CoArts New Blog and 3231 Gallery and Edmonds Convention Center Shows

Fall brings gray skies, but paintings add color...

"She Knew"    10x10 Collage 2013 Copyright Delorse Lovelady

Two Shows 
I am in two shows this fall.  Please stop by and see the lovely art from the various artists in these two venues.  Splashes of color will lift away the effects of our perpetual gray Northwest days which have returned for the season.

NW Collage Society Juried Fall Show

Edmonds Convention Center

 201 Fourth Ave N. Edmonds, WA

 edmondsconferencecenter.com

Show dates:  Oct. 15 - Dec. 6, 2013

http://www.nwcollagesociety.org/ 

I have the collage "She Knew" (above) in the NW Collage Society show.  As you can see I have been experimenting again...

3231 Gallery

"Birds and Bugs" Show

 3231 Broadway,  Everett, WA

Show dates:  October 3 - November 30, 2013

I have two bird paintings in this show, one is acrylic and the other a monoprint.


Seattle CoArts
Our painting club is so much fun!!  We have a brand new website today and you can see our member's art here.  We have presentations at monthly meetings, retreats and workshops.  This kind of association provides so much enrichment, camaraderie and opportunities for members, no need to be a lonely artist.   Check us out and consider joining, or find an art club in your own community.

Art Show, Recent Paintings and Crows

Painting images, playing with paints, such a joy...

Art Show
The recent acrylic paintings above (5"x5") plus two more will be included in the annual by-invitation- only Kaewyn Gallery miniatures show.  Many talented local artists will display their small or miniature paintings which are ideal for gift giving this time of year.

 November 30, 2012 - January 8, 2013

"Miniature Masterpieces and More!"

Kaewyn Gallery

10101 Main St.

Bothell, WA

425-483-7385

Recent Paintings and Crows

"She Listened to the Soothing Songs of Her Friends"

Monoprint Mixed Media  12"x12",  Copyright Delorse Lovelady

The painting above recently was being shown at the Northwest Hospital Breast Center.  Earlier this year I was experimenting with monoprint techniques that I learned from local artist Lisa Snow Lady.  This one was difficult to photograph because of the shine of both the acrylics and gold leaf in the branch and circles.

 

While on another wonderful painting retreat in September on one of our NW islands, I painted the watercolors above.  I enjoyed trying out new shapes for the crows, trying to capture the gestures and behaviors I have observed.  Talented artist Bev Jozwiak shared some of her watercolor techniques, loose washy expressive painting. 

Wanderings, Home Again, Sunday Meditations

Wheels on my feet, wandering for 2 months, it's good to be home...

 I have been on 3 different trips, each so different and so full of inspirations... a painting retreat on one of our NW islands, a family visit in Texas, and then a road trip through 7 states.  This posting is a little about the road trip.

We had to stop and take the picture above as we entered Nebraska for the first time.  A crossroads, wide open spaces, flatland, nothing there at all, except a few lonely man-made wire structures.  The sign proudly says "the good life."  And it makes you think, what do you really need, after all?  Maybe less is more.

Along the way I sketch and paint in the car when it's not my turn to drive.  I've mastered balancing my tiny palette, bumps in the road, and moving scenery, but it's always challenging.

I liked this rest stop along the way in Wyoming.  The rock structures were so unusual, it was called the Holy City.  There are many places and times when I am lost in nature that I feel I'm worshipping in the Holy City, there is something so restorative to the soul, so wholesome, fresh and raw. 

We spent several days in the Badlands areas in North Dakota and South Dakota (Montana had some too).  Awesome colors, textures, shapes, my painter's heart was so filled with inspiration.  I learned that there are even black veins of lignite (coal) that catch fire from lightning, burn for very long periods, baking the clay soils, turning them into red veins called scoria or red topped hills called "red clinkers".

Fall colors were stunning, aspen, birch, and more, especially along the rivers. Golden yellows, beiges, siennas, umbers, rust, reds, sage greens, a lush parade.

Yellowstone, one of my favorite places.  All misty, smoking geothermal, volcanic wonderland.  I was privileged, shortly after entering the east gate from Cody, Wyoming to spot a bunch of cars.  Yes, look for cars, and you find the wildlife.  I saw my first wolf in the wild, such a treat.  And many bison, and elk.

This last is Opal Pool, lovely carribean colored turquoise water, there were several like this one.

I'm so refreshed (though tired) from all this traveling, new ideas for painting are percolating, canvases are waiting.  I'm thankful for our beautiful world out there "in nature".  It's good to remember we aren't just observers or "consumers" of nature, but we are part of it...   Life is good.  

Summertime, Friends and Sketch Paintings

A little bit of heaven with balmy Northwest days, friends and artmaking...

Summertime
I have been savoring our beautiful Northwest, so balmy, just ideal weather.  We may get a day or two of really hot days but so mild compared to other parts of the country.  And even then, we have the cool breezes coming off the waters.  Ideal.

Friends and Artmaking
And also ideal time to get together with special friends and play with art.  My long time friend Lisa (in the photo above) and I reconnected last week, playing, sharing the day, we have seen many Artfests together, that's where we met.  I love the gorgeous colors in her large painting in the background - and her shirt, apron and new Goddess pieces she was working on.  Go see her stunning spirit-filled art here.

Here is one of the sketch paintings I finished that inspired day, from a pot of flowers in her artist's garden:

"Red Flowers", 5"x7"  watercolor & ink

Copyright Delorse Lovelady

And lucky me, I got to go to this lovely place for our Painting Critique group's annual day out retreat a couple of days ago.  Beverly so graciously hosted us at her Hansville cottage.  There were eight of us, decked out in our sunglasses and big floppy hats, walking the beach, enjoying the view. 

We had fun celebrating the 80th birthday of one of our members, Pam.  We each painted a small piece for her from the same photo.  It was SO amazing to see the different art styles, each so unique, like the women.

 "Pam the Magician", 5"x7"   Acrylic

Copyright Delorse Lovelady

On the way home on the ferry, I sketch painted this scene.

Here's another Northwest day - out with the Plein Air group at Matthews Beach.  There were five of us enjoying the day. 

I combined a couple of areas in the park to come up with this scene.

"Painting at Matthews Beach", 5"x7" watercolor

Copyright Delorse Lovelady

So you see I have been having a lovely summer, with these few samplings of my comings and goings...  and tomorrow I depart for a week long painting retreat with my painting club.  I have big plans for painting projects, canvases are prepped, supplies are at hand, now on to packing...

Trees, Inspiration, and Art Show

Paying attention by practicing mindfulness, the small moments of happiness are everywhere to be found...

"Morning Joy Among the Trees #1"         12"x12" Acrylic

Copyright 2012 Delorse Lovelady

Trees and Inspiration

I continue my exploration of trees with paint.  There are endless possibilities of shapes and colors and moods.  These two paintings were done rather spontaneously on a Saturday morning, and I hate to admit, but for a painting exhibition with a deadline due the next day.  I don't usually wait til the last minute, but I had been having a particularly bad summer cold (thankfully gone) that affected my eyes.  Maybe it's a reminder to not labor so much on minutia or thinking when approaching the canvas.  Capturing a feeling or moment may be easier when we let go and let the brush and hand go where it will.

The inspiration for these paintings come from a certain walk that my spouse and I take occasionally.  It's a lovely hidden spot, a walking trail with lovely undulating trees along a small running creek.  So as I began to paint, I recalled the crisp air, the colors, the shapes, the enjoyment of the moment of walking with my best friend.

"Morning Joy Among the Trees #2"         12"x12" Acrylic

Copyright 2012 Delorse Lovelady

Gallery North Art Show

Both of the "Morning Joy Among the Trees" paintings will be in this show, do stop by, it is a lovely gallery set in the artsy community of Edmonds:

Plein Air Edmonds - Beauty of the Northwest Art Show

August 1 - 31, 2012

August 16, 2012 - Edmonds 3rd Thursday Art Walk

5:00pm-8:00 p.m

Refreshments will be served.

 

Gallery North

508 Main Street, Edmonds, WA

425-774-0946

Monday-Fridays from 11:00am-6:00pm

Saturday from 10:00am-6:00pm

Sunday from Noon-6:00pm

Retreat, Art Play and Sunday Meditation

Beautiful scenery, good company and blissfully painting...

Retreat

A retreat is a wonderful thing, good for renewing the spirit, getting away from the regular routines and events going on in life.  And so, that's what I was doing this last week in a beautiful corner of our Northwest.

I arrived a day late after recuperating from a three week trip to Texas followed by a short illness after returning.   I quickly immersed myself in the camp of good company of our painting club, and gave myself up to painting and experimenting as much as possible.  Our instructor was the talented Jennifer Bowman, a high energy acrylic painter.

Art Play and Experimenting
In 5 days I produced 12 small paintings, experiments in color, shape, lights/darks, subject matter, materials, and using a palette in a different way.  Jennifer showed me how to do the eye on a couple of the paintings and in two others showed me the use of dark and light passages.
Here are the results of my experiments with birds:

and pears, rooster and trees:

and tulips:

I chose this retreat in place of the Artfest retreat in March this year.  And as it turned out this was this last Artfest, so I did manage to go for one day only over to Port Townsend to take a great workshop from Lisa Bebi on painting and photography.  Here is a one sample from my several paintings in that workshop:

Sunday Meditation
The exquisite scenery of both retreat locations nurtured my soul.  Nature does that.  And the one day March workshop plus last weeks retreat will serve as inspiration for me as I try out  different things in my paintings.  I am going in the new directions as I wanted...and am seeing where it leads.

I wonder if every day, there isn't a "mini retreat" waiting to be found by me... an hour painting outside on our deck, meeting at a park with fellow plein air painters and sketchers, a museum visit, or just quietly studying and playing with the many photo's I've taken of places, examples.

Art Show, Trees and Whispers

Night whispers among the trees...

"Night Ceremonies #1"   16x20 acrylic

Copyright 2012  Delorse Lovelady

Art Show

This is a little late for posting, but I was pleased to be juried into the annual Seattle Co-Arts show.  The last day is tomorrow.

May 1-31, 2012

Seattle Co-Arts Juried Show "Eye of the Artist"

 at The Art Institute of Seattle, Burnley Gallery, 

South Campus, 6th Floor, 2323 Elliot Avenue, Seattle, WA

Trees and Whispers

"Night Ceremonies #1" is my latest in a set of two paintings on trees.  They were an experiment in faux monoprinting.  And I listened to the whispers telling me they wanted to be pink moving about in the night with the winds blowing around them...

Sunflowers, Library Show, and Book Signing

Peace after storms, sun follows rain, and "we all shine on"...

"Fear Ye Not - the Sunflowers Ever Come"

Copyright 2012 Delorse Lovelady   Mixed Media 16x20

Sunflower Painting

I worked and struggled on this experimental painting off and on earlier this year, and finally finished it after lots of process and trial and error.  It's a combo of personal photos that have been Photoshopped, various collage, and acrylics on gallery canvas.  I was pleased to receive a 3rd place for painting of the month at Seattle Co-Arts last meeting!

Edmonds Library Show

My painting critique group will hold an upcoming 2 part Ten Ladies Painting Show at the Edmonds Library.  Sunflowers and 4 more of my paintings will be there starting June 11.

May 3 - June 10- Ten Ladies Painting 1:

Pamela B. Harold, Beverly Shaw Starkovich, 

Marilyn Webberly, and Helen Drummond

June 11 - July 30- Ten Ladies Painting 2:

Delorse Lovelady, Sue Gill Rose, 

Victoria Galbraith, Cheryl Hufnagel, 

Judith Heim, Jane Mayer, and Joan Poor

Book Signing

You are invited to attend..... 

Saturday May 5th from 12-2

Bellevue Art & Frame, 13131 NE 20th Street, Bellevue, WA. 425-453-8959. bellevueartandframe.com

The Pulse of Mixed Media:   Secrets and Passions of 100 Artists Revealed
By Seth Apter,  
NY mixed media and book artist

This book goes below the surface to uncover the inner workings of the
creative mind.
Imagine you've been invited to have an intimate discussion with all of your favorite artists. You can ask them anything, and hear the
personal stories behind their artwork.
Become a true art insider.

Local artists Donna Watson & Leslie Avon Miller will be doing demos.
 

Local "Pulse" Artists also attending:  

Delorse Lovelady, Lisa JonesMoore, Robert Stockton, & Alicia Caudle

20% off all books purchased during signing.

 Door Prizes!

Published, Fear and Altzheimer's

I opened the box labeled "fear"; it dissipated like wispy fog into the air...

"Fragments Over the Deep Blue" Mixed Media 10"x10"

Copyright by Delorse Lovelady 2011

Published
A special thank you goes to talented Seth Apter of The Altered Page blog whose book The Pulse of Mixed Media: Secrets and Passions of 100 Artists Revealed was recently published. It is a fabulous book full of wonderful artist's images and words... And, I feel so honored that he included me in this melange of 102 artists. My mixed media painting, "Fragments Over the Deep Blue" is in Section 3, Secrets Revealed.
Fear
My painting and another one I completed and submitted were in response to the challenging question: "what is your biggest fear?" There are little fears in life, then there are bigger fears. What seemed to pull at me the most when reflecting on the question was the dreadful disease altzheimer's which two of my aunts have battled over the last few years. One aunt continues to do so and now my mother is also affected. This has been and is difficult for myself and family.

But then, I did create the art pieces, which was quite cathartic. And I realized that another part of the fear was really putting out such personal art for viewing... I was reminded by my spouse that that was what real art was about, when an artist can reveal some deeper meanings that the viewers can connect to in their lives. And so there it is...

The roses in the painting are so symbolic for me in many ways, including, growth from the ashes, transcending struggles in life, hope always survives. So the question was asked and the fear was painted, and at the same time, the painting offers a resolution to the fear... art is so healing. I've always said so...

Altzheimer's
I am finding that there are so many families affected by this disease. It creates unfamiliarity where there was once knowledge and assurance, it changes the personality, functioning and relationships of the person and creates "the long blank stare". Memories are destroyed and it's almost like starting over with a "tabula rasa", a blank slate... in a child-like state. Sometimes we can laugh and other times it's just painful. I mourn and rail against the unfairness of it. But who am I to say. It just is, and I remember to keep a heart full of compassion.

I remind myself of the cycles of nature, the mysteries of life and being grateful in the now, sending out ripples of good energy, and being able to create and express, and so, I will...

Books
Here are two new books I chanced upon unexpectedly at a recent visit to the Seattle Frye Art Museum with my spouse. I have started reading them, and they seem quite full of great information and resources for those who have family members with altzheimer's.

Forget Memory - by Anne Davis Basting
Understanding fears and moving thru them; cultural stories about dementia

I'm Still Here - by John Zeisel, Phd.
Understanding it, the journey, relationships, art, treatment, being in the moment

Contemplation, Miniature Paintings and Art Show

I am painting and painting and contemplating...

"Contemplation #1 and #2 Diptyph 5"x7" Acrylic
Copyright Delorse Lovelady 2012

Contemplation
Two paintings that go together (or not), using my favorite undulating shapes and a sun. I was thinking about the desert scenes I had viewed in Death Valley last year. I loved the shapes, the soft colors, the faraway look, a place of silence to contemplate and be quiet. This could just as easily be a scene of a faraway sea in the distance, I like that it could be interpreted another way. These 2 will be in the show coming up...

Art Show
I'm happy to present 6 new paintings in this show. There are over 350 paintings by local artists painting in a variety of media and styles in this popular show. Please stop in and take a look, and enjoy the artsy little downtown of Edmonds!

Gallery North

Annual Juried Miniature and Small Paintings Art Show

March 1 - 30, 2012

March 4th Sunday, 1-4pm Artist's Reception, open to public
March 15th Thursday, 5-8pm, Edmonds Art Walk

Trees
Two more paintings in the show, lots of texture in these as I used molding paste, very fun to work with.

"Talking Trees #2" and "Starting the Conversation #2" Acrylic 5"x7"
Copyright Delorse Lovelady 2012

Art Show, Monoprints, and Trees

I listened and I heard the trees speaking of stories long ago...

Copyright 2011 Delorse Lovelady

Art Show
Many local talented artists will be represented at this show. My latest paintings above and below will be included. All paintings in this show are small or miniatures making them ideal for gift giving this time of year.

December 3, 2011 - January 25, 2012

"Miniature Masterpieces and More"

Kaewyn Gallery, Bothell, WA

Monoprints

These latest paintings are a result of experimenting with monoprinting after a recent class with talented artist Lisa Snow Lady. I may post my class paintings later. Monoprinting is an interesting technique and for me will take a bit more practice. It involves transferring and drawing an image onto a painted background. It's challenging trying to determine whether the paint is the right level of wetness to transfer but not totally blacken your surface. It's a surprise to see what you get as a result and moving towards more abstractness.

Copyright 2011 Delorse Lovelady

Trees
Trees are a recurring theme in my paintings. I love their shapes, the colors at different times of the year. I imagine they have been listening to all our stories, holding them, and are repositories like ancestors. They shimmer in the sun with diamond dewdrops, standing elegantly in their roots while reaching to heaven, and whisper to us with the wind.

Ten Woman Show and Crow Painting

Fall has flown, winter is soon upon us so we reach for all the brilliance we can...Art Show in Edmonds
I'm so thrilled to be in this show with my painting critique group! We have been encouraging each other monthly for a couple of years now, and this is our first show together. Do stop in and take a look. You can make an afternoon of enjoying art and the wonderful ambiance of Edmonds, as most of the downtown merchants sponsor artists and display their works of art in their shops. In addition, the Edmonds Historical Museum is just a block away with the PNNAG Needlearts Guild Fiber Show. And if you need a bite to eat, a delicious restaurant is Chanterelle's right on Main Street. If you know how to get to the Edmond's ferry, you can find this area, as it is only a couple of blocks up from there.

"10 Ladies Painting Present: Paint the Town Red!"

December 2 - December 31, 2011

Showing at:
Coldwell Banker Cain
108 5th Ave S
Edmonds, WA

And included in Community Event:
Edmonds Art Walk December 15, 2011 5-8p.m.

Crow Painting
I had a lot of fun experimenting with this piece, it is heavily collaged. It is one of the pieces I will have in the show.

"Crow Dances for the Planet " 12"x12" mixed media acrylic

copyright 2011 Delorse Lovelady

Shapes, Crows and Bird Books

Focusing on shapes and silhouettes and birds...

Crow Series
This group of paintings was started in February. It began with the small painting at the top right. It actually was a crane and I disliked it a lot, proportions were off, colors were too much, it was sitting on my table in the studio, waiting. So, one day, I picked it up and started carving out a new shape with gesso and so on. I really liked the results, so I painted two more small similar paintings. Then came the bottom two which are about 12x12. I have since painted several more crows (inbetween doing some abstracts/collage), so I am continuing on in this series, exploring different ways to depict my subjects. I'm finding working on a series helps me really know the subject better.

This whole direction is probably a result of participating in my women's painting critique group monthly. One of my friends there always focuses on shapes in her wonderful oil paintings, and I guess the idea of focusing on the shapes themselves appealed, and made me look at subjects differently. Belonging to a small friendly and supportive group of fellow artists is something I highly recommend. The diversity of outlooks and styles (loose or realistic), and even media, as among us, we work in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pastels, collage and 3d paintings, is truly inspiring. I'm always looking forward to see what we will each bring to the next meeting - it keeps me painting.

Bird Books
To complement my continuing bird interest, I'm in the midst of reading "Crow Planet: Essential Wisdom from the Urban Wilderness" by Lyanda Lynn Haupt, a local Seattle author. This is a wonderful read about our urban crow friends with some lovely woodcut illustrations by the author.

And I've added to my Audubon identifying book on birds with two more great selections listed below. They are great inspiration for a fiber book on Texas birds that I am finally completing. It was a project started last year in April when I visited family there.

The National Wildlife Federation "Field Guide to Birds of North America" by Edward S. Brinkley - a terrific guide with lots of stunning photographs to help identify birds in our country.

"BIRDS of the Puget Sound Region" by Bob Morse, Tom Aversa, and Hal Opperman - I like this one as it's specific to my area. I've already used it to determine we've got "spotted towhees" hanging around our yard - gorgeous 8" birds with a dark black hood and tail, sprinkled with white spots on the black wing, and robin red sides and a white belly, red eyes.

Museum Day, More Plein Air and Watercolors

Taking a break, playing with color and pen...
SAM and BAM
That's Seattle Art Museum and Bellevue Art Museum, for non-locals reading this... my spouse and I have a museum date once a month. Last month it was SAM where we viewed the Nick Cave, "Meet Me at the Center of Earth" exhibit of "soundsuits". There were rooms full of stunning life-size manikins artfully and completely covered with a colorful array of everything that could be found in a thrift store. Some of them could and have been actually worn and that is the sketch above.

The BAM has an exhibit of ceramic sculptures by Wanxin Zhang which we saw this week. This is a fabulous exhibit of larger than life size figures inspired by the tradition of the buried terracotta warriors that were uncovered in China. However, they are somewhat modernized, mysterious and seem so lifelike. So if you want a treat, do go see this exhibit. BAM also has two other interesting exhibits showing which are worth a visit: unique South American jewelry which weaves in some cultural stories, and an exhibit on "Softness" featuring various fiber and stitching pieces.
Plein Air
I plan to get outdoors more often this summer as nature is so inspiring. Above is a quick sketch from our deck. Below is another watercolor painting from the recent day over by Lake Washington on a plein air date. Both were gorgeous sunny days and it felt good seeing the sun again after it's absence so many months here in our rainy cloud covered heaven.
Note to myself: Definitely get outdoors more often this summer, alone or with art buddies! Feel the sun, the cool breezes, smell the flowers, soak in the colors and the music of this season of the year.

Painting Preview, Art Show and Plein Air Painting

Still painting those undulating shapes...

"The Sun Held Court Over the Whispering Seas" 16x20 mixed media
Copyright 2011 by Delorse Lovelady

Seattle CoArts Art Show
The above picture is a small peek at one of my two paintings that were juried into the Seattle CoArts Show "The Joy of Art!". This is one small portion of a larger abstracted seascape painting.

"The Joy of Art!" is a beautiful show with a variety of artists and styles. The show runs from May 16 - Jun 24 at the Mercer View Gallery, next to the Luther Burbank park. The Gallery is in the Community Center at Mercer View, 8236 SE 24th St, Mercer Island, WA (206-275-7609). Gallery hours are Mon-Fri from 6:30am-9:00pm; Sat from 8am-10pm; and Sun 11am-6pm. Here are more examples of what can be seen there:
Plein Air Painting
We've had some glorious weather here lately in the Northwest, partly sunny, partly cloudy, cool - my favorite. I heard a couple of days ago, that so far this year, Seattle has only gotten about 6 days of 60 degree weather. We are having a remarkably cool rainy year so far (wish I could send some to my Texas relatives who are in severe drought). Anyway, on a particularly sunny day, my friend Beth & I settled in a secret spot by Lake Washington and spent the day painting and sketching, such fun... Here's one of my pieces.

Death Valley Desert, Wildfires & Gratitude, Sunday Meditation

“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans”.... John Lennon
Time has moved by at warp speed and I'm realizing I haven't posted for over six weeks. So I suppose I've been taking a breath, or two, away from the little screen that captures my words and images and sends them to who knows where or to whom....

The Desert, Death Valley
I finally got my taste of "Southwest" kind of terrain. We set off on a two and a half week road trip (love them) which included the desert. Death Valley, always wanted to go, finally made it. And added this to my list of National Parks visited, I want to experience them all. How to describe something so vast and so diverse... let me see, did you know Death Valley has very high undulating sand dunes? And a 150 mile long valley floor, called Badwater Basin that has white salt flats on it? Yellow canyons colored like mustard. A canyon named "Artist's Palette" because of the colors - red, ochre, sienna, brown, black, turquoise, all mixed up, just like a palette against the cliffs. Volcanic craters. Mountains, with very high points to look down at the valley on several sides. Flowers. Lots of raucous ravens. An actual Spanish castle in the cliffs of a canyon. Slickrock, narrow canyon passages. And more.
It was very warm (for me) in March, mid-80's, I wouldn't dare wait any later to go. I have to say it was stunningly beautiful in it's starkness and harsh terrain. I love the wide open space, seeing forever, big skies, and all the other cliche sayings about that kind of landscape...... nature undressed, getting down to the bare bones of what's essential, and letting my artist's eye relish the colors, shapes, lines and dancing mirages..... I had fun with my sketchbook and paints. And I left reluctantly, but filled with inspiration.

Sunday Meditations - Wildfires and Gratitude
One day you are peacefully going about your life immersed into your world, your routines. And the next, nature throws some sparks your way, maybe sets a blaze into your world. And it wakes you up (again) to the enormity of our universe, of what a small piece of it you are, of the greater forces always present.

This past week nature stirred some massive storms in the Texas panhandle. Hot dry dusty wind, severe drought conditions with no rain in months, so conditions were ripe for the huge fires that raged across the plains, pushed by 60 mile an hour winds, no mountains or anything to stop them from advancing. There were many homes burned down and lives turned upside down.
Among the lucky, were my two brothers. They both live in the rural areas surrounded by pastureland and both had huge walls of fire raging nearby - one up to the back of the house (see photo's, courtesy of Jonathan Clubb) after it had eaten nearby houses, and the other, across the road from his house. Evacuations, road blocks. Lots of firemen. Very scary.
Foremost, I am so thankful none of my family was hurt. Or suffered the loss of their houses. It's a bit calmer today, but it will be a long hot nervous summer, if the drought doesn't get relieved. I imagine sending them some of our Seattle rain to ease the pain. Water is such a life giving fluid. So today, Sunday, it's a good day to be grateful for family, for rain and water, and the abundance of life and home sweet home.
Namaste

Crows, A Painting, and Flyways

Such smart interesting birds, I love to watch them...
Crows and a Painting
Here is one of my latest acrylic paintings... playing with shapes, colors, movement. I have a series of these going on now.

Crows are such a delight to watch, and I have that opportunity every day, as our house is in their daily flyway. Every evening about an hour or so before dusk, they are winging their way in our direction. They gather in the hundreds in the nearby park, the greenbelts, the lumber yard, the library, and their raucous chatter fills the air.

This is the view from our back deck, we happily have a small greenbelt adjacent to our backyard and the trees are often filled with the crows in the evening.
Sometimes when there are no clouds, we can even see the Cascades.....
An Artist's Life is Never Dull
In between the snow, and painting canvases in my studio, it's been a very busy time. I entered the Gallery North miniature show with 3 paintings, and submitted 2 digital entries for the Seattle Co-Arts juried show. Managed to meet with friends for painting critique, so fun and inspiring to see other's work, and helpful too. Played at sketching at a brewery with sketching buddies, stitched button pins with sewing friends... And now I'm volunteering as the Workshop Chair for Seattle Co-Arts so, have just set up two workshops and demo's with terrific artists for our membership.

Meanwhile, soon, we are off on another adventure, to visit a favorite town, Ashland, and perhaps venture farther afield into Nevada territory. So much to explore.

Abstract Floral, Do Over, and Experimenting

Sometimes changing direction is just the best thing to do...
Do Over
Once in a great while I might wonder if a "do over" of a life situation might have been better. But not very often, as, I generally am content and consider myself blessed in many ways. Why am I talking about this? Well, I recently discovered what "do over" means on painting. Having used watercolors for so many years, I didn't see many opportunities for those. But, with acrylics, "do over" is a definite reality.

I was painting in my studio recently and I kept glancing at an annoying painting. It was a crane of some sort, and I really did NOT like it. The shape was wrong, too much of a certain color, wrong feel, you get the idea. I can't remember painting completely over a painting, but I decided to work with it. And I tried out a different style of painting for me. It came out great. So my lesson was, yes, "do over's" do exist, especially in the art world. And sometimes I need a little annoyance, like an unresolved painting, staring me in the face waiting for the fix and a fresh coat of paint.

Abstract Floral
I will show that painting in another post, as I have more to say about a different subject with that painting. But meanwhile, I remembered the painting below, an abstract floral, that also languished for a while in my studio. Until one day I took my pen out and doodled all over it, the finished (for now) version posted at the top, a very different look.
Experimenting
This week I continued my pantry experiments with fabric dyeing. Last week it was avocado skin. This week I have an earl grey tea muslin and a stunning tumeric yellow (canary color) fabric. I tore off a scrap and put it in a glass bowl with each, set it in the sun in a window overnight and voila! What's next? Maybe chili powder? Such a lot of fun. Pictures to come soon. I am getting ready to take a Jude Hill (Spirit Cloth in my sidebar) class on hand stitching soon. She uses natural fibers, many hand-dyed.

Today I painted the edges of 2 large bird canvases. And gessoed 3 small ones to add to the 3 mini bird canvases I already finished. These will be entered into a miniature show this weekend.

And looking about I found another "finished" canvas and started repainting it too. Now I've got my eyes looking for "do over" possibilities... let's see, what do I have sitting in a drawer, a back room somewhere with a sad look, that only needs a new look and fresh coat of paint...?

Sunday Meditation
This photo was shot out of the windshield at a stop light, I couldn't resist that luminous sky, always at the ready with the camera for possibilities.

May the direction you are going, be the one you consciously choose.