My Happy Place

I'm in my happy place this week.  All my little chicks are in one town and I couldn't be happier.  

We all got together to listen to Af's boyfriend, Nick play jazz on vibes at Hodges Bend.  It was really a wonderful evening and B's bestie, who is like a third daughter, joined us for laughs and memories.  Tonight we go to the mother-in-laws for dinner with the entire fam.  Oh and Snicklefritz spent her last day off from school from the teachers strike with her Auntie Af and Uncle Nick bowling, go-carting, laser tag and eating Big Al's her favorite place.  Needless to say she was WORN OUT!  We also got to enjoy a fantastic vegan meal on Sunday evening, cooked by Af, of Tofu Piccata.  Let me tell you it was delicious.  

Nothing can be better than having my girls close to me!!!

Also finished this painting on Monday.

"Lady and the Red Rose"

30x40 oil on linen

Teacher Strike

The State of Oklahoma is facing an education crisis right now.  We are in the 8th day of a teacher strike so kiddos and parents are left dealing with WHAT DO WE DO WITH OUR CHILDREN!  Now, I am in full support for our teachers, the teachers of our future but I'm not sure it's going to help.  Our teachers in Oklahoma are paid so poorly that they are nearly on the poverty level.  THAT IS A CRIME!!!!  The political leaders in our state just are not getting the job done and I don't think it's a priority for them.  First, I think one of the things that needs to happen is a complete accounting and open book on how our state is spending OUR money.  I think that is a good part of the problem. Plus the idea of all the 100 lawyer women in black that are marching and threatening that may file of offices I find very exciting.   I think the political mucky-muck are hog-tied by big energy and others that keep us at the bottom for teacher salaries.  There is so much mess going on in our state government and I think it needs an overhaul.

This face is just one of our future and we need to make them a PRIORITY!!!!  

Right now she is having a lot of days to go to work with her Momma and me.  That's fun but she misses her friends and school.

HOPPY EASTER

Good EARLY morning everyone.  I hope everyone has a HOPPY EASTER tomorrow.  We're having the usual 20 or so family to eat.  I love having everyone here but the lead up to getting the house clean and dealing with The Hubby fussing over weird little details can drive me a bit bonkers but it's okay.

A lot is going on in my world to the point of being a bit overwhelming.  Don't forget that our little art show is going on at Post Oak Lodge.  After it is over then we will be at The Hive in Jenks for the month of June, then TCC Metro campus for a month.  WHEW!  I really NEED to paint some more.

Had a little visitor in our backyard the other day in between rain storms.  Isn't she beautiful.  Kiddo #1 said because of the notch off the top of her left ear she has probably been captured, spayed and re-released.  That makes sense because our old neighbors who moved (sad face) used to do just that.  This little girl I think is feral but I could be wrong.  I would like to tame her maybe.   

This past week I was in charge of getting Snicklefritz to and from school everyday.  Her mommy was in Chicago at a TESOL conference (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and encompasses what used to be called TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language).  Her daddy would drop her off on his way to our work between 6:30 and 7 every morning and I would feed the munchkin and then take her to school.  Then it was to the office to do a bit of work then to the studio.  Two days I spent at the office most of the day to catch up on work.  (This double duty stuff is kind of kicking my butt!) 

Yesterday I gave her a new book and we read it before school.  Then she started looking at it and asking questions and sharing with Clayton.  He loves her so much and is always so excited when she comes. 

Speaking of the studio, good news.  I may have sold "Red", the nude portrait, hopefully.  I also painted this little beauty, a 5x5 for the Tulsa Artists' Coalition fundraiser they do every year.  It's not going to make it in the actual show though because I've already sold it to the lady who might buy "Red."  That's okay, I've already picked up another canvas and will paint another for the fundraiser. 

I also started another portrait.  It's BIG, 30x40, the biggest I've done except for the 4'x6' Sunset for Saint Francis Hospital a few years ago. 

I love, love, LOVE this photo and wanted to try my hand at it.  The portrait workshop guy Kevin B. gave us the photo and he said that he has struggled to get it just right so I knew it would be a challenge for me but I think I worked it out...well, no, now that I look at it I think the tilt of the head is still not right...more work. 

Happy Easter my friends

Red

I have finished this one and I LOVE it.  I hope it sells but can hang around for a bit too.  

"Red" 30 x 24 oil on linen gallery wrap

Plus we got all set up at Post Oak Lodge, so if you are there go check out some wonderful ar.

A Traveling We Will Go

Last week I traveled, we traveled, Linda and I, to Rogers, Arkansas for yet another art workshop.  We signed up months ago with the Northwest Arkansas Artist Guild for a Kevin Beilfuss workshop.   This was a portrait workshop, kind of out of my field in a way but I was up for the challenge and knowledge to flow.

Backseat driver - her hubby was our driver

Kevin is the nicest guy and so willing to share his knowledge.  PLUS, he is incredibly talented. 

He showed us first, then.....

it was our turn.  Our model for the day. 

This was wiped off a few times...

but I think I captured her eventually. 

Day 2 and it was the full body experience. 

Kevin explaining how to capture a gesture of the hand.  My day 2 ended up with a blank canvas because I was having a really off day.  

Day 3, our final day I opted to try my hand on a photo I already had of our great niece.  

Day 3... 

 

So far so good.

Kevin did give us several photos that I plan on using eventually.  I'm working on one right now in the studio.  I may even have this one sold already!!!

As usual the artist brings some of his/her stuff for purchase.  I chose these two to add to my art collection and am in LOVE with them.  

Art Show

I almost forgot to share the news.  My friends and I at Lemon Tree Fine Art are having our first show at Post Oak Lodge.  Here is the info, go by and look, love and BUY!

Presenting:

Places, Faces and Spaces of Tulsa

The Art of

Gil Adams, Linda Dunbar, and Carla Hefley

are proud to announce their first show together at Post Oak Lodge. 

The show runs from March 5 to May 31

Please take some time to visit the gallery and the lovely place that is Post Oak.

Post Oak Lodge

5323 W. 31^st St. N

Tulsa, OK  74127

Loss

Sunday night I was in bed about 8 o'clock watching the Oscar's when The Hubby came in and asked if I saw the obituaries.  I guess I had just skimmed over them and missed that our accountant, our dear friend passed away.  He was only 48 years old, but I knew he had been having some health issues, never thinking  he would die.  He was so very young and had three beautiful little girls, of which I had painted them in a portrait recently.  We are all just devastated by this loss in our lives.  He was a friend more than an accountant.  

When we married 42 years ago we were using our family accountant who saw us, my parents and grandparents through many years of financial help.  After about 20 years being our accountant he retired and sold his business to another company and we were handed off to our friend, Cuong.  I am loyal and was not too sure of the new guy but after nearly 20 years later I couldn't have happier with the change.  It's just a strange feeling to know that we can't pick up the phone to ask him a question and RELY on his financial advice anymore.  There is the weird feeling too that I don't know if I can trust anyone else again, especially this late in the game in our lives.  PLUS, it's a bad time as I had taken him our taxes to be done a couple of weeks ago, AND THEY ARE STILL IN HIS OFFICE!  Ummmm, not sure how to deal with that, except his practice is very large and I know we will get another accountant assigned to us but not one we fully trust to know how we operate or know US.  I figured I would give it a week then call the office and see what will happen with it all.  

Boom, Bang, SCREAM

Last week The Hubby and the son-in-law took a business trip to Tampa, Florida for a lighting seminar.  That meant I was IN CHARGE!  Yeah, right.  Well, work went smoothly despite all the rain we had but at home this little guy had an accident.  The Hubby left town on Sunday and then Wednesday morning while waking up, (I got to sleep in a bit) sweet Clayton came into the bedroom and attempted to jump on the bed, which he has done many, many times from the bench we have at the end.  The bench because the bed is 3 feet tall.  He misjudged and jumped to the side and took a header off the bed to the wood floor and SCREAMED!  I quickly jumped up and he was on the floor with his already bad leg sticking out with his little toes spread and his eyes wide with pain.  I gingerly scooped him up and laid him on the bed on his side.  The leg still sticking out strangely.  It didn't appear to be broken but I just didn't know because that stupid connective tissue tumor we had removed from the leg last fall has come back and I was afraid that his leg was broken there.  The vet was to open in 10 minutes so I threw clothes on and we were off to the vet.  I waited most of the morning to hear something because the vet was not in yet and I had to leave the little guy.  He seemed better on the ride to the clinic but I just had to make sure.  Finally after lunch I went in when they said he was ready.  The vet said, I think (he talks big vet words), that nothing was broken.  He was more concerned with Clayton's shoulder which he showed me on the x-ray.  Poor guy has osteoarthritis in his shoulder, pretty bad.  I think being born with the short leg that has the shoulder up there anyway, it was inevitable that he would have these kind of issues.  Long story, but home we went with pain meds, antibiotic in case of a small fracture and not wanting to get a bone infection and a sort of order that he was GROUNDED.  Too bad that one didn't stick.  He's back to his old jumping and scrambling but that was SCARY!  We love this little guy so much.

A Few Words

I really don't feel like writing here because I can't seem to find the words but here goes. 

This past week has been horrendous, absolutely horrendous.  What is happening in this world.  Our children are in a war, AT SCHOOL!  All I want to do is paint flowers and ignore the ugly that is OUR WORLD right now.  But, it cannot be ignored and I'm not sure how it can be fixed, I don't think anyone knows.  Oh sure everyone has an opinion but unless we all come together and quit back-biting and fighting and QUIT dividing ourselves it's not going to be fixed anytime soon.  We are NOT being good examples for our children.

Off my soapbox...

On another note, please be wary if you are driving in the Broken Arrow area, Daddy has decided he is good to drive again.  (Thumping head on desk!)

Snicklefritz and Logo's

Painting has been kind of back burner the past couple of weeks even though I want to paint but don't have much inspiration.  My focus has been on Snicklefritz.  She spent the night with me on a Saturday night a couple of weeks ago and I got her a new Twirly Girl dress.  Her old one was for a 4 year old and she is a little over 5.  That dress was so tight but she just didn't want to give it up.  

She was HAPPY!

Then Sunday morning I promised her we would fingerpaint.  I had a book that she found of an artist that does fingerpainting art and had step by step pictures and instruction.  She wanted to do that so I got everything ready for us to paint on Sunday morning.   

I had fun too!

She really wasn't focused and just made mud which on reflection I should have known something was up.  The week before she had a horrible cough, no fever, felt fine and continued with school.  Well, she went home and that evening she had a rip-roaring fever and a horrible ear ache, an ear infection.  So no school for a couple of days and I got to have her again all day.  Thankfully she is much better and so far NO FLU!

Some good news though, our logo and marquee is all done, we are official.  Our gallery and studio is up and really running.