Fun with Flowers

There is a small library in the center of my town that hosts a "Books and Bloom" event every May. Around 30 very clever and talented people chose a book and interpret it with flowers. This year, two of my Garden Club friends and I chose "The Help" by Katherine Stockett. We arranged mostly soft pink and white southern flowers surrounded by Magnolia leaves (representing the "Southern Belles" who hired the "Help") in small white training potty with a lid that I found on line. The toilet sits on a polished silver tray with the polish and the rag, on top of an apron, on top of a damask linen tablecloth.

 The event is tonight and the arrangements will be on display from 10 - 2 tomorrow. 

Check it out! 

James Library 

I've got to get dressed! 

Lucky Kid

I have wanted to paint this ever since I drove by it last year. I think every kid needs a tree house or a "fort" of some kind and this one is so cool. You can tell someone put a lot of thought and care into building it. This is one lucky kid.

"Come on Up"

10 x 12 

Well Hello Poppies!

The first spring we moved into our house, I was continually surprised by what was happening in the garden. The first time I saw one of these huge bright orange poppies in full bloom, it blew me away! I had never seen anything like it. The way all that color and fun literally POPS out of those funky little pods just cracks me up. The petals remind me of crinkled crepe paper. These popped yesterday. Just another one of the many wonderful gifts I got on Mother's Day!

Happy Mom's Day 

8 x 8 

A Really Good Book

I'm one of those readers who can't put down a good book. Last week an artist friend came by to drop off a book for me that she thought I'd enjoy. The title is: Pocketful of Names, by Joe Coomer. She told me it was about a woman artist who lives on an island in Maine with a dog. Well, that alone made me want to dive right in. I'm highly recommending it, even though I'm, only half way through it. I'm hooked!

High drama on Rt. 3A

Last night on my way home from the NRAS drop off around 7:30, the light was incredible! We had had some thunderstorms late in the day and just as the sun was setting- WHAMO! The clouds dispersed and the sky lit up like a bomb had gone off!

If you painted this the way it actually looked, no one would believe it. I'm pretty sure there was a rainbow out there somewhere as well. And that's always a good sign. 

Finally Found Some Frames

I've been using distressed painted wood frames for years. Recently, I have been thinking about a more modern and clean look. I've worked with a great guy all these years who is a "deconstructionist". He takes apart old buildings all over the country and salvages the wood from interiors and exteriors of barns, school houses, taverns, cottages - you name it. A lot of  emails and photos later...this is what we came up with. I varnished the first one, and lightly sanded and stained the second one.  

      

My dearest and insightful artist friend Joan Brancale saw them and said they reminded her of a 40's beach cottage. 

That is exactly the look I was after. So yipee! 

Paint Like Yourself

I had lunch last week with a wonderful artist friend, Page Railsback. She told me that when her students say they want to paint like someone else, she tells them they can only paint like themselves. I thought about that all weekend. It's true. As important as it is to learn from others, it is far more liberating and fulfilling to just be yourself and paint the way you feel like painting at that moment.

Happy Hour #2

8 x 8