On the 100th day....

Today began normally with me reading my Bible and sending messages. We then rushed headlong into the day with last minute packing, and a sewing project.

We couldn't find the rain gutter I made from before, so I took part of a wall and rebuilt a gutter for between the booths.

We then hit the road and grabbed breakfast on the way. 

We stopped off first at the Chamber to get my packet. Then we headed to the campground on the way to the show. We dropped off the camper, then headed into the chaos that is set up for the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores. 

We spent a while setting up both tents with their roofs and walls. We then began the daunting task of putting up the new Flourish walls with the French wall opening in one tent. The entire set up took 3 hours to get done. I really believe part of this is because of me sustaining an injury with first pole I picked up. As I lifted the pole, the bracket slid down and caught the edge of my index finger. An almost immediate blood blister popped up and it was rather large and painful.

I took a bandaid to put pressure on it and kept working. Finally everything was in place and we could start hanging art. So many bags! 100 paintings are a lot, but we didn't bring that many with us. The response has been very favorable so far,with several people coming in to look while we were setting up. We took the longest we ever have to set up. Five hours total. Most everything is done though, even price tags in place. Tomorrow we set up the Christmas ornaments and straighten before we open.

We also went to dinner with our son and his girlfriend at Sunliner diner after hot showers and setting up the camper.

After dinner we went for some quick groceries and to relax. 

I then painted the 100 th painting in the camper this evening. 

I'm really happy the 100 paintings are done! Tomorrow morning I'll draw the winner of the painting valued at $295.

Thank you for following this journey with me!

Headed to the show! As usual Chris looks injured! I love him so much!

Tentacles, tentacles everywhere! Acrylic on canvas, 6 x24 inches

Day 100 of the 100 days-100 paintings 2025

Salt water

It has been an incredibly jam-packed busy day!

I started my day as usual with my Bible and other readings, then I journal.

This typically takes about an hour, sometimes more.

After I journal, I send the messages and begin my day.

Today's agenda was to take my sister in love to Prodisee pantry for 100 pounds of groceries.

This is so needed by her and helps tremendously with her food budget.

I also needed to ship a package or two to India.

I've needed to send these things to Christina for a couple of weeks now and today was the day.

Chris volunteered to take his sister to the pantry, so that freed up my time to get the packages ready.

Packing involves removing price tags, bags and generally just making everything generic.

You also cannot have any lithium batteries or batteries period.

It is becoming harder and harder to ship overseas.

I get the boxes packed, and head to the post office.

There, I have to fill out paperwork with my name, address, her name and address, and sign it.

I also have to list every single item, its cost, and its weight.

The totals all have to add up and cannot be over $200, or you have to pay extra.

Even the weights have to add up.

One of the boxes took three sheets to list all the items.

Each sheet has my name and address, her name and address, and my signature.

It's a lot and my heads hurts after getting it all done, paid for, and out of my hands.

I then headed home.

Chris beat me to the house and had taken the artwork from upstairs to the downstairs.

It is a lot of bags, all separated with plastic bags, against each artwork.

We took everything outside and in between dachshunds trying to get into the van, we loaded in the art.

This is a new system for loading, and I had to remove items and 

replace them in a delicate game of Tetris.

I also have to be sure that nothing will fall out when we open a door or the hatch.

This took a while to get everything into the vehicle.

I asked about the ornaments and Chris said what ornaments?

There they were under the sewing machine.

I managed to get them to fit, then realized the tree for them was still upstairs.

I went to the studio to get the tree and there was another bag of art!

Coming back down, Chris said there's no way that will fit.

(He doesn't like Tetris as much as I do!)

He went into the house shaking his head.

After a few minutes of gentle rearranging, everything had a place, and I was done.

We then went to lunch where I got a salad, and Chris got a burger and fries.

When we returned, Chris took a nap, and I headed to the studio.

I needed to trace out all the paintings for tonight's small group at church.

It took a couple of hours, but I got 12 canvases traced off and ready for class.

I packed extra just in case.

I then went for the evening sojourn with the rottens,(dachshunds)

When we got back, we dropped off the dogs for a quick trip to the grocery store.

I had a couple of things needed for dinner.

I prepared our meal, ate, then cleaned up and headed to class tonight.

The class was fun but ran longer than expected.

I always enjoy the chatter of the ladies and the laughter.

This painting about salt water was our piece for tonight.

After a lesson on sweat, tears, and the sea we jumped into creating.

Everyone had fun!

Salt Water, Acrylic on canvas, 11 x 14inches

Day 99 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

Just playing around!

"Just playing around!"

The dolphins may be, but I'm sure not!

Today was a productive, not so productive day.

I got a lot of the things on my to do list checked off, but there is so much more to do.

Some are small inconsequential things that if they don't get done, the world won't fall apart.

Unfortunately, I might! (Fall apart that is.)

Then I remind myself to breathe!

I have a thought in my mind of things I want to do, but God sometimes decides otherwise.

"Many are the plans of man, but the Lord's purpose will prevail." Proverbs 19:21

In other words, this joke comes to mind.

Wanna make God laugh? 

Tell Him your plans.

God's plan is always better, but in our stubbornness, we pitch fits.

"But I want it this way!"

Then like Balaam and the donkey, we beat the animal until it speaks to us.

Reminding us to slow down and not sweat the small stuff.

"But I'm a detail person and I sweat the small stuff."

Sometimes it keeps me awake because I ruminate over things.

To counter this, I make lists and maps.

Although this time, the maps escape me because I can't visualize the rounds in place.

I can see the wall in my mind in the booth and it's beautiful.

But I can't get it on the graph paper.

Not even on paper.

Maybe I'll try again tonight.

In the meantime, I erased, wired, and varnished the last of what we are taking this weekend.

As I was laying out my vinyl pieces I've had for 15 years, I realized how much history is on them.

I've threatened to paint them white but never seem to find the time.

The opposite side is neon green vinyl.

They once were cushions in a doctor's office. I bought all he had at a yard sale.

I used the cushions for my dining area and in a camper Chris built.

The vinyl was cut apart into strips that I cover my table with to prevent paint from getting on the wood.

There are so many projects on these pieces, so much history, so much work.

I can recall a lot of the projects, some for church, some for family, dozens of ornaments, 

varnishing, and painting canvases white.

Some of the projects haunt me, one in particular.

I worked with my daughter Jessica on the giant bird Kevin from the movie "Up"

Those blue feathers somehow keep reappearing on my white canvas years later.

This is after I have swept them, rolled them with lint rollers, shook them.

And still, the bright blue feathers!

Ornaments and decorations from Christina's baby shower.

Little ovals from her birdcages.

Apples for the church.

Sets for the church.

I guess I'll keep them as they are, too many memories to paint them white.

We also got another boat today.

I guess this will be the Winter project this year for Chris.

It's going to be a lot of work.

Chris invited me to lunch and took me while he was going back to the 

gentleman's house to try and get the motor.

He picked up the boat earlier along with all the supplies to outfit the boat that the guy bought new.

New seats, new lay down seats, various items to complete the project.

Anyway, this motor was a beast, a 1973 Evinrude.

Extremely heavy.

They were trying to rig a come along to hoist it into the truck and I became extremely nervous.

I suggested maybe a trailer would be better and safer.

So, off we went back home.

Chris got the trailer, and I went back to the studio, praying the entire time he was gone.

I once had a friend whose father was nearly killed by a 

come along snapping and throwing the chain at him.

Chris finally got home.

We rode the dogs.

We then loaded the van with a bunch of equipment and his new system 

for lifting the art above the tents, walls, weights, chair, umbrella, etc.

It's a lot of equipment to put on a show.

Especially a double booth!

We load in artwork tomorrow after we hitch up the camper.

We are almost at the end of the 100 days~100 paintings.

It's been an adventure this year as it is always an experience to remember.

New species, new works, new life. 

It's all here at the Raccoon Retreat Studio in beautiful Fairhope, Alabama!

Just playing around! Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24

Day 98 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

Protective pod

"Protective pod"

Dolphins are beautiful creatures that are a lot like us in many ways.

Their pregnancy is long, 10-18 months depending on the species.

They have a live birth after a labor of several hours.

The calf is born tail first, so as not to drown.

As soon as they are born, they must be guided to the surface to breathe.

The calf drinks milk from mom as often as every 20 minutes!

They have special feelers in their mouths that close as the tongue curls to nurse.

The moms are almost constantly awake to take care of the calf aiding in breathing and nursing.

Once born, the calf and mother will join the pod of siblings, aunts, and other moms.

Once they join the pod, the mom can somewhat relax and rest.

The pod is their playground, their babysitter, and alert system.

They also practice courtship and hunting.

Juvenile and bachelor pods offer opportunities for independence.

The moms teach everything from swimming to hunting.

They also teach communication.

Dolphins sleep with one half of their brain at a time.

This allows them to be alert and aware of their surroundings.

Social structure and bonding are essential to all pods.

This is National Shrimp Festival week!

I have an incredible list of things to get done.

But this is why I make a list, so I can cross off items as they are finished.

I still have several paintings to varnish, a camper to pack with both clothes and food,

wires placed on paintings, gas for car, and camper, money for dog sitter, groceries, not to mention packing all the art.

Somewhere in there, I have an afternoon of sewing to do as well.

I also need to go to the gallery and change out pieces and pick up as well.

We plan to leave early Wednesday, hopefully dropping off trailer at the campground and setting up the camper with AC, water, and power, checking all the systems before we lock it and go to the Chamber.

We go the Chamber to pick up the artists packet, then head to show for the actual set up.

It's going to be a very tight week time wise.

"Protective pod" Acrylic on canvas, 12 x24 shadowbox

Day 97 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

Two for one!

Two for one!

And no, the painting background is not orange on one end.

It is white, the lights in my studio throw a warm glow so as to not hurt my eyes.

Anyway, this was yesterday's painting.

I just simply was tired at the end of the day and forgot to post after 2 hours at Artwalk.

Playful dolphins are so much fun to paint.

I photographed these guys in separate shots while on a dolphin cruise out of Orange Beach.

We went about 10 years ago, and the photos have stood me well.

Did you know that dolphin's bellies go pink when they're happy?

Now you do!

They also go pink when, ahem, making baby dolphins.

Interesting facts that stay in my head this many years later.

This is today's painting.

"Crabs Jubilee"

I also have dozens of photos of blue crabs I've taken over the years.

My swipe files are pretty full as well.

Swipe files are photos from the internet that are free, photos from friends, and sometimes students.

I essentially have two file cabinets full of photos, drawings, and calendars.

It's an incredible amount of reference material to have at my fingertips.

My studio is full of them, and they are used frequently.

Today was a kind of relaxed day although I woke up out of sorts.

I didn't know what I wanted to do today, besides paint.

The grandson is staying the weekend, so I chose to spend time with him and Chris.

This puts me in the studio later in the day than I want to be.

I asked Chris to take care of dinner tonight and he did!

We had salads with smoked chicken and a delicious piece of cake someone made for me.

We got the cake Wednesday night after service, and it was gluten free!

It was also incredibly tasty!

Multiple layers with raspberry filling and a strawberry on top!

We have frozen some for a later date.

Took grandson for ice cream, and I went back to the studio.

Now I'm done for today and yesterday.

4 days until set up for the Annual National Shrimp Festival in beautiful Gulf Shores, Alabama

Goodnight!

Two for one! Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24, and 16 x 16

Days 95 & 96 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

Great Blue II and a birthday too!

The day started simply enough.

My Bible and Coffee, journaling, and messages around the world.

Well at least London England, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe Africa.

Each day I send messages to people that have requested them about Jesus's love for us.

They also receive my journal entry for the day.

We got a birthday call from London this morning!

Bappa, Christina, Neel and Dahlia all said happy birthday!

Somehow, we managed to play hide and seek too!

Such a fun call from the Banerjees!

Shortly after 9, we headed to Celebration Church to repaint the backdrop for CK kids.

It started out as backdrops for the dinosaurs, who have now found 

temporary homes at the Spanish Fort Library until next summer.

I was going to do it alone, but Chris tagged along to help.

It's my birthday and he wanted me to get done quickly.

Don't let Chris fool you, he enjoys helping me. (At least I think he does!)

I worked on the bottom, and Chris worked on the top painting leaves.

We both worked quickly and got the backdrop done in about 2 hours.

It was easy to add color to the wonderful work the youth did back in July.

This is the backdrop after.

Not a bad job!

Once the mural was done, we headed to lunch as we were both hungry.

I also received a phone call from Bangalore, India saying happy birthday. 

Dr B called me along with his wife to wish me happy birthday.

I then came home and finished this guy!

Another 6 x 24 ready for the shows.

I have a lot of varnishing to do this weekend for sure!

We then completed the day with a birthday dinner with the kids at a local restaurant on the causeway.

My brother, Ben Thomas wanted a photo of the three generations.

He thought it was funny we are ten years apart.

I turned 65 today, Ben turned 55 in March, and Jessica (our daughter) turned 45 in June.

I graduated high school in 1978, Ben in 1988, and Jessica in 1998.

It is kind of neat, this 10-year difference between us.

My birthday also falls on the same day as Ghandi, such a beautiful soul.

We had a lovely meal together as a family.

Sean, Jessica, Archer, Jere, Jenna, Lorene, Ben, Allison, Chris and myself.

Turning 65 has been fun so far!

Great Blue II and a birthday too! Acrylic on canvas 6 x 24 inches

Day 94 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

Great Blue I

 Oh, today was different to say the least. I started my day as usual with my coffee and Bible. After finishing the readings and sending messages I got ready to go to the Chiropractor. Chris went to a doctor's appointment. I got home from my appointment then the dog groomer showed up to trim, wash, and clip. While the groomer was here, Jere (our son) called and wanted to go to lunch. I said sure and Chris joined us for Mexican food. After arriving home, I put in some studio time and painted this guy.

I also got a shipment of several yards of netting for Jessica's dress, flounce, and train. Of course, when it arrived, I was trying to carefully unpack it. She texted and said Fed ex just delivered. I explained it was a difficult package to open but give me a minute as I was already in the process of opening it to tell her it had arrived. 10 yards of pink and 30 yards of White. I had to unroll the pink onto another roll in order to see the white. (It's a good thing I save my rolls from canvas!) We are both happy with the products and now have another step in the process to begin the building of her Queen's ensemble.

I finished my painting for today and went with Chris to take the dogs for their afternoon journey in the car. Both of the Wirehairs were so fluffy and sticking their heads out the window blowing their top knots back from their faces. I've never seen a dachshund that loves wind as much as Ruby. She will stick her head out at 40mph and barely blink. Bandit can barely handle 25. So funny to watch!

We then came home for Chris to watch TV for a while, and I headed back to the studio. I started another painting and then it was time for church in the evening.

We attended church with my brother Glen joining us. We also had a meal of potato soup, and I had the leftover cut up vegetables as well.

All in all, a good day. One day closer to the Annual National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama!

Great Blue I, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24 inches                                                       Day 93 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

Dinosaurs and more!

Our small group at Celebration church was not so small tonight!

Scripts & Strokes has grown through the years, and I still love teaching the scripture paintings.

13 years and counting!

I have several that have come year after year as well.

Tonight, we had four guests as well as the regulars.

It's always fun to see people painting and enjoying the group.

Everyone had a great time tonight!

Good lesson, even better fellowship and community.

The younger ones were so well behaved too!

This morning found us loading up the dinosaurs and taking them to the Spanish Fort Library.

The Library is still very excited to have them and I am so happy they are not in a land fill!

The stares we got while going down the road were comical.

The wind was bad though, the dinosaurs kept moving and we had stop to tie 

them down several times while driving.

We also brought a van load of greenery to put around them next summer.

Sarah and I will be busy repairing them, and touching up paint.

Next summer will be epic for them!

Another day, another painting, another adventure!

8 days until set up at the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf shores,Alabama

Such is life here in Fairhope

Dinosaurs and more, Acrylic on canvas, 11 x 14 inches

Day 92 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

King of his domain II

 Another great day in the studio. Another day closer to the Annual National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama. This guy was fun to paint after a day with my daughter working on her Queens ensemble.

My daughter Jessica will be Queen of the Phoenix organization early next year. There is an incredible amount of crazy work to do in the meantime. I was a professional seamstress for years until a drunk driver changed the landscape of my body. I have two herniated discs in my neck, and nerve damage in my right arm. I am herniated on the right side but have found relief with a wonderful product called "Huggterra". This device is an incredible invention that vibrates, has heat, pressure points, and electric stim therapy. 15 minutes a day, and I am loosening up more and more. The Huggterra and Chiropractic care are helping a great deal. There are still days though.... Some days are diamonds and some days are dirt. 

Anyway, back to my personal Queen. She has designed her dress with help from another designer, and I am doing the main build of the dress, skirt, and train. To say it's complicated is an understatement, but that is typical of my daughter. She has the most spectacular ideas and expects me to execute them. I pray a lot, and the Holy Spirit answers a lot, allowing me to do things I never imagined. It's a lot of engineering, sewing, hand work, and prayer on my part. This design will be spectacular on a lot of levels. 

I am so grateful for the many talents God has given me. He allows me to do things I never dreamed of when I was younger. I've also been asked to do another mural at a condo in Fort Morgan. That's already on my schedule for January of next year along with getting ready for shows in the springtime. 

Painting, camping, showing, spending time with my best friend Chris! This is our artists life here in Fairhope, Alabama!

King of his domain II, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24 inches                                          Day 91 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

King of his domain

It is so good to see the pelicans make a comeback. I know they can get annoying with the messes they make, but they are so beautiful in flight. They were at the edge of extinction as a result of the use of DDT. This pesticide made their eggshells so fragile that when they went to sit on the nest, they crushed the eggs. This species has truly made a roaring comeback. They are found along the West coast, but they are more yellow in their head area. They range from Oregon to below Mexico into South America. Their range is also Southern covering the Gulf Coast down into South America, Cuba, and the Bahamas. They also go up the Eastern seaboard as well. Most of the time, our pelicans stay locally for the most part. Some of them fly South for the winter. On the Pacific side, they leave the Gulf of California after breeding.

They eat small fish for the most part including menhaden, herring, anchovies, mullet and sailfish mollies. They fly and dive from up to 65 feet high. They tuck and twist to the left to protect its esophagus and trachea from the impact. Their throat pouch expands, trapping the fish with up to 2.6 gallons of water. They are typically found within 12 miles of shore. They can also feed from the surface of the water if it is too shallow and muddy to plunge. They will also steal from other birds and scavenge dead animals. 

Pelicans are awkward on the ground but are strong swimmers and powerful fliers. They are susceptible to oil spills as they nest near shipping channels. They are also still hunted and eggs are eaten on Latin American and Caribbean coasts. They are also endangered by fishing lines and lures. There are an estimated 700 birds that die from this alone. The birds themselves weigh about 8 pounds. Their wingspan is about 7 feet. They have no teeth either, their stomach does all the work digesting their fishy catch. They have two stomach chambers, the first secretes acid that softens bones and scales. The food then moves to the gizzard which further grinds the food into smaller pieces.

Now you may know more about Brown pelicans than you want to know. These guys are such a comical goofy bird on land, but there's no denying the grace with which they fly just above the water.

Kind of his domain, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24 inches                                          Day 90 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

Not so giant clamshell

Not so giant Clamshell.

Today was interesting as I was starting this painting this morning. First off, I awakened at 4:30 and was unable to go back to sleep. Not to be daunted, I got up and found the coffee done and Chris sipping his with a dog in his lap. I got myself a cup, then settled into reading my bible and journaling. Speaking of journaling, I had to add pages to my journal because for some reason my entries seem to be taking a whole page. I had deliberately bought a larger journal while in India thinking I could put two entries per page side. Didn't happen that way as my entries have been longer and I think richer as I dive deeply into research and writing. So, there are 95 days left in this year. I had to cut and fold enough pages to cover at least 96 days. So now I'm good to go until the end of the year. I just need to sew them into the book. I posted my journal, then Chris came home, and we went to breakfast before coming home and going to our respective studios. Chris then decided to go to the gym after we walked the dogs.

I then hopped into the studio to get some work done. First, I hemmed a pair of pants into shorts for Chris, the took them downstairs. I finally sat down to paint. I was concentrating so hard that Chris scared me by walking in after going to the gym. I get so focused on my painting; I don't hear him coming up. We then decided I needed a break and had lunch here at the house. We then decided to try and go to Fabrics by the pound only to find out they closed a year ago. I then wanted to try Rich Tex fabrics, but online they did not have any crinoline or gold lace. So, we headed to habitat for humanity re-store. Chris wanted Kayak paddles they had for $10. Turns out they were on sale for $8. They retail for $27. So a pretty good bargain. I also found pretty star lights for Jessica and Jordans table at the ball. They were a good price, so I bought 12 boxes. We are starting to amass a lot of stuff for the Mardi Gras ball next year. We then went to camping world to get chocks for the trailer. We had wooden ones, but Chris decided he needed the heavy plastic ones. We then drove home.

Once home, I greeted my sister in love, who was in the pool enjoying laughter with the puppies playing in squirting water. The puppies are crazy for water, to the point it's almost impossible to water the plants without them going ballistic. They jump in the air, biting the water from the hose. Tootsie in particular can jump at least 3 feet into the air chasing water and yet cannot jump on the couch or join me on the bench while I am reading the Bible. I have to help her up every time. I headed back to my studio and finished the painting before taking the dogs on their evening sojourn. Chris also helped tremendously by mopping the floor downstairs.

Anyway, this is another of my parent's shell collection from the Philippines. This one is a smaller giant clam, with a lot of the fluting still intact. I am amazed at how beautiful these shells are when brought up from the depths and not rolled around in the surf. I may have to dig out some more shells from the box as I am really enjoying this series immensely. Still in the box are a lot of Cone shells, of varying sizes, shapes, and degrees of death dealing. They are poisonous when alive and my father had a particular affection for them. For years these shells were a big part of family life, requiring lots of dusting and getting in trouble if we dropped one and broke it. Dad also had identified a lot of them, and they had tiny labels scotch taped inside the edge of the shell. Memories my brothers don't have because they were born later, which is why I took them from my parents' house. 

Another day, another painting done! 11 days until set up at the Annual National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Not so giant clamshell, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24 inches                                                                              Day 89 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

Not what I expected!

 Today was not what I expected. I was planning to paint more shells, but time was getting away from me, so I switched to the pelican for today. This guy was a pleasure to paint after the intensity of the shells the past two days. I love painting the detail of the shells, but they put such tension into my neck. Small details do that of course, but sometimes the little details are what counts big!

I've always loved painting pelicans. They are becoming quite the nuisance bird though, leaving their bird splatter everywhere. They can also be rather aggressive when seeking food from the fishermen on the dock. Don't even think you can toss a piece of a fish, it must be the whole thing, or they will spit it out. Where they congregate, they make a mess. Just look at the pilings they sit on. They are a beautiful bird though, especially in flight.

I went with Chris to Foley today to see the new thrift store that opened. I love that Chris enjoys thrifting, and he especially loves the books. I perused the clothing, not finding anything I really had to have. This store is new and particularly crowded, so we decided on going to lunch instead of shopping. I went to Hobby Lobby to get double sided blanket binding for my octopus themed pants. 

We came home and I went to the studio. I managed to add the border to my octopus print pants, put Velcro on the curtains, and hem a pair of shorts for Chris. I also finished the painting for today. It was then I realized I had forgotten to get something else I needed from Hobby Lobby. We had a dinner get together at 6:30 so we left early for me to go back to the store to get paper rolls to lay out the queen's train for Mardi Gras. I ended up buying three rolls because they were reasonable and I don't want to have to try and get more later. I will tape it all together to get a sense of the scale of the elements of the train and sketch it all out. 10 feet wide and 15 feet long is going to be one rather large piece of paper!

We finished dinner and here we are back home after driving through a heavy rainstorm in Daphne. It was not even raining in Fairhope when we arrived home. Unloaded the car and here I am posting for today.

A busy, not so busy day. Another day closer to the Annual National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Twelve more days until set up. I'm in full blown show mode now! Making lists, checking them off and starting to pack clothes, items for the camper, artworks, and equipment. This will be my 16th year of the festival!

Not what I expected, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24inches                                                                                   Day 88 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

Imperial Volute

 Imperial Volute

Another of my shells which hails from the Philippines. It is one of my favorites in the collection of shells from the time we were in the country. Again, the points are wonderfully preserved, and the color is fantastic. These shells are part of the Mollusk family, and its scientific name is Cymbiola Imperialis. To me, it's just a beautiful work of art. As you can see from the top of the shell, it is a lovely example of the Golden spiral.

These shells are native to the waters in between Malaysia and the Philippines in the Sulu Sea. They can be found in shallow waters just below the low tide zone all the way down to 80 meters. They prefer a sandy bottom. They feed on other Mollusks and invertebrate animals. They can grow large, all the way up to 9 inches. The one I have is 6 inches. In the wild they are covered by a thin layer of brownish periostracum. So, if you don't know what you are looking for, you may not see it!

This painting was fun to paint and a lot easier than I thought it would be! I was thinking I might have to do another piece instead of this one because of the degree of difficulty. 

I also painted white all the canvas Chris stretched yesterday this morning. We then went to lunch and bought lumber for a project Chris is working on to take to India. Christina keeps asking for various things to be brought to her because she misses home and wants items made by her parents. I get it, but it may mean another piece of luggage!

I also managed to alter the Octopus pants I bought at Goodwill. They were originally like sweatpants, but I opened up the legs and inserted a large black triangle flare on both sides of the leg. There are really cool looking now, albeit a little short. I may add a black band at the bottom to complete the look. I also found a terrific top to go with them, so my first outfit for the National Shrimp Festival is complete.

I've also got a couple of other projects at my sewing machine that must get done soon. Velcro added to the bottom of the new black curtains that cover my poles and weights. It keeps the curtains from flapping in the breeze, makes a clean line, and adds to the professional look of the booth. My goal is even more of a gallery look with the new black walls and white background artworks. The new octopus pants outfit will match the booth for sure! I've also got two pair of pants Chris wants made into shorts. He's lost weight and is having to use some of the pants that have been stored for a while. So, the new lifestyle is working but he cheats a lot!

Imperial Volute, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24 inches                                                                                         Day 87 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

Venus Comb

 Venus Comb Murex

To say my parents were avid shell collectors is putting it mildly. I have vivid memories of them coming home from dives while we were living in the Philippines. Invariably, they brought home either shells or something for our fish tank. The process was always the same, they would come home and place the shells in the ant bed. The ants were fed handsomely, and in two weeks we had shells that were incredibly clean and beautiful. It was like Christmas, carefully removing the shells from the ant bed and finding the treasures held within.

If you've never seen a shell brought up from the depths of the sea, you'll be in for a shock. The shells caught live are beautiful with incredibly sharp spines. The clams are even sharper as their flutes are intact. Razor coral is sharp enough to cut you, even after drying out and even years later. The shells we see on the beach have been rolled in the surf and softened by the sea. I got my parents shell collection after they both passed away. They have brought back incredible memories of living in the Philippines and snorkeling for hours on end while my parents dove below. 

The Venus comb murex is known by its scientific name Murex pecten. They are large predatory snails that eat other mollusks. They grow 4-6 inches in length. The one I have is about 5 inches. It is the one I photographed and painted here. The spines are though to protect the shell from predators while they are hunting. The shell shape is considered to be elongated with a pronounced siphonal canal. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region and can be found from coral reefs to sandy bottoms. They occupy water depths between 0-1115 feet! They like tropical waters as the warm stable temperatures aid in their survival. Bottom dwelling using camouflage to hide among the rocks and corals.

It does face threats from overharvesting and habitat loss. My parents got theirs in the 60's. They were considered to represent wealth and status. They may serve as trade items or gifts. They are used in crafting sometimes, but the delicate spines break easily. 

I pray you've had a great day. Today was much better for me in the studio. I was able to paint and cut canvas for Chris to stretch on the bars he made for me. I am one happy artist! I painted this evening while dinner was cooking, and Chris stretched the frames and then we had dinner, cleaned up and got ice cream. I then headed up to the studio to finish this painting depicted here.

Venus Comb Murex, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24inches                                                                                   Day 86 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

Send in the clowns!

Tonight, our small group met, and boy did we have fun!

We all painted the clown fish you see here.

They all looked pretty great too!

This was after a long day.

Not all of my day was in the studio, however.

The studio time in the morning was taken up by putting wires on all the paintings varnished yesterday.

I then sketched off nine paintings for tonight's class.

If you don't know, while I am working, I keep my phone on silent for the most part.

So, while I was drawing in the bathroom for tonight's class, 

my sister in love was trying desperately to get in touch with me.

Turns out, she got a call from the doctor's office about her test last night.

They wanted her to go to the emergency room immediately.

They saw a possible brain bleed.

When she couldn't get me, she called her sister in Mobile who called Chris.

All this while I was quietly transferring the drawings to canvas.

I came out to seven missed calls in the space of 20 minutes.

Chris picked her up and took her to the emergency room.

Then, Chris called me to tell me what was going on.

I was preparing to go to the ER when our son called and wanted lunch.

I went with him to lunch and picked up something for Chris to eat.

We exchanged food in the hallway, and Chris went home to eat and hang out with dogs.

I spent the next few hours trying to calm my sister in love and asking questions.

We pretty much were left alone and without a whole lot happening.

Once it was all said and done, the ER physician said he didn't see a brain bleed.

Neither did the Neurologist.

This is the second time this has happened but it's in a different area now.

I'm glad she's okay and at home resting.

That was my scare for the day!

Tonight's class was so much fun.

All of the ladies had really neat looking fish by the time we were done.

We also spent two hours that just flew by!

Psalm 104:25 "Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small."

The clownfish is unique in that they can hang out with the anemone and not get stung.

Gods covering is like that, covering us with his presence and protection keeping us from harm.

Bring in the clowns, Acrylic on canvas, 11 x 14

Day 85 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

Happy artists, happy art!