A little part of our backyard -                                        "Gold Flowers and Vase" wall hanging

Okay - I'm always looking for something new.  Here's the latest - outdoor wall hangings! 

This came about - as many ideas do - through an interesting evolution.  See the little bird painting on the left of the wall?  I did that soon after we moved to Kansas.  The masks are from Mexico and I wanted something another piece of art to hang with them.  So I took an art element of one of the masks and built a bird composition around it.  Love all these Mexican-influenced colors!!!!  (So - what else is new?)  ANYWAY - this bird painting has been outside for over 2 years, and it still looks terrific!!  So I thought - hmmm - looks like the weather doesn't damage these acrylic paintings IF they're not in direct sunlight.  This spot never gets direct sunlight but it does get the moisture, heat, freezing, etc.  It's protected from most of the rains, but I'm sure it's been wet in our many heavy rainfalls.  Still looks good!!!  Here's another part of the evolution of the wall hangings:  so many people say they're out of wall space - but I bet they have a spot outside to add a splash of color in their patios/garden areas!!  And often people are willing to have more "fun" art in an informal garden setting.  I know I'm loving this big big floral in my own patio area.  Get the picture?????? 

Sooooo - here you go.  This is the first of several wall hangings that are my "summer special!"  The price is VERY good for a large painting - no stretching or framing involved and I'm doing loose, fast, fun paintings.  Of course these may be hung inside, too!  I'll even customize the colors for you.  How fun is this!! 

After a long stretch of VERY hot and humid weather, it's finally beautiful outside.  One more thing about these florals - they don't need to be watered!!!  And they stay bright and colorful in any weather! 

Hope you're having a beautiful day -

click here for more information

What's summer without some good, juicy watermelon?   This little painting was started as a demo in a palette knife painting class and was buried in one of my many piles.   One good thing about piles - they're so full of surprises!!  Maybe this is "dreaming" to think of eating watermelon in the hot sultry summer.  It's been raining and unusually cool here.  But I know those hot, lazy summer days will be here soon, so I'm getting ready!!  This painting ended up with a Mexican twist with fun, crazy colors.  Lots of Mexican art includes watermelons.  They DO have those hot, sultry days in Mexico - and they know how to make the most of it. 

Here's a reminder about Art in the Vines this Saturay at Somerset Ridge Vineyard near Louisburg, Ks.  Click on their website for details.  My husband Mike Driggs and I will be there with our art - along with about 15 other artists.  Live music, food, face painting for the kids - and delicious wines.  Doesn't get much better than that . . .

Maybe you'll have some beautiful, sweet and juicy watermelon soon.  Enjoy!!

11" x 17" - framed - click here for more information

Sorry for my long stretch of ignoring my blog.  I was in California last month and away from a computer for 12 days.  Never thought I could do that!!!  And I sort of got out of the computer mode - maybe because I had so much to do when we returned to Kansas.  In a strange way, it felt good to take a break from the computer.  In a more realistic way - it was scary!!!  Not sure what that means . . .

The trip was filled with wonderful "adventures."  I taught a workshop with some old - and new - students in Bakersfield.  Will post some photos from that soon.  Visited with many dear friends in Bakersfield (my old "home town") and headed to the Paso Robles wine area for their wine festival weekend, where I had an art show at Graveyard Vineyards.  What a whirl-wind trip!  It's taken me some time to recouperate - especially because I had several art events when we returned.  Nice!!!

Gotta say something quickly about this little painting - because the weather radio is bleeping a lot about tornados ?????  Luckily not here right now - we'll keep our fingers crossed during the next few hours!   

So - back to the painting.  This is a fun one!!!  Our group at the workshop did some art in this style.  I really got into this playful mode.  I painted the vase first, and it almost looked like a gal's body!  A curvy little bod at that!!!  That was a surprise.  But I couldn't quite figure out a head to go with it, so I stuck with the flower idea.  Paintings are so fun when they evolve - when you get into a interesting little chat with what's on the canvas and think, okay - where are we going with this??? 

Oops - I can't "chat" too much now - the weather radio's doing it's own chat thing so I better pay attention.  I hope we have a beautiful night - as in no tornados.  Hope you're Spring's pretty darned beautiful, too.  Glad to be "back!"

16" x 16" acrylic on canvas
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This was painted in honor of Spring!  And it's finally here in Kansas City.  Actually, the weather's beautiful!!!!  Grass is SO green (lots of rain), many trees are blooming in pinks, purples, whites. Still sort of "sweatshirt weather."  Love it!

Here's another palette knife painting - loose and free and "swinging" in the great Spring breezes.

Spring is the time for renewal and new beginnings - and we're getting ready for a wonderful "new beginning" - a new grandson!!!  He should join the world any time now.  This painting isn't for him - it's too pink!  But he doesn't know that, and I'll do something a little more "boy-like" for him.  Maybe this is for his big sister who's in for a big shock . . . . .

So here's to beautiful new beginnings - and renewals - for all of us!!! 

18" x 24" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas
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The last few paintings I've done have been a little "controlled."  So I decided to pull out my big ol' pallette knife and really have some fun!  This started as a somewhat "quiet," mono-toned painting - or at least I thought it did.  My husband came into the studio and said - "whoa - lots of color."  I guess some things are just in our genes - like color is in mine!

I'm so excited to be painting for an art show in Paso Robles, California.  My art - and I (!) - will be at Graveyard Vineyards during the Paso Robles Wine Festival weekend - May 17 - 19.  I just LOVE Paso Robles!!!!  Can't wait to be there and see friends, hang out with the great people at Graveyard Vineyards, enjoy some wine - and hopefully sell some art.  When we moved to Kansas from California, I said I would do this if we'd get back to the Central Coast of California every year or so.  So here we go!!  I can't wait.

While in California, I'm also teaching a workshop in Bakersfield - great chance to see many, many special friends!!  And to paint with some real art pals.  This will be a really great trip.  You'll see some of my students and their work soon - or you can look at earlier postings to "meet them" from last year's workshop.
 
The Central Coast is truly a beautiful little spot of paradise on earth!  Can't wait to be back there!!!  If you're in the area, stop by and visit us at Graveyard Vineyards -

 

"Spring and Hope"

This painting is being donated to the Relay for Life event this weekend in Georgetown, Texas - where I lived during my high school days.  It will be an auction item and I hope it helps the Relay bring in lots of money to help fight cancer!  Last year, two ladies who graduated with me from GHS lost their battle to cancer, and another classmate is fighting (successfully!) breast cancer.  So our class has formed a team and we're oh so very close to meeting our fundraising goal. 

I started to send a painting that's in my inventory, but I wanted something extra special just for this event.  Georgetown is known for their poppy celebrations.  Jan Sloan - one of my dear friends who's no longer with us - loved the outdoors.  In fact, we shared careers in geology!  Just think - two ladies from a very small class went on to become geologists when that was a rare thing for women to do!  I think of Jan hiking and planting flowers and veggies and maybe enjoying some butterflies in her garden - and loving life.   So this painting was done specifically with this Georgetown Relay in mind - and for all 3 women in our class who have been touched by this disease .  AND - for my very special aunt who also lost her battle last year.  And for my cat who also died of cancer last year.  I hate this disease!  Cancer affects so many people and pets.  Surely there's a cure out there - and I'm glad to contribute  towards finding that cure.

I also hope that this painting brings great joy to whoever takes it home.  Joy is a beautiful thing to share -

 This is another demo that I did during a pallette knife painting class.  And I even remember the name of the artist we were studying - Ted De Grazia!!  This Arizona artist became famous for his painting of little American Indian girls on UNICEF cards - years ago.  I was never too enamored of those paintings - thought they were way overdone commercially.  But after we visited De Grazia's gallery and museum in Tucson, I totally changed my mind about this artist.  Now he's one of my "fave's."  Maybe it's because I'm so into pallette knife painting now.  The idea with this demo - like the painting in my last posting - was to take a simple subject matter and work on the techniques of painting with a "knife."  Again, sometimes I feel very attached to a demo and it's probably because I do them so quickly that they can be very expressive and free. 

AND - I remembered the name of the artist from my last posting:  William Debilzan.  Whew!!  Now I know why I couldn't find my info on him.  I have a goal to organize my piles of reference material, and I actually had created a file for "Pallette Knife Classes."  What's even more amazing - I put the reference material in the file . . . .   Now that can be confusing!

Today I'm painting poppies and butterflies.  I'm just taking a break to share this little gal with you.  I hope you're having a beautiful Spring day!

This was painted as a demo in a pallette knife painting class.  We studied artists who use the pallette knife technique and I LOVE this artist.  My husband and I discovered him in Laguna Beach, Ca.  I think he's mainly in Santa Fe now - may have to head that way to see his recent art.  He uses tons of texture and we suggested this thick texture by using the pallette knife.  Of course this look is so distinctive for this artist - and, you know, I can't even remember his name!!!  Senior Moment big time.  I'd look it up but I'm supposed to be packing for a trip to Seattle tomorrow.  Mike's going to expect me to have lots done when he gets home - soon!!!!  And today is our anniversary so I can't spend all day at the computer . . . .  When I remember the name of this artist - whose work I adore - I'll let you know -

Sometimes I feel a real attachment to demos.  This is one of those paintings.  I think this artist's work is beautiful and I'll be sure to let you know who he is so you can see more of what he does!!! 

This is my nature exhibit at the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle library in Kansas City, Ks.  The show is titled "Flowers, Feathers, Fossils and More"  Sorry about the lighting "zapping" my paintings!  Actually the lighting is good for the show, but not for photographing it.   But you get the idea and you can see images of most of the paintings in earlier blog postings.

This show was SO fun to put together.  I got to do some research on birds, flowers and fossils in Kansas.  Some paintings are fairly representational - especially the birds.  The other extreme is the very loose approach to painting flowers.  I've painted a trillion flowers (not really, but we're hearing that word a lot . . .) and bird paintings are new to me, so I approached them differently.  The frog painting was strictly for fun!!!  This library focuses on environmental education for kids and the frog was painted for the young guys and gals.  Besides, I just like to do fun paintings!!!  Freddy the Funny Frog was a good "release" after trying to really draw and paint the birds "correctly." 

If you want to see the paintings better, please scroll down the blog and check them out.  If you really want a good look, head on over to the library!!!  It's in a beautiful setting and I'm proud to have my art hanging there.

               

"Fossil Starfish" - 12" x 12" acrylic on canvas                  "Fossil Trilobite"  - 12" x 12" acrylic on canvas    

These are 2 of the 3 fossils I painted for the art show at Mr and Mrs F.L. Schlagle Library - dedicated to education of the environment.  I had lots of fun painting these fossilized critters!  It reminded me of my classes in Paleontology when we had to draw so many fossils.  In science - just as in art - drawing is an excellent way to really look at something and see all the details.  Drawing is all about "seeing!"

When I took in the art, one of the young librarians got so excited about the trilobite!  Turns out she's really into trilobites.  So I'm glad I had a painting of one of these things.  I really didn't know how to make a trilobite interesting as a piece of art.  So I just had fun with this thing!!  The starfish is a beautiful specimen in a piece of sandy shale.  Or that's what I imagine . . . .  When I was painting, I could "feel" the rocks.  Brings back lots of memories of field mapping, hiking through beautiful parts of Wyoming and Utah. 

So - here are two "beautiful" fossils.  I hope you have fun with them, too!