Writing. Painting.

"Selfie #1, acrylic on canvas, 18 x 24 

The self-portrait that inspired me

 to begin an entire series of selfies.

The writing that inspired me 

to begin an entire series of stories.

You can read the first one published on this website 

created and moderated by Valley Haggard: 

Life in 10 Minutes

Thank you Valley, for your continued encouragement. 

"Much More"

“You are very pretty.”

My dad and I were in the breakfast room, a soft yellow tiny rectangle of a dark room with one high window, just off the kitchen in a very old house in a very old neighborhood in the small town where my family lived for the 10 most important years of my life. The “formative” years. I must have been about 7 years old. I suddenly felt shy and giddy and loved.

Dad was a handsome man and quite the charmer. His smile lit a room and his laughter and voice came out with a sonic boom, deep and rich. I adored him. I danced with him standing on his shoes, I (along with my baby sister) lost countless games of Monopoly, Go Fish and Concentration to him. I watched him work at his watch bench and in his garage electronics lab. I wanted to be him. 

“Show me how to use the oscillator, Daddy.” 

“No.”

“But why?”

“Because you are a girl.” 

I pouted as I left the garage and went back into the house to complain to my Mama. My young self was furious. I loved science and math and Dad had so many gadgets and experiences. I studied his flight manuals and books on weather when he learned to fly. He had his own plane! But I got airsick. 

LIfe took me on a path to becoming a teacher of art. A painter. An artist. A far cry from the scientist I thought I might like to be. The veterinarian I couldn’t be because of the blood and the cutting. 

And yet, there is so much about art that suits my geeky brain. Chemistry! which I nearly flunked in high school, fascinates me now as applied to color. I paint dogs and animals, the things I love and  once thought I’d help save. I still teach, which means I must continue to learn. 

Recently I began a series of self portraits. Not so flattering, up-close facial expressions. The reaction to them has been universal. 

“But, you are so pretty. Why would you do that?”

Because. 

Because I am much, so much, more. 

A New Direction

I've been wanting for a long time to move on to new ways of painting.  I've taken tentative steps in the past, through classes and experimenting, but it felt like I had pieces to a puzzle and they didn't all fit.  Now it's like I'm collecting pieces and eventually they'll all make a whole. 

Here is a piece I began painting at my Plant Zero studio last week.   I try to keep a painting going for students and visitors to see.  A client / fan / collector posted on her Facebook page a photo of her dogs' legs intertwined, which I fell in love with.  So I asked permission to paint using her image. 


I love this for the composition mostly.  And because it's a great way to move into more abstract paintings while doing what I know.  I plan to keep this looser than my usual work and hope it becomes a little more painterly.  Let's see how it goes.  

Getting work done - Ditto

With all this snow (ugh! NOT a fan) I've been able to get into the studio to paint a bit more than usual.  It's always wonderful to get into the groove of working and feel/see a painting come to fruition.  Two are near the completion stage, but alas one is regressing.



This is Ditto - the handsome Rottie that I was able to meet and photograph a few years back.  Sometimes it happens that a client has an elderly pet, so I take the photos early on and file them away until it is time for that piece to be painted.  I have thoroughly enjoyed this piece, from the many sketches through the painting on canvas.  The clients are so generous with their input and easy to work with and very importantly, the images speak to me.   I can picture this boy's big head and sweet demeanor when I work on him.

If left to my own devices, I prefer not to do a head shot (with the exception of my small square panels).  It seems too "portraity" for me.  I had many photos of Ditto and his entire body, which was massive and impressive.  His markings, as in all Rotties, are distinctive.  This client wanted to see him up close and it was the right decision. It was his expression and his eyes that spoke to his humans.  If I had done a full figure, you would not have seen his sweet expression so well. In the end, that is what is important to my client.   Ditto will be finished in a few more sessions.

As for the other two paintings, I'll talk about those later.

Welcome to my newest blog followers.  :-)