Excuse me, while I experiment, and bare my soul...

I fiddled with my settings on my blog, so if it looks different, this is why. I tried to add some pics of some of my paintings and colored pencil drawings, the other day, but my settings would only allow the pictures to be inserted at the top. This updated version allows me to insert them where ever I want... so I will try it tonight...

This is a shot I took out the window as we were driving home on Sunday. Clouds are a constant source of inspiration for me.

Looking into that beautiful sky, I can't help think of Patrick Swayze. What a sad day to lose such a nice, down to earth man. I have enjoyed so many of his movies. He seemed very comfortable in his own skin.

I think every person on the planet enjoyed him in Dirty Dancing and Ghost. I always admired his love for his wife. Their marriage was certainly not the norm in Hollywood. Rest in peace, Patrick.

I had a few encouragements from fellow bloggers to put some more of my art work on my blog. Kind of nervous, compared to so many I have seen, but what the heck... Excuse me, while I bare my soul...

Here is an acrylic I did back in 1988. I was happy with the ocean, but would like to re-work the rock...

If any of you fellow artists have any suggestions, I would welcome your critiques. Using acrylics, I used to delude myself into thinking I could actually control the brush and make something look exactly like what I was attempting to capture.

I would frustrate myself to the point I would stop painting. I thought if I could not capture, exactly what I saw in my mind's eye, then I was a lousy artist.

A couple years ago, I decided to take some water color classes. Both my teachers told me, "If you want your painting to look perfect, take up photography."

Being the anal control freak I was, eventually, it was liberating (once I got over the cold sweats and tantrums) to allow the process of the medium and my own interpretation to flow together as one. I still have issues and unfinished paintings, but I am working on it...

Winter Walk is the first watercolor I finished. (There is a boy wearing a red jacket walking his dog, in the distance.) Normally, when it was time to turn in our paintings, I would boldly announce I didn't like it so I didn't finish it. As a Christmas gift, my teacher framed it for me.

Another teacher taught us to never throw away unfinished paintings. She told us to put them away and "let them cook". The other day, when I did the abstract for my Dad, I was inspired to finish another abstract I had not finished. I had seen a Tang Chinese horse head in it, and Dad would have loved the colors in it... But, I had put them away so well, I forgot where I put them! Today, while standing in my garage studio, staring off into space trying to remember why I had come into the garage...I suddenly focused the clear art tote hanging over my easel, AND THERE THEY WERE!

One more picture and then I have to hit the sack...I have a dental appointment tomorrow.

Here is my first, finished, colored pencil drawing I did with the help of a very talented teacher, artist and now, dear friend.

I did a Big Horn Ram, because I am most motivated doing landscapes and wild life. I call this one, Something in the Wind.


This teacher is amazing. Her artwork does look like a photograph! The accuracy is amazing and most of her students had never even drawn before.

I have found, facing my fears and challenging myself, always gives me such an opportunity to learn, and enjoy painting more. Through her class, I learned so much, but a lot on shading and color.

One more picture... All my life I have loved horses.

I could never draw them well. After the colored pencil class, while visiting friends in Idaho, their daughter (who also loves horses) asked me to draw a particular black stallion on her calendar.

She provided me with some typing paper and a number two writing pencil. Some where between my desire to please this young girl, and the colored pencil class, I finally drew a horse I was pleased with.

Well, I did not get this posted before midnight, so I am a day behind now... Another feature of the updated post setting, is it published the actual time I finished posting instead of when I started it.

Here I sit, my fingers hovering over the publish post button, wondering if I should just delete the whole thing... Then again, like the book says, Face Your Fears, And Do It Anyway....