Guard in the Garden

Guard in the Garden

Or Guarding the Garden

Or as I would say it, Guardin' th' Garden

I don't think of myself as having any accent at all.  Some (as in everyone) would say that I do.  I'm going back home this weekend for my 40th class reunion.  (How did 4 decades slip by so quickly?) My husband says he'll be listening to see how long it takes for me to slip back into my accent.  Oh, I may have been away for a long time, but I can drop my -ings, flatten my i sounds, make two syllables out of the a sound, and slide right back into that drawl without even realizing it.

I know this is a whimsical painting, but before it's judged too harshly for proportions being off with the cabbages too big.  Let me just bring up a photo from the cabbages my sister and I grew a few years ago.

My friend and art mentor, Cheri, and I took several months off from our weekly-ish art challenge, but she decided it was time to start again.  Her word for me was "garden"... or did she say "guardin' "... Hmmm... 

Original Oil Painting on 8"x 10" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Happy Fall, Y'all !!

Look at that happy little thing! You just have to S.O.L. (Smile Out Loud... Is that a thing?)

First of all, I think that her name should be Cheri, the Cheery Little Scarecrow Girl.  I'll name her after my Cheri, my art teacher, my mentor, my friend.  She's the one who set up this still life and guided me in painting it.

When I began painting lessons in 2007, I went to Cheri's house every Monday night for about four years. After she retired and moved, we painted together maybe once a year if I was lucky.  

Last month I had the opportunity for weekly painting lessons in her new place, Inspire Studio and Art in Shawnee, Oklahoma. For four weeks I'd get to paint one-on-one with the most amazing artist!  I was equal parts thrilled and terrified, filled with excitement and filled with dread.  You see, I knew I'd get better and I'd learn; however, I  also knew that she'd push me beyond what I was sure were my artistic limits.

She did.  

I had to swallow down, "But,I don't think I can do that..." a dozen times... a dozen times each lesson!

As you can imagine, yes, indeed I was able to do whatever she thought I could. 

Now... sigh... if only I can remember and put into practice half of what I learned!

My view while painting this still life.

Original Oil Painting on 12"x 16" Wrapped Canvas
[SOLD]