Greetings from Europe!

We have been in Europe for six days. We spent four amazing days in Paris and toured about everything possible ... we took a four hour bike ride (on our arrival day with no sleep), saw all the churches, Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Versailles and the Musee D"Orsay ... twice! I was so memorized at the D"Orsay and the up close view of the impressionists paintings. Looking at the brush strokes of a Monet, Manet and Renoir is simply an incredible experience.
We are now in Rome and spent most of today at the Vatican. I did find the funniest bit of trivia today ... the reason you are not allowed to take pictures of the Sistine Chapel is because Fuji Film owns the photo rights! I am not kidding ... the Roman church sold the rights to pay for the recent restoration. Too funny!
I have taken hundreds of photos, including this one. In fact I think I have 50 that look like this one ... so there will be no shortage of material to paint when I return. We board the cruise tomorrow and we sail from Rome to Venice for a week. So ... lots of boat pictures I am sure! Yeah!!!

Waiting For the Weekend

"Waiting for the Weekend"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

Sold.

I really should have titled this "Waiting for Monday" as that is when we leave for our Europe trip ... and I can't wait! I am not sure what I am going to do about my blog while we are gone. I would love to try to paint 14 paintings before I go and post them while I am gone, but I seriously doubt that will happen! I am taking watercolors with me but since I have only used them ONCE I doubt I will be posting those paintings. I just can't wait to take a zillion photos and paint them all when I get back!

Sailing Away

"Sailing Away"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

Sold.

I finished another commission today and am about ready to send the photo off to the client. I managed to paint this one too, as I had a little spare time this afternoon. The boys went to the beach (with girlfriends) so it was very quiet today. Needless to day, there were no distractions at all! Kind of a reminder of what it will be like in a month when the boys are back to school and my oldest is off to college ... sob ...
Congratulations to Edward Burton as he was the luck winner of the free painting giveaway this month. Out of 696 entries, number 146 was selected (on http://www.random.com/) and he was the lucky one! I will be sending off your painting this weekend!

After A Long Day

"After A Long Day"
Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.
$150 unframed.

Thanks so much for all of your feedback yesterday about the "scammer". Apparently some of you are not familiar with how the scam typically works. Here is the low down ... A "buyer" offers to buy a painting, but can't pay by credit card or paypal. Instead they send you a check. They then tell you the check is written for more than the amount owed (with some bogus reason) and they subsequently ask you to wire the overpayment back to them. The check of course doesn't clear as it is a fake, and the monies sent out for the over payment are lost. I know it sounds hard that anyone would fall for this but sadly, a lot of trusting individual out there have been taken. So beware!

Sail Reflections

"Sail Reflections"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

$150 unframed.

I met my first Internet "scammer" today. I knew it was a scam from the very beginning. Call it female intuition, who knows, but I knew the potential purchase wasn't legit. Sure enough, within time the "client" (who wanted to pay by company check) actually wanted two of the same painting. Yeah ... that makes a lot of sense. I told my husband last night ... "Just wait, soon he will tell me that he wants to pay me more money than he owes me and he will want me to wire him the overpayment". Sure enough, that was in the email I received today. I wish that there was a way to bust these scammers. Does anybody know if there is a way to turn these scammers in? It kills me to think that an artist out there might get scammed by one of these idiots.

Caught in the Wind

"Caught in the Wind"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

Sold.

We are back in town from the family vacation and I am trying to get caught up on everything. I have six commissions due this month and two more requests that came in today. Am I the only artist that gets stressed out with commissions? I am always terrified that my client won't like them! Your thoughts and suggestions?

We're All in the Same Boat

"We're All in the Same Boat"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

$150 unframed.

Today was our day "to cook" ... that means that the five of us were in charge of lunch and dinner (for 25) and then breakfast tomorrow. It sounds like a lot to do ... but since you only have to cook one day it really isn't a big deal. Anyway, it is a miracle that I was able to sneak in a little painting time. We have been eating like kings and I have a feeling that leftover berry cobbler will be the top item on the breakfast menu tomorrow! We are having so much fun!

Lake Oconee House

"Lake Oconee House"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

Not for sale.

We had a great day at the lake with our 25 family members. I had an early morning painting class with two of my nieces and a nephew. They really enjoyed painting with the "mini pie cutters" (aka palette knives) and I am so proud of their paintings which are all posted below. The lake house, owned by my oldest brother and his family, is the feature of my painting above.

"Hot and Cold", 6" x 6" on canvas panel by John, age 13.

"Sailing in the Sunset:, Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel by Erin, age 11.

"Catch of the Day", Oil 6" x 6" on canvas panel by Lindsay, age 8.

Downtown South Pas

"Downtown South Pas

Oil on canvas.

We had another amazing day at the lake today. All 14 of the grand kids (three of which are my kids) went out on the speed boat and had a blast inner tubing. Tonight we had a photographer come to the house and take family photos - I can't wait to see the one of the 25 of us - my parents, my four siblings, their spouses and the 14 grand kids.
We all have a family but I am not quite sure why I got so lucky with mine. My brothers and sisters are like best friends and the 14 cousins run around like brothers and sisters. (Actually they get along better than brothers and sisters.) Anyway, we are having a wonderful time and I really hope we schedule this again next year.
Tomorrow I will get back to painting. I have my "mini pie cutters" ready and my two students will be up early to join me for painting!

Boats on the Bay

"Boats on the Bay"

10" x 8", oil on canvas panel.

Sold.

One of the great things about family reunions is the one on one time with my nieces and nephews. I painted this one with my two nieces nearby. I have just been informed by my niece Lindsay (age 8) that I actually do not paint with a palette knife, rather I paint with "a mini pie cutter". My niece Erin also provided a lot of advice while I was painting and she (and her dad) actually helped me name the painting. I have a good feeling that tomorrow the three of us will each be completing a painting. I can't wait! And I promise to post them all!
I love vacations ...