Sunday Drawings

Little Kings

I finished this painting just before Christmas.  Little Kings was commissioned by these two brother's mom. It was a cute story and dang cute little boys.

  I often am asked if I ever paint boys.  For one thing, I don't have any boys around, just lots of little girls.  For another, most of my paintings are autobiographical in content, and there is no little boy side of me that I feel I need to represent.  I took on this challenge before I was in the family way, now I am thinking about the possibility of having a little boy around and what could come of that.  Hey, stranger things have happened.

Sunday Drawing

A king and a prince.  I have way too much fun teaching primary.

Twenty-Eleven

New Year's resolution: Make more progecs.  

Magic words, "Let's do a project."  Hardly anything could make my little girls happier.  Especially when there are glitter glues and sequins involved.  Special thanks to Aunt Lorelie for the shiny and glittery paper.  Hope your new year sparkles.

Christmas

Wishing you a very merry Christmas from the McPhie family.

Painting as Therapy

I love painting so much.  I could start every "journal style" post like that.  Combine the opening sentence with pregnancy hormones, and you've been warned.  I've been feeling very disconnected lately.  Trying to remake plans for the next year, or the next twenty some-odd years, and give myself over to the idea of this pregnancy and another b-b-b-baby.  I am afraid of losing myself, my identity, my spark.  This is when painting becomes therapy.  The process reconnects me and brings me back to center.  Creativity, as well as productivity, gives me sanity.  I am working on a big painting of the ten virgins.  With ten figures, it is a lofty project.  It is just what I need.

Sunday Drawings

This is what I feel like. I have to eat at least every two hours, always have something in my stomach or I start gagging, ultimately throwing up... nothing.  Juices.  Because my stomach is empty.  It's getting old.

This is what I want to feel.  Bravery and confidence.  Wearing a mantle of fiercness.

Sunday Drawing

I just finished up a wonderful week with my sister, Sari, and a few days with my mom and my dad.  We enjoyed craft time, El Tour de Tucson bike race, movies, restaurants, and lots of pie.  They were reluctant to leave the sunshine, but managed to pull themselves away.  Now, I'm looking forward to getting back to work.

Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving I am the most thankful for the surprise little blessing we get to add to our family.

I hope you have had a wonderful day.

Sunday Drawing

Shepherdess in Jubilee 

tis' the season

Dolls

 I took an entire day off of painting (... and just about everything else) to craft.  Sometimes you just have to do that - it's good for the soul.  Cass and I started these dolls when she was here last month.  I have a baby shower tonight for a mom having a boy and adopting a girl.  I am in love the the little boy's tight, polk-a-dot shorts.  You know, boys can have dolls too.  These dolls are the perfect size for a little fist to grasp and squish, and chew on.  I've been experimenting with fabric flowers, which I used to top off the girl's head.  Very Frida-like.

I think this guy needs a little pair of suspenders.  Back to work.  Wish I could make a hundred of these!! Sister come back!!

Birthday Girl

Poor Rudolph

The other reindeer wouldn't let her play in their reindeer games.  Art Access Gallery in Salt Lake City is selling these stockings decorated by some fabulous artists on the next gallery stroll.

Sunday Drawing

Tweet-ity Tweet

I totally tweet.  Like, every day.  You can follow me @empaints.  I've been using twitpics to snap of shot of what I am working on every day.  I hope to have some interesting progressions to watch as my paintings develop.  Look to the left and you can follow me on Twitter.

Happy Halloween

Sunday Drawing

Sleepless in Brooklyn

Flourish and Fetter Show

I just returned from my annual pilgrimage east.  Cass and I had some hilarious, some odiferous, and some treacherous adventures in Brooklyn.  (Thanks Russ and Robin for letting us crash at your place.) 

 We sucked up creative energy at the Brooklyn Art Museum.  And, yes, made a film.  Party Hat Dance Troop takes Brooklyn. 

Then, on a train to Connecticut where we discussed business at the Greenwich Workshop headquarters.  Twenty-eleven is going to be a great year. 

I got my autumn fix.  Here is the dorky line I used at least twice, which is two times too many: "Cause, you know, the cactus don't change color..."  It was beautiful, and crunchy, and cold.  I love bundling up.

Were you wondering about the fabulous hats?  Why, it's the Connecticut chapter!  PHDT is going to take the planet one city at a time.

And, of course, Cass, dad, and I had a great show at the Greenwich Workshop Gallery.  Thank you Scott and Chris.  I saw old friends and made lots of new friends.  

Wild Hearts can't be Broken

My film-making debut!  I just found a new hobby (cause that's what I needed).  This weekend, Cass and I made a sequel to our movie, Tell me about Dancing, from last February in chilly Utah.  PHDT (said ffff-dot, standing for party-hat dance troupe), episode 2, the Arizona chapter.  I got to edit this one and learned how to use imovie.  Way too much fun.  Way too many ideas.

We had so much whirl-wind fun this weekend.  Hun taught me how she makes skirts, we made little dolls,  party-hat props for our movie, went to a punkin' patch and saw pigs race, got chills in the hobby lobby, hardly slept, and squeezed in some shopping.  I always get the coolest stuff when I shop with my sisters.  I really needed some concentrated, spontaneous creativity, of which Cass is the queen, and my girls needed cousin time.  And, now I need a nap.  I'm so glad they came, thanks for coming over, sister!