Brunch for the Swans

Have a group of women that have met for approximately 27 years each month to celebrate birthdays that fall in that month.  I had the lunch here and worked hard to have a varied menu. Could not have made the day without the serving prowess of Jean.  She was invaluable.
     Made up a cold soup that I want to share with you.  It was wonderful (I thought).  Will title it "Cold Creamy Tomato Soup"

Cooked in a pan with 3 T of olive oil-two large onions chopped, 2 carrots chopped, and 6 cloves of garlic chopped, 10 leaves of basil, until onions became translucent.  In my Blend Tek I blended two pounds of tomatoes and a couple of 8 oz cans of spicy tomato juice with the mixture of onions, garlic, carrots, and basil.  Then combined and blended with a pint of heavy cream.  Salt and pepper to taste.
Topped with a dab of sour cream mixed with who knows what, and a basil leaf.

One of our group of Swans, Sally, brought a couple of hand outs from my show in Granbury, and acted as my marketing director.  Should hire her.  Here is one of the paintings from the show that I have not referred to before:

What Could Be More Fun

than some of the teasing and jokes we pull on each other in the college classroom.
Someone had put this Care Bear in one of the schools outdoor sculptures.  For some reason they thought it was me.  I'll accept the responsibility, but it really was not me.  Had fun with one of my professors giving CB painting pointers.  Posed the two of them and did a three hour study of the two.  Battles is the profs name.     

The Opening of a Show

What could be more wonderful than to have an artist you have not seen for maybe a couple of decades send flowers to your opening reception with grand words of good wishes and then show up at the reception and buy one of your works ! ! !
 
What could be more wonderful than having a woman who bought a painting from an exhibition come to your show and introduce herself as the person who bought the painting and tell her story of how much she loves the painting to the entire gallery of people and then buy another painting! ! ! ! !

What could be more wonderful than seeing your children walk in with your daughter in laws Mother.  They have driven a long way to be there.

What could be more wonderful than having another artist you hold in high respect buy one of your paintings ! ! !

What could be more wonderful than having old school friends, old horse friends, friends from your Singles class of many years ago, your Sunday School friends that came from a long way, old art friends, old real estate friends come to your show.  My heart is muy heavy with appreciation and love.

This painting is one from the show.

UPCOMING SHOW AT TARLETON UNIVERSITY

The Show will actually be at:  (even though it is sponsored by Tarleton University)

Gordon House Gallery    
308 E. Pearl Street
Granbury, Texas, 76048

Time: June 27th - July 22nd, 2015

Reception:  June 27th     5 pm-8 pm
(I will be present)

And, on July 4th, Saturday, I will be demo-ing all that day.

I will have 30 NEW paintings for this show.  Hope to see you there.

How We Spend Our Days is How We Spend Our Lives

If you are waiting for everything to fall in place and all conditions be "ripe" and right to paint, to write, to practice piano or guitar, to clean out a closet, or organize a desk, that time will probably not  come.

My biggest irritation with my fellow man is the idea that one workshop, or one class, or one video will    make them a master of their craft.  I know we have all heard of 10,000 hours to produce a real artisan.  I am thinking that may be a fraction of the time required.  It is all a comparable measurement.  With 2,000,000 artists in California alone, just think of how many people are wanting to become artists.  And, just think how many of them are working and have been working for decades of their lives.  Their production has been consistent.  Their production has taken place with wise decisions and enthusiasm.

So, what I am saying is you had better be able to enjoy the preciousness of the journey.  Who knows when you become the Master of whatever you are trying to achieve, or when you are "successful".

Just had a 2nd cousin ride her motorcycle from the North and spend some days with me.  We talked non-stop.  What a great experience to get to know this cousin and her story.  Hope she came away with the same feeling.  We ALL have a story.  Some are tougher than others.  But, we all have a story.

Just doing a bit of reworking on this painting.  It  will still take some more strokes before I am happy with it.

This I Know for Sure ! ! !

Now don't accuse me of being toooooo opinionated, but this I know for sure:  From my trips over the world to paint and see other cultures, I  know everyone in the world wants the same thing:  love, security, some enjoyment in life, TO BE VALIDATED.  Even with the differences in our cultures, we can look past the superficial and relate to everyone.

When I did the renovation of an apartment and home in Belize through Habitat program I really got to know my families in Belize and realized the above, regardless of poverty.

Here is a painting done from a village in Belize.  Women carried the washing in these 5 gallon buckets, and they were heavy !

Just became a FEATURED ARTIST in Fine Art Services Online

This went out to right at 28,000 subscribers and I was mighty thrilled  to receive this recognition on FASO.  They used three paintings in the article from my web site, a landscape (Cross Country Skiing), a figurative (the painting of the man on the street in preceding post), and a still life (Apples, Glass, and Flowers).

Here is my latest painting of a Cyclist