Radiating Love

So, I do believe I’ve finally completed the 16 x 20″ canvas, final painting for the Peace and Love show in February. This one is called “Radiating Love” for the feeling I held while painting it. This painting is meant to send love to all who see it. Love truly is all you need! Enjoy!

Radiating Love, Oil on canvas, 16 x 20", $400

Waiting for the Paint to Dry!

Worked for a bit on my newest painting this morning. I just LOVE the color combo of purple, yellow and red! Here’s the next progress pic!

In progress

Progress on a New Painting

Started this painting (16 x 20″) yesterday, here is the progress so far. Hoping to get this one done for the February show.

Peace, Love and Grief

Interesting how the brain works. As you may have seen from previous posts, I am currently working on paintings for my February show “Peace and Love”. All these thoughts of love and peace have stirred up feelings of grief and sadness in me. On January 9th, my beloved great Aunt (“Auntie”) Evalynn passed away at the age of 93. She had slowly retreated into the world of Alzheimers and it was a relief for the whole family that she was finally released from this terrible disease. My grandmother (her sister) also succumbed to the disease back in 2003. Thinking about her and how much I will miss her independent spirit has brought back thoughts of my dad, of course, and so I find myself once again dealing with grief. It’s interesting to me how one death can be so welcome while another is unexpected and like a slap in the face.

I still miss my dad, naturally, and at times like this I have a difficult time believing that we are coming up on the 2nd anniversary of his death! How could time pass so quickly and peacefully. My dad was right that life goes on, I know this now, but it’s like he was here just yesterday. I keep going through life, working, painting, loving, breathing, eating, sleeping, but he is gone, Auntie is gone, my grammy is gone. Are they really though? There have been so many times that I have felt them in the room with me, just like it felt when they were physically here. It always happens unexpectedly, when I am not thinking of them, busy in my daily life, doing mundane things. Then, out of no where, there they are, POP in my head, thoughts, feelings of love.

I used to believe that death was it, we live, we die, one life is all we get. I don’t believe that anymore, I’m convinced that we are spiritual beings having a human experience, convinced! How could it be any other way? I spent some time yesterday afternoon reading my past blog posts in the months after my dad’s death, revisiting the grief, it doesn’t change, the pain is exactly the same. I believe everything we go through in this life is a lesson, so what is the lesson in death? It’s so simple, appreciate every minute of this life, though it’s not truly all there is, it’s a one of a kind life, we will never relive this life, we may get another chance in another life, but this is it for this time around. I’m rambling on, I know, just dumping my mind out. So many people suffer here on earth, the earthquake in Haiti is just another example of human suffering, it’s part of the human condition. It’s part of life….and death. People die and suffer everyday, another thing my dad was right about, but it’s how we handle it that matters. It’s what we do with the death and suffering, dwell in it, sadness, depression, hopelessness. Or turn it around and appreciate the good in life, gratefulness for our blessings, look for the positive in every situation, enjoy moments of joy and love with our family and friends still with us. That’s what I choose to do most days, but I’m human and every once in a while I slip back into the negative aspects of it all. I did that yesterday and for a bit today, but now, I choose to be grateful, for the past, the present and the future. Life is beautiful, death is what makes it so, without death we would never appreciate the brevity of life, never go for the gusto, enjoy the moment! Thank you for that!

Getting closer to my goal!

Only two weeks left until the “Peace and Love” show has to be hung! I’m almost there, thank goodness! These progress photos are of the two paintings I worked on today. They are both very near completion, which means I am almost done with my goal of 9 new paintings for the February show. This week I will finish these up and be ready to go! Still unsure of what I will have on the easel next. I’m thinking about a couple medium sized pieces. Time will tell. Don’t have names for these two…..yet. Working on that!

in progress, 8 x 8" oil on canvas

in progress #2, 8 x 8" oil on canvas

In progress #3

In progress #4

More Love and Peace Progress pics!

Another day of painting in the studio. This is probably the easiest resolution I’ve ever kept! I love spending time in the studio especially when the ideas are flowing so easily. Today I finished one of the paintings that was in progress, which now has a name; “Love, Joy, Peace, Hope”. Worked on another painting that I started recently and started another new one! This afternoon the gallery is open, so I have to get back to gallery work, plus I have a meeting to go to at 2pm. So….I will look forward to tomorrow and another painting session!

Love, Joy, Peace, Hope, 8 x 8" oil on gallery wrapped canvas, $100

8 x 8" oil on canvas, in progress, started yesterday

8 x 8" oil on canvas, in progress, started today

Another Wonderful Day in the Studio!

Tuesdays are studio days, dedicated to nothing but time painting and working in my studio. Today I had to make an exception. I took 5 of my paintings to the Flying Star restaurant in Bernalillo. This is a really cool place to hang art and my work fits in so perfectly with the decor! I’ve hung my work in the Flying Star before, downtown, and I currently have a painting hanging at the Juan Tabo location. This is the first time in the Bernalillo location. Bernalillo is about a twenty minute drive north of Albuquerque. Of course, today, it took me 30 minutes thanks to traffic issues. So, needless to say, I didn’t get into the studio until this afternoon. Below are a couple of progress pics of the paintings I worked on today. The first two are almost done, the 3rd one I just started today.

In progress, 8 x 8" oil on canvas

side view

in progress, 8 x 8" oil on canvas

newest painting, started today, 8 x 8" oil on canvas

Today’s Progress

Didn’t get a lot of painting in today, the gallery was buzzing with activity all day and today was my day to sit the gallery. So, here’s today’s progress pics;

Still Untitled, 8 x 8" oil on gallery wrapped canvas, in progress!

side view of canvas

Two New Paintings!

I finished two new paintings today, I’ve posted progress pics of these two previously. All of the paintings I’m currently working on are 8 x 8″ oil on gallery wrapped canvas, $100 each. The sides are painted so there is no need for framing.

Peace and Love, 8 x 8", oil on gallery wrapped canvas, $100

Peace and Love side view

Hope, Love, Healing, Gratitude, 8 x 8", oil on gallery wrapped canvas, $100

Hope, Love, Healing, Gratitude side view

Progress pics from the studio today!

Spent almost 3 hours in the studio today, feels really good to get back to a regular painting schedule! Hope, Love, Healing & Gratitude is an unfinished painting that I haven’t worked on in a couple weeks. The other two I worked on today.

Hope, Love, Healing, Gratitude, 8 x 8" oil on gallery wrapped canvas, in progress

Progress pic, 8 x 8" oil on canvas, untitled

Peace & Love, progress pic, 8 x 8" oil on canvas