"Ella with Hydrangeas"

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 10"

The cat formerly known as Dino (before we realized he was a she) is part of the rat pack of kittens we adopted last spring. She has turned into a real love and is quite smitten with JJ. She dogs his every waking (and sleeping) moment, much to his consternation. I call her Ella because she reminds me of the paintings in Robert Motherwell's Elegy series. I fear we will never be able to have flowers inside again because the rat pack seek and destroy any flora (and small fauna, i dare say) that comes into the house. Ella got a chance to check these pretty hydrangeas out before the tempting bouquet was sequestered in the powder room for the night.

"JJ with Flowers"

Oil on museum quality, archival ampersand gessobord™ panel - 6” x 8”

This is my first attempt at getting back on the bike.  I felt a little shaky but I pushed through.  I wasn't going for a masterpiece, just something to build my confidence. Since JJ is my constant companion in the studio, I had but to look back to check my model.  This is not a great reproduction of this painting.  The flowers have more intensity in real life. It's a start.

Blue Iris

Oil on archival 1/8" ampersand gessobord panel -5" x 7"

I had in mind to have some brushy fun with these pretty irises which adorn my friend Diane's garden.  Perhaps it was my love of Van Gogh coming to the fore.  His wonderful painting of irises has always been a favorite. It was one of his first works while he was at the asylum at Saint Paul-de-Mausole in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.  Vincent felt that by continuing to paint while at the asylum he could keep himself from going insane.  Why, this sometimes has the opposite effect on me.  Sometimes continuing to paint makes me crazy.  Not from the act itself, which I love, but from the aftermath of creation.  Was it good enough? Will people like it, understand it, get it?  I suppose self doubt is part and parcel of this life I have chosen.  Oddly enough, I have a very strong sense of my own abilities.  Go figure.  As you can see, My idea of laying it on with a trowel vanished in the night and once again I broke out the blending brushes to soften the background and contrast the blossoms.  I guess I have to be true to myself.  Sometimes my hands have a will of their own.  The eye perceives but the hand executes. 

"Water lily"

Oil on Canvas mounted on board - 6" x 8"

 Tucked away in hidden courtyards all over the French Quarter are wonderful lush gardens; tiny oases of wonderful flora and fauna. These tropical gardens are a great place to escape from the Louisiana heat, slope back a Hurricane or a Sazerac or just commune with nature.  I chanced upon this lily pond while on a culinary walking tour of New Orleans.  

I'm off to Birmingham and won't post again until Wednesday night.