Lost or stolen

I love hand-painted signs and avocados. This painting encompasses two of my passions, three if you include the act of painting.
It's hard to find a good avocado. But nothing is better when it's perfecto!

Lost or Stolen 17x12 acrylic on wood

parts of a whole

Sometimes the beauty is in the details. I like finding mini paintings within a painting. 

Segments that stand on their own quite nicely. As life often imitates art and vice versa, one must look for and see the beauty despite the 35 degree below normal temperatures.  

seeking signs of spring(detail) 2013

seeking signs of spring(detail) 2013

Hair today, Gone tomorrow

I love the editing process, whether it's with writing or painting.  I decided I wasn't quite happy with 'bounces back.'  Although I love the sentiment, and it will most likely reappear, there was something amiss about the portrait.  I strive in my art for spontaneity(to spell it right too)-paintings that look like quick sketches.  Some artists are gifted in this aspect.  It's an oxymoron of sorts but some, like me, take a long time and many versions to get that raw, fresh, naive quality.  Therefore I have no problem with do-overs.  I also felt the background in 'bounces back' was too busy-enter the editor.  I could edit down even further...and eventually I might-but am happier with it now.  'cuba or bust' is a thought of a personal nature involving someone close to me that was on my mind yesterday.
The message here is:
If you like one of my paintings enough to buy it-best give a quick shout-out because it might be gone tomorrow!

Bouncing Back

This is no.5 in the 'In My Head' series.  I don't think I would be amiss to say that most artists get in a funk now and then directly relating to the process of making art.  It looks all fun and good and then a deep dark hole opens up and there doesn't seem to be any options other than going into it.  This is most often a result of insecurity/ego.  When how I feel about my work becomes irrelevant and what matters most is how [I think]others feel about it.  I put my life and well-being into the hands of others.  Not smart. Time is required for the action of bouncing back to take place. Time off of facebook is good. Time with my loved ones. Time with my dogs. They don't give a rip about my silly art-they just want food.

Inspiration Sources

I read the obituaries for inspiration.  A person will often be described as[was] an active member of this and that.  It got me thinking...if the person was an inactive member of something would it warrant mentioning?  I can think of a couple of things that could be written in my obit using that term.  Hey, I'm not proud, better an inactive member than no member at all.

Then I saw the double meaning and liked it even more.

Inactive Member 11x9 acrylic on cutting board

Coffee

'visualizes good coffee' 11x8 2013

I cannot stress the importance of good coffee.  If it's not good, why drink it?  What I mean by good coffee is strong coffee-and using quality beans.  I have one cup of coffee per day so it's of great importance.  It must be a rewarding experience.  On the rare occasions that I go outside of my home for my one cup thereby putting the course of my day into someone else's hands...visualization is key.  Sometimes it doesn't work but I figure it can't hurt to try.

From a Face to Fish

It's not a secret that I love to paint over my paintings(much to my husbands chagrine "what painting did you wreck to make that one?")  hmm that didn't sound right....  but I find starting with a blank surface a real detriment to my creative process.  The paintings I choose to paint over are either ones that I don't feel strongly about, conjure up a negative feeling or just won't sell. The following example is one that brought up some negative emotions.  It instigated a facebook conversation with a very well-renowned artist.  I'm all for artistic banter but his was just plain mean-spirited-not constructive.  And it wasn't just about the one below but others I posted as well.  Talk about tapping into my insecurities.

So here is an example of turning something that evoked an unpleasant memory to something that made me very happy!  And it would not have turned out this way had there not been an under-painting.

This is on exhibit and for sale at Translations Gallery in Canton, Ohio in celebration of Theodor Suess Geisel's 109th birthday.  One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish was the book I chose as an inspiration.

one fish, two fish and more  11x11 2013