New Work

Not heat nor depression can keep me from painting :-). Actually, I can't stay unhappy when I paint, so with a fan aimed at my neck I paint. Here is the latest . Venetian plaster, India ink, oil stick, graphite and pastel
on cradle board, 12"x 12", titled "Passage of Time III". I have included many close ups and a side view.
Enlarge to get a better idea of what is going on.
Thank you again for all you loving comments on my last post.
Have a wonderful weekend! XOXO

Go Easy

When I Am Among the Trees by Mary Oliver


When I am among the trees,


especially the willows and the honey locust,


equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,


they give off such hints of gladness.


I would almost say that they save me, and daily.




I am so distant from the hope of myself,


in which I have goodness, and discernment,


and never hurry through the world


but walk slowly, and bow often.



Around me the trees stir in their leaves


and call out, "Stay awhile."


The light flows from their branches.




And they call again, "It's simple," they say,


"and you too have come


into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled


with light, and to shine."

I have been feeling overworked, hot,  and depressed over the lack of art sales. Wanting so much to be able to quit work and paint, my poor body can't do this work too much longer. Least you think I should be patient, I have been painting since I was 18 (really 8), and I think 39 years is enough patience. I have not been feeling easy or shiny.
However, I did not call you here to whine or tell you my problems, I called you here because when I read this poem this morning it helped. It lifed my spirits and I thought it might do the same for you :-). XOXO

Things I Love

Because of the heat Bella and I have changed our daily walk and we now walk down a dirt road near my house. There is shade and it is a bit cooler, it is a lovely walk, these are just a few things we see on our walk and I am loving it.

I don't do well with the heat and it rarely gets this hot in Taos (95), plus my house gets the sun during the hottest part of the day and air conditioning is not something we have due to the fact that we never need it.

Because of this fact painting has slowed and video watching and reading has accelerated :-). I thought I would share a new love, Timothy Olyphant, this man has it all, talent, looks and to top it off he has been married to his college sweetheart for 21 years, I am impressed by that alone. I have been renting all his movies and TV shows. He is currently in "Justified". Check him out here.

I am still painting though just not as energetically, so I will have some work to show soon. I got news that I did not get into the first juried show I applied to, but I still have two in Taos to enter.

Though Summer is not my favorite season I am loving the long days and salads and the shade.

What are you loving these days? Happy Weekend! XOXO

New Work, "The Passage of Time II"

Like the last painting (see post below) this piece has a lot of layers, you really need to see it in person to see them all, but I have included two close ups and a side view and if you enlarge you will get a better idea.
This one is a 12"x 12", venetian plaster, oil, India ink, and graphite on cradle board. Comments are much appreciated :-).
I hope you are all having a lovely Sunday!
XOXO

"The Passage of Time" (New Painting)

This 10"x 10" painting is made up of a zillion layers. Lots of adding and subtracting. Venetian plaster, acrylic, oil stick and graphite on cradle board. I included a side view and a few close ups, but if you dare to enlarge you will get a much better view. As usual I love your comments. Happy Tuesday. XOXO

My New Bees

A friend gave me this image of a bee years ago that I did a painting of (and sold) and I have always loved this bee, looking for a way to make small affordable art pieces I got this image out and started to play. I tried all sorts of image transfer techniques and none worked on the plaster, so I got out some art paper cut it to fit the copier and on one I did a drawing and then transferred the image there and on another I painted the paper with oil. Then I tore it to fit on my prepared boards,  these were done with venetian plaster, oil and graphite. They are 6"x 6" and 3/4" on the sides. I am going to be listing them in my ETSY site tomorrow and I will be selling them for $25 for now. I plan on doing more with each one different and I will be playing with other image transfers as well. I am also working on 3 paintings that I will share soon. I always love to know what you think. Happy Saturday! XOXO

My Tiny Yard

Every year at about this time I go and buy a bunch of flowers and then plant them in pots to spruce up my tiny yard. It always makes me happy. XOXO

Randomness

Kj inspired me this morning to go random. This is a random photo of Taos mountain, the true love of my life.
Next to art and my furbabies. I guess I will just randomly start:
Weekend before last I had to go to the vet again, my cat Max got his tail caught in the door sneaking out into the yard, and once I released him Bella decided it was her job to herd him in, Max hurt his paws trying to get away from Bella, so another emergency visit, he was fine, but Zoe who watched the horrors from the window was traumatized and whenever Bella goes near Max, she dives in to save him by hissing in Bella's face
Never a dull moment around here :-).
Bella is doing well when she has to stay home now, except if it thunders, so I now have a second medication I give her on thunder days, it has yet to be tested.
I have many paintings in the works, but nothing new to show yet.
Painting keeps me sane.
There are 3 juried art shows I am entering this Summer, I will let you know if I get accepted.
I have decided to revamp my ETSY store and I am changing the name from Blissfularts to Taos Mountain Studio (if it has not already been taken), what do you think, do you like the name?
Time has been on my mind, I don't like how fast it moves, I guess none of us does. I deal with it by trying to be mindful and in the moment. I pray for enlightenment :-).
I am saving for a new computer and a trip to Paris where I will meet up with my dear blog friend Jos.
Now I am off to do 30 minutes of cleaning, 30 minutes of yard work and then paint the whole live long day.
Have a happy weekend! XOXO