Upgrading

A much needed rainy day here in the studio affords me an equally much needed rest.

The last few days of summer like weather nudged me outside to put the garden to bed and my body is respondingly sore…but my soul…that is very very much alive.

Heavy sweaty work of raking and mulching the mountains of leaves felt as cathartic as counting up all those votes here in the great state of Pennsylvania. I danced some righteously happy jigs while tossing the hay all over the Ruth Stout garden. The crows, bluejays, wrens and one shy bunny all raised their voices in joyous song while I dug up the last of the late season potatoes.

The winds of change have indeed shifted and for me, it happened in a flash. Just like that, ding dong…the weight lifted, the doors flew open wide…and there was spontaneous partying in the streets all across the land. It reminded me of the sublime enthusiasm that Skip had while directing her swan song.

The Muses are vibrating with this newfound energy and I’m listening.

First order of business is to clean up this website. It is almost 20 years old now and since we are on about the business of clearing out cobwebs I’ve signed on  to update and upgrade and give it a general overhaul.

We will be working throughout the next couple months with most of the tweaking being done behind the scenes and under the hood…or so Ross tells me. (More on his new company and adventures to come.)

Along with some design changes I will be using this opportunity to reorganize the Print section of my site. The time is upon us to make good on what I had promised to do this time last year…raise the prices on the prints. The material and shipping costs have increased even more so we have settled on $295 as the new charge for the 17 x 22 sized prints.

I’m announcing that now because, like I did last year before the holidays, it will give those who are interested an opportunity to purchase prints at the current $195 until the NEW website goes live early next year. Shipping will continue to be FREE.

A total revamp project like this signals to the Muses that I am ready to rock and roll.

Uncharacteristically…and quite surprisingly…I have absolutely no idea what I will paint next.
Which feels just right.
Herself told me she’s not the least bit worried about that.

So there you go.

I’ll bring you along for the ride…
let’s see where this train takes us !

I’m back…

in the studio that is. After a loooong hiatus wherein parties were engaged, film crews aimed cameras, god moose daughters were wed, fancy party shoes were danced off, the flu gripped, horses flew, stone walls were studied, the stars came alive, the sun rises blazed, the chowder ran through our veins and the seals laughed at we who stared out to sea while knitting.

Home now to the tapestry of autumn colors that are bringing me to my bionic knees.

It is Scare Crow season my friends,

Scare Crow

There is much to do before I officially pull up the drawbridge and settle in for a long season of painting. I got the garlic planted yesterday, but all those straw bales need to be put to bed. The panel making process got interrupted so there is a garage full of unfinished rectangles out there to gesso. Well over ten thousand reference photos, from our Vineyard weeks, are awaiting review, and oh how good it is to be home.

I have a couple dozen blog posts in the wings to catch you up on, but first some rest and re-entry and unpacking of the craziness of the last few months.

Here’s hoping that you can find a heaping pile of leaves to jump in…

Easel…here I come.

Breakfast with the birds

I’m munching on my own breakfast of granola, and berries picked from the garden, as I write. It’s Uncle Barney’s birthday, so I added some flax seed in his honor. Go Barn. There’s a lot more of everything to do today, so I’m getting a jump on the blog post. If we cross two more off today that will leave five.

I give you…

Breakfast with Nancy Luce  –  24 x 20

Breakfast With Nancy Luce

Gallery owner cum muse.

I had this painting in mind from the beginning
but somehow it got saved until the end.

So, it had a lot of time to percolate
on the back burner of the creative mind.

Which was fortunate because
the first scarf was red and I really like that vintage blue check.

The wooden chickens were originally supposed to be feathersbefore the box of my father’s remnants arrived.

The eggs were always going to be Homer’s
but he added a few more colors to the coop for the spring layers.

And then there was Mr. Morse.

I had been texting him images of the paintings as they were finished.
It’s always nice to get feedback, and in the early stages, my fragile ego
can only handle positive comments, which…he knows and respects.

But, when he saw that I was working on this homage to Nancy Luce
he told me he had just purchased one of her original pamphlets of poetry.

I had him send me a photo and just like that…
the piece came together.

It’s a wonderful life.

Scare Crow  –  12 x 29

Scare Crow

You should have seen Pat modeling for this.

I dressed her in my plaid shirt
found just the left glove so that decided which hand to hold up
the straw was…everywhere…from my straw bale garden
that pitchfork is the one we bought back from cousin Eddie’s estate sale
and the crow…flew in just for a guest appearance

My model fees vary

I got away easy with the crow
she needed the straw
and was satisfied with the handful from the sleeve

Herself…
well let’s just say
she doesn’t work for peanuts.