Sweeter

This is the third piece in my little "Sweet Secrets" series. One sold at Terzian (my gallery in Park City) last month, the other two ship out to Gallery One in Ohio today for their miniature show. The message behind the series is simple: love and sweet stuff. They were fun little paintings to paint. I had a song running through my mind when I painted this one. A line in the song goes, "She's just like you only sweeter." Just "sweeter" stuck on this one. (I have another idea for a painting that will use "Just like you only Sweeter" for it's title - another topic for another day.) I would like to be sweeter. A sweeter mom, a sweeter wife, sister, friend.. I'm also feeling the magic of Valentine's day coming on, it's one of my favorites. Romance, red and pink, love it. The other two pieces are "Sweet Secrets" (shown above) and "Love Birds".

Spring Cleaning

I finally got our playroom painted! It has almost been a year since I drew out the rooms for the house. Complete with kitchen (which is more often used as a restaurant), living room (oh, I epoxied the door handle on, don't worry Gav, it won't come off), and baby's room.

Something about January makes me go into home-improvement-project-mode and crave cleaning out the clutter. It's sunny and warm enough to open the windows and air out the paint fumes. Spring cleaning in January? When the moment moves you, you have to go with it. I dumped seven trash bags stuffed full of toys at DI last week. It felt so good! (Thanks Laurie for the inspiration, I envy your clean-freakiness.) Well, the playroom is painted and ready to accessorize. Did I mention how much easier it is to clean without so much junk? I sure hope they like it as much as I do. I keep going into the room and absorbing all the delicious color. Eye candy, yum. I'm having a hard time not attacking the whole house, I need more color!


While I was at it, I got a much-needed book shelf for my big girls' room. After the Ikea shelf fell for the third time, leaving unsightly holes in the wall each time and narrowly avoiding decapitation, the books have remained in piles on the floor, which is no good at all. Their room is way too cute for clutter. Closets are next...

Get to Work!

I've been working and it feels so good! I have a lot of paintings to paint this year, and am super excited about everything. I finished a couple miniatures to send to Ohio already - so far so good. I started my first "Apron" paintings for my show in December. That's right, it's eleven and a half months away, but you'll see, it's going to come fast. I'll need at least twenty paintings for the solo show. The most I have ever painted in a year is twenty-five. My list, so far, this year is up to 47... Like I said, time to get to work!

I started my piece for the Spring Salon last night. I am doing a self portrait. I haven't done an official self portrait since I was in school. I'm thinking about doing one, loaded with symbolism and typical of my current work, every decade. The Spring Salon will be the very month I turn thirty. I like the idea, though you might have to remind me when I turn forty, please. I'm debating if the pose is a little too dramatic. I have another image that is more stagnant and sober. I liked how I was looking up to heaven, "help me..." said with a little one pulling my hair and another making freakishly high-pitched sounds. In my old age I am getting really inolerant to noises that hurt my ears. Speaking of, a big thanks goes out to Cloe, for standing on a chair next to the tripod and snapping pictures of me to use for scrap. You should have seen her directing the poses, she is a photographer in the making, for sure.

Secrets Revealed

Now that the gift giving is done, I can show what I have been so excited about. I had so much fun making these trays for my family. I was tempted to switch careers from painting to mixed-media collage! Wouldn't that be fun. My mom and dad's tray is entitled "Russle and Barbara are having a Party." Those are their bowling names. Pete, my brother, and Jenn's is a tribute to their love. I used a printed out copy of a painting I did of her and drew a little image of him and hung it on the tree with fruit-hearts. I made queen bee for my sister, Sari. She acts like royalty on occasion (I mean that in a good way), so I thought it would be fitting. My oldest brother, Josh, and his wife Lisa got my favorite, for zen purposes. It has a nice composition that I like to look at. My oldest sister, Cass, and Dan got a modge-podged paper doll, with a little felted coat. I color copied the image and gave them a few copies because I knew how hard it would be not to cut her out and play.

I think they liked them, once they figured out that they were trays. There was a little confusion upon opening that did not ease my homemade-gift-giving apprehension.

It felt good to take December off and just do some creative stuff. I have rejuvenated my creative wells. It's good to switch gears sometimes and start again with a clear head. I have some good stuff about to happen and can hardly wait to jump in and start whipping out these ideas filling my brain.

Happy New Year

As we tip toe through the magical land of the snow people into a new year, I'd like to wish you all a happy, prosperous 2008 full of love, joy, and opportunities to learn and grow and give. Here my sister, Hun, and I give you a big whoopity-do-dah with a honkety-honk to ring it in. I think it's going to be a good one.

Petits Livres

I made a few little sketchbooks for my girls. With mini-packs of colorful pens, they will make perfect stocking stuffers. They are only eight pages each (16 if you count each side), so I had to make a bunch. I'm afraid they'll fill them up by noon on Christmas morning. They really are so easy to make - I'll just make more! I used heavy card stock for the covers, four pieces of paper cut to size and folded in half for the middle, and one stitch on my sewing machine straight down the center. Easy cheesy, as delia says. So, ten days left on the countdown, and going strong! I'm in craft heaven. (BTW, sometimes I speak french to bug gavin, it really irritates him.)

Julia

I finally finished this Julia painting. It's my favorite thing I've done in a while.

Signing Prints

I love signing prints! I feel... professional. The other day my entry was inundated with large boxes. Some had artist proofs, a couple had prints to sign, then there were some fancy, empty boxes for me to ship finished paintings. There was something nostalgic and comforting about it. I had to call my mom and tell her that my house looked like hers. We often had boxes and boxes (similar in shape and size to my boxes) in the entry when I was growing up. That's when it hit me, I am an artist. I mean as a career. That's pretty cool. I should go paint. OK, when Christmas is over I'll really get to work and produce something worthy of my declaration.

Craftin'

I love making stuff! I love Christmas!! I have so many projects going this year - that I can't tell you about! I don't want to give away any surprises. These are bracelets with photos that I am making for my girls. Quick stocking stuffers. (Don't tell!) Cloe's has beautiful pictures of her dressed up as a fairy. For Delia's, I did our family so she won't miss us too much when she is at school. I think I'll do a drawing for Ezzie's and use a ribbon with a little clasp. So many projects, never enough time. Little sketchbooks sewn on my sewing machine are next... I'm getting revitalized by all this creativity. I love projects!!!

Majesty

This is a quick snap shot of one of the paintings I just finished (sorry about the flash!). I wanted the viewer to feel majesty. I set the figures in a grove of redwoods so the main figure could echo their height and grandure while countering their solidity with a greenish, transparent hue to her skin. The baby, on the other hand, is much more solid and real. It is to celebrate the honor and sacredness of her role. She has a very youthful face. I like that aspect, she is put in the role from the start. Youthful, but strong and set on gaining the wisdom she needs to do the job well. She knows she doesn't have all the knowledge and tools she is going to need, but she will get them by tapping into her instincts, attuning herself to universal truths, and imitating the character and wisdom of the great women she has known.

"Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string." -R.W.Emerson

Flight 3898

I just returned from Utah, a.k.a Winter Wonderland!!! It snowed like crazy on Saturday and stayed through Sunday. I got my fix for the winter and am happy to return to the AZ! I took the short trip to Utah for my fifth art show/print signing with my dad and my sister, Cass. The shows are really fun. As if I am not lucky enough to paint, to express my thoughts and feelings and create beautiful images, but I get to share my paintings and ideas... and lots of people like them, too! The best part is hanging out with Cass and my dad. We get around to all sorts of interesting topics, and we laugh a lot. We have a great time. I love my family! Sometimes we get a little silly. Cass and I wore matching dresses to church today. I had a wonderful trip (did I mention no kids? That's right, I slept till nine and read till noon... sigh). It was super fun to hang out with mom, Sari, Pete (thanks for the fudge), Jenn, Clementine (she could have fit in my suitcase and I seriously considered it), Dan (..is great, he makes us chocolate cake), Sunshine, Fiona, and Talulla sweethearts!!! Can't wait to come at Christmas time!

Tagged...

I've been tagged. Which means I must write six little know facts about myself. This concept made my head swim and I thought I might do better if I had a theme. So, my six facts are not only little known, but are facts that make Gavin look at me like I'm crazy. After ten years of knowing me, I can still surprise him, and I revel in that.

1. I sort my laundry into four piles: whites, warm mediums, cool mediums, and really darks. The girls are really good at it. When Gavin was helping me last week, he tried to challenge me with grays - nice try.
2. Only boring people get bored, so I told my kids that "bored" is a bad word. Watch what you say around them, they'll call you on it.
3. I can listen to an album, mix, or even a song, over and over and over.... I only change the six CDs in my car when I want to avoid his derision.
4. I can hock a loogie like nobody's business. (When I'm sick.)
5. There is a placenta in my freezer... still.
6. I often forget to put on deodorant.

Wow, that was more personal then I have ever been in blogland. It was refreshing, maybe I'm turning over a new leaf. Now I am supposed to tag six people in return. I could do that, but I would rather tag Hun six times. She is absolutely capable of coming up with thirty-six crazy facts. Tag, sister, your it.

Secrets

I love secrets. Not mean ones! I just like knowing stuff. We had a fabulous trip to New York last week, and great shows in Ohio and Connecticut. When I finally sat down to paint, it had been a while. I often start off a little awkward after a break, and didn't want the getting-into-my-groove-ness to ruin one of the beautiful paintings I am working on. So, I painted this little piece to get me going. It's not quite finished, but not bad for a day's work.

Knowledge of Good and Evil

Oh, she knows. She knows what is good and what is not, and exactly which she is going to choose. I think Eve knew what she was doing. She knew the plan and what needed to happen to progress. We have to make so many choices! It feels good to have confidence that the choices you are making are good and will be for the best. I don't always have it, sometimes I second guess myself and sometimes I don't choose what I know is better. Laziness can get the best of us. But, conviction and righteousness is something I strive for.

Reason for Being

This piece describes my earthly purpose. I have come to earth to gain a body, to learn, and to serve as a vessle. It will have a neat arched frame that will add to the composition.

Babel's Bees

I keep going back to the delicious dichotomy of the bee. It makes honey, but it stings. It pollinates the plants and flowers in my imaginary garden, but invokes fear. Life is full of dichotomies as we attempt to find balance in all things.

I feel a little like batman. Why bats? Because he was mortally afraid of them. I had no traumatic childhood experience where I was repeatedly stung by a swarm of bees and went into anaphylactic shock, narrowly escaping death. Actually, I've never even been stung. But I was sure I was allergic, like my dad, and one sting could be fatal. To be intrepid, fearless and calm come face to face with a noisome bumble bee, or worse a wasp! This is a supreme conquering of a fear, leave the nebbish behind and become a stronger woman.

Brigham Young used the term "Deseret," meaning honeybee in the language of the Jaredites. He used it to describe the Saints in Utah. He thought they should be productive and self-sufficient, like honeybees. I like that. Busy as a bee, hard at work, with fruitful results.

One of my favorite scenes in life: my sweet girls next to me, all in a row at church, quietly and busily sketching in our sketchbooks. (I cropped out Gavin on the end, wrestling Ezra, cheerios a-flyin'.) They love their sketchbooks, and I love to see what they come up with.
Cloe, who will be four next month, drew this picture of me and a snowman. Oh, and that's her at the top. I have rosy cheeks, a standard in her drawings of people, and some serious eyelashes.
This is my delia's. She is six. She drew her sisters, me, and herself. We are princesses with high heels. I love the clouds and flowers in vases. They both want me to have long hair, so they included that in their drawings. Too cute!

Up from Moil and Toil

Today was one of those days. I just needed to get away from it, to climb up to the top of my ladder and breath for a minute. Above and away from the duties, chaos, responsibilities, and the constant need to uplift, encourage, and nurture others. These are all wonderful things, but sometimes... it's hard. The animal crackers crushed into the carpet can wait, as well as the disciplinary action of the crusher, while I climb to the very top of my ladder, perhaps under the guise of changing a light bulb, and have an unreachable moment to myself.

Colors

"In our life there is a single color, as on an artist’s palette, which provides the meaning of life and art. It is the color of love." Marc Chagall
When I read this quote I thought of the colors in this painting. I called it Pick Yourself up. When rough spots and unpleasant things come along, pick yourself up, over, and carry on. I like how gingerly she is lifting herself, with confidence and a bit of style. This painting managed to incorporate my favorite colors. The blue in particular, is my very favorite. If Bella's blood sings to Edward, this shade of blue sings to me. It is in a really nice, black frame with an arched insert... and is long gone. Sigh.
This is one of my favorites. Another sigh. It sold a couple years ago. I called it Serene - even though she has a rather large, potentially harmful bumble bee on her shoulder, she has found peace. This blue is serenity and peace to me. I would like to paint love, to express meaning and love with color. I will ever strive to do it. If it happens, you will let me know, won't you?

The painting that I'm working on right now has a beautiful pattern for the background. After six combinations of cool colors, my intent was to offset the warm figures, I was incredibly frustrated. The only thing to do in such a situation is to turn it upside down and do the opposite. I went for hot! And I love it, I think it will be stunning. (Note: this painting is very unfinished.)
I have my struggles with color. Ron Ranson (I have no idea who he is) said, "My personal theory is that being frugal with the number of colours, one gets to know them intimately and to understand how each reacts with the others." In a way I have done this. I have kept to a rather limited palette, honing in on some odd colors that really work together. Perhaps I'll do it with conscious effort now. Or maybe I'll just paint everything off-sky-blue and swim in it.

My Three Muses

My sweet angels are my muses. I feel so privileged and blessed to be their mother. There are so many virtues that I hope to instill in them. Most of all, realizing the vastness of their potential and their individual strength. They are continual inspiration to me, and movtivation to push for greatness.

"A wonderful realization will be the day you realized that you are unique in all the world. The world is an incredible unfulfilled tapestry, and only you can fill that tiny space that is yours." Leo Buscaglia