Still life with birds

Acrylic on canvas, 16"x20"

I read a quote yesterday--"Depression is creativity unexpressed." I decided to test the theory that my crabbiness is not just related to holiday preparations, my growing to-do list or the economy. It has been so long since I have painted that my palette paper had mildew. So, am I less irritable? Maybe, I haven't really been tested yet. I may not have a new sunny outlook, but I do have a new painting of stuff in my family room.

Well tended garden

mixed media on 8"x10" canvas panel

I painted this in Lynn Marshall-Linnemeier's Photo-Based Mixed Media class. The photo is one of my favorites of my mother and my daughter. Pumpkin was less than a day old and my mom had slept in the hospital waiting for her. I love my mother's loving gaze and the quietness of the photo and I wanted to place them in a peaceful natural environment while acknowledging the meaningful transition that had just occurred.

This piece is part of a series I have planned. Pumpkin was named for my grandmother who was named for her grandmother and I am planning pieces that focus on each of them. Certain themes, such as the family/tree, will probably be reused.

My dear DJ

acrylic on canvas

More orange. I painted this last night while DJ was watching TV. I listened to Bizet's Carmen on my iPod while I painted so that I wouldn't talk to her instead of painting. Still, painting her is difficult in the same way that it is difficult to draw Pumpkin. Even though DJ can sit still for much longer, I tend to assume I know everything about her face.

Empty Landscape

This is a work in progress. I ran out of cadmium yellow paint and the only red I have is Grumbacher Academy Acrylic cadmium red. It actually contains cadmium which is a carcinogen when inhaled. I have been buying Utrecht Artist Colors paint without cadmium and I may be paranoid, but I feel better about painting with it in the house. I also love the texture of the Utrecht paint and the Grumbacher paint seems rather thin.

Twenty minute poses

Here is a series of paintings I did in Eula Ginsburg's class. I had a tough time photographing them. My addiction to gloss medium has made it very difficult to avoid lots of glare. Speaking of addiction, orange is a cruel mistress. I feel like I broke orange's plate glass windows and I have to work to pay it back.

Acrylic on paper

Acrylic on canvas board

Acrylic on paper

Acrylic on paper (detail)

Acrylic on paper