Rise Above

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Rise Above"

8"x8" on 1.5" deep canvas

painted edges, ready to hang 

All works are copyrighted and all rights are reserved by the artist.

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Prints of many of my paintings are available in my Etsy shop. 

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

I'd love to hear from you...feel free to leave me a comment.

An Uneasy Hope

I've been inspired by angels lately. Their mystery and beauty fascinates me so. I imagine that if they're there they are watching and waiting to see how this new year unfolds...perhaps filled with an uneasy hope.

Personally, I'm filled with an abundance of hope. For me there's no other choice. May everyone's 2017 be filled with love, learning, joy, fulfillment, and reflection. xoxo

"An Uneasy Hope"

This original painting is available in my online gallery.

Most of my paintings are for sale and I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.
I'd love to hear from you...feel free to leave me a comment.  

Click here to purchase my paintings.

I Hear Angels Sing

"While the place that I've arrived at in my life 

may not precisely be everyone's idea of heavenly, 

I could swear sometimes -- I hear angels sing."

Carrie Fisher

I started this painting the day Carrie Fisher died, and her mother, Debbie Reynolds, died on the day I completed it. My Princess Leia action figures were there every step of the way.

"I Hear Angels Sing"

My Princess Leia action figures watching over the beginning layers.

This original painting is available in my online gallery.

Most of my paintings are for sale and I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.
I'd love to hear from you...feel free to leave me a comment.  

Click here to purchase my paintings.

Angel

I've always been fascinated by angels. I remember as a child finding them so intriguing and magical, in spite of, or perhaps because of my upbringing which was void of religious teachings.

"Angel"

The original painting is available in my online gallery.

I haven't set up prints of this painting, but if you're interested,

please let me know and I can make that happen.

Most of my paintings are for sale and I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.
I'd love to hear from you...feel free to leave me a comment.  

Click here to purchase my paintings. 

This painting was inspired by the work of Pauline Agnew.

Close to her Heart

Loved creating her! I used all different kinds of media...ink sprays, alcohol ink, Posca pens, acrylics, graphite. I loved how the ink sprays and alcohol ink insisted on their presence being known and refused to be covered. It lent to the translucent quality of the figure. I've never done an upward facing figure so this was so much fun to work on (and through as it took a while). I'm super happy with how she turned out. She exudes light and love. 

 

Click here to view my gallery 

Most of my paintings are for sale and I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

I'd love to hear from you...feel free to leave me a comment.

This painting is part of a year-long online art class (instructor Renata Loree).

 

 

Jaz

I had a bit of an artistic block during this painting. It was on my easel for about two weeks. I stared at her many different times on different days and found myself walking away...until one day when it all seemed to start coming together. Love when that happens.

And a wonderful friend and fellow artist called her "Jaz" as I had reflected that I hadn't been feeling very jazzed during my block. Love that name dearly!

"Jaz"

Click here to view my gallery 

Most of my paintings are for sale and I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

I'd love to hear from you...feel free to leave me a comment.

This painting is part of a year-long online art class (instructor Tamara LaPorte).

Dreamer - Part 3

"Dreamer"

I neglected to document the final stages of this painting. In addition to giving her wavy hair and adding some green to the background, I painted over her right eye at least five times as I tried and tried to get that eye right...not too heavy, not too light, just right. I'm not sure it's "just right", but it is right enough. I like that her face isn't that of complete serenity. There's just the slightest touch of angst. Just like in all of us.

Click here to view my gallery.  Most of my paintings are for sale and I welcome commissions.

I'd love for you to share my art and blog with the links below.  Thanks!

I'm running a big sale on my paintings through the end of August. Almost everything in my gallery is 60% off. I'm only keeping my most current work (paintings on page 1) at the listed prices. If there's something you'd like, please let me know by message or comment so I can manually adjust the price. Thanks!!! http://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/kali-parsons-3935/artwork

Dreamer - Part 2

My little guy got some chips today at a Subway. They were biscuit and gravy flavored. Have you ever heard of such a thing? They had other crazy flavors, too, but I only offered to pay for one bag and that's the one he picked. Against my better judgment, I tried one of them. And you know what? Those crazy chips did taste exactly like biscuits and gravy. I felt like I was on some futuristic TV show where I ordered a meal in a pill form and it tasted like the meal I wanted. While I can't really recommend them as a yummy addition to any meal, I will definitely recommend them as a weird space-age taste experience.


I've continued working on this painting but I'm not ready to call it done. I still have work to do on her. I like the direction it's heading, though. Maybe tomorrow will be "finish" day.

I extended her chin lower and added more color
to her hair. I also added more ribbons.

I added a brown tone to her hair.

I added even more brown and lengthened her eyelashes.
I think they're too thick and dark. I also added
pink to the ribbons and darkened her lips.

I lightened her lashes and worked on the background a bit.

Click here to view my gallery.  Most of my paintings are for sale and I welcome commissions.

I'd love for you to share my art and blog with the links below.  Thanks!

I'm running a big sale on my paintings through the end of August. Almost everything in my gallery is 60% off. I'm only keeping my most current work (paintings on page 1) at the listed prices. If there's something you'd like, please let me know by message or comment so I can manually adjust the price. Thanks!!! http://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/kali-parsons-3935/artwork

Blissful Sleep

I took the best nap EVER the other day. Don't even try to tell me that you've taken a better nap, it's simply not possible. So, if you want to have the best nap ever, let me tell you exactly what to do.


1. Place your pillow in the middle of the couch.

2. Rest your calves on the arm rest.

3. Tell you husband that it's NOT okay to tickle your feet (yes, your shoes must be off during this nap).

4. Ask your husband to put your dog on top of you so you have an 80+ pound blanket of love.

5. Wait five minutes for your dog to fall asleep and begin softly snoring.

6. Close your eyes and tune out the background noise of whatever T.V. show your husband happens to be watching ("Once Upon a Time" in this case, but any show will do).

7. Fall asleep.


I promise it'll be your best nap ever...now go give it a go.

Click here to view my gallery.  Most of my paintings are for sale.

 

I'd love for you to share my art and blog with the links below.  Thanks!

Meant to Fly

I do so love chatting with strangers.  Late yesterday I was walking my dog and caught up with a lovely woman with enchanting tattoos and a fabulous skirt.


Me:  "I like your wings and your bird."  She had wings on the outside of her ankles and a bird rounding her neck.

Lovely woman:  "Thank you...but they don't make me walk any faster."

Me:  "That's because you were meant to fly."

Click here to view my gallery.  Most of my paintings are for sale.

 

I'd love for you to share my art and blog with the links below.  Thanks!

It's Good to be a Girl

It's good to be the only girl in the house.  One particular way has surfaced just recently.  And it revolves around laundry. 

Every time there's clean laundry a battle ensues.  A "That's mine!" battle.  The thing is, both of my boys and my husband now all wear approximately the same size shirts and shorts.  And they have no qualms about taking each other's clean clothing out of piles or drawers. 

Me?  Well, no one wants any part of mine...the girly, frilly, lacy, pastely, polka dotty, flowery, and tiny.  And that's awesome.

This is part of my Hallway Project.

Click here to check out my gallery.

I'd love for you to share my art and blog with the links below.  Thanks!

Losing my Street Cred...Dr. Who Style

So I lost all my street cred yesterday.  My Dr. Who street cred, that is.

Yesterday my little guy and I had the opportunity to come upon a number of Dr. Who elements.  And here's why I lost my street cred...apparently being close, but not exact, is very much uncool.


What I said:  "Oh, cool, there's a crying angel."
What I should have said:  "Oh, cool, there's a Weeping Angel."

What I said:  "Look!  The 3-D printer is making a phone booth."
What I should have said:  "Look!  The 3-D printer is making a TARDIS."

What I said:  "Stand by the Oobleck so I can take a picture of you."
What I should have said:  "Stand by the Dalek so I can take a picture of you."


P.S. I was also told that by using the words "street cred" I'd already lost my credibility just by saying that.

 Click here to purchase this painting.

I'd love for you to share my art and blog with the links below.  Thanks!

The Journey

I save critters.  A lot of them.  Everything from ants to cockroaches (yes, but only a few) to baby squirrels, to baby possums, to cats and dogs.  I'm a bit of an Ellie Mae Clampett.  I like that about me.

The other day when I was driving through Zilker Park I spied a turtle on the side of the road.  I had a few thoughts go through my head, and they went like this:


"Oh, little turtle, don't try to cross the street."

"Oh, gee, if I stop I'll be super late to where I'm going."

"You're going to hate yourself if you don't go back."

"OK, OK, I'm looping around."


All that dialogue took about ten seconds and I was to the spot where I could loop around.  And I did.  I pulled past the turtle, got out of my car, and walked back to where it was...exactly where I'd seen it.  I was hopeful as I approached, but as I got to it it was clear that it had already been mortally wounded, long before I'd first passed.

As it was positioned just a foot or so off of the road I decided that being right near the road while cars zoomed past while baking in the heat was just too awful.  I picked this beautiful creature up and carried it down to a quiet spot near some water.  It was already dead so perhaps there was no point, but I told the red slider what a lovely creature it was and wished it well on its journey. 

Click here to purchase this painting.

I'd love for you to share my art and blog with the links below.  Thanks!

The Fuzz

So sometimes I let my imagination get the best of me.  And somehow it always ends up just being a humbling humiliating experience.  Believe me, I'm not new at this game.  (Check out my worst episode here.) 

Anyway, I was at the gym and I kept noticing that when I was lifting weights over my head I was getting looks.  I'm thinking...

"What, is some hot chick behind me?"

"Do I have a booger in my nose?"

"Could it possibly be that my muscles are getting awesome?!?!"

So I walked back to the locker room with just a bit of a hop in my step.  I stood at the sink to wash my hands, then raised my arms up to take the big honkin' clip outa my hair, and...

OH MY GOSH, you've never seen so much black shirt fuzz stuck in armpits...ever!

Me:  "Oh."

Ah, well....

Click here to purchase this painting.

I'd love for you to share my art and blog with the links below.  Thanks!

The Mother Archetype

I've just completed the second in a series of feminine archetypes as part of an amazing class I'm taking.  This one represents the mother archetype.  (Click here to see the first one I did and information on the class.)

I kept envisioning mothering our children even after our mothers or we as mothers are gone.  The mother is ghostly and mothering from beyond.  The child is still full of life...and still being mothered.

And I have to admit that this is the first painting I've ever painted that actually turned out just as I'd imagined.  At almost 1000 paintings, that's kind of amazing to me.  Not that I've never done it before...rather that I actually did it! 

Here's to all you mothers, both still on earth and those beyond.

Click here to check out my gallery.

I Officially Dread Paybacks

I've always thought I had a tough scalp.  I rather prided myself on it.  But for some reason the other day my kid grabbed my brush and started brushing my hair.  Super sweet, right?  Well, I found out that I'm not that tough after all.

It freakin' hurt!

Now, a little about my hair.  It's naturally curly.  A little about me.  I brush my hair pretty much never.  One more thing about my hair.  It forms lovely little dreadlocks whilst I'm neglecting it.

And...I am, post brushing, currently dreadlocks free.  Technically I still own them as they were brushed out intact.


My hair brushing little guy:  "Remember how much I hated it when you used to brush out my long hair?  It felt just like this."  His hair was curly just like mine, formed dreadlocks just like mine, and he never brushed it either.  Though I would on the rarest of occasion, sometimes brush dreadlocks out intact.


Oy, paybacks are a wee bit hellish.

Click here to purchase this painting.

Letting them Just be Normal

Somehow I've managed to have three celebrity encounters in the past few weeks.  All of them involved me saying "Hi," and then having this "gosh they look familiar" feeling, and then figuring it out.  All of which happened in a matter of seconds.

I could have talked with them more had I wanted to.  I could've begged for a selfie with them.  I could've taken a stealth photo of them on the sneak.  I could've called someone and said, "Hey, you'll never guess who's here!!!" And I could've even said, "Hey, I got to be on your show a few episodes back!"  (Tis true.)

But I didn't.  They were out just being normal.  Out with their kid.  Out with their dog.  Out with a pal.  Out happening to be enjoying the very same little life experience that I was enjoying. 

I hope they get to just be normal...a lot.

Click here to purchase this painting.

Getting Caught

I took Hazel for a walk/run last night.  Yes, I'd looked at the weather forecast.  Yes, I got my east and west wackbirds.  And yes, the big band of rain caught us.

Now it wouldn't have been such an issue if the beginning of the walk hadn't been so wacky.  You see, my kid followed us out the door.

Little guy:  "Catch mom."

Me:  "No, I'm heading out, I don't want to lose the sun."

Little guy:  "Just catch once and throw it back."


I gave in and caught, then threw back.  It was a bad throw.


Little guy:  "It has to be a good catch and a good throw, mom.


By now we're half way down the block because, yes, I did keep walking s-l-o-w-l-y.

He threw again.  It went to the left of me.  I kept walking.

He ran and grabbed the ball.


Little guy:  "No, wait!  Catch!"


He threw again.  I caught.  I threw, beautifully I must add.  And he caught.


Me:  "OK, see ya!"  And Hazel and I ran off.


About fifteen minutes later the sky got dark, scary, and lightningy.  And then it rained.  I didn't mind a bit.  I rather loved it.  But my glasses seriously need windshield wipers.  Hazel?  Well, every bit of the walk/run from then on was simply wrong.  Water landing on her - wrong.  Running through muddy puddles - wrong.  Mom insisting that she keep going when all she wanted to do was stay in a dry spot under a tree - wrong.

We got home and the little guy came out of his room.


Little guy:  "You got all wet, mom."

Me:  "Yup.  You think my send-off had anything to do with that?"


And then he smiled and gave me a hug.  I might just suggest a game of catch tonight.

Click here to purchase this painting.

Warrior Princess

If you know me, you likely know I'm fart phobic (click here for proof)...particularly when it comes to yoga.  Seriously, it's on my "won't do" list.  But last night I conquered my fears.  I downward dogged, I child posed, I warriored, I saluted the sun...and I got through it with nary an issue.  Oh, and did I mention that they also had us in partners, actually touching strangers?!?!  Well, I got through that, too, without hyperventilating and passing out or anything.

Seriously feeling like that warrior I posed as.  Can't wait to do it again!

Click here to purchase this painting.

Thanks for "liking" my blog posts!!