Gratitude #137

This beautiful plant appeared on its own outside my studio. I had never planted the big bag of seeds that I had harvested from last year. My artist friend Stephanie Roberts- Camello had given me her seeds and I had them blooming  in my garden  last year...but somehow this one tiny seed made it into the soil. I will be sure to plant more next year! I have lots of seeds if anyone wants some.

Gratitude #136

A couple of my friends have given me apples lately and I love them!
Might make a pie tonight. I need to get more exercise because now that the temps are cooling I crave warm and yummy foods.

gratitude #135

I love zinnias!

Happy and playful. Still blooming... but its getting chilly here!

"Star grazing " 22x24 acrylic on canvas

I made a shocking discovery in my studio today- in my paint water bottle ( I have no sink in my studio so I bring water out in empty seltzer bottles) there was a drowned mouse. eeeew!

TOTALLY freaked me out.

I will cap those bottles from now on!

I know there are more because Winnie  is VERY interested in whats behind my bookshelf.
I hate mousetraps...but I can't tolerate these new tenants!

Gratitude #134

Garden tomatos are the best!

or is it "tomatoes"?

oops

I had a critique the other day. Lots of helpful feedback. it also inspired me to clean the studio . It was pretty messy!

Actually it was Dot Krause who came over- Winnie was helping. 

"gemini rising" acrylic on canvas 16"x24"

This one started with a sketch from a tiny book of medieval art.

This is  a mosaic from Ravenna called

"St. Apollinaris and the Transfiguration"

I changed it and took a lot of liberties,

There is no end to the sources of imagery!

Loons on the Lake 18"x20" acrylic

I must be "looney" to try to paint such an image- almost corny-but the loons on the lake are so beautiful and the sound so haunting. I almost pitched this but this morning I put some more paint on it and here it is...
My friend Tori told me there was an island in the lake- a magical place- and I painted it out of my head from her description... then we later paddled the kayaks out to see it and it truly lived up to my expectations. Steps from the water leading up to the house, tiki torches all around- I can imagine it's a special place for those lucky ones who own it. Shangra-la.....

Moose on the Lake 30"x30" acrylic on canvas

I imagined this moose up on the lake where I was last week.. the birches and other stuff were really there.....
It was a cool way to work. I set up my easel on the screen porch overlooking the beautiful lake, and gathered up the ideas around me- rather than actually setting out to paint what I saw. It was challenging and liberating at the same time.
I have a lot of canvases going in my studio right now!

This months "girls just wanna paint"

challenge theme was

RITUAL

I have lots of them, but my favorite one is painting first thing in the morning- preferably in my pajamas!

See all the different paintings here.http://girlsjustwannapaint.blogspot.com