A baby gift

My oldest sister has waited 13 years and finally had a little baby. A boy this time. He is 2 months old and is named either Jeremy, Joshua, or Joseph (they can't decide). I never do paintings with boy themes, so I couldn't think of many ideas. When going through some old boxes I found some of husband's old baby shoes. They look so ancient, I am wondering if he is older than he thinks. Anyway, a gift for our newest sweet pea, whatever he is named. Congratulations Belinda!

I finished and delivered this painting to Springville last week. It is 18 x 24" which is a great size, in between large and small. This and the painting of my Muses with halos will be shown at the Springville Museum From Halloween until Christmas. It was a different emotional process to do a strictly spiritual painting. Some of my paintings have spiritual undertones, but to do one that is in your face was interesting to me and a little uncomfortable. I struggled to title it, but finally decided "Penitent Submission". She looked repentant, but clean. And seemed to be yielding herself to a higher power. It looks to me like a private moment between woman and God. And by 'she' I guess I mean me.

Mom is artistic. too

We went to lake powell a few weeks ago and my mom brought her new hobby/obsession: face painting. She rewarded anyone who would let her practice on their face with candy.....(isn't face painting a reward enough? the kids seemed confused, but enthusiastically obliged)....So they had new faces everyday, sometimes twice a day, to be quickly washed off when they went off the slide into the lake. It was great artistic fun.

Portrait Finished!

'3 Common Miracles: Joy, Innocence, Wisdom' -- finally finished. I got to a point where I didn't know what to do with it, but then realized the deadline for the show is tomorrow so I sat my butt down and worked it out. I think I really like it! It is  little different that my usual paintings, as it is a formal portrait (I officially don't do them) and I chose a very narrow palette (color scheme). This was my finishing week as all the deadlines have snuck up on me. Actually might not sell this one, might just keep it for myself. It is 24 x 24".

More Sunglasses

These 2 make 6 sunglass girls. And I plan to do 3 more, but as winter is coming, it seems less relevant, so I thought I better get them to my gallery pronto. I have so many deadlines right now, I had to make a list (on some random receipt--in true artist fashion) so I could organize my brain. So 8 paintings to Terzian Gallery today, enter a competition with the portrait above by tomorrow, enter another to Springville next week (spiritual painting below), paint a little "baby" painting for my dear sister who had a boy last month for her shower in 2 weeks, and paint a few for my other gallery for a special showing next week. Seriously? Where did this all come from.....It might be time to finally buckle down and call merry maids. Oh, and maybe enter 'art and soup' if I have time. Did I mention donating a painting for the Legal Aid Society Gala this Friday? And don't forget to breastfeed, and sign permission slips for field trips, and pick the tomatoes right before the first frost, and finish the last 200 pages before book club tonight. I have officially stressed myself out. Zanex please.

Naomi 2, finished

'Fragile Play-thing'. #2 in the Naomi series. It came up pretty quick, 11 x 14", and I took it to my Park City gallery today. I am happy with the series and have drawn out #3 a little bigger, 17 x 23". Muse #1 is asking when I will do her series....it's coming next apparently.

Burnt Waffle

I went to Grandma Muses' house the other day and this was sitting on the outdoor patio. I took me a minute to realize that this was part of her bird-feeding obsession. Probably 5 times a day, she feeds the birds. Usually it is a pile of bread crumbs on the edge of the porch, where any other old lady would put them. But to my delight, she had an extra waffle from breakfast and threw it out the sliding glass door right where I was about to step as I went out.  Didn't even take the time to break it up for the timid little birdies. The amazing part:  you better believe that by the time we were done with our fried-potato lunch (her favorite), that rock-hard burnt waffle was gone. Those grubby little birds love Grandma's porch! I wonder if they are getting a little too bold. I think I will rent 'The Birds' for her so she is aware of her dangers.

Spiritual Show

I received a card in the mail yesterday for a call for entries for a religious/spiritual show in Springville. The only catch is, it is in 2 weeks. So I started this today in hopes I can get it done. Something about bathing in God's Glory......still thinking.

"Husband, hurry take some pictures of me looking at the sky before you go to work!" -a serious good sport.

Naomi 1, finished!

I haven't put the finish coat on it yet, but I believe it is done. The painting with the 2 birds is the same painting, but 1/2 done. I didn't like the tree and the birds seemed too far away, so I painted one bird above her head with no tree to rest on.Maybe you cannot tell yet, but i love to start paintings, but have a harder time finishing them (the one of the 3 girls, getting dust on it). But i have lived with this one on my mantel for a week or so and am really happy with it. That is how i can really tell if it is done, I have to live with it and look at it everyday, I almost always revise and revise and revise. So, I still do not have a title. Something about the curious cat that is naomi. Any ideas? I think this is headed up to my Park City gallery after I start and finish 1 - 2 more in the series. It is weird to take just one, I like them to have pairs of the same.