Happy Spring, Workshops abound, and Portland here I come.

Flower Tiles 

It's hard to believe it's been over a month since my last post.  I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, I've just been so busy making art and new opportunities I can hardly stop to take a breath!   Great things are going on in my art life, some I can share now, some I will share later ;)  Kelly Crosser-Alge and I have partnered up to share our Inking techniques in a class we call Inks and Drinks . It's been a great hit so far so we have pre-scheduled for classes for several months ahead.  Here's a photo of our first "victims"

Finished Masterpieces :)

 Their first practice tiles

Right now the class is every other Tues eve in Findlay, OH, but we are looking to expand to other nights and locations as well.  If you are interested in a workshop in your city, please contact me for info.

More exciting news:  I am traveling to Carmel, Indiana this week for a workshop with Qiang Huang.  I've admired his work for some time now and his recent works from his China visit are so inspiring.  It will be an honor painting with him and my artist friends Gloria Moses and Laurie Mueller.   

In April, I attend another workshop with Kelly Crosser Alge with fused glass sgraffito:

piece by Kelly Alge

 my piece from the last workshop 

In May I will be traveling to Portland OR to see the Bullseye Glass Factory, and catch up with artist Carol Marine and husband David.  

I've also been very busy applying for art shows in both the Inks category and oils.  I am honored to have been chosen for the distinguished Crosby Festival of Art in Toledo, Ohio, one of the more difficult shows to be juried into.  I'm signed up for at least 7 shows this summer at this point, probably more, so it's looking to be a very busy summer season.   I will post a schedule of shows soon if you are local and would love to see you there!  

Still Painting! #12, 13, 14, 15

8x10 oil on canvas panel click HERE to buy

8x10 oil on canvas panel click HERE to buy

8x10 oil on  panel click HERE to buy

6x6 oil on panel click HERE to buy

I'm doing better with the painting than with the blogging, but that's ok, because I know that sometimes when I get a blog EVERY day in my mailbox sometimes I don't even click on it!  The challenge is really making me feel better about my paintings (after the first week anyway) and I'm feeling braver about tackling more difficult subjects....

Plein Air Crash

Little Red Schoolhouse 12x16 oil on canvas 

To bid click HERE

"Bobcat" Oil on Panel 8x10

"Plein Air Crash" 6x8 oil on linen 

Summers are always so busy and crazy and this one is no exception so I've decided not to put too much pressure on myself to blog as often as I'd like and maybe during the summer months, share updates weekly.  I've been working on my new skills I learned at Kyle Martin's workshop and I'm really learning how to see value and color temperature.  On of Kyle's bits of advice were to stop looking around for pretty pictures and look for good design and contrast.  So you will see that some of my subjects are a bit ordinary but It allows me to focus entirely on learning about value while painting plein air....the one of a farm scene had a bit of an "accident" after my easel tipped over under very suspicious circumstances since there was not even a hint of a breeze...hmmm one wonders one wonders....Anyway, I kind of like the effect of the accident.

Anchors Aweigh

5x7 oil on panel Click HERE to bid on original.  bid starts at $1 shipping is free.

well, I did paint a flower today, and it was a major flop, and after hearing all the happy moms on the Navy For Moms website that are headed to Great Lakes this weekend for their kid's Pass in Review (boot camp graduation) I was inspired to paint something different, and it will likely become at least a weekly challenge for me in honor of the graduating recruits and their moms that have helped support me through this.  "Anchors Aweigh" is the Navy theme song and it plays at their pass in review.  The recruits know it well, they sing it often during boot camp.  I loved painting these young soldiers, esp from  behind because I'm not so good with figures! Any mom of a sailor is welcome to use/copy/print this for their personal use. I signed this one a little different today, in honor of all the moms that miss their sailors.

added note: one of the Navy moms asked me how I could part with this.  My answer to that is easy, if I sell this, the proceeds  goes towards the expenses of seeing my own son's pass-in-review where I get to see his face!