Muse's Mother, Millie

My great-grandmother Millie. Serious farm woman. I remember her a little, but have heard some amazing stories about her and her 13 children raised on a farm in Benjamin, Utah. She was so tired at the end of the day she would fall asleep in her clothes and apron.

My Mom

My favorite picture of my mom. So cute. I don't know how old she is. Little pixie.

Grandma Muse (wedding day)

This wonderful photograph is of Grandma and her husband on her wedding day. She was so beautiful, I love this picture. She told Reed she would marry him if she could still date. She still wanted to date other men until they were married.....what? She loved the dances. She is a character. She has a million stories which all add to her muse quality.

Naomi Series

I have so many great pictures of Naomi from the photo shoot we did last month for the larger portrait. I wanted to paint this one. I'll show you the finished product soon I hope. This is how I start with a pencil or charcoal drawing and a color glaze and then I start laying in the color. She is fun to draw and paint because I think she is an old soul and I can see it in her eyes and poses. I want to paint something in the corner, but haven't decided what she is looking at. 

Naomi critique: "Mom, are you going to sell this?"

"I don't know" (inside my head....Yeah!)

Naomi: "I think you should, because everyone is going to want it!"

If only we all had that much confidence. I am planning to send this to my gallery with other thoughtful child paintings.  I am excited about this little series. Hopefully it will bring in some dough. $$$. I have a playroom to redo (we'll talk about that later).

Dress Commissions

These are 2 commissions I painted for a client with her own sentimental clothing. I wasn't thrilled when I saw the jacket was 'hannah montana', but I dressed it up to my liking and I am happy with how they came out. Sorry the images aren't great. It turned out to be a fun commission to do for the client's daughter. I wish I could do more....if you know anyone who wants some, I'll give you a referral fee.....

10 lbs down 20 to go!

My most recent weight-loss acquisition. This beautiful painting is a Juli Augison creation. She lives in SLC and shows at Pickett-Fairbanks in the avenues. She is so sweet, quiet, sensitive and unassuming, and so are her paintings. I could look at this all day. There are so many layers and intricacies (is that a word?), the photo doesn't do it justice I am sure. Thank you Juli!

New Old Wig

I went to Grandma Muse's house for lunch on Thursday. She came in the kitchen and yelled "Look!" and we all started laughing at her wig. She said she couldn't find any of her wigs and so she pulled out this old one. I was laughing so hard and then she got the giggles. It came out from her face at least 2 inches. So bad, but she still thought it was better than no wig....Her gray cotton hair was peeking out by her ears. I could not take her seriously all day. She would talk about politics and I would just start laughing.

Scott's Peck Dance

Yes, this is the art of abfife on this man's chest....during our family cruise talent show Scott Nicholson (cousin husband) loves to show off his peck dance to some crazy techno music. Someone had the idea to draw smiley faces on his pecks to make it more visually interesting....I excitedly volunteered,with my assistant, allison, to practice my drawing skills. It seriously took an army to pull this off. One agent and music technician (wife), a make up supplier (julie, cousin), an artist (me), a shaver (?), and an assistant (pupil drawer). I left any unpleasant tasks to her, and didn't feel the mojo when I had to color in his nipples. Needless to say, it was a hit, and I am still not sure what Grandma muse thought about it, I think she blushed.

Monet to Picasso

I went to the "Monet to Picasso" exhibit at the U yesterday. It is truly amazing to have so many historic paintings in one place in Utah. We are so fortunate to be able to view these without a plane trip to NY or Chicago. If you have not gone....you have a responsibility to support the arts....no you don't, but I do and if you want an afternoon of beauty, pack a lunch and head to the foothills. It is $15 per person which includes an audio tour (ok, not the best ever, my ADD got in the way of listening straight through, but at least it is free...sort of). It was kind of crowded, ugh, but worth it. And I think it is only there for 1 more week. Definitely worth the gas money and the cost of numerous postcards I bought for my studio wall.

My favorite of the entire show 
was Van Gogh's "Two Poplars". To see his paintings in life is a completely different experience than out of a book. There is so much life and passion in his paint. So Inspiring. I also thought I might try a landscape 'cezanne' style. (top painting). The little girl portrait is Renoir's earliest existing painting. And I bought a magnet, postcard, bag and notecards of Modigliani's woman....brother! The window painting is Monet's, a little haunting , which you know i love. 

Pricey Little Prize

I found this little pleasure on some cool website somewhere, and her name is Naomi. I want this little plaything, but my self-control kicked in and reminded me it would be silly to buy a $50 handmade little doll even though it is named like my daughter....Her best friend has light skin, a blue dress and is named Stella. So precious.

New Little Paintings

I have been working on a number of these small figure studies to speed up my skills in figure painting from life and to feed my galleries. I try to spend 1 1/2 - 2 hours and do it in one sitting. So if it isn't working, instead of leaving it for another day, I force myself to work through it. They are perfect for me because I can do one during a baby nap or at night after everyone goes to bed. But, I am starting to get bored and need to move back to the portrait of my kids....These are 7 x 9". So, if any of you want to come over to a quiet house and watch a movie (or read your vampire book) with sunglasses on, I'll fix you lunch...and I'll be very appreciative.

Muse 3 Amuses Herself

While I spend hours of painting and the older muses are away learning science and math, the babysitter, I mean mirror, keeps Genevieve busy. It is just too enjoyable to spend my days with the perfectly happy baby in one arm and a paintbrush in the other. I must have washed my hands 27 times today to get the paint off before I played with her....I need a good moisturizer. I have a feeling this non-mobile stage is going to end very soon.