Falling In

"Falling In" - 16 x 20" acrylic on canvas.
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So did you guys survive Halloween? I think I did, barely . . . finished up this painting, had my family over for dinner (fajitas - nummy), handed out all of my candy (I think I must have very hungry neighbors), and ate far too many cupcakes decorated with orange icing.

And I find that the Richmond Craftsmen Classic is looming even closer and I still need to print out labels for my paintings and drawings that are coming with me down there. Why, oh why can't I ever seem to print those things before the day of the show? Because I'm a lazy butt, that's why. See, even saying it out loud doesn't help. I'm still going to procrastinate until Thursday morning before I have to drive down there to set up.

Please, somebody kick me. Tell me to get myself moving!

Red Pear on Windowsill

"Red Pear on Windowsill" - 4.5 x 4.5" colored pencil on paper.
Not yet on eBay.

I startd this piece during a workshop that I was teaching yesterday (I'm teaching another on Nov. 11th if you're in the northern Virginia area) and finished it up today. It was fairly bizarre to be working on regular paper again. I was so used to be working on film and colorfix pastel paper that it felt like the regular Bristol Smooth took forever to get any color on it whatsoever. Since I am not naturally endowed with patience, this was frustrating to me to say the least.

So tomorrow is Halloween, did you notice? I did. At the store today I simulatenously purchased Christmas decorations (mandatory at my show this weekend -- there's all kinda funny material in there but I'll leave it be) and about 18 tanker trunks full of candy. Once again I wondered why I was purchasing the candy. I don't really know my neighbors, other than knowing vaguely that one of them broke out the rear window on our Jeep last year and that a few others of them were last seen lighting something on fire in the middle of the street, and yet I am buying sweet delectables for them. Maybe I'm hoping secretly that they will put their hot little hands on our door knocker, lose their nerve, and go back home so that I can eat 150 Butterfinger bars in peace.

Whatever fate Halloween holds for me, I'm not dressing up this year. My cop hubby is working the night shift and so my evil plans to dress as Morticia and Gomez Addams were dashed. My husband promises me that next year he will be my Gomez. Gives me PLENTY of time to shop for a good wig.

So. Trick? Or Treat?

Nice Rear

"Nice Rear" - 6 x 6" colored pencil on canvas.
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I'm so pathetically excited to tell you all that I saw "The Prestige" in theatre today because I can tell you only that it's the best movie that I've seen in years and no more, because it would ruin it. Don't read anything about it. Don't ask any friends. Take my word for it and run out to buy those tickets. So well written, so well acted, such perfect twists . . . just GO SEE IT.

Oh yeah, and I did a drawing of an MG. I like cars.

Over and out.

Do Not Disturb

"Do Not Disturb" - 5 x 7" colored pencil (and a bit of acrylic) on film.
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Today I must confess that I made a donut run with my sister who was staying the night with me. I'm not a huge fan of fried dough but I make an exception for these donuts because

1) I appreciate foods that can be officially spelled in two entirely different ways (I'm in love with ketchup too)

and

2) we have one of those Krispy Kreme donut factory thingies about ten minutes from our house. You know, the ooey gooey goodness is made RIGHT THERE for you to look at and then you swallow that one thousand calories with nary a second thought?

Well, luckily they were making hot fresh ones when we got there and they were perfect. Once, when I made a donut run (also when my sister was staying over . . . do I see a pattern?) the donuts were completely encased in twice the proper amount of glazing. They were so sugary and sweet, Hilary Duff just gave up.

Wasn't that good, you're asking? Sweet is good, right? WRONG! Ratios are oh so important, you know. Donuts require such and such amount of glaze to such and such amount of fried dough. French fries require such and such amount of salt to such and such amount of sliced potatoes. Or Oreos. Oh, yeah, Oreos! Double stuff Oreos are going to destroy the world. I have never seen a food so bent on maligning the world's balance. Double Stuff? More like Apocalyptic Mutant Oreos. You just don't play with a rule of nature like that without consequences. Oreos just as they were were just perfect. Someone needs to put up a sign:

"Do Not Disturb."

St. Michael's

"St. Michael's" - 16 x 20" acrylic on canvas.
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So yesterday my husband put up my indoor booth set up in our back yard, dry run before the show, and all that. I watched from inside our nice warm townhouse. That's love, baby.

I admit, I did come out at the end of the process to actually put up one of my new mesh walls to see how it worked, and I'm amazed. I expected to have some really funny mishap to relay to you guys and the truth is, everything went smoothly. The walls (www.flourish.com) went up beautifully and quickly. The EZ Up Tent was of course EZ to put up as always. The only thing even remotely bad was the 18 dog piles that we had to work around and the one really fresh one that my husband's right foot found.

I thought about taking a photo of said pile as evidence but figured that most of my blog readers wouldn't appreciate it. I mean, art's not always pretty . . .

The Stronger One

"The Stronger One" - 6 x 6" colored pencil on canvas.
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As promised, today's daily work is features coffee. Like pears, I don't consume coffee, but in the sake of art, I brewed a cup of instant and set it up to draw. My reasoning: I paint horses and I don't eat them either, right?

Now . . . I would write more but I have to go do a dry-run set up of my indoor art show booth in my backyard and I have a feeling I'm going to have a lot more to talk about after I've done that. Let's see, do I have everything I need to set up?

- tent - check
- mesh walls - check
- miscellaneous mysterious hardware - check
- vodka - drat . . . this is going to be hard to complete without all the required items.

Moment of Brilliance

"Moment of Brilliance" - 6 x 6" colored pencil on canvas.
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Okay, quick post tonight because it's 11:30 and I'm turning into a pumpkin, but I must hint to those of you who drink coffee that my next small work that is nearly finished involves that nasty caffeinated beverage that you all know and love. Blech! It looks so coffee like, too. I can almost imagine the acid eating away at my stomach lining now as I crunch coffee grinds between my teeth . .

Parallel Lines

"Parallel Lines" - 2.5 x 3.5" colored pencil (and a tiny bit of acrylic but who's looking?) on film.
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"Casual Observer" - 2.5 x 3.5" colored pencil on film.
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I know, I know, two for today! I just got caught up in the moment and completely paid absolutely no attention to all of my larger works crying out to be finished in time for mumble mumble mumble important things that I'm not going to think about at the moment.

I must confess that I did not use every minute of the day wisely. I spent one hour watching the season premiere of Top Chef that I had recorded last night. For those of you who have not seen the show, it involves:

- women engaging in cat fights while holding big knives
- frequent repetitions of words that I cannot repeat not because they are swear words but because they originated in France and cannot be spelled anyone who does not use nasal vowels
- people dressed in white after Labor Day
- zippo romantic entanglements
- chefs combining things like snails and peanuts and thinking it's a good idea

I'm continually chamed by the chefs attempts to incorporate inedible foods like anchovies and pine nuts into high cuisine. For some strange reason, I am fixated on the show. Something about watching those chefs strain their minds to create a perfect combination of flavors to simultaneously delight the palette makes me stay glued to the screen while eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Star Trekkies, Avert Your Eyes

"Fall in Rain" - 11 x 14" acrylic on canvas.
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Last night I was setting up the VCR to record the first episode of Top Chef (you can stop laughing now) and I didn't have a blank tape. So I did what I usually do in these situations: hit my husband's bachelor collection of tapes and see what I can record over. Well, I found something that seemed to say "Lethal Weapon 3" -- and I happen to know that he has the DVD -- so I figured I was safe. Well, of course, it was not actually Lethal Weapon 3, it was an odd combination of The Final Countdown and part of a Star Trek episode.

Let me say to you right now that I cannot CANNOT figure out what the deal is with Star Trek. You might be able to tell that I don't take many things too seriously and Star Trek takes itself more seriously than a funeral. When you see those guys in the spandex, they're living it. When the plot wavers dangerously and eventually disappears, they courageously act their hearts out. When they script calls for a young Klingon boy, they go find a 7 year old and paste wrinkles on his face and expect us not to laugh our heads off.

I'm am not a trekkie. That there are trekkies astounds me, just like there are two headed calves. What a strange and wonderful world.

Peace out.

Evening: and some Seasonal Thoughts

"Evening" - 11 x 14" acrylic on canvas.
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It's growing ominously close to Halloween, and I find that costumes bceome more and more limited as I get older. As a woman in my mid twenties, instead of the wide array of choices I had as a kid, I have about four or five choices of available costumes to buy:

1) sexy bumblebee
2) sexy nurse
3) sexy catwoman
4) sexy policewoman
5) sexy computer programmer

Okay, I made one of those up. But the truth of the matter is Halloween for a girl in her twenties is more an excuse to dress like a member of the Playboy mansion than to scare anyone. (Though I have to say that I might be scared by a sexy computer programmer)*.

*Kidding! Joke! Please don't virus me! See, I come in peace . . . I know QBasic!

So what should I go as this year? October in Virginia is not the warmest place at night and I think that I should probably steer away from leotards, tights, short shorts with words written across the buttocks, etc. I need something with long sleeves.

Hey! I know! How about Britney Spears? Not the old one, of course. The current Britney, complete with baggy pink sweat pants and bags under the eyes. I think I could pull that off. Mmm, but don't you hate when adults dress up and you can't figure out who they are?

"Uhhhh, what's the, uh, moustache for?"
"I'm that guy who used to be on Entertainment Tonight, remember!? When whatshisface was sick?"

More thought on this subject is obviously required.

Caroline Street Christmas

"Caroline Street Christmas" - 16 x 20" acrylic on canvas.
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It feels like forever since I've done a small scale streetscape! Well, here mind is for today: my home town of Fredericksburg, VA, at Christmas time. Caroline Street is done up beautifully for December; every night they turn on lights in all of the trees that line the street.

The only thing that I don't care for in wintertime downtown Fredericksburg is First Night on New Year's. It's not that I have anything against New Year's or even the Fredericksburg tradition of wandering downtown sipping hot chocolate and coffee while waiting for the clock to turn to midnight. It's the fact that as midnight approaches, they lower a large squashed object, lit from within, that I believe is supposed to be a pear. It doesn't look like anything from the produce aisle to me; if I were hard pressed to describe it to someone, I might suggest something like a pruney toe emerging from a swimming pool or some sort of shriveled head untimely ripped from its jar of formaldehyde (no, I don't care if I spelled that right).

So, that's my tip to all you would-be Fredericksburg visitors. Hit Caroline Street at Christmas time, but leave town before they lower the giant raisin for New Year's.

Small Work: Two

"Two" - 6 x 6" colored pencil on canvas.
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Well, I'm back! The wedding was . .. well, they got married at the end. That's the important part. And it's back to the drawing board for me. Today's is of my daughter, who was mentioned in a previous post. She's very charming and I haven't drawn her in quite awhile so I decided to tackle it on the canvas, which was a challenge as it's not smooth at all and children are supposed to be smooth. Well, at least my children are.

I tend to think in a rather big-headed way that my children are cuter than all other children. C'mon, I know you with children do it too. You'll be strolling along in Walmart, spot another parent with their baby in the cart, and think to yourself, "Wow, they're funny looking. My child is so cute." Followed by "I can't believe I thought that." Followed by "But it's true!"

The Richmond Series

"Capital Coffee" - 30 x 40" acrylic on canvas.

Today I have no little painting available because I was finishing last minute touches on my new Richmond Series. The Richmond Series kicks off with 5 paintings of scenes on Cary Street and they will be appearing at Chasen Galleries later this month. Please take a look at this sneak preview on my website here and also take a look at Chasen Galleries site. Please direct all queries regarding this series to Andrew Chasen there -- he's very friendly!

This weekend I'll be out of town for a wedding so I'll be absent until Monday. Don't go forgetting about me, now!

Throwing a Tantrum

"Throwing a Tantrum" - 5 x 7" colored pencil on gallery wrapped canvas.
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Hey, I had to do another one of these pears, because I sure as heck am not going to eat them. I figure they're like flowers. I have daisies in a vase right now that I bought with no intention of eating them -- I bought the pears in exactly the same spirit.

I thought I would share with you a pearl of wisdom I got today from my younger sister. She informed me that holding your breath when you got the hiccups really did work. Well, I was driving today and I was drinking a soda at the same time (diet, don't get on me about the useless calories . . . anyway can you imagine what all that sugar would do to me?) and of course I got the hiccups because the darn thing was so what's the word . . . carbonated.

Anyway, so here I am, hiccuping and driving, and my sister's words flash into my brain in a moment of clarity; like a life raft, I cling to them. So I hold my breath. At first, nothing really happened. Then I hiccuped once while I was holding my breath and I almost gave up. But I didn't! And then I hiccuped again, and again I nearly gave up. But you know, I'd been holding my breath for nearly a mile by then and I figured I was in for the long haul.

And they were gone. Amazing! Miraculous!

It was only later that I began to wonder if maybe I shouldn't have been holding my breath while driving. Hmmm.

Art Calendar article

I was very honored to be asked a few weeks ago to be part of an Art Calendar article on the Painting-a-Day movement. As if being asked was not flattering enough, I was blown away when I saw the fellow artists that I shared page space with: Jeff Hayes, Darren Maurer, and Neil Hollingsworth (hmmm, I'm the odd girl out . . . ). They are all extremely talented and to be grouped with them . . . well it does this funny little skippy thing inside me, a bit like indigestion. But a good indigestion. Ahhh. So head to your local Barnes and Noble and pick it up, for crying out loud!

Can I Help You?

"Can I Help You?" - 2.5 x 3.5" colored pencil on film.
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I know that cats everywhere will be hideously offended at this scandalous pose, but I couldn't help myself. I had a good Halloweeny one planned out too, but then Moose sat down right next to me and started making that disgusting snorkeling sound that cats do when they're chewing their fur, and I decided I had to get him back. There! That'll show him . . . sell his pics on the internet.

Mug Shot

"Mug Shot" - 5 x 7" colored pencil on gallery wrapped canvas.
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I'm very proud of this one. Okay, proud's not the word. Revoltingly puffed up with myself is closer. Look how moody those three pears look! Now, don't get me wrong -- I really don't like pears. You mishapen apple wannabes! But darn it they're more quirky and interesting to draw than apples. So I bought pears.

Photographing and drawing still lifes were only some of my household tasks today. I was also in the process of breaking in one of my daughter Victoria's toys. Background: Victoria is two. She has owned a stuffed dog named Clyde since she was six months old and this ratty little thing goes with her everywhere. She can't sleep or ride in the car without him and we've had to go back to more than one store to find him.

Anyway, we tried to be wise about this, and so we bought another Clyde straight off so that we could swap them back and forth in the washer and prolong its falling-apartitude. Well, all straight off, she lost that one in a mall. So, feeling put out, I tracked down another one (do you realize how difficult it is to buy a discontinued stuffed animal?) and purchased it. By now several months had elapsed and the Real Clyde was continuing his balding and smelling (my mom says: "Clyde smells like a real dog!" Which is absolutely not true. My real dog smells very clean and fruity. Most time Clyde smells worse.), so when NeoClyde arrived, he looked like he had an afro in comparison. And, despite the fact that the Real Clyde had been freshly laundered, the NeoClyde was noticeably several shades lighter. Gak! (technical term)

Anyway, it's been four months now, and she still refuses to acknowledge that NeoClyde exists. Well, that's not true. I asked her the other day "who is this?" and pointed to NeoClyde. She smiled snidely and said, "Grandpa." Whatever that means.

So, back to today. I was running him (NeoClyde, not my father in law) through the washer and dryer again, hoping to speed along the process of Clydification. Every time he's washed (not that he ever gets dirty since he just sits untouched) he looks a little closer, though he's still far more soft and fluffy than the Real Clyde, who is imploding like a dying star. As he ages he gets smaller and denser; soon there will be no Clyde, only a black hole that draws in other stuffed animals.

And it's getting closer. After he came out of the dryer, I showed them to her side by side. And she actually picked the wrong one first! But as soon as her little hand closed around his neck she said, "Oh. Oops. Sorry," and took the Real Clyde. Sigh. I think I'm going to start carrying him around myself.

Romeo & Juliet

"Romeo & Juliet" - 5 x 7" colored pencil on gallery wrap canvas.
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I felt a little silly today in the grocery store, as I always do when I'm in the produce section. Why? Because people watch me pick out my fruit. It takes me a very long time. It doesn't matter if it's ripe, of course, it matters that it's beautiful or streaked with gold, or whimsically twisted in an artistic way. I bought three pears today, because their stems were so nice and twisty.

I hate eating pears.

But it's a compulsion. Must - buy - pretty - produce. Must - paint - quickly! And then of course there's the whole thing where you get home and the rest of the groceries sit on the floor getting room temperature while I hurry my fruit over to the window while the light is still ideal.

My husband is very tolerant.

See what I sacrifice for my art? My sanity.

Cat in a Rug

"Cat in a Rug" - 2.5 x 3.5"
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I don't think people realize how difficult it is to get an appropriately catty pose without it bordering upon the ridiculous. Today, for instance, Moose (my cat) got his head stuck in my tennis shoe, chasing a dog kibble that he'd put in there. Engaging, yes. Memorable, yes. But fine art? Hardly.

Likewise, a few days ago I found him sitting placidly in the bowl of my toilet, studying the drain as if waiting for it to flush him away. Interesting, yes. Cattish, yes. The stuff of art cards? I think not.

So having Moose as a muse has its distinct trials. Though he does run eagerly to me if he sees the camera ("time to work! my public awaits!"), some days he would rather climb the blinds and thumb his feline nostril parts at my attempts to catch him in an endearing position.

Anyway, today you can see that he was rolling around in our entryway rug, oblivious to how idiotic he looked. Wait . . . how is that different from his normal behavior?

So today is Saturday. End of a week. Woof. I need a day off. Throughout the course of the week, my desk slowly gets covered with more and more art materials until finally:



By this point, it takes me about five minutes to locate the remote phone when it rings. Oh, how silly of me. It was nestled beneath my cadmium orange paint jug. What's worse is when my husband Ed sets an important piece of paper somewhere on the desk at the beginning of the week. And then expects to come back and get it at the end of the week. Ha! Double ha! What's he think this desk is for anyway? Not paperwork, surely.

Afternoon Snack - COOKIES!!!

"Afternoon Snack" - 5 x 7" colored pencil on canvas.
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I have to say that this piece made me almost unbearably crave cookies. To have to draw every little wrinkle and chip in those cookies . . . I've made meals of these before. Even in the dough state . . . ahhhh. No more! I can't talk about this! I need cookies!

Yin-Yang

"Yin-Yang" - 2.5 x 3.5" colored pencil on film.
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Today I decided to once again highlight my pets' shameful relationship. I'm sorry if this scene is too graphic for some viewers -- I'm rating this thread "I" for "Inter-Species."

Barely Touching

"Barely Touching" - 6 x 6" colored pencil on canvas.
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Here is my effort for today. I'm beginning to get very fond of doing these little tea ones and I was strongly tempted today while painting my larger pieces to jump up, brew a pot of tea, and have another photo session with my clear cups on my kitchen table. The lighting was perfect, as it always is when you don't have time to take photographs.

But now I'm having delusions of a whole series of little tea and food related canvases. A whole gallery devoted to my favorite source of caffeine!

Hey, do you think anyone would pay for a painting of my second favorite source of caffeine: diet Pepsi? Mmmmm . . .

The Year of the Moose

"Strung Out" - 11 x 14" colored pencil on drafting film.
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Here's a larger work that I've been working on for a few days off and on, finally finished. I have to say in person I'm very pleased with it as it looks like Moose (the cat ravaging the yarn senselessly in the image) looks like he might just fall out of the frame.

I'm beginning to think that Moose's litter box stench is a pretty good trade off. I mean, what price can you put on a muse? Of course, there are the three blinds that he's broken. And the way that he throws items off shelves if he feels irritated. And the attacking of ankles from under sofas. Oh, and the distinctly warm and cat smelling area on my pillow where he's made himself comfortable during the day. But, seriously, all that seems so minimal when compared with the million drawings of Moose I have done. Shall I share just the few that I created of him this year?

Of course I shall.

Morning Dip

"Morning Dip" - 2.5 x 3.5" colored pencil on film.
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Okay, after a day's siesta (reading the sequel to Twilight -- don't bother, really -- if you're curious about how it turns out, email me and I'll send you a scathing synopsis), here's my one for today. Moose behaving badly, once again.

This one posed a curious challenge because of the backlighting but in the end it turned out that the most entertaining part to do was the blinds (were the blinds? do not strike me down, grammar gods).