Show is a Week Away

December 6th, Sunday, from 6-9 Reception, will be the Show at BLUEBONNET FUNERAL HOME,  5725 Colleyville Blvd., Colleyville, Texas, 76034.

I will have 40 NEW paintings and 30 sale paintings (demos and quick draws).  Don't Miss This.

Bluebonnet Funeral Home asked me if I would like to do this and am loving working with them.  Dee McIntosh has been my connection person.

So after a wonderful Thanksgiving at the Hunter and Liz Hardy home (16 of us there) and getting my Christmas decorations up on the following rainy Friday, sharing a wonderful time after dancing with Corky, having dinner with Ppac Group at Paulas's and viewing her new library  am getting the last paintings into frames and documented for the show.

Here are a couple of new paintings:

Scams and Fraud

Be smart and don't fall for the many scams and fraud that abounds in this world we live in, both via the internet and our telephones, and on the street.  Just in the past week, I have had two on my doorstep.
  Had a telephone call come in six days ago that a "legal matter" was pending and to immediately get back to them.  Tele number given and case number given for referral.  I was also told that I would have no longer than 24 hours to respond.  Each day another call comes in.  Today was my "final chance" to rectify the situation.
  I immediately did my homework and went to the internet to check on scams.  Found the exact scam plus a variety to others.  Called a Son and he verified he had been approached with a similar one.

And, in this same week, had a woman from the panhandle of Texas write me an email that she had seen a "hand painted, genuine oil painting, unframed still life" of mine on Ebay that she was going to buy but determined it to be fraud.  Appreciated the alert from her.

.  Sellers were from China and had two more of these paintings.  She saw my name on the signature and looked me up on internet and found me.  The painting is on my web site,   www.AnnHardy.com  
  Went to Ebay and notified them of fraud and copyright infringement and gave the number of the still life.  Recognized some of the other paintings that were being reproduced fraudulently and emailed other artists.
  The above is not the painting, but one I have just done for upcoming show.  Hope to see you Dec. 6th from 6-9 pm at Bluebonnet Funeral Home, 5725 Colleyville Blvd, Colleyville, Texas.

Sometimes Paintings Resurface

This painting came back with a couple of others over the internet from J. Henderson.  She bought some ten paintings in the late 60's from the Starving Artist Shows that I was doing every week end.  She gave some away as gifts and kept some.  What an appreciated collector she was.
  Let me tell you about those few years of Starving Artist Shows.  I would load car up and head out every Friday or Saturday morning for a day, sometimes week end of selling.  Because I was selling so incredibly many paintings, I set a goal of 20 new paintings a week.  Because they were all still wet, they had to be in frames.  So, I was painting 5 a day for four days and then framing them on last day and loading my car or horse trailer.  Never will I make that kind of money again (bought the 20 acres in Colleyville with sales dollars, bought horse trailer,  put the road in to the 20 acres, and bought a four stall barn that was later enlarged.)  Nor, will I ever want to work that physically hard again.
  Evelyn Schmedt was my running buddy.  Can't tell you the giddy times we had sitting in the middle of a floor and pulling the money, checks from various areas of

our clothes, and counting.  Sometimes we were so tired on the way home that we would stop our cars, get out and run around the car, breathe deeply, chew ice, drink coffee to keep our eyes open.
  The years were 1969-1973.  Then I slightly retired from painting when we moved to Colleyville and the next stage of life opened up:  children in upper grades, horses, and the Chamber of Commerce.
  Thanks to J. Henderson for sharing the past.

While Living Life You Meet Some Mighty Special People

  I use Market Street on a regular basis.  Many years ago I met the person below that became the Produce Manager.  Immediately knew he was a helpful, kind, and a very sweet human being.  Watched his dreads grow over the years and then last year told him I wanted to paint him.  Two weeks ago he told me he was leaving Market Street, so I rushed home, got my camera, came back to  the store and set up the painting.  Loaded his arms with pumpkins, corn, and a butternut squash, pulled his dreads over his shoulder and took some photos.

The store just doesn't seem the same without his cheery presence.  Know his fellow workers feel the same.

Hold the December 6th date

Bluebonnet Hills Cemetery and Funeral Home is giving me a RECEPTION on Dec. 6th, from 6-9 pm at their location on 5725 Colleyville Blvd., Colleyville, Texas, 76034.  I will have 30 NEW paintings and some great oldies of demos and studies.

Here are a couple of NEWBIES:

Ahhhhhhh LIFE. WHAT BLESSINGS ! ! ! ! !

This week end, packed up my most adorable dog, Trudy, and headed for Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where we spent a couple of days reuniting with wonderful friends of many decades ago. (seen many of them over the years at same reunion, but, somehow it seemed more special this year). My Junior year roomy, Kathleen, was driven over from Austin by Carol.  These two women have been a great contribution to the world.  It is definitely a better place for their being in it.  Got to see my Granddaughter, Madison, and she looked glowingly beautiful. She even had the courage to take me to her apartment and show it off. Got to meet her roommate. Met and talked with Dr. Berger, SU President, and I told him I had a Granddaughter there and he quickly corrected me that she was not a freshman, but a sophomore, and her name was Madison Hardy. He even remembered giving her a ride in his golf cart to an early breakfast at the commons.

 The week end before I went out to the Ft Worth Nature Center and painted at Stormy's home there.It is located in the middle of the Center with a 12 foot fence around their place to keep the critters out of one of the most wonderful gardens.While there I painted tomatoes, shown below, and came home with some of the best yard long green beans (ate the entire amount in one sitting that very night), tomatoes, and huge sweet potato. Stormy ended up chatting with me for almost an hour as I painted her tomatoes. Beautiful day in a beautiful place with a beautiful person.

Downsizing Your Home

I have a son, Hunter, who this past year sold their (He and Liz's) home of too many square  feet on a couple of acres and bought less than half the square footage in a gated community. The Reason for selling is because two daughters have married and the third is in Southwestern University.  The maintenance of a large lot and swimming pool had become excessive in time and money, especially time..

  Now someone else is responsible for exterior maintenance and lawn care.  He and Liz are free to do more travel and enjoy a simpler life.  LOVE this thinking.