Cats Keep Secrets

 Cats keep secrets...at least mine sure seem to.

Title: “Cats Keep Secrets"

12”x9“ on watercolor paper

Media: gouache, ink, collage

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Hoot!

“Hoot!” 

The original of this painting has already found its home, but I’m working on a journal for the young and the young at heart with this cutie pie owl on the cover. So exciting!

The background is watercolor and the owl/tree are gouache. There’s also a touch of graphite and I added some acrylic sparkle to the stars.

Shout out to art teacher extraordinaire, Diana. I’m learning to use gouache in my first ever in-person art class since I started painting in 2011.

 

Title: "Hoot!"

8"x5.5" on watercolor paper

Media: gouache, watercolor, acrylic, graphite

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Life is a Journey

"A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles." -Tim Cahill 

Life is a journey.

Title: "Life is a Journey"

8"x8" on 1mm paper board

Media: collage, acrylic, wax, ink

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Friends

 We don't have to be exactly alike to be friends.

Acrylic

Original available for $25.

6"x7.75"" on wood

Prints available on request.

(Printed image may be slightly cropped for printing purposes.)

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

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Wisdom

 "These pains you feel are messengers. Listen to them."

-Rumi

Our world, our society, one another...we are feeling these pains that are impacting our minds, bodies, spirits. I am hopeful that we will have the wisdom come November to listen to these messengers.

My heartfelt thanks to a dear friend who dropped off the cutest little owl that was the inspiration for this painting. It was just what my heart needed.

"Wisdom"

Mixed Media

Original available for $65.

12"x9" on canvas

Prints available on request.

(Printed image may be slightly cropped for printing purposes.)

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

hold me

In my sixteen years of teaching I have never had a first day of school (or any day, really) when every student just walked right in, happy to say "good bye" to their parents, and smoothly joined their peers in learning and play. Very few of my students do this. Many of my students need (and deserve) to be hugged and held through this transition that is such a leap into the great unknown for them. I've hugged and held students at drop off for days, weeks, and sometimes months until they adjusted, hugging and holding three, four, and five year old children who do not fully comprehend this transition or just simply want their mom and dad. And while hugging one child others invariably come over to join the hug. I've had parents have to enter my classroom while still holding their children and in a tangle of arms, mine, the parent's, and the child's, I take over the comforting of these children as their parents make an exit and I give them a friendly look over their child's shoulder or wave, reassuring them that their child will be OK. This is something I've embraced as part of my job.

This school year my students will be being dropped off with a shielded and masked teacher that they may or may not recognize (even though I will be doing a Zoom meetings with them before school starts showing myself putting all of my PPE on). They will have just been through whatever screening protocols the district decides upon and gone through some process of getting to my room. Being upset by this transition is to be expected and understandable. In the current crisis requiring distance, how can I comfort my students and keep them and myself safe. How can I lean in and be part of a tangle of arms? How can I reassure parents that it's going to be OK?  It's possible that some of my students may be able to wear a mask, but it will likely be beyond many of their comprehension, tolerance, and ability to do so for an entire school day, and probably won't be required by the district anyway.

So much to think about and this is just the first five or so minutes of each school day.

"hold me"

Mixed Media

Original available for $85.

16"x12" on watercolor paper

Prints available on request.

(Printed image may be slightly cropped for printing purposes.)

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

i'm mostly ok

This sweet owl emerged from a writing prompt I did during an Art Spark Texas meeting. The very first layer of this painting is a letter I wrote to young me about how something about me then was going to be a superpower for me during COVID times. So I wrote a letter to young Kali, who loved to hang out on her roof behind the chimney where no one could see her, and how good she was at being in her own company. Back then I'd bring dolls, art supplies, books and more up on the roof and entertain myself in the shadow of the chimney as long as the sun allowed. I was OK then, mostly. And I'm mostly OK, now, too.

"i'm mostly ok"

Mixed Media

Original available for $85.

16"x12" on watercolor paper

Prints available on request.

(Printed image may be slightly cropped for printing purposes.)

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

My Girl, Phyllis

Happy New Year from Phyllis! She's always got her party hat on!

Acrylic
Original not available...I'm keeping this one.

13"x10" on wood

Prints available on request.

(Printed image may be slightly cropped for printing purposes.)

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

Together is a Wonderful Place to Be

Together is a wonderful place to be.

"Together is a Wonderful Place to Be"

Acrylic

Original available here for $35

10.75"x10.25" on wood leftover from a friend's woodworking project

Prints available on request.

(Printed image may be slightly cropped for printing purposes.)

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

Rainbow Owls

I'm embracing my inner child with a series of whimsical paintings.

"Rainbow Owls"

Original available here for $36.

9.75"x7.5" on deconstructed watercolor journal paper

Prints available on request.

(Printed image may be slightly cropped for printing purposes.)

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Prints of many of my paintings are available in my Etsy shop. 

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

Rainbow Mouse

I'm embracing my inner child with a series of whimsical paintings.

"Rainbow Mouse"

Original available here for $36.

9.75"x7.5" on deconstructed watercolor journal paper

Prints available on request.

(Printed image may be slightly cropped for printing purposes.)

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Prints of many of my paintings are available in my Etsy shop. 

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

Rainbow Bear

I'm embracing my inner child with a series of whimsical paintings.

"Rainbow Bear"

Original available here for $36.

9.75"x7.5" on deconstructed watercolor journal paper

Prints available on request.

(Printed image may be slightly cropped for printing purposes.)

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Prints of many of my paintings are available in my Etsy shop. 

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

Friendship

"Friendship"

This was based on a tutorial by Danielle Donaldson.

Original available here for $15.

6"x5.5" on deconstructed watercolor journal paper

Prints available on request.

(Printed image may be slightly cropped for printing purposes.)

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Prints of many of my paintings are available in my Etsy shop. 

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

Spotted

I had to take a sick day today as I was on day 4 of having a cold and fever. But I made the best of it by doing a sweet tutorial by Danielle Donaldson between naps. I'm pretty much in love with this little spotted bunny.

"Spotted"

Original available here for $15.

5.5"x7.5" on deconstructed watercolor journal paper

Prints available on request.

(Printed image may be slightly cropped for printing purposes.)

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Prints of many of my paintings are available in my Etsy shop. 

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

The Owl and the Moon

Friends may be found in the most unlikely places. Look behind you. They might be right there.

"The Owl and the Moon"

Original available here for $45.

12"x12" on a previously used canvas.

Edges painted and ready to hang. 

Prints available on request.

(Printed image may be slightly cropped for printing purposes.) 

All works are copyrighted and all rights are reserved by the artist.

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Prints of many of my paintings are available in my Etsy shop. 

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

Moonlight Mates

"A friend may be waiting

behind a stranger's face."

-Maya Angelou

"Moonlight Mates"

8"x8"

All works are copyrighted and all rights are reserved by the artist.

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Prints of many of my paintings are available in my Etsy shop. 

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

I'd love to hear from you...feel free to leave me a comment.

Only from the Heart can you Touch the Sky

"Only from the heart can you touch the sky."

-Rumi

"Only from the heart can you touch the sky."

All works are copyrighted and all rights are reserved by the artist.

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Prints of many of my paintings are available in my Etsy shop. 

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

I'd love to hear from you...feel free to leave me a comment.

Nothing is Beyond our Reach

"Once we accept our limits, we move beyond them.

-Albert Einstein

I couldn't help myself. There's simply so much to love and adore about giraffes.

"Nothing is Beyond our Reach"

5"x5"

All works are copyrighted and all rights are reserved by the artist.

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Prints of many of my paintings are available in my Etsy shop. 

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

I'd love to hear from you...feel free to leave me a comment.

Gentleness Above

Giraffes...towering above, gentle in spirit, beautiful beyond compare. I scribed my favorite qualities about this wonderful creature on the canvas. Some still shows through.

"Gentleness Above"

10"x8"

All works are copyrighted and all rights are reserved by the artist.

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Prints of many of my paintings are available in my Etsy shop. 

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

I'd love to hear from you...feel free to leave me a comment.

Be an Owl

Being human is exhausting. So be an owl.

Saw that quote today...made me smile. I used to draw a version of this fella all the time years ago. So nice to see him again!

"Be an Owl"

Acrylic and Charcoal

12"x12"

All works are copyrighted and all rights are reserved by the artist.

 

My original paintings are available in my online gallery.

Prints of many of my paintings are available in my Etsy shop. 

Let me know if you're interested in prints of my paintings.

  I welcome commissions.

Please click the links below to share my blog.

I'd love to hear from you...feel free to leave me a comment.