Recipes, Medical History and Being Crafty

 

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Two of the artists in our painting group, Pieces of Eight, have inspired me this month. Jean Thomas did a journal workshop in which I participated and I learned how to make the handmade journal, above. 

During a recent doctor visit I was asked when a certain injury happened, when pain recurred, etc. and I thought that it would be handy if all that was written down in a certain place, with all symptoms, because who remembers the dates of medical problems? Fay Picardi gave me a nice little sketchbook for Christmas, and I decided that I would use that for my medical history from here forward, and include sketches of my pain locations. And of course, being me, I have already included a sketch of my doctor. To give the book more importance and assure I would actually use it, I used my newfound knowledge to fancy up the cover.

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Unlike my travel journals, for this one I say the less entries, the better!

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The Black Hat, Portrait of Woman Original Oil Painting 8x10

$175

This is quite a departure from the 50-stroke paintings I've been doing. I don't know what got into me, but I really enjoyed this one. It has a vintage look but with a timeless feel. We need a little glamour now and then.

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Onions, 7x5 Oil Painting on Canvas Panel Still Life

 $75

The Challenge for this month for the Pieces of 8 group is to paint a painting in 50 strokes. I've been enjoying that exercise. Below is my 50-stroke painting of these onions, smudges and all. I decided to refine it to a finished painting. Which one do you like best? I think the 50-stroke one is more exciting. 

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Audrey Collage on Canvas Portrait of Audrey Hepburn

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This was a commission that I did a while back. I used pictures and articles from Audrey Hepburn's movies and it was a pleasant walk down Memory Lane. I still remember when "Sabrina" came out and we all went out and bought slacks like Audrey was wearing:

And from Roman Holiday, the way she tied her scarf became the way everyone tied their scarf:

When Audrey grew old, she didn't bother with a facelift, just faced the world with wrinkles and all and she was still beautiful. Here are some of her quotes:

For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.

I can testify to what UNICEF means to children because I was among those who received food and medical relief right after World War II.

Paris is always a good idea. 

 

Rosy Outlook, 8x10 Original Oil on Canvas Panel

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There's not much to say about a painting of a pink rose. A rose is a rose is a rose. I will share this Dorothy Parker poem about how she felt about a single rose:

A single flow'r he sent me, since we met.
All tenderly his messenger he chose;
Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet--
One perfect rose. 

 I knew the language of the floweret;
"My fragile leaves," it said, "his heart enclose."
Love long has taken for his amulet
One perfect rose.

Why is it no one ever sent me yet
One perfect limousine, do you suppose?
Ah no, it's always just my luck to get
One perfect rose.

Dibble the Dragon, Children's Picture Book Fairy Tale

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My children's book makes a great gift item for your little ones who like books one can actually hold, and pages one can turn rather than swiping. This book is about a little dragon who has doubts that he is really a dragon, because he can't breathe fire.

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A Day in the Gardens with Pieces of Eight

Our Pieces of Eight Painting Group spent a lovely day at Rock City Gardens, photographing, drawing and, to our surprise, eating a delicious lunch. The gardens keep growing (pardon the pun) and one of the great additions is a small cafe with fabulous food. Here is a page from my journal, and below, Denette, Kathy, Donna and Fay.

Words from my grandmother's garden:

The kiss of the sun for pardon, 

The song of the birds for mirth, 

One is nearer God’s Heart in a garden 

Than anywhere else on earth.

Shady Cows, Original Oil Painting 8x10 Landscape

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It's been a while since I posted. I've been very busy working on a book that will be coming out in April. You will be hearing more about that later.

This painting is all about the light. I love the shade in the foreground, with a tiny couple of slivers of light on the pasture.

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Patchwork River, 16x20 Oil Painting Landscape on Canvas

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The Pieces of Eight were hiking in the woods on an artists' retreat and came upon this peaceful scene. This was in North Carolina, the same mountains where we went whitewater rafting and bonded over a near-death experience. Below is my drawing commemorating that scene.

Carol, Donna, Denette and I were airborne. We were The Flying Grannies.

A Gift from the Sea, 8x10 Original Oil Painting Still Life Coastal Decor

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When I lived in Bermuda I collected antique bottles. In the old days Bermudians used to dispose of bottles by tossing them into the sea or burying them in shallow holes. It's great sport there to dive for bottles, and I lucked out finding this one, a Cobalt Blue Castor Oil bottle, pre-1900s.

This is oil paint on a metallic gold background.

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Man O' War, 5x7 Oil on Canvas, Beach Series

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This is a Portuguese Man O' War, and it is quite beautiful in a weird way. It has tentacles with a painful sting, and even when it's lying on the beach those tentacles need to be avoided. Now here's the weird part: this is actually four organisms living in cooperation (wish Congress could do that). The sail is a gas-filled bladder (now that sounds like Congress); the tentacles are the killers that deliver prey; then there are two other organisms that do digestion and reproduction. I feel that such a remarkable example of God's handiwork deserves to be painted on gold. I wish you could see the metallic gold background on the computer monitor.

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Postcard Original Oil on Canvas Panel 4x6 Mailable Art

 

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This oil painting is an actual postcard and can be mailed. The back, pictured in the second image, is a bit touched with paint, but it adds to the authenticity, don't you think? This is the perfect gift for the person who has everything. It is 4x6 inches, painted on a canvas panel. I have mailed these before and had them arrive safe and sound. It is a signed original.

The postcard is not actual purple on the left side, it was just hard taking a picture of the back of a wet painting.

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Peach Canna Lilies Original Painting, 5x7 Oil on Canvas Panel

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This is another of my "Pool Paintings," a portion of my garden viewed at eye level from my pool. There are peach Canna Lilies, little blue Plumbago flowers, and in the foreground, bromeliads. When I saw the early morning shadows behind the Canna Lilies I knew I had to paint them. The bromeliads look big because they were much closer to me. 

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Sunshine and Shadow, 24x20 Oil Painting after Winslow Homer

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We usually associate Homer with seascapes, but he also painted restful paintings like this. This is a direct copy of a Homer painting about two of my favorite things: lying in a hammock and reading. This is a large painting, signed and ready to frame.

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Pair of Pears Watercolor Painting 8x10

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I don't do much watercolor except for my sketch journal, but I recently was inspired by a watercolor demo. I thought I'd make our Pieces of Eight September Challenge a real challenge by departing from oils.

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Down Memory Lane

I lived in Winter Garden in the late 50s and had a wonderful time there. It was a tiny, out-of-the-way town, and its base was the citrus industry. Because of the wisdom of the town management, it is now a vibrant, trendy place to visit. The day my sister and I were there the farmer's market was in full swing and there was a car show. I found the apartment building I lived in with Marilynn's family, back when life was so much fun in a small town full of interesting characters.

We also visited Disney Springs and Winter Park, where we enjoyed Leu Gardens and the Morse Museum, which has the largest collection of Tiffany glass anywhere. It was a lovely weekend.

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Orange Canna Lily, Small Original Oil Painting 5x7 Flower Art

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I was shocked to realize that I haven't posted since September 1st. It's amazing what a hurricane threat does to one's daily life. First, you stock up on supplies; then you install all your storm shutters; pack up things you don't want washed away; finally, evacuate. If it's a slow-moving storm like Dorian, you wait...and wait...and wait. I am not complaining, because some of my favorite beautiful places were wiped out completely in the Bahamas. We were lucky, but the people there lost everything. Homes, livelihoods, and even loved ones. I am so sad for them. Our government won't take them in without papers, and their papers are somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic by now. What a terrifying situation for them.

The proceeds from this painting will be donated to hurricane relief for the Bahamian storm victims.

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Batten Down the Hatches! Dorian's Coming.

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I'm scheduling this drawing to appear on the day we will most likely be evacuating this island because of the powerful hurricane that seems to be bearing down on us. We've put up shutters, stocked up on water, filled the tub, bought non-perishable items, brought in anything loose in our yard, etc. Meanwhile the storm is out in the ocean building strength in the warm waters. If it does as predicted and pounds us for three days, we've never experienced anything this bad, so your prayers would be appreciated. To my friends and family here, please stay safe.

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Sky Vine, 5x7 Oil Painting Pool Series No. 3

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This is the third painting I've done while standing in the pool. In our record-setting heat, it's the only way to go. It's a good thing I got this done, because Hurricane Dorian is on the way and will devastate this Sky Vine and most everything else in the yard. My painting from the pool is coming to a screeching halt.

As you can see, I added a few more flowers to my painting. Just couldn't resist.

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Canna Lilies Painted from My Pool, Original Oil Painting on Canvas 5x7 Small Painting

 

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This is my second painting in my series painted while standing in my pool. I love being eye level with my plants, especially stately ones like the canna lilies. Painting en plein aire while in the pool solves the problem of getting insufferably hot in the middle of summer. Another advantage of the eye level view: the weeds are less noticeable.

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Heliconia Painted from My Pool 5x7 Oil Painting on Canvas Landscape

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This is the first in a series of paintings done while standing my pool. I have been noticing how good my garden looks at eye level from the pool, so I started with a view of my Lobster Claw Heliconia, which is a fascinating and unusual plant. It likes all the rain we've had, and was good enough to put one of its blooms right in front for me.

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Coconuts and Allamandas, 6x8 Original Oil on Canvas Landscape

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This is my neighbor's coconut tree, which I have painted many times. I envy them those coconuts! We had a coconut tree until the freeze of 1989, and when it froze I gave up on growing coconuts; if I had only known about climate change then I would have immediately replanted. Now I grow tropical plants and never have one freeze. It's small consolation for the scorching summers.

In the foreground are my allamandas on our purple screen, a bit of whimsy we added to the garden. 

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Koi with Gold, Oil Painting on Canvas, 10x10, Fish Pond Painting

 

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Been feeling a bit uninspired lately, so what perks a woman up more than a little gold? I added metallic gold leaf to some of the Koi in this painting, although it's hard to appreciate when viewing online.

 The canvas has deep sides and needs no frame.

A Closeup

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Oil Painting, Beach at Oro Pesos, Featured on Artsy Shark

 I'm happy to report that my painting has been featured in the Artsy Shark Summer 2019 Showcase. 
This is beautiful North Captiva Island on the West Coast of Florida.

 ******

 I've been reading Fay Picardi's book, Without Warning, the Marrakech Poems, and I have been transported to Morocco by her lyrical writing. She has captured the sights, sounds, smells, and spirit of Marrakech. One of my favorite lines:
  

    Faith can come

in many senses,

floating down to touch

that part of us

we least understand.

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Robots and Paintings

On First Friday, August 2nd, Kathy Garvey and I will be exhibiting our art at Highland Art Studio, 1425 Highland Avenue in Melbourne. I'll have my oil paintings on display.

Storm's Coming

Kathy has been making ingenious little robots out of clay and luggage tags.  Foreign object removal on the runway at the airport constantly turns up the metal tags off luggage, and only Kathy would see them as potential robots. They are so darn cute!

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Paradise, Oil on Canvas 7x5 Florida Painting

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This is my second painting of this spot. This is a small 7" by 5" painting of North Captiva Island, a place that is as good as being in the Bahamas. No cars, just golf carts, and gorgeous scenery. No bridge to the island, either. Life there runs on Island Time. Ahhhh.....

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The Boring Photo Challenge, 7x5 Small Daily Painting

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I painted this little oil painting in response to a challenge on the website DailyPaintworks.com. The challenge was to paint from a boring photo. That is a really good thing to practice, because I have lots of boring photos; however, I used the one they posted. I began with a black background, which helped add a bit more drama. Below is the boring photo.

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Summer Sunrise Oil Painting on Canvas 24x18 Ocean Art

I decided it was time to paint something larger, a dramatic sunrise. I live across from the ocean, so there's no reason not to paint a sunrise. 

When I'm not painting I seem to be gardening more and more. I've come to realize that I am an Overgardener. By this I mean that I get so carried away planting things that I create a garden that I can barely take care of. This is not my fault; it is what my family calls "The Chulie Gene." My grandmother, who the whole world called Chulie, had a nursery, and she knew everything about plants. This gene runs through the family, and if you ever see my daughter Suzanne's posts on Facebook about her plants, you will know what I mean. She can grow vegetables, something I fail at. I specialize in weeds and flowers, both of which are thriving in my yard.

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Finding My Roots, 8x10 Pen and Ink Drawing on Paper, Smoky Mountain Scene

I love twisty, wandering roots. These were spreading over a ledge in the Smoky Mountains, and I have to say that it was quite meditative drawing them.

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Storm's Coming, Original Oil Painting 30x40 Seascape with Birds

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One thing about living by the ocean: you can see weather from a long way off. This time of year storms swoop in, blow wildly, drench everything and move on. Since I'm a gardener, I call this perfect weather. Rain has magic that no amount of sprinklers can equal.

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Little Tourists, 8x8 Original Oil Painting on Gallery-Wrapped Canvas

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I took a lot of pictures in the Smokies, especially in the great spot known as The Sinks, but this last one was the one I knew I would paint.

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Royal Terns, 7x5 Original Oil Daily Painting on Canvas Panel Beach Art

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I love these birds with their cute little hairdos. I have jumped right from the mountains to the seashore in this blog, having returned home after almost three weeks in North Carolina. The contrast is drastic, but I love both places. Each is beautiful in its own way.

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Lake Junaluska Original Oil Plein Air Painting 5x7 on Canvas Panel

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This beautiful spot is near Waynesville, North Carolina, and it was such a pleasure to sit and paint there. There is a rose walk on one side that is planted with a huge variety of roses--an exotic sight for a Floridian. It was my idea of a perfect morning.

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