Nicolette and Bird

This is a smaller version of a larger painting I did for some friends, Jamie and Nicki. They are moving to Chicago (thier hometown) this week, and I gave the original as a going away gift. I did the original about 2 years ago and have had a hard time parting with it. I painted myself a new one and did the smaller one for sale.

You can click on it to go to the listing.

You can also go to ebsq to see the original painting, "Bird Loves Nicolette"

Sisters Painting

I should never say that I am working on a new series, I think it sort of blocks me. I get so excited about the idea and then I am afraid I won't be able to do it justice and I do anything but. So today, I did this little painting/collage of two sisters with a victorian ornament frame that I cut out and collaged on the the wood box frame... I seriously worked ALL day on this. Except for a detour to the doctor for my husband.

He spent (and I did too, feeling sympathy) a very bad painful night with a kidney stone last night until about 4AM. This is the first time he has toughed one out instead of going to the hospital for a pain shot. He had morphine, but I was so afraid he was going to OD on it as there were no instructions as to how many he could take, it just said 10 mg every 15 minutes. He will probably have to have another surgery. Poor him.

Click on the picture and it will take you to my ebay auction.

NFAC entry for January

"Woman Turns Into Swan" is my January 2008 nibblefest entry. I think I sort of spaced when I read the theme, or I wanted it to be what I made it, a woman turning into a swan... but some people think humans are animals, right?
I also did another painting that I have listed of a girl rabbit.

I am very much enjoying the Jane Austen series on PBS. I thought Northanger Abbey ended rather abruptly tonight. The costumes were so wonderful, those images of Catherine and Mr Tilney riding... gosh. I feel faint.

New Painting 'Bea'

Here's a new painting, 8x10 on gallery wrapped canvas. Click on her to go to the auction.

A letter from last year

These pictures are of Kelsi and I at Paula Deen's Lady and Sons in Savannah, GA

This is an email I wrote last year that I thought I would post here for posterity... It's from when I flew the first time to visit my daughter in Georgia:

I FLEW IN A PLANE TWICE!
uGH, I DON'T LOVE IT, BUT I DID IT. I WAS SCARED. BUT THANKFULLY, I was sitting by an old lady from Ft Lauderdale, who was so concerned about getting there on time for her theatre tickets in BOCA, that I was distracted. At one point in the beginning, we taxied out to the runway, and then turned around and went back to the gate, she said, "this is not good" (broad east coast accent, a long hair coming out of her chin, about 80 yrs old, with tons of jewelry and running mascara) I was gulping and trying to remember to breathe. I took several Xanex, thank you Laurie. I kept looking around the cabin at the other first class passengers and thinking, these are the people I will die with. They did not look any more wealthy than me. Maybe they all have generous sons with frequent flyer miles.

The delay was for some sort of flap problem. I do not know what flaps are, and I do not want to know... I was just glad they started working and kept working. There was turbulence. There was a lovely salmon dinnner and wine that I could not eat, because I was terrified. There were cloth napkins, there were fresh chocolate chip cookies. There was chocolate chip on the lady from Ft Lauderdale's lips. I did not tell her. There was flying above clouds, that did not make me feel like things were ok. Kelsi feels safe once she gets above the clouds, because she thinks the clouds keep the plane up. I know more about gravity than that.

On the flight from Dallas, I was sitting by a middle eastern man. He had the window seat and I had plans to block him from getting up if he was a terrorist. Happily, he nver had to pee, so it did not come to that. He was evidently NOT a terrorist, because he watched a Tom Cruise movie on his laptop and fell asleep WHILE we landed. I wonder if I will ever get so cavalier about flying that I will feel as though I can relax my vigilance and the force of my will that is doing a better job of keeping the plane up than the clouds.

I am having a wonderful time already, although I am awake at 4Am, which is odd because I should be sleeping in. Kelsi has the most adorable dog ever. I am so in love with her. The coffee is TERRIBLE, but her house is like living in a magazine with a cute dog and husband.
Love you all, having a wonderful time, not the least bit homesick, but hopefully will get, so I can get back on the blinking planes.
J

That Karen Kearney is amazing! She just taught me how to link my pictures to my auctions. I have been trying to figure that out for weeks!

FAQ

Frequently asked questions:

"Why do you list your paintings on ebay for only 99 cents?"

Usually the 99 cent paintings are my favorites of the bunch. I usually feel confident that they will do well, but sometimes I am wrong about what people will like.
The best answer is that it's fun and exciting. Sometimes someone gets a painting for not very much. Just recently one sold for $1.04. That might seem crazy, as you know I spent some hours and there are more than that in materials. But usually, people who get a painting like that are so thrilled and surprised that it really is a pretty painting they become loyal customers forever.

"How many hours a week do you spend painting?"

It depends, but I would say 25 to 30 hours.

"Is it hard to see your paintings fly away?"

Not any more. I find that the more I sell, the more I paint, and it is fun and humbling to see how much people like my work. It just makes me work harder.

"What is your favorite subject?"

I'm surprised that everyone does not know that it is women and girls, secondly flowers. :)

"What does Mister Bella Luna think of all this?"

He is very supportive and takes my pictures and sets up all sorts of things for me. I could not do it without him.

"Do you have children? Are they artistic?"

Yes, and yes. I have 3, all grown and moved away, but I can happily report that they are all amazingly talented and have their own style. They are all wonderful decorators. You should see their cute houses. Maybe I should go take some pictures so you can see.

Harper In a Winter Garden

I just finished this painting today. It's on masonite, 9x12 and is listed on ebay. I'm pretty excited about an idea for a new series I'm going to start, so check back and see the first one soon.

Visitor

I had a 9 year old visitor this week. We had tons of fun, but not much painting got done. We made cookies, played Wii, worked on projects, (a giant letter S for his room was one) and laughed a lot. I miss him already!