finished

After two months of concentrating on other work, my family and the holidays I have begun painting again. In fact, last weekend I realized I needed to finish 2 paintings by Monday so I would have enough work to submit to a gallery here or I would have to wait another year, and really it's the only local gallery that seems right for my work. Luckily my husband was able to be a full time dad and I spent the weekend in the studio, no interruptions. I did send them out but after looking at the photos I realized they are far from finished. Here they are until I can get to them again (the top one is the drawing of Venice that I had so much trouble with).

Order Schmorder

I've been struggling the past few weeks with a drawing of a photo in Venice so I finally broke down and decided to grid it to see why it's giving me so much trouble.

In the past I would have drawn it as I see it and whatever happens happens but since the training I had in Florence I learned to value perfection in the drawing stage. Which is precisely my problem with this particular piece.

One of the things that I love about Italy is that things are not orderly or done in the precision as they are here and that creates sort of a unintentional beauty, and so what I've realized is that one of the windows (just one out of 10 or so mind you) of the buildings I'm drawing is just slightly crooked, as well as some really funky shadows that also don't seem to make sense. It's interesting to me that my brain keeps wanting to see these things how I think they should be instead of how they are.

So if I'm correct that this is what is so beautiful, then this is going to be some beautiful piece, 'course I'll be bald by the end of it from tearing my hair out.

What I'm not tearing my hair out about however, is that we have such an eloquent, intelligent and confident president, who has the power to inspire people, I certainly am.

Zoey the Christmas kitty

I posted a couple of months ago about our dog Juneau passing away, and after much consideration and some really bad pet choices (one of them an evil hamster that is still in the house somewhere) we decided to open our house to a new cat. Of course this meant 4 trips to the humane society until we found the one that seemed right, no more evil, nocturnal, or poisonous pets.

Her name is Zoey, and I have to say she is very cool. Not too clingy, but you can pick her up and she immediately turns into a noodle. It is difficult for me not having a dog since I've had them all my life but I have to say it's really nice not having huge muddy paw prints everywhere.

Jackpot

Last night was the white elephant gift exchange. This is a group of women, mostly actors, singers, and one former Miss Montana (who also went to Oxford by the way). We started having lunch together every Wednesday 15 years ago - I think it started when some of us got married, had children etc. and we never had time to see each other and then decided on a yearly holiday get together. This year we had it at the Wilma in "the former Miss Montana's" luxury rental, and had Scotties Table cater the food (it doesn't get any better than that). 

Anyhow, most of the gifts that I have gotten in the past have been things that my daughter inherits or that I put away to give next year - of course these are the things that you never use or can't stand looking at anymore. In fact up to now the best gift that everyone remembers was a box of shoulder pads (we all fondly remember the 80's). But I have to say, this year I hit the jackpot, we have a new member who actually gave something really cool. And the best thing is my daughter thinks it's creepy so it's mine all mine. Mike Demeng if you're out there I know you want it, even if it is a purse.

I'm posting a photo and a photo of the rental which by the way is available through wilmalofts.com