If not now, when?

Paint Mines, CO

It's evening and I'm sitting in my van watching my dog Bailey sleep.  I'm at a campground outside of Yellowstone Park.  I'll head in tomorrow morning and spend the weekend camping and sight seeing in the park.  So I thought I'd write a blog post and show some of the places Bailey and I've been the past few months. We started in Alaska and my husband drove down through Canada with us.  He got us safely into Washington and needed to get back to his job.  So from there, Bailey and I have been roaming around and stopping to visit friends along the way.  We drove though Washington state, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming... and after Yellowstone Park, I'm headed to cooler weather and a hot meal with my favorite two people on Bainbridge Island.  

You know how a house dog looks generally clean, living in a furnished home with soft couches and pretty rugs, a clean water dish, regular meals ... it's fur is tidy and brushed, trimmed nails, a bright,  clean collar around it's neck.  Now picture what this dog looks like after it escaped under the fence and ran around off the leash for a day and night.  You find your dog...it's been running around like a wild animal for 48 hours, dried mud on it's paws, maybe a scrape on it's face, fur is all wild and messy.  There's a wild look in your dog's eyes, maybe it doesn't come to you immediacy when you call it's name.  

Well, I'm feeling like that dog right now.  The one that's on the run.  Especially the hair part. :)

When I finally get to Seattle...I'm going to have a shower, and scrub up a bit!

I'm going to put conditioner in my hair, and it's gonna feel soft when it dries.

Wear some clean pants and a fresh t-shirt ....lotion, I'm gonna put lotion on, without the thought of  dust clinging to it.  I'm having a moment, I'll admit it.

Tomorrow morning I'll wake up, have some coffee and a banana, and then I'll go explore Yellowstone with my dog and my camera :)

Thanks for reading...I'll check in again soon.

Get out and play this weekend!  If not now...then when?

Fort Casey, WA

Grand Teton National Park, WY

Utah...close to Flaming Gorge

Utah, near Dinosaur National Park

Port Townsend, WA

1971 Triumph Motorcycle

On my easel in the garage.... my 1971 Triumph TR6.  I'm painting a motorcycle of mine.  I grew up riding on the back of this motorcycle, going on rides with my dad.  Great memories of holding onto my dad...helmet...vintage goggles and summer rides. 

I still have a lot to do, but I'm making progress... this painting is 48"x 60" ...the biggest I've ever painted. I've always wanted to be able to roll a motorcycle in the house and have it in a corner like a beautiful sculpture through the winter.... this might be another way to enjoy a motorcycle in the living room.   

Thanks for looking and reading! 

Late Afternoon Glow

"Late Afternoon Glow"

24"x 24" oil on canvas

The Alaskan winter days have beautiful lighting.  It's either looking like sunrise or sunset most of the day, unless it's plain 'ol darkness...then it's just dark.

This painting was done from a reference photo taken at 3:30 pm.  The sun just rides along the horizon in December.  This glass building was glowing.  If I turned around, I wouldn't be able to see the sun from my vantage point....but this building was reflecting everything from the southern skyline.

Traffic....if your a night lights junkie like me, traffic in the winter up here is pretty beautiful.  

And if I'm not wearing my glasses... all those lights have a large halo effect.  

Cool...

Of course, this painting and the colors are filtered through my heart and mind...

a little bit amped up...... cause that's what I see.

Artists, don't be a journalist with your art......be a poet.  

Show the world your heart.  Don't be scared... show us what you're made of. 

I love that about art.

Thanks for looking!!

 and reading.

New Floral Painting

Floral

20" x 20", oil on canvas

Thank you for looking!

The Boxer

"The Boxer"

Another example of my letting go and allowing some truth to come through.

I had a master plan on this painting.  This was the quick beginning that I was planning to add to.

I had an image of someone already in my head ....kind of a "Bring it" moment... courage, in the moment....no fear.  An idea that kept presenting itself, and I wanted to capture it, in a painting.

So a friend of mine graciously said yes to model for the painting. 

(even though it was totally out of his comfort zone)

This quick beginning, the part I thought was just a rough draft to what was to come....well, this was the "jewel".  This was the gift I was given that day, but I threw it away!!!   I painted over top of this....and let's just say, it was an epic fail.   After this start...I tried to paint a look that wasn't there.  I tried to paint a person that wasn't there....ignored the kindness, playful nature, more vulnerable look coming back at me.

I'm so glad I took a photo of the painting... before I began my painful effort of "Trying" to paint something that wasn't there.  

This is a painting of the person that was in front of me.

I was so lost in my "idea", that I didn't see.... 

I got what I'm usually after, I tapped into a tiny piece of the guy in front of me.

A good lesson for me, 

stay open...let go...things may not go as planned, and that's a good thing!!!

Thank you for looking!

and reading ...

Happy Friday!

"Cold One"

11"x 14", oil on canvas

Happy Friday out there!  Here's a cold one on me!

Beer enthusiasts ....do you know what kind this is?  I didn't work at any 

letters or words....but, I did try to be accurate with the color shapes and it's surprising

 how many people knew just what brand of beer this was!  

I bought a 6 pack of these about a month ago...trying to bribe a few guy friends into 

posing for a portrait painting.  Shameless....I know...I'm not proud of it.

I have a lot of practice painting women, but not so much practice painting men.

I have a few of my husband and son...but I was curious to see what venturing out 

and painting others would be like.  It was a nice experience, and it was fun to hear their stories and

 to try capturing these kind people in paint.

Thank you for looking and reading!

Have a great weekend :)

Show Time

"Show Time"

24"x 24", oil on canvas

Did I tell you I was born in Las Vegas?  I was.  

Neon, music, live performances, fashion...it's deep inside me, 

and sometimes a little needs to come out.

I like circus stuff too.... clown paintings, I like velvet clown paintings.

Okay, confession is over.  You know too much.

Thank you for looking!  

"Speak Up"

"Speak Up"

11"x 14" oil on canvas

I just love old things.....and I absolutely love shiny metal/ chrome old things.

So, needless to say...gazing at this old microphone was just hypnotizing

 for me.  It makes me think of old theaters, velvet seats, popcorn and my date's hand on my leg

in the dark (public... but somehow private)  space.

When I'm in my own world, painting..... it's transporting.

Good stuff.....mini vacation. 

Thank you for looking and reading.  :)  

Charming

"Charming"

12"x 12", oil on canvas

I love a good skull painting now and then!

This guy's still working it....some men don't know when to stop ;)

Enjoy your day out there!!

Thank you for looking!

Fierce

"Fierce" 

11" x 14", oil on canvas

I love to see others owning their individuality....cultivating it, creating it, nurturing it and last but not least....Enjoying their uniqueness. 

This young lady is beautiful....and embracing who she is.  It's a big part of her charm.

 I loved painting this one....focusing for a moment... only on her.

Thank you for looking!

Make sure to let "You" shine today! 

Charcoal drawing

Charcoal drawings have such a natural tendency to create a mood.  Reminds me of black and white photography....which is where my artistic cravings started.   

Mike

"Mike"  16" x 20", oil on canvas

A Sunday painting of my husband. 

I'd love to do a series of paintings of him... maybe once a week.

I feel a bit rusty at painting people, but I'm happy with how it turned out  :) 

Thank you for looking!

Lunch Together

"Lunch Together"

18"x 18", oil on canvas

Another diner scene  :)

This is just before a waitress, with a southern accent, brings me a juicy hamburger with a side of crispy french fries.

Wait.... I forgot to paint the mustard and catsup!

Thank you for looking!

Tuesday night drawing sessions

There is a Tuesday night drawing session in downtown Anchorage.

From 7:00 ~ 9:30, nude model, 18 yrs of age minimum....bring your own supplies....no instruction, 

just a group of us 

working on our drawing skills, 

all levels welcome! 

The session takes place at  ACAL, 225 E 5th ave, Anchorage.  Entrance is in the alley. 

Cost is $15 per session, or you can purchase 5 sessions for $50.

It's a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow!  

Come draw with us!

Night painting...

Night painting

 12"x16", oil on panel

Night painting is fun.  There's something really great about being out painting, at night in the dark.

It reminds me of childhood….playing outside in the winter, after dinner…it was always dark.

I used a book light this time.  I pointed it at my canvas and palette…worked great!

Thank  you for looking!! 

With Sprinkles Please

"With Sprinkles Please"

12" x 12", oil on canvas

Such a cheerful subject.   

I painted this about a month ago.  It was a fun little still life that I set up for a student, so I painted too  :)

Thank you for looking! 

Flower #12

"Flower  #12"

24" x 24", oil on canvas

Sold

"Flower #12", 24" x 24" oil on canvas…. okay, I've done this bouquet about 4 times, time to move on to another.

Thank you for looking!

Flower #10

"Flower #10"

5" x 7", oil on canvas

Quick little guy….. time flew by yesterday!

I found myself eager to paint this one at 11pm last night, not wanting 

my flower streak to get interrupted  :)

I skipped running… something had to be sacrificed.

Thank you for checking in one me and reading!!

  

Flowers…#9

"Flowers,  #9"

8" x 10", oil on canvas

I'm not sure what I think about this one…

Painting at night in my studio, I turned off a lot of lights and put a spotlight on this little still life.

I even turned off some lights close to my canvas.

I guess I'd say I was painting in the dark.  The painting kinda turned out dark.  I'm surprised, because I thought maybe it would lead to a lighter painting.  

It was an experiment… which is the cool thing about 

 painting everyday, I'm 

feeling more casual about these little paintings, less pressure…more playful.

I like that.  :)  

Okay…thank you for checking in on me!

I appreciate it!  :)

Flower # 7

"Flower #7"

5" x 7", oil on canvas

Sweet, little baby painting!  The size alone makes this one adorable to me!

Little, cutie pie….

okay, that's enough...  

Now, I need to look up how to make candied grapefruit peels…half dipped in dark chocolate! 

Just because it sounds delicious and I watched Jacques Pepin make them on PBS…

It's at the end of this video below if you're interested too!

Actually, everything he makes in this episode looks scrumptious…

I'm hungry :)

Jacques Pepin cooking show

Thank you for looking!!  :)