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

 

Seahorse I

Well!

This is a hard one to post.

The National Shrimp Festival cancelled the show today.

I have to admit, it's taking the wind out of my sails for a moment.

The good news is, the other shows are silent so far as cancelling is concerned.

I get it, but this is seriously messing with my income for this year!

I prayed okay God, what are you trying to teach me?

TRUST!

Trust that He will provide.

Rely on His provision.

Understand His will.

Stand on His word.

Teach others about trusting.

The same message God gave me last year when the shows were all collapsing.

I now pass it on to you!

Worked hard on a Steampunk piece design today.

Paint to follow soon afterwards.

Life goes on here at the Raccoon Retreat Studio in Fairhope, Alabama

Seahorse I, Acrylic on wood panel, 5 x 15 inches

Day 73 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

 

Just the Blues III

We had a relaxing day today.

Our morning started later than normal as it was cloudy and raining.

Consequently, I didn't get out of bed until almost 8am.

SO out of character for me.

Typically I'm awakened by the sunlight streaming through the windows in the morning, 

usually around 6:30am.

I am very sensitive to light and cannot stay in bed much past daylight.

Anyway, I started with my Bible readings as usual and began the day.

My morning was hit hard by the loss of one of my Shrimp Festival family.

Ron Arnold was a fixture down at the show.

I have many fond memories of him.

He will be very missed.

We delivered pieces to Big Fish Trading Company today.

They are a local company in Foley, Alabama that has incredible hand finished, coastal style furniture 

in a variety of colors and finishes.

They are currently located at 21860 US highway 98.

The furniture and Art store are an amazing fit for my works.

The owners Amy and Jason are extremely sweet people that support their artists wholeheartedly.

They have been very patient with me, as their inventory of my works was down to three pieces.

Today their plate is full as she kept 25 of my works, removed one, and that brought her total to 27.

What's wonderful about this relationship is that Amy does not mind 

me removing pieces for a show over a weekend.

They always come and visit at the shows I go to locally as well, 

they get very excited when I have lots of sales!

We also discussed some larger pieces that will be arriving soon 

to the gallery after they move into their new space just up the road.

I am very happy to be a part of their Artist family.

We then bought lunch at Chris's favorite spot in Foley.

Culvers has become his go-to for a great hamburger and custard for dessert.

If you have never tried Culvers I highly recommend them.

The employees are some of the happiest I've ever seen.

Studio time in the afternoon.

Leftovers for dinner.

Church in the evening.

Life is so good!

Just the Blues III, Acrylic on wood panel, 5 x 15 inches

Day 72 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

 

Just the Blues II

Just the Blues II

Another in the series of sewing machine drawers.

I am really enjoying the creation of this littles and I hope you are as well.

This series is finite though, as I made several last year and sold them all.

Unless I find another dilapidated sewing machine, or one really cheap!

These drawers came from a sewing machine our neighbor had that had been stored outside.

She wanted Chris to refinish it, but the veneer was just too far gone to save.

So, he stripped the wood off the iron frame and replaced the top part with solid oak.

The drawer veneer was an issue as well, so she said just throw them away.

These drawers will live on as frames for hopefully another 100 years.

Chris also stripped the sewing machine itself as it was completely locked up. 

The head became part of the weight under his lathe.

The sewing machine parts are very interesting and form part of my steampunk box to design paintings.

So, the parts and pieces of the machine will live on, just in other ways.

I love it!

We ran errands this morning, going to Lowes to pick up paint for the trailer.

 Chris is building a trailer to pull behind the RV when we go to shows.

IT is coated in poor mans fiberglass, using waterproof glue to hold sheets tight against the wood.

It will also have about 3 or 4 coats of paint.

Fingers crossed that it is waterproof, because it will be carrying all my equipment.

We are one month out from the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

It still could get the ax again this year because Covid numbers are still so very high.

I am praying fervently that is not the case for this year as it is one of my favorite shows.

It is also a fairly local show as it's only an hour from home.

Our plans are to stay down there this year because it could be very big as far as sales go and you have to stay open at night to take advantage of the concert crowds.

I also have two booths, so there will be additional challenges there.

I still have to finalize the layout for the double booth 

because the second booth is my steampunk paintings.

I had someone share the alligator last week telling her friend these were my "alter ego" works.

I kind of like that, "alter ego" works because it is so different from my normal marine life pieces.

It is also why we have a separate booth for the pieces as I want them judged as their own collection.

I have had them in the booth together before, but people get really confused.

 They are so radically unusual that folks find it hard to believe I paint them.

They are in shock when they look around several times, then ask while pointing at the steampunk.

"You?"

I nod and they are in disbelief because most of the time this is an art form that is for a younger generation.

Truth be told though, this art has been around in one form or another for over 100 years.

Think Jules Verne 20,000 leagues under the sea written in 1872!

His science fiction inspired many advances because people started thinking what if?

My steampunk is typically different as mine focuses on steam engines, but also has car parts, farm machinery, vcr gears, clockworks, vintage woodwork, and whatever else I can find to fit into my current piece.

People love to look at them, talk about them, and ultimately purchase them!

Speaking of which, I need to set up the next one!

Just the Blues II, Acrylic on wood panel, 5 x 16 inches

Day 71 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2021

 

Just the Blues I

Back to the sewing machine drawers!

I really enjoy using up paint when I have put out colors on my palette.

Because of this, I have used the colors to create "Just the Blues I"

The paintings are coming hard and fast now, with me sometimes completing two in one day!

These small guys are so much fun to create!

Not much other than painting happening here today.

Although we did have dinner with our friends that are back home from Africa.

It is good to catch up and hear about things happening there.

Water is a huge problem right now.

I f you could lift them up in prayer I would appreciate it very much!

If you are led to donate toward a borehole (well) at iroCK lodge, that would be amazing!

They are currently trying to raise $4,500.00

Donations can be made at www.teamafrica.com

This takes you to the Buy a Brick Foundation.

All money donated goes to help the people of Zimbabwe.

There are no administrative fees taken out.

I find that amazing don't you?

Just the Blues, Acrylic on wood panel, 5 x 16 inches

Day 70 of the 1000 days~100 paintings 2021