Hope

"Hope is the ability to hear the melody of the future." - unknown author

"Hope"

This piece began as a quick pencil sketch, then ink over that, and then it sat for a while as I pondered what to do next. I kept feeling like I should finish her out, adding color to her entirety, but my inner voice kept saying, "Leave her be." And I did...all except for the heart as it was sending echos of a piece I did in early November ("Your heart knows the way. Run in that direction.")

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Let me know if you're interested in a print of this piece.

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Your heart knows the way. Run in that direction.

I tend to keep my political leanings separate from my art...but as I was nearing the end of this painting, just two days before the election, apparently my subconscious had a different plan. It started popping out at me bit by bit. The white of her dress (as well as the green and purple in the background) a tribute to the suffrage movement. The heart blue as I dream the electoral map will be. The protective placement of the heart, because, well, you know. The silver hair representing the wisdom of the choice she's making. The background chaotic as all the craziness that this electoral season has been, though she remains clear and focused.

My friends, vote with your heart. Vote with your intellect. Vote.

"Your heart knows the way. Run in that direction."

-Rumi

"Your heart knows the way. Run in that direction."

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.

Little Blue

If this painting looks familiar, there's a really good reason why.

When the rains caused flooding in Texas recently, a sweet little guy lost everything in his room when the water took over his house. One of those things was one of my paintings. So this is my redo. Little Blue is back and ready to sing!

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

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Fourth of July - Part 2

This was such a fun one to paint. Not only am I madly in love with the actual kiddos pictured, but I love, love, loved everything that it says about their sweet sibling relationship.

And I felt like I'd truly captured them when my kid came up to me and said this.

Big guy: "I'd totally know who that was even though their faces aren't shown."

Made my heart swell.


Here's the completed piece and below are my final steps to getting there. The edges of the canvas are painted black.

"Fourth of July" completed piece

I refined the stars, widened her shirt, and painted
over the wrinkles I had on the red on her.

I redid the wrinkles and added some details
to the sidewalk.

I added a few more details to the hydrant, sidewalk, and greenery,
and did a yellowish wash over the entire sidewalk.

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Fourth of July - Part 1

When my wonderful brother and his family were in town recently he showed me a picture of his beautiful kiddos from the last fourth of July.

Me: "Send that to me, I want to paint it!"

I painted the background gray, sketched
the image, and started adding color.

I added more colors and features.
It's acrylic, not watercolors.
Those were just on the table from another project.

I started working on flesh tones and clothing wrinkles.
Beside it is the image I was working from.
It's an altered version of the original photo.
Altering it helps me in the beginning stages of painting.

I think her shirt is too narrow and there are a few other things that don't feel quite right, but it'll wait until tomorrow. Excited to add more details, too!

This photo makes me think of how we celebrated the fourth of July when I was a kiddo. I don't remember ever dressing in red, white, and blue, but I do remember going down to the the fireworks on Town Lake and how when the cannons boomed during the "1812 Overture" I felt like my heart skipped a beat. Good family fun! And now, as an adult, I live where I can actually see the fireworks from my house...if I don't mind standing in the middle of my street and looking over a bunch of trees. Works for me...and my dog, who prefers that we stay home during the fireworks, thank you very much.

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Sweet Inspiration

I've been actively weaning my kids of the "mom will prepare all of my snacks and meals" problem they both seem to have.


Kid: "Mom, I'm hungry."

Me: "Nope."

Kid: "Mom, will you make me a...."

Me: "Nope."

Kid: "Mom, do we have any dessert?"

Me: "Nope."


And the next thing I know my little guy baking a cake, icing it, and declaring it his dad's birthday cake (a day late, but way ahead of any plans I had hatched).


Nice to know this particular problem has a cure!

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In Flight

I had the close encounter with a mosquito today. It was in the school's bathroom flying around. As soon as I did my business and flushed I tried to get that mosquito. Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Miss...miss...miss...miss.

I gave up and left. And then I had to explain to the woman in the workroom outside of the bathroom that I was not, in fact, applauding for myself for a job well done.

I think she believed me. Maybe.


This painting is another in the style of Marie Laurencin that I've worked on as part of a class I'm taking. 

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Blue on Blue

I did some jean patching today. It's the sort of thing that's in my sewing skill set.

Dave loves his jeans. He loves them so much that he's rarely, if ever, willing to part with them. So when his beloved jeans get a hole in them, well, I patch 'em. And patch 'em. And patch 'em. One of the jeans is pretty new on the wear scene and it now only sports one patch. Another has two. But the current granddaddy has eight patches. Eight! And those patches are all different shades of blue. And those jeans are my husband's favorite.

And I love this about him.

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Waiting Blissfully

I took my little guy and my niece to an ice skating rink the other day. I didn't skate because, well, basically I'm a wimp. I don't like to be cold. Ice skates make my feet hurt. And most of all, I don't like to fall on really hard surfaces (which always happens).

But those young'uns had a blast. And while they skated seemingly endless ovals, I blissfully waited, watched, and videotaped. Good times were had by all.


I drew this piece back in October when I was visiting my brother's family and I accidentally left this and one more drawing. My adorable niece found them and when they came last week they brought them. It was so much fun painting it after all this time!

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!

Can't Blame the Mouth when the Mind goes First

I've been out of school for a long time.  A really, really long time.  So long that I am officially unable to even remember the subjects.

I get put to the test most evenings with my little guy's homework.  I go into nag mode as that's what the situation seems to require these days....


Me:  "Have you done your biology homework?"

Little guy:  "I didn't have any."

Me:  "Did you do your English homework?'

Little guy:  "I will soon."

Me:  "Did you do your ge...aaaaaah...."

Little guy:  "I don't have a 'ge...aaaaaah' class."


And I have no idea if I was aiming for geometry or geography...not a clue.  Alls I know is I certainly wasn't getting there anytime soon.

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