Scottsdale

We are done, we, meaning the 6 of us that traveled to Scottsdale to The Scottsdale Artist School for a week with David Leffel, Sherrie McGraw and Jacqueline Kamin.  Three of us arrived together from Tulsa to meet up with Linda who drove with her husband the week before to take Rose Frantzen.  Rose was supposed to be during our week but that somehow was "changed".  Hopefully we get her to Tulsa sometime, soon!

When we arrived it was a quick bite to eat then off to the school for our first demo/lesson.  Sherrie and Jacqueline painted while David talked about painting and what they were doing.

 

(Sherrie and David are married and cute together!)

Back to the hotel for rest and believe we were going to need our rest.  It was up at the usual time as home and we were off to the school to begin our learning.

I chose to do still life first and set this one up. 

The bag was a gift from Afton for Christmas and held my brushes!

After a full day of intense painting we ran back to the hotel to try and freshen up and then were off to the Legacy Gallery for another demo!  Our school hours were from 8:30-4:30 then it was to the gallery at 5:30 to 7:30 for demo's Mon-Wed.  David was first up with a portrait. 

 

Absolutely beautiful and beautiful to watch him create this.  Amazing really.  He is considered to be a modern day MASTER!

Of course by the end of most evenings we finally were able to eat, drink and be very weary and then get ready for the next day.

I decided on Tuesday to switch and do a portrait, which I have done very, very few.  The model walked in and I was elated.  He was beautiful and so much fun.  His name is Robert and Robert is a poet.  When I finish this that will be the name of the painting, "The Poet".  

I HAVE GOT to fix the eyes on the close up.

One morning we had a demonstration before class on how the Rosemary Brushes are made.  The daughter of Rosemary, Semi. stayed the whole week to sell brushes, which I added to my growing collection!  Fascinating to watch and they are all made by hand.  I have ordered many of them and they ship from England within the week usually.

The next day it was back to the portrait stuff.  I cannot remember her name. 

(This was packed in my suitcase the way one of the ladies brings her paintings home but unfortunately during transit it was damaged a bit.  Have to fix it this morning.)

By Wednesday night I was DRAGGING and skipped the Wednesday night demo which was Sherrie painting the school director in costume, Dan.  

After the demo I was picked up at the hotel for dinner.  For some reason three of us had problems with swelling in our feet and legs.  I don't know if it was sitting on a tall stool all day or altitude or what but it was such an issue.  I even stood a bunch to try and alleviate the swelling, but it was best when I put my legs up a bit during the day and definitely at night.  

Thursday I was back to still life. I had to do another still mainly because when I was setting up the still life the first morning I mentioned to Sherrie that there were not enough veggies to paint.  Well, Tuesday morning she had made a special trip to buy baby beets and artichokes just for me to paint.  That was extremely nice of her.  She mentioned again on Wednesday that the veggies needed to be used so I felt obligated to paint them.   

In setting up the picture I found eggs on the table of stuff to choose from and found three eggs.  One of the eggs had hairline cracks in the top and when I set it on the stand my thumb went through it.  I thought it was perfect since the beets were wilty.  

I have a few touch ups that need to be done since I have looked at it a bit longer but I like it.

This is the little garden area that I rested a few times.  It was a bit chilly the first three days we were in Scottsdale but there was SUNSHINE!  

Thursday evening was the Art Walk to look at galleries.  Unfortunately my feet and legs were feeling the effects and so I sat a lot to enjoy the evening air, sights and sounds of Scottsdale! 

I did get to see a Daniel J Keys original at the Legacy Gallery and was THRILLED!  I love his stuff and have watched a few of his videos.  Just beautiful.

An Edgar Payne painting to view with my friends, Charlotte, Linda and Lana.  They were given a private showing of some of the works upstairs that are getting ready for a auction.  The last auction this gallery had brought in $16 million.  

I was outside but the crew had a private showing of the Edgar Payne and this Fechin estimated to bring $250K - $350K at auction!  WOW!

Friday I was tired and out of ideas and I did not want to paint another vase and flowers, so at breakfast I decided to paint breakfast.  I grabbed the cinnamon roll, some fruit loops, milk and  banana and found an orange at the school supply table.   

I set it up and then David came over, loved the idea but tweeked it a bit by moving the cinnamon roll.

It was quite fun to paint! 

And when David came around again he said, "OUTSTANDING!"  I was absolutely thrilled! 

Yesterday, Saturday and the quick drive to the airport which is about all the scenery I was able to see of Scottsdale.

 

David Leffel and the girls!

Lana, Maria, David, Linda peeking through, Charlotte and me! 

One of many dinners.  This was at Banderas.  So yummy.  

Mary Ann, Charlotte, Lana, Maria, Me, Charlotte, Linda and her husband James.  James was our chauffeur all week long.  He shuffled art supplies, paintings and ladies back and forth and in the car.  What a great guy to put up with us. 

Being Home?

Being home may not be all it's cracked up to be for Daddy.  He has been home since Monday with Home Health Care coming in every 24 hours to run his IV infusion but yesterday was a hiccup.  He developed a clogged in his pic line.  So off to the hospital my brother took him about 11 a.m.  to have it flushed.  I was watching Rio all day so I was not able to go.  I checked in later in the day about 4:30 to find out they were STILL in the ER waiting.  WHAT!  I decided I needed to spell brother so I canceled my plans and headed that way.  Bro took the brunt of that trip while I only had a couple hours of waiting.  They finally, FINALLY came in to clear Daddy's pic line about 7:15 p.m. He had not had his daily dose of antibiotic either so after a 45 minute wait while they searched for a pump he had his meds on board and we were out the door about 8:30.  So count the hours, 9-1/2 hours Daddy and us waited to be seen for a pic line flush.  That was totally ridiculous and as we were leaving the "head" nurse guy came in and apologized for the wait and asked that we call and lodge a complaint with his boss, the head honcho over all the nurses.  Said that it would have more impact from patients than employees.  I guess there is some terrible internal hospital crap going on there.  I so wish Daddy was with a different medical group because this hospital has had lots of issues for years.  I can't imagine that this is only the 3rd day for the pic line at home and he has weeks and weeks more of this.  We made sure that Daddy understood that this kind of wait for us would not be happening if he were in the skilled nursing care.  And if they doctor thinks he will be able to do this infusion thing on his own in a few weeks they are NUTS!  

Stubborn, Stubborn, Stubborn

Those three words are how I describe my Daddy.  Stubborn!!!  He went home yesterday from the hospital against what we knew he needed.  It was all my brother could do to get the get the guy even in the hospital in the first place.  The plan was 3-4 days in the hospital with his antibiotic infusion, then to skilled nursing for 60-90 days.  Once the plan was made the battle began and continued until he came home yesterday.  My daddy can be a very, VERY angry man.  You will often see a waving finger pointing at you and more often his fist, which he has used.  That fist was waved at the lady doctor and we had to apologize.  And the look, oh the look will buckle my knees, it's the look of an angry parent.  I am nearly 59 years old and that look still makes me quake in my boots.  On Sunday Bro and I both got phone calls from the hospital social worker telling us that he was going to go home with the pic line and needed to have the infusion done every 12 hours and that it would take an hour or so each.  Asked if we could do it, that he said "Carla can swing by to do it!"  No Carla can not.  He had the nerve to tell Bro that we kids needed to "Step Up."  What in the world does he think we have been doing.  Daddy will be 80 in August and he pretty much has his mind, angry and all, and mostly his health.  He still goes and goes when he wants to.  He is now home with home health care coming every 24 hours because the doctor knuckled and changed the protocol of meds to allow him to go home.  The HHC will only be there for two weeks because of insurance but they will teach him how to change the bag of meds.  Okay, really.  I told Bro that the next time this happens Daddy probably won't tell us, I can guarantee it.  I told Daddy at the hospital yesterday that I was leaving on Sunday for Scottsdale Artist School and would be gone for a week.  His response was, "well, we'll see!" Like I'm NOT going.  He is home with two good siblings to fill in and I have planned this for 6 months.  I am going!!!!!!!  It's funny, Daddy tells all three of us kids different things.  He plays us on each other too.  Not cool Daddy.  Taking a page from his mother's playbook and that was nasty.  He told Sis that he didn't have long to live.  He tells Bro that he can live on his own, that Carla can take of it all.  When he sees me he starts saying he can live with me.  NO!  Not happening Daddy.  I grew up with that anger and not going to live with it again.  Daddy has been hanging around with his childhood best friend again and although I love the guy, Jay has a very nasty mouth on him, a bigoted nasty mouth.  Well, Daddy has started emulating that and it is not pretty.  I think even the anger is being enhanced by it.  

Oh gosh, I am rambling but it is good to vent here and let it go!  Thanks for reading.  

Snow, Snow, Snow

I won't complain as this has been a pretty mild winter for us.  It snowed Sunday night into Monday morning and it is quite beautiful.  I haven't even tried to venture out as I knew there was nothing to do at the office.  The answering service could handle the phone and the post office and banks were closed, so there was no reason for me to get out.  I did a bit of painting, crocheting and catching up on General Hospital and The Young and the Restless soaps.  

Contemplating the journey that Daddy is getting ready to take and it will not be fun.  He has yet another infection or maybe it never went away after a couple of surgeries.  The last go around he would NOT let them do IV antibiotics and now he is paying the price.  The pill form was not effective.  Honestly I think it will never go away, that he will battle this stuff till the day he dies.  Bro has taken this most recent challenge on as I've been to busy at the office, watching Rio and the painting challenge.  I'm also gearing up for a week in Scottsdale, Arizona for a week of art workshops.  Daddy's infectious doctor wanted to put him in a long term care facility for awhile but the stupid insurance (and he has two - Medicare and his own) will not pay for his meds that will be between $4000-$8000.  He needs a pic-line.  I remember that one of the many times he has been in the hospital someone said that they would pay only if he funneled through the hospital to the long term care.  That sometimes doctors get around this by putting them in the hospital for a few days and then transition to the LTC.  As of yesterday Bro sent me a text that that is exactly what they plan on doing.  The issue now is that he has his sweet kitty, Susie, that may come to stay with us while he is there for a few months.  The Hubby is not crazy about it but it is what it is.  We had cats for years and he can handle one for a few months and if something happened that Daddy could not go home the cat would live with us and that is exactly what I told The Hubby!!!!!  We can't board the cat for 3 months when she is used to constant human love and contact.  There may be a reason I am painting cats lately!  

A few of my friends suggested that Daddy live with us but I just CANNOT do that.  I love my Daddy but I do love my marriage better.  Besides the infection he has is one I have had and I cannot be around it like that.  I cannot change his bandages, packing, and all ... YUCK!  Besides that is that I work a lot, we are gone a lot and we have our routine that I am not willing to give up.  It may sound selfish but I like my routine and I can control it.  I would not even, EVER expect to live with my children.  I would move to a retirement place like Montereau or Methodist Manor, willingly.  

"The 481"

"ZeeBee"

"Here Birdie, Birdie"

It Can Be Done

The 30 day painting challenge is done but I'm still painting  I took a couple of days off and I'm not rushing to complete anything but I still feel the draw to the easel.  On Monday's and Wednesday's I watch Rio at the office and I'm still able to paint, quite successfully.  This week she has literally been under my feet at the easel while I create, but I don't mind.  I enjoy her chatter and questions.  She does get in the game too at her easel and it's amazing to watch her get so quiet as she makes her little watercolor brush work the canvas.  

Look what the darling got last week!  Their sweet kitten Opal passed away and though it was rough an opportunity happened to bring ZeeBee into their life.  This kitten absolutely loves Rio and she is so gentle with him.  They will be pals forever.   May have to paint this!

Created these jewels this week with Snicklefritz under my feet! 

"Alice"

11x14 oil on senso linen canvas

$175

"Sasha"

11x14 oil on senso linen canvas

$ 175

You're As Young As You Feel

I have always said that I don't feel like I am whatever age I was at that time.  Today I am 58 but I certainly don't feel like I am 58, I feel more like I am still in my 40's.  I just saw a thing on AOL about aging, some kind of study about basically the phrase, "You're as young as you feel." That has been my mantra for many years and this new British study backs up that phrase, and to living longer.  My Daddy is a perfect example of that because when he hit his 50's he basically shut down his business (the oil thing did it) and sat in his chair and retired from life.  I guess he told himself that he was old.  Oh my goodness, you just can't do that, but that is what he did, and I think it took a toll on him.  Yes, yes, he will be 80 this summer but it has been an agonizingly long 30 years of him telling himself that he is old.  I still like to listen to head banging music, rock-n-roll.  I don't do roller skating or climbing mountains and stuff but I do try to stay up with current world things, like the computer, TV, the world.  I help chase around a 2 year old, I work, I read, I paint...I love life, "You're as young as you feel."  Here, here!

Also, side note, finished up the 30 painting challenge...

Good Morning

Yes, it is Monday and I am posting.  There may not be much here but I am posting.  The weekend is done and a quiet one it was.  We ventured to the cabin Saturday afternoon and I ended up in bed under the electric blanket for 3 hours snoozing even though it was quite sunny outside.  I just could not get my inner core warm.  We had dinner at J&S's Saturday night and had a most wonderful time.  Harrie and Jimbo went home earlier in the day as they have the crud and didn't want to give it to us...thank you!  I hope they are better today.  This flu thing is awful and I pray I don't get it even though I had my flu shot too.  Back home Sunday I went to see Daddy.  I tried to visit him last Sunday but he was off at his friend, Jay's, and I got tired of waiting.  Jay is his best friend from high school, 60 years ago, and Jay has a twin sister that I guess is Daddy's girlfriend.  So when he visits Jay he visits her too. Yesterday, again he was gone but I just kicked back in the chair and napped along with his sweet kitty, Susie.  She has become such a darling addition to his household.  What a lover she is.  Daddy finally came home after an hour and a half of me waiting, but that was okay as I got my cat fix.  I told The Hubby yesterday that if something happened to Daddy that she would probably come live with us!  He didn't say a thing.  Oh, did I tell you that I found a home for the zebra finches!  Yes, I was in Southern Agriculture the other day and noticed they had zebra finches and talked to a girl about them taking my birds.  I don't know if you remember but I took them in after a lady that they were given to as a gift HATED them and was going to "set them free".  They would have died here in Oklahoma.  I've had them about 3-4 years now and was tired of taking care but would have continued till they died if I had too.  I was committed.  Anyway, there were four, two boys and two girls and one of the girls died this summer.  The girl at SoAg said they would take them!  SCORE!  So last Tuesday afternoon I boxed them up and took.  I was just giving them away but I received a $15 check in the mail for them!  Again, SCORE!  Now I know they may find another good home, not mine.  Bird seed can now stay outside, at least for awhile until I get the desire for a parakeet or canary again.  Bird cages are in the attic!  

Anniversary, Painting, Food...etc!

It seems that this painting thing, life, work, Rio....all of it is consuming my life lately.  Actually, yesterday was our 39th Wedding Anniversary and I didn't even have time to blog about it.  I think my blogging days will have to be on the weekends only for a bit.  

The Hubby and I went to dinner last night at a restaurant we have never been too, Mahogany's.  It's a steak place and I think a chain.  Very upscale and very, very expensive.  We had a gift certificate from one of our suppliers but good grief we still had to pay the other half of $300 food bill.  Really, being honest, it was a nice experience but I was not all that "$300" impressed.  The past 4-5 years we've gone to Flemings and I liked it better.  We had a trio special that had steak, a bone-in rib-eye, lobster and crab legs.  All of it was split between the two of us.  The steak was yummy, the lobster over cooked, rubbery and no flavor.  The crab was better.  The spinach had a strange taste.  But I overlooked that to say the wine was yummy, seeing a very, very old friend of my sister's childhood and the FABULOUS company of my hubby made the evening special.  We had a nice evening.  

I am also reflecting this morning on the loss of one of The Hubby's aunts, well into her 90's.  Actually, she was married to one of his favorite uncles, who is still kicking.  They were married, gosh probably over 60 years or more.  Then a friend, an old high school friend lost her husband to cancer a few days ago.  They were married over 40 years.  Loss is inevitable but still sad and hurts.  We've just got started having fun!

Started watching Rio again while her mother is teaching this week.  We painted and painted.  That kid loves to paint her watercolors and I will have to buy her some more and little canvas's.  She holds up her picture to show me her "bird".  I know it's because I paint a lot of birds.  She is darling.

(Gotta try and paint this!)

Here's some of the latest paintings.

Ain't Life Grand

Looks like blogging will be a bit slow this year.  I've been very busy doing this 30 Day Painting Challenge and as you can tell, I'm ready for spring!  Lots of birds and flowers.

Hummingbird 

5x7 oil on canvas panel

$ 75

Daffodil

5x7 oil on canvas panel

$50

Downtown View

8x10 oil on canvas

$100

Purple Finch

5x7 oil on canvas panel

$50

Woodpecker

8x10 oil on canvas

SOLD

Winter Goldfinch

5x7 oil on canvas panel

SOLD

Yesterday was such a lovely January day that I sat on our brick wall around the patio and sipped bubbly with frozen raspberries and soaked up the sunshine.  I spied the daffodils popping up the green all ready for spring! 

Decided to take a quick pic of MEEEEE... in one of the many mirrors we have around the yard.  Yes I never got out of my lounging clothes yesterday! 

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Clean Up

The days are getting so messed up with the holidays and NO SUN.  It was weird that I could not make sense yesterday that it was Friday.  Usually we are heading to the cabin but opted to stay in town because of this nasty wet, cold, NO SUN weather.  I took time to paint a bit for the 30 day challenge as I have to every morning.  I decided to paint a little spring with the birdies.  

"Bluebird"

"Scarlet Tanager"

After a painting session I was off to take Christmas 2014 down and put away for next year.  That also meant cleaning out a closet, yet again.  Oh my gosh what a mess but I was able to even get this all back plus all the Christmas decorations and the TREE, with room to spare.  Just reshuffled a bit and trashed a bit.  

That done it was to the showers to wash my dusty self and de-grease the hair.  While reshuffling the closet I found jigsaw puzzles.  I LOVE jigsaw puzzles and haven't done them in years.  They bring back wonderful memories for me.  It was something we always did as a family during the winter months.  Especially on snowy days when school was called off and we couldn't (or wouldn't) go outside.  I posted this picture on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram yesterday and a guy from high school commented, "You gotta good start there, just 998 more to go". What a funny guy, made me laugh out loud.  

Today it's more time at the easel, jigsaw puzzle, listen to the first book of 2015, out to dinner with friends.  Bringing in the new year right.  

Ringing in 2015

The new year came in last night with us staying home to watch little Snicklefritz while her parents threw a New Year's party.  Her momma said that bedtime would probably early but it was not the case.  She is absolutely obsessed with "Anny's" (Granny) bed.  All she wanted to do was get in my bed without me in it.  I finally talked her into letting me in my bed after about an hour.  She insisted it was RiRo's bed (as she calls herself).  For dinner she wolfed down two pieces of pizza, cottage cheese and blueberries, her favorite.  Unfortunately I had to make her cry when I finally insisted she sleep in HER bed.  Oh gosh, made me hurt to hear her cry for "Anny, Anny, Anny..." Finally, about 10:30 I went in for the 3rd time and she held her arms for me to hold her as she swiftly went to sleep on my shoulder.  This morning she is still asleep (it's 8 am).  I've painted and accomplished Day 1 of the 30 Day Painting Challenge that I'm doing AGAIN!  

Day 1 is of our sweet little Clayton.  I've had this picture for awhile and have wanted to paint him but just could not get it right but today...

I have Day 1 of the Painting Challenge under my belt.

Day 1 - "Clayton"

8x10 oil on senso linen canvas 

This sweet picture is one of the last Bri had of her little Opal BeBe.  I loved it and painted it for her for Christmas.

"Opal BeBe"

10x10 oil on canvas