Timon and Pumba...

 So I'm driving along and I look back to change lanes and surprise! The funniest part about it is that they were totally quiet, watching a movie. They were not wearing these to make me laugh, just for their own pure enjoyment. And, that's right, I took the picture while I was driving....eyes on the road, just point and shoot. I laughed all day about this. I love the lack of any inhibitions in kids.

Trade for a Friend

My friend Emily King did a beautiful paper cut for me of my family in return for this painting of a vintage dress. I am always so flattered when a friend wants a painting of mine. I hope she loves it forever.... And thanks for your beautiful piece, Emily!

Top Secret

Okay, this is top secret. This is a view of a day in the life of an artist/mother/wife I guess. So I had to get a few paintings framed to take to Park City to show for the Sundance Film Festival. But, I also had to make dinner. And for some insane reason I thought I could to both at the same time, and I just had to make chili because it was snowy and so cold outside. But the frames needed a few more coats of stain and polyeurathane. So, why not get the chili started while the frames dry. I am sure no drops of chili got on the paintings :)

I think I need a bigger house or maybe just a wood shop inside my kitchen. I wonder if I will ever be the kind of person to just do one project from start to finish....

Group Show

Wally Workman had a group show with the theme of 'After Dark'.

This is 12x24", titled 'Going Out'. I haven't painted shoes for a long time, but it was nice to revisit it.

#1 Reason My Blog Has Lapsed

#1...I've been quilting....

#2...Holiday craziness, and watermelon brains...

#3... We got a PUPPY!!

Another Reason my Blog has Lapsed

Oh, gourmet cooking classes....it makes me feel like I'm on Top Chef.

Thanks Alex (our new friend that has taken us under her wing and decided that we must be "gourmets")...she teaches cooking courses now, you can find her here. She is AMAZING!

New Ones

I'm embarrassed that I have not posted since August. But I have a few new paintings. I did have a group show in Iowa in November (I miss you land of corn) that I sent paintings to, and I have finished a few for my gallery in park city. I

also did a painting of my dad for Christmas (oops I forgot to photo). Hopefully he won't just put it in a drawer, and I will see it again to photograph it.

I did a painting for a friend that did some b

eautiful paper cuts for me (suspenseful, but I will post both in the future). And I even had time to do some Christmas shopping online (Fife Christmas brought to you entirely by Amazon).

So now to my New Year's resolutions, that include getting myself out of my "painter's block" by trying something entirely new....still in process, and the jury (myself) is still deciding if it is working. And being stricter about my production...no more staring out the window or reading art magazines waiting for inspiration to stri

ke, I'm going to just start painting.

I have a few small shows coming up this year

and a commission that may take me in a new direction, as well.

So, without being any more cryptic and vague, here are some new images. The first 2 are 12x12" (above), then 20x20" and the final 3 are 8x10". I know, nothing earth-shattering, but hopefully sellable!

ps...I have been doing a lot of quilting and I have discovered Pinterest....uh oh, hope for the best.

Summer is....OVER!!!

I have to say I have mixed emotions. I love having no schedule, no stress, nowhere to be, getting nothing done... and I hate having no schedule, no structure and getting nothing done. I think I mostly thrive on the variety of the seasons, so I am appropriately totally emotionally ready for school to start on Monday and for the kids to get up early and head off to learn. While they are gone, I plan to paint A LOT and I vow to get big projects done around the house (or at least finish the 145 projects I have started) and for my brain to get back to it's normal semi-organized self. I hope to harvest much out of my late-started vegetable garden, and finally clean my car inside and out. I hope to keep the house clean, make healthy breakfasts, and come up with some great new ideas for paintings.

And my galleries will be glad to know my unplanned hiatus from painting is over, and I will get down to business starting Monday...or Tuesday. I promise. Not to mention, my psyche really needs me to get painting.

Commissions, Commissions

I have a few good clients who have been waiting a year or two for their commissions to get finished, because I've had so many deadlines. So now, with no deadlines in the near future, I can get them all done. These are the first 2....

Wally Workman Show 2011

I am really proud of this show. You never really know how it is going to come off until you see it in person, hanging on the walls of the gallery. They did a beautiful job hanging all the paintings. Thank you Wally and Rachel for a really nice show! Oh, and we of course had a fantastic time in Austin. Lots of good food, good pool time and some shopping.

Handmade in the USA

30 x 40"

In My Own Skin

30 x 40"

Grandma's Chair

24 x 24"

Vintage Eames

30 x 40"

Fresh Start II

16 x 20"

Renaissance Form

18 x 24"

Mama Boots

15 x 30"

Checked Satin

18 x 24"

Eve's Coat

16 x 20"

Something Old, Something New

15 x 30"

One Month Left!

This is a sneak peak of my show at Wally Workman Gallery in Austin, Texas this June. I need about 15 paintings and I think I have 10. So I have now set up a station in my bedroom as well as my studio so I can paint around the clock (kind of) until May 20th when I have to stop painting and start framing, etc. It's definitely crunch time.

I have decided to base my show around a color story. So it is titled 'Black and White'. It has been interesting to work this way because I have never done a show around a color concept. I don't want them all black and white, so some of them are brown, or a neutral, but they read black and white. I am doing mainly still life with a few figures and I am very excited. Thank you Wally!

2 figures

I don't know what to say about these. They are something new, kind of. I am not sure if they are totally done, but I think I am liking them. I am thinking about some pattern in the background. I think I need to take a break from them and revisit later.

Sammy

I did this painting a year or so ago, and it was from a drawing I did forever ago. And it ended up looking more like my sister-in-law, Sammy,than the actual model. So.....I gave it to her for Christmas. Seems presumptuous, I know, but I think she loved it and did not think I was being an egomaniac by giving her one of my paintings for Christmas. I told her it was a portrait I did of her from all the nights I spent spying on her and I took all those memories and worked really hard to create a custom portrait of her (nude) for Christmas. I hope she never finds out it was just an unfortunate mistake that turned into a creepy fluke.

Merry Christmas Sammy!

New Dress for Wally Workman

This is one of my favorite dresses I have done. I found this dress on ebay for a steal. When I got it, it came with this little handwritten note and I realized it was a vintage, hand-sewn dress from the 60's. What a find. Shadow #1 also wore this to school for 60's day with her little Tom's. It was so cute.