Apple

It is fun to paint fruits and I enjoy the simplicity of them. This is a little spring time apple that I did in oils a few years ago.

What is ACEO?

This video explains the difference between ATCs and ACEOs and where ACEOs originated. Part of my personal collections of ACEOs is showcased in this video along with a few of my own originals.

Bunny Rabbit

In honor of the upcoming Easter holiday, this little bunny rabbit is my image to celebrate the day. To all the kiddies out there...enjoy the treats! I'm staying away from them myself and where this will power is coming from I surely don't know.

Pitcher

I am currently reading books, car shopping, and trying to get myself composed after the recent loss of a dear friend. I thought I had fully recovered from this, but I discovered this week that I haven't yet. so on we go!!

The Cow

This little oil painting is another one that I did some time ago. Now that I have no online connection at home anymore, I can't post any of the new stuff that I am doing. But I am still here!

Masking Tape Technique

Masking Tape decorating creates an interesting texture on journal pages and in mixed media art pieces. This short little video shows you how easy it is to do!

Glass of Water

This is another of my earlier oil paintings. And no, I haven't yet started my Daily Painting routine...still talking about doing it, but haven't made the commitment yet. This is normal for me!

Can I Do It??

This was a painting that I did a couple years ago in a class that I took. I used Alkyd oil paints on this one. I am currently CONSIDERING working on a Daily Painting project using oils to improve my painting skills. It all looks so easy, but doing Alla Prima work requires much more knowledge than I currently possess. Or experience, or both.

I'm not sure why it is so difficult to create a small painting every day, but for me it is. I envy people that have that much discipline!

Florida Series

Here is another acrylic painting demonstration from my Florida series.



Several years ago when I was first doing outdoor art shows, I decided NOT to make paintings that were tropical in nature because every other booth at the shows were of manatees, fish, dolphins, palm trees, etc etc.  I wanted to be different!  So I refused to paint them

What I didn't realize at that time is that the public was buying that style of art and that is why so many artists were making it.  So I sat with my fruits, flowers, frogs, abstracts and whatever I was making at the time and hauled most of my inventory back home with me when the shows ended.  After doing this for about 12 consecutive shows, the penny finally dropped and I realized the error of my ways. 

I began painting small tropical pieces in bright and wild colors on 16 x 20" pieces of paper and dropping them into my print rack at my shows.  They FLEW out of the display at $40 each, much to my surprise.  Thus began my Florida series that became over 60 pieces in total.  I did various mediums and sizes over the years.  It was the best selling of all my series by far.  I don't do art shows anymore, but if I did the entire display would contain Florida pieces.

Creating Through Grief

Today has not been a successful art day for me as you can see from this image:

I have redone and reworked this mermaid at least 4 times so far. Adding a face, painting it out, doing a new one...over and over. At one point today I had her in the trash bin and later I was scrolling online and saw this one painting, and I thought "Mine looks better than that". So I dug my mermaid out of the trash bin and started painting out and sanding over her face yet again. I don't know where this will finally end, or even if I should be trying to paint anything today. Sometimes it is therapeutic and sometimes it's frustrating.

One of my friends of 30+ years is dying at any moment. I jerked awake dozens of times last night when I thought of her, so the sleep was more of a nightmare than anything restful. I'm doing what I can to process this event and although it is a part of life, it is one of the most difficult parts to accept. Even though you know it all comes to an end for all of us at some point in time you still have to go through all of the emotions that come with the territory. Death is not a new thing to me and I have already lost dozens of people that I loved very much.

None of that seems to matter when Mr. Death comes calling. I do not have the same view of death as most people do, either. But even with a reincarnation viewpoint about life and how it continues it's still not any easier to experience. I'm just dealing with this as best I can, and moving on when I am ready. Today it is music, a walk on the beach, some more art, and whatever emotions come out are okay with me.

A Florida Painting Demonstration

This video is a demonstration of how I painted one of my Florida paintings.

Faces #15 and 16

Putting a bit more intention into getting caught up on this challenge after being down for the count last week.





I find it fun to do faces of males from time to time. There's not so much importance placed on how beautiful or pretty they are and I like relaxing a bit when I sketch. Smudging and smearing the ink is fun, too.

Bottle Babe #7

I have been working on this one for some time now and I have finally gotten it to an acceptable point.



This close up shot shows the top part of this Bottle Babe.



This is a shot of the entire piece. #7 in my wild and wacky series that I call Bottle Babes.



Quick sketch to add another face to my 29 Faces Challenge!

New Tools !!!

I am already 5 days behind on this month's challenge to complete 29 faces.

Today I forced myself to go out. After all, there was a 50% discount coupon for Michael's that expires today and I needed some new sculpting tools for projects that I have planned. It was worth the trip because I got a great set of tools and saved money and got out of the house for the first time in 5 days. YAY!!!!!!


Just look at these awesome tools in this little zippered case! Now I can get more detailed features into some of my pieces.

Florida Series

Here is a video of pieces from my Florida Series. I currently have over 60 paintings in this series. This video is from 2008.

Today Has Been Cancelled

On my way to the hardware store yesterday, I stopped at the local Dollar Store and bought these items:

I have big plans for these childrens' items. They are going to become part of my Bottle Babes series. Unfortunately, I can't get started on them today because I am dying. Not literally....it just feels like it. I started a new vitamin and mineral program and my body is detoxing and I can barely move because every cell of my body hurts. I considered taking a baby aspirin, but that defeats the purpose of the detoxing.

Hence I have nothing new for the 29 Faces Challenge today. Perhaps I will be able to scribble something later tonite and post it in here if I can get my hands to stop shaking. What is this....withdrawals? Gee whiz.

Okay, here is my daily entry for the 29 Faces Challenge after all:

On the Table

This is one of the new pieces that I am working on.

I'm on my way to the hardware store today to get some materials that I need to develop a new idea that I had last week. My Bottle Babe series was initially created to be vases or candle holders, but now I have another possibility in mind. It could take me several weeks to work this out, but in the meantime.....

Mermaids on the Beach

This video is of my Mermaids series of paintings that I began several years ago. There have been additional mermaids since this series began, and some of them were commissioned pieces.

2 Charcoal Sketches

Charcoal easily adds contrast to a drawing. Even a simple line drawing can appear more finished. It's messier than other drawing substances, but I enjoy the effect that it creates.

Bec's Art Journal page

I have been working on a personalized journal for my sister. The text in the pages of this journal are about our lives and times together.

These pages are about our 4 years living in LA in the early 90's. Suffice it to say, they were some of the craziest years of my entire life. All hell broke loose during the time that we resided out there and when we decided to leave, we went in different directions with our lives. We continue to be close, but then who couldn't love my sister??