on the horizon

Some great things are in the works for 2012..... just breathe......

it's all about the pictures, blogger

it appears that the only way that pictures publish properly now (after whatever tinkering blogger has done behind the scenes) is if you post them extra large...... not an acceptable solution in my template with most pictures.

hey blogspot... what's with the blurry??????

******So the picture yesterday was blurry.... and the picture today is blurry...... if you click on the image and go to flickr, my photograph is not blurry there...... what's up blogger???????? It's all about the visual blogspot - somebody please fix it!!!!******

One year ago tomorrow I LEAPED off the ledge and moved my studio (with the help of 18 dear and wonderful friends) to its new studio and gallery location in Glen Echo, Maryland. Friends come, workshops happen, and discussion groups meet there regularly - filling my space with life and energy.

Friends are visiting this weekend from southern Virginia, and something WONDERFUL is in the works for me.

sweets

The hearts are coming along nicely.... still needing sequins and beads hammered in with brass nails before I finish and hang them on the metal tree outside my studio for the month of February. They remind me of sugar cookies.

blue marble - earth

"A ‘Blue Marble’ image of the Earth taken from the VIIRS instrument aboard NASA’s most recently launched Earth-observing satellite – Suomi NPP. This composite image uses a number of swaths of the Earth’s surface taken on January 4, 2012. "

today I am sending you elsewhere :):):)

Grace Bonney over at Design*Sponge has a regular series of posts called BIZ LADIES, penned by a number of contributors to the blog........... While you're there check out a range of design insights and inspirations.

Go forth and explore!Design*Sponge BIZ LADIES

thinking of a friend today.......

Sending lots of love and light and laughter.... as another old friend of mine always used to say! Enjoy every second of today:)

mysteries

Something new is happening in the studio just for fun..........

the red lored parrot

The parrot commission is complete in the studio, and I am looking forward to presenting the piece to the new owners. On to the white owl!

some art to start the day

being, doing

I was on the road at 6:45 am yesterday for a quick stop at the grocery store and the ride to the studio with music playing in the car. With a busy day ahead I swept the flagstone patio and went inside to prepare for guests. This month's salon - an artful conversation was scheduled for 6 pm with Lesley Riley and I set up the gallery with seating for 20, freshened up the kitchen and bathroom, and put out candles and flowers.

With everything ready for later in the day I got to work on the commissioned painting (and yes you'll see process pictures soon, I am saving them to show you all at once with the finished piece) and worked for several hours to get the piece mostly completed. I am so happy with the Red Lored portrait for good friends... and this is a bird I had the opportunity to know, so it makes the request for a painting that much more special.

Our salon get-together with Lisey Riley of Art and Soul Radio was wonderful with great attendance and a good discussion that segued into blogging for artists...... a topic near and dear to my heart. My interview with Lesley will air next month, and I will provide a link to the interview here!

At the end of the evening some folks stayed to help clean up and I was home by 9 pm........ a great art-filled day!

and just like that the new year is really underway

The special commission in the studio is well on its way to completion, our next salon - an artful conversation is filling up and lots of possibility is in the air...... it is going to be a busy year!