Wes: “Do you know what annoys me about your girls?”

Wes then demonstrated, above.

Ha… he was referring to these two new pieces, which I’ve sent off to New Hampshire for Nahcotta Gallery’s 5th Enormous Tiny Art Show:

I sent eight pieces: you can see them all at the gallery’s flickr site here.

Above: a detail from a piece I’m working on.

And if you need some inspiration, look up some of these wonderful illustrators/artists:

(Written down while at a bookstore in Denver last week.)

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I am in Seattle this week with Wes and Steve; on Thursday I’m heading up to Port Townsend for Teesha’s journaling retreat (Play). I’m so looking forward to it!

Busy

This is a 17″ x 22″ commission of a little girl in Maine! For some reason I am really busy this winter with large commissions… it’s really been fun to work larger, but also very “stretching.” (It’s MUCH easier to make a small painting work — for me, anyway!)

I paint the image around the edges to avoid framing. Hee.

On to the next one!

Mary Lou Zeek 100 Artists Show

Here is a photo of the entire project, which includes a fold-out “scene” for the girls to play in:

From the press release:

Opening reception: First Wednesday, February 5, 2009 5-7pm.

SALEM, ORE— During the month of February, the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery will be presenting “Inside-Out, Educating Without Boundaries” the 6^th annual 100 Artists show. Participating artists received a book through the mail and were asked to use this as their starting point for their piece of art, with a completed maximum size of 8” x 8”. Friends of Pimpollo, this year’s non-profit organization that will benefit from the sales of these books, is dedicated to serving the needs of underprivileged youth and their families.

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The book Mary Lou picked for me was titled: “—And Everything Nice: A Parents’ Guide to Bringing up Daughters.” So perfect considering my current body of work!

The book was published in 1957 and was filled with interesting advice unique to that generation … my mother’s generation, in fact, as I was born in 1963… and so it was interesting to read this book, knowing that these were the very paradigms my mother was following. I decided to keep the book in tact so that the next person can read it… perhaps she will find some similar comfort (oh! that’s why she did that!) and horror (the author begins one chapter thusly: “Little children—be they boys or girls—are instinctively cruel, even savage.” HARUUMPF!!!).

Anyway, I thank Mary Lou Zeek for having me participate again… I always have to miss the reception, but hopefully I can attend in 2010 when I’m living the northwest (hint hint, Universe). If you need more info, here’s the full press release (another participating artist’s blog), and when the show opens in Feburary 3rd you can be part of the fun by visiting the website and vote for your favorite…

Steve Plays with Dolls.

Paper Girls

Steve plays with Carla’s dolls. Sound by Wes.

Girls with their Pets

I’m having a ball working on my piece for February’s 100 Artist Show at Mary Lou Zeek Gallery in Salem, Oregon. This is just a part of it… little cardboard dolls and pets to play with!! (Since it was due last week I need to hurry up and finish, have Steve photograph it, and move on to the next project!)

Reindeer Something

More experimenting while I should be doing other things… this isn’t finished, but I’m not sure what’s next, either.

And here’s a Sharpie-drawing-on-outside-of-house that Wes did when he was about 6. (When we removed our doghouse recently, we found a surprise!)

Watercolor Transfer Painting

Hello! I’m working on a new class… Watercolor Transfer Painting. (I’m having fun, can you tell?)

I was sick most of last week with a mild flu bug, and was facing a pile of work this week with rising panic. But I decided to write everything down with a TIME ESTIMATE as to how long I thought each item on the list would take to complete. Wouldn’t you know, everything added up to LESS THAN 40 hours. (Surely I can put in a normal 40 hour work week!) All that panic for nothing.

I’m slowly catching up on all of my blogs and it’s fun (as always) to see all the creativity. Look here, here and here for a glimse…

“Too Much”

Above: Rejected sketch for 17″x22″ commission.

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My dad used to tell the following story about an interchange he and I had when I was about two:

One time I was scooping ice cream into a bowl for you. After eating your scoop, you said you wanted more. I told you that would be too much. You thought for awhile, and replied: “Gimme too much!”

Ha ha. I sure haven’t changed much.