Moving Forward - SOLD

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"Moving Forward"

Oil study, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

Sold.

There are moments in our lives when we will always remember where we were when the news hit ... whether it was a national event or something far more personal. It was just barely two weeks ago when I was sitting at my desk and the phone rang with the shocking news about my mother-in-law. At the time I never imagined the end result would be her untimely death but life has its way of presenting us with twists and turns. It's been a very emotional two weeks and definitely the time to spend with family. I have been away from my studio, away from painting (and posting on my blog and facebook) but grateful for the kind and comforting messages from so many of you. We hosted a beautiful memorial service here at our home yesterday. It was tearful but a wonderful celebration of a wonderful woman, wife, friend and grandma.

So, as the saying goes "life goes on". And this morning I knew it was time to start painting again. It felt good to head up to my studio and squirt out lots of new paint on my palette and get back in to my "routine" of painting. I had indicated to Dreama that I would "probably paint a boat painting" when I returned to my studio today. But a funny thing happened when I got ready to paint. I had an incredibly strong feeling of contentment and a very strong desire to paint something different. I felt I needed to do something different. I just felt different. So I changed everything ... my approach, how I start a painting, my perspective, everything ...  and I just painted. I felt more at peace painting today than I have in months.  And I am happy to be back doing what I love so much.

I should also mention this week is the one year anniversary of the "Artists Helping Artists" blogtalk radio show. So ... if you like to win free stuff ... such as original oil paintings, a workshop with Dreama and me, a free marketing consultation ... then you might want to call in live to this Thursday's show at 9:00 am PST, 12 noon EST. Because we will be awarding our live callers with lots of really cool stuff! So don't miss the show. We promise it will be a good one as we move on forward as well ...

Nothin To Do

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"Nothin To Do"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

$200 with display easel.

Nothing to do ... hmmm ... what is that like? We just finished a whirlwind week of sporting events ... prelims and finals every day at the Pac10 Swim Championships,  CIF finals and win for FSHA in soccer, CIF finals and win for Poly girl's basketball ... not to mention volleyball and baseball games for my other two boys. Now here is where it gets tricky ...
When your three children all have sporting events (oh wait ... we need to factor in the game of my middle son's girlfriend here too ) ... at exactly the same time ... how do you choose which one to attend? As a parent, we try to be fair ... trade off between kids when you can ... try to catch the first half of one and the second half of the other. But, this is where I draw the line ... when one of your kids (or their girlfriend who you really like) is playing a really big game (like a championship or something really important like that) then that event trumps all other others. Make sense? You would think ...
But no ... I am still under extreme scrutiny in my house for selecting the events that I attended this past weekend ... not to mention that I let down my workout group for missing MY big event (but that's another story).
In a nutshell,  a girl (or in this case ... a mom ...) has gotta do what she can. And yes, I chose to attend two championship games in which I did not have a blood relative competing in the event. And I chose the swimming CHAMPIONSHIPS over baseball scrimmages and volleyball pre-season tournaments. I know I am in the dog house. But what can I do?
I would go on ... and on ... but I can't. I have to go watch a baseball game ....

Is it Just Me? - SOLD

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"At the Beach"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.
Sold.

I feel like I am back to normal today. For the past three months I have been absolutely crazed with my show at SoPas Gallery and so many other "art related" happenings.  Fortunately, starting this morning, I think my "crazed life as an artist" is behind me. I can breathe and not feel the stress that has been in my studio for the past few months.  I do have some new goals for myself and on top of the list is to get more sleep. And I so hope that this "new life as a less stressed artist" will last more than a week!

So here is my question. Is it always this stressful being an artist? Or is it just me?

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"Laguna Coast"

Oil, 11" x 14" on canvas panel

$700.00 framed.

I am posting an older painting (sorry) because I just couldn't get in to my studio today. But I have four days this weekend to paint ... with no interruptions so you will see lots of new paintings, I promise!

Please join me and other artists for our first "Artists Helping Other Artists" conference call this Thursday at 9:00 a.m. PST. All of the call-in information is listed at the top right side of my blog. We will just share ideas and experiences. The topic is "newsletters" but we can really talk about anything you want!

Time to Sail (and cook)!

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"Time to Sail"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

$200 unframed.

You all know I am just swamped cooking and getting ready for our annual holiday party (which is this Saturday night). A few of you emailed me and asked if I would print the menu. I do cook everything but I also have a crew that comes in on Saturday night and cooks everything I have made (so I can enjoy the party).

So, here is the menu ... and yes, I am completely insane for cooking this every year. But I do love it. (OK, maybe I don't love it this week but next week it will have seemed like more fun!)

I guess you could say this is my holiday gift to all of our family and friends. So, if you don't see any more new paintings on my blog this week ... you now know why!

Holiday Party Menu (for 150 guests)

Spicy grilled shrimp cocktail in shot glasses

Smoked turkey with cranberry/orange muffins

Smoked salmon and lemon dill sauce

Chinese Chicken salad in won ton cups

Assorted veggies with Roasted Red Pepper Dip

BLT tomatoes

Caesar salad on parmesan cheese flat cups

Blue cheese, Walnut and Cranberry Crostini

Skewered chicken with peanut sauce

Skewered flank steak with peanut sauce

Brie cups with pomegranates

Cape Fear crab cakes and dill sauce

Sesame Ahi with sauce & rice in shot glasses

Pesto stuffed mushrooms

Four cheese puffs

Tart shells with spinach/artichoke dip and parmesan cheese

Whipped sweet potatoes with brown sugar topping in pastry shells

Crab quesadillas

Butternut squash, coconut ginger soup

Cranberry, chocolate & toffee oatmeal cookies

Peanut butter fudge

Frosted sugar cookies

Cranberry shortbread cookies

Chocolate Mint Marvel cookies

Back to the kitchen!

One Cat on the Beach

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"One Cat on the Beach"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

$200 unframed.

If I survive this week it will be a miracle. Our party is on Saturday night and as I mentioned before I am cooking for 150 people. Today I was hanging a garland in our house and somehow I managed to fall off the ladder and fall and chip my tooth. So tomorrow I will need to spend a few hours at the dentist getting it repaired ... which is time that should be spent cooking! At least I don't have a fat lip or any other major injuries. So I guess that is good news.

I did manage to paint two little ones today. I have five commissions that will all be done next week. Then I will have to think about starting my holiday shopping! Yikes!

Technology Struggles

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"Two Cats on the Beach"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

Sold.

I am posting this painting I finished awhile ago because I lost the charger to my camera and the battery has died. I also just got a new laptop and have not transferred data so I am using two computers at the moment. I have decided to go with a mac and I love it ... I can't believe I have waited so long to "cross over to the other side". Plus I am taking advantage of the free mac classes and they are wonderful!!!
So, I will post a new painting tomorrow as soon as I buy a new charger for my camera!

Along the Coastline

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"Along the Coastline"

Oil, 6" x 6", on canvas panel.

$200 unframed.

This is my last full day in Maui. I head home tomorrow and then off to Northern California to visit our "college Student". I am so excited!!!

Along the Beach

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"Along the Beach"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

$200 unframed.

While I have been in Maui I have been able to take an early morning power walk along the beach in Wailea. I love my morning ritual and thought it might make sense to paint my morning view!

Heading to the Beach

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"Heading to the Beach"

Oil, 8" x 6" on canvas panel.

$200.00 unframed.

I need to finish five Hawaii paintings by mid October and this is only the first. I love the colors, although it doesn't look like my photo came out that well. It looks much better in person! Maybe I will try to take another one.
I was lucky enough to be awarded the Kreativ Blogger award by Bobbi Heath. I am really touched that she passed on this award! You can find her blog here.

So ... this award requires me to tell you seven fun things about myself so here I go ...
1. I am crazy when it comes to multi-tasking. My latest trick? I listen to books on tape while I oil paint.
2. I am 5'11" tall (so that is at least 1/2 the reason why my boys are so tall ...).
3. I have four brothers and sisters.
4. I painted my first oil painting in 2005.
5. I have been in two emergency landings (both on American Airlines).
6. I love sports. My favorite tv channel is ESPN and I love Sportscenter. But my favorite tv show is and will always be ... Project Runway. Yes ... in my next life I will be a fashion designer ...
7. I truly believe I was put on this earth to be a mom. It is by far the best job in the world.

Sailing Away

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"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!

Sail Reflections

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"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.

Live, Laugh, Love

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Laguna Coastline, Oil 14" x 11"

This painting is not for sale.

These three words have meant a lot to our family this past month. They represent to all of us a dear friend's struggle with cancer. Sadly, Sara Foxworth lost her battle with cancer this morning. She was blessed with a loving family, husband and three beautiful children. She was an amazing woman, known to all by her everlasting faith and incredible outlook.
Our families shared so many great memories ... at their ranch in Texas, celebrations at Stanford, countless volleyball games, and our last memory ... a great brunch at our house this past summer. One of my fondest memories was when they were out visiting in California and we met them for a day on the beach in Malibu. The kids had a blast and Sara and I just sat and laughed at the six of our kids all afternoon. Sara is one of the most positive people I have ever met and her positive outlook, even through her struggle, will leave an impression forever on all of us.
We will miss you Sara. As her husband so eloquently stated, we know you now have "complete, everlasting peace".

Into the Sunset

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In To the Sunset, Oil, 10" x 8"

This painting is for sale.

I painted this painting this past weekend when it was pouring outside. Seemed to be the right scene to paint as I imagined I was on a beach somewhere ... instead trapped inside on a crummy Southern California day!
The sun did come out on Sunday as I went to the Artist's Reception at Whites Gallery in Montrose. There were tons of people in attendance and the art was really great. I met some very nice fellow artists and I look forward to getting to know them well. Since I am so new to this it is great to have so many wonderful resources. I was really impressed with White's and their permanent collection. If you are looking for art, I highly suggest you head up there.

84 Degrees and Sunny

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Boats for Dinner Club Oil, 8" x 6" Sold
The weather in South Pasadena has been insane this week. Sunny, hot and well, not what you would expect in January ... anywhere ... Apparently tomorrow is supposed to be in the high eighties. Wow. So, given the lovely weather, why not post another boat painting? I painted this painting in December so I could take it to a dinner party for the gift exchange. One of my dearest friends ended up with it and she was kind enough to bring the painting back since I had forgotten to photograph it. It is 6" x 8", oil and with a palette knife, of course!

Gotta love the tropics!

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I have been in Mexico for three days with clients so no painting yoday ... loved the warm weather! I posted three posts on Monday to make up whilte I was gone so I think I am still on schedule updating my blog ...