Green Stuff

I promise that I'm still around here, just so busy lately.  The crochet closet has been calling my name so I dug out my many, MANY partial balls of yarn and found some baby patterns to make things for new baby granddaughter arriving in September.  This is what I do in the evenings as the television is on.

We still are skipping off to the cabin on the weekends, a bit sporadically.  This past weekend was just beautiful, partly.  Saturday started off with such cloudy skies that I could not get out of bed.  I was chilled and depressed so I stayed under the covers with an electric blanket on.  Soon the sun began to gain a foothold and the temps to rise.  Friends were headed to the creek to sun a bit (not necessarily me) but I went to join.

Oh my the green, green, GREEN of northeast Oklahoma is stunning and the reason it is called Green Country! 

Honestly, THIS is the type of green I'm in love with, NOT what is popping up all over town with the green cross shapes over the new CBD/medical marijuana stores on nearly every single corner.  Can you tell I'm not on board with this.  MY OPINION... is that they have the horse before the cart and the growing pains will be evident soon.  Truly there has not been enough FEDERALLY, LEGAL studies on the stuff, because it is ILLEGAL!  I am a product of the 70's where it was ALL bad stuff, illegal and not in my world.  I watched Dragnet with all the bad connotations of drugs.  I read Go Ask Alice and it made a huge impact on my choice to  CHOOSE NOT to do drugs of any kind.  Hell, I barely drink anything, that is a drug too.  I just don't know if I can get over my beliefs and get on the bandwagon.  I know that the CBD stuff has had some good things for kids with seizures and I'm okay with that but lets do our homework correctly, get it legalized for medical applications.  THIS IS ALL MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION don't give me grief please.

The inspiration for my latest painting:

"Jackmani"

11x14 oil linen 

Week Wrap Up

Here I am again, yet a week later.  Life has been busy, busy, busy...

Between work, painting, high school reunion stuff, Daddy stuff, work, work, work...It's been hard to slow down to enjoy some beauty.  Easter cactus starting blooming and the funny thing is the first bloom was RED, then these white ones.  It has never done that. 

Then leaving workout on Monday while the sun was barely rising I saw the flowerbed and just had to snap a photo.  Just beautiful...maybe a painting...

Now for a bit of nostalgia.  The Hubby, or maybe Bri found this photo in a pile.  Wow oh wow, look at those YOUNG people.  Hard to believe, and SKINNY!  Those were the days.

I was back from LA for a week then it was travel time again to Rogers, Arkansas for a workshop with the fantastic Lori Putnum.  What a generous, gracious and genuine artist and person.  Some workshops can be a bit of a let down and you don't learn a thing but this one was awesome.  I am also a better student which helps.  I don't get so frustrated and put up a block anymore.  I struggle with letting my guard down to let the teaching come into my brain.  Learned a lot this week and I am pooped, a good pooped!

Plus we got to meet so many wonderful artist and made new friends across the United States. 

She taught us to use only four colors, ultramarine blue, titanium white, napthol red and cadmium yellow light.  Amazing the colors were able to make and use.

THIS little lovely now resides in my home!  I love it when I get to buy art from "FAMOUS" artists.   

Then it was our turn to create.  

I'm very please with my painting but will tweek it a bit in the studio. 

The last day was self portraits.  Woo boy.  No really it's fun and every artist needs to be challenged to do it.   

I struggle with get colors right in portraits.  Actually, this one got scraped off but I will try it again.

I have to because next month Linda and I travel yet again to Rogers for another workshop with PORTRAIT artist, Tim Tyler.  We hear he is awesome as an instructor.  Can't wait.