Mozart the Chihuahua

Meet Mozart. How cute is this little guy!

He belongs to my intern... my intern whom I love and who is going to be a fabulous teacher next year. :)

I asked her if there was anything she wanted to tell me about Mozart.

Mozart was a rescue. He was initially owned by an old woman who passed away, and her husband was going to put him down. Hearing this story, a coworker offered him to me; I got him on New Year's Day six years ago. 😊

He isn't a typical Chihuahua. He's very loving to all people, doesn't yip or bite anyone or anything. He's patient, loves playing hide and seek, and loves to lie in warm towels.
He's my very affectionate fur-baby. 😊

Original Oil Painting - 12" x 12"

[SOLD]

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

How about a Throwback Thursday.

          I've done a few Christmas themed paintings over the years...
                     Do you have a favorite?
                              Click the titles to read the story behind each one.
                                         Enjoy. :)

314 Peppermint 12-15
CLICK to purchase.

246 Whimsical Santa 11-13
[SOLD]

290 Whimsical Santa II 1-15
[SOLD]

219 Whimsical Christmas 12-12
[SOLD]

163 First Christmas 8-11

[SOLD]

250 Nutcracker Soldier 12-13
[SOLD]

133 Santa Nutcracker 12-10
[SOLD]

087 Christmas Past 2-10

[SOLD]

034 Traditions 1-08
[SOLD]

A lot of "me" is on this canvas. I love this painting because each part of it represents a special tradition of my family, and I have enjoyed having it on my own wall for a long time. (Look at the date when it was painted!!) 

This one makes me so happy, and I'm also just a little bit sad. You see, it sold today.  It goes in the mail to its forever home tomorrow. That does make me really happy.  I hope the new owners treasure it.

Something else makes this sale special. This sale made my 200th Etsy sale!

200!

I am grateful and honored and humbled and not just a little in disbelief that my work hangs on the walls of people across the country.

Merry Christmas!

The Strut

When I first saw his picture, I thought he was magnificent and asked my friend's permission to him.

Originally I'd imagined a portrait, a beautiful rooster filling the canvas with a kind of blurred out background. 

But, as I got started, I wanted my painting to tell the whole story.  The character, the rooster, really isn't the focus of this story.  It's about the setting... Her post said, "Quick weekend get away to do nothing but enjoy the beauty of Boxley and do nothing for a change."

So... it ALL became important... the trees, the rocks, the porch, the water tub, the peace pole, the fallen leaves, the foggy distance...

Don't you just want to be right there!?

Even with a stack of papers to grade on your lap, can't you just feel contentment and peacefulness of being in this place... and it's even better to know that a cocky rooster would be strutting around showing off for his hens!

Original Oil Painting -12"x 12" 

[SOLD]

Return to Innocence

One of the things I love about painting a commissioned piece is that I'm almost always challenged to do something I wouldn't normally do.
One of the things I hate about painting a commissioned piece is that I'm almost always challenged to do something I wouldn't normally do.

I have this habit of saying, "Sure!  I can do that!" 
Then I begin and wonder, "What was I thinking! How am I going to do that!"

When I was asked to paint something like 'It Is Well...' again only with more teal colors instead of purple and with a few lines instead of a few words... I said, "Sure! I can do that!"
Never mind that I haven't painted with acrylics in a couple of years and that I can't imagine how I'll ever get 31 words neat and straight.

Here are a few of the things that I learned / figured out / discovered while working on this painting.
1. When the painting was "finished" but without words, it looked so cold and harsh.  I deepened the color of the sun from yellow to orange and did an orange wash over almost the whole thing. The transformation to a warm cozy tone was immediate.
2. I took the painting to school, typed the poem on the computer, put the painting on the board, then projected the words from the computer onto the painted canvas.  I used chalk to traced the words onto the painting.  Then  I painted over that. Is that cheating?  Yeah, probably, but it looks pretty good!
3. White doesn't have to be white.  Those letters aren't white... they're light, light orange.

I am thankful when someone trusts me to put their vision onto canvas. 

Original Acrylic Painting - 16"x 20" 
[SOLD]