Happy Sunday!

Lesson plans are done, so I thought I'd take a moment to say hi.  I painted the blue flowers, but I don't like the painting.  I may post it anyway.  I have to think about it:)  I'm going to be on summer vacation for the month of August.  Hooray!  I love school, but I'm looking forward to August.  I'm sure my students are, too. 

Did you know that Martine Alison has a show coming up July 29 to August 4 at the Renaissance Gallery?  Wouldn't it be fun to hop on a plane to France and meet Martine and see her paintings in person?  I love her art and I love her world!  Someday...

The only news here in Las Vegas is that it's hot, hot, hot!  We're used to it.  We try to have all outdoor activities done by 9:00 a.m. in July and August. 

I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday.  I'm coming around to visit your blogs.

More Flowers

Mary Oliver is one of my favorite poets.  I went into my art room to start a sketch and I found a copy of this poem.  I copied it from the Good Reads website so I could share it with you by using copy and paste rather than typing it myself:)

The sweetness of dogs (fifteen)

What do you say, Percy? I am thinking
of sitting out on the sand to watch
the moon rise. Full tonight.
So we go

and the moon rises, so beautiful it
makes me shudder, makes me think about
time and space, makes me take
measure of myself: one iota
pondering heaven. Thus we sit,

I thinking how grateful I am for the moon’s
perfect beauty and also, oh! How rich
it is to love the world. Percy, meanwhile,
leans against me and gazes up into
my face. As though I were
his perfect moon.”
― Mary Oliver 

This may be a sign that I should paint one of my furry children today, but I already had my mind set on painting some more flowers from my garden.  This is my next project. 



I started out by putting a full sheet on my board, but I'm switching to a quarter sheet.  I'm going to do something else on the full sheet.  I hope you are having a magical weekend!

While I'm Waiting for a Layer to Dry

I've had a wonderful week!  Last Saturday, Jim and I participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.  We didn't run the 5K, we walked it along with thousands of others.  It's an amazing feeling to be walking down the middle of Las Vegas Boulevard and other streets downtown with so many people to help raise funds to fight cancer.

I also received my very elegant, beautiful book from the very elegant, beautiful, sweet artist Martine Alison on Wednesday!  Oh, how I love the book!  To be able to enter the magical world that she has created on the pages of this book is such a special experience that I can't even find words to describe it.  Check out her blog on my sidebar  "Ma dollhouse joue un grand air de peinture" .  You'll be glad you did.

Last night we took my mom out to dinner for Mother's Day (a little early).  We went to Oscar's.  Have you heard of our wild former mayor Oscar Goodman?  He's quite a character.  We enjoyed our dinner, the view of Fremont Street was spectacular and Oscar was in the bar at the restaurant.  My mom loves him, but we didn't get to talk to him because he was with some people and we didn't want to interrupt.  Mom had a good time even if she didn't get to talk to Oscar.  The evening was a definite success.

Here's my WIP.

Happy Mother's Day! 

Not A Lot Accomplished Today, But...

I didn't get a lot done today, but I had to post.  I put a piece of paper on my board and decided what to paint next:)  Here is a photo of my next subject - a rose from the pink queen in our backyard.

I'm so glad that the days are longer.  During the winter, I feel like going to bed at dark which is about 5:00 p. m. 

Well, lesson plans are done, clothes are ironed, we've had dinner and it's time to put a book on the Kindle and read until I fall asleep.  Does that sound like a good plan?  Have a wonderful week and keep on making your lovely art!
 

If You Stand a Little Further Back...

If you stand a little further back - like maybe Tucson:)  Not quite finished with this one, but I wanted to post.  I have to keep painting and posting.  Otherwise, I won't get where I want to go.  I hope you're having a fabulous Sunday.  The weather here today is perfect - not too hot and not too cool.  The sun is shining and everyone seems happy.  I feel so sorry for my sister, Tammy, in Wisconsin - snow, snow and more snow!  I like snow, but at this time of year, I know everyone up north is ready for SPRING!

 

A Little More Progress

I worked a little more on my Red Rock scene.  I'll have time to finish it tomorrow.

 

WIP (Even a Little Progress Counts!)

I've started working on a painting of Red Rock Canyon.  Jim and I love the area.  It's about 30  minutes from our house.  I'm doing this from a photo that Jim took about 10 years ago.  I've got my sketch down and I've just started the first layer of color.  Even though I haven't gotten a lot done, I wanted to post so I stay in the habit. 

By the way, I gave Rosie and Briscoe each a bath today.  They look and smell terrific!