Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens, 6x8 Oil on Canvas Board

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What is it about chickens? We all paint them, and many kitchens are decorated with them. They do have personalities, just look at their confident walks. There was a very funny record years ago with chickens singing "In the Mood." Cluck cluck cluck cluck cluck cluck cluck cluck cluck cluck cluck CLUCKKKK...

I know my friend the musical genius Bobby Braddock counted every one of those clucks to be sure I got it right.

Two Palms, 5x7 Original Oil Painting on Canvas Panel

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Picture this: the weather is perfect, the sun is setting, the view is incredible, the company is great. Ahhh...that is San Miguel de Allende. Sooner or later I will return to painting other locations, but I need to get all this out of my system while I am inspired. 

In between all this painting, I am proud to say that I got rid of those darn weeds in my yard. Pulled every last one. Of course, they are starting up again where I started. It's a vicious cycle, but I need the exercise. In San Miguel there was a yard man. Sigh.

Qiang Huang Workshop

Qiang in action

The Happy Group

We had a wonderful workshop this weekend at the Artists' Guild in Melbourne with oil painter Qiang Huang. I have never seen a more enthusiastic group. We learned so much from Qiang, and as always I enjoy just hanging out with him and talking about art. It was great to have so many out-of-towners come here for the workshop, and many were talking about 'next time' when they left. Qiang affects people that way. Two lucky people bought his demo paintings, which were beautiful, of course.

Rubber Ducky, 6x6 Oil on Canvas

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I am posting this in honor of the Rubber Ducky being inducted into the Toys Hall of Fame this month. Well-deserved, I might add. It is an icon, reminiscent of happy childhood bath times by generations of people, and now popular as design decor as well. It has been serenaded by Kermit the Frog and it has competed in races. 

To show how the Rubber Ducky gets around, I found this little Hawaiian-themed beauty in a stream near Boone, North Carolina! Far from home, she still smiles in her lei, with her jaunty flower on her head. She makes me smile too. Congratulations, Rubber Duckies everywhere!  

Don't forget the big Pieces of 8 Sale on December 7th if you are in the Melbourne, Florida or Orlando area. We'll have art, birdhouses, jewelry, painted furniture, and more. Great bargains! Hours are 9 to 4.

It's at 3532 Samuel Place, Melbourne. 

Coconut Palm, 6x6 Oil on Canvas

I can see this palm over our backyard fence. I painted it before in my painting, "Palm Before the Storm." I like to catch it in different light. Yesterday was so blistering hot and sunny and these clouds were building near the ground. They had that "just watch what I'm going to do later" look about them. Sure enough, we had a much-needed good ole frog-strangler in late afternoon, so I was glad I got the palm in  bright sunlight while I had the chance.

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Yellow Buoy, 6x6 Oil on Canvas Board

I'll be painting the Northwests' mountains and rocky shores in a few days, but I liked this little boat so much that I just felt like painting it yesterday. It was in a calm bay with no mist (we saw a lot of mist) and bright sunlight.

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Below are some pages from my journal depicting some of the things we saw during our trip. I added a running theme of coffee and ice cream, which provided sustenance quite frequently.

On the Upside, 6x6 Oil on Canvas Panel

"Ocean"

Upside down, "Whitewater"

This is two paintings in one. Rightside up, it is an ocean scene. Turn it upside down, it is whitewater in a river. I am feeling very original today. This can be set on a little easel, or if framed, put two hooks on the back of the frame, and you have an absolutely unique work of art. What fun!

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Black Swan, 6x6 Oil on Canvas

I was so lucky to catch this swan in this light. It turned and made a nice swirl in the water, and gave me such a nice composition. Sometimes all you have to do is paint what you see.

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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.

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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Another Detour: A Mural

My husband and I painted this mural (the one in the entrance) this week. This is the children's building at River Run Christian Church. The mural in the hallway is one I painted a few years ago. I have not painted a daily painting this week, but I am working on a Spoonbill collage and a portrait. Also, two of my darker works will be in the exhibit at EGAD! Art Lab's Show Just When I Found You on July 20th from 6-9 pm. EGAD! Art Lab is on Highland Avenue in Melbourne, Florida.

Artsy Shoes

Been in a blue funk lately and decided not to pick up my paint brush this week. The idea for decoupaging my shoes has been simmering for a while, so yesterday I did a little torn-paper therapy.

Waterlilies, 5x7 Oil on Canvas

I try so hard to loosen up, but it's difficult. I don't know why. I do like to leave a little for the viewer to have to mentally put together, but to achieve that  I need someone to hit me over the head to make me stop at a certain point.

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"Artists don't retire – they can't – otherwise they're not artists." (Don Getz)

The Photographer, 8x10 Original Oil on Canvas

I took this photo of our Pieces of 8 member Kathy Garvey while she was intently photographing poppies. She liked them as much as I did. It was really fun to paint her, and of course it was an excuse to paint more poppies. Here's a little slideshow of the painting as it progressed:

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Yellow Poppy, 6x8 Oil

Oh, how I love painting poppies. I am used to tropical flowers, so poppies are a novelty for me. Their shapes, their colors, their curvy stems--I love them!

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Shadow Dancers, 8x6 Oil on Canvas Board

This was my entry into the Daily Paintworks Shadow Challenge. I had already planned to paint this from a photo I took at Brookgreen Gardens, SC. Sometimes it's just about the shadows and the design they make.

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Beautiful young people are accidents of  nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.

 - Eleanor Roosevelt

Big Oak, 6x8 Oil on Canvas Board

We visited the Hopsewee Rice Plantation on the North Santee River and it was fascinating to find out how rice was grown in the old days. Did you know at one time they grew more rice in the Carolinas than anywhere in the world except India? There were beautiful buildings to paint, but this tree was so interesting that I couldn't resist it.

Of course, I got home with bits of dirt stuck to my painting, but I got it out. On the plus side, I didn't bring any bugs home on my painting this time.

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Spoonbill in Flight, Collage 10 x 10

 I always reach a point in a collage where I think, "Is this going to work?" I was having trouble with the wings until I found some pink Gerbera daisies that worked just right.

Side View

This painting may be hung without a frame.

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