Roger's latest project

A few weeks ago our next door neighbors asked Roger if he would install a backsplash in their kitchen.  After a couple of trips to Lowe's to choose the tile and three days of work here is the finished product.  After seeing how nice it came out we are thinking of replacing the counter and sink in our master bath and adding a backsplash.

These are the same neighbors that Roger did some stained glass windows for a couple of years ago.  Here is a photo.

These windows are in their guest bedroom that is in the front of the house.  I reality the top one which faces the street is quite large and the bottom one which is on the side of the room is much smaller.  I wish I could get better photos of the windows Roger makes but it is very hard to get a good image of stained glass.

5 Domino Train Stations

I had a full day at home yesterday to work in my shop.  I spent six hours painting and was able to complete the five commissioned train stations.

The first one is for a lady who is visiting here from MI. She requested a quail family.

The other four are for a local couple.  They wanted each one to have a saguaro and a different southwest critter.  I went with a roadrunner, quail, gecko and coyote.  I still have to apply the polycrylic and the hangers to finish them off.

I am caught up with my commissions and am ready to start working on five bowling pins that will be presented to the members of this years winning team on the bowling league I belong to.  I have to have them done for our bowling banquet which is at the end of April.  I will work on them on and off between other projects so that I don't get bored working on the same thing.  I have tossed around a number of ideas of how to paint these pins and have decided to keep with a southwest theme and do my signature saguaro along with the league name and 1st place team.

The butterfly series continues

Here is the project I finished yesterday.  It is a former cigar box size nine and three quarters by seven and a half by two inches tall.  It will join my butterfly collection that I will show at the spring exhibition at the SAAG Gallery.  I think the next addition to this series will be a small tray.

Today I will work on the 5 commissioned domino train stations.  My ambition is to get them all completed by this evening.  It is possible if I don't get many interruptions and stay off of the computer.  It is now 8:45 AM.  I want to start work at 9 so I better end this post now.  Lets see how much I accomplish today.

Bear Cabin Inn

This is the first of the commissioned train stations.  A friend belongs to a quilt group that has a retreat in the White Mts. each year at the Bear Cabin Inn.  She requested a domino train station in brown with a bear and a couple of small pine trees with Bear Cabin Inn.  I think this fits that description.  I took the photo before I applied the polycrylic to avoid that reflection that I get from the flash.  I had not erased the chalk lines which I noticed after I took the photo.  Those will be gone in the finished product.

The project I am working on now is something for my butterfly series.  I had started it before I got the domino shipment and took a break to prep the commissioned domino train stations and paint the one above. Since the other people are not in a hurry I decided to complete my butterfly box before I work on the other domino train stations.  I should probably finish the box today and start work on the train stations tomorrow.  I like being busy!

What is a domino train station?

I was asked "what is a domino train station?"  If you play Mexican Train Dominos  you know that you start your personal train from a center spot on the table.  Some sets of dominos come with a dinky little plastic station.   Years ago a friend gave me a pattern for a large center station.  I had my son Mark, who lives in GA and  does wood working as a hobby, cut some for me.  Over the years I have sold hundreds of them.  If you read my last post you know I am sold out but I should get a shipment of about 25 today!  I'm posting a couple of photos.  One of a single train station and one of about 24 that I took to the Sun City Art Festival this past November.

I want to mention that I put a small hanger on the back of each train station so that you can hang it on the wall when you are not using it to play.  Also, many people who do not play dominos buy them just for decoration.  The shape has a very Southwest look.

Paintings that sold this week

This was a good week for me.  I sold a number of paintings, one at the SAAG Gallery and three at home.  I also sold my last two domino train stations and took orders for 6 more.  The timing was perfect.  My son Mark from Georgia cuts them me.  He just finished 24 of them and has shipped them so they should arrive next week.  Here are the paintings that I sold.

This is "Cowgirl Dream".  It is one of my more recent paintings.  I never had a chance to show it at the gallery or exhibition.  I had a group of people come to the house to purchase domino train stations and while here they also bought some paintings.  I will have to do another version of this one to have for a show.  The size of this painting is 8X20.  For some reason it looks smaller in the photo.

I also sold a "Classic Desert Scene" size 8X10.  I have painted so many of them that I am not sure which one I sold so this may not be the exact painting but if it isn't, the one that sold would be similar.

The last one I sold at home is another 8X10 titled "Sepia Cactus".  It is one of my favorites and I have sold many versions of it in various sizes in the past.

The painting I sold at the SAAG Gallery is "Desert Beauty" and is 11X14.  In most cases when I sell something at the gallery I don't know who bought it.  I like the personal contact I get when I know the buyer. Unless I am working the gallery when I sell something I miss out on getting to know who bought the painting.  It was nice to sell the ones at home because I was able to establish a personal relationship with the new owners and will have contact with them in the future because they commissioned the domino train stations.  

I got a new apron!

My old painting apron was getting pretty messy looking so I ordered a new one online and it came today.  I wanted to show it when it is nice and clean.  The bright apple green makes me happy!  I had painted the old one with flowers to use as a cooking apron many years ago but at some point it became my painting apron.  I guess I spend more time painting than cooking.  Anyway it was time for a new one which I will not decorate.  I will let the paint I spill be the decoration.  It will soon look like an abstract painting.

  I don't have any new project to show today.  I am currently working on my exhibition painting and will not show that until after the Double Exposure show opens in April.  I think tomorrow I will post photos of some paintings I sold this week.

 Time to get back to work wearing my new apron.  Happy, Happy, Happy!

Butterfly Bowl

I mentioned a few posts back that I made a decision to do a "butterfly" series of paintings.  In that post I showed "Flight of Fancy" which is a painting on canvas.  My next addition to the series is a fairly large bowl.  It is 15" in circumference and stands 4" high.  I love the scalloped design.  I am showing two photos.  The first is when it was a work in progress.  The butterflies have the base coat of color but no decorations.  The second photo shows the completed bowl.  There is a reflection from the flash because I applied the polycrylic before I took the photo.  Usually I take a photo before the polycrylic finish to avoid the flash reflection but I forgot this time.  I tried to make the the butterflies and gold lines compatible with the canvas painting. Scroll back a few post to see it.

I am currently working on a number of projects.  I have started work base coating a canvas for the "Double Exposure" Exhibition which opens early April at the Toscana Gallery.  I also have a canvas that has been prepped for awhile on which I am transferring the pattern..  This will be a critter painting that I will probably show at the SAAG Gallery in April.  I also want to base coat a box for the butterfly series.  I have a commission for a domino train station that is due early March but I am still waiting for my shipment to come in before I can start it.  One more job I have to do is paint 5 bowling pins for trophies for our bowling league.  The banquet is mid April so I have lots to keep me busy.  Speaking of bowling....I had a 220 game last week and a 204 game this week.   I have a 150 average and struggle to keep it.  Having a 200+ game is a big deal so doing it two weeks in a row is very special!

Another Pair of Painted Boots

I based coated a bowl to ready it for the butterfly pattern I plan to paint on it.  While I was waiting for it to dry I decided to decorate another pair of cowgirl boots.  I dug around in my closet and came up with these black Harley Davidson boots.  I decided to go colorful on this pair.  Here is what I did.

Now I am heading back to my shop to start painting butterflies on the bowl.  It is rather large and there are lots of butterflies so it may take a number of days to complete.  I'll post photo when it is done.  Oh by the way....Happy Valentine's Day!

Flight of Fancy

In my last post I made the decision to do a butterfly painting.  I got the inspiration from the frame which somehow reminded me of butterfly wings.  I must say I really enjoyed everything about doing this painting from drawing the pattern to color choice and decorating the butterflies.  I was very happy with the results and have decided to do a butterfly series.  I plan to do a bowl and box and maybe a tray all of which will be covered with butterflies.  I will feature them at the next session of the SAAG Gallery which will start at the beginning of April.  I hope there are lots of butterfly lovers out there who would like to own these paintings.  The size of the above painting is 20X8.  Look for more butterfly paintings to come.

Saguaro Serving Board

I base coated this board a long time ago so decided I should finally paint it.  Since it is long and skinny it was perfect for a saguaro.  Size is 28 inches long which includes the handle by only 5 inches wide. It is not a cutting board and not a tray.  I decide to call it a serving board.  I can picture using it to serve a long loaf of French bread.  Another idea could be using it as a centerpiece for a dinner party.  I would set salt and pepper shakers and a butter dish on it or maybe a couple of clear glass candle holders. It would look great with Fiestaware dishes in multiple colors on a lime green tablecloth,   It is definitely a conversation piece!

I am not sure what my next project will be.  I think maybe I'll do a canvas painting.  I have a canvas prepped but have not decided what my subject will be.  It too is long and skinny and will go in an interesting gold frame.  There is something about the design of the frame that makes me think of butterflies so I should probably go in that direction.  It was my first instinct when I saw the frame.  I think I'll head off to my shop and start designing a butterfly pattern right now while I'm inspired and in the mood.

Phantom Herd Tray

It has been over a week since my last post.  I have have been working on a special project for the "Double Exposure" Exhibition which will happen in April.  I will not post photos of the project until after the exhibition opens.  I will have two entries.  I am still in the planing stage for the other entry.  Since I have plenty of time I decided to work on other things before I tackle the other exhibition painting.

I have sold a number of things at the SAAG Gallery so decided to work on replacement items.  The photo below is of a 12" square tray.  My subject is a painting I did on canvas in the past. I sold 3 of them so decided to do it in a small version on a craft item.  It is called "Phantom Herd".

The other item I finished is something you have seen many times before.  It is one of my best sellers.  I have painted this rose on canvas, trays, plates, and bowls many times and they all have sold!  Size of this plate is 8 inches in diameter.