Hot Art Now

Day 67 Please God let that man and his dog get home safely.

2011-12-19T05:19:00.000-08:00

I was driving through my neighborhood, on the way to yoga class and I found myself behind a man on a scooter, who had a little dog sitting behind him on the seat. This man was not young, maybe late seventies or even early eighties. I thought "how cute and sweet." and then I thought, "Can you go a little faster, I'm in a hurry."

And then what happened was we got to the intersection of Formosa and Princeton, which if you don't know Orlando, is a busy intersection, and, as the man came to a stop and was getting ready to turn, the little dog jumped down and stood there in the street. The man grabbed up the dog and was, like, hugging him. The dog's life had obviously flashed before the man's eyes.

So the guy has both hands on the dog and no hands on the handle bars, trying to sort of walk the scooter (and it was a pretty big one) to the side of the road. Meanwhile, I'm now at the front of the line at the traffic light, with a few cars behind me, and I'm thinking, "should I pull over and offer to help? But what if I just make things worse by calling attention to the man's dilemma?"

The man seemed like the kind of independent human being that would not want people to think he couldn't handle his business.

The light turned green and I made my left turn on to Princeton, watching the man and the dog in my rearview window and praying "PLEASE GOD, let that man and his dog get home safely."

I hope I did the right thing.

Day 66- A really good day in the studio...

2011-12-17T14:24:00.000-08:00

...after many many really bad days in the studio. Or, I shouldn't say bad, just unproductive. Day after day of attention deficit disorder, to the point where my prayer this morning was simply- "Please let me finish something."

Well, I actually did not finish anything, but a bunch of different pieces got a little closer, and some got very close indeed to being finished. Some ideas got tried, and a respectable amount of time was spent today doing this work that is more like play. I'm reminded of a quote by Julia Cameron, which is a sort of prayer, or statement to God- she says "Today you are in charge of the quality, I am in charge of the quantity."

I have been obsessing over these canvases I saw at Sam Flax, they are HUGE- 36"x96" - they are like really tall doors. I kept thinking how great a big giant palm tree would look on them. On three of them to be exact- almost life size. Call me crazy.

On Thursday I bought them. They are so big they won't fit in my van without completely changing the carpentry of my storage system, so they were delivered yesterday, and now they stand leaning against a wall in my studio in all their glory- (thank God my ceilings are higher than eight feet), and the excitement I feel looking at those big blank suckers is, well, a good feeling, let me tell you. I'll probably be cursing myself during the painting process for biting off something so big, and never mind how I'm going to transport them to shows once they're finished- we'll just cross that big-ass palm tree bridge when we get to it.

Cheers!

Day 65- Keep Your Hand Moving.

2011-12-10T09:53:00.001-08:00

Be Specific.
Lose control.
Don't worry about punctuation.
You are allowed to make junk.

-Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones

Day 64-Something's up with the planets

2011-12-09T19:03:00.000-08:00

So today another major piece sold. The CityArts factory sold my biggest piece. That's two major pieces in one week, and I don't mind telling you that in this economy that kind of occurrence has been oh so very rare, so, YAY! and what's up with that? Are things starting to turn around? Has some sort of shift occurred?

My friend who is into Astrology tells me something about Uranus being in a forward position or something and that things are only going to get better. I don't know but I do feel like something is in the air and it's not just Holiday Cheer...

So speaking of painting, today was supposed to be a TOTAL STUDIO PAINTING DAY and I ended up only going into the studio long enough to pack a painting for shipping- (safe journey to Seattle little painting!)

Tomorrow will be different! I swear it and I pledge it! You just wait, I'll post the beautiful work I did and then you'll see!

Day whatever.

2011-12-06T18:23:00.001-08:00

I'm still recovering from my Open House extravaganza, but time rushes on and I had already committed to having a real yard sale with my excess junk as part of my commitment to de-cluttering my life by years end- so tomorrow I will plunge into those shenanigans, but oh, oh, OH how I need a few straight days of nothing but studio sweet studio.

Maybe by this time next week I'll be able to unplug the phone and the computer and get down to what is really real, as Van Morrison says.

2011-12-05T18:46:00.000-08:00

I really wanted to have a successful Open House in my studio. What I got was so much more. I got to see people I haven't seen in a long time and to catch up with neighbors. I got to meet random people who saw my signs and may, in the future, become regular collectors. It's a special person who sees a crudely painted sign- “Artist's Studio Open House- Original paintings,” and pulls their car over for a look. My college Park neighborhood happens to have a bunch of those kind of people.

There was an interesting woman, of asian descent, maybe Japanese, who spent at least an hour pouring over my work, and then selected one print and one small original painting. I had the feeling that she was not the kind of person that added material possessions to her world without much careful deliberation. I felt honored. When she left, she gave me her card, (she's a massage therapist,) and told me if I ever wanted to trade with her, she'd like that. She also gave me a copy of a poem, "First Lesson" by Philip Booth, which, if you want to read it, click here-

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/first-lesson/

I usually don't go to a massage therapist unless they've been recommended by a friend, but I think I might call this woman up, simply because of the poem she shared with me. Is that crazy?

Also, is it wrong of me to think that in this season of giving, I did a certain amount of giving of my own by offering my work at 50% off or more? I know I made some local people happy by making my work more affordable and I had a good time doing it.

Maybe I'm delusional but I felt a gentle, generous spirit slowly riding in on the tail of the wild fear horse that had been dogging me all week leading up to this event. My artist self-esteem was still recovering from the kick in the gut it received in St. Petersburg the weekend before. A zero sale weekend. EEWW, the memory still stings.

That's the down side to this life I love- sales or no sales have a huge effect on the color of my days.

And then there was the unexpected bonus of a sale at the Flying Turtle Gallery and Friends, which had it's opening night this past Friday. So, my cup overflows suddenly and when it rains it pours, it seems. And then, on the other hand, the droughts can seem endless.

And, as always happens with a big party or event, you start thinking about the people who didn't come, the ones you hoped to see and the ones who said they would stop by, and you know after all these years, not to take it personally. That the people who did show up were the people who were meant to be there, and for them I am truly grateful.

Last day of my big huge gigantic studio open house and sale

2011-12-04T04:17:00.001-08:00

My sale has been a success and so much fun to see old friends and collectors, and random people who saw my sign. But there are a few friends who said they'd stop by and haven't yet- you know who you are!

Don't stay away because you are afraid you'll feel like you have to buy something- you won't! I just want to see your smillin' face and show off my studio, so come on over!!... Love, Maria

Maria's Driveway Gallery

2011-12-02T06:06:00.000-08:00

More Available pieces and just plain pictures...

2011-12-01T09:40:00.001-08:00

Available work at my great big huge end of the year studio clearance sale

2011-11-30T10:11:00.000-08:00

If you see anything that interests you, call or email me for info. Everything is 50% off this weekend only!!

Some of the work that will be on sale at my open house

2011-11-29T17:10:00.000-08:00

Day 54 Monday Evening

2011-11-28T19:00:00.000-08:00

Well I'm rockin' and rollin' getting ready for my open house this weekend, I'm really looking forward to seeing how it will all turn out. I have not looked at the weather yet, because A- I can't change it and B- it will color my mood if it looks bad.

So please stop by and say hi if you are in the area, I would love to see your friendly face!

Day 53- I've been an unfaithful slacker

2011-11-26T17:01:00.000-08:00

I've been spending time on another blog (artfairinsiders.com) where I rant and rave about whatever art festival pet peeve I have at the moment.

I'm sorry Hot Art Now I've been seeing another blog!

But you don't understand- When I post on her, I get so many views!

But I'm back now, for sure, Hot Art Now, please believe me. And I'll try not to let it happen again, but I'm not promising.

I went for a walk earlier today in a neighborhood I used to walk in ten years ago and it was sad to see all the foreclosed and abandoned houses, run-down and shabby but still oozing with leftover hope, like a dead body, still slightly warm. I saw hanging baskets filled with dry dead things and I thought about the day those baskets were brought home from Home Depot and hung across the front porch, looking beautiful and fresh. Ah, the pride of ownership; that's all gone now for a lot of people, and for many others it's been replaced by a grim determination to just hold on.

See?? That's where my writing has been drifting off too lately- the dark side of things, and I'm thinking, this might be a little more than someone who came to my website looking for something pretty, bargained for.

And on a brighter note! I found someone to help me with Constant Contact! Oh, you didn't know I needed help with Constant Contact? Well, I am a computer dunce cap when it comes to figuring out how to do a newsletter and it's really been bugging me. I finally went on CC's marketplace and they have listings of all these independent businesses that help with it so I emailed one and he called me and we'll see. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Day 52 The day after

2011-11-25T17:02:00.000-08:00

I spent most of this day getting ready for my open house, with a few good hours of painting first thing in the morning. I'm feeling mute in the blogging department, probably because I'm freaking out a little.

I'm wondering, If I build it will they come?

Day 51 Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T19:06:00.000-08:00

I am completely stuffed full of turkey and thankful for a day spent with friends and family.

There. I blogged.

Attention budding painter artists!

2011-11-23T11:15:00.001-08:00

Listen to me.

You have to take a stand. You have to be definitive. You can't have your viewer wondering if your painting is of a field of flowers, or a bunch of Krispy Kreme doughnuts on sticks!

Now get back in that studio and don't come out until you've made a commitment!

I'm serious. Your painting is hurting my eyes.

Day 50

2011-11-21T18:48:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to a you tube video of Manny Quiles' interview with me, for anyone who might be interested.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/e1DszPdbEdw

Day 49

2011-11-20T03:57:00.001-08:00

I'm sitting in my car, in the parking lot beside my booth. It's a little before seven and there is a marathon of some kind going on nearby.

I'm trying to muster some energy for this day which involves getting through one more day of this festival, packing down my art and booth, and driving two hours home. Lack of sleep is my dilemma.

I'm hoping I don't get kicked out of my really good parking space because artist parking is like three long city blocks away.

Sigh.

Sent from my iPhone

Day 48

2011-11-19T13:09:00.001-08:00

I may feel like blogging later, but just in case I don't, here's my booth at the St. Pete Artscape.

From Somewhere in the heart of St. Petersburg

2011-11-18T18:49:00.000-08:00

My booth is almost all set up at this new show in St. Petersburg called Artscape. The show is located next to a craft show that's been around for years called "CraftArt." My booth is on Central Ave between 6th and 7th and the neighborhood is, how shall I say this, interesting... every other store is a gallery or a vintage clothing store. My booth is almost directly in front of a tattoo parlor, and I have nothing against tattoos, (scarred for life), but tattoo parlors always seem to have this air of seediness about them. There is always a group of heavily tattooed people hanging out in front having social hour. Are these the tattoo artists, waiting for a customer? Or is it a place for tattooed people to hang out with each other, or what?

I'm sorry but if the front of your neck is tattooed, or your face or the tops of your hands, you're screaming something, but what?

LOOK AT ME!

I'M HURT, AND HERE'S THE SCARS TO PROVE IT!

I LIKE PAIN!

LOOK HOW CREATIVE AND COOL I AM!

Both of my sons have tattoos. Eddie has two and Robbie has, I think, four. All of their tattoos seem to me to be public declarations of the most important parts of their identities. Robbie has a portrait of his son Roderick on his rib cage. Eddie has his last name emblazoned across his shoulder blades- kind of like a sports jersey except he can never take it off. I hope they both are always happy with the decision they made to mark their skin for life.

I once had a tattoo. It wasn't the fancy, well drawn and colorful kind. It was the sort that two drunken fourteen year olds with a sewing needle and some india ink would come up with, and thank goodness it was small enough to be scooped out with a scalpel.

Day 46- What a weird thing that just happened.

2011-11-17T18:10:00.000-08:00

There was just a knock at my door. It's after 9pm. I look out the window and it's a young black girl carrying a small plastic tub and a notebook. I mean, it's dark outside! Through the window I say "I'm not interested!" She mimics like she can't hear me.

Let me just say that I hate solicitors. At any time or at any age and in any shape or color. I don't care if they are on the phone or at the mall or at my front door. I dislike them strenuously.

So now I'm thinking that she won't take no for an answer and she's using her tactics on me. Now I'm pissed. So, against my better judgement I open the door and instantly my three dogs, (small, harmless), surround her. She acts like she might be afraid of dogs, but when Rita Pepper darts off toward the street she calmly looks at me and says " you lost one." I go after Rita, all the while I am asking her questions like "do you know what time it is?" and "do your parents know you're out here?"

She started to tell me about the scholarship she was trying to earn which I think is some kind of a scam and besides, I'm sorry darlin', but if you're dumb enough to be out here after dark, and I mean, I live downtown, it's not sweet sleepy suburb land, well then, you need more help than a scholarship will get you...

Is that mean?

May she get home safely, please, may she get home safely.

Still, it was strange and kind of scary.

Dear Muse,

2011-11-16T19:48:00.001-08:00

I should know by now that I can't force you to come out.

But I can attend to you by showing up when I say I will, and maybe playing with a bit of paint.

Tomorrow is a to do list gone mad, and then there is the show in
St. Petersburg.

Day 44 Email Marketing Guru, where are you???

2011-11-14T19:04:00.000-08:00

I'm getting excited about the open house I'm planning to have in my studio the first weekend in December. The only stumbling block I'm having is, I want to do a spiffy email invitation that I can send out through Constant Contact. So I'm trying to put this thing together and, well, it just looks really dorky.

I need help.

I need an email marketing Guru! One that's free, or virtually free, or who would just love to trade for a painting. I'm serious.

Do you know anyone?

Day 43

2011-11-13T13:18:00.000-08:00

So today was spent setting up my booth in the driveway and photographing it, probably one of my least favorite things to be doing on a Sunday. And then yesterday I survived my interview with unknown Valencia student (Emanuel). He says I will get a copy.

Community Yoga morning at CPY

2011-11-12T06:09:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow some guy I don't know comes to interview me.

2011-11-11T20:24:00.000-08:00

Earlier today while I was living in my own private computer hell, I got a call from a student at Valencia, who needed.to do an interview for his class, something about sound and video. He said he found my website on the Internet. He had a very thick Spanish accent and I think he called me because he thought with a name like Maria Reyes Jones, I must be a spanish speaker. I made sure he knew I wasn't. He said the interview had to be in English, and that he only had the equipment checked out for one day.

So, in a weak moment, and thinking about my own son, studying audio at Full Sail, I said yes, that he could have a half hour of my precious studio time.

I didn't even get the name of his professor...

He did say I would get a copy of the video, though- so stay tuned!

Proud Daughter and Mom -Day 40 (really)

2011-11-10T08:45:00.000-08:00

Semper Fi baby!!!

I am the proud daughter of a marine who, in a long and colorful career, flew helicopters in Viet Nam, commanded whole squadrons and aircraft carriers, and was the pilot for the Presidential helicopter under Richard Nixon.

All that and then when he came home to his family he was just a total softee. Thank you dad for helping to protect and defend our great country... and for patiently listening to and considering all my liberal, end the war talk, and for the art lessons, and for bringing home all those oil paintings from around the world with the paint still wet- how fascinating to press on the thick parts and watch the wet paint squeeze out- oops! did I say that?

Today is just a day to be proud. My son Rob sent me this picture this morning- he is living his dream of playing basketball for a living. I admire your dedication Rob and I am so proud!!

And I can't not mention his twin brother Eddie, who is working on his dream of a career in the arts, which is something that takes courage, determination, and just a teensy bit of a crazy streak. Hmmm, I wonder who he takes after...

AND I found out I'm in the Coconut Grove Art Festival which is always my best show of the year, AND I picked up a new gallery- The Portofino Bay Gallery.

It's a YIPEEEE kind of day!

Day 40? Maybe?

2011-11-09T18:33:00.000-08:00

That's all. Just stay open.

2011-11-08T17:58:00.000-08:00

I was just working on absorbing Danielle LaPorte's little self-help sermon about striking the word "overwhelmed" from my vocabulary, which if I had computer skills I would put a link to it but, well, anyway, and today my wonderful assistant Sara was helping me in the studio to try to make some sense of order in the chaos when she dropped the"O-WORD" in reference to studio sweet studio!!

I had to admit, she's right.

It's been building, really, since the studio was built in 2002, but the chaos was squared and cubed after I closed the gallery and brought most of the stuff home.

There is a berserk little garden of silk flowers for still life paintings.

There are picture frames in all sizes, shapes and colors, most of which I probably wont ever use, and there is a perfectly good printing press that is my studio's version of the treadmill coatrack... There are boxes and boxes of fabric from my collage phase and flat files full of papers, half finished paintings, print bags, etc., etc, etc.

And I have a thing about stretched canvases. The number is somewhere under three figures, but not by much. Why?

The walls and floors are covered with paint as well as all the furniture, and all of it lies beneath a fine layer of pug/chihuahua hair.

I have enough "outdoor display" paraphernalia to fill half of a two car garage.

I feel very, very whelmed.

Oh, and here's a link to Ms. LaPorte

http://whitehottruth.com/

This chick is crazy, but happy!

2011-11-07T18:33:00.000-08:00

Day 37- the Dogwood Festival said come on! I did my little acceptance dance, which, sadly, doesn't happen all too often. I promptly dropped close to a grand on a double booth with electricity. I've had good sales at this Atlanta show in the past but it's been three years since I've done it and I heard from other artists that last year wasn't so great... And it could rain.

Buyers remorse set in and I reminded myself about my no more double booths rule. Too risky and TOO MUCH WORK!

What was I thinking???

Day 36

2011-11-06T09:26:00.000-08:00

Day 35 Art Harvest, Dunedin

2011-11-05T18:19:00.000-07:00

I have a spot in the show that backs right up to the little lake in Highlander Park and I spent some time watching the duck couples gliding around, and it reminded me of something Ekharte Tolle said, who I love to listen to, but who I find a bit disturbing to look at because he looks uncannily like the guy on the cover of Mad Magazine, who scared the hell out of me as a kid. What he said was that we humans should be more like ducks. When two ducks get in a disagreement about something, after the encounter is over, the ducks will flap their wings vigorously, as if to rid themselves of all the negative energy, and then seem to forget about it, and go on about their duck business.

The ducks behind my booth did indeed seem serene, and I loved watching the tiny wakes they made with their little duck feet paddling slowly under the surface of the water. I wish now I had taken a picture of them so I could post it here.

Instead I took pictures of my booth which is located under a big shade tree, which makes it seem a little dark in there. I had to walk a few paintings out into the sunlight for people, and for me it was sort of like- Bam! Kick it up a notch!

The day was very decent for a Saturday in Dunedin and I'm showing up, ready for more of the same tomorrow.

Day 34, a little bit late

2011-11-04T04:33:00.000-07:00

What with all the hustle and bustle yesterday I forgot to do my daily post... oh, well. Yesterday I worked with my old studio assistant Sarah, she framed eight paintings and did a bunch of other work in like, six hours. She's the best.

This day will be a long one. There is the loading of the van, then the driving to Dunedin, then the setting up of the booth, and then the gathering of food and shelter, and then, hopefully, a really good night's sleep in preparation for an AWESOME show called ART HARVEST.

The weather for the show looks perfect and life feels good today.

I read an article in the Washington Post that quoted Steve Job's sister's eulogy for her brother. She said his last words were:

"Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow."

Day 33-Of Minor Trials and Trivial Tribulations

2011-11-01T18:22:00.000-07:00

Well, I got my annual rejection email from good old Winter Park Art Festival and I'm thinking of what my friend Sandra always tells me, and that is to "go where you're celebrated, not where you're tolerated," and I'm also reminded that I am to "grow where I'm planted."

And then I spend a little time thinking SCREW THAT and SCREW THEM.

I delete the email and keep marching.

"Fears of the Entrepreneur/Or Making Sense of it All" on Art Fair Insiders

2011-10-31T18:32:00.001-07:00

Today I got up bright and early and by mid afternoon I had spent nearly a thousand dollars on art, framing and printing supplies, and I'm thinking, "should I?? What if my next few shows are bombs? What if it rains?"

And then I read this blog post by Connie Mettler on ArtFairInsiders.com about uncertainty and I felt better.

Here's a link if you want to read it.

Fears of the Entrepreneur/Or Making Sense of it All

I'm still feeling that tremendous sense of gratitude for having my dream job, and tomorrow I might even make a little headway on the dreaded paperwork...

Wish me luck!

Grateful Morning

2011-10-30T04:33:00.001-07:00

This morning, (after I'd secured a good parking space by getting up before the crack of dawn), I was standing in my booth in the half dark, and I was overcome by a sense of gratitude that I've been able to have this quirky way of life, that I love, for so long.

I hope I don't soon forget that feeling.

Early Morning Set-Up- Hyde Park, Tampa

2011-10-29T01:02:00.000-07:00

3am wake up call.

At this show we can't set up or even drive in until 5 am but I still get up at 3 in order to be one of the first vehicles in the line that forms outside the show area.

The streets are deserted when I arrive and I sit in my van and put on some make-up for set- up- I don't want to scare my fellow artists this early in the morning... I sit on a concrete bench in front of my booth space writing this until a young man in camouflage pants, drunk and disorderly and yelling in the middle of the street, drives me back into my van.

He goes away and I am again left with the pre-dawn quiet, which I love.

Sent from my iPhone

Hyde Park Village Art Festival this weekend

2011-10-28T18:06:00.001-07:00

For more information http://www.artfestival.com/

I'm on the corner of Swann an Dakota Avenues- please stop by if you are in the neighborhood!
Sent from my iPhone

Today I worked in the studio Day 28

2011-10-27T18:01:00.000-07:00

And here's a video of some of the stuff I worked on...

Three Heart Paintings, in honor of spending the day with my grandson

2011-10-26T17:58:00.000-07:00

Day 27

2011-10-25T18:57:00.000-07:00

I spent all my remaining evening energy perusing Facebook, glueing some frames back together that got dropped during break down last weekend, and watching Don Henley sing "The Heart of the Matter," live, on YouTube, which made me cry.

I had one of those days in the studio, where you work all day long, painting like crazy, and then you go, huh? What the hell am I doing? I'm hoping I'm not on a dead end street with some new things I'm trying.

It reminds me of this quote from Ann Truit's "Daybook- The Journey of an Artist" She says about artists, that "Their essential effort is to catapult themselves wholly, without holding back one bit, into a course of action without having any ideas where they will end up. They are like riders who gallop into the night, eagerly leaning on their horse's neck, peering into a blinding rain. And they have to do it over and over again. When they find that they have ridden and ridden-- maybe for years, full tilt-- in what is for them a mistaken direction, they must unearth within themselves some readiness to turn direction and to gallop off again."

I'm having deja-vu, like I've already posted that quote on this blog before, maybe twice even... Ah well, it still holds true.

Day 26 Some people are just born with style

2011-10-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

I saw this little girl on the street in Ft. Lauderdale this weekend. She turned around before I had my phone out and I didn't want her parents to think I was weird for wanting to take her picture, so I didn't ask her to pose.

I thought she had such great natural style standing there in her blue dress and floppy hat, with her long thick braid and her giant roller blades, nonchalantly munching on a pear.

She was watching her little brother pose for a picture beside the see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil monkeys, which were the photo-op of Las Olas Blvd, until finally the store owner put a sign on the bench that read "do not sit." After that, people crouched beside the statue and had their picture taken. But not this little girl, nope, not her.

Anyway, that's all I wanted to blog about today, thank you very much.

Random thoughts from my day...

2011-10-23T12:53:00.001-07:00

As I sit I sit in my chair beside my booth at the Las Olas Art Festival, two conversations are going on on either side of me. In one, two older gentlemen, obviously lawyers, are talking about a contested will case they are trying. On the other side, a man in his forties is talking loudly on his cell phone, about nearly missing his father's funeral and then about the inheritance and all the problems involved with being handed a big huge pile of money.

Hmmm, what is the Universe trying to tell me?

"Wow! That's a good price!" Oh man, it's nice to hear that comment for a change.

The big question- "Is that his daughter, or his girlfriend?"

A short clip from the movie clip for "Family Tree" A man gazes pensively at himself in the mirror. He cleans his ear with a Q-tip and then examines it's tiny golden harvest. And I'm thinking- of all the thousands of possible clips the film makers could have chosen, why did they choose this one, and why is it this clip that makes me want to see this film. I guess I just answered my first question.

I think the Butcher of South Beach has moved to Ft Lauferdale.

Thank you God.

2011-10-23T05:39:00.001-07:00

For showing me what's important. For sunlight on a deserted courtyard in the morning, and for my spaghetti-faced grandson.

Long Long Day 24

2011-10-22T16:26:00.000-07:00

So "Prana" found a home in Ft. Lauderdale. Nice young man, in a big rush to go pick up the 8 OTHER PAINTINGS he had bought throughout the show, and having made quite a few artists happy this day with his nifty black card. John, I humbly salute you and thank you and wish you much happiness in your new house (es?).

I was really happy with this piece which is of course the peace sign but is also one of the traditional positions, called mudras, of the hands of the Buddha, each one having a different significance. This position is called "Prana Mudra," and for me, I define "Prana" as the essential life force, so this painting is like "The Peace Force," or that's what I was thinking as I repeated, (chanted), the word over and over, across the painting.So, yay, lots of people and as always, GREAT people and dog watching, and I'm feeling pretty good about things and then I reach up and feel my empty earlobe and realize one of my diamond earrings is gone.

I spent the rest of the day scanning the asphalt around the booth for this little keepsake that I will not be replacing any time soon. It's just a thing, it's just a thing, I keep telling myself, but damn, I sure did like that thing! I mean I wore them almost every day for the last ten years. They even had a nickname, they were "the little friends."

So much for non-attachment.

Las Olas Art Festival, Ft. Lauderdale

2011-10-21T17:12:00.000-07:00

I'm here at the Riverside Hotel on Las Olas Boulevard in Ft. Lauderdale. After I parked I went straight to check out my booth space about a block away. I always feel a little like a giant dolt when I first arrive here because the place is, I swear, nothing but beautiful people, dressed to the nines with an emphasis on flash and designer names and then I show up, road worn in my paint covered overalls, my neon green socks and my battered plaid flats that I bought at Walmart in 2008 and that, I might add, are still going strong!

And then I get over myself, order take out from Cheesecake factory and luxuriate in my huge hotel room where I proceed to watch all the free movie previews that interest me.

The lovely view that greeted me when I arrived.
In the past I have had some great shows here and I'm hoping that I get to see at least a little bit of that love this time, but I've changed the way I present my work, I've gone from glass and matts and gilded frames to simple, unfinished wood floaters and my fear is that I wont be flashy enough to catch the eye of this crowd.

Just suit up and show up, I tell myself, which means an eye ball blistering 3a.m. set up and then gallons of caffeine to make it through the day. And people and dogs and friends to catch up with, and when it's all over, the most gorgeous sleep imaginable.

Sweet dreams!

Third Thursday at CityArts Factory -Day 22

2011-10-20T19:31:00.001-07:00

This evening I took myself to the Third Thursday event at City Arts. It was packed with people and I at once remembered how much I dislike art openings. Number one, I don't drink, so that removes the only draw I can think of, and number two, openings are the worst time, I think, to actually look at art. Despite all that, me and my social anxiety had a fairly enjoyable time.
The most unpopulated area of the opening was the Avant Gallery where the "serious art" was. I decided to go with mostly large work that hasn't seen the light of day in a while.
There was Day of the Dead face painting and there was music. There were chocolate skulls that tasted strangely chewy.
There were about 75 different Frankenstein heads, each decorated by a different artist.
I'm a sucker for catchy titles.
The place was packed. With people whose circles I do not run in...
It reminded me a little of the end of that documentary "Exit through the gift shop" but on a much, much MUCH smaller scale. There was media and women in very short skirts and very high heels. Maybe they were just taking a break from the bars on Pine Street.

I lasted less than an hour and walked the block back to the my "ten bucks till 5am!" parking spot.

Downtown Orlando sure has changed since the first time I saw it nearly 30 years ago. Back then it seemed lifeless and soulless, with no restaurants or bars or any kind of night life. Now it's a whole different atmosphere but as far as it's art sophistication, sadly, it's still in it's infancy, way behind Miami and Atlanta, even Birmingham, in my opinion. It's kind of like Daytona, without the beach, which is a desolate thought.

Day 21

2011-10-19T18:25:00.000-07:00

Today was load in day for Third Thursday's opening at Avant gallery, in the CityArts Factory, in downtown Orlando, which meant driving around the block about four times, waiting for the freight zone to be open, then carting all my work in and hanging it. I don't know any of the other artists in the show and I haven't had a good look at the work being installed. CityArts is made up of several different galleries and a photography studio, and, er, um, a floral shop? How did a floral shop get in there? The art of flowers I suppose, and it's Lee James(!), after all, who is a big name in Orlando flower circles, I hear.

In the CityArts factory they make use of every inch of space, including the hallway and foyer, which is wide and high ceilinged, and has it's own revolving show as well as spaces for muralists to do their thing. The work being installed in the hallway was all "Day of the Dead" related, which means there better at least be a skull or two in it, I guess. My impression of the work was, and forgive me if this sounds arrogant but, student art-ish, maybe college level students, and this impression was probably influenced by the young twenty somethings, brimming with that first few shows excitement, and sporting their ripped jeans, covered with paint splatter, the pre-requisite uniform for the young and newly committed to the artist life.

I love these kids, after all I was once one of them.

Part of me wants to say "Welcome aboard mate!" Another part of me wants to say "Quit this foolishness, this instant, and go learn a marketable skill!"

Ah but what do I know?

In the Studio- No this is day 20

2011-10-18T13:56:00.001-07:00

Scary Friendly. Day, um, is it 20? I forget.

2011-10-17T19:58:00.000-07:00

I saw this piece at the CityArts Factory and fell in love. It's the first piece of art I've seen in a long time that I just wanted to buy. I apologize I cannot remember the artist's name, is it Mara? Anyway, I know he is a young guy who teaches at Full Sail. I love this rabbit. He's kind of scary and friendly at the same time. And those are real dentures.... kind of creepy, huh?

That is it for today folks... just too, too, too, tired!

Complete chaos has erupted in the studio

2011-10-16T14:27:00.000-07:00

...And here's some pictures of it.

Day 17 The Winter Park Art Festival Jury

2011-10-15T12:17:00.000-07:00

To say I didn't really want to go to this thing would be an under-statement. On a scale of pleasurable experiences from one to ten, this might make a point two. I mean the jury happens every year, is open to the public and is held about two miles from my house and I have NEVER GONE.

In fact in over twenty years of doing art festivals I have never once witnessed the screening process. What was I afraid of? I'm assuming I'm not alone in this dread because there were only two other artists there watching the process with me, Randy, a photographer and his wife Cheryl who does clay.

The jury is held at the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, in a big room with auditorium seating. There were three judges, two men and a woman. I don't know what their backgrounds are, but one of them, I think, is an artist. The other two are art professors or gallery types. All three are from out of town. Which brings up the question, why do people want to jury art festivals? Is it the money? Is it the free food and travel? Is it the power? What motivates these people?

Before lunch came the smaller categories, wood, digital art, sculpture and graphics I think it was. In the Winter Park Jury, four images are projected simultaneously, three of which are individual pieces, and then a shot of the artist's booth is the last image on the right.

Of course I was mostly there to see how my own beloved four images looked projected but I was fascinated by watching the other categories. Also, it wasn't as stressful as I knew the painting category would be for me.

First they did a run through of all the applicants really quickly, like one or two seconds per projection. Then they went slower, giving each artist approximately 8 seconds. I kept waiting for one of the judges to ask a question about one of the images but that never happened while I was there. No clarification of artist statements were needed.

According to one of the WPAF committee members I spoke to, the number of applicants was really low this year compared to the past, and I thought- oh, maybe that will give me a better chance! Hope springs eternal... I've applied for this show maybe seventeen times and been juried in only once. I did do their poster in 2008 but they have this rule that the artist who does the poster can't be an artist in the show, and please, don't get me started on that rant. So, to be honest, the best way to describe my relationship with this highly rated local show would be love/hate.

One thing that became immediately clear to me about jurying an art festival is that it is incredibly hard! Talk about image overload. And almost everything looked good and professional. There were only a few total bloopers that stood out for me, like if it's whimsical but doesn't have some sort of an edge to it, forget it.

I think the first ten or twenty artists in a category to be juried have a slight advantage. I could be wrong about this, but it seems like after that, if I was a juror, I would struggle not to zone out from image fatigue.

My category, the painting category, came after the lunch break and was distressingly large- 167 applicants, as opposed to forty or fifty something applicants in the other categories. Thank God it was the first category they did after lunch because I don't think I could have sat through much more, I don't know why but it was just so stressful.

When my images were projected, I almost didn't recognize my own work, or, should I say, by the time I did recognize it they had already flashed on to the next artist in the queue. I waited impatiently for the second run through, so I could have a whole eight seconds instead of one second to study my work and see if I could figure out what I'm doing right or wrong in terms of applications. My work was more than halfway through the painting category and I felt a little caffeine frenzied numbness as I waited for my images. When they came I put them in that very large category in-between the two very small categories of NO WAY IN HELL and NO WAY IN HELL NOT. We'll call that middle category Maybeville. So, the great big lightbulb in my head didn't go off- oh! that's what I need to do different! Now I know!

Anyway, I came, I saw. I did it.

And for anyone who's wondering- the WPSAF jury is extremely well run and professional and fair and impartial. That being said the jury system favors artwork that has a high eight-second-viewing impact, and that leaves out a lot of work that needs more time to have it's merit's appreciated. The system also doesn't favor a lot of experimentation if it leads to a sense of non-cohesion in the tiny body of work presented. In other words MY WORK... Of course that's just my opinion.

Day 16 - The Night Class

2011-10-14T18:57:00.000-07:00

And I had so been looking forward to spending a few hours at Crealde learning how to use all those funny buttons on my camera I've had for four years.

Yes, I learned a few tricks I didn't know and yes I'm glad I did it, but I have to admit, after the first 45 minutes it was total information overload and all I could think about was a warm bath and a good book. Could the large Chick-Filet waffle fries and strawberry milkshake I had before class have something to do with my yawn-fest? Is my brain just not built for f-stops and apertures and depth of field and all that?

Can this old dog not learn a new trick?

I guess I better just be happy with baby steps. I kind of know what the buttons are for and I understand my camera menu a little better. That has to be enough for now, and gratitude that I'm mostly done with the school part of my life. I think.

And now it's time for a good bath and a warm book.

Day 15- Lots of Balls in the Air

2011-10-13T18:27:00.000-07:00

Today I met with Sandy Schoenberger, she is the owner of Wood Originals and also she used to have the Flying Turtle Gallery on Alden Road.

Well she has rented a space in the strip of commercial spaces where the White Wolf Cafe is, just down at the end of my street. She has invited 8 other artists to come together and make a show in there for the month of December, and if it is successful, she will sign a year lease for the space. I admire her bravery, trying to make a gallery happen, in this economy and here in Orlando- otherwise known as Gallery Suicide Town.

I don't know why but it is so hard to keep a gallery going in this town unless you have deeeeeep pockets, like, Disney pockets.

So I'm looking forward to pitching in and making this a success with whatever resources I can muster. I've also taken on a space at "Avante Contemporary Art Gallery" in the CityArts Factory building on Orange Ave, from the 20th of October to the 10th of December.

This weekend I'm planning to actually march myself down and watch that darned Winter Park Art Festival jury, which is open to the public. I figure, I've given them hundreds of dollars in application fees, I might as well give them six or seven hours of my life in return for finding out what my work looks like projected in their jury.... Oy.

And then after that I have shows lined up every single weekend until I do my studio open house and sale the first weekend in December.

Phew.

In the Studio Day 15

2011-10-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

So many exciting things going on around here, shows coming up, galleries interested, I'm trying not to feel frazzled, and just do the best I can each day.

I ordered a bunch of unfinished douglas fir floater frames- yet another thing I'm trying, as unframed gallery wrapped doesn't seem to be working so well on the smaller pieces.

Each frame needs to be sanded and rubbed down with feed and wax, and then a couple of screws and you're done. The look is plain and simple and unadorned. More in line with the aesthetic I'm trying to bring into my life. It's scary though, because I really want to see how the work is received in the new frames before I go all hog-wild and buy more. I mean what if people think they are too plain? Plus the waxing and sanding takes time! Time I don't have!

Uncertainty. Don't like it. Not one bit.

Five New Paintings- Day 14

2011-10-11T19:33:00.000-07:00

"Prana" original acrylic on canvas 30"x40"

"Coconut Palms in Gold" original acrylic on canvas 48"x60"

"Cabbage Palms in Spotlight" original acrylic on canvas 30"x40"

"Royal Poinciana in Starlight" original acrylic on canvas, triptych, 24"x54"

"Three Palms" original acrylic on canvas 24"x36"

Day Thirteen- Morning Walk

2011-10-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

What I want to write about is my obsession with the corner of Orange Ave and New Hampshire which is not far from where I live. I take my two old Pugs and my one semi-retired lapdog Chihuahua for a loop around the block and I have fallen in love with the side of the Washburn Imports building and I want to paint it.

To the point where I have slunk over there in the middle of the night and the pre-dawn hours to mess around with my camera trying to figure out how to take low-light photos without a flash, to try to capture something of the essence of this thing I want to paint. There is something Edward Hopper-ish lonely about the building when there are no cars parked in front.

I also like just looking in the window at all the great stuff imported from Bali and VietNam and other exotic locales. Ornate, rough hewn woods with aged and peeling paint which I love. Back in the day I bought a few pieces of furniture there, now I just like to look. The owner has turned the back of the building in to a bar called "The Imperial" which advertises "boutique wines and craft beers" whatever those are. The sign is a small light box sign with "The Imperial" in red letters, underlined by a thin, spiked curve of a devil's tail. I love that sign. The furnishings are all stuff that he sells and everything has a price tag on it.

This morning walking past I spied a giant red, kneeling, ceramic buddha in the window. It was stunning.

Without thinking I walked in and said to the man behind the counter- "I have to be honest- I would like to photograph that big red Buddha so I can paint it, is that o.k.?"

He said "sure."

I told him about my obsession with painting the building and he said he'd like to see the painting if I did it.

God, I hope I do it.

Sometimes talking about an idea for a painting (or writing about it) just takes the air right out of your little creative idea bubble

And, its all fun and games until you pick up a paintbrush and start dealing with perspective...

Day Twelve- This too shall pass, but while I'm waiting I'll wash the dishes

2011-10-09T13:12:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a cloud of doom descends upon me and it doesn't leave till it's good and ready. This weekend it was a literal cloud accompanied by gallons of water during a time when I really would have preferred, um, dryness to say the least.

At times like these it's hard to remember that it's not all about me. Shocking, I know, but true.

My friend Pam says "trust God, are you trusting God?"

And I'm thinking "of course I trust God, it's me I don't trust." Maybe I need to re-think that. Maybe the trust comes in knowing it will be o.k. even if I keep making my human, ego-driven mistakes, as long as I keep asking for the next right step or the next intuitive thought, and then taking a little tiny baby step of action.

They say trust your gut but I swear my gut has two voices, equally as loud. Then what do you do?

Sometimes I wash the dishes.

Day Eleven- Suckville

2011-10-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

I'm home after a long day at the Winter Park Autumn art festival. The show has been thoroughly and completely rained out and I'm wishing I hadn't nosed my way in at the last minute and had stayed home in my nice, warm, dry studio all weekend making something, anything, or doing paperwork or computer work, or going to yoga class or washing clothes or reading a book or, or, anything but standing in an empty booth all day being soaked to the bone.

On the scale of human suffering I realize this doesn't even register. And I'm grateful this is a local show and I didn't spend hundreds on gas and hotel like many did. I'm also so very happy to be home and warm and dry.

I don't know if tomorrow will be canceled or not, but either way the weather looks grim and tear down will be something to be endured.

This too shall pass.

Forgive me Tony Hoagland for posting your poem on my blog without your permission

2011-10-07T19:26:00.000-07:00

When Dean Young Talks About Wine - Tony Hoagland

The worm thrashes when it enters the tequila.
The grape cries out in the wine vat crusher.

But when Dean Young talks about wine, his voice is strangely calm.
Yet it seems that wine is rarely mentioned.

He says, Great first chapter but no plot.
He says, Long runway, short flight.
He says, This one never had a secret.
He says, You can’t wear stripes with that.

He squints as if recalling his childhood in France.
He purses his lips and shakes his head at the glass.

Eight-four was a naughty year, he says,
and for a second I worry that California has turned him
into a sushi-eater in a cravat.

Then he says,
This one makes clear the difference
between a thoughtless remark
and an unwarranted intrusion.

Then he says, In this one the pacific last light of afternoon
stains the wings of the seagull pink
at the very edge of the postcard.

But where is the Cabernet of rent checks and asthma medication?
Where is the Burgundy of orthopedic shoes?
Where is the Chablis of skinned knees and jelly sandwiches?
with the aftertaste of cruel Little League coaches?
and the undertone of rusty stationwagon?

His mouth is purple as if from his own ventricle
he had drunk.
He sways like a fishing rod.

When a beast is hurt it roars in incomprehension.
When a bird is hurt it huddles in its nest.

But when a man is hurt,
he makes himself an expert.
Then he stands there with a glass in his hand
staring into nothing
as if he were forming an opinion.

Emailing: Silly Artist Bio

2011-10-06T12:37:00.001-07:00

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Messy McMessy Mess

2011-10-06T06:55:00.001-07:00

In the studio this fine Thursday morning in October- day nine

New Work- Day Eight

2011-10-05T07:03:00.001-07:00

"Canary Island Date Palm in Gold" original acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas 24"x36"

"Bird of Paradise in Blue" original acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas 24"x36"

Totally disjointed and Attention Deficit Disordered Blog Post- Day Seven

2011-10-03T14:08:00.000-07:00

Seen at the art festival last weekend:

Young girl walks into my booth with a camera and proceeds to photograph almost everything in my booth. All the while her Dad is telling her that some artists don't like having their work photographed. I said nothing and just watched her, thinking maybe she was trying to learn how to use a new camera. At the next booth the girl starts to take a picture of the photographer's photo. Suddenly, the photographer's husband swooped down on her like a banshee and said in a threatening voice "no photos!"

The little girl walked hurriedly away, with a mix of emotions playing across her face- fear, shame, embarrassment.

Yes, if someone sets up a tripod and a camera with a yard long lens on it in front of one of my paintings and doesn't ask me first, I'll definitely say something, but come on artist people! A kid with a camera??

This weather really feels good. I hereby love it and appreciate it.

Just now I got interrupted by an AT&T "U-verse" salesman at my door (which I hate any kind of salesman at my door) who looked at me like I was a martian when I told him I don't watch TV.

"Not at all?" he said.

"Not at all." I said.

I know, I'm missing some good shows on cable. You'd think I'd be Miss Productivity because of it but I'm not, just more time for day-dreaming, thank you very much.

Note to self: Don't get blogged down in editing during these 365 days, but remember, oh please dear God, Maria, remember, this blog is not your journal.

In the restroom of the yoga studio where I practice there is a small cabinet. Way down on the bottom of the door of the cabinet someone had printed a small sign with a label maker, about the size of a fortune cookie fortune. It said "It's not finished until the bookwork is done". Thank you, Universe. You finally answered my prayer about being a little bit more direct when you're trying to teach me a lesson...

Day Six- 365 days of blog posts

2011-10-02T11:20:00.001-07:00

It's a gorgeous day at the Maitland Art Festival- sunshine, cool breezes, popcorn, people and lots of dogs. If I could I'd make it a rule never to do shows where they don't allow dogs.

Dogs are God's gift to man, especially us socially awkward ones...

Day Five

2011-10-01T09:18:00.000-07:00

I'm here at the Maitland Art Festival; it's a beautiful day with a nice cool breeze and I've had a lot of good interest. I love local shows because I get to connect with people I haven't seen in years.
Don't get me wrong, it would be very nice to sell something, but in the meantime I'm just going to enjoy this day, right here, right now. Join me?

Day Four

2011-09-30T16:47:00.001-07:00

The Maitland Art Festival

Day Three

2011-09-29T07:25:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much for this day in the studio

Thank you for smoothies with oj and almonds and bananas

Thank you for morning sunlight

Thank you for dog smiles

Thank you for my dear ones

Thank you for catching the ball for the very first time..

Day Two

2011-09-28T08:26:00.001-07:00

In the studio on this fine Wendnesday morning.

Day 1

2011-09-27T19:06:00.000-07:00

A Few

Haiku

For You

Stinky doggie breath

Infection may be present.

too late to brush now!

South Georgia Highway

billboards tell me what I need:

Antiques! Big Macs! Porn!

Date palm in the morning

2011-06-10T06:05:00.001-07:00

It's called Art Festival not Advertising Festival!

2011-04-16T08:01:00.001-07:00

Dear Art Festival organizers,

I know you know this, but every now and then we all need to be reminded of things we know. It's a beautiful day at the Maitland spring Art festival, there is a cool breeze, it's not too humid... I should be happy! I'm losing the battle with my attitude, which I know is an inside job but I'm choosing to blame it on the fact that on my right, I have a guy coming out in to the street asking people to sign up for their "FREE WELLNESS SCREENING!," and on my left I have a lady aggressively getting people to sign up for their "FREE DOOR PRIZE"!! Across from me there are two guys offering "THE GOOD LIFE!" "LIVE AT THE Q!" Oh, and next to them is Cosco giving away bags of something that is no doubt "USEFULL!"

Grrrrr.

Sent from my iPhone

GOD IS MY EMPLOYER

2011-03-04T09:55:00.001-08:00

I heard that saying the other day and I took it to heart. I took it in and gave it a warm bath and a good meal and a soft bed to sleep in in my heart of hearts. So God, if you happen to be listening, I guess there must be some work-related reason why, since you control the weather, it is raining now, despite the ten percent chance of rain on weather.com, and despite the fact that I need to load my van and get my butt to Ft. Lauderdale for my show this weekend. Or is that just me and my terrible egocentric thinking again?

Maybe I should be thinking of those new buds on the tree in my back yard that are thirstily drinking this rain in and getting ready to explode into bloom for my own personal pleasure. Maybe, as Thich Nhat Hanh says, I should spend more time thinking about my "non-toothache," which I certainly have right now, and man-oh-man-oh-man--- Does it feel good!

God, since you are my employer and I know you want me to do a good job at this beloved task of making a living with my paintings, I need your advice on something. I need your help deciding what to bring to Ft. Lauderdale, since I only have one booth and I have way more good art than I have space to display it. Help me to know which pieces will find a happy home this weekend if I bring them, and which pieces need to take a weekend off. I know, God, you have way more important things on your plate than my little dilemma. I also know the squeeky prayer wheel gets greased, that is of course if it be your will... and would you just lookee there- the rain has stopped!

My booth at Coconut Grove and a little piece of writing from workshop this morning

2011-02-23T16:15:00.000-08:00

Ok so you would think that after a whole month and a half of ignoring my blog I would have something a little more thought out, a little more planned. You would be wrong.
Here are two shots of my booth this past weekend at the Coconut Grove Art Festival, my favorite festival of the year.

And then this morning I dropped into Jamie Morris' writing workshop and wrote this little piece. I post it here because she said I should, and I have always been one to follow directions...NOT.

River- straight-jacket

river- flowing, always flowing

straight-jacket- close, confining, stuck, helpless

river – my life--always moving somewhere

straight-jacket-thinking- what I do

what I'mma gonna stop doin' right now

river- the river of grace is always flowing

we have to learn how to swim

straight-jacket- always doing what I always did

expecting different results- the definition of insanity

river-floating down effortlessly, the sun shining on my closed eyes

straight-jacket- the way I feel sometimes when I'm with you.

River- running fast over treacherous rocks- keep your feet up

straight-jacket- the past

river- the present

straight-jacket- the future when I'm living in it

river- take me for a ride

straight-jacket- I know how to houdini out of this thing

river- flowing

straight-jacket- in the dirty clothes basket

river- standing in the shallows, just me and some stray fiddler crabs

straight-jacket- quit saying that word

river- take me

straight-jacket- I'm straight and you're a jack-ass

river- take me

oopsee! What the hell? I didn't forget how to write because I never knew but here I am, I suited up and I showed up so that's the best I can do some days, just get in the raft of the day and start paddling, no hurry, but just keep paddling, easy does it but do it they tells me. Other wise I will feel stuck- if I'm not moving forward, I am moving backward, and moving backward feels worse than stuck- oh shit I have to climb that hill again? This is crap writing and I suck! That's straight jacket thinking- do the next right thing- go fold the clothes- that's river thinking, then make the phone call, then eat the good salad, eat it slowly and enjoy every bite because there is enough time to chew your food and swallow. There is enough time to do what needs to be done and what else can I write about river and straight jacket- my mind is slick as a piece of wet glass- nothing sticks to it, it's empty- that's ok because I am here and I was here and maybe I will be here and maybe I won't but I can't waste time wondering about that because that's straight-jacket, that's my straight- jacket- the what ifs and the I don't knows and the maybe I should haves... you think too much Maria- empty your mind. Listen to your breath going in and out slowly but always flowing- like a river, like clock work, it never stops until the day it does but I won't go there because now I'm here and here is good, yes, here is good and is it twenty five minutes yet? Because I'm running out of words to type onto this page and I wish this was better I wish this would make everyone smile and think how smart and clever I am and that's the old straight- jacket holding out it's arms to me and saying "hug me!" But now I would rather step my bare toes into to the cool shallow water of this river, my river, and walk out to where I can't see the bottom and yes there may be monsters, but I will be carried, if I only have the courage to keep walking out until the river takes me and just think of all the things I will see: maybe alligators, maybe howling monkeys, maybe silvery slippery fish glinting in the sunlight, just stopping by to say hi, maybe children swinging on a tire swing and dropping in to the water, maybe great ancient oaks and cypress knees and maybe The End.

Happy holidays everyone

2010-12-21T04:35:00.001-08:00

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4_EdJ-XkUA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Sent from my iPhone

Last day of sale...

2010-12-12T06:29:00.002-08:00

Today is the last day of my sale, y'all. The first two days were AWESOME! I'm hoping the rain will cooperate with my plans. I invite you all to come see the art and take a walk through THE MOST BEAUTIFUL STUDIO IN ORLANDO!! I was surprised to find out how much people enjoyed visiting a working artist's studio. It looks just like it looks when I'm in the middle of a creative frenzy, sort of like a bomb went off... So come over and say hi if you are near 219 E Vanderbilt St, Orlando, FL 32804

Sent from my iPhone

LAST DAY OF SALE

2010-12-12T06:29:00.001-08:00

Sent from my iPhone

GALLERY CLOSING !

2010-12-07T10:13:00.000-08:00

Ok the bad news first- The Gallery is closing. Now the good news- I'm having a HUGE SALE AT MY STUDIO!!!! Many pieces are 75% off or more! It's this weekend at my studio in Orlando. The address is 219 E. Vanderbilt St. Orlando, 32804. It starts this Friday at 10am and ends this Sunday at 5pm. The prices are good for this weekend only!!!! Sorry, no shipping or internet sales are available at these prices!!!! You have to be present to win!!! I sure hope you can make it, I am clearing out my studio and making room for all the work at the gallery. Almost everything is on sale! Now is your chance to SKIP THE MALL!

Ok so here are some random paintings

2010-11-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

I have fallen prey to the disease of I can't publish a blog post unless it's some incredible piece of writing. It's not happening. So here are some paintings for your viewing pleasure. Most of these were done this summer on our trip to Colorado, Utah, and California.

"Butterfly Peacock Bass" 16"x20"

"Moonlight over the Lake" 9"x12"

This is an older piece that went back into the studio for re-working. It now sports a sand textured gold border. "Canary Island Date in Red" 48"x60"

"Three Coconut Palms on Wild Colored Backgrounds" 24"x72"

This was the view from the back of Paul's motorcycle in the mountains around Aspen. "Mountain Road" 8"x10"

This was the scene looking away from the "most photographed scene in the country", the Maroon Bells outside of Aspen. This was what I saw looking in the other direction. "Mountain Lake" 18"x24"

I call this one "As We Understood God" 12"x36"

"Make a Wish" 5"x7"

"Horses in a Field" 8"x10" Don't you just love my creative titles?

"Yellow Arabian" 12"x16"

"Canary Island Date in Blue" 36"x60"

"The Golden Hour" 9"x12" (that's including the white border)

"Two Cows in a Field" 18"x18" There it is again- that masterful use of the descriptive title...

"Come Here Now" 8"x10" This piece is modeled after Mignon, my cat companion during the college years.

"The Apple that Astonished Maria" 10"x10"

"Flowers in the Studio" 16"x20"

"Flowers on the Flowered Table Cloth" 16"x20"

"Flowers in the Blue Pitcher" 30"x40"

Aspen Epiphany

2010-07-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

There is something different about my state of mind on this year's western tour. Although I look forward to this time every year, this trek through Colorado, Utah, and (horray! finally), California, my experience has been marred by a keen sense of lack. I love the mountains, the air, the animals and the people, but driving through pristine mountain homes, quaint cabins and all manner of funky digs couldn't help but evoke a strong feeling of envy in me for what I didn't have. Why can't I have a beautiful summer home and studio in Aspen? What's wrong with me? When I get my perfect Aspen place, THEN I will be happy... those kind of thoughts filled my head.

This year I suddenly realized- I DO have a summer home in Aspen and I've been "summering" in Aspen for the past five years! They say the secret to happiness is not in getting what you want, but in wanting what you have. What I have is a FunMover motorhome with a functioning garage studio that opens up onto a liftgate deck with a 360 degree view of the mountains. From where I sit I can hear the sound of the Roaring Fork river and I can smell the cleanest air I've ever known. I'm living my wished for dream.

Thanks, Universal Good, for allowing me to finally have this realization.

It's been three days and already we've logged a few hundred miles on the motorcycles. The first day out we went up through Basalt to the high mountain reservoir and the second day we went to the Grand Mesa. At home in Orlando, I have no desire to be on the back of a motorcycle but out here I can't get enough of it.
This is one of the two deer sightings we had. The other, a young buck leaping across the road, just barely ahead of an oncoming car. It happened and was done so fast we didn't have time to imagine the worst that almost happened.
This photo is almost a perfect illustration of Paul's dream. The first step of his dream is a gutted Airstream trailor that waits patiently in the driveway for the restoration it deserves...
Here's me in the rearview. I'm a much better motorcycle passenger than I ever was a rider. I am too much of a daydreamer and I like to look around at the scenery too much to be the one in charge. Motorcyclist's have a saying- "look down, go down", or "you go where you look". I am lucky to have Paul as my worthy captain and I get to ride in the back, taking a million pictures.
Paul and I are truly blessed to know Tom and Debbie Sullivan,

fellow art show artists, moptorcycling enthusiasts and FunMover dwellers. Oh, and they travel with two little dogs as well, could we have any more in common? We have so much fun with these guys and I'm grateful to have friends in my life who accept me and mine, warts and all.

Happy Paul.
This rock looks like a can opener to me.
Happy Debbie
One cool ass pile of rock.
People around here freakin love their dogs...
ok now I will end this post and hope, hope, hope I can upload it with the campground's wifi. So long for now from the sundeck of my summer studio in Aspen!

My son home from the Philippines

2010-07-08T18:46:00.000-07:00

and back with his beautiful family. Can you tell I'm happy?

2010-05-31T16:26:00.000-07:00

I Haven't felt much like posting in the last couple of months, two much stress, chaos, and the feeling like I SHOULD be in the studio when I'm on the computer and I SHOULD be on the computer when I'm in the studio. Monkey-mind the buddhists call it. I've fallen into the trap of waiting for the muse to tell me when it's time to paint or blog and not the other way around. Some things I have been filling my time with other than painting are: walking, reading, journalling and talking to dogs. Also, I am now a member of the Winter Park Toastmasters. I may not ever become a good public speaker but at least I will understand what makes one; I will have the tools.

We went to a show in Jacksonville last month and on an early morning walk before the show opened I saw this peaceful scene.

This beautiful pony-horse I saw just north of Dallas was as interested in me as I was in him. Sorry buddy, I don't have a carrot...
But ladies and gentlemen, my biggest news of all, the life changing event that happened at the end of March was the arrival of my beautiful, darling, perfect grandson Roderick who is now the apple, orange, peach and banana of my eye, whatever that means... In other words, my heart overflows with joy just looking at this small person who now is two months old. Thank you for coming into my life,
precious child, and God bless and protect your young parents as they bring you up in this world!

Some festival news : if you are in Atlanta this coming weekend, stop by our booth at the Virginia Highlands Summerfest, we are in booth number 461 For more information about the event and all that's going on, visit http://www.vahi.org/

The second weekend in June we are back in Lousiville for The Downtown Louisville Art Festival at 4th Street. You will find information about this show at artfestival.com

I hope to see you all down the road somewhere!

My House is a very very very fine house

2010-05-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

The other day in Pittsburgh, I wrote this on someone else's blog and said owner suggested I post it on my own so here it is:

My home right now is an eight by eighteen foot box of wood and steel and particle board on four wheels, but oh the things she has seen through her two saucer sized glass eyes, and how many innocent flies and dragonflies and butterflies has the voracious appetite of her grill consumed as she careens down the highway in search of level ground and full hook ups? Aside from the nameless, day-lit nights of truck stops and rest areas she has seen the prarrie lands of north Dallas and been parked beside fields of horses, cows, burros and lammas even, she has perched herself under craggy rocks and steep cliffs deep in the Colorado mountains, smiling at white water rafters as they tumbled by on their bounce house river ride. As I write this the blue sky of Pennsylvania collides all around me with the intense green of trees flush from a three day rain. I'm sitting outside the little campground laundry waiting for the spin cycle to end, and right now, as two robins play? fight? mate? not ten feet away from me, life is absolutely perfect and absolutely good.

Yesterday was a perfectly awesome day...

2010-03-21T18:42:00.000-07:00

It started out auspiciously when the Altamonte Springs neighborhood where the writing workshop I was attending just happened to be having their annual GIANT YARD SALE. I was early so I had time to stop at one and the very first thing I saw was the very thing I'd been thinking I wanted lately which is an old pair of Uggs boots, cheap enough to wear in the studio and sling paint all over. And in my size! And baby blue! For two bucks! Score.

Then when I arrived at my destination, the warm and inviting home of Diane, all of the other writers were there, but for some reason the best chair, a cushy love seat covered with throws and pillows, with it's very own ottoman, had not been taken! Double score!

And here let me just take a moment to say a little about this workshop. For anyone out there who has a secret or not so secret desire to put pen to paper and write some sentences, I highly recommend Jamie Morris of

www.WoodstreamWriters.com

She will make you feel welcome and encouraged and inspired and she will meet you at whatever level you may be at. Oh and at her day long workshops, she feeds you really, really well. I would post a picture of the spread she had but I was too busy eating and writing and eating some more to think of it...

So here's the thing. I hope I don't discourage you from checking in to her workshops by posting some of the stuff I wrote in workshop but what the heck? I'm doing it because she said I should and because, well, because I can. She gives writing prompts that are followed by short timed writing periods and then everybody reads what they wrote. Here are too of the strange things that came out of my head...

Magazine Images

Richard looked at the fruit loops in his bowl and it reminded him of the time last summer in Canada when they were at the cabin by that river and he got to wade in the shallow water and collect rocks. He loved the red ones the best and he had a jar of them under his bed, just like now, his favorite fruit loop was the red one and he would always save them for last. He would carefully remove then from the bowl with his spoon and lay them on the napkin beside the bowl in a circle. He liked it when the little red circles made the one big circle. Next came the green ones, he didn't like them, they had a funny taste and the color was all wrong, so he had to make them go away, so he fed them one by one to his plastic great white shark, Whitey and when Whitey was full he empty him in the trash when Mom wasn't looking.

“Richard! Do you have your shoes on? Little boy if I come down these stairs and you're still sitting there with no shoes on I'm going to smack the fire out of you, do you hear me? Richard?”

Now there were only yellow fruit loops in the bowl and Richard felt a pleasant sense of quiet come over him like when he stood in the wheat field where the red poppies grew and all the other kids had turned back and he was there all by himself looking out over the field and the hills that got bluer and bluer until Miss Coco had come to collect him. Ahhh, Miss Coco, she was the most beautiful lady in the whole world he thought.

“Richard! God dammit answer me!”

He thought about mosquitoes covering his bare feet in the early evening, all of them waiting for the signal from the king of the mosquitoes to take a bite out of him. “Now!” said the king.

He wished a giant magic fairy princess queen would give him so much money that he could give it to mom and then she wouldn't be mad any more. She was always mad. He wished he was a monkey. Monkeys didn't have to wear shoes or even pants! Hah! But monkeys were smart, they could still do stuff like paint and draw and swing from vines. He thought about the oldest animal in the world, Miss Coco had taught them about this at school the other day, it was Harriet the tortoise, “I bet she's not afraid of any one because she's 170 years old.” he thought. “I wish my grandpa was here, I think he was probably about 170 when he died I guess.” He finished the last yellow fruit loop and began to eat the red ones slowly, completely swallowing each one then clicking his tongue two times before picking up another fruit loop and popping it in his mouth. He really didn't want to get up from the chair where he was sitting, the empty bowl of cereal in front of him, Whitey and his plastic soldiers surrounding the cereal bowl in a half circle. It was a perfect shape and when he moved he would mess it up. Then he thought about his friends in class Fredrika who always said please and always said thank you and was never mean to him, and his other friend Claire who was so much taller than him and was so skinny and always wore white socks that stayed clean all day long, no matter how hard they played at recess her socks always stayed clean. And he thought about Miss Coco the most beautiful lady in the world, and he got up and walked out of the kitchen and down the hall to his room. He sat down on the bed and started to put on his shoes.

Ten Tiny Things

Sharon Osborne opened one eye and looked at what was in front of her on the bedside table, one green plastic soldier, a lone contact lens face up and containing a toenail clipping and a single staple. She reached her arm out from under the covers and felt around the floor beside the bed until she felt the familiar purse and the contents of the purse and in the purse she felt for the little round container and in the container was the one thing she wanted most in the world right now, that little baby blue pill that she had been saving for a time such as this and she put it in her mouth and chewed it, savoring the bitter chalk acid taste. She looked out the window and across the fields. The sun was just beginning to set and the hills were painted with a golden light and she remembered why she and Ozzie had bought this place high in Yorkshire Puddington. It was the view and the privacy. No other houses could be seen from any of the windows in the house they had built in this quiet countryside. It was their get-away. At the farthest edge of the field she saw the green house standing rather like a monopoly house from her vantage point on the bed. Just then she felt something under her arm and feeling around she pulled out a pumpkin seed. Suddenly she realized how hungry she was and she put it in her mouth and ate it. Again she looked at the bedside table to the jar of candy fish eyes Ozzie used at his concerts. She grabbed it and opened it, popping a few one in her mouth and tasting it's gummy center. If one was good that three or four would be better and soon she had finished the whole jar. She was still not quite awake and the pill was starting to work it's magic when she saw the little white shape on top of the silk coverlet. Was it moving? Her heart began to pound. Oh God, was it a maggot? She looked closer, no, it was a grain of rice. She ate it. From the window she heard a scratching sound. She thought it must be one of the pigeons who perched there from time to time cooing and looking in at her. On wobbly legs she walked across the plush rug to the window and opened it up and looked out and there on the ledge was Raunchy her ancient Chihuahua shivering and looking at her with pleading eyes. She remembered vaguely putting him out there in the middle of the night when he would not stop barking.

2010-03-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

To the person who stole the reproduction of this painting right off the wall at the Jupiter Juno Beach Art festival, I want to say... Dude, WTF? Haven't you seen "My name is Earl"?

Happily, in the sixteen or so years I've been exhibiting at outdoor art festivals this is only the third time I've had something stolen. To me this is proof that the great, vast majority of people in the world are not like that. My wise friend Anita reminds me that all people have the capacity for both good and evil. Thankfully, most are also governed by something called a conscience and something called impulse control.

This past weekend Paul and I, and Rita-Pepper, and Jelly-Bean, were staying in the parking lot of Loggerhead Park on Juno Beach and just before sunrise on Sunday morning I took myself for a walk on the beach for exercise and also because the three other times we've done this show in the past I have never even made it out onto the beach and that is just wrong. I stepped out of the RV at 5:45 and promptly turned back around because it was pitch black out and before I saw any egg-laying turtle or passed out drunk, I would have tripped over them... Shortly after 6:30 I set out. It was still dark but light enough for safety. There were two dark figures on the beach sitting in low beach chairs facing the ocean, waiting for the sunrise I supposed. I walked for about fifteen minutes without seeing another human being, and then I saw I saw a man carrying a five pound bucket and a fishing pole. I saw two girls at the water's edge with a flashlight looking for shells. I saw a seagull perched on a pile of sand and he saw me. He watched me as I walked past.

I walked under the pier and kept going until I reached all the heavy machinery from the shore reclamation project going on here. They are dredging up tons of sand and rocks and shells and coral from the ocean floor and depositing it on the beach. The shell-seekers go wild with the bounty.

On my return walk I decided to pay my dollar and walk to the end of the pier and watch the sun rise and there, among the early morning fishermen with their butt cracks showing and the tourists with their I-phones and their cameras snapping, I sat and wrote a few lines in my travel journal and I made the acquaintance of two adult pelicans and one juvenile. Also this bird who looked at me with skepticism as I inched my way closer and closer to take this picture. It was a memorable start to my day. I see more days started this way in my future...

Heaven with a side of Sour Cream

2010-03-09T11:47:00.000-08:00

A beautiful plate of food, a steaming cup of chai latte, my favorite writing pen and a new blank journal to fill. That to me is a little slice of heaven, and my new favorite place to find it is

www.infusiontea.us This peaceful little WIFI enabled oasis of vegetarian cuisine and organic teas is located on Edgewater in College Park. I went there yesterday as a reward for my almost seven mile walk through my neighborhood. I almost didn't go, I almost walked into Starbucks which is a block away and where I've plunked down many a five seventy-five in the almost ten years I've lived here. Instead I decided to take the tea road less traveled and try out this place I have driven past and walked past hundreds of time. What a nice change! Although there was music playing (all acoustic artists on the Syrius radio station "coffee-house") there was a sense of quiet permeating the space that made me want to sit down and try the food and write a few lines. It was early and the place had just opened. There were two other women sitting separately, both absorbed in their laptops. It almost felt like I was at the library... now that is a heavenly idea- a library with really good tea and food! And there was art for sale! Infusion is partnered with Artist-Tree which is, I guess a co-op for artists, each one having a little bit of space to display their wares, mostly functional hand-made items like jewelry, purses, hats and other things. I did see a few small paintings on the wall that were extremely cheap (a sight that does not make me happy, unless I am in the market to buy one).

As a motivator to keep up my walking practice I have determined that I will work my way through the menu and write about the process. My first sampling was the crepe of the day which was potato and came with a nice side salad. Delicious. The chai latte was sinfully sweet and hit the spot, although next time I might ask them to make it a little stronger, after all I'm used to those five shot lattes...

Getting ready to hit the road

2010-03-05T08:26:00.000-08:00

I just can't leave that "oy" post up all weekend as the first thing people see when they visit this blog. So I am racing, RACING to type this while Paul is out filling up the propane tank in the RV and before he gets back and we hit the road for the Las Olas Art Festival in Ft. Lauderdale.

For anyone who saw me in Coconut Grove and was told that we would be at Carnival on the Mile I owe a big apology to, we had a change of plans and we will be on the boulevard instead... OOPS! Hoping for a really big show, (as always), the weather continues to be incredibly weird and we will be lucky if we see 70 degrees. I'm not complaining in case any wandering heat waves are reading this and thinking they might want to drop in for a visit. NO.

O.k. hyper girl has to go check one more time to see if she remembered her tooth brush, cell phone charger, pillows, milk frother, dog food, tylenol pm, and the list goes on and on and on. Prayers for traveling mercies, and if you are in the area, come see me!

OY...

2010-02-24T15:32:00.001-08:00

What a day, what a day, what another grey day. At 9 a.m. on the dot I leaped into the studio this morning like super-artist-girl, all ready for a full day of painting, my list of things to do in hand but alas, it didn't work out that way. I finished a commission I've been working on but then after that my little red balloon of creative energy slowly deflated. I got sidetracked by a pile of dirty clothes and a few tumbleweeds of dog hair slash general filth and before you know it I was scrubbing away and totally blowing off another perfectly good studio day. Dammit! What happened to all that motivation and Commitment?

Could it be that my little inner artist child needed yet another day off from the studio? Maybe she just needed some time to do the nesting thing. Maybe she is still recovering from all the preparation and stress from her big show in Miami. Maybe it's time for me to stop writing in the third person...

I'm just a little angst-ridden because I canceled the show we had lined up in Miami for March and the one I want to do I'm on the wait-list for. So, a bit of a nail-biter.

I will have my tentative schedule up on my website by the end of the week come hell or high water... I'm having website issues too. The bees, the bees! They's buzzin 'round my brain!!

Two people told me to post this on my blog so I am.

2010-02-23T07:49:00.000-08:00

Last night in writing workshop my writing coach Jamie Morris read us a poem and then gave us this prompt and had us write for thirty minutes:

"Write about a very real contrast in your or a characters' world that creates something entirely new."

Um, Jamie, I got nothing.

Write something, Maria. Write about the new puppy at your therapist's office that lifted your spirit for an hour like some soft fuzzy opiate with a warm tongue. Write about your back yard, completely destroyed by freezing temperatures and neglect, the two palm trees in their green ceramic pots now brown and never coming back. Weeds are the only thing that still seems to thrive. Write about the dead frog in the koi pond wedged in between two rocks that you, in your morbid fascination with decay, have not removed, and whose progress you have been checking on for the past month. Write about the red breasted robin you found dead the other day underneath the bird feeder outside the studio and how you didn't know what to do with it so you placed it gently on top of a pile of paint rags in the garbage can and took a picture of it and posted it on facebook. Oh and don't forget to mention how on that same day while out walking, you found a small black snake with a red belly, newly dead curled on the sidewalk.

Write about people and how hard it sometimes is to even be around them.

Just write, Maria, there is something good happening here, so don't get distracted. It's not about discipline sayeth Julia Cameron, it's about commitment. Such a better word! I love you J.C.

Here in the late afternoon, early evening of my life I'm finally getting that it's not all about the money. It's not about the money even one little bit although we have to deal with it seemingly all the time. It's about living one day at a time, one moment at a time and truly being in that moment. So easy to say and so freakin hard to do, but I'm getting better. The morning walks are helping. The meditation of one foot in front of another and one breath going in and one breath going out.

This strange northern winter visiting us here in Florida has made me, well, pissed off for one thing, but a little more introspective than usual. Jamie Morris says she loves this kind of weather, she says it's good for creativity and she gets a lot done in it. Well you must be rolling in the creative dough my dear because more days than I care to remember lately have been overcast, cold and rainy. I'm afraid to ask too strenuously for a change because I'm afraid a heat wave will be dropped on my head like that house from Kansas.

So where is the contrast in all this?

Could it be the quiet sense of calm I feel growing in me amidst the chaos and the dark clouds swirling? Quote from Anne Lamott: “Law of the American Jungle: Remain calm and share your bananas.” I love that line and have been chewing on it and swallowing it again and again since I read it the other day. The other thing she said about bananas is that they are the only known cure for existential dread. I love you Anne Lamott. You really write about the down and dirty of insecurity like no one else I've ever read.

Now I get to read this ramble and you guys have to sit through it. Sorry. And Thank you.

Walking around Lake Eola

2010-02-21T09:32:00.001-08:00

This morning I woke up without my usual excitement for painting and I
realized I've been slacking in the Julia Cameron artist date
department. I decided to take myself to the Polasec museum in Winter
Park, which, I'm ashamed to say I've never been to. I checked their
hours and found that they don't open till one pm on Sunday, so I had
time to take myself somewhere else for my walk. Destination: lake
Eola, and then lo and behold, what did I find when I got there but an
art festival. My first thought was why didn't I know about this? I
live less than a mile away! My second thought after walking past ten
empty artist's booth was Thank God I didn't know about this and I feel
so bad for the artists who ended up here. Hardly any people walking
the show, lots of buy/sell, and with a few unfortunate exceptions,
poor, poor quality art work. Damm! Why? It's downtown Orlando, Baldwin
Park area. These people should be buying art!
Oh well, I did see some cool things on my walk today. Besides the
requisite homeless people, lounging, walking, sleeping and ranting, I
saw a man who seemed to be serenading the swans with a violin. He was
sitting at the water's edge, no tip jar in sight, just playing away
beautifully. I saw an oriental man conducting a meditation circle. I
saw dogs of every shape and color. I saw a group of five people in
lawn chairs sitting in a circle. What were they? A book club? An AA
group? I settled on a group of co-dependants anonymous, not sure why,
something about the sad grey haired softness of them... I could be
wrong. Then I decided to reward myself with breakfast at the Lake Eola
cafe.

Mistake!

Lesson one: when you walk up to the manager and he is telling the
waitresses they have to stop serving breakfast fifteen minutes early
do NOT beg them to make one more!!! Now that I'm frugal girl and
hardly eat out I really resent when I splurge and the food sucks,
which it did. I did get to sit out in the beautiful brisk sunny air
and watch the people walk by, (thank you God for nice weather for a
change) including one starved for attention man with a, it must have
been 10 ft boa constrictor around his neck. I really just don't get
that.

Sent from my iPhone

Help me pick the best booth shot y'all!!!

2010-02-21T06:26:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends! I need your help!! I just spent the last two days setting up my booth in the studio and taking photographs of different paintings to use for show applications. My brain is be-foggled. I need your opinion, your HONEST opinion please on which one, (if any) is the strongest. Paul still has to do a little color correction so just ignore any glare you see. Thank you in advance for taking the time to do this for me. I appreciate and love you for it.!!!

2010-02-18T09:51:00.000-08:00

The Coconut Grove Marina which I love, early morning on the day of set-up. The show was a complete whirl-wind of sights and sounds, most of them beautiful and exciting, some of them scary, like the row of booths destroyed by the micro-burst Friday night. We survived with nary a scratch.
This is how my paint table stayed the whole time I was in Miami. I'm sorry for leaving you in paint-sludge water all weekend, my dear paint brushes!!!
This is one of the Four Hearts on Wood in progress. These four pieces are going to a home on Miami Beach that is still in construction and we will deliver them when the time comes. The gentleman who purchased them had five little girls in tow and I think they put him in a great mood. He also bought another heart piece that the girls picked out.
The Giant Poinciana Tree (in progress). This piece was hanging on one side of my booth and my neighbor told me she had fun watching people having their photo taken in front of it all weekend. I still have this piece and after seeing it in full daylight I realize I have some work to do on it still, and I'm excited to see where it will end up.
These little cutey pies belong to the vendor who did all the merchandise with my image on it, the t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts and totes, etc. He traded me a bunch of merchandise for two heart pieces the girls had picked out. Aren't they the cutest?? And of course they are wearing my image!
I had a double booth and a half with these huge banners above. Hey Winter Park Art Festival! Look how Coconut Grove treats their poster artist!! Take note!

I spent the weekend being congratulated and complimented by people who really seemed to love the poster. Of course I'm sure the folks that hate it aren't going to stop by and tell me...

Tuesday morning I did a presentation for some 8th and 6th graders at the Art magnate school in South Miami as part of the Artist in the Schools program and I had a great time but afterwards I was completely wiped out. Driving home I needed to staple my eyelids open as I wanted to sleep so badly.

After the delivery of a painting we hooked up the van and I was able to pass out in the back of the RV while poor Paul struggled to stay awake and on the road all the way home to Orlando. We made it home in one piece and for that I am grateful.

Now I have the task of unraveling this tangle-jangle mess of things to do that I put off till after the Grove, along with new things that got added during the show like paint a rooster for someone, and paint another heart piece for another someone who came back for it but it had been sold. These are all good things!!!

And may I just stop for a moment and say a huge big giant thank you to the Coconut Grove Art Festival, to the people of Miami and to all that is good in the Universe for the ability to pay a few bills for a change! It won't last for long and we will have to hit the street again soon to keep trying to make those elusive ends meet up but that's o.k., I don't mind it, I love it in fact. I consider myself to be a very lucky human being right now for being able to do what I love and get paid for it.

I'm doing the poster for the Coconut Grove Art Festival!!!

2010-02-04T10:22:00.000-08:00

I know. I told you already. Can you tell I'm excited??? I promised my writing workshop I would commit to three blog updates per week. I know, it's lame, but this counts as one.

Finished the bird of paradise and the wave

2010-01-22T16:21:00.000-08:00

Channeling Edward Hopper if Eddie used a palette knife and lived in Florida...maybe?

2010-01-21T08:32:00.000-08:00

Work in progress

One finished piece five works in progress

2010-01-19T08:51:00.000-08:00

A Good day in the studio... Finally finished something...

2010-01-16T15:38:00.000-08:00

A Better Picture

2010-01-15T04:37:00.000-08:00

This pic was taken from CoconutGroveGrapevine.com were there is an article about the event and a link to this blog. Next to me is Monty Trainer, Executive Director of the Festival. These are the new poster image and the one I did for them in 2002 which was their best-selling poster EVER. Did I mention that I did the best-selling poster EVER?

Life is Weird

2010-01-15T03:42:00.000-08:00

Life is weird. Here we are, just after my piece was unveiled at the party last night and live on Channel 6 News. It felt surreal to be having this experience which will surely be one of the most cherished memories of my career as an artist, while in the background, (on the television behind us), and in my mind, there is the news of the devastation in Haiti.

It feels so un-absorbable to me. And I think- what does my small little success mean in the face of such a thing? Absolutely nothing. NADDA. And then there are the God questions- How can God let something like this happen? How can there be a God if he would let something like this happen? Do our prayers really help?

These are such huge questions that probably have no place being posted on my blog but there you have it. I am happy for me but sad for our world on this day. And even if prayers don't work, I'm sending them out in all directions with love.

Signing 500 posters for the Coconut Grove Art Festival

2010-01-14T19:53:00.001-08:00

Sent from my iPhone
Today was a really good day. The poster unveiling was tonight and it was everything I hoped it would be. I got so many compliments on the piece. I am tired and very happy.