Hello again!

 I've just returned from a wonderful week away in a warm climate.   

As lucky and grateful as I am for this business trip we take every year,

I always feel a bit anxious about being away from the studio,

having just geared up again after the long holiday break!

I know. Poor me. 

I did this quick 6 x 8 sketch of Cello before I left.

Cello 

6 x 8 

I think I may have missed her more than the studio! 

Back to work for real now.

Back to Basics class starts Tuesday.

The Alzheimer gals on Wednesday.

Let's get 2013 started already!

Cupcakes, of course

Bing Cherry Cupcake 

6 x 6 

gallery wrapped canvas

I'll admit. 

I never  enjoy painting "to sell".

But in this case I really want to support the James Library 

so I'm digging in. 

And really?

These days, any painting is better than not painting

so I ended up enjoying this. 

Dessert Paintings

Chocolate Cake 

8 x 8 

I went to Michaels and bought three gallery wrapped
canvas's for the "dessert" paintings I'm doing for
the Valentines event at the James Library in Feb.

I'd forgotten how thick the tooth is on these.
I chuckled all day
 thinking about Karin Jurick's recent description of
painting on canvas.
It's like buttering a cold waffle. 

Exactly!

Don't Try This at Home!

Painting chocolates is a lot more difficult than one would think.

How many shades of brown can there be? 

Box of Chocolates

8 x 8 

I put out all my "browns" and proceeded as if 

I was painting with chocolate! 

Dangerous, to say the least. 

NOTE: The James Library 

is hosting a Valentine Event on Friday February 8.

They have asked our GJWP group if we would do 

some themed paintings  

for display and sale that evening. 

  This is my first attempt. 

Taking a Tub

 I couldn't get out of my own way today. 

A few wipers before I got what I was after.
(A Matisse-like pattern painting) 

"Taking a Tub" 

9 x 12 

 acrylic outline/ oil on board

Note: We recently stayed in a hotel room

 that had this awesome tub. 

Had to take a bath in it, 

then couldn't wait to paint it. 

Meanwhile. 

I just googled "taking a tub" and found this! 

Now I want to paint all of those tubs! 

Paper White Finale

The traditional holiday Paper White bulbs,
"planted" right after Thanksgiving
are enjoying their final days.

Timed right, they bloom on Christmas morning  

making the house smell magically festive for the whole week.  

Paper White Finale 

9 x 12 

After packing and putting away everything "holiday",

I like to enjoy them in a sunny window

as the only decoration.

Bring on 2013!

Note: My pals over at GJWP 

did some awesome interiors last month 

for our Matisse challenge. 

They have inspired me so I'm thinking 

it's a wonderful time of the year to be warm inside

painting interiors! 

New Years Day

After all the hub bub of the holidays,  

we like to do nothing but relax at the beach to bring in the New Year. 

While on the couch reading the new Bon Appetite magazine 

I saw this ad and got inspired to paint. 

I had a small Winsor Newton watercolor set and  

my cool Isabey brush from france. 

Then I magically found 

eight small pre-cut  pieces of watercolor paper! 

 It was so fun to just play and

what a great way to relax! 

(and get geared up to get back to work in studio tomorrow!) 

"Statistically, we are not all the same"

eight 3" x 2" watercolors

Happy New Year one and all.

Can't wait to see what's going to happen next!