Christmas Is Coming! - Gifts of Love

I have been busy busy busy painting commissioned pet portraits for Christmas gifts, and it has been so much fun!  I also painted a gift for my stepdaughter and son in law who are in China!  He loves the great Northwest and after a year of living in Oregon in this little cabin in a national forest, they moved to China!  She lost her teaching job in Oregon because they could not afford to keep teachers....state was going broke!  Amazing  that is happening in our education system....maybe that's one reason I'm no longer teaching! Instead I am enjoying life and painting!  Maybe this painting will inspire them to come back to the good ol US of A!

  I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!

Lounging in the Grass & Sonterra Bazaar

My latest pet portrait wedding present  commissioned by my niece. I normally don't do the full dog but I like this one with the highlights in the grass. 
  Don't forget the Sonterra Bazaar on Friday from 10 to 3:00!  There are over 60 vendors, so come on out!
 I'm offering a 15% discount to anyone that orders a pet portrait within this next week!  Time is running out for Christmas delivery so order now!
  Have a wonderful rest of the week!

Two More Paintings

Just finished these two. Forgot to take a picture of the rooster before I framed it, but it's framed with museum glass which has no glare...so you can still see it pretty well.  What should I name it?  "I'm outta here!"  or "Don't look back?"

The other one is Lexie...pet portrait for Christmas.

I hope to see you all at the Sonterra Holiday Bazaar Nov. 13!  It's open to all so come on by.
This Sat. is Trinity which is mostly for alumni and family/friends.      Have a wonderful week! Can't beat this weather in San Antonio!

Two Upcoming Shows..This Sat at TU and Friday at Sonterra

Trinity University is having an Artisan's Show from 11:30 to 1:30, Nov.7, off Shook Ave.
There are quite a few artisans showing.  I will  have some of these pendants (if they arrive on time), cards, prints and paintings for sale. Hopefully it will be a beautiful day to browse and buy.

 Then, next Friday, Nov.13, from 10 to 3:00 at Sonterra, I will be showing in the Sonterra Holiday  Bazaar.  It's open to the public and there will be lots of wonderful vendors!  Come by! It's always a great Bazaar!

Trinity Artisan's Show November 7!

Come on out for the Trinity Artisan's Show Nov. 7 from 11:30 to 1:00!  There will be all different kinds of art and lots of fun seeing people! I will be selling pastel paintings, cards and prints.
  Hope to see you there!

New Pet Portrait

I started this portrait this summer, and finally finished it!  The move in August/September slowed my painting down!!
This was a commission from the Trinity Artisans Show last October.  It's a Christmas gift for her mother. 
 The next Trinity show is Nov. 7 from 11:30 to 1:30.  Anyone is welcome to come!
 Remember Christmas is right around  the corner! 

Inspire's On Fire Fine Art Gala

Wow! It's been a long time since my last post! I've been in the middle of an almost 2 month move to the Texas Hill Country! Things are finally starting to settle down and I can get my life back!

The Inspire Fine Art Center had their awards reception for emerging artists last night. I had entered two paintings back in July....Feed Me (two giraffes) and Barnyard Rooster. I was surprised and delighted to win the "Judge's Award" for my Barnyard Rooster! What a thrill! I am now inspired to get back to painting!

Schertz ArtZ 09 !

The Schertz ArtZ '09 was AWESOME! Walking down the hallway lined with art, into the beautifully decorated room, seeing the Mime with a table around her, and all the people mingling, drinking wine, eating and looking at art on all the walks took my breath away! What a show! Congratulations and thanks to Stella who organized it all and all the Schertz people who assisted. I'm attaching a few pictures.

Two Art Shows Coming Soon!

This weekend is the Inspire Art Center Show on Sunset from 6:30 to 9:00. Come on out for some margaritas, Virtual Art and Show! It should be lots of fun!

Then next weekend is the Schertz ArtZ '09 first big show at the Civic Center off Schertz Parkway. Thursday is the reception with wine and cheese and music. If you have not already reserved a ticket, you can call and make a reservation. You can call the Schertz Civic Center for more information. It will have all kinds of art from pottery, stained glass, sculpture to paintings in oil, pastel etc.

Above are my two latest. The Red Hibiscus is 8 bt 10 framed in a beautiful large frame that will go with the peach hibiscus. The new elephant is done on textured board. It's not as sad as the other one "It's Hard Getting Old". Any ideas for naming this one??

Have a great weekend!

Triptych Birds of Paradise

Happy July 4th! I'm off to Colorado with my college friends for a girls reunion. I'm soooo looking forward to cool weather since we are scorching and dying from the drought!

I wanted to finish this triptych before I left so I could remember what colors I was using. My friend Maggie and I did a barter! She painted, tiled and updated my bathroom, and I did this painting for her. The panels will be framed in 12 by 24 black metal frames. The painting is done on a board textured with with pumise and acrylic paint, and then painted over with pastel. Fun technique!

I'm waiting her approval though! May need to touch up things here and there.

Have a wonderful weekend!

New Summer Paintings

Summer is here and I am trying to get organized with my list of things to do. I need to increase my painting since I may not have a teaching job next year!

Here are three of my recent ones. The pineapple is done with a texture on the board. It's a fun way to loosen up and not be able to have too much detail, which is hard for me!! I'm waiting for my red hybiscus to bloom so I can have a pair of them. Have a great weekend!

Caught Red Handed

This is one of my latest paintings I did of Stephanie and Travis's little "orphan" cat that they picked up as a kitten at their rent house. His name is Mango and he loved sleeping on the dining room table in the beautiful wedding bowl that my sister gave them for their wedding present. (I was told to not show it to Susu!) They all love the bowl, Susu, even Mango. Hopefully by now he has outgrown it!

It's Hard Getting Old!

Yes, another elephant! This one really inspired me with all his poor wrinkles and sags! Do you think the inspiration to paint this elephant came from my BIG birthday coming up this summer? I think so. The title is perfect and so true!

Have a great weekend!

Birds Birds Birds

The endangered Golden Cheeked Warbler lives around the San Antonio area and is being invaded by building, building, building! Too many houses going up around here! I never knew he was so cute until I looked him up and painted him.
Bellow are two more Ruby Throated Hummingbirds. Both are small, 5 by 5 and framed in a goldish frame. They will go to the gallery downtown.
It's Fiesta here! Beautiful weather and lots of partying!

First Annual Juried Show and Exhibition

Last night was the Juried Competition that was judged by Lorenzo Chavez, a great pastel artist from Colorado. It was lots of fun! I won an Honorable Mention in the animal category for "Elephant Eyes". I also got the People's Choice award. ( I had lots of friends there!!!!) Thanks, you all! I am thrilled with the Honorable Mention since this was my first juried competition.

The owl above my head won first place.

Barnyard Rooster

I love the colors of this rooster! I am framing it in a red wood frame and think it would look great in a kitchen! I sold the other rooster at the River Art Gallery, so guess where this one is going?
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Hour San Antonio Style

With Fiesta right around the corner, I decided to set up a margarita still life. I wanted to eat the nachos, but controlled myself! This painting is framed in a cute 5 by 7 red leather frame. Kinda fun with complimentary colors.

Lorenzo Chavez Juried Show and Exhibition

I'm thrilled! I got into my first big juried show and exhibition with my "Elephant Eyes" painting! Lorenzo Chavez is the pastel artist that will be giving a workshop the first week of April and is judging the show. The paintings will hang in Coppini Academy of Fine Arts for the month of April, through Fiesta, and longer. I'm really excited that I got accepted into the exhibition!!

Don't Mess With US

My most recent Bald Eagle painting is an 8 by 10 framed in a really nice black and red frame with museum glass. I work at the River Art Gallery on Monday and thought I would take it down there since I sold my other eagle. Lots of tourists stop in to the gallery and since San Antonio is a military town, hopefully the eagle will sell! If not, it might be hanging in my house for a while!

Monkey See Baby Painting

This is my monkey painting for Becky's new grandson's nursery. What do you think? It will have a mat around it with the birthday statistics written on the mat. I'm still kinda working on it, so let me know what you think.

Elephant Eye and Baby Paintings

I have been painting lately, but not putting things on my blog. Actually, this is an elephant painting I did for an upcoming show.

Things have been great lately with new babies! My niece Claire had a little boy she named Hunter. I painted a giraffe for his room with the birth statistics written in the clouds. I actually fixed the clouds better than in the picture, but forgot to take a picture of it afterwards.

Travis and Stephanie had a little boy named Harper. Their theme is froggie, so I painted some frogs with the birth statistics on lily pads. I forgot to take a picture of that one too. So I am posting a picture of my perfect little grandson.

Then my friend Becky had a new grandbaby with a monkey theme, so I painted a cute little monkey and will put the statistics on the mat. Such fun!! I will post that picture soon. Not quite finished.

Have a wonderful week!