Thirty One.

Here's the link for the "Thirty One" party I'm hosting on January 5th at Spoontonic Lounge in Walnut Creek- http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/161728110598327/ 

Please feel free to invite friends as this is a public event (21+).  There will be drinks, lots of laughter, and a ton of my paintings for sale, all only $31 a piece.  1/3 of the proceeds will be donated to the Concord Family Stress center as my charitable contribution for the holiday season. 

Unfortunately, I have no way of selling the paintings by taking bids online, so the sell-off will be a first come first serve process.  If you are interested in a specific piece but cannot make the party, please contact me by email or on facebook and I'd be happy to arrange another option.

Again, I look forward to seeing you all there, Happy New Year!! 

 

The End.

Hello friends, or shall I say goodbye?  Today marks the final day of my project 31 painting series.  I feel so lucky to have had this opportunity, it's opened so many other possibilities for me and I can't wait for the sell-off event... I look forward to seeing all of your smiling face there!  I'll post another entry with all of the info for the party following this one. 

I just want to say thank you to everyone in my life for encouraging me to get crazy creative and have fun with all of this at the same time.  I hope you all enjoyed seeing the pieces come to life.  Oh, and no worries, I won't stop painting, in fact I plan on continuing the process by experimenting with different mediums outside of my usual acrylic realm.  I can't wait to try some new ideas out!

Today's piece is pretty self explanatory... Thank you all, everyone, for being so lovely.  

One day left.

I woke up today feeling a bit... strange.  Tomorrow is my last day of this project but as my husband says, "you don't have to stop if you don't want to."  It is true.  I don't think I will stop painting, maybe not every single day, but I will certainly continue to paint regularly as much as I can.  I feel accomplished in the fact that I have completed 30 paintings in 30 days, with tomorrow's still to come.  I also feel that this project has opened up so many doors to other possibilities.  Friends and strangers have responded in a way I never thought imaginable,  everyone has been so positive and encouraging, it warms my heart. Today I decided to go nuts with pink and green- I love the combo and every time I use them together I find myself saying WOW.  What a great contrast. 

Happy thoughts,
B

Just a few more days.

I can't believe the month has gone by so fast-  I only have two days left for the project!  It's been so much fun, time has just flown by.  Finally home today, getting settled and relaxing a bit.  Today's piece is rather simple, I enjoyed the color combo and basic design element.  It turned out quite pretty I think. 

Short but sweet,
B

Always sunny.

Awake early today, feeling well rested and good.  Wanted to get today's piece done first thing so I could go out enjoy this beautiful freakish weather we're having right now up here in Napa.  It's so uncharacteristically warm and sunny today, it feels strange that it is December 28th.  And there's not a hint of wind, which is very unusual. 

Just a few more days left of this painting endeavor- I can't believe it has gone by so quickly! I will be posting info with details regarding the cocktail party I will be hosting on January 5th at Spoontonic Lounge soon.  All 31 paintings will be present, perhaps some extras, all for a sale price of $31 each.  I haven't figured out how I will deal with multiple people wanting the same painting or if it will be first come first serve.  More details to follow...

Cheers!
B

A few days away.

So I've gone rogue! I'm here in Napa and have decided to stay an extra day just because it is so beautiful and cozy.  Thank goodness my lovely parents and brother gave me art supplies for Christmas because I hadn't even thought of bringing my gear up here.  Or, more realistically I wasn't expecting to stay for this length of time.  I've managed to get a painting done today though, after spending the morning and early afternoon relaxing.  This piece is obviously reflective of where I am right now.  The vineyards are so dark, purple and bare.  The hills are lush with foliage and the sky is the most unusual shade of dark grey blue.  The sun was out today but not obvious, hiding behind wisps of clouds and tree branches.  For some reason during this time of year it *feels* like winter up here in the Napa valley... A cool, crisp feeling.

Enjoy and be well,
B

The day after.

Ok, so on to Christmas number two-  headed to Napa for the day to celebrate with the other half of our family... It's been a very lovely, mellow holiday thus far which has been nice.  My first holiday season not having to work in retail, thank goodness we only had to spend two thirds of the day in the hospital.  My brother is home and doing better, we are all happy to have him.

This painting, I must admit, is not my own.  My friend Jade stayed with me this past weekend to keep me company while dealing with all of my brother's ins and outs, which was so nice of her.  I had 4 paintings to complete in a half day, so I was kinda worried. At one point she was watching me paint and I decided to let her take the reigns and create one of her own.  I don't know if this one will be part of the 31/31 or for sale (its up to her), but it was fun to have company and another quietly creative friend to stand around with, laugh and contemplate.  Just to set the record straight, I will be painting one extra painting myself for the show to make up for extra help Jade gave me... I know she had fun doing it though!  

Hope you all enjoy,
B

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, please enjoy your day and eat lots of cookies!

Twenty four.

Happy Christmas Eve everybody.  Today I am driving up to see my family- I hope everyone has a lovely holiday...

Best,
B

So yeah.

Today's piece is inspired by just being happy. I have found happiness in being happy. Today has been a good day.  I have had a friend helping today, and its been great.  I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend as well. 

Enjoy,
B

Oh my.

I did today's painting with the Sonoma hills in mind.  Everything was so green and lush when I went out yesterday, so full of life.  I have done a painting like this in the past that sits in my kitchen to remind me just how much I love the country.  There is literally this range of hills that has a single tree that sits upon it and even when I was little I thought the tree looked lonely.

Positive thoughts go out to my big brother who is having surgery tomorrow to repair his collapsed lung.  We'll celebrate Christmas in the hospital this year but at least we will all be together.

Love,
B

Roaming.

A late night phone call revealed that my brother is back in the hospital again.  Turns out his procedure did not go as planned and he had to go back in for more tests and xrays.  This put me in a downer mood of course because I was hoping things would go a little more smoothly for him and he'd be able to rest and get better before Christmas.  Send that good juju his way people...

I woke up this morning feeling like I needed a refresh, or at least a good healthy dose of mother nature to bring me back in touch.  I jumped in my car first thing and headed out to my homeland- the Sonoma coast.  I was lucky enough to grow up there and I consider the entire coastline and inland country from the SF Golden Gate all the way up to Healdsburg on highway 1 "home".  I started by driving through downtown San Rafael, a place my dad worked for almost 30 years.  It's so familiar and cozy to me, just passing through I could feel myself relaxing.  I used to accompany my dad when I was a little girl on his pump station check-in days and it was one of my favorite things to do.  Just to ride along and watch him work.  Sometimes he'd take a "wrong turn" and we'd end up exploring the mansions and waterways of Marin county.  He'd treat me by visiting Industrial Light and Magic's back lot, where they had all sorts of cool things happening in the heyday of Lucas.  I remember seeing Ewoks without their heads, the sets for the Back to the Future films and Harrison Ford's full magnum body cast from Star Wars.  All by him lifting me high enough to see over the fence or convincing the secretary to let me take a peek.  Good memories.  He took me to Santana's house, where I marveled at the private golf course and outlandish fountain in the front yard.  There's even a mini castle tucked up in the hills of the city that practically blew my mind as kid. 

After passing through San Rafael and moving onto to Sir Francis Drake Blvd, I found myself deep immersed in thought.  Driving through towns like Ross, Fairfax, Lagunitas and the San Geronimo Valley, I couldn't help but notice how much I missed the area.  So many artists walking their dogs, cheerful people actually saying hello as they passed by with their morning coffee.  As I entered Golden Gate National park, one other thing I couldn't help but notice was how many of the hiking trails and campgrounds of yesteryear have now been officially closed by the state.  So sad.  What happens to these parks?  They sit empty and quiet, overgrown and forgotten.  This broke my heart just a little to witness first hand, since I had spent many a summer in those redwoods.  Speaking of redwoods, my goodness, aren't they magnificent?  In the early day, the fog still sits above the ground, wandering through the towering giants as the sun splashes rays of light down onto the forest floor.  It's  truly beautiful and very nostalgic sight for me. 

I made my way out to one of my favorite towns in the country- Point Reyes Station.  I love to visit this time of year because it is mostly locals, going about their daily business, smiling and wandering the streets.  I visited Cowgirl Creamery for some of my favorite cheese, then did some Christmas shopping along the tiny streets.  People out there are either one of two things: very suspicious or incredibly friendly and warm.  I think they revel in the down season, where they can run their shops with ease.  The bookstores are the best.  I was happy to overhear the shopkeeper of one particular store addressing his local friends about children's books.  As they walked in, he kindly asked them to examine a table he had set up and choose a few books for their children, as a gift from him and his wife for the holidays.  This warmed my heart.  Not only was this man running a very bustling little private bookstore, he was keeping his friends and family in mind by giving back to them for their loyalty.  What a lovely idea!  After grabbing some fresh berries and toffee, I went and camped out on a bench with a group of locals discussing the agenda for the day.  "I have to walk Rufus, the old bag of bones is starting to get bored cooped up inside" said one of them, referring to his ancient Labrador sitting at his feet.  "There's an open studio down in Valley Ford I'd like to visit this afternoon" said another eclectic patron dressed in layers of silk and wool.  A part of me wanted to stay there forever, in this town so unaffected by society and the outer world.  A simple, powerful community that exists so far out in the country you would hardly imagine it could thrive. 

After sitting for an hour or so in the cool sunlight, I decided to make haste to a favorite deli in Olema to grab a sandwich.  I then wandered out to Muir beach, ate my sandwich and watched the waves.  Something about the ocean calms me down, and today it was a much needed respite.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day on the coast, I am so glad I visited.

Today's painting is me... just being me. 

Enjoy,
B

Lucky charms.

Today has been a good day.  I was up early, feeling decent and motivated to get going on a ton of projects around my house.  My car is in the shop so I am forced to stay at home, unless I feel like taking a walk downtown.  I came up with too many things to do, so I've been here all day buzzing around like a busy bee.  Got this piece done in the middle of it all.  Happy little rainbows for everybody! You take them and you like them! Don't deny it, rainbows are fun!

*Giggle*
B

Home.

The level of frustration I feel right now is unusually high.  I had to leave the hospital last night due to varying circumstances and slept quite poorly because of it.  My brother is home and safe, with parents by his side.  His lung has fully inflated and he is being monitored for the next week.  Poor thing is so uncomfortable but happy to get over the worst- let's all send him positive thoughts still and hope he powers through this and recovers quickly.

I used just three colors and a palette knife for today's piece.  Wanted to do something cozy and I think I achieved that.  It's almost child-like but that's ok.  Sometimes we all just need to do a little finger painting.  I'm tired of technology right now, so today was a simple day in the artistic realm. *sigh* Maybe I should try crayons- those were always cathartic when I was a kid. 

Hope and good cheer,
B

Sunday.

Today is a scary day for me.  My brother is in the emergency room with a collapsed lung.  On my way to see him. Please send positive thoughts...

Be well and hug your loved ones,
B

Saturday.

If it wasn't for the death of my phone, I'd be in a better mood.  I had a great day at Mumm and Cornerstone, tasting wonderful wines with hilarious friends.  I don't have much to say otherwise besides those little 3x5 handheld computers cost a lot of money I don't have.  Argh.

Fired up.

I don't know why I woke up feeling so enthusiastic today, but WOW, has it paid off.  I've managed to get so much done, all before noon.  Proud moment.  I had no problem with today's piece at all, in fact, it's kinda of a continuation of an older style of mine.  Happy little robot people exchanging a balloon.  What?  I couldn't resist.  It kind of looks like a giant lollipop too, which would be acceptable to assume as well.  Either way, I love it.  Nothing wrong with a little cute every now and then.  *Giggle*  I'm very much looking forward to this weekend- Christmas parties, champagne brunches, homemade pizzas.  It's going to be a good few days. 

Enjoy!
B

Today.

Hmm.  I couldn't think of a clever title.  Maybe it's because my neighboor is right outside chainsawing something and my brain can't function to the noise.  Hopefully he'll be done soon- Ah!  Silence as I type this, lovely.  I feel simple today- the piece I painted this morning is pretty basic.  There are a ton of colors and a heart.  Yes, a heart.  Because after last night with friends, my heart is happy.  There was so much laughter and silliness that I woke up in a good mood, feeling relaxed and comfortable in my own skin.  So... I painted it.

Naptime!
B

Splash.

This is disappointing.  It's really a shame that my camera cannot pick up the correct tone of the background color in this painting.  It is the most vibrant, glorious emerald green- the color of jewels.  For some reason, both indoors and out, it's translating as blue which isn't fair!!  The combo of green and orange is stunning, as I was running the brush across the canvas all I could think was, "Ooooh preeettty."  I also added a glass bead medium to the orange paint, so it sparkles from within.  This started out as a color study actually, for a friend who'd like a bigger, less "Pollock-y" version for her apartment.  I must say, these two colors are going to look fabulous on a larger, more in depth piece.  Again, the photo does not do it justice, it's a must-see-in-person.

Yours truly,
B

Black, white & red all over.

As you might have noticed, I use the color red quite often in my paintings.  I can't help it, I love it and most of the time it usually conveys the proper emotions for me.  I've been using white more often as well.  I like the contrast against the splash of color usually involved in my pieces.  Today I wanted to do something a little bit different.  A little... paint by numbers I guess you could say.  I like it.  It takes a lot for me to restrain myself with colors, especially if forced to stay within the lines.  I had the amazing luck of being able to go out this morning and buy 20 canvas, some paint and a few new paint brushes, which motivated me to keep things going.  It's such a beautiful day outside today that I've opened all the windows to let the fresh air in and I feel good.  My eyes are doing better, not as blurry as yesterday thanks to some antihistamine drops.  Yay!  I'm going to go sit on my porch and write my Christmas cards now, that always makes me happy.

Full of cheer,
B

Baby it's cold outside.

Holy moly, this morning I am so darn cold.  My little fingers are numb.  I've been standing in front of the heater trying get toasty before I'm off into the madness that is holiday shopping land.  No, I'm not Christmas shopping, I've ran out of canvas again.  I'm dreading battling the traffic over to my local art supply store, but I don't have a choice.  I will then begin day 13's project.  I can't believe it's already almost half over!  My sun room is filling up rapidly, and to be honest, I'm running out of space- there are paintings everywhere.  Kinda cool though, I like walking into the room and seeing so many lying about waiting for homes.  Ok, enough chatting, let's get down to business...

Into the chaos!
B

Blindsided.

My luck is down and it's only Monday...  Last night my eyes were bothering me tremendously, burning, blurry and irritated.  I looked in the mirror and my right eye was particularly red.  This morning I woke up and couldn't open my right eye due to swelling and ickiness.  The advice nurse says it sounds like allergic conjunctivitis.  Greeeeeaat.  Its has rendered my vision pretty fuzzy, so I've been resting most of the day.  Supposedly it should go away in a few days.  I managed to finish a painting today though.  I stopped after a couple hours because I felt frustrated.  The painting is still pretty, but with very abstract undertones.  That's ok though, it's still fun to look at. I think I'm going to curl up with my pug, some pillows and a warm cup of tea.  I gotta kick all this sick in the butt!

Be well,
B 

Eazy breezy.

I spent about 2 hours on this piece this morning... Sometimes I like to keep things understated.  In my own house I have a collection of really abstract, eclectic art on some walls and very subtle, soothing pieces on other walls.  I like the balance.  My favorite color is red, and when mixed with magenta, it pretty much makes my day.  Something about the interaction of colors dazzles me.  I used a palette knife again to create the intricate lacing on the canvas.  Pretty.  I'm also proud of myself for getting out of bed to paint this morning.  I'm tired (whining).  Heheh.

Enjoy the day,
B

Quinacridone.

Been up and working on today's painting for a while.  I only have until about 11;30 to finish, but that should be fine.  Got up this morning, made myself a cup of hot cocoa and took my dog in the backyard.  I love mornings like these- they feel so... Wintery.  The sun is shining, the roofs are covered with frost crystals still and all the birdies are waking up. 

Off to paint,
B

Rambling.

It's amazing to me how the creative process and being a so-called hopeful artist works.  I'm on day 10 of a 31 day project and already I feel myself changing in a way I never thought I could.  As I finish each painting, I relax just a little bit more, I feel the tension I carry lessening.  At first I was worried about what people would think, I couldn't bear the thought of judgement directed at my work.  With each passing day, I'm beginning to realize that people, both friends and strangers, are responding in such a tremendously positive way to this whole kooky experiment of mine- it's amazing!!  I was raised to believe that we are all artists in our own way.  Whether you are painting, writing, sewing, finding ways to expand your children's minds, telling jokes, discovering beauty in the small things or even drawing initials in the sand on your local beach.  I feel like I had gotten so snarled up in my career that I forgot to stop and recognize all the beautiful things surrounding me.  I feel lucky to have this time off, and although my lifestyle may take a relatively drastic step down a notch, I wouldn't change things for the world right now.  Thank you to everyone who has shared their stories and support.  Each time I speak to one of you I become even more inspired as the month goes on.

I might be able to paint, but I suck at math.
B       

Color.

This painting cracks me up.  When I first put a brush to the canvas I usually don't have any idea of what I'm going to paint- but with this one I did.  I took a trip to Spain last year, visiting Barcelona, Madrid & Seville, which were all equally beautiful in their own way.  My favorite was Barcelona, and within Barcelona I became obsessed with La Boqueria.  One of the world's largest outdoor markets selling everything from fish to salted almonds and pigs heads.  As we were meandering through, sampling as much as possible and taking in the environment, I was stopped dead in my tracks by this particular vendor.  I love candy.  I don't just love candy, I'm passionate about candy.  My sweet tooth is well known throughout the land.  But this was different.  Never in my life had I seen such a spectacle of sugar.  It made me incredibly giddy and the photo I took still captures people's attention as it is the background on my iphone menu.  Folks see it and say, "omigod what IS that?"  I just respond, "my idea of heaven."  SO I give you a healthy dose of color today.  My painting does not reflect the sheer magnitude of awesome that the candy stand did, but you get the idea.  Just *try* to keep from smiling.  I know I can't.

Be well and happy,
B

Mellow.

Woke up this morning feeling very laid back.  I suppose that's a good thing, hopefully I'm not TOO laid back and I can actually produce something relatively interesting today.  I think I'm gonna relax a while and start when I feel ready, I have the the whole day.  Have I mentioned that my house is like the equivalent of a Norwegian ice bar right now?  Pretty hard to paint with frozen fingers and cold acrylics.  Well, that and my gas heater does not live in the sun room where I paint.  A lazy Saturday morning, perhaps a more productive Saturday afternoon.

Brrrr,
B

Whoa nelly.

I finished today's painting pretty early on but am only posting it right now.  Basically I used a giant brush and only 3 colors total, along with a palette knife to create this.  I couldn't muster up very much today but I had fun pushing the paint around for a while and just watching the colors change.  The only problem I had was photographing it- all that coffee made me a blundering dumpling, so it's a little fuzzy around the edges.  All in all, a lighthearted cheery piece.

Finally sitting down,
B

It's alive.

To say I "tied one on" last night would be a understatement.  Man, have I lost my partying mojo.  Those youngsters were giving me a run for my money... Whew!  After five cups of coffee (which I normally do not drink at all) I feel a little jittery and hyper, but a *little* less perky than I should feel.  Heheh... BUT, I am not about to abandon my project for the day!  I'm on my feet, I have a big tall glass of milk, I have my salami & brie snackies and soon, soon, I shall be painting.  What, I do not know.  For how long, I am not sure.  I'm doing it though.

Urp,
B

Attention friends.

So I've been asked several times how this whole "31/31" idea is going to pan out.  I've been thinking about it and talking to people to get their ideas on how to best execute the buying process for the paintings.  Is it best to wait until they are all completed and do one giant sell off/show perhaps?  Or does it make more sense to "sell-hold" the paintings (i.e. people can contact me and reserve the exact pieces they like on a personal basis)?  Does anyone have any other ideas?  I'm open.  I've been contacted by folks already wanting to purchase- should I just go for it and mark them as SOLD?  Remember, every painting is the same price- $31.  So it's not like I'm selling to the highest bidders... Hmm, I'm stumped.

Help!! Suggestions?
B

Getting done.

I'm actually shocked at myself for getting so much accomplished so early in the day.  I was able to drop off some donations locally, make a little cash by selling some stuff, hit the gym, make a giant batch of mash potatoes AND finish this guy...  I'm in love with this piece!  It looks to me like some weird abstract muppet portrait of Dr. Teeth, ringleader of The Electric Mayhem.  This was not on purpose.  As I was painting, I started laughing to myself because it slowly but surely began to resemble a certain rock & roll "icon" known to most kids born in the late 70's & very early 80's.  How awesome is that?  Or it's just my imagination.  Could be...

Love it,
B

Rise and shine.

Good morning friends!   I got up with the sun today, it felt nice.  I have about a million things to do, so I figured an early start would be a good thing.  I'm laying the base of today's piece down right now but then I need to run a few errands, so I'll come back to it later today.  I'm feeling almost 100% better besides being a little sneezy.  Thank heavens.  I don't think I'd be able to spend the whole weekend sick at home, no way!

Off I go,
B

By heart.

I had originally walked into the kitchen today and noticed my collection of Milagros & sacred hearts were all jostled about for some reason.  After contemplating why they were crooked and examining them closely, I had the idea to paint my own.  This one turned out a little more "queen of hearts" than a "sacred heart" but that's ok.  It's really pretty in the natural light with the silver and gold paints.  I'm happy with it, the canvas is quite a bit smaller than previous pieces but I think it suits the simplicity of the image. 

Ta da!
B 

Good morning.

I'm up, feeling a little better today- although I won't lie, I'm still in my pj's.  About to begin today's piece, I think it could be a good one.  The sun is out and there are hundreds of birds in the yard- my neighbors dog is still barking by the way.  I think the poor thing has barked every day for about 5 hours straight just out of fear.  It's afraid of *everything*- squirrels, cats, people voices, butterflies and especially wind.  Poor thing is as dumb as a rock, so I tolerate the constant woofing. At least it's on the opposite side of the house as my sun room, not nearly as distracting that way.  Ok, I have my hot tea, my eyes are a little less bleary so I shall begin.

Always,
B 

Not really still life.

Here's my sick day project.  It's a semi abstract version of my grandmother's decades old jade plant.  I was sitting out front the other day staring at it and thought, "hmm might be interesting?"  It's hard to tell in the painting but the entire right side of the background is shimmery gold metallic paint.  I like the yellow background... Now that I think about it, I start a lot of paintings with yellow.  Not quite sure why, I suppose I'm drawn to the cheerfulness of the color. 

There are squirrels running around on my roof right now distracting me.  They seem to be furiously stashing today.  Perhaps they know something we don't?  All I know is that they sound like miniature horses trolloping across my roof, and if you are lucky, you will see one fly through the air hoping to catch a limb on our giant black oak tree. 

Totally unrelated,
B

Of course.

There's certainly a reason I was feeling so out of it yesterday. Woke up this morning with what I'm pretty sure is The Plague.  I had been uncomfortable all day while painting, a little drained, wanting to sit down, kinda shaky.  I think it's because my body was trying to fight whatever this is off.  I think my fever must have broke around 3am because I remember turning over and thinking "why am I soaking wet?"  Feels like I'm breathing through a straw, which is my good ol' friend bronchial infection- again.  I'm not even around people and I still get sick?  C'mon man, throw me a bone! I'm having a particularly hard time this morning though, because now not only am I not working, I'm sick.  I at least need to be able to run errands and contribute as much as I can during my day.  I've been rendered pretty darn useless.  I've got to keep my chin up.  I've kinda been a little more anxious about the job situation today too, which doesn't help.  Maybe after a hot shower and a cup of green tea I will feel a little more alive... And I can paint more?  I hope so.

Dayquil, I need Dayquil!
B

Oh my goodness.

Ok I'm way behind on this today! I'm disappointed with myself heheh.  I just did this little piece today as I was lazing about mostly... Trying to paint some sort of vines but failed- I plan on going back to this one tomorrow to improve, I feel like I wasn't exactly in the mood today.  It happens, but never fail!! I shall bounce back in full bouncy backy mode!  Consider this one a work in progress for sure.

Call it a case of the Mondays,
B 

Afternoon.

Ooof.  This is definitely a later start than yesterday.  So it goes...  Working on a small piece today.  Dogs are barking all over my neighborhood, my blind pug has a whining problem and my hair has so much static electricity in it that it's getting in the way of my paintbrush.  Heheh. 

Off I go,
B

Can't believe it.

So I finished today's rather simple piece with a smile.  Goofy, cute, easy.  That's ok.  I can't believe I'm painting instead of watching football!?!?!?!  Oh the shame.

Enjoy the remainder of the weekend,
B

A late start.

*Wince* Ahh... The aftermath of a birthday party with friends.  This is what we call a late start.  Spent the evening with so many wonderful people, laughing, talking, imbibing.  Waking up this morning was a welcomed lesson in the age old "you aren't 21 anymore" theory.  That's fine with me, I just fell out of bed, walked to the fridge and poured myself a glass of champagne & oj.  Hair of the dog my friends, hair of the dog.  Hmm... Football or painting.  Football or painting.  I guess I better stick to the plan and paint.  (Although I am keeping up with fantasy team as I contemplate today's piece.)

Sunday Sunday Sunday!!!!
B     

And now I rest.

Ok... Done for today.  It's time for mimosa's.  I love this piece.  I think it's fun, colorful and a little random and wild.  Again the color combo makes me happy.  Playing with texture is one of my favorite things to do with my paintings.  Everything and anything I can get to stick on the canvas like sand, glitter, paper, newspaper clippings, leaves etc and so on.  You'd be amazed with what acrylic can do acting as an adhesive, hahaha.  Fun day today.  Finished this project up and the drove out to Oakland to my favorite art supply store to pick up more canvas.  Art supply stores are inspiring.  The people, the creative energy, the product, all of the colors and little gadgets to play with.  Don't even get my started on the paint tube aisle, pure joy!  Anyways, I'm going to relax for the rest of the day, maybe do some sketches. 

Yours,
B 

Third time's a charm.

Hello Saturday morning... You'd think I'd still be sleeping, but really, let's face it- 9:45 isn't THAT early.  Unless you were up until 3am partying.  I was not.  I went to bed at a groovy 11:30 or so after watching bad tv shows and shoveling down a bowl of peppermint ice cream.  Maybe tonight will be more "eventful".  So I'm standing here about to reclaim an old canvas.  I'm in desperate need of a visit to Blick on Monday for about 25 fresh canvas, so I'm being resourceful.  I do that every once in a while.  Not all of my paintings are meant to be loved forever, some are just a fun way to kill an afternoon, so they get to live second and third lives as "new" pieces.  Sometimes the results are great, layers upon layers of images and textures underneath one another.  I'm doing this piece with someone in mind.  The color story might give it away quite quickly, you know who you are *wink*.  Red & green are a favorite color combo of mine, I find the contrast to be particularly striking.  Ok, less chatting more painting.

Bring on the weekend.
B

Sometimes less is more.

I finally finished today's piece... Just posted it on facebook.  In all honesty, it looks kinda plain in the photograph to me.  The interesting part of this painting is that it started out with one brush stroke and turned into an immediate challenge for me.  I'm particularly shaky today and became fascinated with the fact that I couldn't paint a straight line to save my life.  SO, to calm my hands I decided it would be a great idea to do a complete outline of the design and then *fill in* the outline with black paint.  Not just simple brush strokes- a test of will dammit!  Could I sit and stare at this canvas for what, 3.5 hours, holding my right elbow steady while basically coloring with a brush the size of q-tip?  The answer is yes.  I like it, I think it's interesting.  Simple yet not so.

Happy Friday!
B

Number two.

After typing the title of this entry I laughed out loud.  You probably did too.  And that's why we're friends.  I woke up this morning feeling anxious.  At first I thought it was because I'm internally uncomfortable with the idea of not having a job- which is true, but not overly troubling as of right now.  I roamed around my house, picking up socks and pillows, making the bed and cleaning last nights dishes when it occurred to me... I want tacos.  So, as I stand here staring at my 12x36 canvas with brush in hand, there is beef cooking on the stove.  What can I say?  It's 10am and I'm cooking Mexican food while painting.  Rough.  I know when W reads this he will immediately text message me in an envious taco rage, but never fear- there will be leftovers waiting.  Moving on.

I was mesmerized by the light outside this morning, at every angle it seemed to be seeping through our windows and bathing the walls with warmth.  Let's see how that translates today.

Yours,
B

Done and done.

Alrighty then! Just finished my first painting of the month.  I was inspired by the great windstorm that's happening right now in Concord, along with the changing of the seasons for this one.  I used acrylic paints, a 16x20 cotton canvas,  water, a little bit of glitter and the same paintbrush for the entire piece.  Took me about 4 hours.  This is how I normally work- I get a burst of inspiration and don't walk away until I'm happy.  I do not claim to be the next Picasso, nor do I dig terribly deep to come up with my ideas... I paint because it is fun, it releases energy and I find that it makes people smile to see such lighthearted yet colorful results.  I do not have explanations for my work, nor can I give you a hidden meaning.  My husband likes to "explain" my paintings as I sit back and giggle (which most of you know), but in the long run it's simple...  I create something I think is beautiful and run with it.  Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not dumbing my work down and making things easy on myself.  I just believe that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and no matter what I do (hopefully), someone will find it interesting and connect in their own way.

We'll see what tomorrow brings!
B  

A tidbit of news

Hey all... Yikes, as I work on my first painting this morning, I've come to the conclusion that this is all moving a bit faster than anticipated!  Which is awwwwwesome.  Thank you to everyone who is already supporting my efforts, I feel blessed.  I posted a small album of very last minute photos of my older work on facebook (album title so smartly named "Older pieces.")  Many of these have sold or are hanging around my life keeping me company.  This is just a tiny snippet of an example of work I do, much of it outdated, but none the less still Me.  Check it out. 

Thanks all, can't wait to get that first pic up of the new piece later this afternoon!
B

Just a sidenote

I realize I said I enjoyed donating "at Christmas" even though I understand not everyone celebrates that particular holiday- therefore I should have used "the Holidays" as a better term.  I also realize that I won't be finished with this project until after "the Holidays" so to speak, January 1st or whatnot...  Same difference people, giving is giving, even on the first day of the New Year.  One last note: please forgive any grammatical errors in this or my previous post.  I'm new here dudes! And it's 5 in the morning.

Be well,
B

Call me crazy.

For those of you who know me, just the fact that I started writing a blog at 2:30 in the morning seems a little crazy.  A LOT crazy if you know how much I shy away from social media to begin with.  For those of you who do not know me, well, here's the deal:

1: I am Freshly Unemployed (do you like that description? So do I.)
2: The above occurance was by choice- just wanted to make that clear.
3: I have NO idea what to do with myself.

After 15 years in retail, when you get a day off, especially a big day like Black Friday, you tend to freak out a little.  At first I felt bad, like I was doing something naughty (really?).  Then I felt the relief of not having to wake up at 4am the day after Thanksgiving to help a stranger pick out a $15 pair of salad tongs that they want gift wrapped and shipped to Oregon free of sales tax.  Oh, but first they want me to pull out every pair of salad tongs we have in back-stock to inspect the craftsmenship, because heaven forbid there be a fat squatty bluebird painted on the handle instead of a tall, skinny, elegant one with a longer beak.  I digress- Anyways, once I settled into the idea of not working this holiday season (so far) I thought to myself, "If I sit here much longer I shall actually become a couch cushion- with a severe champagne drinking problem, mind you.  It has literally only been 3 weeks, but here's what I've come up with... Did I mention I paint btw? Ok...

- 1 painting for each day in December.
- Each individual painting will be for sale... $31 a piece for an original.
- January 1st, I shall tally the sales and donate 1/3 of the profits to my favorite charity here in town.

Ok.  I know what you are thinking.  This sounds impossible.  I need inspiration people! I need to get my butt back on track and get the brush to the canvas!  What better way to be a little creative at least once a day, bring a smile (or look of confusion) to someone's face, and get myself some exposure, just in case I *might* be able to this for a living?? And I love donating at Christmas.  I donate every year, stuffed animals, books, toys, canned food- it's a kind of tradition in my family, I'd love to be able to carry that on, even without a job.

Each painting will be completed in one sitting, and while the paint is drying I will photograph it and post the photo in an album on facebook labeled "31".  If you are interested in one, contact me.  If not, well, I'll have a heck of a lot of paintings come January and maybe I'll be able to do an Artwalk or something ;)

Do I sign this like a letter?

Sincerely,
B