George's Miss Conduct II

I've been lucky enough to have two strong mentors in my creative life, and how interesting... they're both named Cheri.

I've often mentioned my painting mentor Cheri W.  Today I'm thinking of how much I owe to Cheri O. who I consider to be my writing mentor. We taught fourth grade literacy together, participated in the National Writing Project together, and taught taught a summer writing institute for teachers together.  She helped me to discover and develop the writer within myself and taught me to be an encourager of writers.  

Although she moved to the other side of the country for many years, she's always been a forever friend. And.... she's moving back!

She texted me that she wanted two paintings and that they'd be the first ones she'd hang in her new place.  First she wanted one she had seen in my Etsy store. 

I have to say that this was a very special painting to me.  I didn't list it for sale for a long time, and I've loved having it on my own wall.  That's my farmers' market on my town's square, and that couple in the middle just might look a bit like me and my husband.  I thought I'd be so sad when/if it ever did sell. But, no!  I'm thrilled that it will be on her wall! (I went back to the post I wrote about it 6 years ago.  How appropriate the I compared it to writing a story on canvas.)

She also asked me to re-create a bigger version of a symbolic painting I'd done a few years ago.  The boat had been built by her dear friend, and she'd be moving here to move into the house that had been his.  She wanted it to hang on the wall in his memory.

I'd be happy to do that.

It honors me that she'd ask.

I do love the honor (and the pressure) of an important commission.  And, more than a few times, I've agreed to take on something then wondered how on earth I'd manage to pull it off.

Here are the references I had to work with.

I love that I got to have a part in preserving this memory.

Original Oil Painting on 10"x 20" Wrapped Canvas.

[SOLD]

Hot Tea

Some of the most decorative and elaborate dishes are meant for tea... teapots, teacups, saucers, sugar bowls, cream pitchers... So pretty... so dainty... I do enjoy drinking out of a pretty cup or glass.

Now, what can I say about the hot tea? Let me think... It's brownish, that's one thing. 

The thing that bothers me about hot tea is that you're expected to drink it. 

I don't have anything against hot tea, but if you could just add heaps of sugar and then enough ice to make it really cold... or even better, if you could pour it out and fill the pretty cup with something else... Like maybe coke or orange juice or hot cocoa or cold milk... that would improve it so much!

Original Oil Painting on 5"x 7" Wrapped Canvas.
Click Hot Tea if you'd like to purchase this little painting,

Paint-iversary 17 years ago today...

My first painting...
17 years ago today.

It's not often that when we say something "changed my life," that we really mean it.
I was so nervous walking into that first painting lesson 17 years ago.  I wasn't a painter. I didn't even consider myself artistic. I was just 42 and found myself with a little extra time to try something since my youngest was old enough to drive himself.

I was so unbelievably proud of this painting.  It actually did look like trees!

I am forever grateful to my teacher and friend.

Oil painting on 8"x 10" Canvas Board

Not available for sale... This one's priceless... :)

 

VW Van

Most people have a VW Bug story in their life.  I do. My best friend in high school drove a candy-apple red one... good times.

And, I drove a red one for 10 years until I traded it in for the green one I drive now.

But how about a VW Van story?

What a funny and recognizable vehicle. Somehow I always think of them being painted crazy with peace, love, rock & roll, or flower power symbols.

I've a story that seems like it should have a VW Van in it. 

In 2016 we took a trip to New York.  We went to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown for a couple of days.  Then we went to a  place called Inn at Lake Joseph.  (It was wonderful, and I'd recommend it with 10 stars. Have a look. https://lakejoseph.com/)

Anyway... on our last day, we drove into the little town.  We stopped in a funky little place for lunch and asked the teenaged waitress if there was anything interesting in the town we might want to see or do.  

"Not really.  There's like a museum thing down the road about like 10 miles.  It's called Woodstock. There'll be a sign.  I haven't been. Some people like to go there." 

Wait... Do you mean Woodstock, Woodstock???

"I guess so. They had a big concert or something there a long time ago."

What?... 10 miles? Which road?

We had such an unexpected good time! 

Ok, now that I've gone back to find the pictures, I see that it's a bus and not a VW van... shoot, I remembered wrong.... oh well...

Look back at the painting... Did you notice it? If you  listen  look really closely, you'll hear see music coming from the radio and blowing away on the breeze!

My Weekly-ish painting challenge was "Ride." 

A VW Van would be a pretty cool ride... cooler if it was painted with peace signs and flowers though...

Original Oil Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas.

Click VW Van if you'd like to have this little painting for yourself.

Art Show 2024 - From the Heart

During the holidays we were asked if we wanted to put together an art show to begin on  February 1st. 

Yes!

We'd have four weeks - although I had a previously planned trip for one of those - So just three weeks.

First task, start a to-do checklist!

🗹 Come up with a theme or name.  (It would be during February... Valentines... )

"From the Heart"

🗹 Pick a warm-ish day to snap a photo in Julie's backyard.

🗹 Design a flier or invitation.

🗹 Get fliers printed.

🗹 Post it on Facebook and Instagram.

🗹  Carry a few in my purse.

🗹 Choose which paintings to take. (Narrowing it down was harder than I'd imagined.)

🗹 Add hangers to the back every painting. 

🗹  Pack them up.

🗹  Order, pick up, and package 100 notecards.

🗹  Make 30 quote booklets

🗹  Print and cut  the story behind each painting.  (Luckily I had all of those on my blog.  Just needed to copy, paste, and revise.)

🗹  Make pricelist.

🗹  Make price cards.

🗹  Ask my sister if she'll do the food for the reception. (She did a beautiful job!)

🗹  Ask a friend to create a sign for the reception & show. (She did a beautiful job!)

🗹  Get a blurb put in the newspaper.

🗹  Lay out paintings and decide how to group them.  (We decided on spring, summer, autumn, winter, and other. There would be 2 walls and 16 hanger poles with 3 hooks each.)

  

🗹  Get them displayed! (As prepared as we were, you'd think this would have been simple... It was not. We had to get pretty creative with wire and sponges and tape and clips and a whole lot of patience.)

🗹  Smile!!

There's that feeling of telling yourself that it's fine if no one comes... then they do!!!

Friends from church and school and college and the neighborhood and Pilates class and family... 

I got more comments and questions about that donkey painting than any other

family

My doctor who let me display my art in his offices.

neighbors

My beautiful blue-eyed grandbabies!

My beautiful brown-eyed grandbabies!

family

Teacher friends

Former student's parent

Teacher dear friend

Student from senior painting class

Church friends

Family

Julie's family

Teacher friends

College friends

The first person who ever let me display my art in her shop.