Curly cephalopod

I don't know if I'll ever tire of painting octopus.

They are a never-ending source of differences.

Beautiful, smart, and great escape artists.

They have to have special tanks to hold them in while in captivity.

There are also octopus that will crawl on land to get to a tidal pool.

That would really be a sight to see!

Nothing makes me happier than to encourage a child in their art journey.

My son asked if I had an easel to give for a birthday present.

I showed him the little easels we use for Chris's wood bowls.

He just giggled.

They are tiny.

But above that, on another shelf was French box easel someone gifted to me.

Never used, and a great gift to set her on her way.

I advised him with some paint purchased.

We then rounded it out with some extra canvas I had, an apron, a palette knife, and a water dish.

I can only imagine the surprise and joy from this precious child of God.

Happy Birthday!

I'm also toying with completing the 100 days before shrimp Festival starts next week.

How in the world?

God has placed in my mind to really concentrate on smaller works that are more affordable.

My starting price is $295.00 for my works.

Not much, some of us would say.

These smaller works will retail for $95.00 and are still unique, beautiful, and affordable.

I can make them less in price because I can complete several in a day.

They are totally unique because they are vintage sewing drawers, 

cut down to make miniature shadowboxes.

I've done them before, and they are super popular.

The vintage aspect, affordability, and recycled as the wood used is a former skateboard ramp.

The end of the 100 days is going to be fun!

Giddy up!

This is about to become a wild ride!

Curly Cephalopod, Acrylic on canvas, 12 x 24 inches

Day 68 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2023

 

Interesting

I wonder what goes through the minds of the sea creatures when they encounter humans.

Are they as curious about us as we are of them?

Do they wonder why we stay at the surface, of blow bubbles when scuba diving?

I know there are some turtles that have tried to ahem, "mate" with divers.

I've always wondered what goes through their minds.

I know what is in mine right now.

I am listening and watching numerous programs about the sea and sea life while I am painting.

National Geographic rocks by the way!

So many wonderful shows and people that are champions for the animals and reefs.

I think my path might have been different, had I stayed in California as a teen.

I may have taken up scuba diving or become a costumer in the movie industry.

Who knows, I only know God has a plan for me, 

and I've never been happier than when I let go of control.

God's plans are certainly much better than mine!

I love the path he has taken me so far on in a few short years.

I never dreamt I would become a professional artist, married to the man of my dreams, travel the world, and living in the paradise that we call home here in beautiful Fairhope, Alabama 

God's plan is really good for me!

Interesting, Acrylic on shadowbox canvas, 16 x 16

Day 56 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2023

 

Yin-Yang turtles

This is the really large canvas with 5 pieces making a polyptych.

Greek for the word poly meaning many.

This is the beginning of the work, layering in skin wrinkles and outlines.

I also had painted the eyes, but they still needed shadowing and highlights.

The multi canvas series is several years old now, but this is the first time I've done one in color.

It is made with a canvas in the center that is 16 x 40 inches tall. 

Each one of the side panels is a 16 x 30 and a 16 x 20 on each end.

The entire piece when displayed is 7 feet wide.

I love the colored turtles; this piece puts me one step closer to the set up for the National Shrimp festival.

The show is 19 days away now, and I hope to complete several more paintings before the big day.

Each piece makes me happier than the one before.

I am grateful to God for the talent He's given me, and the ability to complete the tasks before me.

This second photo is while in progress.

I had started to add the colors to the flippers and the back of the shells.

There was still a lot of detailing at this point, although they look finished.

So much fun, making rapid decisions for color, detail, and shading.

So large I cannot photograph it in my studio, because I cannot put a back board behind it.

So, we took the beast downstairs and hung it on the fence to take a photo.

I love the combination of the weathered fence and the color of the turtles.

It makes a lovely presentation.

I took a photo of myself with the painting so you can see how big it really is in person.

And yet it seems small.

I have "maps" of the walls for the show, placing each piece where it needs to go.

It also gives me a good idea of how many more I have to make to have the look I want.

The show is really getting closer now and I am on hyper drive at this point.

I tell Chris, I am in "show mode."

This discipline is the only way I will have enough pieces to display, sell, and replace works that sell.

After we photographed the turtles, we took it apart while outside making it easier to take back upstairs.

I then spent a couple of hours painting the sides of the canvases.

This is so when viewed from the side, you still see a completed work.

I'm really excited to see what people think about them!

Yin-Yang turtles, Acrylic on canvas, 40 inches tall 72 inches wide.

Day 55 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2023

 

 

Seahorses

Such beautiful creatures that God has made!

I love to paint seahorses.

(Well, you know I love to paint all sea creatures!)

Seahorses are just such almost comical little things, swimming with their tiny little fins.

They are fascinating to watch, drifting to their next destination, 

then grabbing hold of the coral or grasses.

They also fascinate me with the male carrying and caring for the babies.

More to come, as there is a matching canvas opposite to this one with lined seahorses.

Speaking of canvas....

As most of you know, or soon will know, my canvases are hand built and stretched.

This one is no exception.

Although sometimes Chris gets in a little hurry while building them.

So much of a hurry, he makes "happy accidents."

This one, or actually 4 of them have a little difference, 

in that they have a 4-inch reveal on the outer edge.

This makes the inner shadowbox 4 inches as well.

Incredibly small to paint in.

Even harder to stretch, as Chris discovered.

He took on the task of stretching the other day and this included these 4 "happy accidents".

He managed to complain a little while doing them.

He did mention that his stretching them will remind him of the measurement in the future.

Living, learning, and laughter fill the studio these days.

Happy to have you along for the ride!

Seahorses, acrylic on shadowbox canvas, 12 x 24

Day 37 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2023

 

Long day, long arms!

Oh, I am in love!

I'm not in love with the amount of time it took to do this beauty.

But I am in love with the result!

The shadowboxes do well in color too.

As I said, long day.

I started with a chiropractic appointment.

I then went to get a new driver's license.

Then it was on to an appointment to talk with a new student for beginning watercolor.

Home, then lunch with Chris.

Chris was exemplary as a spouse today.

Last night, I got all the corners done for the new shadowboxes.

I cut all the canvas yesterday too.

Chris worked while I was running errands this morning.

He then said, you paint, I'll stretch.

He stretched all the canvases he built for me today.

All 16 of them.

There are now a total of 39 shadowbox canvases waiting for my brush.

This is not an easy task, but he was up to the challenge.

I am grateful they are done now.

I pray I can get them painted white before we leave to go camping in the afternoon Friday.

If I do, I do.

If I don't, I don't.

As I said, long day.

Goodnight!

Long day, long arms, Acrylic on shadowbox canvas, 16 x 16

Day 52 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2023

 

Three days and end of 2022

I absolutely love painting whales.

This beautiful humpback pair of mother and baby whales are very simple.

They are on a 5 x 24 canvas.

The escapee.

Octopus are notoriously smart.

They have to be placed in special tanks so they cannot escape.

They can survive for a small amount of time out of water, but they must be in the sea to live.

They are beautiful creatures to watch while swimming.

Turtle Trio

The large series are still going strong.

Each time I paint a set, they sell eventually.

Sometimes, they sell before I can take them to a show!

I wish all of you many blessings for the new year!

When we wake up in the morning, it will be 2023!

New Year, new beginnings.

New works, new gallery in the late summer, new shows.

New creations from the Raccoon Retreat Studio in beautiful Fairhope, Alabama.

Bonding whales, acrylic on canvas, 5 x 24inches

The escapee, acrylic on shadowbox canvas 16 x16inches

Turtle trio, acrylic on multiple canvas 36 x 60 inches

Days 25,26, & 27 of the 100 days~100 paintings winter 2022 

 

The Mechanics of Elephants

Yes, this is one of my paintings.

No, I did not paint it in one day!

This is one of my new steampunk pieces for fall this year.

People don't believe I do this art form after looking at my other pieces.

Why steampunk?

I enjoy painting rust, metal, wood, and just putting them together.

The complexity fascinates me, driving me further and further into their realm.

The steampunk started several years ago when I was painting public metal sculptures.

The first show I took them to display, several people said "I like your steampunk!"

Frankly, I had to look it up myself.

Turns out, it is an artform that has been around since the late 1800's.

(Think Jules Verne 20,000 leagues under the sea.)

The word steampunk is attributed to a reporter in the 1980's.

Anyway, after starting to display the paintings of public sculpture.....

I was called out by an artist and asked to stop.

I thanked him for the opportunity to grow as an artist.

I then started building them in miniature and on paper.

I built one miniature piece (a seahorse).

Then I decided it was too much trouble to do that.

I then started "building" them on paper.

Each Mechanics piece starts out with a simple line drawing.

(The entire series is called The Mechanics of...)

I then start pulling out all the pieces of metal that I have in the studio.

I have old tools, sewing machine parts, cooking utensils, springs, wheels and other things.

I also have photos of architecture, engines, farm equipment, car parts, and machinery.

I photograph them after laying them all out on the outline.

I then manipulate photos into the sizes I need them to be, transferring them to tracing paper.

Lots of tracing paper.

Each drawing takes anywhere from a week to two weeks.

Then it is transferred onto the canvas.

Sometimes I do a sepia underpainting, others I just dive in!

The painting can take another two weeks to complete.

We took them to five shows this spring, two of the shows awarded the steampunk a prize.

This year, I will have a separate booth at the National Shrimp Festival of nothing but Steampunk.

(Don't worry, I'll have my other marine life as well!)

I love them, and I hope you do as well.

The Mechanics of Elephants, Acrylic on canvas, 24 x 30inches

Day 72 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2022

 

Freely in flight

Not a real great photo of this one!

I promise it looks better in person.

The brown pelican has really made a comeback since the DDT days of the 70's.

You see the pesticide DDT was affecting the shells of their eggs.

When the birds would try and incubate them, they would break instead of protecting the baby inside.

As a result, when we moved here in 1976 pelicans were few and far between.

You would see a few here and there.

The numbers today have almost attained them nuisance status.

I love to see them in flight formation, each one using the wingbeats of the one ahead.

Our brown pelicans are the smallest and lightest of the eight different types of pelicans.

Then there is the diving.

The seemingly impossible diving they do for fish.

Did you know they always turn to the side to protect their esophagus?

They also close off their breathing, so they don't inhale large amounts of water 

as the open beak hits the surface to catch fish.

Their mandibles in their beak flex open sideways as well as up and down.

They actually can hold several gallons of water in the pouch, but they must squeeze it out before swallowing the fish.

They also bring the wings back so as not to break them while hitting the water.

They also don't breathe through their nostrils on the beak.

What we think are nostrils are actually glands to secrete oil to take care of their feathers.

Fascinating, funny, never changing pelicans.

Freely in flight, Acrylic on panel, 5 x 15 inches

Day 11 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2022

 

Tentacles everywhere!

Not only am I painting, I am also spending the summer keeping an eye on our grandson.

He is not much work, other than his boredom level is high.

I am not into video games, he is.

I am not into running around, he is.

I am into the pool quite frequently, and hence I am waterlogged.

He loves to play in the pool, I love to relax in the pool.

You cannot relax with an 8 year old in your midst!

And so, I play.

I also think about the painting I need to be doing as well.

Then I remind myself, he only grows up once!

And so, I play.

Then as night falls and he is chilling with the television watching Disney I go to my studio.

And so, I paint.

And so, I pray.

I pray for the children that no longer have parents.

I pray for the parents that no longer have children.

I pray for the work I do to be beautiful and well received.

I pray for the wars in other countries to cease.

I pray for the soldiers fighting those wars.

I pray for the internal war called politics in our country.

I pray for the police, the firemen, the nurses, the doctors.

I pray for people to make enough money to be comfortable.

I pray for families.

I pray for illnesses of others that have come to my attention.

I pray for marriages.

I pray for churches.

I pray for peace.

Peace in my house.

Peace in my city.

Peace in my state.

Peace in my country.

Peace in my world.

Like the tentacles of the octopus, my prayers extend outward and upward.

Playing, painting, praying, 

it's all a part of the place we call the Raccoon Retreat studio in beautiful Fairhope, Alabama

Tentacles everywhere! , Acrylic on wood panel, 5 x 15 inches

Day 10 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2022

 

Loggerhead III

This sea turtle is the last of the trio of turtles in the sewing machine drawers.

When hung as a trio, they would appear to be swimming from left to right.

They were lots of fun to create.

I really enjoyed this morning.

Chris and I went looking for yard sales.

Not having any luck, we went to Michaels and Hobby Lobby for me to get tracing paper.

Using coupons and bonuses, I was able to get $50 worth of paper for less than $20.

Spending time with each other is the most fun!

I am also having a great week in the area of sales myself.

I am very surprised and pleased to have the talent to be able to make other people happy.

It makes me happy too!

I am grateful for the talent God has given me.

Loggerhead III, Acrylic on wood panel, 5 x 16 inches

Day 68 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

 

Loggerhead II

Another sweet loggerhead.

This is another in the series that are framed by the sewing machine drawers from a vintage machine.

I am so glad to be able to use parts of this old machine for my steampunk and now frames.

The pieces are coming hard and fast now from beneath my brush.

I am happier than ever at what is coming out of my hands and heart.

This falls shows will be beautiful as a result.

We had artwalk tonight and I went and stood by my space.

I had the opportunity to talk with a lot of people about the works I have at the gallery.

 The rounds are being very favorably received.

So far I've sold 3 out of the 15 in the series. 

I'm sure there will be more to come.

We picked up the show in Mississippi today from the Audubon Center.

Such a delightful group of people to work with and so well run.

I never felt uncomfortable leaving my works there, 

even when a hurricane was bearing down on the coast.

I was delighted to also lock in the dates for next years show as well.

The show also has a name and some special requests for the pieces.

One entire wall will be local flora and fauna!

Hummingbirds, butterflies, and other local birds.

The rest of the show will be my usual fare of marine life works.

The name of the show?

"My Nature Odyssey"

Coming to the Moss  Point Audubon Center

August and September, 2022

Opening reception August 11th, 2022

How wonderful is that?!

Today is done here at the Raccoon Retreat Studio in beautiful Fairhope, Alabama.

I bid you goodnight!

Loggerhead II, Acrylic on wood panel, 5 x 16 inches

Day 67 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

 

Loggerhead I

This is another of the vintage sewing drawer paintings.

We have cut thin panel to put either in the drawers or behind them.

They are really a beautiful way to showcase little affordable art.

The drawers measure 5 x 16 inches.

The paintings are sweet little examples of quick paintings that have turned out really pretty.

I am varnishing the drawers while varnishing the paintings.

 The old wood soaks up the varnish quickly.

It makes a lovely frame.

The pieces I had last year went quickly, with people usually purchasing more than one.

The turtles are a good example of companion pieces as there are a total of three of them.

I'm looking forward to the series being hung together.

Tomorrow we go to Mississippi to pick up the show from the Audubon Center.

Fortunately for me, I have several pieces I will be able to use for shows as well.

There are a lot not sold at the show.

I've also been asked to come back already as well.

Looking forward to putting that date on my calendar.

I will miss the ladies there at the center.

Until next time!

Loggerhead I, Acrylic on wood panel, 5 x 16 inches

Day 66 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

 

A quick one!

A quick one!

I am posting this little guy (not so little he's 16 x 20) for today.

I started him at my class I taught this past Thursday.

I then brought him to the studio to add the finishing touches.

I am very pleased with how he turned out!

Today so far has been a kind of non-event.

The news has been hammered with the possibilities of Hurricane Ida and her Invest status.

She blew up very quickly after crossing Cuba into the Gulf of Mexico.

When she slammed into the Louisiana coast this morning at 11:55, she was close to a category 5 storm.

Here, some 200 miles from where she hit it has been relatively quiet.

We were predicted to have tropical storm force winds with gusts up to 70mph.

So far, not much wind, but a lot of rain in bands.

Maybe there will be more tonight, it is predicted to give us some wind.

I have seen nothing of photos from the area, so we don't yet know how bad it is over there.

The storm surge is supposed to be very high, and that combined with rain and 

high winds is not a good combination.

I am continuing to pray for Louisiana and the surrounding areas near where she hit as she is still a category 3 nearly 7 hours after landfall.

She has made some bobbles though, she's slogging along dumping rain and allowing the fury of her winds to ravage the area.

Indeed, praying for Louisiana.....

A quick one! Acrylic on canvas, 16 x 20

Day 62 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

 

The Mechanics of Pelicans

The Mechanics of Pelicans.

This one was intense to paint!

Why steampunk?

I love to paint rust, metal, wood, and engines

It is a style that is very different from my "normal" style and people sometimes doubt that I create them.

When in the same booth, people look all around several times pausing at the steampunk.

They ask, "you?"

"Yes, these are my OCD paintings."

Each one takes about 2-4 weeks to design and paint.

They are also the reason I have two booths at the National Shrimp Festival this year.

I want them to be judged on their own merit.

I had several left from my show at the Merry Widow last December, but I am down to two originals.

The steampunk is also fun to me though, adding to the final product with gears and such.

Obviously not painted in one day, but definitely finished today!

This piece was 4 days of laying on the paint.

Glazing and layering came as well.

The original drawing was just a plain pelican, laying parts and pieces on top to get the desired effect.

There are vintage sewing machine parts, silver serving dishes, lid supports, salad forks, an escape ladder, shoe horn, steamer pieces, and a pot strainer!

I hope you like him as much as I do!

I also painted 10-24 x 24 shadowboxes white today as well.

But that was boring, so I'll spare the details!

The Mechanics of Pelicans, Acrylic on canvas, 24x24inches

Day 57 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

 

Confident turtle

I don't know why, but this little guy looks confident!

Hence the name confident turtle.

Our sea turtles are not very confident of late.

Turtle nesting season is in full swing and we should have several nests in the Orange beach area.

As far as I know, we have one.

One!

A few years back we had three on the same day bringing our total to 18 I think.

It seems to be an off year for nests.

They may not like the lights on the beaches or condos, 

the people hanging out at night, or the beach chairs left after the teams patrol at night.

Our beaches are definitely cleaner now, with less things being left at night because they know it will get picked up by the patrols.

Help our turtles by turning off lights, not running the beaches at night, 

and removing your items until the next day.

While I am on my soap box.......

Please fill in your holes!

I've never seen such caverns left in the sand overnight.

I have been the victim of the quicksand caused by these holes as well.

You see when you don't fill it back in, the ocean fills it for you.

Problem is, what is formed by this filling in is almost like quicksand. 

I have been walking along on the beach and suddenly been up to my hips in the quagmire.

Please fill your holes!

The large amounts of fun digging is not worth a momma turtle 

breaking her neck while coming ashore to nest.

She's waited 20-30 years to become a momma and a hole either traps her or kills her.

Please fill your holes!

I'm off my box now.

But,

Please fill your holes!

Confident turtle, Acrylic on poured background, 4x12inches

Day 11 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

 

Lovely turtle

They're all lovely to me, the sea turtles.

I really enjoy painting them, big or small.

Colored or sepia.

Multi canvas or single.

Today we went to the Coastal Alabama Chamber and paid for 

my booths at the National Shrimp Festival.

Booths........

That still kind of scares me.

One booth marine life I can do standing on my head.

The other Steampunk, which are extremely involved and complicated.

The steampunk will stand alone quite well I think because they were so well received at Arts & Crafts.

 I will really just have to work hard to get them done.

Add to that, the fact that I've sold three of my originals in the past two months.

Not that I'm complaining mind you!

I absolutely adore designing and painting them.

Why two booths?

I have shown them before together.

Even though I am standing there, people find it hard to believe that I actually paint them!

The style is so different from my usual fare, but still beautifully detailed.

I truly believe that the steampunk is the reason I got an award this spring at Arts & Crafts.

I want to see them judged separately.

It's going to be a fun summer!

One more class to teach in Mobile, one more camping trip, then I have to knuckle down for sure.

On a side note, while traveling to pay booth fees 

I wanted to pick up more fabric to cover my walls in the booth.

Fabrics by the pound is where I purchased my grey material before and I wanted to drop by and see if they had more on hand.

The gentleman I talked to said no they were sold out.

Then he said wait, what color?

Grey.

Let me look.

He came out a few minutes later with a very long roll of extremely dirty fabric.

It had gotten wet and had spots all over the outside.

I had him remove the fabric from the roll as it would never fit in my car.

As he unrolled, the fabric was perfect except for being dirty.

He minimally charged me after seeing the spots were through the entire roll.

Spots, what spots?

I have cut the roll into 10 ft pieces and washed them in hot water.

Spots are gone!

I have fabric to cover my walls that is an EXACT match to my other walls!

One happy artist after painting today too!

Lovely turtle, Acrylic on poured background, 4x12 inches

Day 10 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

 

Peaceful turtle (no political affiliation please)

The paintings are going well, with me easily completing one per day.

I am afraid though at the rate our country is going, I may get even more done.

I think we are headed for another lockdown.

In which case, I will be found in my studio painting away.

I pray it isn't so, but with the raging numbers we are being presented with on a daily basis....

And,

Our president finally speaks to us all wearing masks if you cannot social distance.

Although I wonder if it's just an attempt to boost numbers with an election coming up.

I'm already tired of the presidential, local, and statewide elections and their commercials.

Each side accusing the other of this and that, with respondents replying with tit for tat.

I'll be in the studio creating!

Peaceful turtle (no political affiliation please), Acrylic on hardibord, 10 x 10 inches

Day 23 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2020

3 days a little amazed

So you remember that thing called life?

Those things that get in the way of what you want to do, so the Holy Spirit can move IN you?

That has really happened to me this week!

Write this down.........

Delays and distractions are Divine interventions.

Can't get to an appointment on your time schedule?

The Spirit is delaying you, keeping you possibly from an accident.

Can't figure out a problem on your own?

Let the Spirit take over and see the magic that happens in your life 

and the lives of others you pray for every day.

I have found the more I let God take the reins of the horse I'm riding called life,

the more I enjoy life!

Don't get me wrong, it's not all peaches and cream.

But still! 

WOW!

I occasionally ask people what they want to see me paint next.

The dragonfly was mentioned several weeks ago as a suggestion for a painting.

I really enjoyed putting him on the poured background as well!

Beautiful and fun!

The fox is another of the aforementioned question.

A request of a fox.

Not my usual fair, but I'm always up for a challenge.

This one is on a poured background of pearl and ivory with white as well.

The two holes at the top are for a wire to be run through.

This is one of the pieces of Hardi board siding that came off the 

back of the house when we added the porch.

I love using recycled materials and eventually this will have resin added to it so it can go outside.

I have people request outdoor art for years now.

We'll see how they sell or don't! 

And now there's this......

This is part of the submarine going into the main church tomorrow for Summer Surge.(VBS)

This is a door "lock" that has to be able to turn both ways on a door in the submarine.

I was concerned about building something that can be used, 

yet be sturdy, light, and made from cardboard and an empty paint can!

This week I have done a lot of building and constructing for this set. 

The sub is 19 feet long, has two levers that work, this wheel, and lots of gauges and buttons.

I could not have gotten as much done as I have without the presence of the Holy Spirit in my studio!

Several times this week I have been Spirit led in a direction that was the perfect solution for what I was working on at that time.

I guess God wants this set to be awesome, because the Spirit gave me so many ideas at one point that I had to say WHOA! 

I can't create that fast, slow down the ideas please!

Anyway you look at it, if you believe in the Spirit or not, I got an incredible amount of work done!

That's all for 3 days and today.

100 days~100 paintings 2020, Acrylic on canvas 12 x12, hardi board (11x14), and cardboard!

Days  11, 12, & 13 of the 100 days for 2020

Seahorse

I love painting these seemingly whimsical creatures

This one was a challenge though, as I had to draw the outline, fill it in with lighter colored paint, then transfer the details.

Not too difficult, but time consuming for sure!

Well now on to the show results.

Another long day in the heat that is our Southern Alabama in September.

I was optimistic this morning when we opened the tent for day two of the show.

By 9 am there were people already walking the venue before church. 

We set up an awning out front of the tent, in an effort o cut down on the heat. 

We also put a fan up in the roof blowing downward.

The fan did surprisingly well, while it was not cool in the tent, it was cooler than in the sun.

The sun itself was in and out today and there was a nice breeze.

Overall, beautiful weather in spite of the heat.

The ice cream vendors did booming sales this weekend.

Me not so much.

I have had my first (and hopefully only!) 

ZERO, (yes $0.00!) show.

This has been about 20 years in the making folks.

Am I disappointed, yes.

Am I devastated, no.

I am confident of my pricing, painting, and preparations for shows. 

God has great things in store for me.

 I just have to have patience.

Patience that God will take care of me in his own due time.

I just have to be persistent and consistent.

Persistent in creating and consistent in my quality.

I also must become more humble of my talents that he has bestowed upon me.

I must remember that God has always provided for me.

Then, God will open the storehouse for me!

I am blessed, not stressed.

On to the next show!

National Shrimp Festival in Gulf shores, Alabama

October 10th -13th

Seahorse, Acrylic on poured background, 10 x 20 inches

Day 90 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2019

Out of the Deep II

Created from the same pour that brought me Out of the Deep. 

The browns and gray's are incredible.

I cannot wait to see it varnished along with the others in my studio.

The poured backgrounds are just so gorgeous and almost effortless. 

I did enhance the  water on this one, adding foam and water lines.

I love to watch water move, I could absolutely watch it all day, especially the surf with it's foam.

Just lovely!

Sepias are coming, I promise!

I also made room in the studio for further works coming from the easel in the Raccoon Retreat studio.

This time of year, it gets crowded in my space.

I have actually started my list of packed items to get them off the shelves and out of the way.

I am a bag-a-holic with lots of different size bags to contain the artworks and make packing easier.

Chris loves it when the bags make blocks on which he can stack the pieces 

on top of one another with no damage.

There were several pieces over the course of our years traveling and doing shows that were damaged.

The bags minimize the dents and possible broken stretcher bars.

I really enjoy painting, but this evening I must finalize my teaching for the morning SLAM group meeting.

SLAM is Sweating Like A Momma group from church. 

We are studying really bad girls of the bible and it is interesting to say the least.

God's blessings on you this day!

Out of the Deep II, Acrylic on poured background, 12 x 24

Day 80 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2019