Onion, 5x7 Oil on Board, Still Life Daily Painting

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Sometimes the simplest things are my favorites. I like the brushstrokes and the colors in this little painting.

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The Gondolier, 8x10 Oil Painting on Canvas Panel, Scene in Venice

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One of my favorite places I've ever visited is Venice. Its ancient beauty is the stuff of dreams. The only vehicles are boats, including fire, trash, buses, and commuter vehicles. Where else do you see office workers carrying briefcases and standing in a gondola?

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Ready for my Closeup, 24x30 Oil on Canvas, Portrait of Woman

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This is my dad's cousin Florence Chumbecos, who was a chorus girl on Broadway. I had a couple of her publicity shots but didn't know her last name. My cousin Vicki, who lives in Virginia, discovered our side of the family a couple years ago. She never knew we existed, and we have been solving genealogical mysteries via emails to each other. Neither of us knew Florence's last name, but Vicki found it through some detective work, and she found an article written by Florence about dancing with Fred Astaire. It was just like the movies: the lead dancer got sick, Florence filled in and danced in the role for a year. Mr. Astaire was just like you'd think--the nicest of men. Here is the article: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/23

Celeste, Graphite Drawing on Paper, 8x10

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I've been so busy on a big project with songwriter Bobby Braddock that I have had no time for new items to post. I did manage to find some time to do this drawing and had fun with the hair. 

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Florida Sunset, 10x8 Original Oil Landscape Painting

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Is this too dramatic? I was so excited when I saw those rays and that bright red color that my husband pulled over so I could take a picture. Florida sunsets are amazing. Florida now has more people than New York. Our secret is out. 

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Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.

 - Voltaire      

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.

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Strawberry Mansion, 5x7 Oil on Panel

This is the old Strawberry Mansion, a restaurant in a historic building in Melbourne, Florida. The place was sold, remodeled, and is now a restaurant called The Mansion, and all the strawberry colors are gone. 

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Little Hikers, 10x8 Oil on Canvas

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These little girls were intently looking at a turtle in the Silver River at Silver Springs State Park, Florida. With so much of Florida's environment harmed by growth, abuse, and mismanagement, it is very heartening to see pristine beauty well-cared for by the conscientious rangers at this park.

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Cybertot, 8x10 Oil Painting on Canvas Panel

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I couldn't resist getting a shot of this little techie guy playing on his phone in a coffee shop. I love the way the sun lights up his red hair. What a cutie! 

I wonder what's in that cup? Something tells me he will be very active after he drinks it; however, the amazing thing is his preference for the phone over his sweet and fattening cup of whatever that is!

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John Lewis, 8x10 Graphite Drawing

For some time I have been having an urge to draw the face of Congressman John Lewis, veteran of the fight for Civil Rights. His face reflects many a hardship, many a battle against injustice, and unspeakable sorrow.

While working on this piece I came across the Congressman's memoir trilogy, a graphic novel called March. The story and the art are wonderful, and should be required reading in every school, but since it contains the 'n' word, that won't happen.

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