Creative Early Morning Hours

Stayed up until 4am the other day to plug away on a slew of new paintings. I get most of my creative energy late at night when everything is so still and quiet. Right now it's just too difficult to paint during the day when it's unbelievably sunny and hot (time best spent outdoors with a good book...). There's still much to be done and a bit more planning, but I think it's safe to say that this next shop update will be an arctic/polar themed grouping of work. I think the hot weather we've been having lately has greatly influenced this idea.
Happy Monday, boys and girls.

Moonrocks

Round the comforts of my home, I have many many collections stashed about and on display. Some I stopped adding to long ago, while others grow seemingly by the day. One of such would be my beach agate collection:

I've become a bit of a picky stickler when it comes to collecting beach agates. They have to be really, really worn down and polished by the waves.
They have to "glow" when you hold them in your palm.And if they have a rare hue, all the better...This is my favorite. At first glance, it's weathered and opaque from the rough and tumble of the salty sea. But hold it up to the light, and secret spiderweb red veins are revealed from within.

In other totally-off-topic-and-random-news, I've added a few more goodies to the "Sale" section of the shop. I'm doing my darndest to move out some older items that are taking up valuable space in my studio. So if you've been hoping to snatch up a couple rings, now's the time!

Have a fab weekend, dear friends.

Simple Pleasures No.1

Just a glimpse at some sketchbook innards as-of-late. Lots of color coordination boards and mad scheming. Lots of loosening up and having fun.

It looks like there will be a smallish shop update sometime soon consisting of a new series of mini paintings... I'll keep everyone posted as things really start to come together.

Back to the paints and the coffee pot for a refill! Happy Monday, gang.

Victory Gardens

It's Spring (yay!) and as I mentioned before, I decided to grow my own veggies this year. I'm growing them in containers because a) I live in a rental, b) for ease of pest and soil control, and c) to get the most out of the sun. It's been years since I've done any gardening and I must say, I'm enjoying it immensely. This year I'm growing cucumbers, butternut squash, zucchini, basil, red onions, green onions, snow peas, purple carrots, cantaloupe, and strawberries.I'm using a lot of pots I already had on hand, mixed with recyclable containers (my favorites being large plastic water jugs sawed in half--with holes drilled in the bottoms they do an amazing job and are deep enough for root veggies like carrots). The seeds were started indoors last month inside newspaper cups I had folded (easy to do and a great way to keep newspapers out of the trash--here's one of many online tutorials).
These pictures were all taken last month and everything has since doubled in size (except for the cantaloupe, which are taking quite a bit longer to beef up--to be expected as I don't exactly live in melon country). I accidentally left the cucumber seedlings outside one day and therefore lost about half of them due to the cold temps at night...but the few that survived seem to be doing great (Darwinian science at its best!).

This week it will finally be time for me to transplant the squashes and the hearty snow peas. Yum...I can already hear them sizzling on the grill...

I know a lot of people are growing Victory gardens this year, which is awesome. Self sustainability is a beautiful thing, indeed.

Lincoln Loves...

A new print just slinked into the shop...

"Mr. Lincoln" 5x7"

This one is a limited edition (of 25). The original was done in acrylic on paper and was actually a mail art postcard I mailed off to a faraway friend a couple months ago (I had a hard time letting it go, but am glad I did). It's such an absurdly silly piece that I thought it would be fun to offer up prints of it.

...And now I have a hankering for a Shirley Temple. Gee thanks, Abe.