I took this photo from my window early Christmas Eve. It was quiet and so still, the way it is just before it starts to snow.
I am sorry to say that we said goodbye to Dianne Hoberg this week. She was one of the most positive, fabulous people I have ever had the privilege to know. She succumbed to a brain tumor early in the morning on Tuesday. I wish I had had a chance to know her better, because what I did know of her, I loved. I will carry her memory and her laugh in my heart for the rest of my life.
The Piazza De Spagna...and this is the slow season!!!!!!!!!
The Colosseum of course. This is a view of the catacombs where they kept the gladiators and animals to compete that day. They came up in trap doors in the arena floor. (Watch Gladiator, you will see what I mean)
Some good looking guy I saw there in Rome and had to take his picture.
The famous Trevi Fountain. All designed and created by Bernini in the late 17th century. His work is all over the city.
I had to include this fresco. There were hundreds of mosaics and frescoes that have survived 2 thousand years...but this one was the most special. It was in the bordello...and this was a "menu item" that was available. Click on the image to get a closer look. By the way, there was a pharmacy right next door for when you were done here. I am not kidding.
This of course is...the Sistine Chapel. I was in awe, not only by the amazing art but the fact that I was being mooned by God. How come that angle is not in any of the posters?
Last but not least, St Peters Basilica and the Pieta. This sculpture may very well be the reason that I wanted to be an artist in the first place. The marble breathes with life and emotion. We as artists can only dream to achieve this kind of work in our lifetime and Michelangelo did it at 23. I came home inspired and intimidated. It is an amazing place and as an artist, it should be on the must do list.
This is a dog I photo'd here in Minnesota at a game trial.
This is on of my neighbor's puppies. Her female dog had 11 pups in her last litter!
This little guy is from a Montana trip years ago.
.jpg)
Recently my dearest friend, Rita, took time out of her busy schedule and came to visit me. We went to the South Dakota yearly artist ride and then spent some time hanging around here, swapping stories and riding my horses. It was a great time. On our way home from Wall, we stopped at the 1880's town in South Dakota and what else you would you to expect to see at a western town?? An affectionate camel of course! This one took quite a shine to Rita, as you can see. Rita is also an amazing artist, please take a minute to check out her work at www.drawntonature.com.
I just received an email from a dear old friend who berated me for not having any pictures on my blog of myself. I did not realize it, but I have manned the camera for so long, I have not been included in any family pictures. I looked and looked and this is the only one I could find (that I liked). It is a few years old, and my hair is no longer blonde (thank goodness). Perhaps it is the ever increasing wrinkles and waistline that age brings on that has made me camera shy, but what ever the reason...this is for you Rex, now pony up some pictures of those kids for me!
These are two small 5x7's for my upcoming show. I just love being able to paint things that I can see right out my window. These lilacs grow on the north side of our property and I look forward to them every year. We only have the ruby throated hummingbird here in Minnesota, but I have plenty of sketches of other species from living in Southern California.
I may be one of the most prolific fuschia killers on the planet. Every spring, I buy three from the local gardens and slowly, methodically murder them over the course of the summer. But...I always get plenty of pictures and color sketches before they go, so I guess you can say that they don't die in vain. I may have been born with a black thumb, but I was also born for a great admiration for them.
These are both in oil on board. I am growing more and more fond of oils the more I do them.
Of all birds, swans are probably my favorite. We are lucky to have so many trumpeters all around us I am never at a shortage for material. This one is a mute swan that is in a pond not far from us. He is owned by (or shall I say...resides with) my dog sitter, Tina.
Great news! Loki just went for his 6 week exam and the doctor gave him a clean bill of health. His pacemaker is working perfectly and he now is out of his kennel confinement. We even played ball this morning! Funny how the simple things are so special now...
Well, we have had an exciting start to our summer. Our big dog, Loki, was playing with our neighbor's dog and collapsed. He took about an hour to get right again and seemed disoriented for some time. Luckily, we had a vet appointment the next day for vaccinations and we discovered his resting heart rate had fallen to 29-32 beats per minute.(It should be 80) After a failed attempt to medicate him for the problem and an ever falling heart rate (it was 18 at one point), the decision to give him a pacemaker was made. He had his surgery last Tuesday and we are happy to report that he is doing just great. He has to remain immobile for 6 weeks as the leads in his heart take hold, only getting out of his kennel to go to the potty. He is being very good natured about his confinement and is enjoying all the extra kisses and attention he is getting. He is going to be back to his old happy self soon.
I guess in every profession there are deadlines at some time. Never a truer word is spoken for the artist. We have show deadlines, submission deadlines, application deadlines, etc... And most of us never get them done in time! Luckily, the people waiting on us know that we are chronically late and unorganized. Thank goodness. I have a deadline four days over due...case and point. I appreciate all your emails asking me where I have been. I am constantly amazed that anyone would even be interested in this blog at all! So, when I have not written in a while, know that it is not because I am goofing off, I am usually painting like mad to make a deadline. (Which I always seem to miss!)
I hesitated calling this painting, Looking Back, as it can have a negative connotation. But I realize that sometimes looking back is not necessarily a bad thing, we learn from looking behind ourselves. And sometimes, we are just looking behind us to know what to expect in the future....
I have finally finished this painting. It has taken a lot of work, but I think I am finally pleased with the final product. This is one of those classic paintings that all of us artists encounter...you love it one day, hate it the next. I am finally happy with it and finally decided that it was finished. I did have to go into photo shop and eliminate the shine I got from the surface of the painting when I photographed it, so that is the dull side that you see on the left side. I still have not figured out how to eliminate the shine I get when photographing my oils when finished. I use a lot of glazing techniques when finishing a painting and it reflects a good amount of light.
We have been hearing since Monday that we were going to be hit by a huge storm on Friday. Well, I have not lived here long, but I know that the weather guys here are almost never right. Well, on Friday...nothing, but on Saturday we got socked! We got over a foot in a day!!!
You try to explain this event to your short legged friend, but they just dont understand.
If you ever doubted that a dog could laugh...look at Loki's face in this picture. Not bad for a 12 year old, hmm?
Dakota, on the left, is trying to show Zoe that she has the stuff!!!
