"Recharging my creative batteries"

I am heading out on my annual pilgrimage to Lake George, New York for the Americade rally. As some of you know, my other passion is motorcycling and I look forward to this event like a little kid anticipates Christmas. Billed as the largest touring rally in the United States, it has much to ofter - great roads, old friends, demo rides from almost every manufacturer and the largest collection of touring rider vendors assembled in one place called the tour expo. If you ride and have not gone to Americade you are missing a good time. It doesn't get any better than riding through the Adirondacks and the Finger Lakes. I will be gone for a week so there will be no new paintings posted for a while. I am having some doubts about the intense red of yesterdays painting and may tone it down with a glaze when I return. Let me know it you concur with this observation.

"German Shepherd"

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 8"

More on this painting tomorrow.

"Mac"

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

I thought I was the only one still looking like Manard G. Krebs these days, that is until I saw my friend Stephanie's tiny toy poodle, Mac, wearing his ever so beat, black turtleneck sweater. Poodle cut? No way! This dog is one cool cat! I'm certain he has a black beret stashed in his kennel somewhere.

"Sisters"

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

Meet the new kids on the block. You may recall my dear Anna was called home back in March. This opened the door, literally and figuratively to bringing the feral kittens that we had been looking after since last summer into the house. Anna was too set in her ways to tolerate three new kittens into her world. She had stoically declined JJ's constant invitations to play. This would have been too much. I must say that I, too, was not prepared for 24/7 living with feral cats in the house. At first it was like having live squirrels inside. They would run and hide if you made a sharp noise, had shoes on your feet or made a sudden move. I am happy to report that we are going to need a bigger bed as Ella and her brother, Sammy, have discovered the joys of the electric blanket and the comfort of snuggling with humans (a.k.a. the big pink monsters). I don't have the heart to tell them the season is changing and they will have to wait until November to feel its warmth again. While they were still living outside we put a litter box out for them and they all caught onto it right away, so all is well in that department, although policing 4 boxes does take more time. Shirley is still very much afraid of everyone and everything - except JJ. She is in heat right now and we are very careful to not let her escape. She seems to think JJ can help her out, but he is not up to the task, if you catch my drift, nor is her brother Sammy. From this painting one would think that Ella, formerly known as Dino before her femininity became apparent, was a bruiser. She is actually quite demure. Her slender body and tiny stature are almost ferret-like. She can squeeze into the tiniest spot and gets into more trouble than the Beav on an outing with his friend Whitey. Ella is her nickname, by the way. Her full name is "Elegy to the Spanish Republic Number 57" because she looks so much like that Robert Motherwell painting. I hope to paint her brother, Sammy, very soon. Stay tuned.

"Oyster Plate"

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 8"

"The world was my oyster but I used the wrong fork" - Oscar Wilde

"Holly and Jonahven"

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 6" x 8"

I'm sure by now everyone has given up on me, but for those still checking in, I assure you I am fine and still creating art. I have been working on a commission that ate up a bunch of time, then I left for the West coast to visit my daughter, granddaughters Sonny and Willow and my new grandson - Jonahven Infinity. They live in Ashland, Oregon, the epicenter of hippydom on Earth. The town is an exciting amalgam of art, theatre, music and strange interesting characters. It's a pity that it is so difficult to get to, as I would love to be able to visit more often, not only to see my daughter and grandchildren but to experience the Shakespeare Festival that it is home to. Every year 600,000 people make a trek to this quirky little town to see some of the Bard's plays performed on an outdoor Elizabethan Stage patterned after the Globe Theatre. As it is, one must fly into Salt Lake City and catch a puddle jumper to Medford or fly into Portland and drive five hours. Ugh.

The first Wednesday of the month the Daily painters group that I belong to has a theme challenge. This month it was "Celebrating Mom" in honor of Mother's Day. The work was supposed to be posted yesterday but I had other fish to fry so here it is, better late than never. My granddaughters attend the "Willow Wind" school which had a May Day celebration complete with May pole and floral wreathes. Quite apropos, given the populace. This is a painting of my daughter Holly and with her new little boy. Perhaps I've seen the Lord of the Rings too many times as there is an elfish quality about them, which is rather fitting, seeing as Holly's middle name is Lórien. Oops, my early hippy roots are showing.