special gift

My blog friend, Flower, knows how much I envy her her woods and moss; something they have a lot of in Oregon and we have none of in West Texas. So she sent me a box full of it! As I opened it, the sweet, moist smell of earth and forest filled the room and I was transported. I've made a terrarium, something I used to do as a long time ago, and I hope it will last in this moist, humid environment. The white violets and johnny-jump-ups were blooming when it first arrived. They are thriving, so maybe they will bloom again. I doesn't matter, though. The joy of having this little world on my table, lifting the lid for a whiff of one of my favorite smells is plenty good enough for me. Thank you, Flower, and thank you God, for the beauty of your earth down to the tiniest detail, even the ground beneath our feet.

new piano keys

I thought it would be nice to try some other subjects on piano keys besides butterflies. These three are a result of that idea. I will definitely be trying other things in the future. The bird at the top was from a photo I took of a bird perched on an iron hanging basket on my front porch. It was back-lit in the photo and I liked how the silhouette looked so painted it that way. These will be available at The William and Joseph Gallery in Santa Fe.

I guess it's obvious that I'm ready for Spring........Spring-y subject matter lately. Today is supposedly the first day of Spring, but it couldn't feel less like it - freezing, windy and dark. Surely, not for long.........

Almost Empty

"Almost Empty" 6x6 in.

This is the same little wren's nest that I used in the previous nest painting. Isn't it amazing how color and lighting change the mood? The possibilities (one of my favorite words) are endless. Sorry about the reflection in the photo...should have taken a better one, but....I'd rather start another painting.

flycatcher

Two years ago, a family of swallows built a nest on our back porch. Last year, a family of flycatchers moved in and raised their young. The day the babies perched on the edge of the nest and the parents fussed and fussed at them to jump, I put all the dogs and cats in the house to give them as good a chance as possible to make it. They all did and the whole family has stayed around and are doing as their name implies, I hope; catching flies. On a cold, drizzly day, this one perched on a branch in the rain long enough for me to take lots of pictures.

(I'm not 100% sure this is a flycatcher. There is not as much yellow on its breast as in the field guide photo. Maybe because it's winter. If you know exactly what kind of bird it is, please let me know.)

nest

Here's a little sample of what I've been up to. David found this tiny nest on the ground (we'd never take one out of a tree...the birds sometimes reuse nests from year to year) and brought it to me to either paint or put in my "dead area" as he calls it. I call it my nature collection. Whatever you want to call it, he finds the best things to put in it.

p.s. The eggs did not come with it. These porcelain eggs are just filling in. Hopefully, the little wrens that hatched in this nest will be back in the Spring.

jewelry

I have a few pieces of jewelry that I am putting up for sale in my etsy shop. This one is a glass locket with an original oil painting inside. One side shows a pretty nest and the other, the word "nest." It is sterling silver with real pearls and gemstone. Adjustable from 16"-18".

I hope you (if you live near me) are enjoying the beautiful winter we're having. Five snows! Very unusual for us and I've enjoyed every minute of it. However, I am ready for some sunshine. Anytime now would be fine.

butterflies

sold

I haven't posted pictures of my butterflies in a while, so here you go. They are painted on antique ivory piano keys. I use oils and it takes up to 7 thin layers of paint to complete each one. Very tiny and tedious. Every time I paint them I say these are the last ones, then I forget and start up again. I love music and nature and it makes me happy to combine the two in this way. I just delivered several to River Oaks Gallery in Abilene so there is a pretty good selection at this time. Better hurry - these could be the last.......but I doubt it :)

winter bird

Just a pretty winter scene for you today. We've had three beautiful snows this year
and I've spent quite a bit of time at the window with my camera. The view changes every second and I don't want to miss a thing.

Ring Around the Rosy

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How do people paint and get ready for Christmas? I do not know. For me, it's one or the other. I'm enjoying Christmas more after the fact than before. All the hectic-ness is over and this week between Christmas and the New Year is always a nice reprieve for us. It has snowed twice, which slows things down even more. My favorite Christmas present: time to be still and quiet, time to reflect on God's goodness and what Christ did for all of us...every living soul.

Happiness

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This was a fun painting to do. I have a very large collection of pretty paper and it's about time I use it up (so I can buy more!) I call it Happiness because I was happy working on it and it makes me happy to look at it. I hope it does you, too.

Slice of Summer

sold


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It's freezing here and I'm longing for the days of flip-flops and cantaloupe. And eating cherries on the front porch, spitting the seeds out into the yard, hoping a tree will come up...

Turnip

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I don't have a lot to say about this painting except that I love turnips and I love these colors together!

In and Out

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Limes. One of my favorite fruits. I love it squeezed in my water, all over any kind of Mexican food, and especially in a real fruit, pulp-and-all popsicle. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

Bucket of Roses

Sold




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I made this arrangement for my daughter's graduation party several years ago and painted the picture from a photo. I always liked these colors together.

Out Back

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This round bale is in the meadow behind my house. I love how it looks in all kinds of weather and have countless pictures of it in snow, fog, etc. This picture was painted in the late afternoon when the sun was lighting up the tops of the grass in front of the bale.

Bathing Beauty

sold I finally did it. I've opened an eBay store and will begin listing my paintings for auction as I get them painted. It is time to get serious about my painting career (other than just in my mind) and this is the next step. This painting is my first listing. And this post is my trial run for linking, etc. Here we go........

in with the old

"Antique Breeze" 6"x6", oil, $120. Available at River Oaks Gallery, Abilene Tx

I love old things, usually more than new. Old fans are prettier and quieter. This one reminds me of spending the night at my grandmother's house with my cousins when we were really little. We'd all sleep in the same bed, facing the same direction, scratching each other's backs. Then, everyone would turn over and repeat. I think Mamaw was always in the middle so that her back got scratched from both directions. She deserved it. Window open, fan blowing, sweet memories....

new mexico apple

"New Mexico Apple" oil, 6"x6" $120. sold

My daughter and her fiance' brought a sack of apples back from his hometown in New Mexico this fall. I nabbed this one because of the still-attached leaves and it waited patiently in my refrigerator until I had time to paint it. Too pretty to eat.

roses from my garden

My rose garden is bursting forth with blooms these days and I am loving having fresh flowers on the table all the time. And the smell! The Peace rose is intoxicating. Enjoy...

foggy morning

The mornings lately have been like this. I love how the weather changes the landscape and hope to paint some of these foggy scenes soon.




This (above) is my favorite.

My studio with its new yellow door.

Cookie and Kitten.

Minnie Mae is always so accommodating - posing just right. Oops...I forgot about my empty pots. Add to tomorrow's list.

By the time I had walked all over the property with my camera, I was as dewy as this rose.

new and improved

sold

Well, I just couldn't let the cow rest in peace. It never felt finished so, even though the photo I was painting from showed smooth, new grass and no shadows (the morning was hazy), after lots of contemplation and good advice from my art teacher, Paul Friske, artistic license was taken, texture and shadows added. Here is the finished cow. May she rest in peace.

finally...

"Breakfast" oil, 8x10

...a finished painting. After all this time. The photo is crooked - the horizon line is straight in the painting and I probably should have waited and taken a better one, but I'm impatient and ready to get back in the swing of things. This is my first attempt at a cow and I really enjoyed it so I will do more, I'm sure.

happy news

Our family is about to be blessed with another wonderful son! Garrett proposed to Anna at a picnic on our farm that he carefully planned and prepared.



Off they went with a picnic basket full of goodies and a ring in Garrett's pocket. (We weren't spying. Really, we weren't. But I knew she'd want a picture.)






The charm bracelet, which he gave her first, spells out "Marry Me," but she was too excited to read it. On to the next step. Down on his knee, he asked.








She said yes!

We are planning a June 5th wedding for this sweet couple and are thanking God for His goodness and good gifts.

the girls

Besides our pretty cows, we also have pretty chickens. Don't I have great subject matter for paintings? Soon, they will be laying pretty eggs; blue, green, yellow and brown. More food to paint, then eat.

my cows

My husband called me a couple of weeks ago to tell me that our cow-man friend, Garland, knew of some cows for sale just like I've always wanted; Oreo cows. They were at a sale barn about an hour from here and would be auctioned off the next day, possibly headed for the meat packing plant! I wish I could have bought them all, but could only bring these two home, a mother and baby which I have named Cookie and Kitten. Aren't they pretty? As with all our animals, they are now spoiled rotten. I can hardly step out the door without them right by my side mooing for cow cubes. They sleep just outside the front yard fence like great big dogs. They are supposed to help with the mowing though I can't see much progress.







But aren't they pretty?

happiness

"Happiness" mixed media, 6"x6" $60.00

I haven't picked up a brush in weeks so thought it wise to warm up with something fun and easy. I used paper from my huge collection, oil paints and pastels. Had a lot of fun and can't wait to get in the studio and do some more.

art opening

Austin, me, and Becky in front of her beautiful mural-size painting.

A great turn-out - over 200 people.

Here, you can see Becky's work on the back wall, mine on the right and Austin's pieces on pedestals.

It was such a fun evening...lots of food and good friends. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend and thank you to all who have supported and helped me in so many different ways. Family and friends are two of God's best gifts!

opening reception

"Slice of Summer" oil, 6"x8" $130.00 framed

Hello, everyone! Austin, Becky and I are having a reception to open our show at River Oaks Gallery in Abilene Frame 'n' Art Shop, Friday, August 7th, from 6:30-8:00. Lots of pretty things to look at, nice people to mingle with, and good food to eat. We would love to see you there.

bird bath

"Bathing Beauty" oil, 6"x6" $120.00 framed

This bathing beauty was at the bird bath in my backyard. Cowbirds are not my favorite, but she sat there a long time and I got lots of good pictures of her. She makes a good subject. She just better leave the painted buntings alone! They have a bit of a competition over food and nests.

my house

I painted my house the other day. No, I didn't paint the house - just a picture of it. I've said before that I love houses and had hopes of becoming an architect when I was younger. My 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Allsup, used to stay after school to look at the house plans with me that I had cut out of the Sunday paper. Wasn't that nice of her? I'll never forget it. Anyway, it became apparent that architecture might not be my thing (math: bad) so I'm happy just painting pictures of houses. No math.