Winter Pansies

'Winter Pansies'  7x5 oil on panel

Pansies are a favorite flower of mine because they are just so colorful.  As my mentor :) Richard Schmid says, "you can almost paint them with colors straight from the tube".  I am very very very very happy to be painting!  And I will paint tomorrow Lord Willing!!  You know, they say that what you do on the first day of the year determines what you will be doing the rest of the year as well...so if you are an artist...I do hope we all can get in our studios tomorrow!  If not, that's ok, this week then....Blessings to you and your family for the new year!  Thanks for stopping by.

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"Moon Rise"  5x7  Plein air, Teton Valley, October 2011

Hi Friends,  Today I start posting again.  The holidays are almost over and a lot has happened in the past few months.  Some of it has been art related, but there have also been family related events.  After traveling to Jackson Hole and painting in early October, to Atlanta in mid October for the AWA show, and then to Louisiana to paint for a week on the bayou, the holidays were here and I went on a cooking spree (not intentional!).  Kids and family were here for Thanksgiving and right afterward our son John graduated from Baylor University.  I spent a good amount of time compiling a photo book for him (24/7 to be exact).  It was a book of photos from his 'babyhood to adulthood'.  My gift to him for graduation.  It was an obsession once I got started!  Then I sent the book off to blurb.com for publishing.  It turned out great and I recommend that publishing software.  I am actually thinking about writing and self publishing an instructional art book but that will be later...John has landed a job, our daughter is moving and Christmas....I'm tired!  I hope you all had a fun filled holiday!  I am really looking forward to getting back to work.  I am learning to be flexible I think.  I knew some of these things were going to take place and one reason why I chose not to put a time limit on my 50/50 project.  I have 6 paintings to finish the project.  After, who knows....thanks for listening to my babbling!  And thanks as always for checking in with my blog....more paintings to come.  Please stay tuned!  This one is up for auction.

Starting Bid  $50.00
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Merry Christmas!

"Twas the Night Before Christmas"

Dear Friends, Merry Christmas to each of you and blessings for the new year!  I wanted to share with you the recent email letter received from artist Robert Genn 

The Claus factor

December 23, 2011

Dear Judy,

Clausism is one of our most endearing and unique superstitions. Even when people stop believing in the Jolly Old Guy with the nighttime chimney-work, they tend to carry on his regimen of giving and receiving. Remarkably harmless to innocent bystanders, you seldom hear of anyone driving sleds into tall buildings while shouting "Claus is Great!"

Santa urges his followers to go forth and be generous. Some years ago there was a movement to make him the Patron Saint of Artists. "An artist gives," said Veronica Roth. "He gives visually, through courses, with free advice, through generosity of spirit and through a need to share."

 Fact is, artists are in the Claus game all year 'round. "Art is the giving by each of us of our evidence to the world," said Robert Henri. "Those who wish to give, love to give, discover the pleasure of giving. Those who give are tremendously strong."

And it's this time of year when we artists get a chance to show just how strong we are. It's not surprising that most charity fundraisers back their carts up to the Santa Season. When you think of it, we love doing the work--one fine way to help a children's hospital, a dance centre, a small village in Africa, or further research toward a cure for cancer.

Then there are the little gifts we give on our own. I like the unwrapped, offhand ones--perhaps a small painting or drawing given with no clatter on the roof, no cookie crumbs to clean up. I think Santa likes to hear about these little services--and besides, it lessens his load.

More than anything, a gift that happens to be personally crafted by the giver is most likely to be a treasure to the receiver. It seems these days that Santa's up-north workshop, once hands-on and all abuzz with creative elves, has now been transmogrified into a Chinese factory. All the more reason to get out your brushes and chisels. "It is when you give of yourself," said Kahlil Gibran, "that you truly give."

God Bless you!  Judy