Inspired by van Gogh

Every once in a while I set out to create a painting that I totally intend to keep and not offer for sale. I had this tiny framed canvas and easel. I never think about framing my own work, so the tiny frame made me think of the master painters. I've long admired van Gogh's work and, bonus, my brother is named after him...and sunflowers are my favorite...well, it was a no brainer. So here's my tiny van Gogh inspired sunflower piece. It's only 3"x2.5" and I love it!

"Inspired by van Gogh"

It's going to go great sitting on my mother's furniture.

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.

Tiny Bouquet

Good things come in small packages. 

At least 5' tall me likes to think so. :-)

"Tiny Bouquet"

Original available here for $25.

3.75"x3.5"x.5" on wood leftover from a friend's woodworking project.

Edges painted and ready to hang.

Prints available on request.

(Printed image may be slightly cropped for printing purposes.) 

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.

Love and Bubbles

"Love and Bubbles"

Miniature easel included in the purchase price.

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.

State of Peace

Peace...not so much of that other kind of piece.

Stay tuned for more Texas themed art! 

"State of Peace"

Miniature easel included in the purchase price.

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.

Yellow Rose of Texas 1

I've lived in Texas almost 50 years, and even though her politics make me grouchy at times, I can't help but love this big state of ours. (And, yes, the state being blue...subtle touch, right?...is a dream of mine.)

Stay tuned for more Texas themed art!

"Yellow Rose of Texas 1"

Miniature easel included in the purchase price.

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.

Through the Eyes of a Child

Life can be magical through the eyes of a child.

Except when it's not.

"Through the Eyes of a Child"

Miniature easel included in the purchase price.

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.

Motion in Stillness

We all have super powers. Today I found out that hummingbirds can hover, and fly backward and upside-down. I think that's pretty awesome. I love discovering the super powers...we all have them, you know.

"Motion in Stillness"

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.

Scars Tell our Story

Scars tell our story...sometimes you can see them and sometimes you can't.

Through October 20th I will be donating 50% of my original art sales to the Citizens' Climate Lobby (CCL), Texas 21 Chapter. More information may be found here. Let's make the climate great again!

"Scars Tell our Story"

Miniature easel included in the price of the painting.

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.

Eruption

Volcanoes symbolize creativity, rebirth, energy...as well as destruction and violence. As will all things, all people, all experiences, there are at least two sides.

Through October 20th I will be donating 50% of my original art sales to the Citizens' Climate Lobby (CCL), Texas 21 Chapter. More information may be found here. Let's make the climate great again!

"Eruption"

Miniature easel included in the price of the painting.

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.

Illuminate the World

"You have to find what

sparks a light in you so

that you, in your own way,

can illuminate the world."

-Oprah Winfrey

"Illuminate the World"

Miniature easel included in the purchase price.

  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.

The Buddha Walks Among Us

I've often heard it posited, "We wouldn't recognize Jesus if he walked among us." But I've never heard anyone wonder the same about the Buddha. Perhaps it's just because I live in the states, Texas no less. But as I worked on this piece, at first a sketch that quite resembled the Buddha as I think of him, then morphing into someone who would fit in quite well here in Austin, it made me wonder.

"The Buddha Walks Among Us"

And here it is on its miniature easel. 

 And if you're curious, this is my original sketch.

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.

Three Times the Love

So here was the little guy's plan for tonight.


5:30 - Workout at the gym with mom.

6:30 - Go shopping a the thrift store.

7:00 - Go back to the gym for a second workout.

8:00 - Go to Target.

8:30 - Go back to the gym for, yes, a third workout.


Now while the kid gets major points for both working out with his mom (me) and for wanting to go thrifting, I'm choosing to be a total spoil sport and here is the plan that I say I'm willing to do.


6:30 - Go shopping at the thrift store.

7:30 - Workout at the gym with mom.


Little guy: "OK, I think a light workout is good tonight."


An hour workout is a "light" workout. Being 48 is so different than being 16.

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!

My Heart Swells

It was like old times today.

When my kids were little we'd all load up in my car, or on our bicycles, and head up to the neighborhood elementary school. I worked there as a teacher and they learned there as students. It was an awesome one-stop-shopping experience. And then my big guy moved on to middle and high school, and then my little guy did the same, and then I was left at the elementary school all alone (not counting all of the students and staff that remained, of course).

But today my big guy was subbing for the woman I work with and my little guy was there volunteering for track and field...there we all were under one big roof again!

My day was made!

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!

Love and Wisdom

My big guy turned twenty yesterday. It was a rather lovely pairing having my first born's birthday occur on Mother's Day. I'm usually not one to go in for celebrating that holiday, but celebrating the birth of my kid...well, that's the best way to celebrate being a mother.

And I celebrate all that he has been, all that he is, and all that he will be. Love you, kiddo!


This was a special request from my open studio tour over the weekend. Hoooooo knew that owls were so popular?

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!

Say "Hello" to my Little Friend

So a funny thing happened during WEST. One of my owl paintings was bought on Saturday...and the next morning this little fella hatched.

HUGE thanks to everyone that stopped by this weekend!!! Dave and I loved every second of it. If you missed it this weekend, please come see us next weekend. Click here for studio tour info.

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!

The Wonder of Quilts

I painted this miniature quilt for a lovely friend of mine whom I've had the great pleasure of working with for the past eleven years. Lucky, lucky me!!! Oh, and she happens to also be a fabulous quilter.


But then, of course, my mind wanders as I gaze upon this wee little quilt. You see, I had a fabulous quilt experience just this morning. We had a washing machine mishap as I was about to leave for work this morning. Last night I'd cleaned out the little filter thing and I thought I'd gotten it completely back in...but the water rushing out of our laundry room told a completely different story.

I ran and got towels. I ran and woke up Dave. I ran and got more towels...and more towels...and more towels! And even with every bath towel we owned spread around on our floor, it was not enough.

So I ran and got two of our quilts. And those quilts had some super soaker soaking up power!

And then my mind wandered again and I thought, "Now I get why toilet paper is 'quilted'!"

...Yup, my early morning "aha" moment.

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!

Surrounded by Love

Last weekend I attended a reception at a gallery where some of my art is on display. It was incredibly wonderful. The most delightful folks were there...other artists (my mom among them) and folks that appreciated art (my husband among them). It was positively blissful to be in a space filled with such a love for art.

Honored, humbled, and deeply grateful....

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!

Noticing...

I went to the main grocery store in my hood today after school.  It's the grocery store where I go to buy, for lack of a better word, crap.

Yes, there are things on our shopping list that the family wants but I can't find at my preferred stores.


Anyway, at this particular store, where I often feel thankful that there's security on the premises, I always find myself gifted with awesome/strange/beautiful happenings, and this afternoon was no exception.


- I saw a fella pick up what looked like a wallet and immediately take it to a lady who had just gotten in her car (bonus points because she is a friend of mine and we'd just chatted...though I hadn't noticed the dropped wallet).

- I saw a family posing for a photo in front of a display of toilet paper...on purpose!

- I saw a lady who was likely in her 70s with pink and gray hair...I want to be her when I grow up!


Good times!

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!

Lit Up

Year after year we've put lights up on the outside of our house for the holiday season...sometimes a big display of lights and sometimes small.  But for some reason, last year Dave and I never got around to it at all.  Now it wouldn't have been any big deal except for that our house is on a corner and all three of the other corners were lit up.  We felt the friendly pressure, though not enough to actually do anything about it. And one night we came home and our house had lights!  One of our delightful neighbors had decorated one of our bushes.

So what did I do today? Well, I ran out front and wrapped one of our trees in the very same lights that my neighbor had given us last year.

Feeling quite festive and accomplished...and sparkly.

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!

Blissfully Frozen

Due to the kid's athletics schedule these days we find ourselves out and about during the wee hours of the morning when it's still around freezing temps.  We heat up a blanket in the dryer, get in the car, snuggle up, and we're off.  And we always...always...see tons of people working out on our way.  Some are running, some are doing yoga, and some are doing some sort of boot camp/crossfit thing. 


Little guy:  "I'm concerned about these people's mental health, mom."

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!