Monday, November 30, 2009

In them ol' cotton fields back home...



This was a demo I painted during a workshop this summer.












Recently, I took a 4 and a half hour drive to Savannah to my friend Diane's home; from there we drove to Jacksonville, Florida, to watch CW Mundy do a painting demonstration (you must see his work: www.cwmundy.com/collections). We were totally inspired by Mundy. And she and I have committed to paint something, using his technique, before December 6, and send each other a jpeg of our paintings. If it's successful, I'll post it here too.

But back to the trip. On my way to Savannah, always on the alert for a picture, I carried my camera. The cotton fields in south Georgia are ready to harvest. I did not grow up around cotton fields, so I always find them startling...cotton, growing on a plant. It just seems strange to me. I figured there are probably many people who have never seen a cotton field or cotton plant close up either. So I put on my emergency flashers, and pulled over to the side of the road on I-16, in the middle of nowhere, with semi's rushing by, and waded through knee-high weeds to get close to a field.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Friday, November 27, 2009

PET PARADE 4, click to bid




PET PARADE 4 is a 7x5 pastel on PastelBord. Bidding begins at $100.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, MORE PET PARADE AND MY CHOICE FOR THE DOLL SHOW PASTEL, click to bid.



MORE PET PARADE is a 5x7 pastel on PastelBord. Bidding begins at $100.



Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

And Congratulations, Kay Verney, for this response (I considered giving away several, but that would be really stupid. I'll just keep doing these little contests. I absolutely love hearing from you all):

Hello Margaret:
I too am a fan of HGTV. My husband looks askance at me whenever I go upstairs to the TV room to indulge --- it's considered a rather mindless indulgence in my household (and watching human hulks hurl themselves at each other on Monday night football is expanding his mind?) So I am always surprised when he winds up beside me on the couch and comments favorably on the makeovers.

I think that right side of his brain is finding a safe moment to express itself.

I showed hubby your email and he honed right in on the male point of view:

"Look, men are pragmatists. They know their house isn't going to get an "Extreme Makeover". There's certain parameters the designers are going to have to work with. So they don't expect much. They prepare themselves for some scope of improvement, so they are not disappointed or caught too unawares. And so when these professionals go and pull out all the stops, these guys are genuinely blown away."

And as to why you like these men? Its sweet to see them yield to unadulterated charm! The men at the doll shows? Probably the gentler sort to begin with. And what better and safer place to appreciate innocence, beauty, and grace in miniature than at a doll show.

Love, love your work. Thank you for putting me on the email list!

Creatively Yours,

KAY

Kay, email me with your address.

PET PARADE IN VILLA RICA 3, click to bid


PET PARADE IN VILLA RICA 3 is a 5x7 pastel on PastelBord. Bidding begins at $100.


Another from the pet parade down the street from me. The whole thing lasted maybe 30 minutes as they paraded around the block. There were Shetland Ponies, horses, a Grand Marshall (who happened to be my framer) and a police escort. It was really cute.

Tomorrow I choose the winner of the doll show piece. Many of you wrote wonderful things. It's really difficult to decide. Have a happy Thanksgiving, all of you. Enjoy your families, if you're fortunate enough to be with them.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

A FORTUNATE WIFE, click to bid





A FORTUNATE WIFE is a 5x7 pastel on PastelBord. Bidding begins at $100.











Nobody seemed to show much interest in this doll show series, but I really enjoyed painting them. So I'm still at it. I love these men at the doll show. I also love watching the men's reactions on HGTV decorating shows, when they're genuinely overwhelmed at what a difference an aesthetic transformation can make. What is it about these men that makes me respond to them that way? A doll show pastel to the person who can give me what I think is the best answer.

Friday, November 20, 2009

LOOK THIS WAY, click to bid










LOOK THIS WAY is a 5x7 pastel on Pastelbord. Bidding begins at $100.





Yes, it's Elvis. And his little black dog. And he was leading the Villa Rica Pet Parade, right there in his sparkly blue jumpsuit, and nobody seemed to think it was unusual. They just walked right by him before the parade began, like he was just another dog-lover. I, however, observant artist, recognized him and followed him around most of the day.
























Let me also take a minute to say thank you to all of you who have sent me such kind words. It makes my day sometimes to wake up to your wonderful comments.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

PET PARADE IN VILLA RICA, click to bid













A couple of weeks ago I passed a sign advertising PET PARADE!, just down the road from my house. What a photo op for me, I thought. And it was. And wait'll you see who I saw there...

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

RIVER IN A KIMONO, click to bid.



RIVER IN A KIMONO is a 5x7 pastel on pastelbord. Bidding begins at $100.














I won't bore you with all the reasons why I've been quiet. I'll just say this: we're meeting with a marriage counselor tomorrow.

But I have not been idle. I'm working on an instructional video, which should be ready any day. I'm doing it all by myself with the incredible mac software. I just love mac. Been on macs since the very first ones. It's an incredible machine. I'd be lost with out it. Wait'll you see how my video turns out.