Cravings

While my wardrobe is nearly 100% black, gray, and white, my painting palette is all the colors of the rainbow. I absolutely crave bursts of color!

"Cravings"

Acrylic

Original available for $65.

If you are in the Austin, TX area, please contact me to purchase. We can skip the shipping if you can pick it up.

19"x24" on 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.

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"She is Stardust" Part 6

Our little cat, Tommy, has taken to hanging out in our basket of cloth napkins when he naps...which is a lot. I saw that Michael's had baskets on sale so I dashed over and bought a couple of them figuring that our big cat, Pug, would want one, too. I purchased two rectangular baskets that were bigger than our napkin basket, and I set them on the table with a soft towel in each and waited.

Pug was the first to check them out and soon he was snoozing. Tommy, on the other hand, thought I'd brought in something made of pure evil and he'd have absolutely nothing to do with it.

We kept putting Tommy in a basket and scratching and petting him just like he likes, but as soon as we stopped he'd waste no time getting outa the basket.

I even tried lining the new basket with napkins thinking that would work. But, no.

So now our napkins live in a big basket and we've officially given Tommy the smaller, formerly napkin holding, basket.


I finished working on this painting. I was so close to being finished last night, I just ran out of time. Here it is.

"She is Stardust"

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.

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"She is Stardust" Part 5

I don't do resolutions. I figure if I want to change a behavior or adopt a new one that that very day is the perfect time to start. So when I'm asked what my resolutions are, which I always am, I come up blank. But today when I was visiting my mom she came up with a new way of asking generally the same thing. "Do you have any big plans for next year?" Or something like that, anyway. I was super excited to say that I am about to start a year long online art class. There will be fifty-two lessons by a number of amazing artist teachers. Each Monday a new class will be released. I'm so looking forward to sharing my creations.


I continued working on this piece. It was a super busy day and I've got plans this evening so I had to stop before I completely finished. I'm on the cusp of being done.

Happy New Year, everyone! And thank you for joining me on my art journey! More fun and whimsy to come!

I painted another layer of black on the background.

I added some white highlights on her right
side. I also added a halo to the stars. I realized
that with the addition of the stars on her right
I needed to change which side of her face was
in shadow so I worked on that as well.

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.

"She is Stardust" Part 4

Today in the car...


Little guy: "You never hang up your phone at the end of a conversation."

Me: "I know, I just set my phone down."

Little guy: "Sometimes I listen for a while."

Me: "Is it interesting?"

Little guy: "No, you're boring."



I continued working on this painting.

I painted her pupils and sketched
stars in the sky behind her.

I painted her top. I think it will need further
work and additional details for sure.

I chose pink for her hair. I like the way
the background shows through.

I painted a first layer on the background.

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.

"She is Stardust" Part 3

It's finally been cold here. Pretty nice after it being near 80º last week. So what did we decide to do when it was super chilly last night? Go out for ice cream, of course. The guys went traditional, going chocolate and vanilla, but me, I went for the delicious vegan lemon coconut. Mmmmmmm!!! Anyway, while I was sitting there minding my own business whilst downing my ice cream, my little guy went hoodie digging. And since I was layered and since I love hoodies, the kid was in luck. Snip, snap...I was wearing one beanie and three hoods.

Cozy!


I continued working on this painting today.

I painted another layer on her face and neck.

I painted a darker layer.

I added highlights and redrew
all of her features and outlines.

I painted her irises and lips. I used
a bit of the lip color on her cheek.

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.

"She is Stardust" Part 2

Animal magnetism...yeah, this girl's got it. And my powers have gotten even stronger with this cold snap. Here's how my night's sleep goes. I wake up covered in critters. Literally covered. Hazel is on my legs, Pug is on my chest, and Tommy is half on and half off of my hip. I can barely move. But I manage to wiggle free and the critters briefly stand, and as soon as I've turned onto my other side...SNAP! My animal magnetism kicks in and they're stuck on top of me again.

It's very annoying...but I love it!

I continue working on this painting. 

I used watery yellow to paint over the
background. I'm not sure if it'll stay that way,
likely not. I love layering!

I lay down a layer of skin tone on her face
and neck. I also further defined the lines
of the figure.

I lay down a darker layer on her face and
neck. I also redrew her features and
painted the whites of her eyes.
She's starting to come to life!

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.

"She is Stardust" Part 1

I had a totally different plan for an art project today. Here's what I'd planned on doing. I'd bought a cute canvas bag and I had every intention of going all crazy and painting. After staring at it seemingly endlessly last night I decided that I'd dye it light gray and then paint it with white and black. But this morning as I was stirring it in the dye filled sink I started loving the color it was becoming. This sort of thing happens to me all the time. I fall in love with backgrounds and have the hardest time painting over them. But, hey, a gray handbag...yay! So I'll love it for a while and when it lets me know it's ready for a facelift I'll get right on it.


So for now, I started in on this painting.

I had leftover paint from painting my apron
so I used it to lay down a background.
Waste not want not, after all.

I sketched out the beginnings of a figure.

I decided that I didn't want her to have a raised
arm so I erased it. I also added hair.

I painted a layer of white where her skin is
so that I'll be able to start laying down color.

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.

Tricky Chicks

My chickens, they're jokesters.


"Gasp! She's dead!" I go through the gate with sadness filling my heart and walk over to check on my chicken who is on her side, legs splayed, eyes closed...surely dead as dead can be.


And every time they jump up and scamper off.

Who knew chickens played possum?

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!

Long Strands

I learn something new from my chickens every day. For instance, I knew they liked greens...green bean tips, bits of lettuce, etc. But what I didn't know is how they eat what is now their favorite treat, long strands of grass that I toss into their yard.

So, imagine any kid (and some adults) eating a strand of spaghetti. They put the end in their mouth and suck it in till it disappears. Well, this is what chickens do with long strands of grass. They grab it with their beaks and suck, or whatever it is that chickens do, it all the way in until it disappears. Now, unlike kids (and hopefully all adults), chickens are also apt to steal the strand from a pal, pull it out of their beak, and then eat it themselves. This is odd in my book, but I've seen it so many times that it must just be a chickeny thing to do.

I don't think I'll ever look at grass and spaghetti the same way again.

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!

Up

My little guy, who is now sixteen, is growing up.


The last two days have been spent totally cleaning his bedroom. He got rid of so many things...basically an entire childhood's worth.

- almost all of the trophies he's won.
- his well loved and worn out Scooby and Shaggy.
- so, so, so many candy and other food wrappers.
- the DVDs he watched countless times.
- a small baseball glove and other sports equipment.
- the poster of "Uranus" he made in elementary school...still can't say "Uranus" without giggling.
- and one very shriveled apple core.


But thankfully the little kid is still in there because these happily remain.

- a big bin of Legos.
- a bin of Star Wars action figures (from my childhood).
- a poster with every imaginable super hero.


So glad he still embraces the little guy within.

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!

Stuck in the Night

Our grumpy old cat, Pug...we love him so.  And despite his grumpiness he managed to be so sweet in the middle of the night...when he got STUCK!


Pug:  "Meow."

Me:  "Huh?"

Pug:  "Meeeeow."

Me:  "Pug?"

Pug:  "Meeeeeeeeow."

Me:  "Oh, look at you, your claws are stuck in the window screen."  He stood on his hind legs, front paws up on the window screen as I pulled his claws out one by one.

Pug:  "Meow...purrrrrrr."

Me:  "You're welcome."

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!

Everybody Loves Getting a Package

Right?  But I realize now that I prefer loving receiving my packages without an audience.

The other day I saw the familiar brown uniformed gentleman walking up to my door, ringing my bell, and walking away.  I felt all giddy as I skipped to the door, opened it, yelled "Thanks!" and brought it in. 


Me:  "Yay, for me, me, me, me, me, me, me!!!"

Little guy who unbeknownst to me had walked into the room, seen my reaction, and was standing behind me:  "Boo!"


OK, now that was embarrassing.


Oh, well...I GOT A PACKAGE!!

Click here to purchase this painting.

A thong by any other name....

I was at a gym today for the first time in forever.  As I walked through I had a flashback to a gym I used to belong to way before marriage and kids.  I remember one day there was a sign posted that said, "NO THONGS".  And I remember feeling rather indignant as it was the 90s and everyone female was wearing those awful thong leotard things over biker shorts.  At least I was...and a bunch of my friends.  Anyway, I was upset and brought it to the attention of the management and pretty much asked, "What the heck?!?!"  And I was kindly told that my thongs were just fine, they meant flip-flops. 

Proud to say I fought for thong rights in the 90s.  Even though I didn't need to.

Click here to purchase this painting.

Santa Strategy Fail

I actually tried something last night...something I'm pretty sure I never even tried when my kids were little.  I hope I didn't, anyway.  You see, the little guy's room was a disaster.  Disgusting, really.  Stuff everywhere, seemingly half of our dishes strewn about his surfaces, and the place just had a smell.  A bad one.  So, after many nice reminders to clean it up, I pulled out the big guns.


Me:  "Santa Claus is watching you.  You better clean that room."

Little guy:  "Let him watch me."


That's what happens when your kid is fifteen, they're no longer a believer, and they're a smart aleck. 


Me:  "Watch me not give you any of your presents tomorrow."

Little guy:  "OK, gee, mom."


That's what happens when your kid is fifteen, they believe your threat, and they give up being a smart aleck for just a moment.


Score?

Mom:  1...I got my way.
Kid:  1...He got to have presents (and a clean room).
Santa:  0...Sorry big guy, can't even give you points for trying.

Click here to purchase this painting.