Ranchos de Taos Church - Darkest Hour

SOLD
8x10 Oil on Canvas panel.
$100.00

St. Rose of Lima Chapel

11x14 Oil on stretched canvas
$200.00 (unframed)

This is a little something new for me...but I think I really like it.
I was sitting in the waiting room at a doctor's office thumbing through a magazine and I saw this tiny photo of a painting. The image was about an inch square; a corner of a barn with minimal landscaping around it. The painting was done in what I call (because I don't know the correct term) color block style.

As small as this image was it immediately caught and held my attention. The barn was bright yellow, the sky was a shocking blue and the ground was flat (I guess you realize I don't remember the color of the ground...but it was flat).

I knew I wanted to give this a try and I knew what my subject matter would be. This little chapel is a landmark in my home town. Sadly, today only portions of the wall exist, the rest has succumbed to time and weather. But its design its very basic and boxy and that "squareness" is echoed in its gate. Perfect!

Commissioned work

Commissioned painting
12x16 oil

Normally I wouldn't do a painting of something I had already done. But I had a special request for this. A dear lady had seen it on my site and pleaded with me to do one for her so I did. I have to say - it was a very interesting experience.

What happened was that I was able to see my growth by doing this painting. My perspective is 100% better - my texture int he stucco and the wooden window frames is much better and I even like my hollyhocks better.

All in all - I'm really glad I did this.

Pumpkin 2011

Pumpkin 2011 - 8x10 oil SOLD


Last year I painted a pumpkin and sold it - thought I'd see if lightening would srtike twice - lucky me - it did.

Pear Study...for breakfast

This is a little gem I did yesterday morning at the breakfast table.

Next painting!

I sketched this out on an 11x14 canvas board today - its the beginnings of a study for a painting.

Blue Door and Chamisa

8x10 Oil Painting on canvas (SOLD)

Small "bluffs" study

(SOLD)
Here's a small 4x6 study I did on canvas board - I liked it so I framed it! By the way - I now have a PayPal "Buy it now" button. I will offer my posted paintings for sale on my Blog for three days before moving it to auction on eBay.

"Bluff Study" - sold framed (small scratch on the bottom of frame as seen in photo)
$25.00 plus $10.00 shipping and handling.

Today was a good day...

Another turning point - a fork stuck in the road......

I have spent so much time feeling sorry for myself because I have to work for a living and saying how stressful my job is and that since my heart attack I am so weak that all I can manage is to go to work - crawl home - eat supper and go to bed. Weekends were for errands , laundry and housework as well as a small part time job. No time to paint or write or do anything that resembles creativity.

BLAH BLAH BLAH - I was not only depressed but also boring.

Well - to quote the Green Day lyrics - "time takes you by the wrist directs you where to go."

Last Friday at 4pm the president of the company I worked for (for over 5 years) met with us to let us know that our program had been de-funded in Washington - one quarter of the staff lost their jobs effective immediately. Guess which group I fell into?

But here's the strange thing. It was totally unexpected but immediately recognizable for the opportunity of a lifetime. While everyone else was wandering around wiping tears from their eyes I was busy packing up my office and thanking my director - no sarcasm here - I appreciate the opportunity I had to work for that company and will miss the job and coworkers but.....

It was all I could do to contain my excitement.

With my severance and unemployment I will for the first time in my life have the chance to see what I'm made of. To paint and write and market myself...and still pay my mortgage - WOW!
How lucky am I?

I spent this first week wrapping up loose ends - taking advantage of insurance before it ran out (which it did June 30th) I painted my bathroom and got new carpet, met with a contractor about a small remodeling job in the kitchen. I have company coming for the 4th of July but when they leave it will be time to launch my new career as a full time painter and writer.

Did you hear what I said? Forgive me while I say it again for my own enjoyment....I'm self employed as a painter and writer...... full time....ah, I love the sound of that.

"So make the best of this test and don't ask why...it's something unpredictable but in the end is right....I hope to have the time of my life."

A real painting ..for reals

Red Hollyhocks 4x6 inches oil on canvas

Loosening up my brushes (finally) This was a quick little painting of my all-time favorite - red hollyhocks and yellow stucco. I have been studying Stapleton Kearns blog - tons of wonderful information. Like taking a workshop. I enjoyed using some of the things I learned while doing this piece.

A new confession...

The reason I haven't been painting much is because I've been writing.

For some reason its easier for me to paint a picture, good or bad, and post it on the blog for the world (yeah, right) to see than to admit that I am also a hopeful, maybe a capricious,  writer. 

I have no illusions about my artistic ability - I have moments when my mind seems to be able to clearly communicate to my hand what it wants out of the paint and brush and for that I am very grateful. I also have many moments when my brain and my hand don't appear to be on speaking terms. That's just the way it goes for me.


But the truth is I think I'm a better writer than painter.  I'm an unpolished stone in that I lack a lot of formal training in grammar and punctuation but I think I have a talent for conveying whats in my mind and heart onto paper with far more accuracy than canvas.  Now lest you think that last statement reeks of ego let me tell you something, I have far more insecurity about putting my written work "out there".

Seriously, I have had my first book written for a long time and can't seem to manage to finish the editing in order to have it read by those who's opinions I trust.  And that's a shame because its a good and fun little story.  I'm also about half way through the second book which is a little gem but again - can't seem to get on with it.  The format for the third book is already laid out.

I don't know what my problem is, I'm open to suggestions.

I don't know if its lack of focus, lack of discipline, exhaustion stemming from poor health and working both a full time and part time job.....

When my first marriage was breaking up my then husband asked me to go to marriage counseling.  I agreed and he picked out a therapist and off we went.  After a couple of visits my former husband realized that the doctor wasn't going to take his side and make me behave so he quit going but I kept on.  I had always laughed at folks who went to therapy but I have to say, it was one of the best things I ever did for myself.

The reason I'm telling you this is because it was this doctor who first alerted me to the possibility that I lacked the backbone to put myself "out there" and that was the real reason why I never seemed to finish up my book (s) or the half painted canvases that are laying around my studio or the half crocheted tablecloths in the closets.

And here's the hard part.  I know better.  I have sold my paintings.  Won ribbons in shows for both my painting and my crochet work (are you surprised?)  Recently I sold enough of my handmade jewelry to help finance my trip home for Christmas.  I receive a steady stream of confirmations from a variety of people in a variety of fields encouraging me to write for a living.

So what's my problem?

In the meantime while I'm writing, editing and trying to sort it all out and find my backbone I'll entertain you with some more photo's that I've taken and kind of like...a lot.  Feel free to critique my issues - apparently I need to get used to it and overcome my insecurities.....

I'm still here

I'm not ill I just haven't been well lately.

Dana took me home to New Mexico for Christmas in hopes of giving me a spiritual shot in the arm.  Although winter, I took lots of pictures and this is one of them.  Look for upcoming painting (I promise) coming along soon.