2023- here it comes!

Always looking back a bit when we approach another year. And always feel the year goes by so quickly! This year was a milestone for me- doing the 70/70/70 was huge. It kept me consistently working and it made me put work out there much quicker than normal. I like to sit with things for a while, make sure they are done.

This coming year- what will it bring? Surprise me! I hope for new inspirations.

My goals-

Studio complete. I am building a new studio and hope to complete it in the next few months!

Paint, create every week! Sometimes, I can get distracted with my other job. This year I will at least pick up a brush once a week.

Working on a new group called Seasons.

And pastels- working with pastels again! Love the colors!!!

I hope you all have a Happy New Year! Hope to see you in 2023!

55 here I come!

Another trip around the sun. I can’t believe I have already been around so many times! I feel like I am just getting started. So much to do, so many things to create, to experience, to be and see! Birthdays for me are always a time to reflect, and make goals (or, at least a to do list for the next year). I am thankful for this time around, thankful that I have celebrated holidays with family again, spent some time with a couple of dear old friends, that the band is starting to practice again (surprise I am in a band!), that my work is amazing and I get to help others reach their goals and play with a lot of dogs, and I am thankful for my art. I am thankful that my brain comes up with ideas and I just start coloring them in. Of course, I am human and there are always regrets. Some big, the kind that when you wake up from a hot flash (another great thing about 55- hahaha) in the middle of the night you can’t get back to sleep. Eventually, I fall asleep for an hour or two and wake to a new day and another chance to get it right. Thankful for all that I have- my wife that has put up with all my changing ideas for the last 25 years! My dogs that are as crazy as I am. My Mom, who stopped by today to bring me a gift and coffee: and insists on making me dinner tomorrow night to celebrate. My Dad just because he is my Dad and always there. Yes, at 55 I am still their girl and I am so lucky that I am. Then there is my brother- the first Happy Birthday I received today! Thank you Tim! Yes, life is good at 55 at least so far. Thank you all for the Birthday wishes and the encouragement to keep on painting! Check out the mini collection- I still have a few more to add, To celebrate my birthday all minis are $55.00 till May 11. 2022. Birthday celebrations should at least last a month!

A friend sent me this quote today from one of Mary Oliver’s poems-

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

I am putting this up where I can see it everyday.

Don’t let it slip by- be Brave, be Beautiful, be You! My birthday wish is for all of you to have the best year yet. I am hoping to too!

Cheers.

Here comes Spring

We are already in March- how can that be? The temperatures around here are still pretty chilly, but the sunshine brings a feeling of spring. I definitely do better with a little sunshine and the days lasting a bit longer each day. My schedule is pretty packed- my other job or actually my other passion is training dogs. I specialize in training tracking dogs for Search and Rescue. Weekends are packed till October with courses and seminars. This last week I took a road trip to Oregon for a seminar. Driving through mountains, small towns, and farmlands has inspired many new ideas to put on canvas. My weekends maybe for the dogs, yet a couple weekdays are spent in the studio- my time to let creativity take over.

In the next week there will be some new work here - new minis! And, to celebrate a little thing that is happening in April for the month of April all minis will be $55- $20 off! Yes, i have a birthday in April and I will be 55! Holy shit- how did that happen??? Sometimes, I catch myself in the mirror and wonder who that old lady is? When did my hair get so white?

Please check back at the selection- get a little mini to celebrate spring and my 55!

And, no matter how old or young you maybe- live your passion! Do not give up on those dreams! Set goals, be inspired. Be brave! Let this sunshine inspire you to be all you can be! Happy Spring!

2022

Here we go into a new year. Happy New Year to you all! May the new year bring you your dreams, goals, and all that you wish to do, be, and achieve! New here is the gallery. The painting above was one of my favorite of the year and can be seen in the gallery- Keiko. A new kind of portrait! Painted with every brush stroke, color texture, and symbol is Keiko. Soon I will add some old favorites and start to add a few new paintings. Right now, I am inspired by the birds- who knew? You can’t help but smile as they dart around the yard. I have one more holiday painting to finish- I am glad clients don’t mind getting it for Valentine’s Day.

Well, I just wanted to check in- wish you a Happy New Year and thank you for all the support in 2021!

Open House X 2

Join Ellen Dooley and I at my studio 11-4pm December 5th, 2021. Come see life through our eyes! I should really call this Open House x3 because we also have a special guest Amber Darland coming to share what she sees in life through her music. Amber will be playing 2-3pm. We will have refreshments and snacks as well! I hope you will join us!

Events

Here we are already in November and we have a few events happening in the next few weeks. First, I will have an Open House on November 21. Come check out my studio. Come celebrate with me that I finally made this real! I have a few great unique holiday gift ideas, the third year of my calendar, and check out the originals. Yes, there are holiday cards too! I am going to have some special pricing on original pieces, and if you do purchase anything you will receive a special gift to use here on the website. Open 11-4pm

The Saturday after Thanksgiving the studio will also be open for Shop Local. Combining my art with my other love- the dogs! Sweatshirts and tshirts will be available to purchase from K9 Track NW. 10:30-5pm

Then on December 5th is a very special Open House. On this day I will be sharing my space with artist Ellen Dooley. You will love her work! And!!!! Amber Darland will be there from 2-3pm sharing her music! This event you do not want to miss! 11-4pm

Check out the Event page for more details! I hope to see you there!

Seasons

This is my favorite time of year, my favorite season. Time for my favorite sweater and hat. Time to bake cookies and make a stew for dinner. Walks in the wind, or getting lost in the studio on a rainy day. The colors outside are vibrant- orange, red, the greens get brighter with each drop of rain. Today all I wanted to do was get lost in the paint- so many ideas floating through my head- it was hard to stay on the business side of things and get those phone calls made, and complete the long list of to dos.

Tomorrow I am remerchandising a small store I have the pleasure to work at a few times a year. I worked retail for years, and found my creative outlet as a merchandiser- this time of the year was always the busiest with the holidays approaching quickly. Tomorrow, I am sure a few twinkled lights will go up with the great possibility of a pumpkin in the window soon to be replaced with a gift idea. Yes, I think this maybe my favorite time of year because the holidays are approaching- and the new year.

Even if every year seems to go by more quickly than the last, I always look forward to the start up of the new year. I am not one for New Year’s resolutions- yet, I am one for setting goals, making plans, and moving forward. Yup, that does sound like a New Year’s resolution doesn’t it???? I just do not like to start it on January 1st. I like to set those goals in motion now. Time for change as the leaves change color and then get blown from their branches. As the branches are bare working to make changes new habits so when the leaves bloom again the goals are being made and the changes taking place.

This website has been part of my changes this year, and next month it will continue with an open house. Inviting people in to share my work- scary but exciting all at once.

Whatever your favorite season maybe, the joy of the seasons are the changes. Something exciting happening in each one. Red leaves, first snow, sun warming our faces, the first bloom or peapod of the season. Without change there would be no seasons- what do you want to change?

I know I like change more than others, I live with some one that literally will get ill just thinking about change. I think 20 plus years with me she is finally feeling like change can be good and it doesnt mean the sky is falling.

Not to say that changes are not difficult. In the last year we all have had some big changes. Our world has changed. Our beliefs have divided many of us. I hope for us all in this new year to find likeness in one another again not just division. That we can talk over our differences not talk over one another. As the leaves change maybe we all can change a bit too. As they fall to the ground, may we find grace within each other and our differences. As they bloom in the next year may we find a smile to a stranger, and to a friend. To have a difference in opinion does not make us enemies- to have our own beliefs, thoughts, dreams, hopes makes us human.

Hello and Welcome

Welcome to my website and my blog! Here I will share random thoughts and ideas- or they may seem very random. Just how I get from one painting to the next. What may catch my eye or a feeling or a mood. They say artists are very moody.

So yes my moods change and what I feel like painting changes right along with those moods. So, I have started this website with a few themes to go along with the many moods.

First, the floral and fauna. When I showed my work in the beginning this was where it seemed to catch people’s attention. No I am far from a realist in my paintings- it was the colors that got the attention. Coming back to this theme started actually last year when I started a vegetable garden. Yes, I was one of those folks that started a vegetable garden with the shut downs of COVID. The garden was a great place to have a project and I was surprised in myself how much I enjoyed the process. Of course, with those veggies I had to plant pops of color and then came the paintings- Zinnia, Good Fortune, and Hope- all from seedlings.

Finding creativity and the actual energy to create did not flow easily thru out changes and uncertainties of the last year. I was asked to do a painting which start this new theme of symbols. It may sound funny, but as I started studying these ancient symbols, I found more hope in the world today. A symbol for hope or transformation from hundreds of years ago gave me hope today. I had to paint them and I hope you enjoy them as well.

Our Best Pals, I have been painting for a few years- but some of these new pieces truly bring a smile to my face and I hope they do the same for you.

Home Sweet Home- again started a few years back as well, when asked to paint someone’s home. It has transitioned to taking quick pictures as we drive by and old barn, or a run down shack. I like to think my paintings bring them back to life.

The Abstract- I just love layering, color, and shapes!

The Minis- are a collection of all of the above. All 4x4 canvases. An affordable original piece of art, great as a gift for a friend or yourself. I am having so much fun creating these. Just one up on a wall or a collection make a fun statement. I have a few of these up on the website and check out instagram where I have pictures of all of them.

Please browse through my website and tell me what you think. Maybe, there is something that will match perfectly with your mood.

And, thank you for taking a look!