anyone who knows me,
knows how much i love people
i can’t think of anyone that i haven’t enjoyed getting to know
within each new friend is a new journey that i get to experience
where has this person come from?
what has been their experience in this world?
how are their thoughts and reactions different than mine?

…

there is a girl that has come into my life in recent years
her story is a beautiful one
she is one of china’s “lost” daughters
10 years ago…
…two parents, here in the US, choose not to create their child
but to search for her on the other side of the world
when they found her, it was as if this little life was made just for them

how amazing it is to see the miracle of adoption
…and the spirit that is in each and every story

…

this girl has an inner beauty, and strength that i can’t describe with words
instead…i have chosen to paint about her

“cherished”
11″ x 15″ (watercolor)

“not yet”
11″ x 15″ (watercolor)

some say that our fluffy mutt is the cutest they’ve ever seen
…i think it’s the ears, maybe it’s the eyes, or possibly just the hair
~whatever it is
this dog stops traffic….on the sidewalk and the road
…on a leash or in the car

…

…
here is a picture of “odie” in my studio

recently i had an open studio
a couple came and fell in love with odie
they were inteseted in commissioning a portrait of her

i’ve done several paintings with cats and the figure
but never felt connected visually to a dog
…until Odessa came along

i had been thinking of how i’d like to start putting her in my paintings
…wasn’t sure how…or when…the time would be right

this commission forced me to take the leap

titled:
“love is for you, and you are love”
oil on wood panel

12″ x 12″

it was during the development of the work “inside the everyday”
…i had a portrait commission come up
it was a 7 member family and they wanted it in watercolor
i remember that the supply store accidentally gave me 2 sheets of paper
that extra piece of paper kept calling me….needing some girls painted on it
i had a concept of sheer fabric that seemed coincidentally perfect for this paper
…serendipity

here are two of those first three watercolors

“resilience”
15″ x 20″

“radiance”
15″ x 20″

when i painted them, it was like play
it didn’t feel like i was making “real” art
the process was too fun and imaginitive
i didn’t have that “purging myself of anguish” feeling that is part of my process with the oil paintings
these pieces are now in austin at the wally workman gallery
the response to them in austin has been incredible
wally requested that i make a few more for her to sell
so here are the four new ones

“how, how can i see you?”
15″ x 20″

“even if you tell me to let go, i won’t “
15″ x 20″

“green love, no wait, blue love”
15″ x 20″

“there are other ways to do this”
15″ x 20″