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“When They Walked Together”

3ft x 4ft oil on canvas. Work in progress

These are my kids: #3, #2, #1, and #4. I threw this painting together in a day. I painted the poppies the way I remember them, a blanket of red! I finished this painting and hung it up. I didn’t love it. I love my kids, I love the Camino, I love poppies, but I don’t love it all together. I finally put it back on the easel and asked myself the hard question, why didn’t I like it? I decided the poppies were a problem, there is just too much going on in this painting. Getting rid of all those beautiful flowers felt like cleaning out a too full closet and having to part with GOOD stuff. It was a little sad, but I painted over them anyway. I redrew the hill behind the kids I greyed the entire background down. The painting already feels better to me. Now what??? When I am focused on getting a drawing right, I often forget to be painterly, so the figures look cut out and collaged in. I’ll see if my next painting session can fix that:)

About this series: Our family of 6 walked the Camino de Santiago in 2023, and my husband and I returned with our girls in 2025. I’m painting the journey—one memory at a time—and I hope you’ll follow along as I prepare for an art show in fall 2026.

Posted on by paintandsimple

Caleb

14”x11” oil on linen
Arts and Medicine. Baylor Hospital. Dallas, TX
I’m painting the little one next time! It was a super fun painting to do, the staff and patients loved watching it come to life!
Posted on by paintandsimple

Cows and Clouds

11”x14” oil on panel
8” square oil on panel
11”x14” oil on panel

Workshop day 2 we painted cows and clouds, and talked about value and composition! It was a good day.

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Arts and Medicine – Alison Read, Harpist

11×14 oil on panel – painted from life

There are days when all the stars align and you get to do something really, really special. Today was one of those days for me. The Arts and Medicine program at Baylor Hospital is one of the things I love most about Dallas. It is made up of art therapists, music therapists, artists and musicians. Sometimes, I get to paint when one of the musicians is playing. Today, was one of those really special days. The AMAZING Alison Read played a harp concert just for me, while I painted her! Ok, it wasn’t just for me, it was for all the patients, doctors, and caregivers in the hospital. It felt like it was just for me. I will attach a video of Alison’s beautiful music. What I didn’t capture was her amazing laugh, it fills spirits like a helium tank. I floated out of the hospital today:)

P.s. I painted that tiny bit of Harp peeking out behind her head to look like a halo on purpose. 😇

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Spring Under the Clouds

8″x4″ original oil on panel

Available $75

As I painted this I thought “Oh Texas, You should always dress in wildflowers. They are so becoming on you!”

💕 Please enjoy a celebration of pink paintings this month, in honor of breast cancer awareness. I paint for my friends and family who have fought the good fight against cancer, for their families, and for all caregivers who help along with the journey toward a healthy self (body, soul, and spirit). In my strokes of pink, are prayers of strength and healing.