yard (jays, woodpeckers, warblers, quail, finches, sparrows, eagles, hawks, etc.) They fed the deer and enjoyed all the little creatures that ventured out for the corn, and laughed at the antics of the different animals that made their home right out the back door. The woman had gardens (sometimes sharing her bounty with the deer and bunnies...)- vegetables to feed her family, flowers to feed her soul. The flower beds were all around her home and extended out around the acreage. A large fishpond in the backyard attracted woodducks, turtles, and frogs. She would pick wild berries, feeling the pull of women of the past gathering for their families, remembering her pioneer heritage as she gathered in the goodness. She wandered those acres until even now she can close her eyes and follow the paths step by step in her memory, seeing each tree and bush as they were. She called it her "little piece of heaven"- and for 20 years she lived in joy...

Lion WIP

2009-07-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

I've started a lion- I am hoping to make him dramatic so I did a value study to fix it in my mind better. It was hard to photograph as it does not lie flat- I tried something new (a new toy!)- a water-soluable pencil- so since I didn't use wc paper it "wrinkled up" a bit. I ironed it (!) which helped... anyway, here's the beginning of the idea.

Meerkats completed

2009-07-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

Finished. Thought they were, brought them up for an "overnight"- I didn't like the light (or lack thereof) in their eyes, just too dim, so back to the studio for a touchup. Onward to the next piece. :-)
Remember- these are miniatures. This piece is only 3" x 2". So you are seeing it pretty close to actual size on your computer (depending on your computer ofcourse).

Once Upon a Time... con't.

2009-07-20T09:01:00.000-07:00

The young girl didn't know what she wanted to do as a "career". All she knew was she wanted to be a wife and a mother. Her younger years had been spent loving and nurturing animals and it was natural for her to want to continue that in a more personal way with her own family. Many artists speak of "painting or drawing since they can remember". This girl did draw, but the only things she can remember drawing were horses. And more horses. It was about the horses, not the drawing. She did not know she had a calling to do art. She only knew she loved animals and adored horses and dogs. She went off to college for a year- still not knowing what she would do for a major- taking her horse with her ofcourse. At the end of that year she was no wiser in where her path would take her and so she got a job, sold her horse- there just wasn't time for Cassie (the horse) any longer. She now lived in a grown-up world of jobs and dating and trying to catch up on sleep. She never went back to college. Her dream of wife and mother became a reality and for 25 years she was blissfully happy raising her family, caring for them, and doing all that entailed. When her children were very small she met a woodcarver. He encouraged her to try it as she was already doing small paintings on barnboards of wildlife. (What else?!!!) She was immediately hooked. Always looking younger than her actual years, the fellows, nearly all older men as it was seemingly an old man's hobby (this was many moons ago remember)- those fellows thought she was just a kid playing with knives! Boy, she sure did fool them. She asked questions, carved in the middle of the night (knives and small children don't mix), and kept on learning. She became just "one of the guys" and a buddy. Then slowly she improved enough that they began to come to HER for answers! She began instructing, competing, and judging the carving all over the country and Canada. It was a wonderful life...

Once Upon a Time...

2009-07-19T08:16:00.000-07:00

Someone has mentioned folks like to hear stories, be they history, folk, or perhaps even our own. So I decided to tell you a bit of my story. About how I came to do my artwork, how animals became such a huge part of my life, and how I seemed to "drink in" things like anatomy without knowing it. Since I am not an author (at least not yet!) what better way to begin than the old standby.

The photo above is my storyteller- I love crows, they are so intelligent, so maligned, and so successful. If I were an American Indian I believe my spirit guide would be a crow...

Once upon a time...
there was a little girl who was an only child (an "unspoiled one"!) who was moved to new homes a number of times and became very shy and withdrawn. (I know, I know- those of you who know me are beginning to think this really IS a fairy tale!) Her best friends became books and animals. She saw the animals in every setting she might encounter them and her total focus was on the animal. As she grew older she was lucky enough to have a horse as well as several dogs, and she brushed that horse and rode that horse so often and consistently that they became best friends and she learned to "feel" anatomy without realizing it. But she didn't know what she wanted to be when she "grew up"...

OK, that's enough for today. I'm not sure whether I should tell you too much of the early stuff or just fast forward. So I'll have to think about it- and if you read this and have a preference, just let me know! This blog is all about my readers and what might interest them- I definitely don't want to bore you all!

Meerkats Mini WIP

2009-07-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a new mini of meerkats I saw while in San Diego last year. I have wanted to paint them ever since. Finally got to it- I have so many things I want to paint... so many subjects, so little time!

Lightfastness test

2009-07-14T08:34:00.000-07:00

I want to use only top quality materials so I can offer my clients/collectors only the best possible artwork that I can. I did a lightfastness test with some of my gouache paints- it's been a year- I painted 3 "swatches" of each color, labeled them (the ink disappeared on the labeling of the 2 that were exposed to the sun). One was painted only, one was painted and sprayed with a spray that was supposed to help protect against UV rays, and the 3rd was covered. I am amazed at the results. They really held well. The more major change was the lemon yellow which turned to more of a light ochre. The mauve (purple) lightened a tiny bit, and the sprayed rose lightened a bit! The unsprayed rose lightened a tiny bit, but less than the "protected" sprayed one! The rest of the colors held very well. This was direct sun exposure for over a year (to make up for some rainy/cloudy days)! You should never, ever put artwork exposed to direct sun, or even indirect (bounced off a wall for example- I learned that the hard way unfortunately, didn't even think about it). So I will feel confident when I use these paints. I intend to do the same test with my acrylics and caseins just for fun, but that will take another year!!!
Thought you might all like to see the results. The colors may not be totally true/perfect to what they really are- I did the best I could quickly, but every computer is different too. But you can see that there is very little change. It's a simple test for other artists to do and for collectors it's nice for them to feel that the work they purchase is as top quality as possible. This is more than a lifetime investment- it is hopefully an heirloom they can pass down for their future generations to enjoy as well.

The Egret I forgot (deleted accidentally)!

2009-07-08T16:23:00.000-07:00

I somehow got 2 Sammie photos and thought I had deleted one, must have also deleted the egret!!! Never noticed until now! Ooooopppppsss! So here he is. I just kept re-working the water until I was finally satisfied with it.

Taking the good with the sad...

2009-07-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

My SAMMIE
Dec.15, 2000-June 24, 2009

I finally managed today to find time to finish the egret- I kept finding things I wanted to change on him- well, actually on the background. I do still have one tiny little thing I want to fix, but I'll call him done for now. I am finally fairly satisfied. Let me know what you think.
I was out of town for nearly 2 weeks, the main theme being "reference, reference"! I took a ton of photos so I should have something to paint this winter!!!
I spent last week out in the countryside shooting photos and re-connecting with the beautiful vistas to be found in the midwest. I drove nearly 1,000 miles doing it so I saw alot of vistas! I'll give you just a peek at some of the things I saw and enjoyed. I have "plans" for alot of landscapes- hopefully this winter.

While I was away, the day after I left I lost my best buddy- my Sammie must have had a heart attack in the heat or something, altho apparently he wasn't outside all that long. So I am without my little man and am heartbroken over it. I plan to do a painting of him when I can find the time. Meanwhile, his last babies are growing up fast. One has been sold- before it was even born! So 2 remain to find homes, and I'm in no hurry.