The garden this year, 2021, is better understood as a few flower beds, overflowing with Black-eyed Susans, marigolds, roses, a few echinacea, and hopefully sunflowers, which are dawdling. The crepe myrtle flourishes! And here’s a little sketch of me wrestling the hose...
Discovering unclaimed property in my mother’s name has been unsettling, reacquainting me with feelings of loss, grief and guilt. And yet giving me and my brother with a wee spot of cash from our mom. UNSETTLED My mother bought a $500.00 insurance policy when she was...
Two Repurposed Disasters Last week, I had a few more painting disasters that I repurposed into oh so modest imaginary arrangements on canvases I did not want to waste. (Thank Goodness for GESSO!) You see, I over estimated my ability to create paintings from other...
My brother said of my paintings, "your color choices are certainly unusual" — I guess they are -- Other artists' colorful paintings are such inspirations, even if I am missing some of their intensity. Getting the colors right is complicated because color is...
I’ve lost count; not of my birthday cards; of my paintings. Today seemed like as good a time as any to do something about the overflow engulfing the mantle, and dresser. I tried sorting and counting. But just when I thought all were properly arranged, I’d find one I...
Monday evening in Dallas was often a highpoint in my week; creating and kibitzing with talented women was better than therapy! When we lived in Dallas, I rarely missed a Monday evening at Pigment School of the Arts. Tori Pendergrass opened the door of her school at...
Last week I occupied myself with three small paintings. Two were disasters, requiring immediate Gesso interventions. One was worth keeping, the first one. Looking at it, though, I can see the proportions aren’t right: too much container compared to the tulips. Well,...
Let me honest . . . Sometimes the paint just won’t go where I want it to go; I have had a couple disasters, recently. This is where using smaller canvases can moderate disappointment of seeing an inspiration go kaput. Plus, on a smaller canvas, the Gesso is easier...
Waiting for Access As access to the COVID vaccine becomes a possibility, and more and more friends report that they have received theirs, nervous hope flickers. We signed up with two hospitals and the county health department — leaving the timing up to the Lord....
Given the uncertainties of these times, we need to come up with better questions to ask each other. How are you doing? This standard greeting can take a person to depths they don't want to go. We all know how we are doing . . . Fine, just F.I.N.E.! Instead of asking,...
Here’s the first painting of 2021: I call it, Appraising the Times Ahead. The cat is 2021; confined to my fishbowl, I warily wonder what the future holds. Why am I Worried? The storm COVID has moved closer, striking several of my friends, just as the New Year...
As 2020 ends, we received a gift. We have a vaccine; it’s a wonderful achievement; a hopeful weapon in suppressing the deadly virus. But this disease isn’t yet corralled, as 2020 ends. So, I won’t be laying down my paintbrushes any time soon; nor, will I be closing my...
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