I've lost all control over my own thoughts....
they just keep going
to the same place ....

the middle of the day...
middle of the night....
doesn't matter.







"Even when you think you have your life all mapped out,
things happen that shape your destiny in ways you might never have imagined".--Deepak Chopra

Weekend in Jerome

I accepted the kind invitation to go on a photo safari with the Arizona Highways photography group to Jerome this weekend. I had a great time! Jerome reminds me so much of the hills above Laguna Beach. Old cottages, flower boxes, homegrown artisans, just missing the beach. The weather could not have been better, it was beautiful.

We all ate lunch on the outdoor patio at "Grapes" that sat up a bit on the hill and overlooked the hustle and bustle of the tourists. Wine being the specialty of the restaurant /bar, made for a long funny lunch stop. As we sat on the patio, there were loud cracks of thunder and occasional lightening but no rain. I put up some of my pics on Flickr, my favorite was of this cozy little bed and breakfast which had a very cool courtyard.

At the end of the day, my face hurt from laughing. It really was a good distraction..
I ended up taking my son back right after that.

Hanging By A Moment...

I could stare at that face forever...
handsome man with those eyes....
I love to see him laugh....

"Hanging By A Moment" song by Lifehouse.
I love the lyrics to this song:

"I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you

I'm living for the only thing I know
I'm running and not quite sure where to go
And I don't know what I'm diving into

Just hanging by a moment here with you "

No Work Today

I spent the morning hours at the park, which on a work day is deserted. I was standing there watching Halo run and listening to Kelly Clarkson's "Cry" on my iphone and I realized I could see my hair blowing in the wind as a silhouette on the ground. I took a pic.

It was almost surreal, the touch of the wind,
the warmth of the sun, the peacefulness of the moment, and the
movement of my hair with the music.... my thoughts far far away.
I felt free. It was almost perfect. Almost.

"Whenever I see you,
I'll swallow my pride
and bite my tongue
Pretend I'm okay with it all
Act like there's nothing wrong"

"Is it over yet?
Can I open my eyes?
Is this as hard as it gets?
Is this what it feels like to really cry?"
Cry
K.Clarkson

Paris Breakfasts

Carol Gillott is a New York based
watercolor artist and fellow Flickrite.

Carol's blog, Paris Breakfasts
is one of my favorite blogs. While she lives in New York, she blogs about her adventures in Paris' pastry and chocolate shops and she is one of the most prolific painters I've ever known. Her watercolors have as much flavor and appeal as the subject matter. It'll make you crave a Paris cafe enjoying a pink macaroon and cup of espresso.
Visit the blog, you'll be hooked and check out her Flickr page.

Never Saw It Coming

Watercolor by LiOra

My heart beat, beats me senselessly,
Why's everything gotta be so intense with me.
I'm trying to handle all this unpredictability
in all probability.

It's a long shot
but I say why not.
If I say forget it,
I know that I'll regret it.
It's a long shot,
just to beat these odds.
The chance is we won't make it,
but I know if I dont take it,
there's no chance
cause you're the best I've got
to take a long shot.

Oh I waited
for fact to become a fiction
and you fit my description
I never saw you coming
but we'll make it.

Fossil Springs, Spring Break and Breaking up

Spring Break has been awesome, nothing has gone as planned but who cares. My patio has all new flowers and plants and the dog loves to sun herself there. KC has the flu Kody had last week. Our hike to Fossil Springs went horribly wrong and I bought tickets to a lecture at the wrong museum. What I've noticed so far about this week, is how much we all have laughed and how much I've missed of the boys because we get busy with our lives and the day to day routines. So I don't care if nothing went as planned, as long as I have the memory of their laughter to remind me of this week!

Seeking Beauty

"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring - it was peace."
Milan Kundera

Almost 2 years ago, Kody and I saw a homeless man and his dog, who at that time, was a puppy. We drove past him, and I didn't even want to look at him as we went by, you know that feeling, you turn your head so you won't "see". And then I was overcome by this feeling of shame for having turned my back because I was uncomfortable. Kody and I talked about if we should go to the store and get that guy's dog some food or should we go home? Well, in the pet store, a rescue organization was there and, long story...scroll down and read...we came home with our dog.

We saw the same man the other day, the puppy is now grown and I was struck by such a sense of gratitude for this man. For had I not sought to help him, we would not have our beloved Halo...who is a huge bright spot in our lives. We ate breakfast at Kasey's restaurant, and got an order of breakfast "to go" and we handed it to the man and he simply said "God Bless".

The real blessing is to "see" the beauty that is this man's life, the perfection in the love he has for his dog, the grace by which this man exists solely on the kindness of strangers. A part of me envy's the simplicity of it. I'm so grateful for my life that I don't see exquisiteness in things like shoes, I'm not enamored by designers, I'm not in "awe" of anyone's house or where you went to school . Bigger isn't better.

The best sense of accomplishment I have ever felt has come from helping others. Kody felt it today and I hope he feels it often. I've always had this awareness that the person in need could always be me. The next time you turn your head to pretend you don't see....don't.

Photo by Sam Javanrouh

Art Imitates Life

This poor neglected painting. It's unreal how long I've tried to get back to this project (Journey Back To Watercolor) and let "important" things get in my way. It's been in the back of my mind for weeks that I've needed to "add color" and today I started. I've never had such a hard time finishing a painting. After looking at my blog entries, I realized this painting has been in an unfinished state for a long time. And then I realized that this painting has become a metaphor of my own life for the past year or so. I could only add color to the painting as the "color" or freedom was coming back into my own life. And so goes the complicated, sometimes uncomfortable relationship between my artwork and myself.

Last year, the things I knew were important, no longer are. The ways I conducted myself, I no longer can. The way I measured success, no longer feels successful. And it all feels, right.

This past year, and especially these past few months, I've finally been able to feel my successes, form some goals and map out my priorities. And like the painting, I don't know how it will all turn out, but there is excitement in the journey. I guess as an artist, color is life.

It's 2009 and it's one of those moments in time that I "sense" destiny, I "feel" fate, there is a distinct forward movement in my life. I'm wise to this phenomenon , I just sit back and let it take me to the next stage. It's always a good thing. My life is in a transition and like this painting, the layers of color are being laid down. I don't know if it's a person, a place or a thing and I don't really care.

I feel the changes coming about in my work life, my health, my heart and my perception of the meaning of success. I've seen enough this past year to know exactly what success isn't. There are no accidents in the people that enter your life, it all happens for a reason.

The First Photos

I had time today to play with my new camera. This my first DSLR and I realize now how much I have to learn!! But I think I'm going to really love this camera

New Baby

I finally did it. I been looking at it, reading about it, envying those who had it and coveting the photos taken from those who own one, the Canon EOS Digital Rebel xsi and it's on it's way to my home as I write this. I been thinking of changing cameras for about 2 years now, yearning for a more sophisticated DSLR. I've spent the last year researching what might work best for me and also having to come to gripes with leaving the Olympus brand.

I'm not big on buying ANYTHING for myself, I have a hard time spending money on myself, one, because I'm not very materialistic and secondly because I can always think of something my boys need more. Funny thing, Kody has noticed I've been looking at this camera for a long time and he finally said "Mom, you never buy yourself anything just do it" ...so I did.

I can't wait, I'm already planning a camping trip in November to try it out. Photos will follow :)

Exceptional Color, Exceptional Book

I'm a color theory fanatic and have numerous books on the subject, from Jim Kosvanec , Peggy Soto, Jan Kunz and Jeanne Dobie.

I'm always impressed with the little jewels each author has to offer up, but Jan Hart's new book is the diamond in the rough. I had already been familiar with her "Amazing Mixes" guides for Daniel Smith, since I'm a huge Daniel Smith watercolor fan and now she's devoted a whole book to the subject.

The layout of the book is organized and aesthetically pleasing. Her own artwork is breathtaking enough to keep you turning each page to just see more. She has achieved to get across the most important aspect of transparent watercolor, in my opinion and that is how to create glowing, luminous mixes. And avoid, mud.

And don't forget to check out her website: Jan Hart

A Boy And His Dog

My son and our dog beloved dog Halo. On that day Kody turned 13 and we couldn't resist a photo under that tree and I think the photo is amazing. But then again, I think my son is amazing. We've always been close, through good times and even hard times. We can talk about anything and we talk alot. He told me he was going to live with me until he was 40 (sigh). That'll all change when the day comes that he falls in love....with someone else. But the sentiment is sweet.

Another Layer

Another layer, this time the darkest darks and a little more under painting. I'm using Thalo green and Quin Gold for my darks. My under painting is Quin Rose and ultramarine blue, changing the mix depending on my need for cool and warmth.

I just got Jan Hart's new book called "The Watercolor artist's guide to exceptional color" and I just started reading it today and from what I've seen so far the book is AMAZING. In fact, I'm not going to add my local color to this painting until I finish reading her book. Then I'm going to do a post of the whole book. The paintings in the book are just beautiful.

I normally do work a bit faster than this painting is taking me but, what can I say, "Life Happens" My oldest boy, KC, just got over a horrible case of mono. And my younger son, Kody took his mountain bike off a skateboard ramp and broke his collar bone and arm. I also just started a new job in the past few months. So...give me break ! :)

Reflections Of A Future Gardener

It's a hard time of the year for me, my birthday is coming up and I like to downplay the day as much as I can. But it reminds me that 4 years ago my mother died 4 days after my birthday. It's always a time of reflection.

What do I want out of life. What things are important to me. Do I have goals anymore?

Funny how the things I wanted out of life in my 20's are not even close to things I want now. My mother's death forever changed me as a person. I saw her worry her whole life about "making it" to retirement and saving to have enough to live on and then when she retired, she died the next year of complications from knee surgery.

Life is a journey and the only judge of it's success is ultimately you and God. How many "great" people who have done so called great "deeds" were in real life miserable? I'll bet more than we know.

My great deeds are my children. My greatest successes are the times and the people in my life that have given me peace of mind. I love when I come across people who can teach me how to glide through life.

At this point in the game I just value peace, seek sanity, and want to believe in the power of kindness and to find beauty in my day to day life. I want to be appreciative of my life and to grow to be more and more selfless.

I have a great destiny, I've known it since childhood. It is my dream to spend the last years of my life being the simple caretaker of a flower garden.

I will measure my success, bloom by bloom.

Watercolor by Kathy Sharpe

The Underpainting

I'm the worst when it comes to confronting white paper. I have no problem with making the initial sketch but when it comes to putting down that first drop of paint, I'll do almost anything to procrastinate. So despite my urge to clean all 7 of my Betta fish tanks today I finally started this painting.

First I added splashes of Aureolin Yellow and then with mixes of Ultramarine Blue and Alizarin Crimson I worked on shadows and the background to help create depth.

I'll keep you posted.

I'm an absolute advocate of under painting. For me, it helps map out the road ahead and gives me the first insight into laying down the foundation for a good three dimensional feel. It's a must to get a handle of the depth.

Back To Work

It's time to get back to work, I've spent so much time reading the new and latest watercolor books by favorite artists that I haven't actually painted much myself. I sort of go thru these phases every few years, I've pinpointed it down to the actual "act" of growing as an artist.


When I paint a new painting now, I will paint differently, and I will paint better because I've learned more about how others paint. I had to dig thru some old paintings because I had someone interested in buying something I had painted a few years ago and found some paintings I did when I worked with a gallery in the art district of Scottsdale. I'm actually not a big fan of southwestern art but I really had no choice. They took 45% commission and it was at that point I realized I could sell off my own website and eliminate commissions and get better exposure.


I found the "Native Woman" painting, I've always loved this painting but never finished the face and some of the shading. I'm anxious to try some of Jan Hart's "mixes" available thru Daniel Smith. She has some wonderful earth colors and jewel tones. When I'm finished I'll upload to my website.

Signs and a Birthday "Wish"

Today is my birthday.

I woke up early and it was still dark out. I was thinking, "Today is my birthday" but how now it's a day that brings some mixed feelings since my mom died 4 days after my birthday 3 years ago.

I was laying in bed thinking how she had forgot my birthday before she died. She'd done it before, usually because she was so busy and she'd remember it a few days later and be very embarrased. I didn't care about a gift or anything, this morning I was just wishing I had that last card to read her words she would have written on my last birthday. I would have cherished it, and studied the words and the writing, I would have kept it forever. But it never happend.

As I lay in bed, the tears were running down my face, I was sad at how fast 3 years had gone by. I missed her so. I have at times had "signs" of her being still near me and those kept me content. But it had been awhile. So in the morning darkness, I wispered to her,... "Please on this birthday, send me a "sign" that your still here". That's ALL I wanted for my birthday. That's my wish. I wiped the tears away and got up to go to work.

I had a good day at work, got some fun gifts from my friends, co-workers and doctors that I work for. It cheered me up a little.

At lunch, I stay at work thru the lunch hour to do the triage for our Pediatrics practice. And during lunch, I had mentioned to some co-workers how it was already 3 years since my mom had passed.

My mother had fainted on the morning of November 12th, 2003 in California and my brothers had taken her to the E.R. They had called to tell me that. The next call, she had arrested and 15 minutes later, they called to tell me she was gone. That's as fast as it took to lose my mom and forever change my life. Thank god, I was there at work and had the strength of some wonderful people I work with to pick me up when my world had just crashed around me within minutes.

As I was relating the events of 3 years ago to some co-workers that had not been there, I was telling them about my mom. How she made a will 13 days before she died. I told them how her will made me feel she "knew" she was going to die. And how, after she died, I was in California that night and slept in her bed. How I had ran into, by accident, the nurse who was with my mom when she died and who told me how my mom "knew" she was dying and what her last words were. My throat was getting tight and my eyes started to well up. I said that the most touching part was a passage she wrote in her will , " To my children.... " she was saying good-bye. She wrote how "honored" she was at having been our mother and she'll never know how much that means to me now.

I can barely speak at this point and some of my co-workers also have tears in their eyes.. And for some reason that one sentence from my mother will always validate my life. I was honored to be her only daughter.

Just then, our office fax rang, a triage message was coming over. One of the receptionists handed the fax to me, a mom had sent over a message regarding one of her children.

Her name was Mrs. Hefner, not a common name and out the thousands of patients we have, it may the only Hefner we have.

My mother's name is also Mrs. Hefner.

And there was my "sign", and my gift for my birthday. I didn't tell anyone, I kept it to myself and close to my heart where I know my mom still stays and still sends "signs" when I need them.

We Survived

Several months have past since we lost our beloved friend of all those years. I think, there isn't still a day that goes by that I don't think of her and miss her so much. I said I would never get another dog, I didn't think my heart could take another loss like that. I never thought I'd have that connection again with just another dog.

One day my son and I saw a homeless man in a parking lot with his shopping cart full of his things and he had a dog. We decided our good deed for the day would be to go to the pet store and get his dog some food and give the guy some money for a good meal.

In the pet store, HALO the animal rescue was having a pet adoption and my son ran over to look at the dogs and I was already feeling sort of apprehensive. I didn't want to lose my heart again. But then I saw her, and when she looked at me, my eyes welled up, my throat was tight.
I wasn't even sure why, I was so embarrassed.

She looked so sad, in her eyes, I saw hopelessness . My son had already fallen in love, he was in the dog pen and was trying to comfort her. Her foster mom was there and told me she was a stray, had been living in the streets and had been infested in fleas and ticks.

Now she's ours. And she's happy. All those years ago, I rescued my first girl and she lived a long happy life and I know she would have wanted another dog to know the love and happiness she knew with our family. My heart still holds a special spot for beloved Skeeter but the difference now is that our hearts are happy again and Skeeter would want that.

To the world you're just a person, to a rescued dog, you ARE the world!

One Sad Day

My best friend of 18 years left today... I held her in my arms and told her how much I loved her. She left peacefully. She gave us 18 years of incredible happiness. For me, she was my closest companion and at times I thought she was my soul mate, because she had the ability to give such great comfort.

Her health had been deteriorating for the last year. Many times as I drove to the vet I wondered if "this would be the day" but she hung on. I said, I would know when it was time by the look in her eyes and that's what I saw this morning. She needed my help, she needed to go.

Her quality of life in the last few days was not what I would have wanted for her but I selfishly held out hope that things would turn around even though I knew they wouldn't. I still now struggle with the "what if's". What if tomorrow she was suddenly the dog I used to know. It was just last week that she could still run around and look silly. But today...was almost a week of her barely eating a thing.

As she slept in the vet's office, just seconds before they said she was gone. I had this image of my mother holding her, they both looked in good health and they were heading down a path...to another life. I wispered in her ear to wait for me, I'll be there someday.

For now, our home is incredibly sad. I've been here before, time takes the edge off and memories make you smile but life will never be the same.

Given time, a dumb idea can turn brilliant.

"It's about time."

Sullivan T. Arko had spoken, a smug grimace on his chiseled face as he surveyed the bespectacled old man who lay groaning amid the trash piled against the convenience store's back wall. "Though," the government agent said wistfully as he stepped around the garbage, "I never thought I'd track you to a place like this."

Grimacing at the alley's pungent stench of rancid milk and rotting food, Arko calmly freed a camera-phone from his custom-tailored jacket and aimed it down at the oddly dressed figure. At the same time, he placed a gleaming leather shoe on the ball of the old man's ankle.

"Wallace J. Carpenter, renegade time-traveler and international terrorist, you are hereby charged with multiple crimes against the domestic and international space-time continuum. How do you plead?"

A whimpering cry spiked the air as Arko lowered his full weight down on Wally's ankle.

"'Guilty?' That's what I thought you said. You're also charged with trespassing on sensitive historical scenarios, as well as possession of an unlicensed time-travel activator."

Wally sighed heavily.

Arko angrily flicked off the camera-phone. "Listen, we know you've got a homemade dirty device. Where is it?" He regarded the old man's silence with undisguised contempt. "I almost had you at Ford's Theatre. If only Booth hadn't got in the way."

A quavering arm rose toward the agent. "Better ," Wally rasped, " if Lincoln lived two more years."

"And the Titanic?" Arko snapped. "How stupid! That was an international violation."

"Wanted to see if the movie was better."

"You disgust me," hissed Arko. His black eyes darted to the time-traveler's bizarre attire, then fastened on the cheap timepiece fastened to Wally's upraised arm, its digital numbers still counting backward. "Where'd you go dressed like that?"

"Key West October 1962."

"The Cuban Missile Crisis?"

"Parents."

"What?"

"Your parents. Met in a Key West bar during crisis. Went there to stop meeting. No meeting no you."

Arko's face hardened. "You've resisted arrest long enough." He withdrew his brushed-nickel Arjian-V stun pistol. "Now you're going to .... "

A device suddenly glittered in the time-traveler's open palm.

"No! Wait!" Arko cried as he stepped back.

Stepped back and into a collision of realities.

Time stopped. Or seemed to as understanding and comprehension overloaded his shocked senses.

First, he saw the car.

"What ?"

A black Corvette, followed closely by a black-and-white police car, fishtailed around the alley's entrance. Engine roaring, it careened off the alley's stucco walls as it bore down on the stunned agent.

In the last seconds of his life, Sullivan T. Arko put it all together.

He understand that the reverse-counting watch marked the exact moment of the car's arrival, and that Wally's strange attire was actually protection because the same car that was soon to be his death had hit Wally only minutes before.

Just as the Corvette slammed into him, an errant thought spoke itself in Arko's mind. It was about Wally.

Sometimes his ideas were just dumb, the agent mused as his mind shut down.

But other times - now and then - they were absolutely brilliant.


Story by Gregg Millett (My brother)
who came in as runner up in The Orange County Register's Dreamscape Competition.

It's all subjective

I'm always looking for subject matter. The search can be frustrating because for me if the subject matter isn't perfect, I know I won't be excited about the process of painting it. My image files are literally full of images I can forsee as a painting, unfortunately time never permits painting all of them.

I usually squeeze in a painting because I'm so excited about the subject that I can't wait to start a painting and then time is just relative. I'll paint til 2:00 A.M., if so inspired.
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One of the most surprising places I've found captivating inspiration has been National Geographic Magazine. I'm always drawn toward ethnic costumes, the color, the folds of fabric, the rich values and texture and a chance to explore a culture unknown.

The above painting is a good example of a painting inspired from a magazine photo. Isolated and interpreted by the artist to become a work of art instead of a page in a magazine.

Nostalgia

I like this type of approach to painting, it's great if your stuck for subject matter. Empty the things in your life on your work station, the stuff that's going on right at the moment and take a snap shot. In this painting, most was done in pencil with some monochromatic watercolor effects.

I remember everything in it. A postcard from a family member, my paints and paintbrush. A sample of face powder from Clinique. I would purposely try to add, something old, something new and something of great meaning. Your creation will come to have great personal value.. And it's fun!!

My Girl

My girl, she's almost 18 now and a day doesn't pass when I realize that she wont be with me forever. Everyday when I walk in that door, I look for her. I had her before I married, before I had children, before I moved to Arizona and after my divorce. She's been my side-kick now for so long.

When I define "me", she's a part of it. When she's gone, a part of me will be gone.

This morning, the boys were off to school. I had run some errands in the 108 degree heat and came home to fix something to eat. I felt this little "nudge" on my leg, a cold little nose, she's done that for years and years. I'm not sure what it means, I think it's a sign of affection, a little touch that says "it's
you and me!"

The day will come when I will no longer feel that little nudge, and all the money in the world, and all the wishing I could do and tears I could cry won't bring it back... it's priceless.

I've been tagged!

Photograph by Valerie

I'm sort of new to this, so I hope I do this correctly! I was tagged by Maggie at "A Latte A Day"
My assignment is to list 5 of my:

n. pl. id·i·o·syn·cra·sies
A structural or behavioral characteristic peculiar to an individual or group.
A physiological or temperamental peculiarity.
An unusual individual reaction to food or a drug.

1. All our pet hamsters refer to me as "Mama"
2. I never wear orange or green.
3. I have to sit facing the exit in a restaurant.
4. Before I start a painting, my whole house must be clean.
5. I never shop in a Mall!

Self-Portrait

This is my self-portrait.

I know it doesn't say much about what I look like but it really says more. Those who know me, would recognize my all white tennis shoes and of course the watercolors. .

Ever have a recurring theme or item in your paintings? I never noticed it before until someone pointed it out to me but I tend to put "shoes" in many of my still lives. I guess because they are such a personal item. You pick them based on your personality and how you "wear' them thru life is more telling than any study of a simple face.

When I see this painting, I see me !!

Experimenting

Watercolor by Jan Hart

I never paid much attention to my palette before until I started reading about color theory. The more I read, the more I realize it's a must to fully understand your paints, especially watercolors. Unlike untransparent media, watercolors can interact and either create a "jewel" or make mud. Sometimes you want sediment and sometimes you don't. I'm a big fan of Jan Hart and I noticed the last time I purchase some paints thru Daniel Smith they had actually put together a Jan Hart palette for sale. Her painting above reminds me of a photo I took and then kept thinking what a great watercolor it would make but wasn't really sure what color approach I wanted to take.
But when I saw Jan's painting above of the old truck, I knew I wanted to try her palette with this painting.

The train photo I took because I loved the texture and colors of the rusting body and old wood. I'm not a big fan of trains, but I think this will make a great watercolor project. This train is sitting on Tom Sawyer's Island at Disneyland. I took it in July, when I took the boys home to visit the family. I'll keep my progress on it posted.

Still Life

Still life paintings always intrigue me. It's a snapshot in time, because life is never really "still". I painted a series of still life studies of my children's things, so I would always remember, the shoes they wore, the toys they played with, the books they read.

I also did a still life for my mother on her birthday, an arrangement of items sentimental and recognizable. When my mother passed away last year, I brought the painting home and it reminds me of her so much.
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Sketching

I've been looking at illustrated blogs all day and I realize how much I miss sketching. I did these sketches years ago but I found the exercises to be so valuable. It's never back to go back and brush up on THE BASICS!

New Techniqu

I decided to try a new approach to the "drawing" part of my watercolors, something I learned about from Penny Soto, one of my favorite watercolor artists. In her book, "Painting Glowing Watercolors", she discusses the need for a full value range sketch on watercolor before painting. Basically, you do a complete drawing and then using a kneaded eraser, you erase the whole thing before you paint. This leaves you with a very detailed guide and you haven't ruined the paper by erasing with a rubber eraser.

Again, my theme is river rocks. The photo shows the sketch very dark, in real life...it's very very light....perfect to paint over.

I'll come back to this when I start the actual painting, and show the progress.

First, Im trying to finish a book by Jim Kosvanec, another one of my favorites watercolorists, "Transparent Watercolor Wheel" his color theory is awesome. His book is based on your colors as transparent as possible and knowing how colors interact to either muddy up a painting or give it that luminous stained glass clarity that we all strive for.

Do me a favor! Check out both of these artists, it'll be an inspiration!

Onions

The "Onions" presented many challenges, texture, color and the illusion of layers.
Painted on 300lb Arches cold press. Windsor Newton paints.
Available for puchase. See website

Journey Back To Watercolor

The journey back to watercolor because I got so involved with life and kids and a job in Pediatrics that my passion slipped away from me.

Now I'm prepared to be fully engulfed in what I love most, painting watercolors.

This is about my journey to never let my passion slip away again. I'll be discussing the books I'm reading, the artists I admire. I'll be exploring marketing, selling and promoting. I'll also be exploring "Giclee" prints and other illustrated journals.

This painting is my latest and is currently listed on Ebay. It only has 2 days left and I'll see if I think Ebay is effective for selling art or not.