Life is a Great Big Canvas

 --This piece was originally published in 2015 but has been updated for the new blog format. Early 2015, I received an invitation from Crossroads Carnegie Art Center, to come tour the Baker Heritage Museum. I, along with many other artists, went, and found inspiration for art in the artifacts, exhibits, stories, and people dressed and in character, at the museum. Upon entering the museum, one of the first people I met was a woman wrapped in a red feather boa, with a feather fan in her hand. Her real name is Elaine Logsdon, but her character's name was Diamond Lil. I imagined she had been a burlesque dancer in her youth, and now perhaps ran her own saloon and theater. I am sure she could tell some very interesting stories! I knew I had to paint her, and knew her personality would shine through on the canvas. I decided with the other paintings I made for the museum, to be more creative in the composition. Instead of painting the entire object, I chose to crop it in a way that would b...

This was an assignment from my last still life class in college. I love vintage Pyrex pitchers, and have a collection of them. I also love painting the illusion of glass and metal. I am thinking about expanding from this one painting into a series of Pyrex pitchers. What do you think?

A still life study dealing with using a large amount of negative space in a way that still brings balance to the eye, "Small Delights" is intended to make us appreciate the little pleasures in life--a cup of coffee, a piece of chocolate, or just a few minutes of peace and quiet. Painted in oil on canvas board, the props for this piece, as with many of my props, are vintage finds, with some wonderful chocolate truffles added, just because I like painting shiny things. I hope you enjoy this, and remember to look for the little moments in life---and therein find a little joy.

When I was newly married to Andy, I noticed some old framed prints in my inlaws' house. They were fantasy scenes with still-vivid blues, and neo-classical maidens in flowing white gowns. These belonged to my brother in law, Brad, and from him I discovered the art of Maxfield Parrish, and I have been a devoted follower of this artist-illustrator ever since. Maxfield Parrish was born in 1870 as Frederick Parrish, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but later adopted his mother's maiden name and used it as his first name. His father was a painter and etcher. He discovered his passion for creating art early in life, and trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and Drexel Institute of Art. At the age of 27, his career was launched with the illustration of a book by Kenneth Grahame, The Walls Were As of Jasper. From there, he went on to illustrate many books, advertisements, and magazine covers, including Hearst's, Collier's, and Life, as well as to paint mu...

I am celebrating a big achievement in my life, that of graduating from Academy of Art University with a degree in fine art! It has been a long journey for me and I am proud of my accomplishment. The actual graduation ceremony will be late spring in SanFrancisco, California, and I am hoping to have enough money saved to participate. This is a miniature painting I just finished in celebration, "Blonde Bubblecut". It measures only 5x7" and is painted in oil on a canvas board. It is signed on the front and signed and dated on the back. Barbie has always been a major part of my life. I remember receiving my first brand new Barbie, "Beauty Secrets Barbie" for Christmas when I was about 4 years old, but she wasn't my first Barbie. I had my older sisters' hand me downs, which included many Barbies, Kens, Skippers, and even Allan, and I played with them all the time, along with Ideal's Tammy Family. Good memories for me, I kept all of my childhood doll...