And God Set A Bow in the Sky (Photo)

Sometimes I look out and see interesting weather effects and I can hear the waves crashing, so I rush across to the beach with my camera. I am frequently rewarded with sights like this. I am wondering: if I painted this, including the rainbow, would it be believable?

Can you tell I haven't had time to paint? I have had time for family gatherings in celebration of the holidays, so I'm not complaining. Just having some withdrawals. You artists know what I mean.

Morning Sea, 4x5 Oil on Canvas

I went small on this one. I love the colors of the sky and ocean in the morning. Sometimes they don't even look real.

PURCHASE

The Pieces of 8 had a wonderful luncheon this week and exchanged our very creative gifts. Here's the happy group:

Robert Duvall

I have a new Modus Operandi. When there is no time to paint, go to my journal. This is Robert Duvall's driveway on his beautiful farm, where he raises longhorns and does the Tango with his beautiful wife.

Yesterday as the beautiful little children performed a Christmas play at our church, it was hard not to think of those little souls lost last week. I read that the number of people lost in massacres in our country this year is now up to eighty-four. My friend songwriter Bobby Braddock is quoted below on the subject, saying it better than I could:

"Maybe...instead of thinking that gun control advocates are exploiting victimized children to promote an agenda...and instead of thinking that gun control opponents care more about guns than children...and instead of threatening to remove from our pages the opinions of those with whom we disagree...and instead of letting "liberal vs conservative" weave its way into every fabric of our lives including this heartwrenching national tragedy...why don't we come TOGETHER, as we did on September 11, 2001, and why don't we listen to each other and try to figure out ways to truly help prevent the recurrence of mass child murders. I think there are few if any who sign on to Facebook who are not deeply saddened over the hideous loss of those babies in Connecticut."

Verdant, 18x24 Oil on Canvas

I can't imagine being an early settler in Florida and trying to slog through swamps and palmettos, but I really enjoy seeing what is left of that jungle. It's a lot more beautiful to look at than condos. Yeah, yeah, I'm a treehugger. I love the woods. Being in the quiet of a forest makes me mindful of the beautiful planet God gave us to inhabit.

PURCHASE

Sealight II, 10x10 Oil on Canvas

This is the other end of the wave I posted previously. The color is completely different from my first one, because I was painting in different light. Also, I painted the first painting from my iPad and this one from a photo. I am painting in the square format on gallery-wrapped canvas for an upcoming show, so I cropped the wave and got two paintings from one wave.

I painted this at yesterday's Pieces of 8 Holiday Sale. We had such a great day, the paintings were flying from the shelves! We sold a great variety of things, and our black-and-white mix-n-match earrings were a huge hit. Kudos to Kathy Garvey for that smart idea! One customer came twice, and said she can't wait until next year.

Pieces of 8 Sale Saturday

The Pleininator

I will be painting tomorrow at the Pieces of 8 Studio Sale. There will be gift items and bargains galore. You won't believe the prices, and they are products that are Made In America, which makes them unique!

The sale will go on, rain or shine, and there will be refreshments and much congeniality. The address is 3532 Samuel Place, Melbourne, Florida. Watch for the signs.

Sealight, 10x10 Oil on Canvas

This wave posed nicely for me the other day, and I enjoyed painting it. I noticed the sky was doing interesting things and I could hear the waves from my house, so I rushed over to the beach and got some very nice shots. This will be displayed in my exhibit next month at the Art and Antique Gallery in  the Eau Gallie Art District in Melbourne, Florida. My exhibit is called "From Highland to Island," and I will have paintings of subjects from the mountains to the sea.

The Painting Panacea

I have not been able to post for a while because of being in Virginia for a sad occasion. I found solace in journaling in my sketchbook. Two of my collages, Red Shoe and Femme Fatale,  are in the "Chaos Theory" Art Exhibit in Middleburg, Virginia, opening November 29th (above left). No, those are not pictures of my collages, though Femme Fatale might be an interesting name for a cow. Or is that a bull?

I had to include in my sketchbook my husband's favorite coffee place, the Cuppa Giddyup. Since Middleburg is horse country, it's a perfect name.

Here are my entries in the art exhibit:

Sea Change, 10x10 Oil on Canvas

A rough sea is a joyous thing for me as a subject for painting. I love the colors, the shapes, the movement. This is a 10x10 original oil on gallery wrapped canvas and painted on all sides.

My posting of originals has been erratic of late because of vacation and then illness. We have now had a loss of a beloved family member, and I am giving myself permission to take some time off from painting and be with my loved ones who are grieving. 

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Lydia at a Tapestry Loom, 24x18 oil on canvas

This is a direct copy of a Mary Cassatt painting done in the 1800s. My painting group, Pieces of 8, did copies of masters as a learning experience, and I went on to copy Sargent, Gauguin,Van Gogh and Homer. This was time very well-spent. My last post was a copy, too, which I neglected to mention.

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Three of us Pieces of 8 members took Dianna Gessler's journaling workshop last Monday, and had a great time wandering around Cocoa Village sketching and painting. I am flush with ideas, and hope I remember them when I have some time! Check out our efforts by clicking here.  

Elaine's Flowers, 10x8 Oil on Canvas

Some people in New Jersey and New York probably had gardens like this, and now they have destruction. It is so sad. We worry about hurricanes all the time in Florida, but who would expect this in the Northeast? To be hit by a snowstorm afterward is just unbelievable. My prayers go out to all the suffering people, and especially those who have lost everything.

NFS

Halie and Bunny, 16x20 Oil on Canvas

This was done many years ago. Halie is now seventeen but I'll bet that bunny is in a drawer somewhere.

I mentioned in an earlier post that our political sign was stolen from our yard. Now we know there was an eyewitness, who said a man and his small children came into our yard and took the sign. They went around the corner, where the boys jumped up and down with the sign while dad took their picture. In one fell swoop, he taught them trespassing, stealing, violating others' free speech rights, and gloating about the crimes. What a dad.

Yesterday someone left at our door a "Hate DVD" with a swastika on it and the word "Reds" in reference to our President. I thought that word went out with the Cold War. Also yesterday, a woman stole an Obama sign, came back, holding the sign, to taunt the resident, then ran over her leg with a scooter. What has happened to our wholesome little town?

River Cave, 8x10 Oil on Canvas Panel

I haven't posted for a while because we were in Virginia during the hurricane, and we delayed our return home. My heart goes out to the citizens of New York and New Jersey. As Floridians we are very practiced at preparing for hurricanes, and the number one item on my checklist is: Evacuate! I so wish everyone had heeded that warning.

PURCHASE

On a more peaceful note, the scene above is no longer accessible to the public, so I am glad I got this done. I've painted it twice, and here is a painting of me painting it. It's called My Happy Place.

The Stolen Mother Teresa, 16x20 Pencil on Paper

Not for sale nor in my possession

Many years ago this artwork was stolen from the wall at Brevard Community College in Melbourne, Florida, where it was on display. I had worked so many hours on it, and it basically was a picture of tender subjects. In the center is my son at age four, and there is a butterfly on his chest. He was so delighted when it lit on him that I took his picture, and years later included it in this montage. All sweetness and light, yet some lowlife thief took it.

It occurred to me that now that we have the Worldwide Web, I can advertise my stolen artwork and maybe someone knows someone who has it...stranger things have happened.

I was reminded of this theft by our political sign being stolen from our yard last night, which involved trespassing on our property to get it. Same thing last election. Apparently someone doesn't have a full understanding of the First Amendment, or maybe it only applies to their party.

Fuzzy Bear, 8x8 Oil on Canvas

Aren't bears both cute and terrifying? Since there was a fence between the bear and me, "cute" applied. If no fence, "terrifying." I did meet a bear across a stream in the Smokies once. I was trying to take a picture of some rhododendrons, and he ambled out of the bushes on the opposite side of the stream. I did not stick around to get the bear picture, as we were in a convertible and a quick getaway was in our best interest. He didn't look at me in any threatening manner; in fact, he appeared rather bored with my appearance and just strolled into the stream as I was skedaddling away. "Skedaddle" is such as useful word for that sort of situation, isn't it?

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Pool Bird, 10x10 Oil on Stretched Canvas

This bird looks like he's standing his ground, no matter what comes along. He's actually doing what all birds of his sort do, looking for fish. This is gallery wrap canvas, and all sides are painted.

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Sunny Grapes, 10x10 Oil on Canvas

I'm so happy with this painting, because I see the light through the grapes exactly as I saw it in Grandfather Vineyard in North Carolina. I love grapes, whether they are on the vine, jam, juice, raisins, wine, or fresh at the produce market. Besides their deliciousness, they are wonderful to paint. And the seedless grape? What an agricultural achievement that was!

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View from the Top, 20x20 Oil on Canvas

When the Pieces of 8 were in North Carolina, this is the sort of view that greeted us every morning from Cindy's balcony. I don't think I have done it justice. The mountains are like islands in the clouds.

SOLD

My good news: I am featured in an article in Space Coast Living Magazine, a beautiful local publication. Here's the link: Link to article

The Cottage on the Hill, 8x10 Collage

So every day the news is basically the same: a body is found, a car crashes through a house, an elderly person is lost, a bank is robbed, someone is bitten by a shark or an alligator. Well, maybe the animal bites don't happen every day, but the rest--yeah, pretty much every day.

When I am tired of all the tragedies, I like to retreat to my own little world, with purple hills and steps made of candy, out of reach of errant cars. A little whimsy is good for the soul.

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Near the Falls, 8x10 Oil on Canvas Panel

This is such a peaceful spot, the stream just trickling by. However, a few yards further down there is a spot that looks completely calm, even though it is a prelude to a huge waterfall. I feel sorry for the first person to ever discover this. Below is the waterfall, and if you look closely you can see two foolhardy youth who later jumped in.

PURCHASE

Mountain Stream, 5x7 Oil on Board

I live by the ocean, but I enjoy the soothing environment of a mountain stream. What a wonderful place to be.

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Pathway to Art, 5x7 Original Oil on Board

The Pieces of 8 were on Grandfather Mountain, scattered about painting, and I saw Mary at the top of the path painting a big view. Since I enjoy dappled light it I was more excited about painting the path leading to Mary. It was such a beautiful spot.

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Wee Sea, 4x5 Seascape, Oil on Canvas Board

This is one of the tiniest things I have painted. Since I sometimes have a tendency toward too much noodling, this is a good exercise for me. Within four by five inches I have to follow the saying, "don't state, indicate."

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I am proud to report that I won an Honorable Mention in the National League of American Pen Women competition for my collage, "Night of the Iguana." This was a national competition, and Judge Patt Odom wrote about my piece:

"This reminds me of Romaire Bearden.  The Iguana is delightful, but; I respond to the surrounding negative space more.  This is where the mystery lies... It creates a musical sound not unlike Kandinsky's work.  When negative space overpowers the positive space; something special happens.  This is what I find in this piece.  I want to read and relate those elements to the "Night of the Iguana" -exciting piece!" Night of the Iguana

Hurricane: Before and After, 8x10 Oil on Board

Before the Storm

After the Storm

My first reversible painting! It's stormy on one side, sunny on the other. I'm always fascinated by the changes in the ocean, and a hurricane passing by Florida creates awesome drama. This family wisely stayed in shallow water and watched the mighty waves crashing.

Hurricane Isaac was long and drawn out, so it was many days before the peaceful, warm, sunny scene in the "After" painting. I am so lucky to live here--barring storm surge, of course.

This painting comes with an easel so it may be easily displayed according to your mood. It's kind of a "Mood Ring" of art, and it's two paintings in one!

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Big Wave, 6x6 Oil on Canvas Board Seascape

Hurricanes always bring some nice waves, and this was a family visiting the beach just before Isaac passed by Florida. The child is thinking, "That's scary," Mom is thinking, "That's dangerous," and Dad is thinking, "I wish I'd brought my board."

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Moving Sea, 10x8 Oil on Canvas Seascape

The ocean changes constantly. Every time I walk over to the beach the water looks different, and I love the ebb and flow as it meets the sand. Even the rocks seem different somehow. Are they changing too? The water gets pretty powerful, especially in hurricane season, the dread of every Floridian (shudder). Maybe that power is moving the rocks around. Why not?

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Green Pond, 16x20 Oil on Canvas

What is  more calming than a setting like this? The reflections in the pond, the trickling of the water--it is hard to be stressed in such a peaceful place.

This is one of my larger paintings, 16x20.

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Nightlife, 8x10 Abstract Oil on Canvas

It's rather freeing to paint an abstract occasionally, and just "let go." This one has a dark and mysterious tone, depicting the shadowy yet vibrant atmosphere of a city at night.

Our painting group, Pieces of 8, is off to the North Carolina mountains again this week. We can't let Cindy continue to have fun up there by herself. After what I call the Summer of My Discontent, this is a much-needed change to recharge my batteries. This has been quite a year, and I don't mean that in a good way, so I am looking forward to our annual art retreat.

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Apple and Friends, 9.75 x 7.75 Watercolor, $65 Still Life

Complementary colors make a vibrant painting. This is a watercolor, one of my rare ventures into that medium, and I enjoy the various personalities: the sturdy and reliable apple; the shy lemon; and the rather jaunty pear, standing a little apart so as to get more attention.

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Calm River, 6x6 Oil on Canvas Board

Sometimes I don't see certain things until I have posted them. In this case, I have to laugh because I notice that the rocks that are just below the surface in the river look a bit like a body. I don't suppose that's a selling point...or is it?

I am looking at the work I have scheduled to upload in the next week or so, and it looks like I dabble in everything. My previous post was collage, this one is an impressionistic oil, coming next are a watercolor, an abstract, then a 16x20 landscape. All that's lacking is one of my cartoons. Hmmm...there's an idea.

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The Loons, 10x10 Collage on Canvas

I saw these beautiful loons when I was in a boat on Big Lake in Alaska. Hearing their mournful calls from far away is quite nice, but they have some other calls that are not as appealing. Male and female loons look alike, but the male is a bit larger. They can dive to depths of 32 yards and can stay submerged for fifteen minutes. That's my loon lesson for the day.

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Summer Fun, 6x6 Oil on Canvas

What a great feeling, having the water go back out, dragging sand between your toes. There is nothing more exhilarating for a boy than going to the beach.

By the way, I am now convinced my husband can fix anything. Our car was stuck in reverse, wouldn't go into drive. He said, "The linkage is slipping," and he got under the hood and fixed it with two zip ties. That is one handy man to have around.

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Fatherly Love, 6x6 Oil on Canvas Board

It's so nice to see a father having fun with his little boy at the beach. Who needs fancy toys when you have entertainment like this for your child?

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Ready for Takeoff, 7x5 Oil on Canvas

I thought it was time to do a Spoonbill in oil, but I may follow this up with the same bird in collage. I love those wings, even though finding paper with the proper colors is pretty challenging.

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The Graduate, 14x18 Oil on Canvas

The boys were wiggling, but look at the confident look on the girl's face. She is ready for the next step in her road to success.

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Big Apple, 10x10 Collage on Canvas

Every collage is a new adventure. It seems that when I get down to the last details, I spend a great deal of time going through magazines for just the right pieces. When the illusion comes together it's a very happy thing.

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Train to Firenze, 24x20 Oil on Canvas

My friend Carol Schiff reminded me that I have not yet posted this painting or uploaded it to my Etsy shop. I saw these ladies from a train window in Italy, and the light shining on their heads made me very happy. It's all about the light.

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Spoonbill Ballet, 10x10 Collage on Canvas

This is another Spoonbill by request. I love doing these things, but they do make my brain tired. First, I draw it; then I scout the magazines for the colors, shapes and values I need; then I have to picture whether each piece will create the proper illusion. Then I make a huge mess and get glue all over my hands. I have dispensed with the waste of time and effort caused by trying to use a brush. Fingers work quite well and are much more easily cleaned.

SOLD