It was all so far away~

there was quiet and an untouched feel to the country and I could work as I pleased.

~Georgia O'Keeffe~

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Standing outside Georgia O'Keefe's home in Abiquiu (top photographs) after our engaging tour, my heart just opened to the breathtaking beauty of New Mexico! The landscape, skies, architecture, Georgia's home and art has left a HUGE impression on me, not to mention all the incredible galleries there! In fact, since I've been back from Santa Fe I've had two vivid dreams of painting in Georgia O'Keeffes sparse studio! 

Seeing her work up close for the first time just left me in awe! The intensity of her colors and shapes were so inspiring. I know in my heart this will lead me in new directions down the road. I am hoping to take a pastel workshop with one of my favorite artists, Barbara Jaenicke next summer to kick start what I feel is my new direction with my art!!

Until then I am continuing on with teaching myself colored pencil, which has been enjoyable, challenging, frustrating and wonderful!

My current piece: Sacred Monkey Forest

And the drawing I just finished of a mountain lion cub: A Paws in Time

 

Change?!!

Creativity is always a leap of faith. You're faced with a blank page, blank easel, or an empty stage.

~Julia Cameron~

I've been divinely blessed this year with one commission after another, with super fantastic clients to boot!!! 

One of the numerous reasons I feel blessed is that I have been going  through a creative block of sorts, but thanks to all of these commissions I have still been able to draw and not had to really deal with it! 

I've gotten to the point where I feel like I've just about said everything I needed to say with my current art, wanting to break away from my African work now, and seeing the internet saturated with a myriad of animal portraits these days, has lead me to asking myself countless questions, like; what else can I possibly say that hasn't been said before? Who and what am I doing this for? If I wanted to do this to sell a butt load of work, wouldn't I just go back to painting Landscapes in oil? But that doesn't fit in with my future I've been so intensely thinking about too! It all has to tie together if I want to join the tiny house craze going on now. SO much over thinking has created a block.

So, I've been playing with lots ideas, trying to follow my heart to lead me to what I want to say next with my art. I'm still not 100% sure and have had no time to explore more than just my thoughts about it, but I am hoping to get back to a bit more story telling, a bit more nature and perhaps a bit more of my LA environment. I've been so busy tho that I've not had a chance to spend the day at the arboretum sketching, or going out on a photo shoot to Chinatown with my daughter, or even hike the mountains due to my sciatica.

June has always been my slowest month, but this year it's been anything but quiet. So, I am shooting for at least July to get in a few of the activities mentioned above. Trying to surrender to the creative process, seeing where that takes me with my art.

And hopefully that will lead to being a little less quiet here on my blog as well!!

Animals and Art!

One's art goes as far and as deep as one's love goes. 

~Andrew Wyeth~

Is there any more mysterious idea for an artist than the conception of how nature is mirrored in the eyes of an animal? How does a horse see the world, or an eagle, or a doe, or a dog?

 ~Franz Marc~

Be Yourself. Just be yourself about your art and 

everything else.

~Terry Miller~

~Our newest foster Mochi with my latest commission Matilda in progress~

Woofstock 90210

Even tho this show was a bit of a bust financially, it sure was super fun seeing all the magnificent dogs, talking to people about art, having lovely neighbors to our left and seeing a few friends too!!!  

If I had done better I might have come home with a heavenly pitbull puppy I fell in love with at one of the adoption booths, so perhaps it was meant to be and I will get a few commissions down the road from this event instead of potty training a puppy!

Before the event started my friend Robin (below) painted my daughter Emilys face with dolphins!!

Weirdly dogs kept pulling their owners into my booth all day, I swear I didn't pay them off with promises of biscuits and bones, they just liked it in there by us!!

A big shout out to my wonderful daughter for all her help, it wouldn't have been as much fun without her!!!

First steps to reception: Works on Paper exhibition

When Barbara, the new owner of Saga Fine Art Gallery proposed a show called Works on Paper along with 4 other artists at the start of January I just jumped for joy!! When she asked if I had at least 15 pieces for the show I thrillingly said YES...even tho in my head I had no idea how many pieces I had to offer her! And as it turned out I did not have 15 pieces as promised, so I got to work!!

I ordered frames, cut mats and framed 9 pieces! Luckily the rest were already put together!! 

I delivered 16 pieces on the first Saturday in February!! Phew!! My part was done until I received the postcards in the mail...then I mailed and promoted like crazy!!

Finally the opening reception!! Despite a two car collision two exits before I had to get off with sluggish, snail paced traffic, I anxiously made it in time!! Another phew!!!

photo courtesy of  Melanie Campbell-Carter

The opening went smashingly well!!!

Linda Queally, Lizz Tucker, me, Mims Ellis

 So many friends, acquaintances and family showed up and gave me oodles and oodles of love and support...it is definitely a night I will always remember!!

My sister Sue and her boyfriend Kenny

 I didn't even get to see the whole show as I was stuck in my magnificent cubicle, talking incessantly well past the 2 hour reception time!! I even felt a bit of discomfort on my face from all the smiling, laughing and talking on the drive back to my home! But that's a good soreness to have!!! 

photo courtesy of  Melanie Campbell-Carter, Cristina Baltayian in the middle, one of the 5 artists, Dolores Pope on right

Barbara Williams, owner of Saga Fine Art Gallery

A huge shout out to all that came to see me. I didn't get a chance to get a photo of: Katherine Kean, Mike and Carol Caley, Sandy Junkunc, and Lynne Fearman, thank you SOOOO very much!!! My heart is filled with gratitude!!!

Secretive and elusive

Black Rosettes  Kathryn Hansen  (c)2015  7x10