Cigar boxes, Mops projects, Ghost crabs and shells

The LAST of the boxes! 

This week has been an exercise in how much can you get done! 

Artwalk and painting while talking with potential collectors.

Trips to buy supplies for classes, more trips for supplies after adding students. Housework,(what is that anyway?). Labor Day weekend fun. Designing a logo while on the road. Swimming pool driving me crazy because I can't seem to get the chemicals correct and the water clear! In the middle of all this, I am trying to paint and blog, then the internet is down, or flaky at best!

Ah such is my crazy artist life here at the Raccoon Retreat Studio in Fairhope, Alabama!

The show season is rapidly, rapidly approaching. This makes sleep difficult at best, because all I can think about is catching up on blogging, painting, and designing.

The LAST of the boxes! takes care of 3 paintings, numbers 33, 34, &35 of the 100 paintings

Shells

These are simple paintings, simply done. 6 x 6 canvases

Paintings 36 & 37 of the 100 paintings

Ghost crabs I, II, III, & IV

Two of these are 6 x 6 canvas, two are 4 x 6 Canvas

All four are just plain fun! These little guys are constantly skittering away from us while we are walking for the turtles. Some of them are no bigger than a quarter, and so pale you cannot distinguish them from the sand. Others are so large that the birds chase them, hoping for a tasty meal!

Paintings 38 through 41 of the 100 paintings, all acrylic on canvas

Paintings just for fun!

My church has a Mothers of Preschoolers group. The leader,asked me to create decorations for the tables using this years theme. They are simple and fun, painted on blocks of wood so they can stand. All of them are painted on both sides.

What I would have given to have had such support from other moms when our children were small. I was a mentor for a time and really enjoyed it, the moms want to know how the children were raised in gentler times. I cannot imagine having a baby in this turbulent time we live in!

I would have loved being told to do this when a young mother! This years theme for the group is similar to others, just embrace the mess, and the craziness that is the preschool age. 

Love your little ones, they grow up so fast!

Paintings 42 through 48 of the 100 paintings, acrylic on wood.

Sometimes you just have to be crafty!

Rarely does the church call and ask for favors, so I sometimes have to resort to asking if they need help. Such is the case here with the Summer Surge at Celebration Church in Fairhope, Alabama. Each summer we have a fantastic kids program that really puts the focus on Faith and Fun. This year is no exception with a beach theme that really is extraordinary. 

                My husband Chris did a beautiful job building these fantastic lifeguard stands in just a couple of days.  (I volunteer him on a regular basis~Life with me is unpredictable, you never know what I'll say Chris can build!) I am so grateful he does not say no too often.We have built an airplane and turtle nest together as well! The kids at the church painted the stands pink and blue. I was pleased to help with some small details on Sunday afternoon and Monday morning. Both lifeguard stands needed lettering on the backs and sides. There is a pink one and a blue one to separate the boys from the girls sections. I also built (with Chris's help) the life buoy rings in the photos. I fashioned them from recycled foam insulation cut in three layers. We then wrapped them with white duck tape. After the white, I added the rope trim and red stripes, finally finishing them with a black paint pen to do the lettering. I am really happy with how they all turned out!

     Sunday afternoon found me with the Tiki hut on the stage. After making 3 different sizes of 'bamboo' patterns from poster board , I painted the outlines first. This was a trick since the 'stage' is fence boards I had to climb on, hoping they would not break under my weight. They had already painted the background a medium brown, so I really only needed 3 colors. A dark brown, yellow ochre and a white. After laying in the outlines, I dry brushed the yellow ochre and white on each piece of bamboo. I was really happy with the results after I touched up the seams between. I then added a bamboo outline on the sign already painted by one of the girls. We then trimmed and tacked the sign to the wall.

The whole project really turned out so cute! I am always happy to give time to the church and they have several of my pieces in their offices. I am grateful for the talents my God has given me and love using them in such a fun way! Many congratulations to Brianne and Judson Shores, Children's pastor at Celebration Church for a job very well done!

Sometimes you just have to be crafty! Not for profit, but for the 100 days~100 Paintings, Day 36

Just playing catch up! Days 69,70, and 71 of the 100 days

      

       "Jeremiah 29:10-13 " is a painting based on scripture of course! I am leading a small group at Celebration Church and this is the piece we painted on Monday night. I believe every one had a good time and there was much laughter, groaning, giggles, and just plain fun! I am really looking forward to being with this lovely group of women and children. (Don't worry guys! You could come too!) Each week we will be doing a painting inspired by scripture. The scripture that this one is based on is also it's name!

     Jeremiah 29:10-13 I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you HOME again. For I know the plans I have for you says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a FUTURE and a HOPE." In those days when you pray, I will LISTEN. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you WILL find me.

   We found a lot of God in that room Monday evening. I can't wait for the next week!
Jeremiah 29:10-13 Acrylic on canvas 20 x 20 day 69 of the 100 days~100 paintings

     "Ask the Animals" is another painting based on scripture for the small group at Celebration Church~we will be painting this one Monday the 24th of September. Next week, we have one based on Trust. This one is a lot of fun to paint with plenty of color and opportunities to personalize. I am looking forward to painting it with the Scripts and Strokes Group!

      Based on Job 12:7-10, Just ask the animals and they will teach you, Ask the birds of the sky and they will tell you. SPEAK to the earth, and it will instruct you. Let the fish in the sea speak to you.
For they all know my disaster has come from the hand of the LORD. For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being.

     As to the part about "For they all know my disaster has come from the hand of the LORD." Keep in mind this is from Job and GOD was severely testing him at the time. You see there was this little test he went through so that GOD could show he indeed was a believer and would not curse the Lord no matter what! This is one of his "Lamentations" he never cursed the Lord, but he did  complain a little! I think I might too!

     "Ask the Animals" 16 x 20 acrylic on canvas Day 70 of the 100 days-100 paintings

     "Heron My Heron" was the first of the paintings done at the Eastern Shore Art Center in Fairhope, Alabama. I am teaching a painting a day class and we all created this beauty. Everyone did quite well, despite the fact that I was pushing them so hard! There was lots of giggles, smirks and concentration going on in this class. I even reminded them that they signed up for this torture! Despite the speed and rapidity, I think all had a good time and everyone completed their masterpieces.

     Speaking of completions, i really will need to complete lots of works in the next few weeks. Fairhope Connections is opening another location in Gulf Shores in October, hopefully operating during the National Shrimp Festival! It will be near the Oyster House, one of my favorite places to eat and apparently everyone else too! The wait averages an hour or more. The food is well worth it, and while you wait, now you will be able to see new works by several artists including me! We may also offer workshops and classes during the winter for the snowbirds. Southern Art and Framing also took all 13 pieces I brought to the gallery the other day, and asked for an expanded show in November and December. Add all this to my Outdoor show schedule, teaching, the 100 days and fall is proving to be a busy season! I would not have it any other way!

Heron My Heron 12 x 12 Acrylic on canvas day 71 of the 100 days

Celebrate Small Groups Artwork

     Not long after Vacation Bible School the next project came into play at Celebration. Our Fall Kick Off of small groups is happening on September 9th, 2012. I was asked to do the artwork for both the church and the Celebrate Kids building. My artworks are being displayed on stage in the church. I am having a great time designing and making these pieces! This piece is for the main panel in front of the desk on stage. CCNN stands for Celebrate Church News Network. This represents day 56.

    This is the piece created for the Celebrate Kids. These are all going on the desk on stage for decoration. It represents day 57 of the 100 days.

       

        Another piece for the decoration on stage. This one represents Celebration Church. Day 58 here of the 100 days.

     Glo is represented too!

     My favorite of the all the pieces because of the color! I really had fun making this one as well. All these pieces are on foam core and are approximately 15 x 15. The first one is larger for the front of the desk. All of these are going to make their debut on September 9th.