The "Advil" time of year

I heard a story this year at a Christmas Eve eve service. 
     "A little boy was asked if he knew what the name was for this special time of the year.
     He quickly replied, Of course, it's called Advil." 
What he meant was Advent, but there was still some truth to his answer.

We get busy ... dare I say overwhelmed with all that needs to be done and all that we think needs to be done.  There are trees, decorations and lights to buy and put up. There are gifts to buy, wrap, and mail. Cards to write and address, and send.  Food to plan, make and serve. Then dishes to wash and more dishes to wash.  AND then we get to undo everything and put our house back to "normal."



LEFT: Adoration of the Shepherds - Lorenzo Lotto
RIGHT: Detail


I hope you had a little spare time to reflect, be still and enjoy.  Hopefully you heard from friends across the miles and enjoyed catching up. Perhaps you shared a text and picture of your Christmas with someone who cares. Maybe like me you sat quietly and enjoyed the centuries old Christmas carols played on a pipe organ and heard the telling of the Christmas story once again.


I also got to experience the beauty of the Christmas story in art this season.  My friend, Sara, shared a "new" (to me) old painting that has a very special appeal.  I'm passing it on to you.  I hope you appreciate and enjoy it too.


Stay tuned...it just might become one of my paintings next year. I have a vision for this one.

It's a Miracle!

Last year at Christmastime, I experienced a very special Christmas miracle.  After living in my house for 8 years, I saw for the first time a beautiful silhouette "posted" on my wall.  I looked and looked and never saw it again. It happened just one time...and that's part of what made it so special. I couldn't explain it or figure it out. With the angle of the sun in the winter, it shouldn't have happened. I couldn't predict it. Nor could I re-create it.    It was beautiful and it came at a time when I was struggling. It was just for me!


                           2013                                                               2014


...December 12th 2014:  It happened again!  I must admit that this year I was looking for it.  As a matter of fact all  year long I have looked for ways that God breaks into my life.  I have been surprised over and over again.  Notice the difference?  Again I saw it only this one time.  I tried on other days, but it was not to be found.  That's okay.  I am glad it's not reoccurring or predictable.  It's more special to be surprised!

Au Naturale

A couple of weeks ago, I enjoyed a wonderful morning at the Downing House here in Denver. I spent the time with like-minded women of faith and met and made some new friends. An extra bonus was that it was a beautiful day and the grounds are a sight to behold.  I actually walked up to this tree on the patio because I had to see if the "decorations" were real or not. They were so perfect but yet not like anything I had seen in a store.  I wondered where they got them.  I was almost surprised to that it was "au naturale" ... hand-decorated by the Creator.

NEVER LOSE AN OPPORTUNITY

FOR SEEING ANYTHING

THAT IS BEAUTIFUL;

FOR BEAUTY IS GOD'S HANDWRITING

--A WAYSIDE SACRAMENT.

WELCOME IT IN EVERY FAIR FACE,

IN EVERY FAIR SKY,

IN EVERY FAIR FLOWER,

AND THANK GOD FOR IT AS A CUP OF HIS BLESSING.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

My First Plein Air Experience...and my only one.

While teaching a workshop this past weekend I mentioned the story of my one-and-only experience of plein air painting.  The response of my students was "You need to tell that story."  So here you go...you can blame it on them.

Painting en plein air had been on my "to do" list for quite some time.  But needless to say, I wasn't going to do that in the middle of winter or when it's rainy or the conditions were very much less than perfect.  Well one day in early fall, it seemed right.  The rabbit brush were just about at the end of their beautiful color and I needed to hurry if I was going to paint them.  My inspiration was Clyde Aspevig's beautiful work.  He is one of my all-time favorite living painters and he did a beautiful one of rabbit brush.

So loading all my paraphernalia, I headed out to the spot I had scoped out earlier.  It was mid afternoon and the heat was approaching 100 degrees.  I parked the car and set up in front of a nice view, spread out my paints on the pallet, and started painting.  Before long the sweat was dripping down my back and I had a bad case of "hat-head."  Because I'm a slow and deliberate painter, I could barely keep up with the changing light.  Very frustrating! Then the wind came up and blew my paper pallet ladened with paint creating a huge mess.  I was covered with paint from head to toe...big globs of paint, not little smudges.  But I persevered until the legs of my easel began to telescope back inside themselves and the height of my easel would have worked well for a "little person."  With that, I decided to call it a day.  So at least I can say, "I did it."  And here's what I got...

My inspiration: Clyde Aspevig's Painting

My first attempt at plein air painting

The rest of the story...At Saturday's workshop, I was reminded by my own class material of what Clyde Aspevig said about his plein air work.  At the end of a week of teaching in France, he only chose to show 10% of his work.  The rest he considered to be "dogs that he wouldn't let out of the kennel."
Hmmm!

A Very Special Celebration

If you celebrated the 4th of July, you undoubtedly enjoyed a holiday from work, spent time with family and/or friends, headed to the pool or the beach or the ballgame, and had some variation of hamburgers & hotdogs, corn on the cob, and watermelon. Perhaps you even ended the day with some fireworks.

This year, the highlight of our celebration actually occurred a few days earlier.  On June 30th our son-in-law, William, became a U.S. citizen in a very special and moving ceremony.  There were 37 new citizens from 21 different countries.  They included Australia, Canada, Colombia, Ghana, Korea, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal, Poland, and Tibet to name just a few. Again I was reminded of the diversity, freedoms, and opportunities that are ours in these United States. These newest citizens certainly reminded me once again of what we so often take for granted.

It's History

This is Jack and his family & a friend.  Jack is a serious art critic who loves my work and visits me regularly.

2 visitors help keep the flood waters out of my tent.

The 2014 SUMMER ART MARKET is history.  I had a great show...sold 17 paintings! Reconnected with old friends and made some new ones. I especially enjoyed spending the 2 days with my daughter and BEST HELPER, Casey. Swapped stories and dealt with the rising water with 2 lovely ladies all while hunkered down under the cover of my tent. Survived the rain (barely), and appreciate the friend and family who got soaked dismantling my display and tent in the pouring rain. It's all good.

Diehard art-lovers are NOT deterred.

The clouds are beautiful, but full of rain.

Remembering D-Day

Today is June 6th and we celebrate the men who fought and died 70 years ago on D-Day (the landing at Normandy). I am reminded in a very special way today by my French family and friends who keep the memory alive and are always eager to express their thankfulness to us, their American liberators.  My Dad was one of them.


My cousin, Jean Pierre, wrote to express his deep and heartfelt gratitude.  He was only about 5 years old at the time, but he remembers the joy of his parents when the GIs rolled into their little village in southeastern France in the army green jeeps.


The image above comes to you from my friend, Philippe, who has such a knack for photography.  The image was taken at one of the anniversaries of the liberation of Metz.  The beauty and message are shared with you too.


REMEMBER and ENJOY our freedoms!