Totally turtles VI

"Totally turtles VI"

I am a bit late in posting this tonight.

We decided as we were riding the dachshunds around for their evening ride that we would go to church.

We had delightful conversation, a meal, worship music, and an awesome sermon.

We may be beaten down, but death has no hold on us!

The Pastor, Ben Andrews was from Arkansas and had an incredible testimony about the power of God.

He had 2 1/2 YEARS of one thing after another happening to his family.

Yet through it all, God proved faithful!

And God is still faithful, even to any of us.

We can all have a testimony.

Tonight is one of mine.

God has been faithful to show up again and again in various times of my life.

I can assure you, He is there for you too!

This morning I got up early, preparing to finalize packing to go down to the National Shrimp Festival.

Various things from the bathroom, makeup bag, pillow, neck massager, food from refrigerator.

First, I had a doctor's appointment.

Appointment at 9, went at 8:20 to fill out paperwork.

At 8:26 a friend, who is on the Shrimp Festival committee as a volunteer messaged me.

Shrimp festival will be cancelled.

I'm stuck at the doctor's office and my phone which is on silent starts blowing up.

I handled several texts and finished paperwork.

Lots of friends and family messaging me.

I was brought back after 9 am to a room and was quickly seen by a doctor in training who did an extensive interview.

I'm just here for a physical but there is this problem.

My right arm, the arm that's given me fits the majority of the summer.

She finishes interview, doctor comes in and goes over everything.

He's ordered PT and I start next week on Thursday.

He also said the ibuprofen I've been taking for the pain in the arm 

may have been damaging the lining of my stomach.

No more ibuprofen for me.

Maybe that's why I have acid reflux.

Asked about gall bladder, recommended medication, no thank you.

I handle that with avoidance of fatty foods.

I haven't had another attack since 2022.

Doctor ordered bloodwork.

I waited a long time to get blood taken.

By this time, I am like a cat on a hot tin roof.

I cannot sit still and am getting annoyed.

I need to be down in Gulf Shores, taking down the two tents, walls, weights, 

and curtains we just put up yesterday.

Fortunately, the young lady taking the blood was amazing and I was out rapidly.

I then hurried home, changed clothes and out the door we went.

We got to Gulf Shores at about 12 o'clock to find people trying to zip down our sides.

They were already flapping in the winds that are picking up.

We immediately got to work breaking down everything.

We separated what we need for the next few week's shows.

Jubilee Festival in Daphne, AL.

That one is only three ten-foot walls.

So are the next four shows.

We packed up the French wall parts, and wall pieces.

We packed everything up within an hour and a half.

Chris and I were then visited by several volunteers from the show.

We felt hugs and love all around.

They are sad too for all of us.

We are all a little nervous about an approaching storm brewing up in the Gulf.

What is the testimony?

That God is good.

God has the plan.

We don't always agree with His plan, and that's okay!

My tents and other equipment are safe.

The art that I've spent three months creating is safe.

We are safe at home.

Having a not so happy Hurricane Isaias party with our dachshunds.

This is what Totally turtles looks like together.

Isn't it awesome!

100 days, not quite 100 paintings.

A million ways to be grateful because God is so good!

Totally turtles VI, Acrylic on Shadowbox canvas, 6 x 24

Day 100 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

 

Totally turtles V

"Totally turtles V"

It has been a really long day and I'm still going.

I woke up at 4 am to find Chris up too.

I started my Bible readings and Chris decided to go back to bed.

I was still doing my morning routine when he got back up.

The day began with us having breakfast and Chris keen to get on the road.

Me not so much.

I'm nervous about what's brewing in the Gulf.

I read several blogs, listened to both Mikes weather page and James Spann.

They keep showing all these models that have this thing coming into the Gulf Coast this weekend.

I asked my weather nut brother what he thought.

He says Cat 2 into Mobile on Friday night.

So many artists getting ready with no hurricanes this summer.

Isaias however may have decided otherwise.

I have been praying about this disturbance ever since I first heard about it.

Lord, we have way too many people that have worked way too hard.

I myself have been over 3 months working to get ready.

Any way, we headed down to the Gulf to pick up my packet for the show.

After getting the pass we drove into the show area.

Apparently, a lot of people have decided to opt in for the early set up day.

We drove to my spot on the end and started unloading.

Bags and tubs, pipes and walls, lights, and electric cords.

It's a lot to load out before we can separate it all.

My double booth typically has an opening to the back left side of the tent.

It's a French wall system that requires a lot of pipes and brackets.

There are actually two walls at the back of the tent, one five ft. and one seven ft.

The seven-foot wall is about two feet in front of the five.

Problem is there is a large chance of rain.

Bigger problem is there is a dirt pit right where my door is to get out of the tent.

Chris says that we'll have to flip it to the other tent.

Easier said than done.

I have to replace the poles over into the other tent.

The seven is now on the right instead of the left.

It took a while to wrap my head around the situation before I could lay pipes where they were needed.

Chris also shortened the seven-foot wall support bar by about 3 inches,

 So now we aren't fighting to get it into place.

We got the pipes in place, the walls attached, and the lights hung.

We put the rest of the equipment inside, zipped down, and headed for lunch and home.

After we got home, I went straight to the studio.

I had several paintings to varnish, wire, and pack.

Varnish is first.

Wiring tonight.

Pack maybe later tonight.

While the varnish was drying, I went to get my business license.

I also went to pay my rent at the gallery, then back home.

We took the dogs for a ride in the car, then we headed to the grocery store.

We picked up several things, especially my gluten free items.

Once we got home and loaded it all into the camper, it was past dinner time.

For us way past time to eat.

We ate at 7:30.

I mixed up muffins to take with us and set them to baking.

I finished getting all my clothes together.

I also got my makeup together.

Clothes in the camper, makeup tomorrow morning.

Still a lot going on here at the studio!

This is the layout for the Totally turtles collection.

It's going to be an awesome showcase of turtles!

This 6 x 24 is one of the ones at either the top or the bottom.

Long day here, an even later night, so my mind is not racing about what needs to be done.

It will simply BE done.

I am so grateful my small group Scripts & Strokes understands me.

They graciously allowed me to cancel the class for tonight so I could finish getting ready for the show.

"Totally turtles V" Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24 inches

Day 99 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026 

 

Totally turtles II

The second in the series Totally turtles.

This one is so fun with the turtle peeking out from the shadowbox.

The sea turtles are a favorite of mine to paint.

I'm always fascinated with the incredible number of textures they have on them.

The whole piece with multiple canvas is going to measure 42 inches wide by 50 inches tall.

It will be an incredible addition to the booth for sure!

The birthday celebration continued with family members at a local steakhouse.

It is always incredibly fun to see both my brothers.

They both seem to be doing well, but we are all getting older for sure.

Jere and Jenna joined us as well.

We'll be getting together with the Price crew on Monday.

Jessicas wedding went way over time wise.

There was also a wreck on I65 that involved an overturned tractor trailer 

blocking all three lanes of traffic going Southbound.

They live slightly North of us in Saraland.

Not wanting our daughter, son in love and grandson Archer caught in traffic and heavy rain, 

I asked them to put off until Monday.

Painting, packing, and planning.

All part of getting ready for the biggest party on the coast!

The 53rd Annual National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

The Coastal Alabama Business chamber is our host for this event.

I'll be posting more information about parking, and where I'll be located soon.

Totally turtles II, Acrylic on shadowbox canvas, 16 x 24

Day 96 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

 

Totally turtles

"Totally turtles"

I simply love painting sea turtles.

I pray you can see the love I have for them.

This is one of the unique new canvases that Chris has built.

He managed to build a total of seven.

One of them is the tilted canvas that I painted an octopus on.

The next few days will feature turtles, making a large piece that will measure about 

50 inches tall and 42 inches wide.

It will have six canvases, featuring 4 of the 16 x 24s and two 6 x 24s.

I think it will have a large impact at the shows.

The pieces could be sold all as one work of art, but they can be sold separately.

I'm really enjoying the process of completing of the 100 paintings.

I am so close to the end next week.

It's always a kind of happy and sad time too.

But the pressure to create will continue at the studio, just maybe not blogging as much.

The paintings done after the 100 will still be posted, just maybe not to the blog as well.

I pray you'll stay with me for the end.

"Totally turtles", Acrylic on Canvas, 16 x 24

Day 95 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

 

Lights and Great Whites

This was yesterday's painting completed while teaching a small group at my church.

The small group is called Scripts & Strokes and is celebrating it's13th year!

I really enjoy teaching both the Scripture and the painting class.

This one is today's piece.

It features Great White sharks on a shadowbox canvas.

This one is large, 12 x 36 inches.

Incredibly interesting to paint too!

The Shrimp Festival will find us set up by this time next Wednesday.

Set up is always a grueling day because of my nerves and the pure work of setting up.

We will be putting up two tents and one with the french wall opening at the back.

I am mildly nervous about the show because of the current economy.

Art is definitely a luxury and not a necessity.

I am leaving it in God's capable hands though.

He always takes care of this artist!

I also erased yesterday and varnished today.

There are paintings spread all across my big table, with no room for more currently.

Hopefully I can pack them tomorrow and get them off the table.

Vendors for the festival also got emails today about parking and set up times.

We hopefully can get there early enough to avoid the chaos that is the 

Annual National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Fortunately for us, we don't have to worry about parking.

We park the van at the campsite Wednesday after unloading at the show.

We then ride our bikes back and forth to the show.

The weather looks like it will be good for the show.

We have several days of rain ahead of us, then a cooling just in time for the show.

Unfortunately, this means cloudy days ahead at the show.

I have lights, but we bought an additional set of lights that can plug in to the shrimp festival electricity.

This show is different in that it gives everyone power to run lights and frequently fans in the booths.

The lights I currently have are battery powered and are great, but with possibly cloudy days into the nights, I felt I needed plug in lights as well.

Lights and Great Whites, Acrylic on canvas, 11 x 14 and 12 x 36

Days 92 & 93 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

 

Costumes and Completions

I tried, really tried to post this last night but there was a glitch in my internet service.

I was able to download one photo, but the other one no dice.

So, I decided rather than fighting with it, I would post today instead.

Obviously, I'm "painting" with fabric again!

My daughter in love, Jenna wanted a costume that was a carousel.

Little did I know it would challenge my engineering skills!

This one was fun to design with Jenna, and she's jumped right in to help.

She has gotten the majority of the carousel animals colored in and cut out.

She also helped pick out the fabrics from my stash.

Adding in some trims from my daughter Jessica and we're going to have a really cool costume.

The only things we've had to purchase were two hula hoops, and pom-pom trim for the hat.

Everything else has come from the fabric stash or the scrap heap.

I love it so far.

We'll be finishing up hopefully this weekend.

This is the skirt that hurt my engineering head!

It has really turned out just as I hoped.

It has a good bit of finish work to do still.

Together they look so cute.

I can't wait to add the carousel animals and work on the hat too.

It's going to make an amazing one-of-a-kind costume for sure!

Just precious.

Today I did the completion work on both of the five-piece Octopus and Turtles.

This involves a lot of work.

First, I covered my tables with the vinyl pieces I purchased from a yard sale 16 years ago.

They actually were cushions that I recycled into my banquet and the Gypsy wagon we built years ago.

I cut the edges off, and have used them as table covers.

They have a lot of history on them!

I then cut strips of tracing paper to trace off both edges of the canvases.

Each five piece has four seams, but eight edges to paint.

After tracing, I took apart the painting and transferred the drawings to the canvas sides.

It then took a couple of hours to paint the sides on both pieces.

Sixteen sides total!

A few years back the Holy Spirit jumped into the fray and gave me the perfect way to do these transfers.

I used to spend hours trying to draw the sides while looking at the painting next to it.

This way is so much easier and effective!

This one would have been especially difficult because the octopus has suckers that are right on the edge.

It would have taxed my brain trying to duplicate them on the sides without this new method.

I love when the Spirit speaks and gives me fantastic ideas.

I did fuss a bit though, because He let me struggle for a couple of years 

before making me see this method.

I guess I wasn't ready until then.

The completed octopus.

As you can see the painting marches right along, even on the sides!

Here are the completed turtles.

Chris helped today by putting the d-rings on and the wires.

A lot of cleaning up to do and erasing.

Then, varnish and in a couple of days, packing them for the show.

I also got a notification yesterday that one of our favorite shows for Spring has been cancelled.

This show, in Melbourne Florida is hands down one of our favorites.

The director had to step down because of family and I agree with her priorities.

The board then lost a sponsorship and no one wanted to take the reins to run the show.

The board voted to cancel the show.

Just makes me sad.

Of course, this show is in the middle of two other shows we do in Florida at the same time.

So, I scrambled to try to find a replacement show as I'm sure many other artists will be doing.

I've put in for two shows, hoping one will accept me.

One is near Amelia Island on the St. Johns River.

We've done the show once before and it was nice.

Hopefully it won't be as windy as it was that year.

The other show I applied for is a newer one.

This is only their 7th year.

They are already ranked in Sunshine Artist magazine in the fine art section at number 11 out of the 100.

They drawback is they are 12 hours away from Tallahassee.

It would also be a new state for us as the show is in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Right on the Atlantic coast.

Near the Ocean I love so much.

We would then head to Amelia Island.

I have also applied for another show on Mother's day weekend in Greensboro, S.Carolina.

This would be another new state for us to foray into.

God's hand is upon us and on these shows.

We'll see what happens.

I always remember Proverbs 16:33-"We throw the dice, but God determines where they land."

Every time I put in for a show, I'm throwing the dice.

God then plans the trip for us!

I hope you've enjoyed this bit of the Raccoon Retreat Studio behind the scenes.

Another day, another work of art!

Costumes and Completions, Acrylic on canvas and fabrics, 

Days 90 & 91 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

 

Traffic jam

"Traffic Jam"

This one still needs to be traced off, transferred, painted on the edges, erased, varnished, and wired.

Still a lot to do before I can pack this one away!

I have started following a wonderful group of divers on Facebook that leave 

cameras in the ocean and just swim away.

They retrieve the cameras and they have wonderful action videos made by all the fish, whales, dolphins, and of course sea turtles.

I had forgotten how noisy the sea was until I started watching.

Whales calling, fish chirping, coral eaters crunching, shrimp snapping their claws are all things you can hear underwater.

Turtles don't make any sounds though.

They communicate by touch and sometimes by attempted bites.

A noisy, beautiful live action film!

I love to see the sea turtles come into the cleaning stations to have the 

fish remove dead skin and parasites from their bodies.

They actually get upset with each other if someone cuts in line.

So fun to watch.

I love the ocean and hope you do as well.

I really want to go snorkeling somewhere that I can immerse myself in the noisy activity of the sea!

I want to see the live corals, hear the fish and whales, but most of all I want to see my beloved turtles.

Maybe I can go there in my dreams tonight!

Traffic Jam, Acrylic on multiple canvas, 36 x 60

Day 89 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

 

Pelicans and Cephalopods

Last night got away with me!

Actually, I had a long day of painting and I was simply tired.

I pray you'll forgive me for not posting yesterday.

Any way you look at it, this painting is so full of life.

Watching pelicans on the coast is a favorite pastime of mine.

Diving and dipping, fishing and eating so much they cannot fly.

I love to watch them while Chris is driving along, and they are flying so gracefully.

How such a gawky looking bird can glide so beautifully.

Only God knows.

Pelicans 24 x 24 inches

This is the painting for yesterday, day 87.

I made the photo for this one extra-large, so it is easier to see the details.

The five-piece paintings are still doing well.

We love them because they are easy to pack in a single bag, but they still have a big impact.

This one is 5 12-inch-wide canvases, ranging in size from 12 x 12 to 12 x 36.

36 x 60 inches

It makes an impressive work of art, especially when in a booth at a show.

This is what I call a showstopper.

These types of paintings bring people into the booth as they want to see the detail and the price.

Sometimes the price makes them run away, other times I'm told it's not enough.

Then there's the third option, I'll take it!

I've found the price that makes me happy with the amount of work they take.

This one was painted in one day, yes one long day for just the fronts.

It was a hard day's labor, and it is why I was tired last night.

It still has to be broken apart, traced off, and painted on the sides as 

this is what makes them really unique.

They then have to be erased, wired, and varnished.

So, a few more hours to go on this one!

The sides are a continuation of the front painting, allowing them to be spread apart, 

yet still have a complete piece of art.

People love to get next to them and look down the side to see the continuation.

It helps that I love to paint them!

I've got another one set up to paint that is the same size.

I'll reuse the bars then to make a really big one 

that measures 40 x 80 inches.

I'm still trying to decide if I want another pier on that one!

Another day, another painting, another day closer to the Annual National Shrimp Festival

in beautiful Gulf Shores, Alabama!

Pelicans and Cephalopods, Acrylic on canvas, Pelicans 24 x 24, Octopus 36 x 60

Days 87 & 88 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

 

Great Blues

"The Great Blues"

So many paintings are in my head and coming out from my brush.

This pair was incredibly fun to paint.

I always enjoy the process of these Shadowbox paintings.

It can be a challenge to make sure everything fits without looking totally weird.

Great blue herons are extremely territorial and because of this innate 

behavior can be really entertaining to watch.

Take for example the two we witnessed on the beach the other day.

Both were males, but I believe that one of them was the son and one was the father.

The dad was having none of the son encroaching on his territory.

We watched as he chased the other one down the beach and further away.

I don't know the exact area they defend as their own, but they do defend it rather exuberantly.

They do this with the most annoying sound too!

I would call it almost a growl of sorts as they fly through the air.

The son beat it pretty quickly as dad chased him down the beach.

I've also witnessed bluebirds in our own yard do this same dance.

We have one male that has his chosen box at the end of our pool, and he defends it rather heartily.

One year, the mated pair had three babies and all of them were males!

Woe is me is all that one of them could probably say as dad chased him from the favorite box.

Such flashes of blue beauty flying through the trees!

All three sons eventually found their own territory and happiness ensued.

I love to watch them sitting on top of the house, looking for their next bug filled meal.

I even leave fruit outside to attract the bugs for them to hunt.

We also give them meal worms as that is their favorite!

I absolutely love birds and painting them.

I pray you enjoy looking at them as well.

"Great Blues" Acrylic on shadowbox canvas, 24 x 24

Day 86 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

 

Four days and a show!

The first of two pelicans painted while in Orange Beach for the Freedom Fest this past weekend.

This one was day 81 of the 100 days.

I painted in the camper while we were relaxing after we set up the tent and wall system on Friday.

This wall system is the main reason for doing this show to practice the actual building.

This is hopefully so we don't get into words at the Shrimp Festival in two weeks.

I knew that this weekend would be a hot one, but boy did we both underestimate the heat and humidity.

Chris forgot closed toe shoes, so he needed a new pair.

We forgot the batteries for the fans that go on our chairs.

We also picked up a couple of bottles of zero drinks with electrolytes and downed them.

I began getting sick to my stomach during set up.

Water is just simply not enough.

We will be bringing a case with us to the Shrimp Festival for sure.

Also, an ice chest that doesn't leak.

This painting was done on Saturday at the show.

So many problems cropped up this weekend that we both have made mental notes about.

The good news is we had delightful neighbors kept us laughing the whole Festival.

Even when we all felt like we were melting like the witch from the Wizard of Oz.

Friday night, we met up with our son and daughter in love.

We had a fantastic meal at the Steamer in Gulf Shores.

Chris and I shared a platter for two that was amazing and also too much to eat!

We met at our camper later that evening and started coloring the carousel animals for Jennas costume.

We turned in about 9 pm for some well-earned rest.

Saturday dawned and we ate breakfast in the camper.

Off we went to the show.

Every show is different, but each show is a learning process as well.

This one was a good lesson.

Several lessons actually.

Starting out, we had the things we forgot, the fans mostly and boy did we feel it all day.

The day was long, the sweat was real, and we looked forward to evening when we could shut down.

No sales at all that day.

None.

It's been five years since I've had a zero show and that one was because of heat too.

Maybe Sunday will be better.

We ended up getting dinner with our son and daughter at the Sunliner Diner in Orange Beach.

I had a large salad to help with cooling off from the long hot day.

 We finished by Chris and Jenna splitting a banana split and our son Jere' had a vanilla shake and I had the leftovers in the mixing cup.

We turned in, hoping that Sunday would be a better day.

We started out the day with breakfast with the "kids" at Ducks in Orange Beach.

(We eat out a lot when we're on the road and at shows, I cook during the week though!)

We split and then headed to the camper to pick up a couple of items and head to the show.

We only had five hours on Sunday thankfully.

Chris and I watched online church and really enjoyed what we could hear between the planes, golf carts, Loud cars, motorcycles, and music blaring over the speakers.

Church is always a challenge when we are on the road, but we make the effort.

The day progressed with the usual slowness of a Sunday, as people are hopefully going to church.

I had a woman come in and rave about my work the day before.

She said she was going to put me on her interior designers radar.

I usually take these people with a grain of salt because most of the time, nothing at all comes of it.

The woman from the day before came back and said her friend was dropping by in about an hour.

It ended up being longer, but she did finally show up and we had a lovely conversation.

I will be working directly with the lady who introduced us, apparently the designers communication skills are not real good.

We'll see how far that goes, as she is interested in large pieces for several condos she's designing.

Originals only. 

No discounts discussed. (That's a FIRST!)

The designer asked if no one else had me working for them.

I laughed and said I wish!

She may want murals too!

Praying this is a reality this time.

I have been contacted, talked to, and done presentations at shows before and 

never had anyone actually follow through.

After that excitement the day really slowed down with 65% humidity and 

temperatures feeling like 100+.

More people on Sunday, but not a single sale.

I am surprisingly calm about this, even though there is the loss of income and money spent.

We had a lovely weekend.

Break down was brutal though in the heat.

Not only did I not make any money but was rather warm even for me!

We headed to Walmart after breaking down to get large Zeros again to get the electrolytes back into us.

We cooled off in the camper and ate chicken salad I made with lettuce wraps.

We lazed around, got showers and hit the bed at 9pm.

Going to bed early was a problem for me later in the night.

I slept until 1, then fitfully for the rest of the night.

Started on Sunday, finished on Monday.

We got up at 6:30, and drank coffee while I did my Bible readings as I do every day.

We then went to breakfast this morning.

We tried to go to the Ugly Diner, but they were closed on Mondays.

We ended up at the Waffle House in Gulf Shores.

After breakfast we broke down the camper, I cleaned inside and Chris got things going outside.

I loaded up laundry and foodstuffs, ready for our homecoming.

I finished just as Chris did, and we hit the road.

We got home by 11 to a sink leaking and happy dachshunds.

Chris went to get items to repair the sink while I started laundry, and put away food and toiletries.

I replaced a lightbulb in the hallway while doing laundry.

I then determined I wanted to back up the trailer into the carport.

It took several tries, with Chris nervously giving directions, but I finally got it done.

We then closed the gates and released the hounds into the yard.

We unloaded the van from all the art, equipment, and storage system, putting everything away.

We then went to try and get the parts for the sink, a trip to the bank, a salad shared at Zaxbys.

A really full day, but laundry is done, food put away, and for the most part we're almost set for the next show which is the 53rd Annual National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama

Somewhere in there, was painting!

Four days and a show!, Acrylic on Canvas, each 6 x 24inches

Days 81, 82, 83, & 84 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

Caretta Caretta

"Caretta caretta"

Otherwise know as the Loggerhead sea turtle.

Caretta is a latinized form of the French or Italian word caret or carette 

which historically meant turtle or tortoise.

Another dimensional piece.

So incredibly fun to design and paint.

The other part of the work to make them

, not so much!

It's all a part of the process of creating.

I spent a good bit of the morning bagging everything up to go to the show this weekend.

There are a total of seven bags ready to go.

I think I have enough to make a good show and have it be presentable.

The main reason we are going to this show is to camp again, and to set up the French wall system.

The French wall gives me a door out the back of the tent.

Not that we'll need it this weekend, but I know we need the practice setting it up.

This is the system that injured me so badly right at the beginning of setup for the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

The very first time we set it up!

I lifted a bar to put it in place and the bracket slid down and bit me hard.

I let out such a deep moan that someone about 20 feet away asked if I was okay.

I held it tight, thinking blood was going to spurt if I let it go.

After a few seconds I released it and saw the blister.

It didn't break the skin!

Thank you Lord!

It raised a nasty blood blister that I can still feel the scarring underneath the skin.

It's going to be a busy three weeks ahead!

Multi canvas pieces and many shadowboxes are on the way.

Meanwhile, I'll paint at this show a few birds while waiting for crowds that will probably be rather light.

Always working so I don't get antsy.

It also helps to build inventory too!

"Caretta Caretta" Acrylic on wood, 18 inche round

Day 79 0f the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

 

A crabby situation

"A crabby situation"

Blue crabs are so plentiful around our gulf coast.

Although the people who crab frequently may say the numbers are down.

I've been crabbing and frankly I'm scared of them.

When we first got married, we went to a pier with our daughter in a playpen.

We went to go fishing and crabbing that night.

We did catch crabs that night and Chris told me to grab it from the back so it couldn't claw you.

I grabbed it just like he said and the darn thing reached under and grabbed me on the finger.

I threw that thing so far, we didn't catch it again that night.

I also didn't ever pick up one again.

I reserve my "crabbing" to eating them and painting them now.

I researched the habitat for the blue crab and found it in several places.

Sandy bottoms, but those leave them out in the open.

Seagrass and sargasso seaweed seem to be their favored places.

They will also frequent rocky places as it offers protection from rear attacks.

They are found primarily in the Western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

Their range is from Nova Scotia, Canada, all the way down to Argentina!

Most of the time, people don't realize we have blue crab here.

When they look at my works, they think they are Maryland Blue crab.

I tell people no, these are blue crab from the Gulf Coast.

You can crab year-round in Alabama, there is no closed season.

The best catching activity is from March through November.

July through September brings the biggest crabs.

They must measure 5 inches across from point to point.

You can catch a bushel a day per person.

If you catch a female with eggs, you are to immediately release them.

"A crabby situation" Acrylic on wood, 18.5 inches

Day 77 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

 

Cephalopod my cephalopod

"Cephalopod my cephalopod"

Incredible pieces are coming out of the studio now.

So much paint is being used that I am running out of the one jar of the color I use.

Fortunately, I have another jar in the wings.

When I mixed the color last year, I initially put out way too much Burnt Sienna.

Even after an entire tube of blue, it was still so brown!

When I first started that would've been great.

After all, they are called sepias.

A few years ago, I accidentally mixed it a little bluer.

People kept commenting on the color and said they loved the blue.

I didn't see the blue, to me it looked like a deep grey and almost black.

Back to the mixing....

Adding the Ultramarine Blue made a pile of paint that ended up becoming a little over 16 ounces.

Needless to say, that's a lot of paint!

Two large jars that I have worked from for over a year now.

At least I don't have to mix it again anytime soon.

This one has a few "Easter eggs" in the form of sea turtles.

"Easter eggs are commonly known from the Jeep brand and are things you can find on the vehicle.

They are now seen in television and movies too.

There are five of them in the painting.

Four are easy to see, one is hidden pretty well.

Any way, it lets me have fun while designing the paintings.

Hope you have fun finding them!

"Cephalopod my cephalopod" Acrylic on wood, 20 round

Day 76 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026