Something Old and Something New and More

I have a friend who I met in 2007 when she purchased my first canvas painting that I entered in a contest where it won third place and the People's Choice Award.  Over the years she has commissioned me to do many paintings.  I have lost count on how many.  She comes up with the idea of what she wants and I do the painting based on those ideas.  After I am done with her painting I will do a similar painting to exhibit and sell.  Some of those paintings have become some of my most popular images.  Because she has so many of my paintings she rotates them.  She puts some in storage and changes them out with others.  She recently commissioned me to do a cactus painting and also gave me a painting that she bought from me years ago that no longer fits her decor.  She thought I might want to sell it.  I decided to not show it until I make the move to Michigan because it is not a Southwest style painting.  Here are both the new and old paintings.

"Trina's Cactus"

"Trina's Flowers"

I have continued to work on more Domino Train Stations.  I have 12 at the SAAG Gallery and have another 12 at home. Here are the ones I just finished.

I have a consultation this afternoon for another commissioned painting.  This will be something different.  It is based on an American Indian shirt.  I will see the actual shirt today and get the clients idea of what he wants.
  I have gotten busy since I announced our up coming move because people think this may be the last chance to get one of my paintings.  Although, I keep telling people that may not happen soon and I will probably be around awhile.  We plan on staying until our house here sells and so far it has only shown a couple of times.  Mid summer is not the best time to sell a house in Arizona.  Hopefully by fall when the snow birds come back it will sell.

Painted Pots

You know from my previous posts that our Arizona house is for sale and we will be moving to Michigan as soon as the sale happens.  Over the past  twenty years that we have lived here I have been collecting pottery in all shapes and sizes. When you are moving all of a sudden you realize how much "stuff " you have and decisions have to be made on what to take.  I know that I will not be decorating my new place in a southwest style so decided I would paint some of my pots and sell them.  I spent the past few days decorating some of the smaller pots will show them  in the SAAG Gallery.  I plan to price them between $10 & $15 depending on size.

I also have a box that I did as a demo in a class I taught a few years back that I kept for myself because I liked it.  I decided to sell it along with the pots.  The price on this will be $20.

I finished the painting I was commissioned to do but still  have to frame it.  As soon as I get that done I will show a photo of it in my next blog post.

More Mexican Domino Train Stations done.

Since I posted the information that we will be moving to MI after our house sells here I have gotten a few commissions.  Two of them are for domino train stations and one is for a painting.  I did the domino commissions and also did a few more.  I noticed I did not have any with a desert scene so I did four with that image.  Those always seem to sell fast.  One of the commissioned pieces was picked up before I had a chance to get a photo of it.  It was of four spirit horses on a blue background. Here are photos of the others.  The surreal saguaro is the sold piece.  The others are for sale.

I am working on the commissioned painting and should have it finished in a few days.  I'll post a photo when it is done.

The house has shown a couple of times since it went on the market last week.  No offers yet.  One couple thought it was too big and the other is unsure which retirement community they want to live in and after looking at many houses returned to NJ with out making a decision.  I'll continue to paint until we have a contract on the house.  Who knows how long that will take? I'll let you know when that happens and in the mean time you will see all my new paintings here.

Breaking News!

After 20 wonderful years in Arizona my husband and I have decided it is time for a new adventure.  At this time in our lives we would like to live closer to family so while we were on our trip last month we bought a house in Michigan where we have many family members.  We know we will be going back to four season weather which includes the cold and snow.  After living most of our lives in Ohio we think we can handle it again.

  Our house here in Oro Valley, AZ is now for sale.  I'm posting a photo of the house and  the sign with our realtor's contact information and also a link with  information on the house and more photos.  Please check it out and share with anyone who is interested in moving to one of the best retirement communities in AZ.   This is in Sun City Oro Valley which is in the Tucson area.  If you are interested contact me or our realtor.  Here is the link with information and many photos of the house.  http://www.estately.com/listings/info/14046-n-buckingham-drive

We do not plan to move until our house sells so I will continue to paint and sell my work at the SAAG Gallery and at home.  I will also be taking commissions so if you would like to special order something contact me at 520-824-6817 or rogpamd@msn.com

I have done some research and found there is an Art Guild in Three Rivers where we will be moving.  I hope to join the guild there and become active in the art community once we move.  I am looking forward to this new adventure!

Domino Train Stations

I started working on that huge stack of Mexican Domino Train Stations that Mark cut out for me.  If you are new to my blog and don't know what these are  for here is a photo that will show you how they are used.  The game of Mexican Train Dominos is very popular here in Tucson.  These "train stations" are the centerpiece of the game.  I have sold hundreds of them over the years.

They can also be used as a decorative wall hanging.  I put a small hanger on the back of each one.

Here are the six that I painted this week which will be going to the SAAG Gallery this afternoon.

I am not sure if I will continue to paint train stations or maybe work on some other items.  The new session at the SAAG Gallery starts in mid July so I might want to do some new craft items like small bowls.  I work at the gallery today so I will check my inventory and see what items I have sold and have to replace.

Two Gift Items

Here are two items I painted this week.  While on our trip my daughter-in-law, Sarah, who is married to Brian asked me to paint something for her with forget-me-nots.  Also, our son Mark who cuts the domino trains stations for me mentioned that he doesn't own one that I have painted.  I told him I would do one for him and his wife Leslie.  I asked what subject matter I should paint and he said anything I chose would be okay.  Since they have a collections of owls I decided that is what I would paint.  Here are photos of both items.

I think the "lovebird" owls is cute so decided to paint another train station with the same subject only in different colors.  I will sell it at the SAAG Gallery.  I will be painting train stations for the next few weeks,  I have close to 40 unpainted ones so they will keep me busy for awhile.

I'm Back from another trip

My last post was one month ago on May 14.  The next day we left for a 5300 mile trip across the country and back. We returned home on June 12. As you know, when I am traveling I pass time in the car by doodling.  I did 31 doodles on this trip.  I spent most of today scanning them into the computer and then compiling them onto sheets with similar subject matter.  Here are the seven sheets of doodles that I did on this trip.

My collection of doodles is growing and I still don't know what I am going to do with them.  I keep thinking I should make up note cards using the images but I haven't gotten around to doing that.  I have filled a number of sketch books with the original drawings and have many computer files of the scanned images but I have yet to do something with them except post them in this blog.

I should get back to painting soon.  Mark made 32 domino train stations that he gave me when we visited with him in NC.  That is what I will probably start working on next.  I have to get my mind out of traveling mode and back to painting mode.  I am sure my motivation to paint will come back soon.  I just need a few days to relax and unwind from the long trip.