Think Spring

 

It’s the dead of winter, and a middle-age mom’s thoughts turn to laundry lines and apple blossoms. 

it’s a rough draft, I just feel so I’m in the mood for garden paintings. Next up,  Take Two.

Only God can make a Sunset

  

I know only God can make a tree, but for some reason I’m not intimidated by trying to do mountains–maybe it’s because most of the time you’re painting curbs and shadows and not individual trees. But with a sunset you’re actually trying to paint the light.  

I don’t think this effort is going to end up in our collection of fire starting paper, but every attempted a sunset is a great reminder of why they call the masters, the Masters.

Garden Time

 
I have been struggling with ideas for the February show. I love landscapes but want to keep expanding my horizons.
The Big Guy suggested doing something to celebrate Spring, which won’t be far away when the show kicks off. Saturday, the first of the seed catalogs arrived, and I decided that would be a good idea.
I had to skip gardening a bit last year because of a broken foot that makes walking on uneven ground treacherous on the best of days. 
With the appearance of the first seed catalog and the move of my studio from the back room of our house to a chilly attic overlooking the garden, however I know I’m going to have to find a way to get out there and get dirty.
This doodle won’t make it into the show, but it did get me in the mood to start painting gardens and flowers. I think I’m going to be happy with the decision now that winter has finally decided to make a belated entrance.

Meditating on Inspiration

  
I’ve been binge drawing tonight hoping the meditation might lead to inspiration. 
This one is based on a photo I took not long before T2 was born. I saw this woman sitting by the river with her baby, introducing him to the world, and it was such a thing familiar moment. drooling the baby on her lap took me back to those times with T1 and T2, and suddenly I was inspired.  Let the binge continue.

A Wintry Mix

  

  The morning began inauspiciously, with snow, sleet and canceled writing class, then a canceled lunch. I decided to make a slow cooker feast for the family and went to the IGA for supplies before heading home.

As I finished up, however, a call came that a beloved aunt had passed away. It was not an unexpected call, but it rocked me nonetheless.  

I had written and painted this week, preparing to cope with the loss of this person, but I knew that wouldn’t stop the tears when it actually happened. I drove home weeping and gave the news to the Big Guy and the family and wept again.

Thing 2 had already invited a friend over for a play date, and we decided friend should still come. We had mostly dried our tears by the time the friend arrived, and we chatted with his father for a while as I disassembled our Christmas tree. I set up my TV tray in painting gear near the now-empty space in front of the window thinking how quickly the holiday season come and gone.

  
It is still a wintry mix of a day. Outside there has been gray rain and periods of snow creating beautifully dusted trees. Inside it’s been quiet– the two 9-year-old boys are playing quietly and happily as nine-year-old boys should, reminding me, as my aunt often did, that life goes on and that even on sad days it is beautiful.  

I know there will be more tears, but I know the best way to keep her with us is to recognize and be grateful for the small, beautiful moments in our lives even when they come in a wintry mix.