Quiet Summer Resting Place

Because I'm the artist, I get to decide...  

I didn't paint any ants or spiders or other creepy-crawlies. I certainly painted no snakes, nor are there any hiding behind the rocks. Yes, I did paint a bit of poison ivy, but there are no thorn bushes or burrs anywhere in sight.  You can't see them, but I'm sure there are butterflies and frogs and probably lizards with blue tails. There's also plenty of birdsong and cicada noise in the air.  It's about 76 degrees with a very light wind. 

If this scene looks at all familiar...

... it's a smaller version of what's going on behind my house.

Yeah... I know... It looks like I have hardly done a thing in a month. 

I will now list my excuses for that...

* The garden keeps me busy in July.  (That's a good thing!)

* I've been working on other projects. (Good things too!)

* It's hot!  It is not 76 degrees in the real world.

* It's muggy!  The humidity is just ugh.

I will get back to it!  Soon!

If I stand under that window and look behind me, this is what I see. That's the reference for both this painting and the mural. 

No need to look for the stream.  That would be a bad place for a stream as it would flow directly into our back door. Remember that I have and artistic license, and I'm not afraid to use it.

A pretty healthy crop of poison ivy grows up there where I had to stand to take the photo of the mural.  I really should get up there and clean that out... (*See list of excuses above.)

Original Oil Painting on 12"x 24" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Ellis's Animals

Somebody new will be joining our family in a few weeks!  She'll need something to go on her walls, of course!

We love her already!

Original Acrylic Triptych on 16"x20, 16"x20, 16"x20
[GIFT]

Clothes on the Line

An image like this makes me want to slow down, see if there's a porch on the front side of this cabin, and listen to some stories about way back when.

Sometimes I have to wait for the painting muse to give me an idea or some inspiration.  

Sometimes the painting muse has to wait for me to pay attention when she's handing me the idea or inspiration.

A few years ago I fell in love with a simple painting of some girls' dresses hanging on the clothes line.  It may be my favorite painting of my art mentor, Cheri.  It hangs in her Inspire Studio in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

I thought, "It would be fun to paint clothes on a line."

A few months ago (after vaccinations but still wearing masks), we went to Dollywood while spending some days in the Smoky Mountains.  This little scene reminded me, "I really should paint clothes on a line some time."

A few weeks ago, the new Inspiration Image, Laundry Dance, was posted on Inspiration Collaboration.

Then I knew, "It's time to paint clothes on a line now."

Original Oil Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Garden Harvests

I thought it would be fun to document my garden harvests with a daily photo.  (Keep scrolling down!  It just gets better and better!)

 

The Mural on the Back of the Shed - Work in Progress

 A few weeks ago I shared the building of our new shed.  (You can click Do You See a Mural in My Future? for a reminder of that.)

That mural is happening! Who knows when it will be finished, but it's coming along.  How about a peek into the process!

Fun fact #1

I stood right under that window, faced our forest, and took a picture.  That's the reference I'm using for the mural.. the mirror image of what's behind me as I paint. (I know, the path turned into a river at some point, but you know... artistic license...)

Fun fact #2

I had a three little helpers this weekend who painted some pretty special hand-print flowers and feet-print butterflies.

Fun fact #3

The hens are my constant companions as I paint.