Singing the Blues

 My darling husband is in memory care.  I miss him so much and have to wait a few more days before I go visit.  He needs to acclimate to his new surroundings.  I know this makes sense, but my heart is breakinging.  I have a niggling feeling that he might not remember me...

The days are dragging by.  I set up his room at memory care - it needs a little more love.  I painted two small works just for him.  He loves to look at my art - whether it's good or bad - makes no difference to him.

9x12 stretch canvas - texture added with heavy gesso - backgrounds painted haphazardly with acrylic paint.  Easy to see what my mood was when I started these.  Happily, my mood lightened once I got going.  I have a couple of floater frames that will make these look great on his walls.

Yellow Flowering Trees in SWFL

 I absolutely love the Tabebuia trees that are blooming now.  Gorgeous yellow flowers against a bright blue sky.  I just had to try and paint one from memory.

6x8 canvas board - textured gesso - acrylic background

construct tree

Add flowers

Finding/Making time to be creative

A couple of weeks ago, my husband came with me to do some grocery shopping.  We always have fresh flowers on our kitchen table.  It was his "job" to select some flowers.  He chose combo of red and yellow roses - perfect!

I used them as inspiration for a little 6x8 painting (acrylic)       

my photograph

Heavily textured gesso on canvas board.  Using only a single brush, first pass with color

Added dimension to the flowers using Liquitex Heavy Body acrylics smeared on with miniature spatula

                                          

War in Ukraine

 I cannot seem to stop thinking about the war going on in Ukraine.  I do not understand why this is happening.  My heart goes out to those fleeing, those staying, those fighting, those that have died.  It's such a senseless tragedy.

"War in Ukraine" 24x24 acrylic, abstract

Pray for Peace in Ukraine

 The war in Ukraine is so upsetting.  My problems fade in comparison.  I cannot imagine what these people are going through...

"She's NOT Unfinished - She's Just Getting Started!"

My 23-year-old granddaughter, Emily, modeled outfits in a retro fashion show last weekend. 

I loved the photo my daughter sent me so much, I had to paint it.  

My plan was to not paint the details of the outfit - just keep the outline.  I posed that possibility to my friends for their opinions.  One friend, Suzanne Sanger, opined "just the outline of the dress makes it far more unique and intriguing. I start imagining messages behind that decision. It makes me think. Something like, clothes may make the woman, but it’s the woman inside the clothes who really matters. Hence we see only her because the clothes are irrelevant."  Suzanne was able to articulate what I was thinking perfectly! Once it’s dry and sealed (oil paints), I’ll frame it and send it to Emily. 

original photo

draft drawing

(It was blind luck that the texture I created in the background followed the flow of the outfit.)

completed work (9x12 mixed media)

"Emily - She's NOT Unfinished - She's Just Getting Started!"