7″x5″ oil on panel. Sunrise. Ouchita Trail, AK. 7:03am 36• F.

No•20201

24″x48″ mixed media

And we jump into the next decade! I remember when my oldest was a young lad, and I figured out he would graduate in 2020, seems like yesterday and so long ago, both. And here we are, ready to face another decade.

Instead of making a resolution for next year, I challenge you to think bigger:

Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.

14″x11″ pastel on sanded paper

They are all over the world, running, for their lives, holding on to what they can.

I have never seen a Christmas pageant that includes the part of the story where the wise men decide to go home another way, and King Herod, feeling threatened by a baby who may one day overpower him, has all the babies under the age of two killed in Bethlehem.

Yesterday was the feast of the Innocents. I remember them, and that poor mother, who traveled by foot and donkey 90 miles to fill out some government paperwork, then gave birth in a barn, and while there hosted King’s and dignitaries (yes I am sure it was an honor, but remembering my own days postpartum, the idea of this feels stressful to me) then she had to flee to Egypt to save her baby.

I painted this refugee as a mix of modern and ancient. She is Mary and a young Syrian mother. The background could be hills, or UN refugee tents. I painted her tired, panting, with cheeks flushed from the cold.

For the innocents who didn’t make it, and the ones still on the run, I remember you today.

4″ square oil on canvas

Thanks to everyone who came to my sale Saturday! It was a wonderful day for me to connect with old and new art collectors! I got lucky with the BEST spot and the sale and perfect weather. I am grateful for both. If you live out of town or missed my sale I have much more art than is in my website store, so feel free to reach out to me and let me know what you are looking for. Art, especially small art, makes wonderful (easy to ship) gifts!

4″ square oil on panel

$35 message me if you want to buy

Who in your life needs a little sunshine? This guy makes me smile every time, he effects me like sunshine on canvas. Wouldn’t this or a similar painting brighten up a bedside table or desk? These small square paintings are lovely framed or propped up on an easel and look delightful in a grouping of frames.

I will have over 300 original works of art available at the Northaven Garden Holiday art market. This coming Saturday December 7, 9am-5pm. As many locals Dallas folks know, our beloved Northaven garden center was destroyed in the recent tornado. Help me by supporting their rebuilding efforts and come out to the sale which will be hosted at Northaven Church: 11211 Preston Road, Dallas, TX 75230.

If you ever wanted to become a collector of my art I will have great SALES at this market. For example these little 4″ paintings will be priced 2 for $50. They are the perfect small gift for that person who has everything, a very full house, and loves nature. I will have many birds, wildflower paintings, and New Mexican landscapes.

4″ square oil on panel

$35 – SOLD

It has been a busy season for me, and I have painted 100 paintings I haven’t posted. Many of those paintings are small works that are part of my Birds and Bees Series.

I will have over 300 original works of art available at the Northaven Garden Holiday gift sale! This coming Saturday December 7, 9am-5pm. As many locals Dallas folks know, our beloved Northaven garden center was destroyed in the recent tornado. Help me by supporting their rebuilding efforts and come out to the sale which will be hosted at Northaven Church.

If you ever wanted to become a collector of my art I will have great SALES at this market. For example these little 4″ paintings will be priced 2 for $50. It is the perfect small gift for that person who has everything, a very full house, and loves nature. These paintings are lovely framed or propped up on an easel and look delightful in a grouping of frames. These little paintings are a great way to put joy on a bookshelf or desk!

20″x16″ mixed media on paper

Today I painted during a breast cancer luncheon at Baylor Hospital in Dallas,TX

The theme of the last luncheon was “fight against cancer”, so I was tasked with what that might LOOK like. If you would like a behind the scenes of how I decide what to paint, keep reading…

My 7th grade daughter was doing homework last night and she had to write a 15 line poem. 8 lines in, she stalled. “I should look at my free write” she said. Free write! That was what I needed to do.

What does fight against cancer look like? Hmmmm. Well I know what not fighting would be: defining yourself as a disease. Becoming isolated. Stop being who you are and start being a person with cancer. Dying. So would would fighting it look like? Radiation. Chemo. Low sugar diet. Being present. LIVING. What does fighting look like? What does cancer look like?

Fighting is research, study. Microscope? Books?

Fighting is running race foe a cure together!

Doctors, nurses. Having faith.

What about being literal-

Breast cancer cells look a bit like a blob, if I were creative, the boogie man. That didn’t work for me. What about genes, could I play with that? Cancer seems evil, what about the dragon being an archetypal symbol for evil?

Fighting: guns. No too scary. Maybe…Karate, or boxing – kick boxing!

And so I started to find an image I could play with.

And it is PINK is breast cancer’s color so I knew I would use that.

20″x16″ mixed media on paper

Today I painted during a breast cancer luncheon at Baylor Hospital in Dallas,TX

The theme of the last luncheon was “fight against cancer”, so I was tasked with what that might LOOK like. If you would like a behind the scenes of how I decide what to paint, keep reading…

My 7th grade daughter was doing homework last night and she had to write a 15 line poem. 8 lines in, she stalled. “I should look at my free write” she said. Free write! That was what I needed to do.

What does fight against cancer look like? Hmmmm. Well I know what not fighting would be: defining yourself as a disease. Becoming isolated. Stop being who you are and start being a person with cancer. Dying. So would would fighting it look like? Radiation. Chemo. Low sugar diet. Being present. LIVING. What does fighting look like? What does cancer look like?

Fighting is research, study. Microscope? Books?

Fighting is running race foe a cure together!

Doctors, nurses. Having faith.

What about being literal-

Breast cancer cells look a bit like a blob, if I were creative, the boogie man. That didn’t work for me. What about genes, could I play with that? Cancer seems evil, what about the dragon being an archetypal symbol for evil?

Fighting: guns. No too scary. Swords? Maybe…Karate, or boxing – kick boxing!

And so I started to find an image I could play with.

And it is PINK is breast cancer’s color so I knew I would use that.

24″x18″ mixed Media on paper

SOLD

I just finished a fantastic workshop! I look forward to bringing texture, pattern, and monoprinting into my art.

I am honored to receive best in show from the Rockwall Art League. For my painting “Summit, Before the Storm”.

A couple of my goals this year are to enter art contests, and post more paintings For sale on my website.