Little Suzi's

I started this painting who knows how long ago. I found it in my garage just waiting for stems and flowers. I love the green watercolorish background. So I added the yellow kissing flowers and some yellow bells to the foreground. I love that yellow bells bloom this time of year. This is my first year to have my art studio in the house in the sunroom where you get a full view of these amazing bushes all day. I planted four bushes about 12 years ago around the back patio and house area. They were literally a single stem that had been rooted by my pastor. Over the years I've been too chickin' to cut them back for fear they would never come back as grand. So now they are literally as tall as our single story house. I've had to trim, but that's it. They are a glorious site right now. And quite the inspiration. You'll be seeing more yellow bells in my garden paintings very soon.

Barbie's Dream Camper

Airtream Silver Cloud 1936 15'

I've stepped out of my comfort zone a bit with my paintings in recent weeks. Although I will always paint little birds in their environments, I am having a bit of fun with these retro-American still life series I have going right now. First it was the bike series, and now vintage Airstream campers (I've got a turquiose payphone on the table too!). I found a fabulous website that had the original article on this particular camper and great photos. It was not the usual silver Airstream I was thinking of when looking for an example. But rather, this is originally "Woodframed and Masonite Skined". Yep. And cost all of $695.00 from a local Airstream dealer. So I took some liberty with the colors, I'm really into pink and orange right now. This the name Barbie's Dream Camper. Does that mean anything in particular those of you deep meaning in art people?

Speaking of deep meaning in art, I have a comment on that note. It was during my senior project interview when it hit me like a ton of bricks that perhaps my art was not really supposed to have some underlying deep context. The panel of 10 art professors (9 of whom were MEN) had concerns over my choice of making a paper quilt as my project (this is of course after approving the project and giving me thumbs up for 12 weeks while I made the beautiful piece). Not wanting to bore you with my anger towards that particular institution to this day for that grueling time of self pity over a grade, I'll skip forward to the artist I am now. And honestly, it's the artist I have always been. I paint happy, sweet, innocent paintings. I place a lot of thought into my compositions and the colors I place on my palette. But as far as there being deep meaning, I am sorry to disappoint that there is none. In fact, I view my art in the opposite. I want the viewer to see what is there, smile and say, I really like that. It could be my choice of colors, or texture, or composition or just the image itself. But in all honesty, what I gain the most from my art is happiness.

Producing all this work lately has almost seemed robotic. This veering into the still life scenes is helping to re channel my energy and regain some confidence in painting. And I am very happy to say, I am a bit tickled at the outcome of some of the paintings and their lack of global meaning.

"It's Raining, It's Pouring"...

Here's a new happy painting in the Mattie and her friends series. Are you singing along now? It's stuck in my head too! This painting is available for purchase in a new gallery for me. It's called Dogwood Gallery. It's located in Tyrone behind the Legacy Theater. I'm also teaching adult painting there on Tuesdays from 9:30-11:30 if you'd like to join me!

Joining the Circus

Joining the Circus, 16" x 20"

I thought it would be appropriate to share this latest painting since my family and I attended the "Greatest Show on Earth" last night in Atlanta. I have to say, in the 5 years we've now attended in a row, this was by far the best. Some major changes are what helped make it much more enjoyable. The first thing we all noticed was that there were not 3 rings set up. Isn't it called the "3 ring circus"? It was one big act, you didn't have to choose one ring to watch, or try and watch 3 at a time. And the acts were amazing. Some almost a little Cirque de Solielish actually. The music and costumes definitely echoed that feeling. So our favorites? William loved the motorcycles in the ball, Mailey loved the horses, Nana the loved the skipping elephant, and I loved the boys at the end on these swinging poles. It was quite an evening!