Sunsets

Above:
"Sunset Stroll"
12x24
Oil on Board

Below:
"Sunset Supper
12x24
Oil on Board

I've been painting horses quite a bit lately. These two pieces will be shown for the first time at the next First Impressions exhibition in April. I have other paintings of horses I'm working on in the studio now.

For a long time it was difficult to use horses in my art as they were no longer a part of my daily life. I decided to find my peace with the subject in these paintings. The time of day and the relationships suggested in the pieces are my way of depicting my feelings. Many people use animals to express freedom or escape. For me, animals are a symbol of my human relationships worked out in my art.

Perhaps you've been included in one of my paintings and don't even know it.

Meet LeRoy

Hi everybody! Please welcome LeRoy to the world. LeRoy is new pup to be loved and trained by the great people at Canine Partners for Life. For the next year he will live in a loving home and enjoy all the things a good dog should. Then if he is able he will start school to see if he could be another great assistance dog for folks needing such a partner.

I am sharing this with you because I had the extreme honor of naming him. What is even more special is that I offered the name of my father. If you ever met my dad you would know that he would have gone crazy for this little guy and the idea of a service dog sharing his name. I can only hope that this pup can live up to such a name as "The King". Somehow I believe he will.

There will be more art to be posted later in the week. I'm so busy painting in the studio but I'm behind on photographing the work! Such a nice problem to have.

If you would like to volunteer and raise a potential service dog please contact Canine Partners for Life as they are always looking for happy homes to start their puppies. I can't think of a better way to give a little as well as get some love in return.

Another Car Painting

" Morning View by the River"
9x12
acrylic on canvas

Can we still call this a plein air painting when it was created in my little Scion XB? Yes, I did this one in my car too. A few weeks ago I did a sketch like this and I kept saying I wanted to go back and paint it. I chose to do it this week and what a joy it was. Sitting in my warm car with my favorite tunes playing and painting just seemed too good to be true. Mentally it is exhausting but when I'm done I feel like I've conquered the world. What draws me to this tree is that like so much else in Pennsville along Penn Beach, it is slanted from the wind. Everything along the water "bends" to the will of the winds off the Delaware River. Everything including me I think must bend. Also, I am so taken by that Delaware Memorial Bridge that I am always looking for ways to include it in my work. Maybe one day I'll do a dog with the bridge! That would incorporate all my talents! Wacky.

Speaking of dogs, the previous piece shown, "Good Stick, Good Dog" has been sold. I will be making note cards of the image too, so if you are interested in those please let me know.

I want to give a little shout out to my wonderful friends Denise Erickson and Deborah Lynam. The three of us spent the day together to see the Frida Kahlo exhibition and had an amazing time. During the private tour and after, we learned so much about Frida, ourselves and our art it was mind blowing. We slowed down and took in the images like they were nourishment for our souls. So much of today's culture insists on flashing pictures before your eyes with no time to savor them. This experience was completely different and reminded us that art, like fine food, should be taken in slowly and enjoyed to the point that each color and flavor is appreciated and understood. Thanks ladies for such a beautiful day that I will always remember.

Black Lab Drawing

"Good Stick Good Dog"
11"x14"
graphite on archival paper
SOLD

As promised, here is one of the pieces I've been working on. This is one of the Canine Partners for Life dogs. I couldn't resist showing a lab with a stick. Every lab I ever known takes great pleasure in a good stick. Miss Gracie could care less. She'd rather chew on another dog. I'm only kidding, well maybe just a little.

This piece is framed and ready is for sale. It will serve as an example of my pet portrait work until it finds a home. I will make note cards of this one as well for sale at my next vendor booth opportunity.

Have a great weekend. Enjoy a good stick.

Don't Look Back Or You'll Trip

"Morning at the River"

graphite sketch in moleskine

My previous post was about not looking ahead too much into the future. This entry is about not looking back. As I took my morning stroll through Riverview Beach Park I was thinking about how I used to run that path with relative ease and now walking feels like I'm carrying someone else on my back. Maybe that is exactly what I was doing by thinking that way. Could I be carrying the old me on my shoulders as I go? As I thought about what I used to be able to do I wasn't letting in the happiness of what I was doing right at that very moment. Just as I came to my senses I tripped (gracefully, wink-wink) and made quite the show for the dog behind the fence watching me. (I gave my partner Miss Gracie the day off.)

Yeah, I've mentioned before about living in the moment but golly (insert expletive here) it is tough. Sometimes it seems to be more fun to think and talk about what was or what could be. Basically I think it can be destructive but so tempting.

So if you see me in the park stumbling along tell me to straighten up and pay attention to now. Ha! Also, tie my shoe for me because it is just too hard to bend over and do it myself. Thanks.

I haven't forgotten about posting my new projects, I've just been too lazy to photograph them. I'll get on the ball I promise.

Change of Seasons

"View of Delaware City"
graphite sketch in moleskine

Just another sketch in my little moleskine book to share. I sat in my car at Fort Mott, on a chilly morning after our tiny snow and looked out across the river to Delaware City. It is funny to post this today because 10 days ago it was snowing and today it is 60 degrees. I'm all about spring! Winter can kiss my cold butt.

I remember sitting on the bench (right side of sketch) last summer wondering where I would be this summer. Well, this summer is almost here. Some things that I thought would happen didn't disappoint and other things never came to fruition. Isn't it always that way? You can plan all you want but the future always stays one step ahead. I'm trying to save my precious energy for the present. I'm trying.