Little Bit of Everything

Is what this post is about.  

We'll start with Eugene.  He's doing amazingly well after having a laryngeal tie-back procedure.  It was that, or watch him suffocate to death, which he nearly did during a vacation week back in August.  We still have some issues to deal with, but he's looking better than he has in the last two years.  He's doing so well with oxygen in his system, he began shedding and growing new hair like crazy! My floors are entirely covered in hairballs these days.  Yay.  

While on the subject of furkids, the other three are just fine.  Gregory will soon be one and is the tallest dog I've ever had.  He can sprint off of the deck to the back of our lot in about 3 seconds.  Astounding sight to see him run and dance around the trees for squirrels.  Gabby is oddly now the calmest creature in our household.  What a difference a year makes!  Sassy cat is still fighting inflammatory bowel disease, but we've found her stabilization point.  We don't know how she'll continue to do, but she hangs in there.  

This is a collage, print and paint self portrait.  I joined an Air Mail Journaling group, with Kimberly Kelly Santini, this summer.   I thought it would be a great way for me to segue back into creating, since it was out-of-the-box for me, fairly inexpensive overall and I thought I'd have time. (plus I really love Kimberly's work and her enthusiasm about everything art.)  OK, 2 out of 3 correct, but the time thing just didn't work out.  So I'm about 3 months behind (and thankfully am finding out I'm not alone!) but I AM determined to complete the assignments.  Best of all I WANT to complete them, because when I get going, it's a lot of fun.  (and yessss, I did make myself look prettier and younger because, I can. It's my mermaid look)

Lastly, a gift of two drinking jars.  At the beach. From my friend and pal, Lynne. (Do you know how hard it is to FIND a jar with a lid and a handle?)  A perfect way to end a summer filled with unforeseen challenges as well as new beginnings.  

Kids, Kitties and K9's Art Show

A few months ago the director of a Smithfield art gallery, Sheila Gwaltney of Arts Center at 319, sent an email inviting me to do a show there with the theme of kids, cats and canines.  I happen to know Sheila from my days belonging to a group called Brush and Palette, which sadly no longer exists.  

Of course I was interested, and may I invite a few of my students as well?  
The answer was yes, so we will soon have another chance for 6 of us to show off our work.  

I'll blog more when the time comes, but in the meantime, the opening will be around the first of October and here are a few images of paintings we plan to submit.  

And I should mention all rights to these images belong to the artists - images shared with permission.  

Dreaming II
Dianne Smith 

Muriel
Carolyn Kipps

Presto
Marcia Fowler