Traveling Light

There's an interesting article in American Artist Magazine (there's no link here because I couldn't find the article on their web pages) about an upcoming fall show at the Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, Ct. Conservators and curators there are mounting an exhibition examining what's behind some famous paintings in an effort to learn more about the materials and creative process building to the final layer of the painting. Some previous underlying layers show preliminary work for the painting such as sketches, others show painted-over paintings or parts of paintings. While this is most interesting, I sometimes re-used canvases, or drastically changed a painting that had strayed from the original intention. The idea that the struggle to the final layer of my work may someday be open to examination is most unappealing. On the other hand, the great artist and teacher Wolf Kahn, in his pastel book says "the moment you know how to do certain things, you should by rights stop doing them. You would be ceasing to search and starting to perform." I'm definately still searching!

Today's painting will be one of the paintings featured at the Marco Island Center for the Arts Wine & Cheese on August 5. Hope you can join me there!

Traveling Light
30" x 24" (76.2cm x 61.0cm)
acrylic on canvas
$900 with FREE shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.

In the Swamp Daily Everglades Painting

This summer we awake to the sound of the "mosquito plane"buzzing overhead more often than we have for several years. We're having more rain this year and more rain means more mosquitoes. In Collier County the Mosquito Control Board has the job of determining where and when the mosquito level becomes dangerous to humans. When the numbers get too high they send up spraying planes in the early morning. I'm not a fan of toying with Mother Nature, and in our almost perfect paradise it's one of my least favorite things that happen here. There must be some effective natural remedies. We've seen swarms of dragonflies seeming to do the same job quite well. Where are they this year?
Today's painting is again of the Swamp. In the fresh, clear water there are many mosquito fish, who eat enormous amounts of mosquito larvae, a natural control mechanism of the Everglades. Some counties encourage their use and give them away for mosquito control purposes. Perhaps we ought to be building backyard ponds on Marco Island

In the Swamp
7" x 5" (17.8cm x 12.7cm)
acrylic on board
$150 with FREE shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.

Surrounded by Family Everglades Daily Painting

Oh, what a beautiful morning! The sun is up in a clear sky, the birds are singing, (well, there's a chirp here and there) and I can spend the whole day in the studio. Some if my time will be spent working on a commission to illustrate a children's story. How does that mouse's shoulder move when he's reaching out with a berry? I'm still getting up to speed on mice and squirrels, and will share with you when I get closer to a finish.

Today's painting is my first on some new, small canvas painting panels ordered recently. The support is a "green certified Masonite-type hardboard and the canvas is finely woven cotton with enough priming to get a luminous quality to the work , yet enough tooth for the paint to grab onto. After struggling with a variety of brands, I'm in love with these for the daily work! They came quickly, were just as advertised, the price was right! You can learn more about them or order at dailypaintingpanels.blogspot.com

Surrounded by Family
5" x 7" (12.7cm x 17.8cm)

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Mid Day Calm Florida Everglades Painting

This painting was started as a demonstration at Orion Bank's Artist Appreciation Series last week. It was fun to do, but there was only a ghost of a painting on the canvas at the completion of the short demo. I wanted to complete the painting while the idea was still fresh in my mind, and also to have it finished for the Center for the Arts Wine and Cheese on August 5th, so I got right to work. I like how it all came together! The shape of the palms and how they fit into the exotic frame of the Everglades continues to inspire me and even if a return to a site each day the light is so different that the same clump of palms can have a whole different interpretation.
By the way, after much serious consideration and debate, and the much moving of paintings, the couple that won the Art League Benefit Auction picked the water scene that you can see in an earlier post. In addition, they purchased two small paintings to accompany the larger won. Thanks from both the Art League and me!

Mid Day Calm
30" x 24" (76.2cm x 61.0cm)
acrylic on canvas
$900 with FREE shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.

Ghost Orchid Walk

I've been telling you about the Ghost Orchid blooming at Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, and on Saturday made the trek out to see it. It was about a mile walk out from the Nature Center on a 2 1/2 mile boardwalk. We were delighted to see that the staff had a telescope trained on it, otherwise we would have missed it. The recent heavy rain had probably shortened the life of the blooms, and I'm afraid if you haven't been to see it by now it's too late. Try again next year, it is a rare and beautiful sight. Despite the best of our cameras and a lot of trying, the best shot was taken through the lens by our friend Ken and edited to its best level by my husband Bob, and shows two blooms. There's one in the center left and another just to the right of that and a little lower. The Sanctuary has better pictures, and you can see them here. Since we walked at the hottest part of the day, on one of the hottest days we didn't see much wildlife, but the walk out was pleasant and the mosquitoes not bad. We were delighted to see one of the beautiful red and green grasshoppers--an Everglades favorite of mine. Hope you can see his gorgeous colors on your computer! As far as painting, I'm working on three new paintings for the Upcoming Wine and Cheese night at the Marco Island Center for the Arts, and I'll post one next.

Tulips

We lose friends this time of year. They"ll be back, but people we become very close to in the fall cast us aside and go back "North" for the summer. North can be anywhere north of the Florida line, but if you're from New England, it means anything above the Mason-Dixon line. Some go because they can't stand the hot, humid summer weather, some dread the potential hurricane drill, and some go to reconnect with family and friends in a place that will always be "home." Those of us left here will enjoy less traffic and the less frantic pace of social life.

One couple, good friends and lovers of my art, left this morning and took with them a painting for their new condo in Maine and a painting of tulips for a loved daughter-in-law. I did two of the tulip paintings, quite different. They picked one, and there's one left for you!

Tulips
7" x 5"

High Tide

I've loved the land since I was a child. I cherish memories of my father reading Thorton Burgess stories of animals who lived in meadow and woods to my brother and me at bedtime. The animals each had personalities and captivating adventures, and we would read one chapter a night. "Mother West Wind" still comes to visit now and then, and her children the "Merry Little Breezes" live very close by Marco. What childhood stories can you recall? There's room for comments below!

High Tide is the first large painting I've finished in quite a while. The palms play a powerful part, and the beach is very inviting. A piece of sky with moving clouds can still capture my attention and bring a sense of peace in the same way a walk by the water can settle my soul. I'm off to teaching today!

High Tide
40" x 30" (101.6cm x 76.2cm)
acrylic on canvas
$1,800 with FREE shipping and handling in the US

Quiet Morning

There's a ghost orchid that can be seen from the boardwalk in Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary off Immokalee Road. The ones I know of in the Fakahatchee can only be seen after traveling into the swamp, so this is a great way to see one without getting wet. Unless it rains again, of course! The ghost orchid is hard to find if you don't know where to look because there's only a small bit of almost invisible root if it's not blooming. In addition, they're quite rare, and only found in the Everglades. If you want to see it, go right away since I'm not sure how long it will be blooming.

Nice quiet weekend! My husband and I assembled and found space for a drawing table for the studio. Phew, too many parts! We followed the directions, though, and managed to get it all together after backstepping only a few times and without a major fuss. It's going to be a big asset since I've been working on some drawings for a children's story. I warmed up yesterday with this small painting of --what else--the Everglades! The palette knife gave it a nice underlying texture and a pleasing final result.

Quiet Morning

8" x 6" (20.4cm x 15.3cm)

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Marco Island Orion Bank Artist Appreciation

Everyone who attended the Marco Island branch of Orion Bank at the innovative "Artist Appreciation" Series last night seemed to enjoy themselves thoroughly. I was very pleased to be the featured artist and did a short talk about my work and a demonstration of how I begin a painting. Keith Dameron, Orion Branch manager sponsored the event and has held three previous art evenings. Refreshments are provided by the bank and Paradise Seafood, and the Marco Island Center for the Arts is a partner. Thanks, Chris & Keith, for all your help! These evenings are well attended by an interested crowd and have become community events. An auction of one of my paintings was held to benefit the Art League of Marco, and depending on the amount bid, the winners could choose from a variety of paintings. Bidding was hot and the Art League will receive a donation of $1000 for the winning bidder. Many thanks to all who bid! The winners spent quite a bit of time deciding between two paintings. My husband and I will take the two paintings to their house next week so they can see them in place to help them decide.

It was an honor to have people so interested in what I do, and I thank each and every one of you who came out last night!

Wetlands

In the Everglades this time of year water is everywhere and we saw a lot of water during yesterday's visit. This is just as it should be, because summer is the time that this vital watershed recharges itself and sends a flow of fresh water into the Southwest Florida estuaries. Differences in elevation measured only in inches mean this water will eventually find it's way into our coastal estuaries, flushing the fish nurseries so important to our food chain. Every afternoon the thunderheads will build and the flow of fresh water generated and slowly moves to the sea. Water will be abundant until the thunderstorms gradually decrease mid-fall, and dry season begins.

Today's painting is an often visited small wetland area. Sometimes the water seems to be barely moving, but this time of year there's a rush to seek lower ground. It's at it's peaceful best at the edges of day, in the early morning or at sunset.

See you tomorrow at the Artist Appreciation Series at Orion Bank on Marco Island at six!

Wetlands
10" x 8" (25.4cm x 20.4cm)
acrylic on canvas
$275 plus $25 shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.

Visit the Everglades

"There are no other Everglades in the world. They are, they have always been, one of the unique regions of the earth: remote, never wholly known" says Marjory Stoneman Douglas, author of The Everglades, River of Grass written in 1947. Although South Florida is now populated with millions of people, we're fortunate that her book was instrumental in promoting the preservation of thousands of acres of Everglades on both the national and state levels. In addition to Everglades National Park, we can enjoy the Big Cypress National Preserve, Seminole State Park, the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, and the Florida Panther Preserve right here in Collier County! Each of these areas have "friends" groups if you'd like to get involved, or to support them financially. Living here on Marco, on a small lot, I really appreciate the opportunity to have such open space only a few miles away. Marjory Stoneman Douglas lived to well over one hundred, and didn't start her work on preserving the Glades till well into her sixties. Shows us it's never too late to make a difference!

Dancing in Sunlight
7" x 5"

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First of July

This time of year southern outdoor art show artists receive show notices. We've made a decision to cut down on the number of shows we participate in this year, partly for personal reasons and partly because I want to investigate other ways of marketing my work. Decisions have to be made and I've been busy trying to figure out our schedule for the upcoming year. The number of art shows in our area are increasing and there are more choices than ever. Some weekends there are two or three to choose from! Do we do the ones that are close to home? These cost us less and are a bit easier since we don't have to travel. But, the ones further away give me an opportunity to introduce my work to other communities and for us to enjoy a couple of days elsewhere. It's hard to give up old favorites, yet the results of trying something new can be uncertain. Of course, you still have to be accepted, and some shows change up to one third of their artists every year to keep the show fresh. Will I pick shows and then not get in? Rejection becomes second nature to artists who put their work before the public, but it still not easy! In any case I'll keep you posted once my schedule is complete!

We would probably appreciate this great country of ours more if we ignored the media's version of the news. We live in a great country of magnificent beauty. The majority of us have enough for our basic needs, and more. We have unlimited opportunities. Take the weekend off, tune out, enjoy family, fireworks and have a happy Fourth of July weekend!

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How can a machine be so frustrating? I installed some new ad-ware yesterday and today can't open my photo program. UGH! If you own a computer you probably find that your stress level is occasionally raised to the point where you'd like to throw the thing right out the window! Through the window! It's that kind of morning for me. I want to be busy putting the finishing touches on a painting I'm working on, getting ready for the art class that I'm teaching this morning, and getting my blog done. Instead, my photo program won't open and I've spend the last hour trying to open it. I've tried every way I can think of, and am now working on ways to work around this problem. I can, thank you God, get to the pictures--just not open the program to edit them. Scream!

My husband and I attended a wine-tasting at the Art League of Marco last night in honor of our friend and wonderfully creative artist Angelika Kade. Her work will be on display there for the rest of the month and it's well worth the trip to see her beautiful stone sculptures. The wine tasting, by Island Liquors, was well attended and much enjoyed, as was a cake with a picture of one of Angelika's sculptures on it made by Publix Supermarket. A nice community art event!

Sunny Day started as a class demonstration last April, and in my studio clean-out went into the "has potential" pile. I finished it yesterday and am pleased with the clear summer light of it. You can see it in person by coming to Orion Bank next Thursday, July 10 from 6-8 where you can see more of my work and a short presentation at Orion's popular Artist Appreciation series.

Sunny Day
20" x 16" (50.8cm x 40.7cm)
acrylic on canvas
$500 plus $35 shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.