Gotta Love Summer....

Summer means really balancing work and family since my girls are out of school. And knowing how fast they grow and that my older 14-year old Caroline will be starting high school in 2 months is mind-boggling. So, I'm just taking it all in--the joys (and annoyances-ha!) of motherhood. My younger daughter, 10-year old Sarah still loves to chalk on the driveway. I love her precious sketches--she is such a talented artist! One day this week while at Wal Mart I passed by the little area of Crayola products and found some giant sticks of chalk and couldn't resist buying them. These are some of Sarah's masterpieces below.

Yesterday, I was taking Caroline and her friend Walker to the doctor for a camp physical and they were acting out some weird thing they saw on the web, and laughing hysterically, and it was driving me crazy. This is the video that they were mimicking...Now, I get it! It's pretty funny in a cooky way...

Macbook Pros are so cool!

Video iChat totally rocks when you're an identical twin living a thousand miles apart from each other! Thanks, Apple!! Claire and I are really close, and to discover this mode of communication where we can see each other in real time and talk is unbelievable! We just stare at each other sometimes. This screenshot is of Claire and her daughter Olivia...Just had to share! Be blessed!

Painting Painting...

Last night at 10pm, I challenged myself to start one last painting for my show coming up on Friday at Dragonfly Gallery in Fayetteville, TN. Carl Gleghorn, gallery owner (and FYI: former Aubie at Auburn University!) was scheduled to come this morning to pick up my work. So I started it and finished at 2am this morning. (The gazebo painting) Felt like old times in college when I had to pull all nighters in order to get studio work done. But today has been rough trying to be energetic--I'm no collegiate anymore! haha So these are scenes of Fayetteville--my signature funky expressionistic take on the beautiful downtown square. They are going to be on exhibit starting Friday at 5pm. Come on down to Dragonfly Friday night--I would LOVE to see you!

Click image to see them bigger...

Beautiful Madeleine!

The Greatest Workshop Students!

Last weekend was my first workshop to kick off my summer workshop season, and it was amazing. Ten students! I usually cap it off at fewer, but I had so many sweet people wanting to attend. They were such a blessing to me--reminding me how much I love to teach. We had an intense workshop for beginners. They learned about brushes, canvas, painted a color wheel, then each chose a photograph to paint a painting from. They did a fabulous job--every one of them! Enjoy some of the photos...

A new Hunstville student, Beth Mosier--she painted some awesome pears...look at the intensity in her face!

Her good friend Christie Hoffman painting so fast her arm is blurry--working on an abstract. Christie is already a talented painter...

Sandy from Birmingham did a fabulous job on her frog--don't you think?


Group shot of my students working hard!

The grand finale was when Guy McClure GAVE me a painting he painted of my BLISS magazine cover (from 2001). He did a fabulous job making me look prettier. haha! I'm thrilled to have Guy back in Athens from living in Prvidence, RI for many years. He is one awesome guy--very kind, cultured and talented. His mom was my first grade teacher too--LOVE her.


One happy painting teacher :)
Thank you--all of you who attended--you were great!

Look for my next workshops on my site in the workshops section.

Awesome Art House

Last night's Art House was faaaaaaabulous!! Thank you to all who came and shared themselves with one another through music, through photography, through painting and through being art/music lovers. It was so awesome meeting new people and professionals in the same field as me!

The food and drink you brought was fantastic as well. We heard from fine musicians along with my band Sister Grace and members of the band Redwood Hill playing awesome bluegrass on their upright bass and banjo! The beautiful floral arangements were done by L & G Home and Wedding Decor--I don't know that I've seen more beautiful arrangements....My friends Marcia and Joy get the "came from the furthest distance awards"--Marcia came from Gadsden and Joy came from Birmingham. Art is such a wonderful thing to celebrate in the midst of all else going on. This sentiment reminds me of one of my favorite quotes. It's by George Bernard Shaw, "Without art, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable." Thanks again everyone! Look for the next Art House to come again soon! Be blessed.

Redwood Hill with singers Mark (of Tortilla's Blanco) and Leslie, my assistant.
And also, Stephanie Fenton of Sister Grace adding her guitar.

Awesome flowers by L & G Home & Wedding Decor!

My friend model Marcia Whitaker from Gadsden (shot by Carla Swinney)


Joy Dorriety and me--Joy came from Birmingham!


The best name tag last night! :)


My friend Carla Swinney and her friend Brennen, who played drums for a song!

Art Workshops!

They're filling up! My workshop this coming Saturday is full. If you wanted to do it and missed out, then don't hesitate to sign up for the next one that is a 2-day workshop. It is fit for beginners as well as for those who have had a class with me already. It's going to be very intense and offer more time to paint


Read more info in the WORKSHOPS section on my site.

PAINTING WORKSHOPS:

Saturday, May 19th: FULL
Adult Beginner Painter
10-2 with a lunch break
Supplies included
$125

Monday - Wednesday, June 11-13
Kids Art Camps!
Kids ages: 5-7 : 9am - 10:30
$95
Kids ages 8-15: 11am - 2pm
$125
Supplies & Snacks included

Friday & Saturday, June 15-16
Adult Beginner Painter
Plein Air (Outdoor Painting) & Studio
Supplies included
$295