Vincent van Gough's birthday

This is a sunflower painting I did awhile back.  I am posting it today in honor of Vincent van Gough's birthday.  He was born March 30, 1853.

A busy day yesterday!

In the morning Kay and I (with the help of my husband Roger) hung our exhibition paintings at the Ranch House Gallery at Agua Caliente Park.  Below are a few photos I took.  This will give you an idea of what you will see if you go to the exhibition.

 

 

 

 

Later in the afternoon I took the time to reorganize my studio.  I had to find places to store around 75 frames and some bowls and trays I had acquired over the past few weeks.  It wasn't easy but I did it.  I didn't clean much but just moved things around until I found a place for everything.  See the photos below to see how I got everything crammed into areas where I wouldn't trip over them but still be able to find things.

 

 

 

Empty frames and unpainted craft items means I must get busy painting!

Agua Caliente Park Ranch House Gallery

Click on the above flyer to get all the information on the exhibit I am doing with Kay Mitman at Ranch House Gallery at Agua Caliente Park.  If you have never been to the park now is the time to go.  It is an oasis in the desert with a lake and large shade trees. The weather is perfect.  I would suggest you pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the park and our exhibition in the Ranch House Gallery.

Three critter paintings

Below are photos of my three newest paintings for the Ranch House Gallery Exhibit which opens on Thursday of this week.  For some reason the photos have a washed out look and the colors are not as vibrant as on the original paintings.  I apologize for that.  I have so much to do that I don't want to take the time to re-take the photos.  You have seen other versions of these paintings before.  That is my dilemma....I love to create new and different subject matter but also I know what sells.  Since I don't do prints I do the most popular subjects over and over.  I have painted Equine Mystic four times this year.  One sold at a show and two were commissioned so this is number four.  Once this new exhibition opens I have a to do list.  The first is to clean my studio.  It is a mess!  Along with cleaning up the mess I have to reorganize everything.  Over the past few weeks I acquired a bunch of new frames and craft items from rummage sales and also was given some fames by Earl Wettstein's family.   I was the one who told him about getting frames from yard sales so they gave what he collected to me.  I thank them for thinking of me.  After everything is clean and organized I will start to paint again.  I  have no desert scenes so will start working on them first.  Since I draw the scene on a blank canvas no two are alike.  I have some ideas for new subject matter tossing around in my head so I want to work on getting them on canvas.  I have no new shows booked until fall so I should have plenty of time to get my inventory back up.  Wait!  I forgot that the first thing I have to paint before the desert scenes is an old saw that I am doing for my daughter and her husband.  I used to do them when we lived in Ohio.  This is the first one I've done in probably 20 years.  Every so often I do a throw back to the old days.  I'm still trying to make up my mind what to paint on it but one thing I know is it won't be a desert scene.  They live in the mountains so I know for sure it will have some pine tree.  In a few days I'll post information on the up coming show.

Hummingbird
11x14

Equine Mystic
11x14

                                                            Enchanted Gecko
                                                                 11X12

Best selling craft items

 

I had a number of calls the in the past few weeks from people interested in buying a Mexican Train Domino Station.  I had to tell them I was sold out but had 15 ready to paint.  I got busy and finished the last of them today.  I tried a few new patterns and used some old tried and true patterns.  I still have to apply the polycrylic but decided to take a photo before I did that because it will take a couple of coats and hours of drying time.  It has been maybe five years since I have been painting these and they are one of my best selling craft items.  My son Mark from Georgia makes them for me.   I will have to place another order because I know these will go fast and I will need more for the big Sun City Art Festival in November.

 

Three Southwest paintings in one

 

This is the finished collage type painting.  It is a combination of Equine Mystic,  Lady with Lilies, and Southwest Still Life with the addition of a Bible.  It is a commissioned painting and these are the images that were requested.  I haven't given it a title yet.  I have done other three in one paintings that I call "Images of Arizona" but these consist of saguaros and other cacti and a gecko.  This one is so different that I thought it should have another title.  Any suggestions?  You can give them in the comment section below.