Blooming with Joy

My second upcycled refrigerator magnet! 

Bye bye advertising, hello art!

Tiny original art...what fun!

"Blooming with Joy"

To purchase this magnet, click here.

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.

Flowers are Mother Nature's Melody

Flowers are Mother Nature's melody.

"Flowers are Mother Nature's Melody"

This is an 9.5"x7.5" piece in my art journal. Prints available on request.

(Printed image will 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.

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

Daisies 3

I love daisies! This is my third daisy painting inspired by photos sent to me by a friend. This time I left color behind and used only my black and white paint.

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

"Daisies 3"

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.

A Vessel Full of Tenderness

I've been sitting in the back yard with our big old cat, Pug, today. He's been recovering from some sort of an injury to one of his back legs and is just now wanting to go outside again. He lay under the table on the deck and chicken after chicken came over to him. I think they missed that big hairy dude. So sweet and tender!

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

"A Vessel Full of Tenderness"

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.

Daisies 2 - Part 3

I feel like a dump truck. Ever since the battery was replaced in my Prius the back up beeping has returned. It's supposed to make the driver more aware that they're backing up, but really I think it just makes us enter the land of pretend that we're awesome hard hat wearing construction workers.

"Beep, beep, beep, beep...."

And while it's been fun for a few days, I'll be Googling how to turn that feature off...as soon as I manage to think of it at the right time, that is.

I finished the second in a series of daisy paintings. I'm super thankful for my friend who emailed me pics of these amazing flowers! Here's the finished painting and below are the last few stages.

"Daisies 2"

I added some watered down black to the
edges of the petals.

I worked on the shadow as well as some background
features and made the centers the flowers more yellow.

I added some highlights to the stems and worked
a bit more on the vase.

I couldn't resist adding some splatters. I
loved them so much on "Daisies1"!

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

Daisies 2 - Part 2

Our chickens dig tofu. I mean they really, really dig tofu. And corn, they dig that, too. Oh, and apples. I actually made a tofu/corn/apple salad for them the other day, and, by golly, those girls came a runnin' and gobbled it up like there was no tomorrow. And then yesterday morning I actually caught a cockroach and gave it to them. Do you know how much harder it is to catch a cockroach as opposed to just squashing it? "Much" is the answer. I'm beginning to suspect that my wonderful chickens are spoiled rotten.


I continued working on my "Daisies 2" painting. I'm going to resist putting happy faces on them even though they really oughta have 'em.

I added yellow centers to the flowers and worked
on the pitcher vase. I also added stems.

I added another layer to the petals and
added some texture/dimension to the background.

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

Daisies 2 - Part 1

Dave and I took down our painting/photo exhibit tonight. Some pieces sold and we bid them farewell, but the ones we are taking home...well, it's like welcoming home old friends. It's a good thing, too. While we did go ahead and hang some things in their absence, we never bothered to move nails so little paintings were left to be all lonely like in big spaces. Order will soon be restored. 

I started on a new painting this morning. It's my second in a daisy series I have planned. 

I started by roughly painting the background. 

I sketched in the basic shapes. 

I painted in the first layer of petals. 

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

Spilling Over with Joy - Part 4

I've just noticed a serious benefit of having shorter almost bangs. My glasses are almost always perfectly clean. I'm in the habit of having to clean my glasses several times daily, and since I got my haircut...well...I just don't need to. And it's totally a small thing, but I find it makes me super happy. Think of all the time I've gained!

And with all that extra time I managed to finish this painting. Here's the finished painting and below is one of the last stages. Once again I forgot to take more photos.

"Spilling Over with Joy"

I added some color to the background and
worked on the flowers and greenery a bit more.

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

Spilling Over with Joy - Part 3

I got in my car today and my Amy Winehouse CD was playing. My big guy has been borrowing my car a bit lately and I thought, "The kid finally has some great musical taste!"

But then I picked up my little guy and commented on my recent happy discovery.

Little guy: "That's not what happened. I'm sure of it. I bet he just unplugged his auxiliary cable when he got out of the car and when you started your car it reverted to the CD you already had in there.

He's likely right. But I rather dug my big guy groovin' to Amy Winehouse.


I'm still working on this painting. My time has been really limited since school started back up. But I am making progress. I'm thinking tomorrow it'll be done.

I added some shadows to the flowers. I also
added some lacy white flowers.

I increased the greenery of the bouquet
 and added some white to the shadows.

I decided that it needed more of a background
for some dimension. I also added some color
to the greenery and the background 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!

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

Spilling Over with Joy - Part 2

Today was the first day of school for the school year...and it was fantastic! I loved every second of it! And I even remembered how to teach. Seriously, when you take two-and-a-half months off from a job and then jump right back in, you tend to be just a tad nervous. But just like it has been for the past eleven years, the skills were all still in place. It's a lot like riding a bicycle.

And while I was at work today I took a moment during my lunch to text my husband, Dave, who had the house to himself with the big guy having moved out and the little guy and I back at school.


Me: "How is that quiet house?"

Dave: "I miss you."

Me: "Good answer."


While I'm sure he was dancing with joy and singing, "I've got the Whole House to Myself!" at the top of his lungs, he still managed to say exactly the right thing.

I decided that the vase wasn't quite right, so
I started working on it...unsuccessfully. I also
started darkening the background so the flowers
and the vase would stand out.

I decided that I needed to have a do-over with
the vase. Still not right, but getting closer.

I kept reworking the vase. The horizontal lines
were working so much better than the vertical ones.
I also started lightening the background a bit.

I added details to the flowers. Now I feel like
my bouquet is coming to life! Still much more to do, though.

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

Daisies - Part 2

I got my hair cut today. My long bangs are no longer so long. My hope is that I will now be able to see my creepy family when they sneak up on me and try to scare me...which happens a lot! I told my little guy about how proud I was of my new scare proof haircut.


Little guy: "That's not gonna help, mom."


Well, maybe. I'm sure I won't have to wait long to find out, knowing my guys.


And here's my finished daisies painting. I think daisies spread happiness wherever they go!

"Daisies"

I added color to the flowers and stems.

I added another layer to the background,
worked on the water in the vase,
and added another white layer to the flowers.
I also changed the height of the vase and
lowered its base.

You can see a bit of a splatter in the previous
stage. Rather than cover it up I decided to add more
splatters! I also began adding some gray to the
petals to give them more definition.

I've been incredibly inspired by a class taught by Pauline Agnew. I encourage you to check it out!

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

Daisies - Part 1

Yesterday at the chiropractor the doctor, who was working on both me and my little guy, said, "You guys are shaped the same." And today at the optometrist the doctor said, "You guys have practically the same prescription." I found myself smiling at the alikeness the two of us have. Not sure if my little guy was as thrilled. He was probably thinking, "Thanks for the slight scoliosis and near sightedness, mom."

A friend of mine posted some daisies on her Facebook page and they were so beautiful that I asked her to send me more photos. And she did! Here's the first of what I hope to be a daisy series. Daisies are such happy flowers...I love them!

Here's the start of this painting.

I painted the basic colors of the background.

I roughed in the basic shapes of the flowers
and the vase.

I began adding in reflections on the glass
and the basic shapes of the flowers.

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

In Full Bloom - Part 2

For several weeks now I've noticed a crushed snuff can in the park grass on my walks with Hazel. It has kind of driven me nuts as all litter does, but I just left it there. Last night as I passed it once again I promised myself that I'd pick it up the next night and dispose of it properly. Well, tonight was the next night. And, yes, I did pick it up and dispose of it properly. But the funny thing is, it triggered a memory I'd not thought about in many, many years. One day when I was walking down the street where I grew up I'd spied a snuff can. And intact one. And I'd picked up that can, too. Only that can had snuff in it. Someone else's lost snuff. And I opened it up, pinched a bit of it, and placed it between my lower lip and my teeth. It remained there for some amount of time way less than a fraction of a second before I spit that stuff right on out. Patooey! And I hate to say it, but I suspect that I did not dispose of that snuff can properly.


I finished this painting. Here's the finished piece and below are the last few stages.

"In Full Bloom"

I added details to the flowers.

I used a sponge to add a lacy look to my white flowers.
I also used a blend of white, yellow, and off white at the
bottom to cover all the drips and further refine the
leaves that were hanging down. I thought I was done
but then I realized I wanted to add more green
within the bouquet.

This was an absolute joy to paint!

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

In Full Bloom - Part 1

I have a love hate thing with bangs. When I get them I love them. And then after a while I hate them. When I grow my bangs out I love not having them. And then after a while I miss them. Right now I'm at the missing stage. But I think rather than diving all in, I'm going to go for longish bangs. The kind they'll give you but they won't do free bang trims in between because they're not truly bangs. I certainly am grateful to have this life I lead where I can consider my bangs' length my biggest current decision.


And I started another flower painting. I'm am so in love with flowers right now!

I started by creating the basic shapes of
a vase with a bunch of flowers in it.

I added another layer of color and lightened the vase
a bit. I also sprayed the flowers with lavender water.

I began laying in come color and continued
with the lavender water.

More color! More lavender water!
I love using the lavender water.
Really gets me in a flowery mood!

Excited to finish this one!

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

Poppies - Part 2

My little guy reported that there was a mouse in our bathroom in the middle of the night. There's only one way that could have happened. Our cat, Tommy, must've brought it in. Here's how it apparently went...and happily, I slept through the entire thing.

• My little guy saw the mouse.
• My little guy ran to get a dog bowl to catch it in. (We need to talk mouse catching strategy with the kid.)
• My little guy's friend started squealing and jumping around.
• The little mouse ran into the living room and they lost track of it.


So I figure one of two things happened after that.

• The little mouse is still hiding somewhere in the house.
• Tommy ate the little mouse.


Time will tell...


And I finished my poppy painting. Here's the finished painting and the last few stages are below.

"Poppies"

I started working on the glass vase.
I've always been in awe of those who
can paint glass. I'm super happy with my first effort! 

I added some white flowers and added a
little orange to the poppies.

I added a little more orange to the poppies,
added some purple to the background,
and worked on the wall and the table.
All that was left to do was even out the red
line behind the vase and paint the edges
of the canvas black.

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

Poppies - Part 1

So my little guy gets bored sometimes. And sometimes his boredom spills right on over to me. We were driving around and he had nothing better to do, so he started looking through the console thing between the front seats. He found a chip clip. He put it in my hair. He found a big hair clip from my long hair days. He put it in my hair. He found a microscopic teeny tiny clip. Yup, in my hair. And then he found a butterfly barrette. Snap! It was clipped holding a swirl of hair. The kid was getting creative. And all I could think about was that I totally had it coming. Karma had caught up with me. I very clearly remember being bored one day as a child, taking a clothespin over to my sleeping grandfather, and clipping it on his nose. He woke up with a HUGE snort.


I started a new painting. Here are the first few stages.

I started with a blue background.

I used red to start laying in some of the color/shape.

I went in with a darker color in darker areas.

I began adding some basic color and shape.
Now you can tell I'm doing flowers in a vase.

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

Not so Smart After All

My kid is smart.  Smarter than the word "smart" it turns out.

The other day I was closing the back door of my car and I managed to clip my left hip bone in the process.  Hard.  I still have a mark.

Anyway, here's how the ride in the car went.


Little guy:  "What just happened mom?  You had a funny look on your face."

Me:  "I hit myself on my hip bone when I was closing the door."

Little guy:  "Not smart, mom."

Me:  "No kidding."


A few minutes later.


Me:  "Dang, that really smarts!"

Little guy:  "What are you talking about?"

Me:  "My hip bone."

Little guy:  "'Smarts' is the stupidest word ever for that.  You should say it 'stupids'."


Kid has a point.

Click here to purchase this painting.

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

Talking to Strangers can be Quite Delicious

It's what our parents all warned us about, but I find it rather delightful.  And, guess what, sometimes it has the nicest consequences.

A month or so ago I was standing in line to check out my groceries.  I could overhear a conversation at the next register.  The cashier was asking the customer how his day was going so far and the customer had a lovely story about volunteering at a school park doing landscaping.  And then he mentioned my school.

So I'm standing there thinking, "I should go tell him I work there and tell him how thankful I was for his kindness."  But then I lost my gumption as I passed him and kept walking out to my car.  Full of regret.  Kicking myself in the shin.

As I put my bags in my car I figured I'd look around to see if I could possibly have a second chance at it.  But no, no sign of him at all.  I hung my head, took my cart to the cart return, turned around, and there he was.  So I went up to that young fella, told him I'd overheard him (stalker, crazy lady that I am), told him my connection, and proceeded to thank him every so much.

And guess what...he was doing the volunteer work as part of his employer's mission to help the community.  And then he gave me a card with a code on it and said when I put the code in, something wonderful would show up in the mail.  And today it did!  I'm three nutritious bars richer, and I feel super warm in my heart.

So go talk to a stranger.  Turns out it can be quite delicious.

Click here to purchase this painting.

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

The Curious Incident of the Early Morning Pit Stop

So here I was, sitting at my kitchen table this morning.  It was still pitch black outside and everyone was still asleep.  Everyone except for the dude driving by in his truck, that is.  I heard him drive by, slam on his brakes, put it in reverse, and then park.

Creepy!

I moved the curtains over just a bit and peeked out the window.  There the truck sat, directly in front of a neighbor's house, headlights on, engine running.  Our neighbors aren't there these days as their house is currently a construction site with all the amenities.  The truck sat, and it sat, and it sat.

Creepier!

I went into my laundry room which had a better view of where the truck was.  I pulled the blinds down just enough to look outside.  The truck still sat.  And then I noticed the port-a-potty door opened, a guy walked out, got in his truck, and drove off.

Creepiest!


I've been trying to get into this guy's head all day.  Was he just driving along needing to "go" and had a hallelujah moment when he saw that port-a-potty?  Could he really not wait till he got where he was headed?  Why on earth would "going" in a port-a-potty, which must've been squid ink black inside, be preferable to just finding a bush?

Ya, I don't get it.


Oh, and whoda thunk I'd be blogging about port-a-potties twice in one week?  Not I, but there ya go.

Click here to purchase this painting.

Ups, Downs, and Awe

You know, you're up...and then you're down.

My up?  Well, I got to have two seconds of fame when I appeared on NBC's "Revolution" last night.  AWESOME!!  So today when I picked up my little guy from school (his bike had a flat, so I came to his rescue), I told him, "All day people have been stopping me on the streets to tell me recognized me from TV last night!!"

My down?  Well, that dose of realism that my kid is always good for.  "Mom, your facebook friends online don't count as people on the streets."

<Silence as I pondered the fact that I'd just been busted.>

Me:  "So did you tell all your friends that your mom was on TV last night?

Little guy:  "I didn't tell any of them, mom."


Apparently two seconds of fame doesn't automatically guarantee awe from your kid.  Luckily I know that making him cookies does.

Click here to purchase this painting.