GRATEFUL BEYOND THE WORDS

this picture should have been at the bottom of my post...so what's new with the computer idiot, eh??!! well...i have some great news...i've been really busy getting ready for it...and it still hasn't sunk in...

16 of my paintings are in a gallery now, sitting on the floor, ready to be transferred to a wall, eep!

the gallery is in "old town" auburn, california...a touristy art town, right next to a really cool wine tasting store. the gallery is called the "lighthouse" and is on the monthly art walk, ooooh!

the town and the gallery have year 'round events so there is a lot of foot traffic. "old town" has earned a wonderful reputation for it's arts from san francisco to tahoe, soooo...

this is a break of a lifetime for me, i say! and i have so many people that support me on the home front...but then there's you...i hope you know who you are...oh, i just know you do...i can't make a list and leave anyone out...but have to thank and acknowledge http://www.mizkatie.com/ for encouraging me in all ways, and then bug bug buggin' me (thank God) to put my art work on face book and bam...denise howell (friend, neighbor and real estate go getter) hooked me up with the gallery...denise is on my fb friends if you need land or a home!

i thank you humbly from the bottom of my heart, all you blogging friends for encouragement and affirmations...that send each of us on to do better and better...i am so grateful to my online teachers, my mentor and supporter http://mistymawn.typepad.com/ (as if SHE needs a plug) and my off line teachers, including you miss http://stephanielee.typepad.com/ (and as if she needs a plug either) for believing in me, practically instantly, and giving me a pep talk before showing my wares for the first time in my life!!!

there are more and i know you know who you are...this sounds like a darn academy award ceremony or something...it's just that i am truly grateful from the bottom of my heart for such supportive women in my life...and i hope that i am doing the same for you!!! xoxo

...so here's what my sister, carolyn made me for my birthday and to represent my circumstances.

i love them sooo much, they are sitting on a white shelf in my studio, but the really cool thing is...i can move them anywhere anytime...i love you so much carolyn, but you already knew that :) xo.

I'LL BE OUT OF TOWN, BUT RICHARD'S HERE (that's for the robbers).

I'LL BE BACK ON WEDNESDAY OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK! i am going to see these sisters again...their picture and mine are at the top since i don't know how to fix this mistake...ah mistakes, they are good sometimes....

GRATEFUL birthday present

we are pretty sure there were no houses involved and this is the best birthday gift i've EVER had...too close for comfort...and it's out!

Island of Cebu / New painting

these are all shots on the island of cebu...Pedro took us in his fishing boat...about an hour from santa catalina, panama...a wondrous RIDE and wondrous day on the island!

exposed palm tree roots, when the tide was out

(all the photos can be enlarged)

it was such fun examining all things caught in the roots

if BOATS could talk, eh?...

these two children, were one of my fondest delights on our trip.

this little girl was using the back of the boat for a sand box for a long time...then along came her brother...they played forever, then...the little boy dragged a huge log to the back of the boat, placing it strategically like an outboard motor, gave orders to his little sister, who then jumped into the front of the boat...brother revved up the engine and she pretended to hold on tight...he softly spouted new orders and she threw an anchor over the left side of the boat...then her brother gave added orders...she pulled in anchor, flung (with gusto) it over the right side of the boat into the pretend brink...she turned around, said something, they smiled then laughed at one another...as i sat in the distance with a smile in my heart!

fishing boats that are used daily...along with a couple of beach buzzards!

"holding on to the sweetest things in life"




















SOLD!

Evening in Panama City, Panama / New collage painting

okay...these two pics should be on the vvvvvery bottom of the posting...

time for bed!!!!

i can't pass up the graffiti
all the photos can be enlarged

fabric and paint

22" x 27"

i used paper and paint underneath it all

then painted lightly with titanium white over the top of that

and then applied modeling paste randomly, stamped in some of it

she has a hunk of painted fabric on her sleeves and neck

and another hunk on her dress

there is a hunk of cardboard and various other items on board

"we go on the best trails...me and my dad"

acrylic paints, inks, fabric, chalk inks

Santa Catalina, Panama

one walk through the town of catalina...a fishing village and surf camp place to visit. we stayed in mikes library...like i said before...just above the bakery...yum!

art across the country

best food and drinks!!

the end of the road into catalina. this is where the entire village of children board and body surf and swim...especially if there's a storm and bigger waves!!

part of our trek...through a surf camp to get to the beach for BODY SURFING!!!...have i mentioned that this is my favorite thing to do in the whole wide world...and i'm used to our cold pacific ocean so this is heaven on earth for us!!!!

the tide is out...and it goes wayyyyyy out...so it seems like miles before you reach the waters edge...and what a wondrous walk it is!!!

there he goes to catch a whopper!

post card/not

"mama made us new skirts, and we just can't stop dancing"

`2" X 24" canvas...inks, paints, fabric, stamped letters, handmade fabric paper, cloth, tad of iridescent gold to highlight and trim and lot's of fun thrown in!

split personalities / they'll be together tomorrow? / my blog has gone wonky!!

i'm not sure where this will show up...my blogger has something wrong...any hoo...hopefully this will show my painting as to how it really is...together at last??

Hot Summer Nights

My favorite little friend, this summer...is he not cute ANNND pretty?!!

Panamanian mosquitos / Kuna Indians / One painting

i painted and collaged a picture for kudi, it represents her on the right, her shy daughter in the middle, and luciana on the left!

and here's our "great nephew", zack, making fun of uncle richard and aunt wanda..as to how many bottles we packed for panama...

...and did the repellant work...hmm...i think not...we came home looking like we had some horrible diesease!

gorgeous mola's the kuna indians are famous for!

crummy pic of a kuna indian and her beautiful costume...i was so disallusioned when i heard a cell phone ring, while looking at the skyline...turned to the table where the indians placed there wares and one of the women was speaking on her cell phone...progress :(

So glad to be Back HOME

i didn't want to announce that we were out of the country...leaving our home and my precious blog unattended...so now ya' know...we're back and so happy to live here in the usa!

this is not a luxury nor exotic vacation we take each year...it is to get away (yes) but

to see my brother in law, michael, richard's brother who lives in santa catalina, panama.

it is like camping for a week, taking outside ice cold showers, getting in and out of a sandy bed, no matter how you slice it!!!.....but it also means a lot of other exciting adventures occur every single time we go...one is to body surf in a warm clear ocean with barely a soul in site, but for a few random surfers...this just can't happen on the california coast!!!

and then there is Michael...who is a devil may care indiviual, genuine, real, honest, generous and HILARIOUS guy we love and miss!!

for awhile i thought i'd post some art work or hopefully something of interest to some of "YOU"S", that i love that i would also post a pic or two with some of our adventures and sweet happenings that occured while venturing out of our comfortable, spoiled california world!

this is a bed mike made out of wood, we slept above his library and bakery...it is smack dab in the middle of catalina, close enough to hear the pounding surf and see just about EVERY single person that lives in the village, walking up or down the middle of the road, EVERY single day! :)

opening our eyes each morning to this...

and seeing this coconut tree!!!

looking through one window at mikes' new building

across the road

and this...our friend michele's hostel...we met all the young surfers and servers for her restaurant that stayed here...very fun!

hearing the singing voices of these santa catalina kids, in spanish every morning...

this school was a small driveway away from our bedroom window!

...and smelling Diasolina and Lucy's baked goods...

Diasolina (Kudi) is mike's wife

Blogging Break

just so you don't get tired of coming here and finding nothing...

i'm just going to take a blogging break for 3 or 4 weeks.

i wish all of you a fun june!