Turning Away from the Darkness

 Turning Away from the Darkness

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

SOLD

The tulips on my dining room table open a little more each day.

The soulful voice of Mercedes Sosa fills my studio.

The sun is shining and today my friend and I walked and talked and laughed in real life.

Yesterday my oldest friend in the world wrote this after our long lunch:

"You certainly have a knack for turning away from the darkness, which I so appreciate."

I love those words and that image. I love my friends. 

Where would be without each other?

Looking on the Bright Side

 Looking on the Bright Side

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

It helps to see a a tulip blooming in the morning sun,

as does a long walk and lunch with friends.  I sang along with Cesaria Evora while painting this afternoon, and read a few pages of Ann Patchett's, "The Shop Dogs of Parnassus" both of which would have been enough to elevate my mood.

 Looking on the bright side. It's a choice. 

Saturday Morning Sunlight

 Saturday Morning Sunlight

Oil on Wood

6"X6"

A soft pink camellia blooms just inside our front gate. February is almost here. The sun is shining on my parents' anniversary vase, and I am imagining good things to come.

Quail Encounter

 Quail Encounter

Oil on Wood

6"X6"

The fog was lifting this morning when I walked to town to meet friends for breakfast. Blue skies, a brisk walk, and seeing old friends in real life was enough to lighten my mood. And then, a covey of quail appeared in my path. What a show. It made my day which had only just begun. 

More Times Gone By

 More Times Gone By

Oil on Wood

8"X10"

January is a nostalgic time. Memories of little moments spent with friends at the appointed time a long time ago. Gone but not forgotten. 

Amaryllis in the Morning

 Amaryllis in the Morning

Oil on Wood

6"X8"

Available for sale on my Website.

My amaryllis burst into bloom this morning, a flash of light and glimmer of HOPE on a Monday.

Time Gone By

 Time Gone By

Oil on Wood

8"X10"

Datebooks, 2013-2021.  Appointments, random ideas, thoughts, book recommendations, notes, lists, events, it's all there on every page, memories of everyday that are the stuff that life is made of.

Truffles in the Afternoon

 Truffles in the Afternoon

Oil on Wood

10"X10"

I brought her soup. She returned the bowl full of truffles. I put them in Grannie's crystal bowl glistening goodness in the afternoon. There is nothing like a little unexpected human kindness to brighten these dark days.

January Morning

 January Morning

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

SOLD

Good music, talking to friends, constant contact with family, painting, and seeing this first thing in the morning. I am holding on to HOPE.

Moment in Time

 Moment in Time

Oil on Wood

12"X12"

It's another wet week. There is plenty of distraction. The urge to put away last year, organize this year, clear out the clutter, and make sense of it all has consumed a lot of time. And then there are the ants that turn up randomly here and there, having been flooded out of their subterranean home. By late afternoon I return to painting, and like magic, my mood lightens and I am fully engaged in this moment where the secret to well being resides.