More Paperdolls

Paperdolls

Update

Face:

Looking better.  (please don't scar, please don't scar...)

Garden:

Grow carrots, grow!

Paintings:

Really trying to get into finish mode. I have too many ideas for my own good.

 

Christmas cards:

Shoot.  Oh well.

My Garden

Take a look at my beautiful new garden box!  Da da ta da!  My fabulous BFFs of Bogle Family Farms built it in my back yard.  They did a smashing job if I do say so.  Thanks Tom and Reuben.
I got my carrot seeds in the mail today.  Let the bounty begin.  I am so excited!  I want to plant so many things.  I'll start with carrots, lettuces and some herbs for my I-live-in-Arizona-and-can-grow-things-year-round early crop.
Look at all that glorious potential.  I just got chills.

Painting

Making progress. Ya, I'm having fun.

But why does it have to be at the expense of house and Christmas decor, gifts, attention to little people, and meal preparation? 

Et cetera, et cetera.

Carry on, carry on. Eventually, it will all get done.

N'more for me Sanks

So get this:  We're roasting marshmallows on the beach.  Mine catches on fire, I go to blow it out and, somehow, it sticks to my face.  First and second degree burns on my cheek.  Ouch is right.  It's healing nicely, I'm opting for no scar.  So, tonight I have this brilliant idea to make some of the Thanksgiving dishes that we missed on the actual day because all we ate was pie.  Seriously, all day, just pie.  Punkin pie, apple pie, chicken pot pie, spinach pie (for me the veggie), pecan pie, chocolate pie, and quiche (oh yes, it's a pie).  Anyway, so I make stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and sweet potatoes... with marshmallows - the marshmallows leftover from the trip - for dinner.  The table is set, everything is ready, last thing to do is pull the sweet potatoes out of the oven.  And, guess what?  They are on fire.  Flaming.  I had to blow them out with four full breaths.  Don't worry, I didn't burn myself again, but seriously.  Cursed marshmallows?  What did I ever do to them?  I have been a pretty loyal fan for years.  Well, let it be said, I'm off marshmallows for a time.

I picked off what I could and made my family eat them anyway. Gavin, ever the optimist, says, "They're good. They taste roasted, like we're camping." He's sweet.

Sand Castle

Have you ever seen a more spectacular sand castle?  Almost the entire 19 family members contributed.  We have fun together.  I love the ocean so much. 

Sisters enhancing the art.

California

Don't mind if I do. Thanksgiving on the beach, craftin' up a storm and enjoying the company of my family. Happy Thanksgiving.

Nines

I had to put off so many pieces to finish my Tree of Life show. Now that I can finally get back to them, I'm having a hard time focusing. I'm all over the place! One of the things I'm excited about this nine piece series. All nine will hang in a row and will be interwoven, interacting, and a cohesive set. The series is a study of the attitudes of sisterhood. Also known as the Pam paintings. She is a good model and looks a little like a Kershisnik painting in real life.

Hands, Oranges, and Florida

I love painting hands.  I'll admit, I like painting my own hands the best.  A familiarity thing I suppose.  When I paint my hands someone always says, "those are so your hands." (Ok, that someone is usually Gavin).  I am currently working on these paintings with "sewing" hands.I'd like to give a shout out to Florida. Apparently I have a blog-following in the Sunshine State (according to google analytics). So, hip hip and thanks.

Halloween

Aaaargh

Shiver me timbers, I think those are about the cutest pirates I ever saw.  Hope your Halloween was spooktaculair. 

NY

So I got back almost a week ago... I had to wait for my sisters to post about our trip so I could swipe their pictures.  (Cass always has her camera out, so I never need to get mine out and I end up without any pictures.) And now I am all backed up and Halloween is going to be so passe by the time I get to it...  

Anyway, we had a fabulous show in Connecticut.  The gallery looked great and the company was entertaining.  

We had a delightfully stretchy ride to the City where we perused the Met.

After that, we went our separate ways for the sisters three to have a cosmopolitan adventure.  And that we did.  Shop-shop-shopping from soaps to art supplies to trimmings to the most fabulous shoes.  We wore ourselves out and had a relaxing respite in the hotel sauna.  The weather was gorgeous, the food delicious, the art inspiring, and my sisters are still and always the best.  

It was hard to say goodbye.

Tree of Life Show

Tomorrow I am off to Connecticut.  I managed to put together a show of nine paintings to add to my dad and my sister's pieces.  You can get the low down on the show by visiting our Tree of Life blog.

Outside the Garden

Like the Cheribim with flaming sword set to guard the tree, 

I have built a wall of brick to keep them from plucking at me.

On the other side of my father’s garden’s wall

I’ll ponder alone the world it’s inhabitants and all.

It will be learned with clarity and grace

The garden is more than merely a place.

The cherished fruit is sweet with pure love

Grown and shared by my family below and above.

Weezer

We took the girls to a Weezer show at the Arizona State Fair. I freakin' love Weezer. The highlights of the night were the mini trampoline on stage, Rivers (the one with the sweet mustache) riding on the shoulders of a random, very large man to stroll through the crowd while playing his guitar, and just when she had about lost hope, closing with Delia's favorite Buddy Holly. Angels and Airwaves opened (potty mouths) and another band with Tokyo in the title.  Way fun night.  

Jack's Mannequin

Let me preface this story from the best weekend ever by telling you about one of my favorite bands, Jack's Mannequin. They just came out with a new album called The Glass Passenger that I absolutely love. Andrew McMahon, who writes the songs and plays the piano, was diagnosed with leukemia a few years ago. He has since recovered and used his experiences in some of the songs on the new album. I liked him before, but these new songs blew me away.  His song writing reminds me of the way I create my art.  It is in the translating of experiences, emotions and ideas.  Then, letting the viewer/listener gain understanding of the artists views or becoming something completely different, but meaningful to them.  That said, on with the story. So, Gavin was in LA all week taking a class.  Thursday he gets an email for a "secret" Jack's Mannequin show Friday night at the Viper Room (you know the place were River Phoenix died that was owned by Johnny Depp...) on the Sunset Strip.  How could he pass that up, he wanted to know, he was already there?  One problem, I was not there, and he was NOT going without me.  So, I flew to LA Friday evening and we drove to West Hollywood for the show.  Seriously about traffic in LA, it took forever to get there.  We parked around the back of the venue and walked up the hill to figure out where the doors are and whatnot, weaving through a clump of people on the sidewalk.  I'm squeezen' past this girl yappin' away about her job saying my excuse me's.  Gav catches up to me and says, "em, do you know you walked right past Andrew McMahon and he totally smiled at you?"  That took me a little by surprise, but when I had somewhat collected my whits, we went back and had a pleasant conversation with him and got his dad to take this picture of us.  Isn't it great when you meet someone you are a fan of and they are so nice that you like them and what they do even more for it?  Andy was really nice and friendly and cool.  Shorter and better looking in real life. I knew something magical was going to happen that night.  The show was really good too, small and cozy. He played every song from the new album and a couple of throw-backs. We drove home from there, all night long.  It wasn't easy keeping each other awake, but it was so worth it.

Remembering the Great Things of God

This painting is for the Museum of Church History and Art's International Art Competition. The theme for the exhibit is "Remembering the Great Things of God."

I remember the day my mom left, Gavin went to work, and I was left alone with my two year old little girl and my two week old baby.  As I ventured downstairs to make lunch for the first time as a mother of two, I was thinking wild thoughts about the craziness babies bring.  I was thinking, "Who in their right minds would choose to have a baby.  Considering the money and time they require.  Considering all the lost opportunities, adventures not taken, ambitions set aside as the world practically stops turning."  I thought the idea must come from on high, divine intervention to override the insanity of voluntarily asking for all this.  

At about this point, I set a sandwich in front of my darling daughter and she looked at me up through her thick long lashes with her big blue eyes.  She didn't say or do anything, just looked at me for a second.  It hit me so hard, it took my breath away and brought instant tears to my eyes.  It was as if the windows of heaven opened through her eyes and poured out its love and light on me.  All I could choke out was, "Oh.  OK."  My question was answered and I understood completely.  

Children are a precious gift.  It is an honor and our privilege to be their custodian for a time.  I want to remember this every day.  I want to feel this every time they look at me.  I want to give them so much love and treat them with the kindness that they deserve as children of our Heavenly Father.  

To serve our children is one of the greatest gifts God has given us.  I hope I captured that remembrance in this painting that I  am calling Windows of Heaven.

Naked

If you ever wanted to know what I look like naked, today I reveal all.  Cloe (4 years old) drew this picture of me with my towel, taking a shower.  Kids are so funny.

Back from Boise

Our Boise trip was a blast.

Signs with your name on it and flowers at the airport rock.

It's always a good time hangin' with my dad and my sister, talkin' art talk to our hearts content. We also talked the talk with one of my favorite artists, Bill Carmen. He had an opening the same night, so we stopped by and see his work, love it.

Gallery 601 is great.  It was a pleasure to introduce my art to the people of Boise.  And they fed us some seriously good food.

Downtown Boise is really fun.  We know because we kept getting lost and had the opportunity to see quite a lot of it.

It is always hard to say goodbye.  After some serious discussions, we are all geared up and just about ready ready for our Connecticut show.  I can hardly wait.