Totally turtles III

"Totally turtles III"

I am really having an incredible time painting these pieces.

They are going to be beautiful together!

I am rapidly getting to the end of the 100 days as well.

It's bittersweet, because I won't have to worry about blogging and posting.

I'll just be painting again alone in my studio.

I'll still post paintings to my Facebook pages, just not the blog.

So much fun to paint these guys!

I've also decided the last two paintings which are turtles as well.

They will all be a part of the fantastic "Totally turtles" piece in the booth.

The weather is really getting the artists stirred up for next week's show at the National Shrimp Festival.

The forecast so far is for rain almost every day of the show.

But that being said we are a rain or shine event.

The show will go on unless there is really gnarly weather.

Very high winds or lightning will be enough to shut the show down.

Large amounts of rain can close it as well, because we all have power in our booths.

We did arrive one year to a downpour, and we were prevented from entering the show.

The show was delayed for three hours until things could dry out some.

That year, several artists lost their tents as well.

This is not for the faint of heart, these shows.

Although I have been known to take down all my art and put it on a cart to protect it with heavy rain curtains over the cart and tied down.

My tents are both rated for 70mph winds, so I am not terribly worried.

We will also bring every weight I own to help keep things steady.

Rain curtains, rain gutter, and art to paint while sitting at a show will be a necessity as well.

I am praying I am very over prepared.

I'm also believing that God's got this!

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

Day 97 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

 

Great pacific

Occasionally, I want something a little different.

The Great Pacific Octopus is much larger than most other cephalopods.

I love them though.

The textures and colors they can achieve are astounding.

They are also fun to paint!

This one was particularly interesting because of the detail cuts necessary to create it.

Today found us going to church of course in the morning.

We then went to the grocery store to pick up a few things.

After that, we headed home.

I needed to work on the dinosaurs today, but the heat was very oppressive.

Temperatures in the 90s but feeling much more warm.

Not a fun way to spend the afternoon.

Chris suggested we wait until evening, so we did.

Much cooler, especially with the fans running.

This freed up my afternoon to go to the studio.

I painted this octopus and worked on the trophy for the Summer surge.

The trophy is turning out really well.

It was also made much easier to construct using an old lamp and a globe that spins.

Adding paint, a triceratops, and other elements make for a really cool trophy.

This VBS is so fun for my creativity.

Great Pacific, Acrylic on wood, 14 inches round

Day 13 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

New beginnings....

New beginnings indeed!

As I start on this journey of 100 paintings I have to begin with an apology.

I know some of you have been looking for the posts as I typically begin in July.

For that, I am sorry as now I know some of you miss the daily posts that typically are a part of summer.

This past year has been a hectic one to say the least.

As the Bible says in Proverbs 19:21;

Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

This has been my mantra for the past several months.

Last year, during the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores Alabama my father was in the hospital.

He sent me with his blessing to the show after having a lovely meal for his birthday in CCU.

During the show, he took a turn for the worse, and I talked with his doctor on Sunday.

Monday morning, I went immediately to the hospital and met with his doctor.

She recommended hospice....

We transported him on Tuesday morning and I spent the rest of the day with him there.

I also spent Wednesday all day, praying for God to release him from his earthly pain.

God answered my prayer Thursday morning at 2:28 am.

Needless to say, it was a shock even though I knew the end was near.

It's never easy to lose a parent.....

I am the executor of the estate and boy it is a LOT.

Multiple bank accounts, (fortunately I was also on them and had access).

Money "abandoned" in a bank account and seized by the state.

Insurance paperwork.

Military paperwork.

Social security paperwork.

Insurance shares in a Canadian trust?!? More paperwork.

Probate of will using a lawyer. Probate still in process.

House, cars, property to all be dispersed eventually.

The house has been an ongoing task.

Several dumpster loads, three-yard sales, rest donated to a fundraiser.

There are multiple things to sell still.

Then there were the shows in March, April and May that took me out of town for 5 weeks.

Commissions from the shows, one delivered, one pending.

We hit the ground running for inventory as well in June, as I had sales at the galleries.

This brought us to July.

July saw the most massive set build for my church I have ever done for VBS.

Lots of hot hours outside at the pieces were too large to work on indoors.

We built 28 panels that hopefully will become a permanent part of set design for the church.

The panels are covered in fabric and can be repainted again and again.

We also had an amazing team come from Missouri to help.

We logged over 350 hours in three days.

Their hands and hearts were desperately needed.

Then came set up on the 28th of July.

Five hours and multiple hands were used, and the results were 

amazing for the children to be wowed Monday morning.

Monday morning, we left to go to India for a month.

We are here for Dahlia's third birthday, Bappa's 40th birthday, and Neels 6th.

We brought the entire LEGO birthday party, decorations, party favors, toys, 

and outfits for the entire Banerjee family.

We also brought 4 large boxes of Goldfish for the kids.

While here, we are going to Goa (beach) for a few days.

We then go to Bangalore for a short time, then back to Delhi.

When we get back here, we will have the birthday party on the 24th,

Bappa's mother's birthday on the 26th,

then we head home. 

I have been painting here as you can see.

Lovely canvas bought from Jaipur, cut into multiple flat pieces for me to create upon.

I prepared before our trip, using patterns and references from before.

It has been interesting, trying to paint with grandchildren calling, "Come YaYa"

Needless to say, I go!

Because after all, that is why we are here in the first place!

September and October will be interesting to say the least!

The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.

~Jacques Yves Cousteau~

100 days~100 paintings 2024