Mostly Art with Stray Musings on Occasion

Why My Paintings are Expensive

2012-01-24T10:58:00.001-05:00

I am totally stealing my friend's blog post. OK, I'm not stealing - I have very strong feelings about using someone else's copyrighted images, posts, etc. I AM linking so you can go to her blog and read what she has to say. That is sharing.

Susan Singer is a friend and fellow local artist, who has taken her time to "break it down" and explain why art by professional artists (those of us who try to make a living at it) is so expensive.

I couldn't have done it any better. Thank you Susan!

Beware, however, before you go there. Susan paints nudes.

How Can You Charge so Much for a Painting?

Catching Up

2012-01-04T10:51:00.001-05:00

Last night I was reading an article in the newspaper that triggered a memory of a friend and former co-worker I've known a long time, but not been in touch with for years. On a whim, I called her. It was delightful! We caught up a bit on each other's lives, but mostly it was the joy of being in touch that left me with smiles.

She asked what on earth had prompted me to call. I told her it would make her laugh, and it did. The article was about a nun who had been a feature film starlet, who had shared Elvis's first on-screen kiss. I know! It makes no sense, except to the two of us. This lovely person, one of the kindest I've ever known, lives a life of deep faith and shares that faith not through preaching or proselytizing, but by example. Years ago, I had made the mistake of recommending a particular movie that I thought she'd enjoy, but instead she hated, and at the time it made me think she'd have made a wonderful nun. So upon reading the article my brain synapses started leaping from one connection to another and there she landed in my thoughts.

My immediate thought was "I need to call." and then I talked myself out of it. Seconds later, I reminded myself that 1. life is too short 2. I'd already lost more than one dear friend in the last few years 3. I'd love to hear from her if she were to call me and 4. why not?

The bonus was that while we shared our current lives, another name came up and after we hung up, I called THAT former friend. Another lovely conversation.

At the end of both phone calls, each woman said to me, " I am so glad you called. Thank you. You made my night."

Those words made mine.

Goodbye 2011

2011-12-30T16:24:00.001-05:00

I know. It's been an entire month plus since I've last been on this page.

Things happen.

This is to wish all of my blog visitors a Happy New Year.

2011 was a trying, emotional, changing and even uplifting year in this household. I was lucky to meet new friends through a variety of means who brought much joy and hope into my life. I am thankful to have long-time friends who are constant and stable, whom I adore and respect. I was able to let go of past issues and relationships that brought pain and difficulty. We said goodbye to our beloved Gracie. And I began painting again. Slowly, surely. Creating, painting. Steadily, if not quickly.

I hope for us all, on a global level as well as in our tiny places in the world, that 2012 continues to bring hope, changes that are beneficial, kindness and smiles. I think the world needs a heaping helping of kindness and a whole lot more smiles.

And on that note, before I get all sappy and boring and goofy, here is my latest painting, delivered in time for Christmas.

"Rocket"
copyright 2011 AdeleCastillo
allrightsreserved

Quiet

2011-11-12T18:38:00.001-05:00

It's been just over a month now that Gracie has been gone. It's very quiet without her. As my husband says, she was "A Presence." From the day she entered our household until the day she left. On her last day she was actually walking in the backyard, barely, and woofing at our neighbor, barely. She did not give up, ever. Although I no longer spend much time grieving or weeping, moments like this one, sharing her story, do bring on the tears. I am simply grateful for the honor of being her human mom and that she was able to have a long, well-lived life. Not all of Earth's creatures have that.

Our other two pups and a our cat are fairly quiet, unobtrusive beings. They like being with us, but are as content to go off napping in other spaces away from us. This has given me the long awaited opportunity to get back into the studio. I have so many paintings left undone from a long while ago, and new things to tackle, too. I was invited to teach a workshop late last month which, at least for me, was a complete joy to do. It's been a slow transition back, but it's going well, so far. I don't anticipate diving head-first back into frantic commission work; that was not a good fit for me, but I am hoping to establish a nice, steady pace.

Here is a sample of my latest endeavor, still on the easel and not complete.

Baci
copyright/all rights reserved/ Adele Castillo

Another Goodbye

2011-10-20T18:09:00.000-04:00

Well, damn.
I just learned that Lucy Hogge, the most well-loved beagle on the planet, died in her human mom's arms this week.

Jacque's Lucy

Lucy is well-represented in my collection of paintings and has made appearances in two Winery Dogs books among other things. Lucy was luckily rescued by her human mom, Jacque Hogge of Cooper Vineyards, years ago after being shot, hit by a car and left on the side of the road to die. Every year Cooper Vineyards hosted a Lucy's Weekend event, in honor of her rescue and to benefit the Richmond SPCA.

Lucy lived a good long life much to the credit of Jacque, who not only rescued and nurtured her, but always respected her as a dog and loved her like a human. Both Jacque and Lucy are an inspiration for anyone considering rescuing an animal with medical needs. The two have been nearly inseparable since their meeting and I know the heartache and empty space now that they are apart is difficult terrain to travel. I know there will be another lucky dog in Jacque's future, but there will never be another Lucy.

It is Never OK to Lose a Friend

2011-10-16T23:13:00.000-04:00

“It is never ok to lose a friend.”

Nancy Pecsok

No, it isn’t. Nancy could not have summed it up better. It doesn’t matter if that friend is furry and barks or is hairless and walks upright.

Gracie Allen, as we dubbed her, was our first fur-baby as a married couple. Ernie inherited my pups Max, Shadow and Gus, but Max died shortly after our honeymoon. Gracie came into our lives a few years later.

A furry pup with boundless energy and a direct stare that early on reflected her intelligence and fearlessness. Of course we fell in love with her and that love affair never ended. She was Ernie’s running companion, sofa-mate and canine love. She was protector of our household, guardian against strangers, FedEX trucks and men with hats. Gracie demanded attention, noticed everything, spoke incessantly, slept fitfully, pranced, ran, danced and commanded respect. Her ears would rotate like radar, listening to everything, always on alert. Gracie knew tricks, but couldn’t be bothered, was an agility champion, but became bored with the repetition, herded us all until we insisted it was rude. She believed her job was to protect us and I believe it is what kept her here for so long. She didn’t want to retire and even at the end, she was not pleased that her body was giving up with a vengeance.

I had to make that call, to end her life with assistance. It will torture me, although in my head I know with all certainty it was humane. Every weekend when she saw her human daddy, she would rally the energy to pretend nothing was getting to her. But during the week she would physically decline. Getting around was more difficult and I could see her heart pumping through her ribs. The tumor had made it difficult for Gracie to breathe and eat and whatever nutrition she was receiving must have been gobbled up by that foreign creature in her throat. Half of her body weight was gone.

Even as we sat in the vet’s office, waiting for that last injection, she’d look at me, panting heavily, as if to say, “I don’t have to leave now...I can stay. I am willing to stay.”

Well I was, too, willing for her to stay, but her body was done. I have no doubt she could have continued and now thankfully I will never know what kind of pain or torture she’d be willing to suffer to remain with us. Gracie never once indicated that she was suffering. I can’t help but believe she was, and enduring it all with the silent grace that was her legacy.

Gracie Allen, Pooterhead, Baby Girl, our pooh-bear. Oh my goodness we miss her so. I know she’s hovering around, still guarding us all, but at least she’s shed that dilapidated body that no longer served her sweet soul.

Gracie Allen Castillo

2011-10-10T23:51:00.004-04:00

It was with a heavy heart that we quietly said goodbye to Gracie Allen Castillo this evening, October 10, about 6:20 p.m. Our entire household mourns the passing of a truly independent and amazing spirit.

I will share her final chapter in days to come.

In Honor of Rob

2011-10-05T10:21:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow, October 6, it will have been a year since our friend Rob was murdered. He was shot for no reason other than he was there, in the wrong place at the wrong time, for some young, hopeless gang member to kill in order to prove he was worthy of the gang. Word of Rob’s death came directly from his wife, and how she was able to make that call to us, and likely to a number of others that day, is beyond me. When she told me he’d been shot, my only words were “oh my god.” repeatedly. I stammered, not knowing quite what to ask or to say, until she finally said, “Adele, he’s dead.” I can’t even get this far in writing about it a year later without crying.

Rob’s death hit us hard. Harder than we might have imagined, if we’d ever imagined such a thing happening to him. To anyone we knew. Senseless. So ridiculously senseless. Rob’s death left behind a tsunami of hurt and grief and changed the landscape of the lives of not only his family and friends, but also of each perpetrator involved. How can they not have known that when (not if) they were caught, that their lives would never, ever, NEVER be the same, that they’d never have the opportunity to turn things around? I cannot imagine the kind of life that leads a 19 year old young man - teen- to such a conclusion that his life may as well be over, why not take out a few others before it is?

Rob was my husband’s childhood friend. He grew up around Rob’s family, almost an honorary brother. Ernie was first a friend of Rob’s older brother, since they were closer in age, and Ernie was a part of that brother’s wedding party. As years passed, Rob and Ernie naturally became pals and eventually Rob was the best man in our wedding. Rob married a year before we did and we all got along well. Rob was the kind of gentle giant who was always there to lend a hand, to share a laugh and a beer, to cheer you on in whatever endeavor you plunged into. Rob loved people and had a heart larger than life. He had found his love, his Becky, and he was a happy man at peace with the world he inhabited. We had no idea how many lives he had touched until we attended his funeral. This was a beloved man with no enemies. His family meant the most to him, above all else, but he always had time for anyone else and I doubt he ever knew a stranger.

Rob’s death has left Becky a widow. She still grieves profoundly and likely will for a long while. Who can blame her? Isn’t it enough that she daily endures the emotional turmoil of losing her husband to such a violent end, but also must wade through the murky waters of revenge, of “being a good Christian” while wanting to see Rob’s killers brought to a severe justice. Life has turned her world upside down. No one can fix it or make it better or bring her peace, although we wish that we could. We all grieve for the loss of a good man. But she will grieve endlessly for the loss of her lifetime companion. There cannot possibly be any justice.

Rob, we miss you terribly and profoundly. May your place in the Universe now be one of peace, love and beauty.

Classes / Workshops

2011-09-24T16:11:00.002-04:00

One of my continuous students has asked to take a new approach to her painting....she basically wants to start anew with some basics. So I am putting together some lessons on composition, perspective and the elements of design.

I've also been invited to teach a Color Theory workshop. whew...that's an entire college course there, but I like challenges, so am having fun reviewing old notes, books etc. to put together something fun and informative for a 5 hour class. I know.....zzzzzzz. But it's COLOR so it has to be fun. I need to replace the word "theory."

More info to come as plans /dates are refined and set.

One Helluva Weekend

2011-09-12T11:35:00.002-04:00

My household is typical - usually. I have a routine, dealing with dogs, walks, feedings, then my own agenda of teaching, the gym, yoga, painting, (ok, that one has been real iffy lately) and then there is grocery shopping, cleaning, (ok, that one is not high on my list) laundry; you get the picture. Same as most average households in America. And yet, somehow, things are never really dull around here, even though on a daily basis I don’t really have much to talk about.

This past weekend provided me with a great prompt for writing. As I posted on my FB page : my dog faked her death, a light fixture blew up and the fire department arrived with hatchets.

So let me explain.

Gracie, as most know, is my elderly dog dying the slowest possible death due to cancer after finally recovering from the results of a vestibular syndrome attack last fall. (The cancer and syndrome are unrelated except for timing.) I say it that way because this weekend, I realized, Miss Gracie has become a drama queen and I’m having to develop a sense of humor about her impending death because otherwise it’s just too sad.

Anyway, on Thursday morning, Gracie was listless. As the day wore on, she was unable to eat, could barely breathe or stand up, much less walk on her own, and basically was lying on her side all day. I kept vigil and waited until mid-afternoon to call her human daddy, who promptly left important meetings (after all, he is a VBAIP- very busy and important person,) booked a very expensive flight home and arrived in a horrific downpour at 10 p.m. Like my day wasn’t already a ton of fun, most of it spent in tears emotionally preparing to take Gracie in to euthanize the next day, I had to drive in that crazy storm at 45 mph on a 70 mph highway.

But then, her daddy walked in the door and from the moment she saw him, Gracie’s ears perked up and dang if that dog didn’t decide that nope, it wasn’t time after all. By Sunday, she was in full motion again, eating what she could ingest and even taunting her Eugene-dog. If I had not lived with the whole episode, I’d not have believed it. That dog has more lives than any cat I’ve ever had.

But no, that’s not all to the weekend. On Saturday, while Gracie was still recovering from her episode, whatever that was, I was upstairs and her daddy down, when he yells at me, “What the blank are you doing up there?!!?”

To which I reply, “What.?”

About that time I hear a loud buzzing. And lights begin to flash behind me. So I ran into the hallway to find a ceiling fixture furiously buzzing and flashing light out from under the globe! no less and then there was smoke. A scene from a bad 70’s sci-fi movie. Oh no.

I flipped off the switch on the wall and yelled to Ernie “Grab Gabby and get her out, the smoke alarm is about to go off.”

It did. (Gabby hates smoke alarms. She freaks and paces and won’t come in the house for hours)

So scrambling through about 5 minutes of conversation about what was happening and what we should do, we decided to call the fire department.

me:“ Is this _____ Fire Department?”

dispatch: “yes, this is dispatch.”

Did I mention I called the non-emergency number? No. I called the non-emergency number.

me:“This is NOT an emergency, but I have a question to ask....well, this is what happened....” (repeat above story)

“Do you have some way to tell if there is a fire in the walls or ceiling?”

dispatch: “We can send a truck out there.”

me:“This is NOT an emergency.”

dispatch: “They have sensors that can detect heat in your walls to see if anything is smoldering.”

me: “Perfect.”

dispatch: “We’ll send a truck out, but first I have to ask some questions....”

me: “This is NOT an emergency.”

dispatch: “I understand. We’ll send out a truck and they’ll check it out for you.”

me:“Can you please not turn on the sirens then?”

She actually giggled.

So, said truck arrives shortly, no sirens. Four, FOUR, firemen in full outfits, hatchets and other wall damaging items in tow. My husband goes to the truck:

“ I hope you don’t plan on using those things in my house...”

I don’t know the response....

But they all came in, with the house-destroying equipment and I became a little nervous.

me: “I TOLD her it was NOT an emergency.”

fireman. grinning. sortof. : “ They’ll just check it out.”

so grinning fireman, who it turns out knows my neighbors, stays with me at the bottom of the stairs and asks if I know my neighbors, which duh, I do, since we are right next door and our houses practically entwine...but that’s another story...so I say, “Yes.”

In the meantime, with an infrared sensor of some sort the other firemen traipse through my bedroom to get to the attic with my husband and a third one scrutinizes the light fixture to conclude that we a. don’t have a fire and b. we need a new fixture and c. we could probably use an electrician.

So we turned off the breaker, which made seeing anything in about half the house impossible, got the electrician over after hours on a Saturday night to tell us we needed a new fixture and tie off the wiring so we could turn the breaker back on.

I think Ernie was actually, for the first time, glad to fly back out Sunday afternoon. It was one helluva weekend.

I’ll be shopping in the extremely near future for new ceiling light fixtures. I’m replacing all of them.

And Gracie is still with us. Miss Drama Queen, like she doesn't already get enough attention. God love her.

And lastly, in spite of all the drama, thank you to Chickahominy Volunteer Fire Department. It could have all been a very different story, and they came prepared.

Ahhhhh, Sunday

2011-08-21T11:19:00.000-04:00

This past week I plunged into a project to feng shui my home. It was interesting to see my cat react to the sudden upheaval in my dining room. She zoomed from room to room and attacked the daily paper on the table. I finally had to put her on the porch to calm her down. The dogs just observed, waited and finally adapted. Saturday we emptied and rearranged the living room. I think by Sunday, everyone was ready for some peace. I have a long way to go; that was just two rooms and they aren't finished yet!
And yes, that's Gracie on the right. She gets annoyed and looks away when the camera comes out. Her otherwise perky ears were rotated for my benefit.

Two Fave Blogs - no Three

2011-08-17T15:46:00.001-04:00

I don't normally share websites, except in my blog list over there to the right and down aways, but these are worth pointing out to you.

If you have ANY issues at all with language, you will likely not appreciate the Bloggess. But I think she is one of the funniest women I've ever read. And her face is so cute and ladylike it just makes the incongruity more charming. At least in my head.

Another new website I've recently discovered is that of Kimberly Kelly Santini. I saw her work last year on Dog Art Today when she won a wine label contest. The Bloggess mentioned her today and I went back to revisit. Her FAQ page on her blog is artistic explanation perfection. For all of you who have questions like How do you make your art? to Will you donate a piece for auction? she has the answers.

And my last fun blog is actually a two-fer. It's Bent Objects (you'll see it there in the aforementioned right hand list) and his newest creative adventure My Response to Your Masterpiece. Just go visit. It's self-explanatory.

No, I haven't put up any pics recently. But I do have a painting on the easel. Patience. It's coming.

And by the way, Gracie is still amazing.

the Furkids Page

2011-08-09T17:20:00.000-04:00

I've decided to give my furfamily their own page. Look to the right ------->
that's where you will find updates if interested and it will free up the blog main page for, well, stuff.

Gracie's Responses

2011-08-05T13:42:00.000-04:00

I had forgotten how wonderful my commission clients could be, after some peculiar experiences that impelled me to quit commission work nearly altogether. Yet my recent blog posts about our struggles with an elderly dog have brought out some amazing responses from not only dear and long-time friends, but people whom I know only through my art.

One amazing and lovely woman has offered to come and sit with Gracie to allow me time to get away. I've certainly met her pups, but she's never met mine. What a tender and generous gift to give.

A close friend keeps a bag of clothes packed in her car in case I have an emergency and need someone to be in the house. She sat with Gracie during her bout with pneumonia several weeks ago while I went to teach my class.

Another person whose dogs I've painted and who has been through similar struggles with her elderly dog contacted me by email. Her words broke my heart and uplifted my soul. Her dog had passed away this spring, which brought me to tears. I had the pleasure of meeting Tess twice and painted her in 2009. Tess's Mom told me about their last days together and ended her note with this,
"Your words touch my heart and for what it’s worth, I think you are doing everything absolutely right!"

That alone was such a gift to hear. I know I am lucky that I have the time to spend with my Gracie and the ability to pay for her medical care. Not every pet owner has that and I can't imagine the feeling of being helpless and having no options.

Right now Gracie is holding her own. Still functioning completely. Still the Alpha in the house. She's eating better than she has in nearly a year. I don't mind having to be nearby all the time. I know the cancer will take her away soon enough.

Why Gracie is still Here

2011-07-26T15:39:00.000-04:00

I took my entire canine family to see Dr. Faber today for their accupunture, chiropractic adjustments, and holistic checkup. Dr. Faber and I were talking about Gracie and her current state of health and when it's time to let her go. Euthanasia. A fancy word for killing. No matter how I think of it, accept it, word it, the bottom line is that euthanasia is when I decide to end the life of my companion. I know a number of my friends and acquaintances and readers wonder why I don't just "put her to sleep." It's not putting her to sleep. It's death.

To explain why Gracie is still here, I need to share the story of Gus.

Gracie thinks Gus's frisbee is delicious

Gus was with us for over 16 years. He came to me before I met Ernie. Just a tiny pup, brought to school by a few of my students. He'd been found in the highway on the way from the Outer Banks to Virginia Beach. The kids were told to find him a home. Good grief! That should NOT have been a child's responsibility, so I took him with the full intention of taking him to the SPCA. Gus was covered in ticks. And I mean COVERED. I'd never seen anything like it. I bathed him in my kitchen sink. He was so exhausted, he slept through the entire bath. I held him in my lap when I was done and he never left. Gus is the dog who taught me that animals are meant to be with certain humans and somehow they find their way to us.

He was a sweet, sweet dog who resembled a doberman-lab-hound mix. All black with Dobie markings and the prettiest speckled boots. He was goofy. Our first walk on a leash freaked him out so badly, we didn't get further than 2 houses away. It was my fault I didn't try until he was about 5 or 6 months old. I met Ernie when Gus was a year old, give or take, and they bonded instantly. Ernie taught Gus to play ball (where when I'd tried, the ball would bounce off his head and he'd look at me wondering why I'd done that) and he taught Gus to catch a Frisbee. That dog loved, loved loved to run after Frisbees. He lived for Frisbee. And squirrels.

Gus would snuggle with us, but he'd never stay still. I called him my learning-disabled dog with A.D.D. Not to make fun of humans so afflicted, but he really did have issues. Yet he persevered and became a dog that all of our friends loved.

So some 16 years later, I noticed one morning a large swelling on his rear leg. Overnight this appeared. Short version; it was a form of bone cancer. It didn't get better, but we did what we could to help him along. He dragged his leg, requiring booties where he'd scraped his skin down nearly to his bone. He only wanted to be with us. After about a month, I thought it was time for him to go.

I called the holistic vet I'd been using at the time. She came to our home, Ernie and I both with Gus as she began to insert the needle to euthanize him. He balked and pulled away his leg. Ernie was beside himself. I didn't know what to think. We regrouped and tried again about 15 minutes later. Gus, our sweet lab who knew no enemies tried to bite his doctor.

We heard him. He wasn't ready. Dr. K was taken aback and I felt awful for her. But we couldn't euthanize a dog that so clearly wasn't ready to go.

We had another 3 months with Gus. He was fully functional until his last few days, when complications left him incapacitated. He stopped eating. He didn't want to leave us mentally, but his body was done. He'd taught us so much about caring for a living being even in the worst of circumstances. Just because a creature or human is old or ill, doesn't necessarily mean they are finished, complete or done. We tend to cast off our elderly. We tend to ignore the ugliness of aging and illness. We want it all to go away. I learned more from Gus in his last 4 months with us than I ever would have if we'd simply "put him down" when his cancer first arrived. I wouldn't trade that time for anything, although it certainly would have been easier.

After we had Gus euthanized, (this time he went very quickly,) as we were riding home in our van, I saw him, Gus, riding in the back with us. I had no doubt we'd done it right. Not only were we on the way home, Gus was, too.

Gus is with me in every painting since he died. He is the image on my business cards. I have a soul symbol for him that appears somewhere on my canvas. He was a goofy fun dog in life, and a wise teacher in death.

So until Gracie tells me she has completed her life, I will honor her illness, her age and whatever wisdom she has to share. I have no doubt she will let us know when her body is finished.

Gracie : 2005

On Being a Teacher

2011-07-23T15:20:00.001-04:00

I've been a teacher in some form or another since I graduated from college, oh a thousand years ago. It is not what I thought I would do, but life takes us on detours and roads less travelled and thankfully I've always either had the sense to listen to the Universe, or the laziness to just go with the flow. Both have served me well. I wanted to be a veterinarian, a hair dresser and a beauty queen. Seriously. But blood makes me queasy. Dissecting frogs in high school put me over the edge. Fixing Barbie's hair (I finally realized) was not quite the same as doing human heads. Plus I ruined a few good Barbies. I didn't play well with girly girls who had painted toes, since I'd rather be climbing trees, hanging out on the beach and finding stray animals to bring home. Soooo.....I chose art. I knew less about it at the time, so it made perfect sense to me. I liked creating and I could do it alone. Why not? I'd be an art major and if I had to, I'd teach for a few years until I decided what I would do when I grew up. (I grin big here.)

Currently I teach adult painting classes. I've been doing that for about 5 or 6 years now. I love it. I enjoy the challenges and the fun of being around other artists - who actually pay ME to help them become better at what they do. Those aha moments are priceless. I get to have some of those, too, when I see something unexpected happen on one of their canvases. I've always said I learn as much from them as they do from me.

Adult students take painting for various reasons. To explore something new, to get out of the house, to learn a new medium or technique, to pick up where they left off years ago after the kids are grown, to consider a new career....I could go on. Although I don't encourage the career part much, since making art and selling art are on opposite ends of the creative spectrum. A person has to be dedicated to marketing to actually make a living off of art. That's another topic entirely. One thing all of my students do have in common is the desire to do the best they can and get better with each new painting.

Teaching can also be tiring, annoying and frustrating. Working to come up with new ideas only to be ignored has made me realize adult students come with their own agendas. Watching a gifted artist constantly berate him/herself wears me down. I've learned sometimes a student's self-worth is wrapped up in their perceived value of their artistic output. "this painting is awful, I suck!" isn't unusual to hear. I understand, because I'm an artist too, and any of us who are artists have been there, and will continue to go there as long as we are creating. I think it comes with the territory. I wish someone had warned me in college. Then again, maybe if I'd known, I'd actually have tried the veterinarian thing. I don't think there would have been any less angst, though. Just different angst.

I see myself not so much as an instructor with technical knowledge (which I am and have) as someone who uplifts and encourages progress. I bring what I know about painting to the table and my students bring their gifts and talents. All are excellent, some are extraordinary. I don't make them better artists - they do that by working hard. I just meet them where they are and take part of the journey with them.

You can see some of their recent paintings here
Mostly Art with Stray Musings on Occasion: The "Painting Abbey" Wall

Gracie Has Other Ideas

2011-07-19T17:44:00.000-04:00

this is just an update on Amazing Gracie.

These were taken after Gracie's return home from doggie ICU. Apparently her mission on earth is to see how often she can scare the living beejeesus out of me by faking her imminent death.

The "Painting Abbey" Wall

2011-07-16T20:09:00.000-04:00

On exhibit now at Crossroads Art Center, Richmond, VA

and the original Abbey herself, in attendance opening night.

and no, I don't KNOW why blogger posts my larger image out of the box like that, but I'll eventually figure it out.

Student Show - Painting Abbey

2011-07-13T10:28:00.001-04:00

Abbey by Carolyn Kipps

Friday night my fabulous students will once again show off their talents and progress in acrylic painting. The opening at 6 p.m. Friday July 15 and most if not all of the 12 of us exhibiting will be in attendance. Come say hello and check out what we've been up to lately.

Included in this exhibit is a show within a show. I call it "Painting Abbey." One of my painting students is a renowned photographer, Lynda Richardson. She snapped a photo of Abbey during a local agility class she was participating in with her own pup. After seeing the image, we thought it would be fun for all of my students (who wished) to paint their own version of her. The results are fantastic. ranging from simple color studies to some quite unusual and creative interpretations.

I'll update with photos as soon as I get those taken. Until then, here's a taste of two of the Abbeys.

Abbey by Marcia Fowler

In Honor of Feistiness

2011-07-07T11:51:00.002-04:00

A Not So Feisty Moment

Those who know me or have followed this blog regularly know that my dogs are an integral part of my life. They are much like children, however, we do honor their “dogginess” and have never resorted to dressing them, carrying them in grocery stores or nightclubs, or taking them anywhere that a dog would not of his/her own accord choose to go, unless it smelled food (alert!) or another creature (high alert!). We also have no problem locking them in the house alone and allowing them to eat off of the floor. Much of the joy of living with animals is, well, that they are animals. And even in being animals, they have so so much to teach us.

Gracie is our elder girl, 15 just this past March. She’s had a rough time these past 11 months. She began losing weight last summer, with no visible or recordable cause found. Then she had vestibular syndrome, which really took her to another level, much like a stroke would affect a person. This caused her to have several physical issues, plus she lost her ability to recognize food, and worse, she became afraid of her food dishes. Like she needed that with her weight loss issue. So basically, since then, I’ve been her full time care giver.

Still the Boss

One thing Gracie did NOT lose was her Feisty. She was born a ball of fur and mischief, a loner that had no problem looking you in the eye or taking on a challenge. Intelligent, fast, quirky. We used to take her to the school yard nearby and let her loose. That girl would just run....for no reason but that she could. A blur of fur, tongue and teeth as she zipped around the fields in ecstatic abandon. A marvel to watch.

At just a few weeks old, Gracie would “eyeball” us. Look us straight in the eye, no relenting. We knew we had a challenge, so as she grew we took her to obedience school, where she became the first example for needing discipline in her puppy class. I grin, because she graduated with flying colors and went on to be an agility champ. But she was bored after her first runs. She’d look at me as if to say, “ I just did that. and exactly WHY do I need to do that again?” Always ready for her next challenge. Gracie became our alpha dog pretty quickly. (well, next to me. I claim the Supreme Alpha position in our household. Hey, I can claim. )

Gracie has been with us for 15 years. Ernie’s running buddy up until the last few. Her body has deteriorated, with spinal issues, weakened legs and now, a mass quickly taking over her esophagus and trachea. Yet she’s never, ever lost her will to live or her spunky playfulness. She continues to defend her place as Alpha Queen and won’t hesitate to put another furkid in his/her place. She still will bark to the world that this is her territory and she's still defending it. To watch her frail, bony body run as best it can after her younger packmates is a wonder to behold.

Two days ago Gracie became quickly and suddenly ill. She’s been in critical care since then. She is fighting aspirational pneumonia, which comes with her condition. Her time is short. I am filled with inconsolable grief. Gracie is coming home tonight and we will assess her desire to continue to be here, with her pack. I’m hoping she still has her feisty.

Bats

2011-06-28T13:35:00.000-04:00

I had intended to blog about an experience I had last week rescuing a hawk from traffic, but that will wait for another day. Instead, I'm going to talk about bats.

Last night while watching the local news a report came on about how the station had helped a family with a bat infestation in their apartment. Then I saw the man beat one bat with a mop, and another bat with a broom or mop handle. I was so horrified and shocked, I had to change the station. My blood boiled with anger and I became anxious. Total visceral reaction. I could not believe that this was what this man had to resort to and worse, that the station would film and show such violence towards another living creature. If it had been a cat or a dog, the person would be charged with animal cruelty.

Why is it that we decide that some animals are more worthy of our care and respect than others? My answer is fear and ignorance. I don't mean ignorance as in "stupid." I mean ignorance as in not knowing any other way. Of course this young father was worried about his family. He has young children. I'd be worried, too. Who wants to live with bats flying around your home every night? Shame on the apartment manager and complex owner for not keeping up the property. That would have prevented the nesting in the first place. Shame on them for not taking care of the problem immediately once the bats were reported. That would have prevented entire families of bats from being destroyed. And while I understand the father's reaction, what he has inadvertently shown his family is that it's ok to attack and harm another creature even if it isn't attacking or harming you. I get it; they were in his home. He was left to his own devices when help wasn't available. It's just so sad from all sides.

Bats are intelligent and generally harmless, shy creatures who actually help us by keeping down insect populations. Some species eat up to 3000 insects a night. Few of them are blood-sucking and those may carry rabies. More rabies cases are attributed to raccoons, foxes and feral cats than to bats. Here is a link to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
Bat Facts

I remember as a child we had bats nesting in our attic. My father did what he knew to do: he waited until dusk and "fogged" the entire attic with poison to drive them out or kill them. It was a terrible evening for me as I sat on the front porch and helplessly watched these fascinating creatures swarm out and die. I tried to talk my father out of his intent, but in the 70's, there weren't many alternatives nor much information to help persuade him otherwise.

Here is a link to a website that encourages humane bat control, with excellent information about bats, their habitats, habits, disease, etc.
Bats | Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC (804) 457-2883

In the 1990's I moved to a home with a swimming pool in my backyard. What a treat to go out on a warm summer night and lull in a cool pool. Until one night a bat came diving at me. I screamed! I ducked under water! I ran into the house. My husband laughed hysterically and I was dumbfounded. But, I next went to our computer and began researching bats. I learned that bats drink by diving into lakes (or pools) and skimming the top of the water: like a touch-and-go airplane maneuver. So the next night, I watched. And sure enough, that is exactly what the bats were doing. They weren't "attacking" me at all. They were drinking. From that point on I gladly shared my pool with the bats and no longer was afraid if I was in the pool, although I admit, I didn't stay in while they drank.

Point is, if possible, there are options to dealing with the other creatures we share our earth with than resorting to destruction.

Rabbit update 2011

2011-06-21T14:48:00.000-04:00

The baby has left the nest. I say baby, singular, because I believe there was only one.
Typically there are 2 or 3, but when I finally got a peek at the baby, it was rather large. And it was about 5 days earlier than I expected to see it, so I'm guessing either there was only one, OR Mama Bunny gave birth a little earlier than I thought.

A few days before the baby came out, I noticed the opening was getting larger. Mama moves her fur away when she's ready for the babies to see the world. It's fascinating really, to be able to watch the process on a daily basis.

Mama Bunny won't get any bonus points from me for being Mommy of the Year. She'll run before she will protect her young. When the dogs or I show up, Boing! boing! boing! She's sprinted across the yard and under the fence. Gone.
In spite of that, baby bunnies seem to proliferate and do quite well. Once they've dodged the neighborhood dogs, cats and hawks, it's on to more bunny-making around here.

At any rate, "my" baby bunny has hit the road. I haven't seen it anywhere, but hope it's doing ok. I also hope it's not a she and that it doesn't return to make new nests or babies in my yard.

Good luck little one.

While You're Away Don't Forget to Write

2011-06-15T23:53:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow morning is the last writing class until fall.

I am feeling sadness and disappointment. It’s like meeting a new best friend at camp - you spend nearly all your time with each other like you’ve been together forever, then boom! the week is gone and you go home with only your crafts and a few photos to confirm it actually happened. Luckily, I have the fall to look forward to when I hope class will resume. And I have better than a few crafts; I have pages of thoughts, ideas, and history that have poured out over the past 12 weeks, I have readings from authors I've never heard of and I have the gift of sharing with other writers and hearing their fascinating, heart-rending, funny, sublime, fantastical stories.

I have met women I’d not ever have met otherwise and learned from their wisdom, pain and joy. I have laughed, cried, been in awe and profoundly touched by such gifted and brave creatures. This has been a spring I shall treasure. This is the spring I began to even consider writing as a creative endeavor. I love summer and don't want to wish it away, but I can’t wait for the next installment.

Thank you Valley.

Rabbit, Rabbit part deux

2011-06-14T13:32:00.000-04:00

This is a photographic update on the baby bunny situation in my backyard. (See the previous post for more details.) I don't know that you'll be able to see, but there is a baby bunny looking at me. The green leaf has been moved several times and there is now an open space just above it. Inside that space there is a pair of little bunny eyeballs looking back at me. The one in the photo is just above the tip of that brown oak leaf. Very tiny.

Here is the view similar to the one taken earlier this week. You can see the large stick on the right is still in place, but the nest is rearranged several times a day by Mama Bunny.

The babies are obviously growing now, since the air spaces are getting larger. My dogs have begun to pick up their scent and stick their noses under the panels. I believe they are now "talking," because my youngest hound will turn in their direction as if she hears them, but I can't hear anything.

Rabbit, Rabbit

2011-06-12T15:42:00.002-04:00

According to Wikipedia, a person should say "rabbit, rabbit" upon waking on the first day of each new month, and that person will receive good luck for the rest of the month. I think I have enough rabbits living in my garden to forgo that ritual. I should have enough luck for the remainder of my life.

This is my "official" rabbit-protection-system. It isn't fancy. It's my art panels linked together using bungees tight enough to keep out dogs, loose enough to let in Mama Bunny, frightening enough to keep away roaming kitties.

I have bunnies galore in my yard and every month from March until October, Mama Bunny and I disagree about the use of my yard as an incubator. She digs holes for nests, I fill them in. Not that I don't love bunnies, but I have 3 dogs and at a certain stage of their nesting, they squeak and smell and inevitably are dug up and killed by my furkids doing what nature has instructed they do - seek, destroy, eat if possible.

I was doing so well this year until Ernie and I went away for three days. Mama Bunny sneaked in during our absence and sure enough, had babies under an oak tree. I know all the signs now, and as soon as I saw the patch in the back woods, indicating she'd removed leaves and needles to line her nest, I knew she'd beaten me once again. So I set out on a mission to find said new nest. Mama Bunny always builds near a tree or stick that is vertical to the ground, (earlier this spring it was by the gas meter!) nearly always to the south and east, usually sloping in the event of rain and not far from her tell-tale bare spot. She digs holes one night. The next night she lines the chosen hole with pine needles, debris and/or grass, then covers it up. The next night she lines the hole with her own fur and recovers it all. Usually this is when I give up, because she's ready to give birth. This is also when its hard to find the dang nest because she's an expert at camouflage.

See what I mean? Want to see if you can find the nest?

Do you see that light green leaf in the center near the tree? (not the bright green leaves on the vine) That's on top of the center of the nest...I put it there to mark it to make sure she's coming back every day. There is a faded one nearer the tree that I put there when I found the nest. It's under a needle now, which means she's been there and moved it. If you look closely, you can see the pine needles under that form a bit of a circle. The stick is to the right of the nest. She has openings on each side of the nest, barely perceptible. If I remove the top layer of needles, her gray fur covering (and waterproofing) the nest could be seen and the babies will wiggle, but they are newborn and I'm not going to bother them just yet.

Hopefully they'll make it. When they don't, I bury them in my garden, returning energy to the earth, sending them off by acknowledging their short lives with a prayer to the Universe. I feel somewhat responsible for these little creatures who live in my space. They can't help that I have dogs and their Mama is seemingly oblivious. I do my best to encourage Mama Bunny to move elsewhere. But once they arrive, I do everything I can to help them get to a place where they can survive. Which means leaving them alone and keeping the dogs away. Once they leave the nest, nature takes over. And I'm on the lookout for the next rabbit, rabbit.

Cactus Blooms

2011-05-23T11:09:00.000-04:00

"Cactus Blooms" copyright 2011
Adele Castillo

I began this about 4 years ago, give or take. I don't remember, but it's been hanging around with a number of unfinished paintings.

One canvas at a time.

My Porch

2011-05-18T11:43:00.000-04:00

This has become my daily battle.

Robins vs. Adele.

They are staking claim to my territory.

I don’t like it.

If I didn’t have dogs, I would have my yard designated a wildlife sanctuary. You can do that. It’s called a Certified Wildlife Habitat. Create a Certified Wildlife Habitat - National Wildlife Federation

My yard fulfills all of the requirements and I have a great deal of respect for sharing my space with animals whose ancestors were here long before I was. Rather than kill a snake, I’ll direct my dogs indoors until it moves along. I’ve wrapped fencing around many a rabbit nest to keep my dogs at bay until they wean and scatter. (I spend a great deal of my summer preventing those nests, however, since my dogs typically find the babies before I do.) Skinks, squirrels, bats, birds, rabbits, skunks, possums, raccoons, turtles, butterflies, and even the rare deer have all passed through or taken up space in our garden. I have no problem with moles; they hungrily keep our Japanese beetle population at bay by eating the grubs. Plus they aerate the lawn. I don’t get why people want to kill moles - they are an asset to my yard.

However.

I have boundaries.

This is the current state of my front porch entry.

This is the mess I clean up every day.

Twice, three times a day.

Robins. They insist! they are going to grow a family above my front porch light.

I insist! no, they are not.

They bring the strands of grass, twigs, and wet mud to build - I take it down, if it doesn’t fall down.

First it was cute. The dry grasses fell off the lamptop anyway. Then it was annoying. Heaps of grasses were piling up on my porch. I burn the lamps at night - this is going to be a fire hazard with the dry grasses that remained. They’ll stop.

No, they just innovated. The grasses became wet. They brought mud. How on earth do they do that? Do they eat dirt and regurgitate? Do they roll bits of grass in the mud to collect it? Fascinating. Still. Not gonna happen.

I remove grass; grass returns.

Now they are weaving the longer grasses they’ve decided they need in and around the globe of the lamp. And gluing them in with mud. Don’t ever tell me birds are stupid.

I think they are quite determined and creative. Still. It’s been four weeks. FOUR weeks. Daily.

I will share many things with my wildlife neighbors. I will support them when needed and ignore them mostly. But I will not give up my territory. Apparently, they won’t give up what they consider to be their’s, either. This battle will remain peaceful, but I will win.

Dear Robins, if you turn around and look about 5 feet away, there is a perfectly good tree, also sheltered by the porch. What? You want me to go live in the tree?

For the Life of Gracie

2011-05-15T11:44:00.000-04:00

May 3rd, I thought was going to be her last day with me.

Gracie was ill. She’s already about 20 pounds underweight and although I’ve managed to keep enough calories in her to prevent further loss, she will never gain any back. Her bones feel skeletal, although with her gorgeous hair you don’t see it right away. I don’t know how she manages to walk, with what little muscle still graces her body. So when Gracie is ill, it’s a huge deal. She was not keeping down her force-fed breakfast, did not want to eat, slept all day. By evening, she was completely restless, alternating with completely passed out. She insisted on being outside, (not normal) laying in the grass, (not normal) and when she laid her head down, ears back and wouldn’t lift her body or head for me, there was only one choice.

As I hovered over her asking her, the Universe, myself, “is it time?” the panic began to rise in me. I told her I would happily let her go, in our peaceful yard, if indeed that’s what was happening, BUT I would not say goodbye until I knew her body was shutting down. I lifted her up and carried her to my van, crying over the potential outcome and the stress of having to tell her human daddy what was taking place. We headed to emergency vet care.

This story isn’t about death. It’s about listening. It isn’t about power and decision making, it’s about honor. Honoring the life of a creature in my care and doing what is right for her, not what is easiest for me. I feel the same about humans. No one has the right to decide for another when it’s time to die. We all pray that nature decides for us, but that is quite actually rare when it comes to our pets. I hate that word. Pet. It indicates my fur-family is property, which in legal terms they are. But turning them into property gives me permission to do all sorts of things to them, if I were so inclined, that no living being should be able to do to another. Right now, it certainly would make my life easier if I simply took her to my vet and had her euthanized.

Gracie came home with me that night, walking into the back yard as if I had made a big deal out of nothing. Over the next week, antibiotics helped kick a nasty stomach virus. Blood work and her behavior 2 weeks later returned to normal. I am ecstatic that I listened, that I did not leap to conclude that she was dying because of her age, condition and listlessness that early May night. If there is anything I’ve learned collectively from my furkids, current and former, it’s about honoring life even in it’s final, not-so-easy stages. My Gracie stubbornly kicks ass! and I believe she will always. I chuckle in fascination at her stubborn ability to do anything, everything, her way, so when she does leave it will still be terrifyingly difficult, but it will be on her terms, not mine, if I can at all help it.

Gracie

2011-04-26T15:38:00.000-04:00

Grace:

An extended period granted as a special favor.

Grace:

The condition or fact of being favored by someone.

Grace:

The free and unmerited favor of God.

I don't quite know how, but it seems each of my furkids throughout the years has been aptly named. A friend of mine is an animal communicator, and she believes for the most part that our animals tell us their names, even though we think we pick them out. At any rate, Gracie is no exception.

I adopted Gracie 15 years ago the week before Memorial Day from a student whose family had no business with one dog, much less a litter of pups. It was an accident - but the pups arrived and the family did right by them in finding them homes. Three of the pups landed with teachers - the school was across the street from the townhouses where this family lived.

Gracie barely made it home. I took her straight to my vet's office to be checked before introducing her to the other animals in the family. Right away we noticed she couldn't stop urinating and that it was totally clear. Testing showed nothing in her urine. Nothing. The vet suggested we put her down right then - that she obviously had kidney problems and would always need to be outdoors, on and on. I said no.

Gracie had no kidney problems. She had worms. Lots of them. She was getting no nutrition. I don't know how she survived the 6 weeks she had already been on earth, but we fell in love with her and she's been our Baby Girl ever since.

In August, we were getting Ernie prepped for a long-term job away from home. We came back from apartment hunting and 2 weeks later, Gracie became very ill with canine vestibular syndrome. It hit her hard, as she was already not doing well aging. We didn't think she'd be with us long and I had to re-teach her to eat and lift her up to walk and carry her down stairs outside. You can read more about that as well, in a prior post.
Mostly Art with Stray Musings on Occasion: Updates

Happy Birthday Gracie

This is Gracie now, a few weeks after her 15th birthday. She is one amazing dog. We are so blessed to have her still with us. She is frail. But her eyes are clear. She still has food issues, but she chases after the other dogs. She sleeps most of the time, but she still initiates play with her buddy Eugene. She's never been an affectionate dog, but she comes to me often for head rubs and touching. I think she knows her time is running out and she is savoring what she can, while she can. So are we. We remain graced by her presence. Thank you God, for the special favor.

Challenged

2011-04-20T14:20:00.000-04:00

Uh oh.

Recently I decided to take an art class. I figured I needed the commitment to make me paint more. I sort of "checked out" for awhile and I'm slowly finding my way back and thought incentive would keep me steady. Plus I love working with and around other artists (the ONLY time I don't mind working in groups) and one can never stop learning new and fun things to do with art stuff. I learn much from my students and I love working with them, but it isn't the same as BEING a student with someone else as teacher.
Alas, I could not find a class that called to me, or one that I could fit into my schedule.

So I'm taking a writing class instead. Hey, creativity is creativity, right? And writing is a medium. ? yes? Since I do have this public blog, it certainly can't hurt.

And now we're sharing one anothers' blog addresses. no pressure. um-hmmmm.

Great thing about taking a class on a lark: I have nothing vested in it. I have no particular goal, I'm not worried about "how to." I'm not writing with a purpose in mind. I basically show up and see what spews forth on paper. It's quite freeing - with a Dear Diary sort of catharsis.

So, for anyone who has been following you can expect to see a little more. It may include topics other than art and my furkids. We'll have to see.

Welcome, my Tuesday night comrades.

Japan Animal Rescue

2011-03-18T09:39:00.005-04:00

I couldn't say anything any better than has been said here. I can NOT imagine having to leave behind even one of my precious animals if a disaster were to hit. Please consider donating to World Vets and read why animal rescue matters.

Paws for Japan: Why Animal Rescues Matter | Pawcurious Vet Blog: Pet help, stories, and information with Dr. V | eat. play. love.

World Vets - Volunteer Veterinary Projects

Dog Art Today: Dog Art Today Turns 4: Please Give to Japan's Pets

Drawing Workshop Finale

2011-02-19T11:16:00.001-05:00

Here is where I left off.

After making that leap into a more solid drawing, this is what happened next.

Our model began a pose which lasted over an hour, with breaks in between. This one on the right is the first round for me.

This one on the left is the 2nd version.

I felt I had finished with the one above, so started a new one of the same pose. Using eraser, I began to "paint" in the form after drawing. It began as an accident after I tried to pull some white out of a too-heavy dark area. (I think anyone who draws probably already knew this, but I haven't done charcoal drawing in so long, it was like a new discovery.) I really liked how the eraser worked as a tool and since painting is where my comfort zone lies, It worked really nicely for me. I was really getting into the work when it was decided it was time for a new pose.

This one was a short pose, the end of the day, so this is all I had time to do. I love the right leg - so powerful. Looking at both legs, you can see where I complete the drawing on the left, then use the eraser to blend on the right one.

This next image won't make a lot of sense, because I tossed out the work I did leading up to it. I know!! tsk tsk, - so let me set this up.

The last day of the workshop we spent working with materials. The idea was to exploit 2 mediums to their fullest; basically do everything you can imagine with them and more. This is where I have real problems as an artist. Liz, who was next to me for this task, LOVES, loves, loves playing with materials. She could really care less (at first) about making anything - she just enjoys the process of discovery. It was very helpful to me to have her nearby and watch her joy and playfulness.

I like to take one medium and learn as much as I can about it and apply it to what I'm intending. I don't tend to take the medium beyond it's purpose, so this day was a bit frustrating for me. I chose oil and chalk pastels; two items which are very difficult to make work together.

ok, so I set myself up....

anyway, after doing some typical texture studies, which I thought were kinda fun but Thomas (our instructor, see previous posts) seemed to think I wasn't pushing enough. So he bolts off, comes back quickly and asks "what is your favorite food?" "Chocolate..." I said with much hesitation and wondering what that was about. "What kind?" huh? "What kind?" I shook my head and he whips out a peppermint patty. "Now paint with this."

ohgoodlord. He broke the patty in half, smeared it all over his hands, then all over my paper, handed it to me and ! I had sugar and chocolate everywhere. Sugar melts, so it wasn't terribly useful, but it did leave a residue - a very sticky residue, which explains the tossing of the experimental papers. Chocolate is best eaten, in my opinion. But it did help loosen me up and yes, I probably could have pushed it more.

I did go on to find ways to make the chalk and oil pastel work together, with the addition of white ink. I had a plastic container for my ipod earbuds, and decided I wanted to do shiny with these non-shiny materials. I know how to do it with pencil or paint, or color pastels, but this was a challenge. I didn't achieve complete success, and it isn't a wonderful drawing, but I didn't do too badly.

The 2nd part of this workshop comes up in April. Can't wait!

Drawing Workshop Continued

2011-02-12T18:24:00.000-05:00

This is the next step after that frustrating experience drawing multiple positions continuously on one piece. I've done it before; it was that I couldn't SEE any of them on the paper. Many heavy sighs and furrowed brows later, Thomas says "if you are worried about what's on the paper, you are worried about the product, not the feeling." OK, so I'm quoting incorrectly, but that's basically what he said. Stop looking at your paper. Capture the form.

Obviously I am still struggling with that. But there are hints of it happening. And it gets better in the one on the right.

I am still more comfortable with contours, and at this point am not even realizing yet that is what I'm continuing to do. But I like this drawing quite a lot, regardless. I'm feeling a little Picasso-ish with the minimal lines getting the esscence. (check out his Mother and Child, 1922, which I won't put here since I don't want to deal with copyright issues - but it can be googled)

Here we are again - Thomas is all over my paper. It's very helpful to have the visual demo help me figure out what I'm doing. He did the leg on the left, no contours - a quick line for placement, circles for form.

And look what happens next.

whoa.

a leap has been made.
even more to come...

Drawing Workshop

2011-02-09T14:59:00.001-05:00

Drawing is not something I’m “known” for, but drawing is at the core of what I do. Underneath all the color and medium, I’ve always aimed for a strong beginning - a good drawing. I haven’t always hit the mark, but it’s where my art begins.

So recently I’ve been wanting to draw - get my hands into the paper and my medium, to feel the work emerge, get back to my roots, so to speak. I haven't had much time for classes in the past decade, but I fit in something now and again. Finally, the opportunity to take a class with a teacher I admire and respect came along. A 3 day workshop with Thomas Bosket, an instructor (professor) from Parsons New School in New York. I won't go into how he happens to be in Richmond, but I have worked with him before. So I knew what to expect: to expect the unexpected, and he delivered.

I'll start with a few images:

My first drawings were of a rocking chair. Contours and mark-making. Gesture. Showing the essence of the rocker, that wasn't actually rocking. I'm literal - Draw a rocker rocking when it is still? Capture the movement of a still object? My good mood quickly darkened. I hated the drawings.

Then came the model. I had no idea we were going to do figure drawing. This was a basics class, so I figured I'd just happily float along while he instructed the beginners. ha.

Anyway, here I am doing what I know, sort of, and adding in lines that I think capture the body.

It's ok.

ok, it sucks.

I'm liking this one better. Fewer lines capturing the position. but oh no - not quite what I'm supposed to have gotten. hmmmm.

Now I think this one is sweet. But we were doing quick gestures with form, so I'm running out of time. I'm missing the point and getting contour, but not gesture. ackkkkk!!

Below is a piece I began and Thomas jumped into. I was missing the ground and mostly missing the curves. The round swirls are Thomas showing me how to capture an entire curve, around the entire object even when I don't see it.

Check out my rendition of curves - zig zags.

ohhhhh - kaaaaaay.

Then came this: Thomas is moving while the model takes a break. All the while he is talking to us trying to get into our heads what each of us is not doing. (and that is different for each of us.) We can't lift our charcoal from the paper AND we are to capture each gesture he is making and get form at the same time. I'm getting frustrated and pissy - all I see is a mess. All he wants me to do is FEEL. The drawing. The movement. crap. I don't feel, I render. What I see....

more to come......

Collaboration

2011-01-31T11:45:00.000-05:00

Three years ago my friend and gallery owner Wayne decided to host a themed show based on collaboration at his Riverview Gallery in Portsmouth, VA. I invited fellow Richmond artist Mike Keeling to join me in a painting. We were both artists with studios at Art Works at the time.

Long story short, we wound up making two paintings, loving the experience and wound up as studio mates sharing space at Plant Zero in Richmond.

Fast forward to January 2011.

Mike and I are still happily sharing space and friendship. Collaboration with another artist can be a wonderful experience and honestly, we've been lucky that we are not only compatible, but we have so much to teach one another. We are totally different souls who approach art in such different ways, but we both have a desire to learn, encourage others and to share.

"Deck Pup"
Mike Keeling and Adele Castillo
All Rights Reserved

So, Wayne sent an email about another collaboration project and !! we had two weeks to get something done. I was up for that challenge, having just finished my sketchbook project and wanting to get back into a fun painting before tackling commissions that have been put on hold for awhile. Mike was up for it, so here is our latest, which will be at the 3rd Annual Collaboration Show opening this Friday night at Riverview Gallery.

Sketchbook Project

2011-01-22T19:44:00.001-05:00

Add caption

RAINING DOGS AND CATS, simply sketches

I thought it might be fun and challenging to take on a new project. I belong to Art House Co-op, an online gallery where you can "meet" and share your art with other artists from all over the world. It was based in Atlanta, but moved to Brooklyn, NY in 2010. You can access the site here : Art House Co-op | We build art projects and communities

Above is the cover for my sketchbook. I originally had a grand idea in mind, but it didn't take shape in the sketchbook I was doing pre-sketches in, so I decided to tackle those in another format. Then I realized, how silly! I was doing sketches in a sketchbook FOR a sketchbook. Why was I doing that? Why would I feel silly? Well, when you see some of the other books, you will know exactly why: there are so many talented, gifted artists out there doing amazing things with these tiny little books. I was feeling competitive and overwhelmed. Competitive? this is art, not a sport!

So after talking with my friend Charles, who was also doing a sketchbook, I decided to honor the spirit of sketching and do, well, a sketchbook.

Some of the sketches turned out nicely, some not so wonderful, a few surprised me and a few others have given me ideas for a new approach to my paintings. All the ways in which a sketchbook SHOULD work for an artist. As a bonus, I've learned to love sketching again.

Thank you, Art House Co-op.

sleeping dog

2 unsuccessful versions of the same dog. May as well show the oops drawings, too.

yawning dog

King and brief Notes

2011-01-08T16:18:00.001-05:00

King

Happy New Year. 2011 is here. As I always do in January, I look forward to classes continuing, meeting new students, reorganizing the studios (seems it's becoming an annual ritual) and generally getting back into good habits.

I'm currently working on a sketchbook project for Art House Co-op, an online gallery and artists' collaborative. I thought it would be a nice challenge to get me working regularly again. Yea, well - now I'm scrambling to complete as much of it as possible. The good part? I'm really enjoying the sketches of the various dogs and cats I live with and /or have photos of.

In February I'm headed to a local, intense drawing workshop. I canNOT wait to get my hands back into paper, charcoal, crayons and whatever other fun materials we use. Exploring and reconnecting with other media only makes my art better. I'm also hosting and participating in an encaustic workshop. This will be a new media for me.

In between, paintings are happening and they'll show up here when it's time.

updates on my fur-family for those who've been keeping up :
Gracie is maintaining status quo. I honestly didn't think she'd survive, but she's surviving with intent. Still has food issues, but that girldog has some strong will to be. She astounds and confounds me.
Gabriela continues to improve her social skills - on her own. With friends in and out during the holidays, she chose to be in the same rooms with us, check out new people, allow others to touch her, even if fleetingly. I grin like a proud mama.
Eugene is declining slightly. He is now 11 and at 80 pounds, we're lucky he's still as healthy as he is. We're hoping for some normal aging for him, because there is no way I'll be able to pick up an 80 pound dog even with intense gym work.
Sassy cat is nearly age 11 as well and she continues to oversee and control the household from whatever perch she chooses.

King

2010-12-16T12:08:00.000-05:00

Since it's snowing outside it's a good day to blog and finish up a painting.

This is King. Although King passed on many years ago, his humans loved him dearly and have wanted his painting for awhile. He is a mixed breed, but resembles a Duck Tolling Retriever.
His mama human has been the perfect client...she loves art and just let me do my thing. So here he is, so far, from the beginning. Stay tuned - he'll be finished soon.

charcoal sketch

first colors over magenta wash

adding layers making color choices

details and layers

more layers

December Catch up

2010-12-09T16:11:00.001-05:00

A friend of mine brought to my attention that I had not posted in quite some time, so she was concerned about how things were going. Thus, this is a quick post. No pics.

I've noticed I have the term "catching up" in some form or another in numerous blog titles. That's how I feel almost all of the time these days. Like I'm always catching up. I'd be happy to just be on task, or in the moment, or caught up would be grand, wouldn't it? I know I'm not alone - I hear the sentiment coming from quite a few others.

So, here's my catch up list:

Gabby graduated puppy school. well, duh. Smart girl, 4 years old, done that part. She's doing really well as we continue to hone her social skills, which is why she was in remedial education to begin with. Yay. Dog walks with Jenn Kyzer are perfect for Miss Gabriela.

Gracie is doing quite well. Holding her weight, eating for puppy sitters, her normal grouchy self.
She's even brought herself up the long flight of stairs to the 2nd floor several times. Which does not make me happy, since I have to carry her down, but it does make me proud of her accomplishment.

Eugene my middle dog is the best dog on the planet. Ever. .

Sold "Harmony in Three" to the perfect home. It was more like an adoption. I love it when a painting goes where it will be loved! Wait, I lied. I can't stand a blog post without at least an image.

"Harmony in Three"

Made a trip to Atlanta to visit my husband on a work assignment, and to visit a cousin (her father, my uncle, passed away last month.) Also went with same cousin to see the Salvadore Dali exhibit at the High Museum. wow. I don't understand how his head works, but his art and technique are awe-inspiring.

Painters Block is waning. Back in the studio in short spurts, but accomplishing.

And of course, the show of work by my fabuloso students is still on view at Crossroads Art Center. Go see. Go buy art. Local, beautiful art. It's a nice show.

Here's one from the show.

Art work by Nancy LeBlanc

CLASS WORK

2010-11-18T10:23:00.000-05:00

Opening Friday November 19.
Crossroads Art Center
See prior post for more information.

"Breakfast Table" by Adele Castillo

"Legs Go" by Shirley Silberman

"Ibis" by Linda Lewis

"Sunday Joy" by Mike Keeling

CLASS WORK ART EXHIBIT

2010-11-09T12:59:00.000-05:00

I am proud to present the 2nd (hopefully annual) show of my students' art work. The show is titled CLASS WORK and will open November 19 at Crossroads Art Center in Richmond.

"Tree" by Caitlin Flora

"Onions" by Dianne Smith

"The Daily View" by Marcia Fowler

And you thought all we painted were dogs.

Come visit and see more wonderful works by even more very talented artists.

Gracie

2010-10-22T10:35:00.000-04:00

Although lately I spend more time with dog issues than I do in my studio, I wouldn't have done anything differently. Gracie is my 14 year old collie-lab mix who has just had a rough time of it these past few months. I am well aware that at certain points, had she been part of another family, she'd have been put down. Sometimes it is sadly about affordability and other times it's about having the time to deal with a pet's illness. I find that heartbreaking, having to choose to end a life based on money and time. But I know it's real and I'm grateful I am not in those shoes.

Even more so, because Gracie is finally coming around. After 84 days, or nearly 3 months, my old girl is beginning to ask for food, showing a bit of appetite, is 100 % mobile (though she has her moments of stumbling and awkwardness) and putting on a tiny bit of weight. She's been through acupuncture, countless diet changes, x-rays, ultrasound and I've taken her off her daily meds. Yesterday she spent the afternoon at the referral clinic (VRCC) being observed and we're awaiting results of bloodwork to see if she is unable to absorb nutrients, among other things.

Gracie is not a lovey-dovey dog, but when I leave the house lately and come home, she is beyond happy to see me. I think she knows she isn't quite right and she is relieved she hasn't been left. I'm tickled to see her romping again with the other pups and generally just acting like an old lady dog. I've known all along this was not her time to die. She wasn't right, but she was in no way ready to give up. And when she is, I'll be there to help her through that transition. Until then, we are thrilled to have our old gal still with us.

October!! Dogs, Art and Life, ohmy.

2010-10-06T14:55:00.000-04:00

Hard to believe we're heading towards mid-October already. I JUST finished the 43rd Street Festival yesterday...or so it seems. I've actually had some "free" time, loosely defined, where I could actually sit down with my pups and watch a little Ellen or Dexter or another fav show. I began reading a book 2 months ago, read about 1/2 a chapter, and then was able to finish that chapter yesterday in my doctor's office. I have no clue when I'll get back to it. I think anyone can relate...at a "Certain Age" we all seem to lose our free time which we so badly need in order to regenerate, and when we do have it, we fill it in with bits and pieces of things unfinished. I REALLY miss the days from my 20's when I'd get home after work and sit down and wonder what I would do for the rest of the evening.

from 43rd Street Festival of the Arts

So, to catch up, I'll start with Miss Gracie. You can see prior posts if any of this is new. Or just skip altogether and wait for the next painting to be posted.
Anyway, my old girl-dog Gracie has nearly fully recovered from her bout with Canine Vestibular Syndrome. She's unfortunately not ever really recovered from her weight loss and remains odd about food and eating, as well as feeble. After 2 months we're realizing that Gracie is simply at the end of her life and we're here to help her through the transition, no matter how long it takes. She's otherwise vibrant, interested and loves her very brief walks in front of the house. She eats better than any human I know, (when we can get food in her) since we now offer her people food. Steak, green beans, brussels sprouts, beef sticks, cheese, yams, etc. My fridge has never been so well-stocked. The other dogs think it's the best thing ever, since they get her leftovers. Here you can see Gracie talking to Gabby and she looks beautiful.

Eugene, Gracie, Gabriela

Next up is our Gabby lab - the anxiety filled wonder hound who is forced against her will to ride in a car (!!) every week to puppy school (triple !!!) and actually socialize with other living beings besides her pack. oh the horrors. In spite of her protests - she actually squeezes herself in our bedroom between a chair and a table to make herself invisible and inaccessible - once we arrive she is actually coming out of her shell. I've learned to take her on a walk around the facility about 10 minutes prior to class to help her shake her energy. This is a dog than can leap spring-loaded about 4 feet straight up in the air with no running start. She's 54 pounds. So the walk helps and this week she greeted nearly every person and dog as they arrived. Wow. I was beside myself with happy. Granted, playing was not an option and once greeted she was done, but for her to choose to greet and feel safe enough to sniff noses, hands and butts (you are on your own with the visuals) was great progress. I think some of the other humans still don't quite understand why we are there - she knows the commands and behaves quite nicely - but I am grateful for everyone who has been open to us hanging out, walking around and doing our thing a bit separately from the class assignments.

Life has been life. Classes are full and running, lingering commissions are seeing fresh paint, weekends are reserved for my husband. In other words, It's good, challenging, busy. Whose isn't?

43rd Street Art Fest this weekend.

2010-09-23T17:14:00.000-04:00

Just a reminder to come visit the art festival this weekend.
43rd Street Art Festival

Gabby Goes to School

2010-09-20T11:38:00.001-04:00

A while back I wrote about my hound Gabriela and her "issues."

So, I decided to take her to one of Jenn Kyzer's classes. We have made such great progress with our at home work, it's time to socialize a bit. Alas, the only class that fit my schedule is puppy class. Oh lordy, sorry Jenn, no slight meant, but GEESH I had forgotten how boring puppy school can be.

Don't get me wrong, I think every puppy needs a puppy class and the humans need it more. A good instructor covers a lot of territory. Not just commands (like sit, stay, wait, etc.) but she/he will also talk about health, playtime, feeding, etc. Jenn is a thorough instructor.

While the instructor verbalizes all this information, the pups are actually learning to sit quietly (or as much as a puppy can sit quietly) and the humans are also learning how to handle their pups when they get bored. Was that stated? Well, no, it's actually one of the subtle benefits of a class. But lordamercy me. give me Patience.

This is what Gabby would much rather be doing.

So in the meantime, my little anxious houndy-hound is not a happy camper. She's nervous, likes only one of the puppies so far ( a cute little Boston Bull) and I'm trying to let her get near, but not too close to the others to see how she reacts. Growling is not a good thing. But pups have E-N-E-R-G-Y. And now Gabby doesn't like that. Which is hugely ironic because it's what causes her such anxiety much of the time...her OWN energy. Ha. She can dish it out but she can't take it so well. anyway, it's why we are here, the 4 year old dog in the puppy class. To learn to socialize without being deathly afraid.

Ok, here is a sample of the first class for me and Gabby. We are all gathered in a loose circle in an outdoor parking lot. Pups are chewing on leashes, wiggling, laying down, trying to play with the pup next to them, etc. So we do this exercise called "settle" where we basically wrap our arms gently around our dog, pull them to us with a thumb in the collar and say settle. Hmmmm. well, Gabby is 4 years old. She is settled. She has no clue why I want to hold her in public. It's weird, mom. But she lets me and then she sits. So I let go and she stands and backs away. I hold her, say "settle" she sits. I let go, she stands and backs away. Gabby believes that sitting is the magic answer to everything so duh, she sits to get out of it. I'm baffled. So I hold her. Repeat the above. Until I get tired. In the meantime Jenn is talking about - I don't know what. (sorry again Jenn)

Now that I am standing and Gabby is by my side, being the polite girl she is, a woman walks by in the road behind us. I hear a growl. uh-oh. "shhhh....it's ok." growl. "shhhhhh...." The woman has a hat on. double uh-oh. growl. "shhhhh..." Thankfully a plane flies overhead (we're near the airport as the crow flies) and Gabby sits down and pulls her neck back, looking up to see if the plane is going to fall on her head. Oh yes, she really does not like things in the sky. But, it gets her mind off of the hat lady. yay.

Next we do sits. Well, we have that one down. Then we do "look at me." Eye contact. Now here is a challenge. No way on earth Gabby is going to look at me. I don't care how much food she gets, she isn't gonna. Nope. So I give up. in class. and after a bit more talking from Jenn we are done. ugh.

This week I have been practicing "look at me." Gabby learns very fast when she feels safe, so she's eyeballing me like crazy. She always looks me in the eyes when she wants something anyway, but now I'm training her to look at me when I want something. Huh...so far so good. But will she do this in class?

We'll see what happens next.

Coming Up

2010-09-16T12:56:00.001-04:00

The 43rd Street Festival of the Arts is Saturday, September 25 from 10 - 5. I plan to be there and it is a rain or shine event. This is another of my favorite shows to do. Although small, the quality of work is outstanding and I'm just tickled to be included.

I sent out my email newsletter this morning, but aol addresses are kicking them back to me. So if you are a friend, fan or client and want me to keep in touch, please be sure my email address is in your address book. Of course if you DON'T want me to send you newsletters, let me know that, too.

On a similar note, because I have a website (in addition to this) my email address has been and continues to be phished by spammers. That means you may possibly receive an email from my address that is quite obviously spam. If so, it did NOT come from my address book, nor did I sell or share your information. "They" have even spammed me with my own address. Which is how I know this happens. And why aol, among other servers, tends to kick back group emails.

It's been hectic lately, but I'll hopefully see some of you soon.

Yay! Art! Yay!

2010-09-13T14:44:00.000-04:00

Finally, a few pieces to share.

43rd Street Festival of the Arts is coming up and here are 3 of the pieces I HOPE to have ready for show.

not settled on the title, but I'm leaning towards

"Reigning Cats and Dogs"

In progress.

Complete, but not yet titled

These commission pieces are finally complete and delivered.

"Micki"

"Plum"

For Kokomo Joe

2010-09-07T11:05:00.001-04:00

I have been blessed these last 6 years with the privilege of meeting and getting to know so many pets and their humans. Each family is unique and wonderful. They all have special relationships, some quirky, some amusing, some touching. All loving. It's such a joy to get to know the animals I paint when that is possible. Of course, I never really get to know them the way their humans do, as my time with them is typically short and with a camera between us for a good portion of that visit. Yet, I still have an attachment to these precious beings that do not live with me.

Last night I received an email that Kokomo Joe, a handsome Newfoundland that I'm preparing to paint, had lost his battle with a very recent and baffling illness. I first met Kokomo in April of 2007, during our first photo shoot. He romped with his partner Maggie Mae in their backyard. Maggie is actually the most photogenic of the two, but Kokomo had the most personality. What a pair.

My first reaction was typical. I burst into tears. I had just taken another round of photos this past June. Linda and Mike are the most gracious and accommodating clients and clearly love their fur-friends. We spent some time trying to get better pics of Kokomo. Maggie had had her hair trimmed and looked like a gigantic black lab. Anyway, about the same time that my Gracie became ill, a few months after that photo shoot, Kokomo took ill as well. Linda and I shared updates via email, so I wasn't surprised so much by the latest news as I was simply hard-hit. The connection to this family had been made, so of course I grieve their loss.

Our animal companions give us so much and ask so little of us in return. All they really want is food, shelter, some play time and lots of love. Kokomo had this in buckets-full.

To all of the special creatures whom we've loved, who've passed on, who continue their journey in the Universe without their earthly bodies, I say thank you for sharing a moment of your life with ours.

What Am I Doing?

2010-08-26T18:59:00.002-04:00

What am I doing? Why I am prepping for a colonoscopy in the morning. It’s 5:50 p.m. as I begin typing and I’m about to down my 3rd glass of PEG 3350, affectionately known as anti-freeze. UGH. Hold on, I’ll be back.

That was awful. I have a long way to go. This is my first time with this prep, my 4th colonoscopy. Yes, it’s an unusual post for me; it’s a rather personal thing AND it has nothing to do with art or my dogs. I figured if I have to be miserable, why not whine to the world while going through this ridiculously awful moment.

On a serious note, though, I’m really sharing this because I believe this procedure saves lives and I’m sure it will save mine. My grandfather died of colon cancer and my mother was a colon cancer survivor. (she died of heart failure, cancer-free.) Lucky me, I’m the child that inherited that special set of genetic code, so I go through this every 5 years. Better than cancer or dying from something easily preventible.

But for crying out loud, anti-freeze?! Really, I’m sitting here typing, shaking like crazy and COLD! The least this prep could do for me is give me warmth. Oh, that’s just my body rebelling at being given poison in order to save my life. I know, so dramatic but I told you I was going to share my misery.

There are other preps out there and since I’m new to this doctor, I don’t remember what I took before, but it WASN’T this crap!! big sigh. My other preps weren’t fun, but I didn’t have to drink a glass every ten minutes. Right now I’d give anything to go back a day and say, “Um no, I don’t think I want the prep that takes the longest to deal with. I’ll take the short version, thank you.”

So, back to colon cancer. My mother ignored the symptoms until she couldn’t any longer and discovered hers at the age of 70 when she finally went to a doctor. By then, unfortunately she had a stage 2 (I think) cancer and lost a part of her bowel. To maintain her dignity, I won’t go into those details, but I will tell you what she did that remains with me forever.

But first, I must “take a break.” Back in a bit.

ohmygodthatisnastytasting. yuk.

Upon learning she had cancer my mother went to the library and picked up all the books she could find on cancer and treatment. She had stacks of books on her coffee table for days. Finally she decided she would have surgery, but there would be no chemotherapy, no radiation. She based her decision on her research and nothing her children or doctors said made her change her mind. She said she’d rather have a short period of quality time left, than a long life of damaged organs and illness. Her doctors were very skeptical and did not agree, but they supported her right to choose her treatment. Kudos to those wonderful surgeons and physicians.

Mom’s surgery took much of an afternoon. We were worried and the doctor came out to inform us that he could not get all of the cancer, due to inflammation and the extent of the growth. Fast-forward to a year later, Mom had her second surgery and all of the cancer was removed. She showed no signs of cancer anywhere else in her body and she lived another 13 years and remained cancer free the entire time.

I think, no, I KNOW my mother made the right decision for her. I would not necessarily recommend it for everyone, but she researched the type of cancer she had, the effects of radiation and chemotherapy, and she decided this was the best course for the cancer she had and for her mental well-being. If ever I do have colon cancer, I will do the same. But not all cancers are alike, and each responds to different therapies. Most importantly, I was in awe of how my mother took charge of her own body and cure. She never backed down or let anyone talk her out of her choice. For her, there is no question it was key to her long survival.

I think tomorrow when I see the doctor, I’m going to be sure and use the terms “cruel” and “unusual” during the course of our conversation.

In spite of my sarcasm and descriptions, I highly recommend anyone putting off this procedure get it done. The procedure itself is quick and low-risk. It isn’t embarrassing; you’ll be under sedation and everyone else there is doing the same. The prep is another story, but you will survive it, as will I.

It’s nearly 7 p.m. now and I am barely down to 1/2 of the jug. It’s going to be a long night. I’m planning on it being a long life. And thanks for listening. Doing this post helped me get through the first few hours. Hmmm, wonder who I'll whine to for the next few?

Updates

2010-08-24T15:00:00.000-04:00

Since Gracie became ill, (see my previous post) I have spent most of my time taking care of her needs. She is recovering slowly, since she already had a few other "old lady dog" issues to begin with. I don't think she'll ever recover fully, which is the case with some dogs. I had plans to go out of town this coming weekend, but it looks like I'll remain here with my old gal while my husband takes off without me. Sometimes life throws you lemons, no?

Some humans just don't get it, but my pets are part of our family. We adopted them with every intent of giving them the best life we possibly could and sometimes that means sacrifice. I was accused once of not understanding or being capable of unconditional love because I didn't have human children. But I would disagree, as I'd do anything for the furry children I do have. (and yes, there are some humans who rank right up there as well.) Taking care of an elderly pet isn't cheap, nor is it always convenient or easy. But I wouldn't do anything differently at all. I'm lucky I have the means to be able to take care of the furkids I do have.

On another note, I have totally ignored my art the past few weeks. With all the things going on in Casa Castillo, I just haven't fit it in. An hour here or there, sporadically, but that's about it. Classes will begin soon, I have a few commissions underway and I have a show in September, so the studio is calling me. I did finally complete two commissions and delivered them last month.

Gabby continues to improve with her behavior and we'll be starting puppy school in September. Yep, she's 4 years old and she did graduate from puppy school as a puppy (!) but we're basically reconditioning her, so here we go again. I think it'll be a great thing.

These are just quick updates for those following the last few posts. I promise, more pics, less "stuff" in the future. It's just been one of those summers.

Canine Vestibular Disease/Syndrome

2010-08-12T09:28:00.000-04:00

My poor old girl Gracie, as if she needs another problem as she ages.

This past weekend the old lady stood up around bedtime and began staggering across the floor. I watched her and asked aloud, " What is wrong with you, Gracie? Hmmmm? What is going on?" It didn't take long to figure it out. I'd been through this before with another dog a long while ago. The drunken walk, the head tilt. oh no. I looked at her eyes and sure enough, they were practically spinning! They were moving back and forth, left to right, with such speed it made ME dizzy. I do not have a photo...it's too sad to chronicle in images.

Sunday was awful for us both. She wouldn't eat, couldn't get her balance, her head strongly tilted to the left and she walked in circles what little bit she could manage to walk. I had to carry her up and down stairs. (no choice)

Canine vestibular disease is a puzzle, but seems to affect the inner ear and create vertigo in a dog. Cats can have this, too. Apparently the nausea from the vertigo makes them ill and not willing to take food. She will drink water. Luckily, Gracie is a trouper and doesn't take much without a fight. Unfortunately, she can't afford to not eat since she is already too thin, so I was worried. We went to the vet on Monday to verify her condition. Today is Thursday and other than bits of cheese and chicken, she hasn't eaten. I had to force feed her today. This syndrome should subside in 3 - 4 weeks. Can you imagine?

Gracie is aptly named. She is a dog with much grace, pride and dignity. She's not easy for others to love, but she loves us and we love her. It's so difficult when I can't make it all better for her.

Gabriela - Part Three

2010-08-03T11:14:00.000-04:00

Gabriela is our youngest pup at 4 years old. She began to develop fear issues during her first year with us. I attribute it to an incident we had while staying in a cottage at the beach.

This is a recent photo of Gabby at the cottage.

Briefly, the story is: A drunken "neighbor" joined us on our deck early one morning. My Eugene would not leave my side and Gabby ran upstairs. We found him to be harmless, but he insisted on trying to befriend the dogs, scared Gabby to death and he wouldn't leave. An hour or so later, Ernie noticed a weapon in the man's pocket, which as you can imagine, led us to worry. Guns and alcohol at 9 - 10 in the morning just aren't really a great sign of good things. I suspect on top of her fears, Gabby picked up on ours. By 11 a.m. Ernie convinced this person to leave. The story is actually much longer with even some humorous moments, but as far as Gabby is concerned, the damage was done. She does not like strange men, she fears new things and places, and more recently, she's begun acting like a lunatic on her leash walks when passing other dogs.

Gabriela came spring loaded. The girl-dog can leap unannounced about 5 feet straight up into the air. Unfortunately, on a leash, that means she crashes on pavement as she is writhing to get to another dog. She actually likes other dogs, but having no mama-dog training, this inappropriate behavior is an issue. We fear for her safety.

So, I called Jenn Kyzer of Dog Talk, who spent 2 hours + with us and Gabby. Gabby of course would have nothing to do with her. She wound up upstairs, far away. Jenn told us after some time talking that Gabby's behavior was actually pretty severe. SEVERE! ohmy. We only thought it difficult, but not severe.

Jenn took the time to show us how to teach Gabby door and leash manners. She learned nearly instantly what Jenn showed us. She may be a goofball, but she is a smart goofball. Our little goofball did really well with me during our daily walks and then came the weekend and Ernie's turn. hoo boy. THAT was a traumatic walk. One of the things we were supposed to do was use a very long leash to give Gabby room to walk, but stay with us. Hard to explain, but it basically gives her a range of territory, yet teaches her to stay with us when she reaches the end. Ernie took her out on the long leash and unfortunately passed a neighbor, her two kids and their dog. Gabby went nuts - leaping, spinning, barking and Spring! up in the air. Ernie, trying to get her back in control, went dog whisperer on her and had to hold her down to the ground. The woman RAN with her kids and dog away from the craziness. Ernie tried to explain, but it all happened so quickly. Comedic, traumatic, frustrating.

For now, Gabby is doing just fine on a 6 foot lead and when we see other dogs, we do rein her in. Safety first, manners next. We're still working on better behavior when greeting dogs and people. She actually allowed the Fed Ex man to come near her recently. Not touch, but near was a miracle. ! She is passing most other dogs with less energy and outbursts. It may take a long while for us and Gabby to adjust, but we're working on it, one day at a time. Next goal: walking with other dogs. hoo boy. When that happens, I'll post an update.

In the meantime, I can't say enough good things about training dogs. I don't mean creating a perfectly behaved little machine, but training teaches us how to behave with them as much as anything. All of our dogs have attended puppy school and usually beyond. Gabby barely made it through puppy school. I let the ball drop on that and should have known better. Perhaps if we'd continued, some of her issues would not have developed into such extreme problems for us and for her. I don't know that. I DO know that a competent, caring trainer is a gift to us all. Thank you, Jenn.

Gabriela - Part Two

2010-07-25T15:09:00.000-04:00

Gabriela was loaded into the back of a truck, with the toys and collar we had bought for her and I drove away in tears. Oh my god! I had just "returned" a living creature, something I never thought I'd do. We thought it really was for the best, for us and for her. No matter what I was thinking in my head, I was heartbroken.

A week went by and I had an art show coming up. But little Gabby stayed in our hearts and on our minds. Gracie and Eugene didn't seem to care on iota, but Ernie and I certainly realized how much she had imprinted on us. After much discussion, the same Saturday I was in my booth at the art show, Ernie made arrangements to bring Gabby home again. Obviously this time she stayed.

How cute can you possibly be? This is our little gal at 4 months old.

Gabby was a happy, exuberant puppy who played until she crashed. She loved the Big Dogs (although they weren't as tickled with her completely inappropriate behavior.) She seemed to do fine with animals, adults, children. Our only issue was her energy level and learning how to deal with her.

Here Gabby is watching Eugene watch the squirrels. Eugene is a great example for her.
She would curl up with Eugene every chance she had. Still will, if he allows it.

Something, somewhere along the way happened and Gabby evolved into a frightened little dog. She began to run from friends, feared strangers, shook and manically circled around the house, disappeared upstairs into her crate and just hated anything out of the ordinary. We attributed it to her hound personality and energy. We eventually took the crate away, and I sometimes would leash her when friends came in, to prevent the circling behavior and to allow her to be with us and see no harm would come to her. She absolutely despises car rides and although Ernie would drive her weekly to the park to run, she never could enjoy it because of the rides. She couldn't wait to get back home and Ernie just gave up having another running buddy.

So about a month ago, after reading about a trainer in Richmond who sounded just like someone I'd trust, I decided it was time to deal with Gabby's issues. She is now 4 and I can't imagine her continuing to live in fear of the unknown for the rest of her life. I called Jenn Kyzer, of Dog Talk in Richmond. And Gabriela is on the road to a new way of being.

Next post: Gabriela's transformation begins.

Gabriela - Part One

2010-07-17T13:36:00.000-04:00

Gabriela, or Gabby to us, is our little Clown Hound. She is a beautiful girl dog, who wears a one-sleeved sweater draped coyly around her body. We were told she was a beagle - lab mix, but as she grew taller with her slender face, I decided rightly or wrongly, that she is Fox Hound and lab. Her litter mates, except the one that looked like her, all resembled labs and she has webbed toes. Otherwise, we'd have no clue.

Gabby came home with me one day after I went to adopt another dog from a local rescue group. The other dog was larger and I thought more suited to our household and Eugene, whose companion he'd likely become, since Gracie was aging early and had begun showing signs of her legs giving up. So, I waited for the foster mom and the dog I was to meet when it was mentioned by my contact with this rescue group that she had the cutest pup from a littler she was fostering in the back of her truck. This little girl pup was on the way back to her littermates after having been spayed. At 4 months old, what I MET was a frightened, drooling, timid little hound. (What I BROUGHT HOME was another creature entirely!) I took her out of the truck and walked around with her a bit, hoping to ease her fears and distract her. Well, I fell in love. Again.

On a side note here: I truly believe that if we open our hearts and minds, our furry companions come to us when the Universe decides it's time.

So, I adopted Gabby after spending an hour with her and the other dog didn't show until I had finished with the papers for Gabby. Home we went, fresh stitches and all. I thought she'd be good with our dogs and she reminded me a little of our recently deceased Gus. Another hound mix. Gus was a great, quiet and peaceful dog.

My husband chose the name Gabriela, but my friend Polly says it's because Gabby herself "told" him that was her name. Polly is an animal communicator.

So here's what happened in the next two days. Gabby crawled under chairs and tables, and was fairly meek as she met the big kids. She was very submissive as the older dogs sniffed and introduced themselves. We kept her safe (stitches!) and in her crate much of the rest of the first day. The next day Gabby "wilded-out" on us. She was all over the other two dogs, had crazy energy, and was so silly and fun. She wore us out. THEN, she wouldn't leave Eugene alone. Gracie couldn't stand her energy (ha, ironic!) and Eugene didn't know what to do. He kept looking at me asking "why?" So we reluctantly called my contact and told her we didn't think she was the right fit for our household. It broke our hearts, but Eugene was becoming aggressive with her, Gracie already was aggressive with her and Gabby didn't seem to understand "no" in dog language, much less human language. I had art shows coming up and we didn't think it would be fair or safe to keep her. We wanted her in the right home as much as we wanted to keep her.

On the 3rd day, I crated Gabby and put her in the van, met my contact and sent her back to her foster home and siblings.

Eugene

2010-07-15T00:20:00.000-04:00

The last post was supposed to be a blog about dog training and my little "beagle on stilts" Gabriela. But once I began talking about Gracie, the post took it's own path, so I went with what was apparently on my mind.

So I'll continue and segue my way towards Gabby.

Eugene is our 2nd dogchild. He is a huge mass of hairy mutt with the biggest head you could possibly fit onto his body. His droopy eyes are so sweet and friendly. He's the Mama's Boy in the family and we're bonded together pretty tightly. I've painted him most often.

Eugene was a rescue from the pound, aka Chesapeake Animal Control. I decided we needed another pup for Gracie to play with and keep company, due to her high level of energy. (Boy was I on the wrong track. Gracie didn't need ANY dog to keep her company. She managed quite nicely to handle life as a loner.) He looked a lot like her at first; same coloring, long hair. He sat in the rear of his cage and I went home in tears after my first visit. The next day I went back and had the keepers bring him to me. Poor thing. He was literally dragged down the hallway as he wouldn't budge willingly. He wouldn't lift his head, he was so afraid he tried to become the floor. I straddled him (something I'd never do again to a dog) to pet him. He lifted up his head and tried to greet me as best he could. That did it. I knew he would come home with me, but first I had to bring all the other kids out to meet him and see how they got along. Since he sat in the rear of the small yard, and showed no sign of aggression, it was decided.

Poor fella was afraid of everything. I would stand in our driveway, leash attached to us both and walk to the end. He'd sit. I'd sit. He'd finally stroll down to me and sit again. I stood. Walked to the end of the leash. and wait. Repeat. I believe the first walk to the end of our driveway took nearly an hour.

Same thing with the car. Deathly afraid. I'd put him in, drive down to the cul de sac about 4 houses away. Come home. Repeat. Slowly adding in more mileage, I did this every day.

Finally we were able to enroll him in puppy school. Did Eugene blossom. Wow. Everyone loved (and loves) Eugene. He was the perfect student. Worked for praise. He was so awesome our trainer suggested we consider training him for therapy work. So I did.
Eugene worked as a therapy dog for about 4 years, until I became too busy to continue. He was an amazing therapy dog and still thinks his job is to greet everyone and offer his back for a rub. Yet he'll protect me in a heartbeat. I could go on with stories from his therapy visits, but that is not where I'm headed with these posts.

Eugene is now 10 years old. He is the poster boy for puppy school and what love and patience can bring to a fearful animal. I don't know what happened during his first 6 months of life, and I think he still has bad dreams sometimes, but it's hard to fathom what he was compared to the awesome fellow he became. (Thanks P.J. and Lisa Marie!)

Gracie.

2010-07-12T13:11:00.001-04:00

I must say we've been blessed with wonderful furkids. I've rarely had a problem with any of my dogs....the worst has been my old lady Gracie and her incessant barking, which has never let up since she was a young dog. She likes to tell us everything that is happening, and make her presence known. To everyone. All the time.

Gracie is half collie, half black lab and is a strikingly beautiful animal. She came to us by way of a student of mine in 1996 at the age of 6 weeks. By 8 weeks old we knew she'd be a handful and by 10 weeks, we realized we'd be taking our first dog to puppy school. Gracie is an alpha dog, and not a very good one, but alpha nonetheless. So we had to get some of her assertive behaviors under control, teach her acceptable behavior around our other two dogs at the time (Gus and Shadow) and we had to open our own minds to "learning dog."

Gracie is very intelligent and learned quickly. She also was smart enough to look at us like we were nuts when we asked her to do something repeatedly. It was like she was saying, "...duh, did you guys not see me do that the first time? How many times must I sit and stay, already?" Gracie is a mix of two working breeds, so we needed to get her a job, to stimulate her mind and deal with her energy. We introduced her to agility and she was a natural. Learned instantly, was very fast, but unfortunately got bored easily. (again, did we not see her do that once already?) She wasn't fond of other dogs, either. She's always been a bit of a lone wolf, so to speak.

However, Gracie loved to run. Like the wind. We'd take her to the school a few blocks from our house and let her go inside the fenced area. She'd just take off, alone, and run like crazy. We'd watch in amazement and sometimes have to corral her, to make sure she wouldn't bolt out of one of the gates. Eventually Ernie began taking her on his runs and they'd easily put in six miles. You know who came back exhausted and it wasn't the dog! Gracie was then, and still is, an amazing animal.

Sadly, Gracie is losing the use of her legs. We've seen it slowly coming on these past few years, but the last few weeks her decline has accelerated exponentially. We've done all we know that we can - provided supplements, fed her homemade and holistic foods, kept her on pain medication and other meds to combat her arthritis. Exercised her and kept her weight down. Visited the vet, used laser treatments and acupuncture. But now it seems her age and her high-test personality are going to get the better of her. Which is awful, because she is alert, eats relatively well and wants to be included in our activities. She sees and hears well, still.

Gracie is a Daddy's girl and I know Ernie is struggling mightily with the inevitable. To watch his beloved running buddy lose her legs, of all things, is heart wrenching. We plan to help her in any way we can until she is ready to leave her body. We don't know what that means, exactly, but we adopted her for the long haul. Right now, she insists on doing as much without assistance as possible. She's not ready to say goodbye yet, and neither are we.

Update on A New Direction

2010-07-06T16:40:00.000-04:00

When I held a group painting event in my backyard in June, I began a huge painting of sheepdogs. This was playtime for me, so I figured I'd piddle around with some of the "toys" I've been gathering for the past few years.

I added thickener to my acrylics and used knives to apply the gooey paint. It's probably one of the loosest beginnings I've done in many years. I loved it going on so fast.

Two days later, I went into the studio and began adjusting.

Now I had something to build upon. Using a combination of knives and brushes, the painting began to take shape.

Here I need to deal with some compositional issues...one dog is falling off the canvas and there is too much space on the other side. I'm not about to repaint all three dogs and lose the spontaneity - I'll lose enough of that as it is. So I need to balance the darks I think. After a few more versions you won't see, here is the current painting.

Since I'm working on this inbetween other paintings, it may be awhile before I resolve this one, but I'm very happy with the direction it's now taking. It may be dogs, but it's a very different application and approach than in my previous work. Fun. Fun, fun.

Animal Rescue

2010-07-03T17:27:00.000-04:00

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated" ~Gandhi (1869-1948)

I am a huge fan of animal rescue. All of my pets are rescues and have been since I was 20 years old. I think people who do rescue are the angels of the world, watching after creatures who are abused and forgotten. Their work is without end, can be heartbreaking and is often without recognition or understanding. It makes me furious and sad whenever I read some foolish person comment about someone caring for non-human animals more than people. As if humans are the only animal worthy.

So my recent experience has left me not only baffled, but cautious.

When my pet painting business exploded with requests, I felt like I needed to give back. For me, that was by donating to rescue, since most rescue groups are entirely volunteer and usually need every bit of monetary help they can get. Volunteers are usually not hard to find, but money is. So I created a calendar and donated proceeds from the sales to a group called BARK. I also choose a special case each year to help - usually an animal that needs surgery and if saved, will have a chance at a normal life. I've also donated portions of some of my sales to various groups if they sponsor an event in which I am participating and I've donated countless paintings for auction benefits over the years. I don't do this for accolades or attention, so most people don't (until now) even know about my chosen philanthropy. All I've ever asked for is acknowledgment my donation was received and sometimes I ask how funds are used or how much a painting brought at auction. This helps me gauge which group to continue giving to and for business reasons, how my work is valued.

I learned in February of a dog that needed surgery and a rescue group needed funds to pay for it. The email arrived from a friend, so I trusted it. Perfect. Exactly the kind of project I try to support. I emailed the contact and was put in touch with the president of the rescue organization. I then made arrangements to pay the balance of the medical fee. My check was mailed in March. By May, my check had not been cashed so I contacted the president to see if my check had been received. I thought it was lost and I'd need to stop the check and reissue a new one. But the president did not return my email, or phone call, or any subsequent attempt to reach her. By June, I had attempted to find out what happened on numerous occasions, but still no contact. I was being ignored. Or this person is rude. Or maybe too busy, or maybe in over her head. I have no clue. But I began to worry less about the cause and more about my check floating around out there.

I could not find anyone connected with this rescue group other than the president. No board members, no national affiliation, no other phone numbers, and apparently all emails went to this one person. The website is completely void of identifying information. This caused all of my alarms to go off and I began to think I'd been scammed. I found the name of the person who originated the email asking for help and this person did respond to me right away. As a matter of fact, she was able to get through to the person I'd been trying to reach very quickly and I was assured that my check had been received, but not yet cashed. Hmmmm....so what is going on? Was the kind person originating the email being scammed, too? Why would a rescue group not cash a donation check? Was there even a "group," or is this just one person? Will my check be used to pay a salary? Will it be used fraudulently? Will they steal my account number and make a fake account? Why is this president avoiding me, since we've never met and all I have requested is some acknowledgement that my check is, or is not, in her possession? I don't know any rescue group that has enough income that they can afford to let donations sit around on a desk. I have no way of knowing what is happening.

As you probably figured out, I gave up. For the first time ever, I went to my bank and reluctantly put a stop to my check. I will donate the equivalent in funds to another group. If the president of that group is indeed all about rescue, she should rethink how she responds to generous donors and how she is running her organization. Her reluctance to answer a simple question has led me to have serious doubts. A rescue organization can ill afford to have potential donors questioning its validity. I've been assured that the little dog received surgery and is in a good home. I don't even know for sure if the little dog ever existed.

I will be much more cautious about all organizations that purport to be in rescue for the good of the animals, before I donate a single penny.

Painting and Playing

2010-06-27T00:12:00.000-04:00

Several weeks ago I invited a number of artist friends to join me in my backyard for a playdate with paint and whatever creative materials anyone wished to bring. So, on a very hot, humid Saturday we gathered in as much shade as we could find and began working together.

I originally did this two years ago after my collaboration experience with Mike. One of the things I do not get to do often without taking a class is to paint with others. I teach and I love that, and glean much from my students, but it is not the same as painting with them.

This is a photo from the first playdate, which I dubbed Collaborationathon. I had only two rules : anyone attending must create (just watching not allowed!) and everyone had to be open to allowing others to work with them -even on their piece. We had a blast. So, two years later, we had Collaborationathon II.

This is a photo from the most recent day....Mike is using a cement trowel, borrowed from Liz, on my canvas. He is swirling paint and thickener that I have poured onto the canvas as it lay on the ground. A few others had their hands in there as well, so this one did become a bit of a collaboration. I had originally begun a painting of two dogs that I repainted on a different canvas, so this was a perfect surface to play on.

This is Bun, working on one of Mike's large panels.

Artists are often creative alone. We need that time to process and work. We do find ways to connect with one another and we do take workshops, classes, etc. But just having a fun day to let loose, try something new, or have other input into a piece while working on it is so enriching. I hope to host more of these in the future and can't wait to see who attends and what unfolds.

The Beginnings

2010-06-08T14:18:00.001-04:00

I am often asked why I paint the colors I do and what got me started painting like that in the first place. I have a difficult time explaining it in the 60 seconds most people are willing to listen. I began thinking about it quite a lot this month. What really started the thinking was a visit with our friends and my first commission clients, Keith and Leslie. We know this couple from my husband's job AND because they stole our wedding date from us. (ha! so now it's public knowledge, Doogie!) Seriously, we both decided to get married at the same time and really did pick the same date, but since my husband and Keith both worked in the same department, that wasn't going to work at all. They legitimately beat us to the punch.

So, back to the painting. While chatting with my husband and some other friends at the Gosport Arts Festival last month, Leslie mentioned that they were my first clients. Yes, indeed. They were. They saw a painting I had done of my pup Gracie and Leslie wouldn't give up until I agreed to paint their "kids."

This painting is about 24 x 36 inches and I began it quite realistically. I had been painting in pastels and some acrylic, doing beach scenes, florals and people. My work was no different than dozens of other artists doing the same thing. And I was bored. So, I started painting wild colors, a lot, LOT of red, all over Gracie. Then adding sweeping gestures of bold blues and oranges and yellows. Colors I typically did not use and nothing found in any dog I knew. I left the studio that night and didn't look back.
The next morning I went into the studio and poor Gracie! She looked like she had been born in flames. wow. Helldog. But, I loved the striking colors and now I had the challenge of bringing it back. This was done in 1996. It's not a great painting, but I learned a great deal by doing this one. It's the painting that helped me turn a corner and was the beginning of my maturing process (if you can call it that) as an artist. Following that painting, I began to take graduate level classes and began to explore color. Not intentionally, but that is where I was headed.

So, Leslie became enamored with this painting and asked quite a few times if I'd paint their dogs. After some thought, I decided Sure. Why not? Soon after, they delivered photo albums. Complete albums, just of the dogs. It was awesome. I delved into all the photos and pulled out the ones I thought would work. The only request was that the two had to be together. It was also my first venture doing a composite painting - taking elements from several photos and combining them into one.

"Cujo and Church," a 24 x 30 inch painting, was done in 1999. My career as a pet painter was born.

The colors I used became bolder as I learned more about pigment. It wasn't until 2004 or 2005 that I learned other artists were painting in wild, unheard of colors as well. I had never heard of Ron Burns or Jody Wright. I wasn't mimicking anyone: I loved animals, I loved color and the marriage of the two made sense to me. I find it interesting that there are other artists out there who must have been catching the same energy waves as I was at that time, because when I read their bios or backgrounds, their stories are nearly identical to mine. Now numerous artists are painting in similar ways to those of us who began this over a decade ago. But one thing is certain...we all have our own style and if one looks closely enough, past the colors, none of us is the same as the other.

So, Why do I paint with the colors I do? Short answer: Because that's where I am.

A New Direction

2010-06-02T15:43:00.000-04:00

I've been wanting for a long time to move on to new ways of painting. I've taken tentative steps in the past, through classes and experimenting, but it felt like I had pieces to a puzzle and they didn't all fit. Now it's like I'm collecting pieces and eventually they'll all make a whole.

Here is a piece I began painting at my Plant Zero studio last week. I try to keep a painting going for students and visitors to see. A client / fan / collector posted on her Facebook page a photo of her dogs' legs intertwined, which I fell in love with. So I asked permission to paint using her image.

I love this for the composition mostly. And because it's a great way to move into more abstract paintings while doing what I know. I plan to keep this looser than my usual work and hope it becomes a little more painterly. Let's see how it goes.

Spring Cleaning

2010-05-24T12:33:00.000-04:00

I usually take a week off after my spring shows. The only difference this year was that I did only one show. Then one week off became two.

My husband and I spent the last two weeks catching up on all the projects we've put off the past year or so. Ok, not true. We didn't catch up on all of them....but we put a good dent into them.

My favorite has been the yard. I love gardening, but due to an accident nearly 5 years ago, I was unable to do much for quite a long while. I hurt my lower back and tailbone in a skimboarding mishap. Can you imagine a banana peel under my feet? yep, that's the image...straight up, then slam! down on my butt on hard, wet sand. I was hurt, but laughing so hard, my friends didn't know quite what to do when I couldn't get up right away....ah, sweet memories. I spent the rest of that vacation sitting on an inflatable tube float my favorite child Alex thought would be funny to give me. It was perfect actually, because I was NOT giving up my beach week. But, I digress. After 3 years of yoga and finally getting back to the gym with the best personal trainer in existence (yes, Keith, that's you) I am now as close to normal as I'll get.
Want another visual? Four years ago, I was doing yard work and at that time, if I bent down for more than about 10 minutes, I would "freeze." Nope, no warning, I'd just try getting up and I'd be stuck. Now picture me planting flowers IN MY FRONT YARD, no less, and finding out for the first time I couldn't get up. First I panicked. Then I figured I couldn't just sit there all day, so I rolled. Laid down on my side, rolled around to get to a place with leverage, then hoisted myself up onto stiff feet and hips that didn't wish to move. I only prayed no neighbor was watching or would drive by - I had to look like a crazy woman, rolling in the grass and mulch. I'd get to the porch, lie on my back until everything relaxed, and duh, do it again. ahhh, MORE sweet memories.

Back to the point - now that I can move again, I decided to remake the front flower beds. Keith, aforementioned personal trainer, helped me dig up and compost the bed last fall. Oh, you thought this was going to be all words, blah, blah, blah. Nope...here come the pics. Befores and afters.

This is the front bed after everything but a few trees and shrubs were taken out. I used to have my own version of an English garden - a mass of crazy plantings, basically. This has been tilled with organic compost/topsoil and fertilizer.

Same view, with the new plantings mixed in with plants saved and replanted. Plus new stepping stones.

While I'm thinking of it..this blog likes to move my words and pics around....I tell it where I want it, but once posted, it takes on a life of its own. My apologies for the vast amount of space between some lines and photos.

Ready for work.

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and today...after a week of mulching and adding in zinnias and million bells and sweet potato vine to take over once the pansies die back.

What will I do today? After posting this, I'm headed back to the studio. I set up my palette this morning. It's time to paint.

After the Festival

2010-05-12T19:49:00.000-04:00

An art festival from an artist's point of view.

The Gosport Arts Festival is a show I have done for years and enjoy doing because the promoter, Millie Johnson, is wonderful and treats the artists with respect and dignity. She has to be the kindest show promoter ever. Some promoters seem to forget that the money they collect is already paid when we apply for the show, but nonetheless can make an artist's life miserable in various ways. Millie does everything possible to make her artists happy, which in turn helps us have a good weekend and positive attitude to do what we are there to do: show and sell our art.
Millie, Thank You, for promoting a quality show and taking care of us. Thank you to all the Gosport volunteers who put in amazingly long hours to make the artists' lives easier.

I also do this show because it's "home," or near where I lived most of my life, so I'm able to see a number of long time friends who may stop by.

As for the show this weekend, well, the weather wasn't the best. We had horrific winds which took their toll on us on Saturday. Rain is tough, cold is not fun, but winds are an outdoor artist's nightmare. ughh. Watching your tent "walk" when it's blustery can be heart-stopping. For artists not prepared the wind can destroy a tent or the contents. In addition, Saturday was hot, muggy and attendance was minimal. Sunday was a much better day. The winds shifted, it was cooler and gorgeous. Mother's Day typically is quite busy and sure enough, we had plenty of visitors. Not as many as in some years past, and not everyone purchased, but considering the economy now, it was a decent day.

Once back home, the next day is a full workday, returning art to gallery and studio spaces, doing paperwork, taking inventory, getting everything put away, and so on. As every exhibitor knows, the exhibition weekend is fairly easy compared to the prep beforehand and the followup after. That's ok. It's all usually worth it.

Getting Ready for Exhibit

2010-05-06T00:16:00.001-04:00

It has been a whirlwind week. I've spent as much time in the "office" as I have in the studio. I've completed 5 paintings on canvas. (pics below) I had begun all but one of them awhile back, some as long as two years ago. It seemed a good time to finish them since I had a show coming up and not much new to take. It's imperative to take new pieces to an art show, and I've always been up front with my clients that I paint for shows in April/May and August, but since I'd been concentrating on commission work, I hadn't really finished but a few pieces in the past year. Last year I only exhibited in one juried show, plus a few benefit exhibits. A typical year may include up to 6 juried outdoor events.

I do art shows for many reasons. Since I don't take commission work any longer, I know my clients probably wonder why I bother to exhibit. I do art shows to sell what I have and to see what resonates with the public as well as my peers and the show judges. For me, it's never been about making a fortune, though wouldn't that be nice? It's been about painting because I can't help it and wanting to support that calling by selling some of what I create - a self-sustaining habit, if you will. Those who've followed me for a long time know I began with seascapes, genre paintings, florals and pastel work. The animals have been quite recent.

OK, it's nearly midnight and I think I'm rambling.
This past week I've been up until 2 a.m. - painting much of the day, breaking periodically for my pups to go out and to eat. Late at night I get on the computer and print notecards, business cards, title tags, check emails, then pop back into the studio to finish up paintings, etc. While folding and bagging notecards (so far, total of 4 hours doing cards and more to go) I've watched a couple of shows (don't laugh: I like Celebrity Apprentice and American Idol as my version of easy listening.)

Here are some pics of completed work, and I'm going to get some sleep. Tomorrow I have a visit to the vet with two furkids, have to round up paintings from galleries and get the house tidy. And finish getting ready to show.

New work - Productive week

2010-04-30T14:03:00.000-04:00

It's been a very productive week. Having a show on the calendar certainly provides incentive to get things done. Susan B. has been here working nearly as feverishly on my notecard inventory and other non-painting tasks to help me ready for Gosport Arts Festival. She's experienced nearly everything now, except for painting for me. ! Printing, folding, bagging and pricing notecards is another full day of work (actually they aren't completely bagged, but at least they are printed and folded); hours that I was able to spend (mostly) in the studio.

So, since a blog about art should be more than words, here are some images of paintings that will be seen for the first time at the Gosport show.

This is still untitled and not quite complete. I began this over two years ago while at the beach one fall. It's been hiding in my studio for awhile and after visiting the Georgia O'Keefe exhibit at the Phillips Collection recently, I knew exactly where to take this painting.

This one is now finished, but not yet titled.
Check out the image on my April 19th post. What a difference a week can make.

Hopefully I'll have time to post more as they are completed.

A good day is a great thing

2010-04-25T12:38:00.000-04:00

So far, a weekend going well. Thank goodness.

I finally picked out my new smart phone after researching them since last September.
I've recovered some photos, but alas not all.
4th Fridays was steadily busy with new faces as well as friends and fellow artists dropping in for a visit.
My large format printer is now cooperating with all new ink installed. (what to do with the old ink which still exists? I hate to throw away ink!)
A painting is completed. yahoo!

Knock on wood?

For Crying Out LOUD!

2010-04-22T23:23:00.000-04:00

For those who wonder sometimes why I don't get more painting done. Or what my ratio of "other stuff" to painting time is some days. Settle in before reading...grab a coffee, or something stronger.

So, on Tuesday Susan B is here working steadily most of the day while I'm trying to get some painting done. Two days prior, I wanted to get some prints done. My large printer decides it won't play nice with the ink, so I have to order new ink before I can try to do some reproductions. There goes my window for framing, but maybe the ink will arrive and I can get Susan to print for me. Ink arrives...no time to load and print yet. I have a show in 3 weeks. I get some painting done, but also need to check in with Susan to see what she needs from me for her task. She spends much of the day getting all my contacts loaded into that the data program I bought for record keeping.

OK, so I need to print postcards. My small printer doesn't want to play nice with the heavy paper, so we have to feed one sheet at a time. I begin to show Susan how to do that and aforementioned printer decides not to take any paper at all. Great.
At least I can get Susan to finish up and print out mailing labels after that, for postcards that don't yet exist....but that means there is always hope and we're prepared if we do get postcards. yay. Printer takes the label paper. double yay.

After Susan leaves, I load photos of the two commissions I made progress on to show clients via e-mail. Now if you keep up with this blog, you may recall last May my PC died and I now use a MAC. um-hum. I keep my images in iPhoto - a MAC program. I like that I can drag and drop images into various other applications and into an online gallery for my clients. So that's what I did....I dragged and dropped two photos into their respective online gallery folders, which are supposed to automatically send them into cyberspace with their sister photos.

Thank goodness, I emailed copies before this, because what happened next was a huge cluster farce of craziness. My folders would not accept the images, the gallery would not recognize my passwords, I had to reset passwords via email ( "NO, thank you I did NOT forget my password - YOU won't recognize my password," I mumble to the computer. It's actually more complicated, but I'll keep this short. LOL. hahaha) I go retrieve my new password page and follow directions, come back to my photo album to drag and drop and gasp! the albums are gone. AND those photos are gone. no. nonono. oh no. Eight months of photos are gone, to be exact.

I spend the next hour trying to find said photos. And come back and MORE galleries are gone. Oh this is really not good. I have to stop before I destroy all my images or worse. These are family photos, client photos, art work photos. My entire album of artwork images that took Susan about 2 days to create for me - gone.

I spend 2 hours the next day at the MAC genius bar. (Include travel time - that's 3 hours of painting gone.) No luck. I "won" the "You've stumped a genius" award from my nice genius guy who could not figure out what the good grief happened. Really. I'm not loving my MAC at the moment, but we think we had a corrupt file or program cause all the grief.

This story continues, but I shall not. To end this rant, I'll close with uplifting news. My MAC is now attached to an external hard drive with 1 Tb of storage space for backup every day. yup.
My photos are gone, except what I had not erased from my memory sticks and what I could find on my online web gallery once that was recovered ( which thankfully included my art work album. yay - I had enough sense to back that up) I lost most of my painting time today, recovering what I could. My humor is still intact, although my emotions are sorely in need of a rest.

And I'll paint tomorrow. At least that's the plan.

Artwork Updates

2010-04-19T15:54:00.000-04:00

Here are a few pics of recent images I've been working on for the upcoming Gosport Arts Festival. None are complete.

This is the most recent incarnation of this piece. I decided to keep the ear, as my dear friend Sarah pleaded with me to please, please keep it in. You can't exactly tell it's an inverted ear, but I like the way it brings the body back around to the left corner to enhance the S-curve of this composition.

This piece is of a pup I painted awhile ago for a commission client. I loved this incarnation best, with the human's hand holding her timid companion.

These two chow paintings are on 6 x 6 wood panels. I have a larger chow painting in progress. Something about the chow is calling to me lately.

April 16 2010

2010-04-16T14:32:00.001-04:00

Recently, my art friend Susan asked me ...”Just curious... how many hours do you typically spend painting/week? And how many doing business for art?” I couldn’t answer that accurately and thought I’d take a few weeks to keep my hours and compare. Well, I still can’t answer that accurately. It seems there is always something unexpected going on.

I’m getting ready for a spring show, so I’m spending more time on the computer and prepping - things I don’t do year round. I’m also spending more time painting, so even that isn’t quite as normal. My current guess would be for every 3 hours painting I spend maybe 1 hour doing business chores. At one time I would have said 2 to 1, but since I’ve changed how I deal with commissions, and hired Susan B. to assist, that has freed up my time. And where do I include teaching hours? hmmm. Of course, none of this takes into consideration the time I spend taking care of home, husband and my critter family. Do I include that as well?

What am I doing right now? Well, I’ve been painting for about an hour. Took a break to check on the dogs outside, sat here to get off my feet

(I paint standing) and post to the blog. I’ll be back to painting when I finish this. So this would fit into a 4 to 1 ratio - 1 hour painting, about 15 minutes for a break and blogging, which I consider business, since I blog for my clients and students mostly.

After show season, I’m going to try and make an effort to record my hours. I think I’ll divide it into quarters - home life, business attention, teaching and studio time. I’m curious to see what the outcome is.

Art for Showtime

2010-04-07T00:19:00.000-04:00

I've had an interesting few days. I received a phone call from a gentleman who I met a few years ago. He is promoting a local event which includes a small number of artists and he felt like my work would be a good fit. I was tickled and honored to be asked to exhibit at this high-end event and was considering it. After some thought, I decided the timing and expenses were just not right. Then I received an e-mail about another high end show in another state, and again, the timing and expense of doing such a show just won't work. But I'm beginning to think that maybe the Universe is telling me something and I need to pay attention. I usually do and in the past, I've found it beneficial to listen. One door closes, another one opens.

I AM going to be doing my usual show, the Gosport Arts Festival in Portsmouth in May, so I've begun working on a few new pieces while finishing some pieces I began one and even two years ago. In addition, as seen in recent blogs, I'm still painting on commissions and getting those completed.

So here are pics of the most recent new piece. "Party Girl," which was posted not too long ago, was such an easy painting - flowed like melted butter- I expected that to happen again... but no. I realize I should be thankful when those paintings do come along. Anyway, what I love about this is the challenge of dealing with folds and muscles, depth and a sense of place, and personality.

Here is an early photo of the current piece, not yet titled.
I've drawn loosely, freehand and am working on laying in color here. I discovered a new mixture of cobalt green and cobalt teal with titanium and just love the blue tones.

Here is the next phase: detail in the folds of the sofa cover, tightening up the drawing a bit and finding the lights and darks.

Here is where I left off today : the color is building up to create the depth I like in my work and I began to play with the darks and lights nearest the body. I like the red as a place to focus and have the dog lie flat while the folds curl around her as she wiggles on the sofa. I'm toying with darkening the background to enhance the light focused on the chest and legs. My color challenge now is to make sure the palette remains in harmony. I love the green, but think it's going to need to change. Or take the red back out. And maybe that floppy ear needs to go. We'll see.

What's Going On

2010-03-30T00:16:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted photos in awhile, so tonight I'm doing a brief post of pics.

First, this is a photo of Bounty paper towels.

After a trip through the washing machine.

(they should pay me for this!)

Yep, my husband cleaned up a doggie accident and left paper towels stuffed inside the dog bed cover that he threw in the laundry room. Days later, I put it in the wash not thinking to look inside and after the trip through on Heavy Duty mode - hot water, double rinse, high speed spin- I found a long, wrinkly mass at the bottom of the tub (we have a front loader, so it was just inside the door.) I pulled it out and found this - 4 paper towels, still attached to one another and intact. I've always favored this brand in the studio due to it's absorbency. I'm sold for life.

This pic on the right (or it's supposed to be on the right) is a painting I'm currently working on for an upcoming show.
I began this one as I often do - a demo for an evening class. It's slow going, as I'm still working on two commissions and doing this one half in studio, half in class.

And this is Mikki - you may remember from prior posts. After settling on green for a background color, I'm now laying in the setting and finding tones that don't compete with the dog. I've resolved a few other issues - a quirky front let, some odd shadows and once that background comes together will put final layers in her hair. This painting went from frustration to fun after my aha moments. (which I talked about in a prior post.)

Nothing Quite as Planned

2010-03-19T09:26:00.000-04:00

Some weeks things just go all awonky. It's been one of those weeks and I can honestly say that my life is never boring. It may not be exciting....but that's another thing altogether. (chuckle)

I had planned to complete another painting this week during my studio time, but plans do change. My husband's work schedule forced me to rearrange a future date to happen NOW, so yesterday I had Susan B. and Will Turner join me in making notecards. Will is a local artist who has envisioned a project called The 1000 Strong Project. The intent is to sell the artwork of 1000 artists to raise (oh, shoot me Will - I can't remember! ) 10,000 dollars (I think) for the benefit of Comfort Zone Camp. In exchange for helping me to print and prep my notecards for sale, I showed him the program I use and how to create the cards. Susan was here of course to learn and help, as I hope she will take over that task in the future.

I work mostly from home, so we convened in my small and cluttered office filled with everything from golf clubs to a paper shredder (my cat loves to sleep in the shreds) and computers and printers and more; oh my. First the program acted up while showing Susan how to find and recreate a card. Then Will arrived and we got things running fairly smoothly. Then the ink misbehaved. I had to discard cartridges with ink, as none of the remedies were working. In the meantime, I switched to printer B and that was worse - it has never liked chatting with my Mac and refused to feed paper properly in protest. About 30 minutes, 3 ink cartridges, about 10 or so damaged notecards and 6 sheets of test paper later, we began rolling again. Missions somewhat accomplished. Thankfully both Will and Susan are good-natured souls who go with the flow. And I'm just happy that at least there is that much less I have to do later.

Today's to-dos include changing out art at a gallery, delivering sketches to be matted and shrinkwrapped, and spending time with aforementioned husband at some point. Previously I would have stressed over NOT getting into the studio and how much further behind that would put me. But, things come along and I can be only in one place at one time, mind and body. If I do get into the studio, great. If not, there will be another moment when I shall.

The Effect of the Creative

2010-03-17T11:27:00.000-04:00

Last night I attended Talk 20, an event sponsored by C3 (The Creative Change Center) and 1708 Gallery in Richmond, Va. Talk 20

It was affirming, enlightening, inspirational and at times moving, to listen to each one share their creative journey. I felt in awe to be part of the gestalt that is art in Richmond and at the same time felt like an outsider, because these creatives are sooo in touch with their destiny and purpose. The event was standing room full and was packed with artists/creatives, many of whom I recognized or knew. What struck me as missing were people who are NOT creatives to experience an event such as this. If we could but reach more of our community with the many positive things artists are offering not only to Richmond, but in some cases the world.

A few examples:

Brian Korte - founder of Brickworkz. Brickworkz

Brian began creating mosaics out of legos which grew into a fascinating business. His real aim? To change the world, using his legos to facilitate fundraising for charity. He has traveled the globe doing so. His personal volunteer passion is with Comfort Zone Camp. Comfort Zone

My friend Susan Singer's goal is to paint Naked Women - with the purpose of changing how the world views women in often negative, idealized versions that do not exist, and bringing to light how those views affect our collective psyche. Her blog has an international following. Susan's blog

Tiffany Glass Ferreira is a powerhouse of energy in a very tiny package. Her Real Small Art League is bigger than I can describe. Real Small Art

Sheila Gray is another artist I've been fond of for years. Her ethic of living her art and making the world a place of joy is impassioned and uplifting. Sheila Gray

More of the creatives can be found via the Talk 20 link above.

Why am I using my blog to share this with you? Because after, I was thinking about my own very recent journey from cluttered space to painting again to choosing to leave pet portraiture behind me. And how all that fit in with my teaching and where I'm headed. My friend Sarah (who attended with me) helped me realize my original intent when I began painting animals: To show the relationship between animals and humans and somehow use that connection to change how many in the world treat animals in such brutal ways.

I'll continue with that train of thought another time. For now, I'm going to continue to enjoy the "afterglow" of energy and inspiration from last night's event.

A new Week

2010-03-15T15:07:00.000-04:00

I had the best week in a long while working in the studio last week. Even though I took off most of last Tuesday, I couldn't help myself and did wind up painting a bit in the evening. And I painted every day after until Sunday. I never really believed in having a "painter's block" until after sharing with fellow artists what I was going through. Another is having a similar bout of wanting to work, but getting into the studio and just having nothing there. She's doing the same thing....a little of this and that, and not much else. She even has these huge panels ready to goa and I know she's just processing how to tackle them. Even so, it is when she just plays and throws paint or gets into something different that her creative juices begin to flow again. I suppose there can be a painter's block, for whatever reason.....overload, stuck in a rut, no inspiration, not knowing how to express inspiration. At any rate, I'm glad to be past that phase and hope it continues.

I belong to a group called the Collaborative Artists Group - a small division of a larger umbrella in Richmond known as C3, the Creative Change Center. Members include artists of all genres, but the meetings mostly consist of visual artists lately. I love attending these meetings, small or large, for the opportunity to get to know other artists and what they are doing, how they work, what they think about. Our latest meet was this past Thursday evening and I have yet to walk away from one without feeling invigoration and confirmation.

That is enough random thought for one posting.