"D" is for Dachshund

Hey friends,  Do ya think I could get any slower? !  Everytime I'm amazed how long it's been since my last post.  I really don't see how other artists do a post everyday........Every day mind you !!

"D" could have been DOG but these little weiner dogs are so cute, couldn't resist.  I've always wanted one, and I'll have one before long.
Anyway, this dog is in my Etsy shop.  I'll send along a little info about 3 shows I'm participating in very soon.  In fact they ALL  happen next weekend, the 1st and 2nd of June !!  Whew what a job - Will I be ready ?

Happy Trails
Travel Well

"C" is for Cat

Hey Friends,  Here is the C.  Now did you think I'd  pick Camel ? or Color? or........Nay, just the common old ordinary kat.  We have a black rescue kat, Miss Kitty (remember Gunsmoke?) and she threatened the youngest grand child if I didn't pick Cat !  Up 'til now she's been an ordinary, common ole Kat.

I'm enjoying these little pictures but I really need to move on to something bigger for the Taubman's Sidewalk Art Show.......it'll be here before I know it.

Happy Trails
Travel Well

"B" is for Bee's

Hey Friends  I deleted the last post about this painting "B" because I was trying to resize my images on blogger.  I got my instructions from Karen Marquilas, she is a pastelist and I love her blog but her instructions just will not work for me.   So if any one out there in this gigantic cyber world knows how to do this, please forword your instructions.  Maybe they will work for me.

I posted a week or two ago about this new series of collage paintings, using pages from an old dictionary I found at Goodwill.   Of course for me 'cuz I love painting Bee's anyway, B had to be BEE !  I printed some of my images on Sumi paper because it is translucent so a tad of the printed page can show through.

The canvas is gallery wrapped and initially painted my fav color, turquoise, before gelling the B page down.  I let that dry then apply a coat of off-white randomly, mostly using my hand.  Then I start gelling down bits of sumi printed images and cutouts.  I love to use the old timey paper doll cutouts, such as you see the bee's connected on the right side.  I emphasized these with marker lines.

When all is dry I varnish and finish the back and add the hanger, then it goes into my ETSY shop.

Happy Trails
Travel Well

Beautiful Saturday on the Porch

 Hey Friends,  I wish you could have been there with us.  Ikenberry's retail store on Rt. 220 in Botetourt county has a wonderful huge porch with rocking chairs with cushions.  A fabulous place to sit and laugh with your friends and chat with art lovers.   We had quite a few people to browse and chat.

 True, most did not come for the art, they were after Ikenberry's beautiful greenhouse plants, such as the Ivy geranium above.  BUT, they did come over and look and chat, so we (the women of DLP's) are encouraged that this will grow into a show to benefit not only us and Ikenberry's but the FFA (Future Farmers of America) at Lord Botetourt High School.

Judy made this sign to display our intentions.  So if you will forward this blog post to all your friends, you will help us build this venue that ultimately will benefit our farmers.

Another shot of the art panels on the huge porch.  Inside this store is a big selection of candy, hand made bread stuff, hand made jellys and preserves and seeds and soaps and much more.

An antique cart right outside of a green house with a few of their beautiful plants on display.  I bought a Dragon Begonia, Lobelia, Blue Salvia,Creeping Zinna and Snapdragons.   All are gorgeous.

Happy Trails
Travel Well

Art at Ikenberry Orchard

Hey Friends,  Just in case you haven't heard, the Double Line Painters will be at the http://www.ikenberryorchards.com/index.php Orchard retail store on Rt.220 in the Daleville area today.    We will set up on their big porch and display our work and paint some too, if the wind isn't too strong.  Click on the link above for directions.

Hope to see you there.  

Happy Trails
Travel Well

Boundless Inspiration

 Hey Friends, Just a very few photos from my trip to Narrows, Va.  I went to Narrows with my good Buddy Bonnie and her Hubby to Bonnie's sisters spread on the side of a mountain with a view to die for.   The photo above was taken from their deck.

 This photo was taken from the bldg. in top photo.  Their neighbor (Deb?) has a herd of cows and they have about 10 babies right now.

 This photo was along Wolfe Creek which is at the bottom of their property.  Wolfe Creek dumps into the NEW River which runs close to VA.Tech.

 Here are their horses, Levi on left and Tango on right.  I believe I remember correctly, that they have broken or trained a bunch of horses over time.  Levi is going to a new home soon and they will get one that needs to be trained.  Can you imagine being able to do this all the time ?!?!!!!!!!!

 Renee & Scottie took us on a journey to the top of  HOGBACK Mountain with an elevation of 3480 ft.!!

 One of the little pieces of heaven God created for our pleasure.  This day was cloudy and a bit of drizzle so the atmosphere is heavy so this really shows the distance perspective well.  This will be a challenge for me to paint.  I can't say I'm much of landscape painter.  My natural tendency is a more intimate view, like I can't wait to paint the horses and cows.

Traveling along Wolfe Creek to get back home we passed this beautiful horse farm.  While I love this place too, to me Renee & Scotties landscape is much better.   Oh, I almost forgot to mention all the birds I saw.  Bluebirds, Swallows, Gold Finches, and I didn't see them with my own eyes (just photos) but they have Bald and Golden eagles sitting in their pine tree and yellow winged warblers.
Such a beautiful place and I'm grateful I got to see it.  I greatly appreciated the hospitality extended by Bonnie's sister and husband.  Thank You.
Happy Trails
Travel Well

Getting Reference Photos in Botetourt

Indigo Bunting

Robin

GoldFinch

Hey Friends,  Just a quicky (I'm hoping) 'cuz I can't get this computer to work .  It's taking forever and clicking on something over and over.

I took these photos and a lot more at Judy's home this morning.  Most of you probably know what a bird nut I am, so I got to see some up close for a change.  This is the first indigo bunting I've seen in person.   I had a photo of a dark bird I wanted someone to identify for me but it won't load on to the blog.  I will try again tomorrow.

Happy Trails

Travel well

New Mixed Media Painting in my Etsy shop

 Hey Friends,  I just listed this small painting 6x6 in my Etsy shop.  I haven't posted anything in this shop for a long time.  I was just disillusioned with all the time it takes to each one.  Etsy has made some changes and it didn't seem to take very long tonight, so maybe I'll stick with it or maybe I didn't do something right.

This little piece is something a bit different for me.  It was fun.  I am making my way through the alphabet with an old dictionary I found at Goodwill.  The acorn is from an old painting done a few years ago.  I printed it on Sumi Paper so it's translucent, a bit of the print shows through.

I love to do the thing with the old-fashioned paper doll cut outs, you know the banner of acorns across the top.  I use that as often as possible.

It is varnished and ready to hang.

Happy Trails

Plein Aire Painting with the gang

 Hi Friends,  The weather here in the Blue Ridge Mountains of SW Va. has been awesome the last few days.  Warm days and cool nights, birds are busier than we are and certainly prettier.

We took a little trip up or down the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Peaks of Otter area and visited Gross's Orchard.  Beautiful place.

 We wandered and took lots of photos and drank up the wonderful sunshine (after this long dark winter, the sun showed up just in time to save my sanity).  The naked trees are apples.  They bloom after the peaches.

Here is a close up of a peach. Such a gorgeous pink.

 This shot is from Ikenberry's in Botetourt county on Rt. 220.  I like the perspective here.

 All of the surrounding farm land and distant mountains just look like a beautiful velvet case a diamond ring would sit in.  Can't wait to see what I can do with my paints. And I must get busy, 'cuz we will be showing our works and painting at Ikenberry's in 2 weeks !!   Yikes!

Here is a shot of Ikenberry's Greenhouse with lots of blooms to drive you crazy.

And here is what Midge, Judy and Linda painted that morning.  Most will need more work at home, in the upper photo.  Mary Anne and mine in the lower photo.  Mary Anne's on the left is pastel and mine are acrylic.  I'm sure we will have these at the Ikenberry show.

Happy Trails

New Work hung at 2nd Helpings Gallery

Hello Friends,  I've been working pretty hard the last couple of weeks.  Finishing some work and started a couple of new works.   And our little painting group, the Double Line Painters of the Blue Ridge, hung a new show at 2nd Helpings Gallery yesterday,

Here are a couple of my pieces that I finished last week.  "Mother Earth Awakens" is the title of the show, hence all the bright, beautiful colors I love.  Flowers and more flowers with a few birds thrown in.  Several pieces are collage, like the one below, but the one above is straight paint work.

Collage is such fun.  If you have never tried it you should.  And we, the DLP, are planning another collage workshop.  Probably in July but it something we just started thinking about yesterday.  Lots can change between now and then.

I'm so..o..o..o.. very happy that spring is almost here, I can barely contain myself.  I see little pink buds and want to take photos that won't quite show the color yet.  But it's still joy.  Can't wait to get out and paint.

Hope you make it to our reception at 2nd Helping on Sat. April 13th.  Would love to visit with you !

Happy Trails
Travel Well