Uptown

I just got back from Minneapolis and had a lot of fun at the Uptown art show. I came home with a fantastic painting by William McCarthy. His booth was across from me and I feel in love with his work. The funny thing is I am not normally drawn to that style of work for my home but his pieces were so incredible I feel in love with them. The icing on the cake was, when I found out he also under paints his paintings in red like I do and signs most of his work scratched through he paint as I do. We are doing a trade. He really liked my "Line Series" so I am going to paint him a 12x12 and ship it to him by November.

I am also having a delivery of my BUG. Micheal Cole has this amazing image of a locust and I have always wanted this photo of his. I am going to hang it in my kitchen. I told the kids about it and they are excited. You know, anything bug related is always cool to a kid.

I met three most fabulous and fun guys in Minneapolis. They made my weekend and I hope to see them again. Sorority Sister, if you read this, I must tell you NEVER to take the bus again. Aryln and Brandon told me it broke down. I hope you found a great drink ( or two) to swallow down. The Thai food was great and hope to meet up with you all again. I wish you all lived in St. Louis!!!!

Water Series....brought back

I thought I was done with my "Water Series". I loved it and at the time I was painting the series it had great meaning and an amazing calming effect when I needed it the most. The series was born right around the time Verne was laid off. I needed to paint it and it helped bring back a sense of being I was so very much lacking. I sold my last piece, "H20", and was happy to see it go to a good home.

Very early this year, I applied to a juried show with paintings from my "Water Series" and just found out that it was accepted for a very big show. Therefore, I am having to dust off the series and bring it back for the show. I am very happy with how this latest piece came out but it brought back those horrible memories of trying to keep the family afloat during that 2.5 years of no long term work, CRAPPY under-insurance of the self-insured, and never knowing if we would have enough to buy food for the week.

So I present "Aqua" in a very bittersweet return of a series. I only hope I can reclaim the feelings the series originally brought me

A death in my studio.....

Yes...it's true my favorite and only palette knife I paint with snapped today while I was cleaning it. I must have let out a very load "Oh No" because my kids came running in and asked if I was OK. I have at least 20 different palette knives that I use to grab paint, mix paint, but I never paint with them. They did not have the same feel and therefor were never considered worthy of using.




So I took my broken friend to Artmart and tried to find something that could replace my lost treasure. I felt like I was Goldilocks in the the three bears. Papa Bear's handle was to large for my grip. Mama Bear's handle was to soft, and baby Bears was just not right. I ended up buying all three to try them out. If I find a suitable replacement, I am going to go out and buy a duplicate so when it breaks ten years from now, I hopefully will not go into a panic. So far I have tried all three and am not too happy. The angle from the handle to the knife edge is different than my fallen friend. For all my fellow painters out there, I know you understand my pain. Because loosing a favorite brush feels just as bad.

So now my knife is sitting on my computer desk. Many a fine painting it has produced. So RIP my beautiful little paint covered friend.