Archive for September, 2007

Rainy in the Sun

Cedar September 27th, 2007

Here’s a portrait of a beautiful and well-loved dog named Rainy.

Rainy in the Sun
16″ x 12″ Acrylic on Canvas

rainy in the sun

I’ve been spending a lot of time in my head lately. I’m reading The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell and it’s fascinating.

This weekend I’ll be hiking about 20 miles through the mountains of western Maryland with my husband and friends. We’re going to hike in, camp out for one night, then hike out. I’m not the one planning it, so I’m not sure exactly what trail(s) we are doing, but we are going to sleep in hammocks. We’ll have to find a stream for water and boil it so it’s safe to drink. This will be my first time backwoods camping. I’m definitely going to eat well and sleep well before venturing out on this expedition!

I’ve got home improvement projects on my mind–I’m slowly but surely working up the momentum to get my bedroom painted, and to work on some landscaping in my yard before the weather turns cold.

Speaking of cold weather, if you’d like to commission a painting from me and have it in time to give as a Christmas or Hanukah gift, now is the time to talk to me.

Nothing makes a more unique and memorable gift than a work of original art, custom-made with one special person’s tastes and interests in mind. (Believe me, I know–I’ve given this type of gift a lot over the years!)

give the gift of art

If (and only if) you are subscribed to this blog, you are eligible for a discount on Holiday Season Commissions–so subscribers, ask and you shall receive! (Email me for info.)

Slide Show!

Cedar September 20th, 2007

Good Buddy

Cedar September 17th, 2007

Here is a new painting, a commission. This is Buddy, a sweet canine soul who passed away several months ago and is dearly missed by his family. I could tell by looking at his photo that he was indeed a great “buddy.”

Buddy 16″ x 12″ Acrylic on Canvas

buddy

It’s a sad fact of life that dogs don’t live as long as people…they are such good friends to us and it is so hard to lose them when they die. But for the time that we have them with us, they make things better in so many ways.

On a recent trip to WNC (Western North Carolina) to drop off new artwork at my gallery in Waynesville, my husband and I took my little brother and sister and some of their friends camping for a night. My husband took this photo of my youngest brother (16 years my junior) with our dog, Clara.

buddies

How could I not be a dog person?

I want to share one more picture with you. I worked for a jewelry company for many years before I went full-time with my painting, and I still design a lot of my own jewelry. Here is a necklace I designed for my friend Leann, to wear on her wedding day. It’s made of freshwater pearls, garnet, black onyx, swarovski crystal, and sterling silver. (Her dress is going to be white with black and red accents.)

leann necklace

September 20th will be the 10-year anniversary of the day I met my husband, Kevan!
And the 23rd is the autumnal equinox!

It is really starting to feel like autumn now, where I live. The air has been cool and clear, the sun and the blue sky have taken on that crisp, intensely bright quality, and more and more trees are starting to change color. There’s been a cool breeze, and I’ve been listening to my wind chimes. Change is literally in the air.

In anticipation of colder weather, I did a little research and discovered a new & superior way of making hot chocolate. You won’t see me using any of those silly cocoa mixes this winter. I’ll be getting bricks of high-quality dark chocolate, grating them, and melting them in a pot of milk (or soymilk) with cinnamon and a dash of cayenne for that Aztec punch.

Sorry for the lack of updates lately…I’ve been seriously neglecting my blog. The combination of a business trip, automotive woes, home improvement projects, re-evaluation of finances, and hosting of a party on top of all my usual work & home responsibilites has put “updating my website” on the back-burner these past weeks. But it’s temporary. (I think.)