First day of summer break.

I guess I didn't need to complain about everyone being home for summer. The boys are teenagers so of course they were out of here pretty quick to go hang out with their friends.

Today I have been working on getting my website updated and also finishing up my latest newsletter. I have been working on it for far too long. I just want to make sure it's good.

At the beginning of May I started selling on a new website Etsy.com
It is a cool site that only allows handmade items. So, unlike ebay, I'm not in competition with a bunch of mass produced prints and such. There are some really great handmade things on Etsy, great place to go for gifts or for yourself.

I have also been surfing on blog explosion a lot, working on getting more traffic to my blog. I have found some cool new blogs to read and hope to get the links added here soon.

This morning I spent some time cleaning the studio up. The dust has been blowing incessantly and I have to clean more often so I can work! I wish there were some way to have a totally dust free home! You would think I would be used to it after living in the desert most of my life!

This pottery watercolor is my most recent painting. The design is completely my own. I have wanted to do a series of pots using my own designs for many years. Only recently do I have the confidence to actually go through with it! I plan to do a complete series of these pots. If you are interested in buying this painting, click HERE.

What European city do I belong in?

This is a quiz I took, kinda fun.

You Belong in Barcelona

When it comes to Europe, you don't want to decide between culture and fun. You want art by day and a big party by night. Barcelona is ideal for you. You can check out some Picasso, eat some tapas, take a siesta, and then dance all night!

What European City Do You Belong In?

Summer Break almost here

The newsletter is still in the process, should have it done by tomorrow for sure.

I'm somewhat in a panic mode, trying to get as much done as I can before summer break gets here. Don't get me wrong, I love summer. The problem is, summer means my boys and husband will be home everyday, all day! Not that this is a bad thing, but it means I will be easily distracted and it gets even more difficult to get anything done. Not to mention it is really hard to work when it is so beautiful outside!

I think I may spend some time this summer painting en plein aire (sp?). For anyone who doesn't know what that means, it basically is painting outside on site instead of in the studio. I haven't been out of the studio to paint in way too long!

I hope to have some new paintings posted here by tomorrow. That is, if I can get into the studio to paint! Enough said, I'm off to paint!

newsletter coming back

I just realized it's been over a week since I wrote here. I am busily putting together my first newsletter in over three years. Anyone who has been on my mailing list for that long may remember that once upon a time I sent out a print newsletter every three months. I couldn't tell you now what caused me to stop. I'm sure there was a valid reason years ago, but now, time has just gotten away from me and it has been way too long. I am still trying to decide how to send the newsletter. Most probably it will go out by email now. So, I hope that by this time next week I will have it complete and ready to send out.

I had an ok Mother's day yesterday. My two youngest sons wished me a happy mother's day and even gave me hugs!!! (gasp! hugs from teenage boys!!!) My wish for mother's day was to go on an all day hike in the Sandias, but alas it was not to be! The hiking trails were all closed because of high fire danger! I just want to hike, not start a forest fire. Oh well, it has been raining a little today, so with any luck the trails will be open again soon. We are so far behind in rainfall this year it is a little scary. Anyway, so after the failed hike attempt, we went by my mom's house and wished her a happy day, I gave her my "Two hearts are One" painting. She seemed to like it. Tonight, my oldest son and his girlfriend are taking me out to dinner for Mom's day. He had to work yesterday so it had to be pushed back a day.

So, I guess I'd better get busy with that newsletter! I will put all the art news in the newsletter, so I hate to repeat things here that will be in the newsletter.

Happy Monday!!

Painting Frenzy!

I’ve spent the past couple of days in my studio, it’s been a painting frenzy! I love it when painting comes this easily. It doesn’t always flow like this, so I’ve learned to take advantage when it happens. I finished two paintings and started two more! See the finished paintings below. The first one is a continuation of the rock series, ‘City of the Rocks II’ and the second one is a new spiral abstract, ‘Red Sunflower II’.

Both of these paintings will be up for auction starting this weekend. I will add links once the auctions begin.

City of the Rocks II,
watercolor, 14 x 21 inches
Auction













Red Sunflower II,
oils, 20 x 20 inches
Auction

One down, two to go!

Yesterday my oldest son moved out of our house, for the second time. He is 20 now so it's good that he is on his own. Hopefully this time he can keep up with his bills so he won't have to move back again. Yesterday was quite a day. Bryan was supposed to have packed everything on Sunday, actually, he had 2 weeks to get packed! So, yesterday I had to help him pack AND help him move everything because Aaron and his brothers were at school. In the middle of the day I get a call from my youngest son's school. Nate was caught smoking with some friends so I had to go pick him up because he's been suspended for 3 days! Anyway, to make a long story short, I was ready to go off by the end of the day! Actually, I did go off! The good news is that Aaron came home from school around that time and he helped Bryan finish up while I went to a friend's house and chilled out.

Needless to say, I didn't get any work done yesterday! One of these days I hope to get a little time to myself so I can finish a painting that has been sitting on my drawing table for over a week. My goal when I moved the studio back to the house was to paint daily. That still isn't happening, but I'm getting closer. The new fad with artists online these days is the painting a day blogs. I like the idea, but I don't know if I will ever get there. I won't give up trying though!

Maybe next week!

Today is my day to take my great Aunt for an outing. I just love spending time with her. She's so feisty and full of life, it's hard to believe she's almost 90 at times! It makes me happy to take her on outings, because it makes her so happy. She says I'm good to her, how can I not be? It makes me feel good to make her happy.

So, tomorrow I will get back to work. Today should be a great day!