Task Force

I am finally aiming to finish "I Couldn't tell if I was Dreaming" today

( you can see in sneak peeks)

The most important thing for me when starting a day of painting is a fresh smooth pallet, which made me think of the task force...

A very dear and talented friend of mine went supply shopping with me once upon a time and she suggested a few very smart elements for my tool kit: as a result saved me hours of precious painting time Y

1.

A paint scrapper! Who knew? I didn't even know this exsisted! I don't know what I did to clean my pallets before, I think I used a pallet knife and solvent, which took for-ever! Now I have this handy do-dad and I am done in minutes, you can get one too at any hardware store.

2.

This key thingy! For opening paint cans! I just pop . pop . pop - and voila I am gessoing in no time.

And let's not forget another very important member of the task force from an old post ;)

Y

One of the best things about having my studio was hanging out with my friends and seeing other artists work and sharing ideas (okay 3 of the best things), Now I am working from home, I miss my studio *sigh*.

Message across the sea

This, is Izzy.

"hello."

As you can see, Izzy is an adventurer and has little time to fuss with issues of vanity,

that said, she still has fabulous taste in shoes.

Izzy's very best friend moved across the Sea to marry an Englishmen,

Although Izzy is very happy for her friend, she misses her very,

very much.

And so she has a message:

"are you out there my dear? across land and sea? "

"it is me, izzy"

"it's meeeee"

Will Izzy be heard? To be continued...

Check One Sugar Hill to see if Izzy's message is recieved.

Jack Frost and the Crystal Touch

After living in the NYC for most of adult life, I feel like this is year in the country has shown me the seasons for the first time. The Autumn here in Bucks County was so beautiful it was like witnessing a mythical creature, and now the Winter has shown to be just as spectacular.

Even covered in snow and ice the fireplace still looks warm and cozy to me.

Little Tallulah (the little bean in the picture above) was like Bambi on the ice!

Hooray for our new Jack Russel puppy Luli! I love her so!

May warmth, wonder and health be yours in the cold winter months Y

1000 Words

I have recently come across this fantastic book loaded with inspirational symbolism, I am filled with a feeling of peace and wonder as I wander through it's beautiful pictures.

In the painting "Glow" an image of a Tibetan lotus, is used on the figures forehead as a symbol of purity.

A Final Note

a last word for "Dear Edgar"

"Little Edgar"

from the imagination of Rachael of Benediction

"Nevermore"

"The Raven"

Bunnies and Snowbells

"Glow"

5".7"

watercolor and acrylic on folio paper

"glow"

face detail

"Bun Bun 1"

4" . 4"

acrylic on masonite

with a glitter and enamel frame

"Bun Bun 3"

2.5". 2.5"

acrylic on masonite

enamel and glitter frame

All of the beautiful winter snow has shown up on my canvases as dreamy soft whites and powdery glitters.

my winter studio is;

hot soups and teas,

wool sweaters and socks,

paintbrush and easel,

with good music of course :)

I hope you are enjoying this beautiful glistening season

Put your Stamp on it

The other day while exploring an antique shop, I found a romantic treasure, vintage stamps, used postcards and envelopes - the stripy kind! They were all sprawled throughout a village of glass ashtrays.

A mountain of vintage stamps from all over the globe, for $4.

I am going to start tucking a few in as gifts with purchase :)

The person who collected all these stamps and envelopes had such a reverence for mail they even used a letter opener (see above), I am sure their letter opener was made of fine smooth silver, heavy in the palm, with a monogrammed handle.

I also found a collection of Postcards sent by a daughter to her mother while traveling through Europe. These Postcards are from her time in Rome, The Netherlands and Berlin. Is it wired that I haven't read them? Perhaps I feel I would be violating their privacy - if you can consider a Postcard private in anyway. Or maybe I haven't read them because I think they will be too boring, after all it is a postcard (to her mother no less) and anyone can read it. All said I must now send a scandalous postcard to someone- I am almost certain it would go unread by anyone but the recipient.

I love this handwriting! Handwriting was once considered an art form. I have never seen a single person from my grandparents generation ( born in the 1930s ) - man or woman, who doesn't have the most impeccable handwriting! I wish nothing would get pushed aside for the sake of the new. I wish we could simply make upgrades while still hording all the beautiful things from the generations prior. But alas, the days are short, and I don't know about you but I was learning "Home Keys" not Calligraphy with school hours. *weep *