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 ?

To our family members and friends that served this country, Thank you.

For several weeks now the term "series" has come up in conversations and articles and blogs. So I'm taking the hint from the muse spirits or whomever and adding my two cents.

I had never done a series before until about three years ago, for whatever reason. Perhaps nothing grabbed my attention enough to pursue it farther than one attempt. Perhaps it was a maturity thing, where I wasn't afraid to fail (or succeed ) at a particular subject more than once. ( Oh, the things the years teach us. ) But really I think it had more to do with the intrigue of the frozen, cracked kernels of Indian corn that had been tossed out on the deck after Thanksgiving.

I have often said the high I get from doing water colors is the process, watching the image take shape on the paper from the layers of color and the deepening values. I enjoy trying to see how deep I can get into that third dimension. So with the corn series each piece became more detailed in the shape of the kernels and the depth of the spaces in between. The first ones were merely similar shapes of flat color. Honey comb with a bad dye job. Although, I do like the one shown here with it's abstract quality. ( Does it count if it was unintentional ? ...hmm, I wonder how many artists admit to that ? )

I intend to revisit the corn soon, if I don't get distracted with the bazillion other subjects on my list. A dear friend told me that she thought I would be known for the corn paintings and I laughed. Then I delivered last years entry to the Baltimore Water Color Society's Regional show and the person checking things in exclaimed "Oh, the corn lady!"....geeze.

May 15,1979 Thirty years ago !

Last weekend we were invited to a surprise birthday party for our son and one of his friends. Those involved reserved the upstairs of Ryleighs in Baltimore, a great bar and seafood restaurant . It's one of their favorite hangouts and I can see why, too. The food was great and the entire area around Cross Street Market is full of festive atmosphere.

Inspite of, or because ,we had moved a few times in his young life, Nick always found it easy to make and keep friends. By the number in attendence that night it looks like he's kept quite a few. Thanks Kit for including us in the fun !
Happy 30 th Nick !

Flat Files !

One of my pastimes is to troll craigslist and check out "creative gigs" and art jobs and things that artists are getting rid of. All my adult artist life I've wanted flat files but was too cheap to spend the money on a new unit. Wouldn'tchya know craigslist had a post by someone near me that was selling theirs. Whoohoo ! I drove to Baltimore in our trusty pick'em up truck, to a neighborhood where I had never been and loaded the million layers of paint which had the files attached. All for a very good price I might add. That was this fall. They spent the winter in our garage waiting for warmer weather and a makeover. So, a couple quarts of stripper, several cans of paint primer and some Rustoleum paint plus several hours of scrapping,wiping,cleaning,spraying,painting....the results are to the right. It's so nice to have a place to put mat board, water color paper etc.,etc. Plus it makes a great work station for cutting mats, painting and any other flat work that needs done.....except folding laundry !

Ohio Girls Meet Jersey Girl

Timing is everything . Several weeks ago my sister called and wanted to know if I was "up for company ". She knows she never has to ask . I welcome her visits anytime especially when her daughter comes along. We've made so many memories, the three of us! Anyway, last weekend when they came was also the time of the BWS reception at the Strathmore in Rockville, Md.

The show is great; consisting of 95 wonderful paintings by well know artists of the Mid-Atlantic region. This is the second year I've been selected to take part...I don't want to say I'm getting a big head or anything, but I was feeling pretty proud that Sunday afternoon. ( And after all, Debi Watson said in her blog today that it's ok to brag. )

We have lived many places most of which are no where near to the rest of family so to have a cheering section all my own at something like this is really special.

BWS Mid-Atlantic Regional

Yesterday was "drop off " day for the Baltimore Watercolor Society's annual exhibit at the Strathmore mansion in Rockville,MD. When I got there, the place was all ready filling up with absolutely fabulous watercolor paintings. The venue itself is worth the visit but this show is always sensory overload for anyone who enjoys watercolors. I try to visit several times, not so much to show off to friends ( well, yeah, ok. ) but I enjoy looking at other peoples work. I look to see how they handle some subjects or interpret different textures. Someone asked how to overcome "painters block",or a dry spell in what to paint. I always go to a gallery, either in person or on line and I come away wanting to jump right in again. I never seem to have a lack of ideas. My problem is remembering them later. If you are in the Washington,DC area this month try to catch the show. I promise you won't be dissapointed.

The show runs April 10 thru May 23.
Hours are : Monday,Tuesday,Thursday, Friday 10 a.m. -4 p.m.;
Wednesday 10 a.m.-9 p.m.;
Saturday 10 a.m. - 3p.m.