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.

Pretty in Pink, 6x6 Oil on Canvas Panel Wildlife Painting

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This was a commission to do flamingos, and I always enjoy using my favorite color. Lately I feel surrounded by pink; as I drove up to my house the other day it struck me just how much pink is going on in my front yard. I have a very large frangipani tree and clumps of pink lilies blooming; it looks like the wedding scene in "Steel Magnolias." 

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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Eye of the Eagle, 6x6 Acrylic Abstract

I think this is a patriotic painting, with a slightly frazzled eagle. Maybe he is sick of the do-nothing Congress, or maybe he just suffers from allergies. I read that the United States is the most allergic country on earth. Is it the genetically altered foods? How about those hormones in meat and milk? Global warming and the highest pollen levels ever? Maybe my eagle is like that Indian in the old commercial--remember him, the noble man with the tear? Actually, that looks like a red tear running down Mr. Eagle's cheek. Is he sad, or is it just his allergies?

I know, you're thinking I've gone off the deep end...don't worry, it's nothing new, and I'm still treading water.

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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.

Here Comes the Sun, 6x6 Oil on Canvas

This was a very misty morning. All my photos were so mysterious and peaceful-looking, and some are really asking to be painted large. I will do that one of these days.

I'm not posting as frequently as usual, just because I am frequently off to find new things to paint. Coming soon: the Olympic Peninsula.

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Everglades Sunrise, 6x6 Oil on Canvas

I left my warm and cozy cot with sleeping bag, blankets, and jackets, to go look at the sunrise. It was worth it. The birds loudly proclaim the morning, as do the rich colors. I forgot to even notice where the alligator might be lurking, the one we saw in the lake the day before.

There is a fine line between not being at all scared of alligators and being too scared of them. Stay fifteen feet away, the rangers advise. Don't crouch down and look small and edible. This is very good advice.

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Barn Chickens, 5x7 Oil on Canvas

This rooster has a mighty fancy tail. This is a docile rooster, unlike the one on my grandchildren's farm in Pennsylvania. Their rooster used to attack them. They would drive up and he'd be outside the car, jumping up and down gnashing his vicious little beak. He didn't last.

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Tree Frog Collage, 10x10

 This is the collage version of my previous tree frog. This way is much harder. It is more tedious, and strains my brain. Still, I enjoy it.

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Sea Change, 6x6 Oil on Canvas

The more I paint water, the more I enjoy painting water. Maybe it's because I grew up in a town where there was one form of entertainment only, a nice clear lake for swimming. Sure, it had alligators in it, but the locals were not stupid enough to feed them and they were not overpopulated, so we never had gator attacks. Wonder how it is around Lake Marie nowadays?

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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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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.

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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 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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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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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.

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Spoonbill Collage, 10x10

I've done this guy in oils, and I have to say, this was much more of a challenge. Sometimes I find the perfect piece of paper but the quality is not good; however, in the end my paper scavenger hunt worked out.  I am very happy with the result. I never tire of Spoonbills, with their gorgeous plumage in my favorite color, and a face like a spoon. Nature has a sense of humor.

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