What's New

Surprise! I accepted a position with an HOA (home owners association) management company.  How in the world did this happen?  Serving on the board of our HOA brought me into a working relationship with the president of the management company.

The company opened new division to handle HOA property inspections for escrow.  And the property inspector position was offered to me.  After considering it for a few days,  I accepted.  April 30th was my first day on the job and May 1st was my first day on the road inspecting and it was a long one.  I drove from one end of the county to the other, inspecting properties.

My wonderful mom volunteered to come along and I happily agreed.  She read the Google directions to me as I drove around areas I had never before visited.  The only problem we encountered was when Google said to turn right when we ought to have gone straight.  But we soon corrected our course and completed the mission.

I am very happy about the job and really hope I do it well and can continue in it.  My blog is supposed to be about my adventures in trying to make a living as an artist.  I am not sure how this change will effect my path...

Beach 21 Squared & Framed, AKA Kate's Beach

Finally went over to the gallery and snapped a photo of Beach 21 Squared in its frame.  The lighting in the gallery space is less than ideal for picture-taking and the flash spots can be seen on the glass,  but I hope you can see that the frame is a brushed, silver-toned metal.

After taking me to a delicious lunch at the Prado in Balboa Park,   Kate,  along with husband Gerard, father and stepmother and I went together to see the show, which I thought was really quite a nice one.   Because she had purchased the first painting in the Beach 21 edition, Kate kept referring to this as "her" painting.   I think Kate's Beach is a fitting and charming title for it.

Beach 21 Squared

Click image to enlarge
Size: 24x24
Medium: Pigment print
Date: 3/10/2012

Remember Beach 21?  This is a squared version of it.  It isn't just cropped.   Its' also slightly reconfigured. (I like playing around with the shapes of digital art)  I had it framed in a contemporary,  silver-toned metal and submitted it to the Southern California Regional Juried Award Exhibition at SDAI.  Today I heard it had been accepted into the show!

I neglected to photograph it in the frame before submitting it but I will take a picture of it in it's frame later to show you.

Show information: Show runs March 31- May 13, 2012

You are cordially invited to join a Special Artist Reception:

March 31, 2012, Saturday 6-8 PM. SDAI members $10, non members $20.

The San Diego Art Institute
House of Charm
Balboa Park
1439 El Prado
San Diego, CA 92101
www.sandiego-art.org

Light Falls From Heaven-SOLD

Click image to enlarge.  Click title for more information.

Size: 24x36x1.5
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Date: 3/26/2012

Still have many little birds to paint.  But felt the need to stop and paint an abstract or two. This one was a joy to paint.

The Sailors

Click image to enlarge, click Title link for more information and photos.

Title:  The Sailors
Size: 8"x8"x 1.5"
Date: 2/27/2012
Medium: Acrylic on canvas (colors are deeper and crisper in person)
Price: $200

This isn't the birdie adventure I intended to paint this time.  But I was on my walk and came to the crest of Pringle St. where the view of San Diego harbor came into view. All the boaters were out on their sailboats enjoying the sunny, winter weather.   I had to send the birdies there.  

A gust of wind seems to have taken one of the crew by surprise.  Will they head over to the yacht club or cafe for a little something afterward?

I have several new adventures in mind for them for the next paintings and they are mostly from your suggestions.   I may take a brief detour though and paint an abstract this week.

In other news, my new Etsy shop is in the works.  And that brings to five, the number of online sites where my art is now displayed, not including eBay auctions! 
 
ArtSlant:
ArtPrice (must be subscriber to view)
Saatchi Online:
San Diego Art Institute:      
Yessy.com:

CW,  I will miss you.  XO.

The Tobogganers

Click image to enlarge.

Title: The Tobogganers
Size: 8x8x1.5
Medium: Acrylic on wood
Date 2/11/2012 
Price: $200

Can you tell what's going on here?  There's a clue in the sign at the side of the slope.  


A friend suggested I submit these little bird paintings to a childrens' book publisher.  Has anyone had any experience with this recently?  Or I suppose I could write and illustrate my own childrens' book using the publishing-on-demand model.  

I sketched out a rough draft of one story taken from my own childhood.  I had insisted my mother take me to the top of the hill behind our house, where the full moon was rising and looked so big and close, because I was certain I would be able to touch it.  Of course, the closer we came to the top of the hill, the further away and smaller the moon was.  I wasn't sure we just didn't get there fast enough!

Harbor 4

Click on image to enlarge.   Click here for more views.
Size: 24"x36"x1.5"
Title: Harbor 4
Dated: 1/30/2012 
Price: $1500

Our San Diego Harbor continues to inspire me to paint it.  It's not that I have been visiting it more often.  But the memory of its evening shimmer as it reflects the lights from boats and bay-side establishments persists in floating to the surface of my imagination. 


Speaking of imagination, the little bird series has a front row seat there as more and more scenarios for them are finding their way to my sketch pad.  I hope you are ready to see more because many more are planned!  Feel free to send me ideas you think would be suitable.  Next will be The Tobogganers. (Thank you Deb) Planned: Tennis; Poolside; Beach; Drivers; Golfers; Hikers; Congregation; Line Dancers; Gardeners.

Catch the Stars

Click image to enlarge.
Size: 8x8x1.5
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Price: $250.00

The birds are likely wondering whether to carry out their plans to catch the stars or to stop in wonderment and cast their dreams upon them.

The Skiers SOLD

Click image to enlarge.  Click here for more photos and pricing.

Title:  The Skiers
Size: 8x8x1.5
Medium: Acrylic on canvas

So if birdies can skate, I see no reason to think they can't ski (Isn't that how the term "Snow Birds" came about?)  I wonder whether they are they good enough skiers to dodge snowballs lobbed at them by a mischievous snowman?   Either way, after a day of good skiing, a sip hot coco at the nearby ski lodge is waiting for them!   

The Skaters - SOLD

Click image to enlarge. Click title for more views and information.

Title: The Skaters

Size: 8x8x3/4

Medium: Acrylic on canvas

Dated: 1/5/12

My garden is a balcony in the canyon treetops, with plants, a water fountain, a bird bath and several little birdhouses.  The canyon is home to a variety of birds, many of whom visit my balcony throughout the day to partake of its amenities.  The favorite of these are the water features.  Much happy splashing in wild abandon takes place in them.  One can almost see their little beaks smiling.  If it snowed here I imagine they would have just as much fun ice skating.

This is my first painting of 2012 and my 200th painting to post on the Yessy Gallery!