A painting for friends....

This was the last painting I completed before leaving California and I delivered it my dear friends G & C just days before our move. They had commissioned the piece months before and only asked that it be a bit larger than normal and reference their love of the ocean and G's work as a Marine Biologist in some way. I painted the background right away but put off committing to an image for a long time until in one night it all came together and made sense. As I worked into the wee hours to finish it up I just kept layering imagery and adding color and text until the piece felt like it was singing. The next day when I was sharing my work with Sage (age 6) he commented that the rainbow turtle in the upper corner was his favorite part. I hadn't even realized I had mirrored the turtle's shell! I had added love, home, work and nature to the piece and titled it "how we put it all together". But what I realized after Sage's observation was that I guess we really don't know how we put it all together we just do and sometimes it's messy, sometimes it's confusing and sometimes it's really good. Here's hoping something really good finds you today : )

i love chicago...

...and this is one of my favorite places. This past week and a half has brought small stirrings of order to my big messy moving pot of a life. There have been good and not so good things going on but it's all starting to feel normal again. Moving cross country twice in a year is a lot but I'm a lover of order and I always forget to give myself time to settle in. I want things done quickly but want them done right and those two things don't always go together, you know? In addition to interior painting (which will continue well into the month of September) there have been daily visits to the beach or pool, an impromptu dinner with friends, an outdoor concert downtown, visits to new schools and a great meal here. This weekend promises to be lovely and includes a bonfire at the beach and some time in the studio (finally) all leading up to the 1st day of school for my 3 kiddos on Monday. It's been a crazy summer and I am truly ready to turn the page and step into the next chapter. Happy Friday and thanks for reading...

my home is my canvas....

Please step away from the paint can woman. Seriously, I may have bitten off a a bit too much this time around and I keep adding projects to the list. I am not one to do things half way and my funds are limited so I am doing lots of sanding, staining, priming, painting and of course cooking (the baked sedanini with pancetta and peas was excellent). I am loving the way my home is lightening up but am a bit overwhelmed by how much I still want to get done. I'm not sure how it is for you but it's hard for me to clear my head enough to get in the studio when projects are hanging out there unfinished. I did however, purchase the giant roll of brown paper I use to cover my studio tables (it's a step in the right direction even if i was at home depot to buy paint for an old pine bookcase...). I love to be able sketch ideas and bits and pieces of titles as I work. Also, the oilbars and wax are pretty messy and so every couple of months it's great to start fresh with a new table cover. A few more days of hard work and I'll be ready to get into the studio. What do you need to work creatively? Quiet? A clean sink? No laundry? Loud music? Do tell...

ps: Remember the on-line class I mentioned? Well it's going to be on Jenny Doh's fabulous site "Crescendoh". Her first on-line class "crafting my best life" went live this week (my encaustic class will take place in january). Please check it out and let Jenny (and me) know what you think!

i love this teeny-tiny space...

and i'm so ready to get back in here and work. However, I'm headed to D.C. for a few days to visit with my in-laws and take in some of the sights and sounds of our nation's capitol. I'll see you back here next week with some more info on the encaustic love block class (on-line in january) and a few sketches of new work which will hopefully be happening soon...

Project # 2 (and some exciting news)

The kid's bathroom. This bitty space measure 40" x 60" and had only the open cabinet pictured for storage. With a teenage girl and two boys sharing this one small space we had to find a way to maximize it's potential. Thank you Ikea. You are a small space wunderkind and this sink with 6 storage cubbies (which i need to find baskets for) and two interior shelves turned this into a truly functional space which is now ready for back to school mornings. In order to go from an 18 inch sink to a 24 inch one we had to replace the toilet as well (we found one with a 15 inch tank). The new sink/cabinet is more shallow than the old one and so the room feels bigger and the new faucet, light and extra long mirror all lend a sense of openness to the room which is still too small to hold two people at once but feels just perfect for one.

Onto the exciting news. It seems that one of my paintings in the ETA LA show was purchased by a production company to be used in a movie. A big movie. I'm so excited. My little 10x10 painting will be in the apartment of a character in her mid-20's and I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that I will be able to see it in the background. The movie comes out next Spring and I'll share more info then. The other really exciting news is that I have been invited (by someone I really admire) to teach an e-course on her great new site. My class will take place in mid-January but the site goes live next week and I'll share more details then.... for now Happy Monday to you!

ps: i probably won't be in the studio until the end of the month. a trip to dc to visit my in- laws and last minute school preparations and orientations promise to keep me busy in the coming weeks but then i'll be back to work. i can't wait really but my head is still sorting things out : )

Project # 1

The fire place. When the house was built in 1870 it was a coal burning fireplace. Sometime between then and now someone converted it to a shallow gas burning fireplace and tiled the surround and hearth with large pieces of dark green granite (it was always a bit too dark and a bit too formal for me). During my time in Northern California (this past year) I discovered Heath Ceramics and their fabulous little outlet just behind the pottery minutes from my house. I was at the factory store buying a thank you gift and I walked back to the tile room where I immediately spotted the small box of matte white diamond shaped tiles and it was love at first sight. Luckily for me they were on the odds and ends shelf so they were 75% off and there was just enough for my mini project (seriously, i only had 4 tiles leftover!). The tiles are from the not yet released dwell line and were left over from an installation at Cowgirl Creamery (you know how i feel about cheese and they are one of my faves). They couldn't be more perfect.

Sunday was good (really good)....

How can a day be bad when it starts off with Breakfast Pizza and ends with Cedar-Plank Salmon? In between there was lunch with new friends, golf for the boys, a furniture stripping project nearly completed and then some time at the beach with old friends as the sun went down. August, I think we're going to get along just fine. We moved back into our house exactly one month ago today while I've missed being here and in the studio I've been keeping busy. So far I've retiled the fireplace surround, gutted the kid's bathroom and am finishing up work on two tables that needed a makeover before I start a bit of painting (yes, i know it's a bit ambitious for summertime but my need to re-feather my nest is strong and so i'm just going with it). I'll be back to work in the studio soon but until then I'll be here with bits and pieces....see you soon.