Behind the scenes

"Behind the scenes"

This is the background for the latest Dead Men Tell No Tales.

This one is the 6th in the series.

I never dreamt that a series about pirates would become so popular.

I've already painted the front piece for this painting.

The front piece took a couple of days itself.

Chris is lending a hand helping by doing some of the cut work.

In the middle of the cutting, the scroll saw just quit.

No power going to the saw itself.

We've tried several different things in an effort to fix the problem.

We bought it used from a cousin's father-in-law for $75.

It has been a great tool for several years.

Chris and I went and looked at a new scroll saw at a local hardware store.

It was $275, not bad but Chris has found another one.

Marketplace is a familiar place in our house and our son especially.

We looked at several scroll saws online and have been in contact 

with a man about the one he has for sale.

Tomorrow morning Chris and our son Jere are going to look at and possibly purchase this newish one.

It looks brand new in the photos.

The videos I've seen look like it's a nice addition to our workshop.

Another tool to create!

I have to stay here, because the fifth Dead Men will be picked up in the morning.

Everyone that has picked up their pieces have been thrilled with their art.

The Little Rebel was picked up today and she was very happy.

I look forward to seeing photos of Little Rebel in place at the tailgating party.

Never a dull moment around here!

Tomorrow, a new saw probably.

I am going to stay with our grandson in Saraland about an hour from here.

We'll go to church together hopefully.

Then home, and back to work!

Behind the scenes, Acrylic on wood, 23 inches round

Day 53 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

 

Sometimes all I do is paint canvas

Sometimes all I do is paint canvas....

A LOT of canvas.

I painted a total of 20 canvases today.

Lots of white acrylic paint.

Brushes and rollers.

Tops, sides, and edges.

It all has to get done before I can actually create something to sell.

All a part of the process.

All a part of my artist life here in the Raccoon Retreat studio in beautiful Fairhope, Alabama.

I also gave myself a headache trying to enter shows that don't occur for 9 months!

Well 2 are in January maybe.

The other one is Mothers day weekend in South Carolina.

Reading the prospectus, it is an intense show to get into!

After I enter the shows, I need to get camping places as well.

Artist fees, jury fees, booth fees, camping fees.

All in advance, all paid in full.

Sometimes, Acrylic on multiple canvas, varying sizes

Day 52 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

 

An octopus for today

"An octopus for today"

This small painting was a lot of fun to paint.

This is another of the 4 x 12 canvases that I purchased several weeks ago from FB marketplace.

I love having small little works that allow new collectors to enter the market.

And I enjoy painting them!

Today was a run around day.

I chatted with the children's pastor this morning, both about this VBS and next year's VBS.

We barely have finished one and my brain is working overtime on the next year.

We talked about what went right and what needed some tweaking to make it better.

It's going to be a Marvel-ous VBS.

We both agreed it was a Super VBS!

We then returned the other package of the messy sphagnum moss back to the store.

Glad to shed of that messy bunch of green!

We stopped for lunch, and then hopped over to Goodwill.

We did a little shopping, then headed home.

Studio time for me and a nap for Chris and the dogs.

Chris realized we needed reservations at Fort Clinch for May of next year.

Fort Clinch already full of course as it opened two weeks ago.

We managed to find the state park we stayed at last year was available.

Reservations made and paid 9 months in advance.

Chris and I headed to the grocery store to pick up a few things, heading home before a major storm hit.

Chris was assigned dinner preparation, and I headed to the studio again.

I'm working hard when he tells me dinner is ready.

Dinner.

Back to the studio to finish my slippery friend.

A busy, hectic day as usual.

Life here at the Raccoon Retreat Studio in beautiful Fairhope, Alabama.

"An octopus for today", Acrylic on canvas, 4 x 12 inches

Day 51 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

 

NOT a painting !

NOT a painting!

Obviously, right?

I still worked all day on the Little Rebel for a client of my daughters.

I'm praying that it is what she wanted.

It measures over 21 inches.

She uses the one she had before as a centerpiece for tailgating with flowers and other items.

I started by gluing multiple sheets of foam board using gorilla glue to make a block.

This is the same way we made the sea turtle nest that is at the Dauphin Island Sea lab.

The turtle nest has a 'bulletproof' coating of PVA paint, glue and sand.

It is really hard.

I spent several hours carving the foam into the shape needed.

I worked inside a box to try and contain the foam pieces from going all over the shop.

Of course, Chris wanted me to use big tools, but they kind of scare me.

I started with the band saw.

Tried the vibrating cut off tool.

Went to my flex shaft Dremel with a cut off wheel and ended up with a small wire brush.

Moved on to my trusty razors, changing blades frequently because the foam dulls the blade.

Some more wire brushing.

Some additional added pieces.

A dimensional mustache, beard, and nose additions were made.

I also filled out the brim of the hat.

Incredible amounts of removal to see the final piece.

There's a whole can of foam pieces cut off.

This one is intended as a topiary of sorts.

I don't think it photographs well at all.

There is a lot of detailing that cannot be seen because of the sphagnum moss covering it.

I used super 77 to glue the moss to him and that stuff is so messy!

Both the moss and the super 77.

It has also been given a light coating of satin varnish to help hold the moss in place.

Did I say it was messy?

I did all the work outside in the heat with a fan running.

Thank the Lord, it's done.

And BOY am I glad to take that one off my plate!

I pray she loves it!

Today marks 16 years since we received our Certificate of occupancy 

for the Raccoon Retreat in beautiful Fairhope, Alabama.

For those that don't know, my husband and I built our home together in Fairhope.

It is the second house we built, and the third one that was only renovated.

We built the house here in 2010 in about 6 months.

I was here on the job site every day during the build.

16 years of living in our own little paradise that is our home.

Happy home anniversary to us!

Tomorrow, I have to paint a LOT of canvases as Chris stretched while I painted yesterday.

26 more to create upon, including a couple of really unique ones!

That's all for today folks!

Thanks for dropping by!

NOT a painting!, Foam board, glue and moss, 21 inches tall

Day 50 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

Sand Island Lighthouse

Actually, the lighthouse and the Oil house.

Originally lighthouses were fueled by Whale oil that had to be trudged up however many steps necessary.

I've been in several lighthouses, and their stairs are legendary in their amount and heights.

This one in particular is similar to Pensacola lighthouse in that it a tall tower.

The circular staircases in these marvels of engineering are a sight to behold, especially from the top looking down.

Sand Island lighthouse is not the one we currently see. 

I did work from the photograph though of the one that was post-civil war. 

The first one was commissioned in 1828.

It was built between 1837 and finally lit in 1839.

It was only 55 feet tall.

It was then replaced by a brick tower in 1859.

This tower was famously destroyed during the civil war.

The story is told that the lens had been removed from the tower by the confederate army and put into safe keeping. 

The Union took over the island and was using the tower to spy on the Confederates.

In a series of two raids the confederates snuck onto the island and planted dynamite on the second raid.

Problem was that the fuse was too short and the men nearly lost their lives when the tower came crashing down all around them.

This was 1863.

1864 a temporary wooden tower was erected.

In 1873 the current 132-foot tower was built.

There was a large house for the family and assistant keepers.

The house caught fire and burned in the early 1970s.

The island originally was over 400 acres and had farming on it as well as the lighthouse keeper and his family.

The current state of Sand Island is sadly, crumbling into the sea.

There have been multiple attempts to shore up the area around the lighthouse, but I am afraid the only thing that will actually save it is to move it.

History is fascinating isn't it!

Sand Island Lighthouse, Acrylic on canvas, 4 x 12 inches

Day 49 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

A little wiggle please!

"A little wiggle please"

Wiggle indeed!

These beautiful creatures are not only pretty, they're also pretty nasty.

Case in point, July 4th early in my marriage to Chris.

We all decided to go to the beach for a fun day.

I had bought a new one-piece bathing suit and was looking forward to body surfing in the waves.

I no sooner got in the water and surfed a couple of waves when I felt an intense burning inside my suit.

My chest was absolutely on fire.

I ran out of the water and told my mother what was going on.

My brothers, and husband kept bringing water to try and flush it out to no avail.

My mother and Chris had to hold up two beach towels so I could strip down on the beach.

I found pieces of tentacles in my suit.

I never saw the Portuguese Man of war.

I spent the next hour after washing my suit in an ice chest on my back with ice packs.

Definitely not a way to go to the beach. 

We never saw the jellyfish.

The tentacles can detach from the jelly but still sting!

They have something called a nematocyst and when it comes in contact with something they fire the barb like a harpoon into whatever it hits.

Not a pleasant experience for sure.

I still love painting them though!

Chris started stretching the canvases he built today.

I have precut all the canvas and laid it out in stacks.

He stretched; I painted.

Even with headphones and music I find it difficult to concentrate on painting while listening to the constant popping of the staple gun.

At least the new compressor I bought is not as noisy as my previous one!

"A little wiggle please!", Acrylic on canvas, 4 x 12 inches

Day 48 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2026

 

Whale songs

"Whale songs"

Humpback whales will always be a favorite of mine.

They are wonderfully fun to paint and always sell.

I've put them on shadowboxes, sewing drawers, small and large canvas.

They've also been a part of poured backgrounds, in color and in sepia.

They also are a favorite of judges, earning me a merit award and judges' choice.

I love to listen to their songs when on marine life programs I watch.

All in all, a beautiful creature.

Chris built the stretchers I asked for today.

I ordered 16 x 24 canvas with an 8 x 12 shadowbox opening.

He built six offset and then he gave me one unusual, angled shadowbox opening.

More on this one later!

Chris is always keeping me on my toes for sure.

"Whale songs" Acrylic on canvas, 4 x 12 inches

Day 47 of the 100 days ~100 paintings 2026