The octopus escapes

Well!

This one is so hot off the easel I have not even erased pencil lines yet!

Back to shadowboxes for the shows!

Shows.....

I have been accepted into the one day Freedom Fest in Orange Beach October 9th.

We can set up the day before, but will probably wait to load in Artworks until Saturday morning.

I'm hoping we can boondock Friday night in the parking lot, both to save on expenses and time.

We'll see on that one!

Those who were disappointed about the National Shrimp Festival, 

we now have ONE day to sell in Orange Beach.

As my girlfriend says, "Better than a stick in the eye"

Kudos to the Mayor and his awesome city staff getting the job done to put on this show.

Now, if people will just show up and buy!

I will be blasting it out on Facebook for sure!

The octopus escapes, Acrylic on shadowbox canvas, 16 x 16

Day 80 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

 

Heron the traveler

Imagine yourself a half a world away from the United States.

Then, teach several hundred children at a local school.

Everyone is very excited.

I'm teaching a class to students asking them to look out the window to see the atmosphere.

Outside the window I see the shape of a great blue heron.

I was in shock that a bird that we're so familiar with was here in Africa!

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised, God designed the world that way.

God made the animals.

He also made the Goliath heron that I saw out the window in Africa!

Still shaking my head two years later.

I love this world we live in, (maybe not all aspects of it.)

Don't you?

Heron the traveler, acrylic on shadowbox canvas, 16 x 16

Day 79 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

 

Heron the hunter

Today's entry.

I learned something incredible about herons yesterday.

Appalling actually.

A photographer caught a Great Blue Heron in the act of hunting.

I've seen them eat a snake before.

We also saw one of our locals eat a tiny turtle while in the park one day.

Herons move very slowly when hunting, and bring their necks back to strike  at their prey.

They stand very still, watching the water for a possible fish snack.

This was not however what this heron caught.

There was a Momma mallard and her five ducklings swimming nearby.

One of the ducklings came too close and became a meal.

I would not have believed it, had I not looked at the photos.

I'm already scared of these beautiful creatures because I've had them swoop in 

while walking the beach for sea turtles at dawn.

They make the weirdest sound as well.

Creepy, fascinating, and now on my dangerous list even more!

I am one step closer to the Freedom Arts show at the Wharf today.

I've sent in my application and booth shot.

Now I wait for acceptance.

This show is a herculean task for the city of Orange beach, but I think they're going to pull it off!

Heron the hunter, Acrylic on shadowbox canvas, 16 x 16

Day 78 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

 

Octopus III

What a grand day. 

Not necessarily because of what I got done. But because I am moving forward instead of staying in place. My women's organization has a saying; No day comes back, and life is short at best. So we must get done what we can, when we can. Today I did get laundry done, the bed made, and keys picked up for a class I begin this week. The next six weeks will be very busy. Monday church prayer, Tuesday teaching Scripts and Strokes, Wednesday church in the evening, Thursday teaching a class from 1-4 pm. Time will become a precious commodity for sure!

Today's painting is the end of the sewing machine series. 

Octopus III, Acrylic on wood panel, 5x15 inches

Day 77of the 100 days-100 Paintings 2021

Octopus II

This is another in the series of wood panels with sewing machine drawer frames.

I am really enjoying the series as you can see.

They are fun to paint and see them come to life.

I hope you enjoy them too!

Today was Sunday.

We spent the morning going to church and enjoying a sermon very much.

I am so glad we found a church that we can call home.

I'm also glad that we can go back to church in person, although I am still a bit nervous myself.

I missed our church family last year while on lockdown.

Today I painted.

Tomorrow I'll paint.

And the next.

There are 34 days now until the Jubilee show, and I'm getting ready!

Octopus II, Acrylic on wood panel, 5 x 15 inches

Day 76 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

 

Octopus I

Today.

Long day, but a productive one.

Those of you who know me, realize there are times that I spend with my 

oldest daughter on one of her projects.

Jessica  has some of the most interesting friends and clients.

Today we worked hard on an organizations Mardi Gras Queen.

This project is not your usual queen either.

It promises to be a spectacular design, with many innovations involved.

Today I spent the majority of the day sewing for a fitting this afternoon.

I have to say, the fitting went very well and we are on track.

Fabric has to be ordered so we can get all the pieces and parts to complete the project.

It's going to be a fun one!

Somewhere in there, I managed to work ahead and create the Octopus you see here.

I knew today was going to be a long one, so I worked ahead.

I am very pleased with this sewing machine drawer painting.

I only have two more to do, then I will have to push on to 

shadowboxes and steampunk!

Despite the blow of the cancellation of the National Shrimp Festival,

I still have three shows to create paintings for.

Jubilee will be first in Daphne, Alabama October 16&17

Mattie Kelly, Destin, Florida October 30th& 31st

Peter Anderson, Ocean Springs, Mississippi, November 6th & 7th

Today is also a day of mourning for our country.

September 11, 2001 is a date many of will not forget.

God bless the many that lost their lives that day, the hero's that showed up, and the stories of triumph that are still being made today in the survivors.

I for one, will never forget......

Octopus I, Acrylic on wood panel. 5x15 inches

Day 75 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

Seahorse II

Another day, another painting.

This is one of the series of sewing machine drawers.

I'm really enjoying painting them.

I was not in a good mood today.

It was hard to get anything done, and whatever I did, didn't make me happy at all.

Chris and I worked on the trailer today.

He has worked so hard on the trailer for us to carry to shows.

Using poor mans fiberglass, he's coated it, sanded it, and coated it again.

Then he added paint that I bought for extreme weather.

After he painted it pale grey, I wanted to stripe it similarly as our new to us motorhome.

This trailer has been a journey for him.

Starting out with a jet ski trailer that had an awesome torsion axle.

The trailer itself was trash because it was rusting from the inside out.

He kept the axle, and welded together a new trailer frame.

He then built the box for the trailer as we need a 4x6 and they are almost impossible to find.

He then coated it , painted it, sanded it, and painted again.

The striping looks really neat, although I think it's backwards to the motorhome.

That's what he wanted, that's what he got.

All in all, a great project almost finished and ready for a tag!

That's next week!

I've been working on the new steampunk piece in my studio today.

I am moving forward with the steampunk, even though I have no show specifically for them.

In between chatting with my African friend and African "son".

I worked hard, laying on colors for the backgrounds of the steampunk parts.

They are both wonderful artists and I am praying they do well in a show next month.

Their show was the same weekend as the National Shrimp Festival.

I have not told them yet of the cancellation.

Next month.....

I pray the other shows don't cancel as well!

I really wish people would stop politicizing a pandemic and get the shot already, 

wear a mask, and distance.

Don't even get me started on football games!

Seahorse II, Acrylic on wood panel, 5x15 inches

Day 74 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021