BASKET OF VEGGIES

Decided to try painting on small canvases for a bit.  This is a 4x5.  Was easy enough to hold in my hand, while painting.  Tiny brushes were necessary for the detail.

Clan Davidson Museum in Dingwall, Scotland

We went to Scotland last September....and yes it was this green!   Lynn and I took many photos.  One that I most wanted to paint was the pic of a sweet cottage.  This particular one resides on the property of Tulloch Castle......a place we stayed while in Dingwall.  This "cottage" was once a deer larder and since has been converted to the Clan Davidson museum.   You can read more about the history of the castle here: http://www.stravaiging.com/history/castle/tulloch-castle.

I started out spending too much time on the sky....trying to get it right.  After many weeks of painting, white-washing, erasing, etc., I finally realized that the sky was not the focus, though apparently I wanted it to be.  The sky was gray in the photo, though I remember some blue and clouds on that day.  Decided to make it what I envisioned.  I changed a lot of things from the original pic.  That is huge for me!  Being a realist, I want to make it just like the photo.  I am very happy with the results and feel good about sharing.  If you haven't been to Scotland,  I encourage you to do so.  Lovely people, beautiful landscape and wonderful vibes.

My parents gave me the gift of art lessons when I was 9 years old.  I rode the city bus by myself every Saturday morning from one side of the town to the other in the spring of 1958.  Huge endeavor for a 9-year old!  I took lessons from the sweetest "old" lady (she was probably in her 50's then) and when I look at this painting, I can still smell the oil paints in her studio.  This was a wondrous time for me and I am forever grateful that my parents gave me such a gift.  We didn't have a lot of money, but they felt I was worth it.  This was my first attempt at painting the human body.  I also painted portraits, still life, and landscapes under my teacher's tutelage.  But this was my favorite.  The only other art instruction I had was in HS.  I never pursued a career in it, though I was offered a scholarship at the community college in my hometown.  That would mean another 4 years at an all girl's college and by then I had had enough of all-girl's schools.  Besides, I had my sights on a certain someone that I wanted to marry and start a family with.  Over the years, I have played with painting/drawing and I am glad I had the opportunity early in life to learn some basics.  Thank you my parents!

Going With The Flow

This began at a workshop I attended where I learned to incorporate a different kind of canvas prep.  Happy to have stepped outside of my box to try some under painting with purples and reds for the background.  This was quite fun to work on and I am pleased with the results.  I am calling this "Going With The Flow", because I went with the flow when I painted this lovely swan floating in the water.

Whereabouts Unknown

This is the place where my Spokane family first met the cousins, aunts and uncle (from Seattle) we never knew. The name of this place is quite telling...........Whereabouts Unknown.  

My mother was adopted and always yearned to find her birth parents.  She died in 1984 at the young age of 57.  She tried her best to be happy with life, but there was always that underlying feeling of "being abandoned" within her.  Consequently life was difficult for her.  Sadly, my father discouraged her from searching for her parents. 

In 2002, my sister Karen was diagnosed with breast cancer.  We had not known of any cancer in the family prior to this....so my sister Barb Noe and I decided to do a search via the internet.  We were fortunate in that we had a copy of the adoption certificate with our birth Grandmother's name on it. With the help of a group of wonderful people, we found Mom's living brother Uncle Joe.  I contacted Uncle Joe and then my sisters and I traveled to Seattle to meet him.  We were greeted warmly by this man who looked so much like our brother Doug..  He was so emotional, saying that he always wanted a sister.....and that some conversations he overheard between his parents led him to believe that he did indeed have one.  I had an Uncle Bob, as well....but he also died young.  I won't go into the reasons why my mother was adopted .....it was the only recourse my Grandmother had at the time.  God Bless her.  

We did find a cancer gene in the end, and that was a good thing..  But the best news is that cousin Paula Purcell hosted a "Union" at Whereabouts Unknown 10 years ago, where most of the cousins met each other for the first time.  It was an amazing event especially for my family..always wondering about our "other family".  Twas the perfect environment for all of us to come together.  I will never forget that Union and I will always cherish this beautiful place.

.
This is a tole painting that I made for my mother in 1978 for her 54th birthday.  It was recently discovered in the attic of the house I grew up in.  It was delivered to my brother Doug via my brother-in-law Denny.  I had forgotten all about it.  I did a lot of tole painting in the '70's and gave many of them to friends and family as gifts.  What a memory this has brought back to me.

My mother became quite ill in the early 80's....so much so that Dad had to take steps to move out of the big house....and in to an apartment.  Dad eventually sold the house to our youngest sister Karen and husband Denny.  Together they raised three girls in this house.  Much of what Dad and Mom owned remained in the house.  Karen died in 2009.  Recently Denny has been in the process of moving from the homestead, in which many "relics" have been discovered.  This painting being one of them. 

Parc Monceau

I have never been to France.  Though I did get a taste of it while visiting St. Martin's French side.  I would love to go to Paris.  I am entering an art contest to win a trip there, so this is my endeavor.  A painting of Parc Monceau.   Would love to see it in person.