Little Treasures Art Show at The Courtyard Gallery

Can you believe November is here. This morning the temperature was below 0, 6 degrees below 0. I was happy to have the hand me down snow pants from my daughter Yolanda. She stopped wearing them when she was 10. They keep me warm, that is what matters.

Sunday the 9th I took a large box of my art work into the Courtyard Gallery 61 pieces, photo greeting cards, small fabric zippered and lined bags, for jewelry, makeup, travel, great for small gifts, watercolors, wood and acrylics canvases. One of the Artist and writer Howard Brown built a tree to hang the glass painted ornaments, I hear it is beautiful, and the gallery is jam packed with small canvases, pottery, felting, glass, wood, books, jewelry, and much more.  

It can take days just to prepare a canvas. This 8 x 10 is being prepared for the small canvases with the dragonfly and flower.

Saturday the 15th is the opening of the show, after we vote for whom we feel is going to do the best job for our community, we plan on hanging out at the gallery. Virginia says she is bringing chocolates, how can I not go. 

The finished work.

This 8 x 10 canvas has many layers of experimentation, creating interesting textures and crackling effect. I painted what I saw in the textures.

4 x 4 canvases. Steve was sitting at the table admiring my small canvases and he started laughing. He said "It's like a totem, that tells a story, went for a sailboat ride, walked on the beach, had a heart attack.
  

I took this picture on November the 11th, In memory of my nephew Ian, this morning the flowers were frozen.

Hope to see you at the show, enjoy.

Trials of Family Portraiture with Dog & Glasses

I love to get pictures at the end of the year from my friends and loved ones who live far away. School pictures, vacation pictures, funny pictures. One of my goals each year is to send my friends and family a photo collage or a family portrait. 2011 we fastened the camera on a tripod and set the timer, as I ran back and forth from camera to sofa, husband and dog. With my poor vision and a small  viewer on my digital we take a lot of photo's. I had a clothing change not realizing I wouldn't like the first or second session. The biggest trial was the dog, Mattie, getting him to look at the camera and not us. Steve's glasses were also a challenge.

This was a good shot we both liked it, but Steve's glasses are reflecting the light from the window.

Mattie contemplating his toes, and I didn't set the timer.

Steve was instructed to hold his head so his glasses wouldn't reflect  light, he moved his head and Mattie  thought it was a good time for kisses. 

That tongue is faster than a speeding bullet. 

Steve,"How long do I have to hold this smile?" Mattie "What is that smell , it's coming from down there?"

Holding up Mattie's head looked funny with all those arms and hands.

Oops, I was so busy smiling at the camera, I pinched Mattie's nose!

Big sneeze. We tried closing the curtains and it helped with the reflections in Steve's glasses, but then it was too dark.

In the end I cropped the arms out of the best picture and this is what we  sent our  family and friends.