i'm mostly ok

This sweet owl emerged from a writing prompt I did during an Art Spark Texas meeting. The very first layer of this painting is a letter I wrote to young me about how something about me then was going to be a superpower for me during COVID times. So I wrote a letter to young Kali, who loved to hang out on her roof behind the chimney where no one could see her, and how good she was at being in her own company. Back then I'd bring dolls, art supplies, books and more up on the roof and entertain myself in the shadow of the chimney as long as the sun allowed. I was OK then, mostly. And I'm mostly OK, now, too.

"i'm mostly ok"

Mixed Media

Original available for $85.

16"x12" on watercolor paper

Prints available on request.

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

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

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

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

Rainbow Owls

I'm embracing my inner child with a series of whimsical paintings.

"Rainbow Owls"

Original available here for $36.

9.75"x7.5" on deconstructed watercolor journal paper

Prints available on request.

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

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.

The Owl and the Moon

Friends may be found in the most unlikely places. Look behind you. They might be right there.

"The Owl and the Moon"

Original available here for $45.

12"x12" on a previously used canvas.

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.

Moonlight Mates

"A friend may be waiting

behind a stranger's face."

-Maya Angelou

"Moonlight Mates"

8"x8"

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.

Be an Owl

Being human is exhausting. So be an owl.

Saw that quote today...made me smile. I used to draw a version of this fella all the time years ago. So nice to see him again!

"Be an Owl"

Acrylic and Charcoal

12"x12"

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.

Wise One

"Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening

when you'd have preferred to talk."

-Doug Larson

"Wise One"

Please come visit me and my art during the East Austin Studio Tour!

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.

Whoooo's that, Mama?

And...in honor of Superb Owl Sunday!

This started as a painting in the class I'm currently taking but I wasn't grooving on the lesson so I went a different direction and ended up with these two cuties. I adore owls.

"Whoooo's that, Mama?"

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.

Kept me Safe at Night - Part 2

I've been staring at my childhood nightlight a lot the last two days. It's a funny thing how desperately I needed light on as a kid while I slept, especially when you consider how much as an adult I can't stand any light being on at all. My sleeping style these days? It's all under cover. Sometimes it feels like I may have some oxygen deprivation issues, but it seems I'll choose darkness over breathable air any day.

I finished my owl nightlight painting. I loved painting something I've cherished for over forty years. It resides on the very desk I'm typing at at this very moment. Still watching over me after all this time.

"Kept me Safe at Night"

I began adding reflection marks.

I gave the flowers some shadows.

I added more shadow and colored additional leaves.

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

Kept me Safe at Night

My big guy moved out today. Suffice it to say that I feel weird. He's twenty, so it's not like he's not an adult and all, it's just strange. Good strange. And then my head jumps to something altogether different, I think to distract myself. I find myself putting on my detective hat and feeling quite sure that I will now solve a years long mystery. Yes, they mystery of which of my sons is not as tidy as he should be when he uses the toilet. Now if my little guy is smart, he'll have error free toileting from here on out so that his older brother will solidly be the suspect, whether the guilt lies there or not.

We shall see....


And I started a still life painting for a class I'm taking. The owl is my childhood nightlight and the flowers I picked from my yard. I love when nature plants beautiful things and surprises us!

I had set up my still life scene with two
colors of scrapbook paper in the back
laid upon a white towel. I then set up
my owl nightlight and the flowers.

I started by painting the background.

I did a quick sketch with watered down black
paint of the objects I was painting.

I painted over them with white so the colors
would show more easily and brightly.

I added more white to the owl and then
began adding the teal tint. I also painted
the flowers.

I added even more details including the
crystals that cover the owl's body and
let the light shine through.

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

Family Tree

I've got posters all around my classroom (I teach three and four-year-olds with disabilities). For the most part they're the mass produced type, the ones you'd see in any preschool program. I decided my classroom was due for a creativity facelift, so I've started painting my own posters (each about 5.5 feet tall) that will go on cupboard doors. I have a number of them that I want to create. Here's the first...it's a "Family Tree"...a spot where each of the students will have a family photo.

Here are some of my ideas.

I drew it out and started painting the trunk.

I painted the leaves green and added a hole in the tree.
I thought a critter needed to call that tree its home.

I thought an owl would be just perfect!

And he's sleeping because school is during the daytime.

I'll have one of my students write the words "Family Tree" to go at the top.

  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!

Undercover

I've been surrounded by the common cold lately. The kids have had it and Dave has had it. So far, I've managed to avoid the cooties. My secret? Wash my hands about a thousand times a day and sleep completely under the covers.

Little guy: "Better not dutch over yourself, mom."

My kid...always looking out for me.

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!

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!

Owl Love

The funniest thing happened the other day.


A friend stopped by after I'd told him the URL for my online gallery: "Who's there?"

Me: "I'm here."

Friend: "No, who's there?"

Me: "Um..." Seriously, I was thinking I was stuck in an Abbot and Costello routine.

Friend: "I want to buy your painting called "Hoooooo's There?"

Me: "Oh, great!"


And this is when my friend face palmed himself...in his imagination. He's too nice a guy to do it in front of me, ya know.

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!

Hoooooo Knew?

Well, maybe you knew, but I didn't.

I've had my "studio" (my living room) open to the public two weekends in a row for WEST, and happily a lot of my art has been selling. You know what the most popular subject matter has been? Owls, that's what! I'm super happy because not only are they incredibly awesome animals, but they're one of my favorite things to paint.

So with my current shortage of these nocturnal wonders, of course I had to paint another!

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!

Things Happen at Night

Sometimes I think I miss out on stuff by sleeping at night.

I woke up this morning to find that every single plate and every single cup and mug that we own had been used. And while there were tons of forks left in the drawer, there was only one spoon. So I'm going with the assumption that a soft serve substance, spoon and plate-worthy something that induced great thirst was on the midnight menu.

This delicious mystery must be solved...stay tuned.

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!

I Love my School

I was walking in the school where I work this morning when a child ran to me from behind and caught me in a hug. I turned around to see the most fabulous, bright, and sunshiny face looking up at me.


Me: "What do you have there?"

Kiddo: "A bunny."

Me: "What's its name?"

Kiddo: "I named it for you."


And another big hug.


BEST way to start the day!


Every year the school where I work has an amazing fundraiser. I always contribute a painting for the auction. Here is this year's. I love painting owls. Next to chickens they're my favorite animal to paint.

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 Best Friend is a Big Yellow Ball

Last night our big dog, Hazel, jumped on our bed. This is her usual routine when she sees us starting to brush our teeth and don our PJs. Only this time it was different. This time she had her yellow tennis ball with her and she curled right up with it. Perhaps she's wanting to continue fetching well into her dreams. Perhaps she misses her best bud Scout.

It's nice to know that friends can come in many different forms...even spherical.

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!