Making Art

Hard to believe I have about 6 paintings in progress right now!  Here are two I haven't posted yet.   

unfinished, therefore untitled
copyright 2012 Adele Castillo All Rights Reserved

unfinished, untitled
copyright 2012 Adele Castillo All Rights Reserved

Trying New Options

I'll be trying out new blogger presentation options in the next few days or so.  Bear with me as I find a format I like as my learning curve expands.

Annual Student Exhibit

My 4th annual student exhibit,  Acrylic and Color, is coming to Crossroads Art Center in July.  


This is when I get excited to show off the talents of my "kids" (all adults!) and you get to see what we've been up to in class. 


Some of my students are professional artists - they sell their work and take commission clients.  Some of my students are still honing their skills and finding their voice; either new to painting or just diving back in after a long absence. Others simply love to paint and enjoy the company and advice. Whichever applies, they are all pretty awesome and I'm thrilled to see their finished paintings hanging for all to see.  


Opening date will be Friday night, July 20, 2012.   
Here's a preview:

"Taking the Corner"
by Bill Echelberger
copyright 2012

"Angie's View"
 by Marcia Fowler
copyright 2012

 

Animal Week

This was not a good week for Sassy Cat. 

We should have been at the beach, and I didn't get much done at home, but the critters' well being was more important.  

Misery

Sassy was receiving acupuncture this past month in the hopes it might help with her digestive issues.  She is none too pleased to be 1. in the crate 2. to have pins stuck in her and most of all 3. to have her photo taken with flash. 

Misery Squared

Sassy got worse.  Or more accurately, reached a plateau and wasn't improving.  AND she developed a peculiar gulping habit plus a wheezing sound. We went to an internist.  She had her belly scoped, her belly ultrasounded (I know that's not a word) and better, (or worse?) she had good drugs.  This is woozy recovery time.  Check out her special new wrist "bracelets." Again, not tickled with the Mama for pulling out that dang camera.

Still waiting for test results for Miss Sassy, but we did find something abnormal in her throat.  Once confirmed, I'll post, simply because it could help someone else with a pet with similar symptoms.  

Yoga Gregory

Baby boy Gregory remains a flexible, happy boy.  I swear he can put his back leg over his head, but I can't capture it quickly enough.  We've decided he's a yoga dog. 

May! already.

So much is happening this is going to be a quick catch-up and I'm-still-alive post.  
And since everyone likes pics from an artist, I'll include a few of those, too. 


But first.  We are moving our studio. yep.  My studio mate Mike Keeling and I finally closed down our Plant Zero space at the end of April and are awaiting the completion of our new space (and saving a few dollahs in rent) slated to open in July.  We'll be moving into Crossroads Art Center.  Check out this online article about Crossroads. 
(yes, if you read my blog, you did see it mentioned in the previous post.  just keeping you on your toes.

This is Sassy Cat.  
Sassy was my mom's cat.  I need to do an entire story about her, but here she is at the beach cottage.  We stuffed her in her crate and dragged her east in the van with two dogs because she has pancreatitis and needs medication.  Amazingly, she adapted to the travel and new place better than our pup Gabby.  She is now our official Beach Cat.  Or Cottage Kitty.  
(and yes, you are paying attention!  we have 3 dogs.  One rides separately.  He gets his own chauffeur.) 


Classes. 
I continue to teach one class at Crossroads, but obviously none at Plant Zero. Once I move into the new studio I'd like to offer MORE classes at various times.  So if you have ever wanted a class or workshop in acrylic or color, contact me. 
You can do that by typing adele (at) adelecastillo (dot) com into your email address (but please do it properly or it won't work.) 


Here is another pic.  It's a painting.  Yes!  A completed painting. By moi.  You may be seeing more of this image in the future.  We'll see.  The title is Rozzie.  

Rozzie
 copyright2012 AllRightsReserved

and Finally, for everyone keeping tabs on our new pup Gregory, he is approaching 60 lbs at 7 months old.  His dna test says he's a weimaraner mixed with collie, and bits of dachsund, polish lowland sheepdog and cattle dog, among other things.  I don't make this stuff up. I was guessing rottie/hound/lab, but what do I know? 

our collie/wiemaraner/sheepdog

End of April

I know, not quite the end of April, but close enough. 


A friend of mine just returned from travel overseas, so she checked in to read my blog (I'm flattered!) not long after her return.  And sent me an email to catch up in person ( I haven't yet responded...bad friend, me!)  What she said was pointed..."I love reading your entries, but where's the art?"
So I thought it might be a good idea to answer here, as well as "in person."  


I'm not making it much.  


BUT, I AM in the process of shutting down my studio and will soon be reopening another, larger space with my studio-mate of the past 4 years.  I am very excited about having a place to go without the distractions and noise of my last space.  I am more excited about once again being around other artists on a more regular basis, as I was when my studio was at Art Works (the studio I outgrew.)  


I have quite a few paintings in various stages of progress in my very overcrowded home studio, but with a puppy in the house, it has been hard to carve out the time.  I'm not one to keep a dog crated except when I leave home or he needs to be safe. 


I read two blogs that offer encouragement to artists : One is Ann Rea's Artists Who Thrive
and the other is Kimberly Kelly Santini's Painting a Dog a Day.  


They seem to be very different, but not so much, when it gets to the heart of the matter of being a creative person, finding time to work AND when offering advice on how to do it better - "it" being an artist, woman, wife, mom, entrepreneur, animal advocate, You fill in the blank....


My art will be forthcoming.  It's just not here right now.  But until then, here are two snippets of a couple in the beginning stages.  

©allrightsreserved Adele Castillo

©allrightsreserved Adele Castillo

The Graduate

For anyone curious about the puppy school saga:
I should be cleaning up my house, an impossible task always, but I'm bustin' with pride so instead I'm here to report that Gregory rallied last night and graduated Puppy Class.  If I had anything to say about it, it would be "with honors," but after the last two weeks, I'll take progress.


Last week, I felt so dejected after Gregory's behavior in the previous class, plus I had a pounding headache AND I had been traveling with said pup, so we didn't get much training time in, that I skipped out.  I KNOW!  How's a dog supposed to succeed if he's skipping school when he needs it the most?  The irony of that decision.


However, it turned out all right after all.  We went into class; I was fully expecting him to act like the rambunctious goofball teen that he is.  He did get a little wound up upon meeting a newcomer, but he settled right in, stayed with me like he could actually admit in public that my presence was tolerable, and performed beautifully.  I've been saying all along - " At home, he does everything perfectly."  and I know the reaction to that was probably "uh huh." Gregory proved me right.


Except for one moment, when I was trying to showoff his "down" using only a hand signal. He was actually sitting on his long, curved tail, the end peeking out between his legs under his belly.  Which started wagging underneath him and he got distracted.  It did after all look like a little wiggly snake moving around under his belly there with no evidence of attachment to himself.  Jenn had stepped into class at that point and when I saw her trying her best not to burst out laughing I gave up.  He's such a happy dog...his tail wags wherever it lands!

Photo courtesy of instructor JD and Dog Talk Training and Behavior

So Gregory is a Graduate and now.  His separation anxiety is lessening greatly.  He loves people and dogs; it's just being away from me that triggers his fears anymore.  He goes into his crate easily, listens and obeys perfectly. (although he'll still tear up a shoe or a pillow in a flash, given the opportunity.)
I'm trying to decide whether to continue the next level of obedience or enroll him in agility classes.  Although he needs the job, I don't, so we'll see.

Gregory Goes to (Puppy) School

Gregory

This is typical Gregory (pardon the dark picture.)   He is normally a happy, attentive, obedient pup with loads of energy.   Last night in puppy school, he was a completely obstinate teenager.

Let me give you some background:  

Gregory has separation anxiety.  His first few days and weeks here were challenging for him when he had to be left in his crate.  We worked all that out, with some help from Jenn Kyzer of Dog Talk Richmond after I made a teary phone call to her when I thought I had "broken my dog!" No, nothing physical or even mean - he had decided to pee on our den carpet (which needs to be replaced, but still!) and I took the opportunity to leap at him with a stern "NO!" and reach for his collar to take him to the door - you know, guide him outdoors where to pee (for a dog) is "YES!!"  He'd only been with me for a day and I'd made sure he had every opportunity to pee outside, until now.  Housebreaking training set into motion.  

Except. 

Gregory was scared half to death.  Seriously.  He ran from me, peed some more and was a total wreck.  I couldn't get him to come near me and he ran past me when we went outside.  I became a total wreck.  He was so sweet and I felt so badly and I didn't know what I had done wrong.  Well, Gregory is sensitive.  Very, very sensitive. To shorten this part of the story, Jenn talked me through some steps to take, I did and we all love one another again.  Gregory still has moments when he's unsure, but I have learned to talk and correct Gregory in a very low voice.  He responds, and that's what matters. 

This is all connected.  I promise. 

Gregory came from a foster home on a farm, where he was raised with his mama dog until 5 months old and had access to the outdoors from his kennel.  He was confined, but not in a crate.  He was also always with his mama.  It was no small wonder he bonded with me instantly.  I became his mama.  And the first time I tried leaving him in a crate was the worst thing in the world to ever happen to him.  Even more worse than the time I yelled at him when he peed on our smelly old carpet!  He began to yell.  Scream, really.  oh geez.  This won't be fun.   Jenn had come over the day after the pee incident and helped me with techniques to use with crate training.  Eventually, that all worked out, too.  And work is the operative word here, because I really did have to work at the training techniques continually.  

What really helped was when I went out of town to Atlanta, Gregory had to stay somewhere, so Jenn offered to keep him and continue the crate training. That was a well-timed god-send. 

So now we're into March and it's time to take Gregory to puppy school.  I've taken all my dogs to puppy school since adopting Gracie 16 years ago.  It's as much for me as for them.  The first night Gregory practically sleeps through the entire class.  There are 4 pups in my class, all much smaller than my big ole houndy-dog.  One is so tiny he could eat her, but all are sweet and they play well.  The humans are all kind souls, so it's an easy class to be in. 

The second night, Gregory is o.k.  He is learning commands and also a little bored.  By the end of class, he's once again napping.  Or rolling over to show us his cute belly.  He makes us all chuckle.  He shows no intention of leaving my side, but is interested in the other dogs. 

Class 3.  This one is busier than the previous nights and Gregory is doing well with commands.  He actually learns hand signals as quickly as verbal.  He doesn't respond so much to treats.  He takes them and spits them out.  Unless it's given by the instructor.  Then it's the best thing ever.  He's inconsistent with commands, which is totally my fault for not working with him daily the week before.  But, he knows them and that makes me happy.  He naps again before leaving class.  

Class 4.  I'll start with this: I was out of town, with Gregory, and did not practice as I should have.  However, when I asked him to do anything, he did.  He began walking with me off leash.  He responded to hand signals.  Wow, I was impressed.  Bright dog. 

So we go to class and I'm confident my Gregory will do just fine.  Why wouldn't he? 

Indeed, why wouldn't he?  And I'll never know, but he had his teen-ager on and that was all she wrote.  He wouldn't listen to me.  Wouldn't make eye contact.  Wouldn't sit, down, come, much less learn the new commands.  He spit out my treats (this week was hot dogs.)  I asked JD, the instructor, to try with him.  Per-FECT. Seriously.  I tried using her treats.  Nope.  Not gonna happen. They are apparently magical when given by her, but not from me.  You know how kids reach an age where you take them to school and they want to be dropped off a block away? Or they want to eat at their own table at a restaurant? Because being seen with Mom is the worst thing ever?  Well, Gregory, (seriously he did this,) after about 40 minutes of being insolent, walks to the end of his leash and just lays down.  As far away from me as the leash would allow.  As annoyed as I had been in class, I couldn't help but just chuckle.  This is a dog with separation anxiety, who usually lays as close to me as possible and won't let me out of his sight, who only wants to make me happy so I don't ever yell at him like "the pee incident."  I didn't know whether to be hurt or proud.  I settled for amused. And am hoping this is a very short phase. 

My boy is growing up! 

First Day of Spring

"It's as if the Faeries came out last night and decorated!"

This was the comment from my neighbor Kathy this morning. 

I heard her exclaim, "LOOK!" to her husband as she walked out of her front door and saw the tiny little spider webs floating in her shrubs. 

  I think the Faeries (you may prefer to call them Angels) do watch over us sometimes, and on this very foggy First Day of Spring,

 this gift was quite an exquisite vision. 

March 2012

This is a happy home. 

Even more so now that Ernie is home after an 18 month work assignment in Atlanta.  That was a brutal year and a half for him - traveling the world and living in a sparsely furnished apartment, coming home twice a month and not being here during the last year of his beloved Gracie's life.  We can't always control the timing of things in our lives.  We just get to learn to deal with them.  

Two weeks ago I drove to Atlanta in my Toyota van, packed up his apartment during his last days of work, then we loaded up two cars and headed home.  That was one joyous ride, even when it was a long haul to and fro on the highway.  

After two days here, we packed up Sir Gregory, above, and headed to a sweet little cottage on the OBX - and spent 5 days pretty much doing nothing.  It was awesome.  Sir Gregory joined us because 1. he's a pup and can't be trusted and 2. his older fur-sibs couldn't join us and he's a pup and couldn't be left with them.  Long story.  Later, maybe. 

I know.  This isn't exactly Mr. Happy Face, but believe me, he is. 

Any day at the beach is a good day. 

So now we're back home, life is returning to normal, Ernie has returned to work here and I'm ready to get into the studio and paint.  Life is good. 

Sir Gregory and Gabriela, having a playtime discussion

February 2012

This is Gregory.  The latest addition to the Castillo household.  He's the little fella on the right. 

I've had a 3-dog household since b.e. - before Ernie.  Eugene is getting elderly and Gabby is 6, so it's time to add another youngster before neither can tolerate a new addition to the family. 


About a month ago I set my sights on a young hound named Mimi.  Her brother was adopted and she sounded like the perfect dog for our household - loves car rides, gets along with animals and people, housebroken, crate-trained, etc.  I met her at the pet stand and fell in love, although we didn't "connect."  That didn't bother me - she's a hound and they dance to a different beat, quite often.  Then I arranged a visit to the house.  She was awesome with Gabby and they ran around the yard like crazy.  Eugene was fine with her, too.  Then she came inside.  Hoo boy.  What she didn't have was house manners.  That dog was on everything - counters, chairs, after the cat, so busy I could barely keep up with her.  That wasn't a deal breaker at the time, but I did have to consider my upcoming schedule was going to be hectic enough....how was I going to deal with all that energy and corral it when I was not home? After an email to her foster mom and the rescue group founder, it was agreed that timing wasn't great and she deserved a chance for a home if it came along.  I had every intention of adopting her if she was still available after my travels and schedule settled.  


Then along came Dasher. After a few weeks of pondering about Mimi, I saw Dasher's photo in the paper.  (may as well get your coffee - another long story to come.)


Dasher was the last pup of a litter that I had actually seen at my vet's office around November.  They were being neutered and the last one was yowling because his siblings were in other crates after their surgeries and he was alone.  ( I should have made mental note here.) He was adorable and named Rudolph.  I had actually gone on-line to find Rudolph before Minnie was even on my radar, but he was not to be found.  Dasher, Dancer and a couple of others were.


Flash forward to early February.  I'm sitting in my vet's office again with Sass cat for a nail trim.  Out comes a brown dog, and he sits politely at the doc's doorway.  I'm curious, so ask, "Is that one of the reindeer pups?"  answer, "yes, that's Rudy. The (vets) adopted him.  So, this is why I never saw Rudolph online - I think he spent one more night in foster before the Doctors snatched his cuteness up!  "There is one left." Dr. L. tells me.  and that was Dasher, whose image appeared in the paper a few days later and who showed up on my Facebook page when a friend saw him and said "He looks like he could be one of yours."


So, I'll shorten this story and simply say, he's adorable, sweet and not nearly as well-equipped as Minnie for a new home, but calm, peaceful, and quick-smart. We connected instantly at his foster home.  (His Mama dog needs a home and she is sweet, too. If I had room....She is in foster care with Hickory Hill and her name is Bonnie - Mama dog) 
I have always said that my animals find me if I am patient enough and pay attention.  


Dasher came to my house on the 10th of Feb. and didn't go back.  His name is Gregory because it's what he preferred.  (it means attentive, watchful - and he is)  Things fell into place with my schedule and he's been able to travel with me or I've had someone to keep him company while he continues to adjust.  He's been through a lot in just 10 days.  (I'll post about some of that later.)


On Valentine's Day I discovered Gregory was born the same week Gracie died.  Energy and Spirit, reborn.       
(this is an update, March 2012 - Gregory and his litter were born Sept. 30/Oct. 1.  Gracie died October 10.)             


In the meantime, Mimi is still available and if any of you are reading this and love small hounds with lots of personality, please consider giving her a home.  She just needs a little "home-schooling" and she, too, will be the perfect companion.   Mimi  

Why My Paintings are Expensive

I am totally stealing my friend's blog post.  OK, I'm not stealing - I have very strong feelings about using someone else's copyrighted images, posts, etc.  I AM linking so you can go to her blog and read what she has to say.  That is sharing.

Susan Singer is a friend and fellow local artist, who has taken her time to "break it down" and explain why art by professional artists (those of us who try to make a living at it) is so expensive.

I couldn't have done it any better.  Thank you Susan!

Beware, however, before you go there.  Susan paints nudes.

How Can You Charge so Much for a Painting?

Catching Up

Last night I was reading an article in the newspaper that triggered a memory of a friend and former co-worker I've known a long time, but not been in touch with for years.  On a whim, I called her.  It was delightful!  We caught up a bit on each other's lives, but mostly it was the joy of being in touch that left me with smiles.  

She asked what on earth had prompted me to call.  I told her it would make her laugh, and it did.  The article was about a nun who had been a feature film starlet, who had shared Elvis's first on-screen kiss.  I know!  It makes no sense, except to the two of us.  This lovely person, one of the kindest I've ever known, lives a life of deep faith and shares that faith not through preaching or proselytizing, but by example.  Years ago, I had made the mistake of recommending a particular movie that I thought she'd enjoy, but instead she hated, and at the time it made me think she'd have made a wonderful nun.  So upon reading the article my brain synapses started leaping from one connection to another and there she landed in my thoughts. 


My immediate thought was "I need to call." and then I talked myself out of it.  Seconds later, I reminded myself that 1. life is too short  2. I'd already lost more than one dear friend in the last few years 3. I'd love to hear from her if she were to call me and 4. why not?  


The bonus was that while we shared our current lives, another name came up and after we hung up, I called THAT former friend.  Another lovely conversation.  


At the end of both phone calls, each woman said to me, " I am so glad you called.  Thank you.  You made my night."  

Those words made mine.  

Goodbye 2011

I know.  It's been an entire month plus since I've last been on this page.  

Things happen.  

This is to wish all of my blog visitors a Happy New Year.  

2011 was a trying, emotional, changing and even uplifting year in this household.  I was lucky to meet new friends through a variety of means who brought much joy and hope into my life.  I am thankful to have long-time friends who are constant and stable, whom I adore and respect.  I was able to let go of past issues and relationships that brought pain and difficulty.  We said goodbye to our beloved Gracie.  And I began painting again.  Slowly, surely. Creating, painting.  Steadily, if not quickly.  

I hope for us all, on a global level as well as in our tiny places in the world, that 2012 continues to bring hope, changes that are beneficial, kindness and smiles.  I think the world needs a heaping helping of kindness and a whole lot more smiles.  

And on that note, before I get all sappy and boring and goofy, here is my latest painting, delivered in time for Christmas. 

"Rocket"
copyright 2011 AdeleCastillo
allrightsreserved

Quiet

It's been just over a month now that Gracie has been gone.  It's very quiet without her.  As my husband says, she was "A Presence." From the day she entered our household until the day she left.  On her last day she was actually walking in the backyard, barely, and woofing at our neighbor, barely.  She did not give up, ever.  Although I no longer spend much time grieving or weeping, moments like this one, sharing her story, do bring on the tears.  I am simply grateful for the honor of being her human mom and that she was able to have a long, well-lived life.  Not all of Earth's creatures have that.  


Our other two pups and a our cat are fairly quiet, unobtrusive beings.  They like being with us, but are as content to go off napping in other spaces away from us.  This has given me the long awaited opportunity to get back into the studio.  I have so many paintings left undone from a long while ago, and new things to tackle, too.  I was invited to teach a workshop late last month  which, at least for me, was a complete joy to do.  It's been a slow transition back, but it's going well, so far.  I don't anticipate diving head-first back into frantic commission work; that was not a good fit for me, but I am hoping to establish a nice, steady pace. 


Here is a sample of my latest endeavor, still on the easel and not complete.  

 Baci
copyright/all rights reserved/ Adele Castillo

Another Goodbye

Well, damn. 
I just learned that Lucy Hogge, the most well-loved beagle on the planet, died in her human mom's arms this week.

Jacque's Lucy 

Lucy is well-represented in my collection of paintings and has made appearances in two Winery Dogs books among other things.  Lucy was luckily rescued by her human mom, Jacque Hogge of Cooper Vineyards, years ago after being shot, hit by a car and left on the side of the road to die. Every year Cooper Vineyards hosted a Lucy's Weekend event, in honor of her rescue and to benefit the Richmond SPCA.  


Lucy lived a good long life much to the credit of Jacque, who not only rescued and nurtured her, but always respected her as a dog and loved her like a human.  Both Jacque and Lucy are an inspiration for anyone considering rescuing an animal with medical needs.  The two have been nearly inseparable since their meeting and I know the heartache and empty space now that they are apart is difficult terrain to travel.  I know there will be another lucky dog in Jacque's future, but there will never be another Lucy.  

It is Never OK to Lose a Friend

                          “It is never ok to lose a friend.”  

                                                             Nancy Pecsok

No, it isn’t. Nancy could not have summed it up better.  It doesn’t matter if that friend is furry and barks or is hairless and walks upright. 

Gracie Allen, as we dubbed her, was our first fur-baby as a married couple.  Ernie inherited my pups Max, Shadow and Gus, but Max died shortly after our honeymoon.  Gracie came into our lives a few years later. 

A furry pup with boundless energy and a direct stare that early on reflected her intelligence and fearlessness. Of course we fell in love with her and that love affair never ended. She was Ernie’s running companion, sofa-mate and canine love. She was protector of our household, guardian against strangers, FedEX trucks and men with hats. Gracie demanded attention, noticed everything, spoke incessantly, slept fitfully, pranced, ran, danced and commanded respect. Her ears would rotate like radar, listening to everything, always on alert.  Gracie knew tricks, but couldn’t be bothered, was an agility champion, but became bored with the repetition, herded us all until we insisted it was rude.  She believed her job was to protect us and I believe it is what kept her here for so long. She didn’t want to retire and even at the end, she was not pleased that her body was giving up with a vengeance. 

I had to make that call, to end her life with assistance.  It will torture me, although in my head I know with all certainty it was humane. Every weekend when she saw her human daddy, she would rally the energy to pretend nothing was getting to her.  But during the week she would physically decline.  Getting around was more difficult and I could see her heart pumping through her ribs. The tumor had made it difficult for Gracie to breathe and eat and whatever nutrition she was receiving must have been gobbled up by that foreign creature in her throat.  Half of her body weight was gone.  

Even as we sat in the vet’s office, waiting for that last injection, she’d look at me, panting heavily, as if to say, “I don’t have to leave now...I can stay. I am willing to stay.”  

Well I was, too, willing for her to stay, but her body was done. I have no doubt she could have continued and now thankfully I will never know what kind of pain or torture she’d be willing to suffer to remain with us. Gracie never once indicated that she was suffering.  I can’t help but believe she was, and enduring it all with the silent grace that was her legacy. 

Gracie Allen, Pooterhead, Baby Girl, our pooh-bear.  Oh my goodness we miss her so.  I know she’s hovering around, still guarding us all, but at least she’s shed that dilapidated body that no longer served her sweet soul.  

Gracie Allen Castillo

It was with a heavy heart that we quietly said goodbye to Gracie Allen Castillo this evening, October 10, about 6:20 p.m.  Our entire household mourns the passing of a truly independent and amazing spirit.  

I will share her final chapter in days to come. 

In Honor of Rob

Tomorrow, October 6, it will have been a year since our friend Rob was murdered.  He was shot for no reason other than he was there, in the wrong place at the wrong time, for some young, hopeless gang member to kill in order to prove he was worthy of the gang.  Word of Rob’s death came directly from his wife, and how she was able to make that call to us, and likely to a number of others that day, is beyond me. When she told me he’d been shot, my only words were “oh my god.” repeatedly. I stammered, not knowing quite what to ask or to say, until she finally said, “Adele, he’s dead.”  I can’t even get this far in writing about it a year later without crying. 

Rob’s death hit us hard.  Harder than we might have imagined, if we’d ever imagined such a thing happening to him.  To anyone we knew.  Senseless. So ridiculously senseless.  Rob’s death left behind a tsunami of hurt and grief and changed the landscape of the lives of not only his family and friends, but also of each perpetrator involved.  How can they not have known that when (not if) they were caught, that their lives would never, ever, NEVER be the same, that they’d never have the opportunity to turn things around?  I cannot imagine the kind of life that leads a 19 year old young man - teen- to such a conclusion that his life may as well be over, why not take out a few others before it is?  

Rob was my husband’s childhood friend.  He grew up around Rob’s family, almost an honorary brother.  Ernie was first a friend of Rob’s older brother, since they were closer in age, and Ernie was a part of that brother’s wedding party.  As years passed, Rob and Ernie naturally became pals and eventually Rob was the best man in our wedding.  Rob married a year before we did and we all got along well. Rob was the kind of gentle giant who was always there to lend a hand, to share a laugh and a beer, to cheer you on in whatever endeavor you plunged into.  Rob loved people and had a heart larger than life.  He had found his love, his Becky, and he was a happy man at peace with the world he inhabited.  We had no idea how many lives he had touched until we attended his funeral. This was a beloved man with no enemies. His family meant the most to him, above all else, but he always had time for anyone else and I doubt he ever knew a stranger.  

Rob’s death has left Becky a widow.  She still grieves profoundly and likely will for a long while. Who can blame her?  Isn’t it enough that she daily endures the emotional turmoil of losing her husband to such a violent end, but also must wade through the murky waters of revenge, of “being a good Christian” while wanting to see Rob’s killers brought to a severe justice.  Life has turned her world upside down.  No one can fix it or make it better or bring her peace, although we wish that we could.  We all grieve for the loss of a good man.  But she will grieve endlessly for the loss of her lifetime companion.  There cannot possibly be any justice. 

Rob, we miss you terribly and profoundly.  May your place in the Universe now be one of peace, love and beauty. 

Classes / Workshops

One of my continuous students has asked to take a new approach to her painting....she basically wants to start anew with some basics.  So I am putting together some lessons on composition, perspective and the elements of design. 


I've also been invited to teach a Color Theory workshop.  whew...that's an entire college course there, but I like challenges, so am having fun reviewing old notes, books etc. to put together something fun and informative for a 5 hour class.  I know.....zzzzzzz.  But it's COLOR so it has to be fun.  I need to replace the word "theory." 


More info to come as plans /dates are refined and set.