Geeze, it's been forever since I posted anything but just as long that I've had anything worthy of showing or blabbing about, it seems. Above is the latest. I don't know if I have ever done a floral painting before. I think they have to be incredibly special to hold my interest so I leave it to those that do them well...like portraits.

This was from a photo I took down at the Strathmore when I went to pick up Jersey Girl . The photo is really neat. The Peony was white but like most things white , except for paint samples, there were a bazillion colors . The suttle colors of the center just glowed. Since I had been doing a series of failures anyway, I figured what the heck, do a flower. Not sure I'll be doing too many more.

I'm hoping to try out my brand new watercolor easel that I bought two years ago (!) when I travel back to western PA. I found a dear friend and painting buddy from college ( thank you Facebook ) with a mountain home in western MD. Seems there is a gathering of international painters desending on that part of the world next week and we thought we'd join in. It's been a very long time since I've done any plein air painting.

Might be all the rain we've had lately but the muses seem to be on vacation. Others have noticed the same thing... ( misery likes company ? ). Or perhaps after a bit of success one is punished for resting on laurels. The trip to the mountains may be what I need to get the juices flowing again. Or the mesquitos and ticks may be enough to chase me back into the studio with renewed determination.

Thank you to the increasing new friends that have found this blog and decided to hang around. It only encourages me...good or bad ?