“Waiting”
6 x 9 original acrylic painting
mounted in 9 x 12 double mat
for sale here

This was a late night painting, a few nights ago, when I thought I was feeling better (see below). I stayed up a little too late painting this pretty girl and liked her so much that I got a special little mat for her to make her look extra special.

For those of you who don’t follow me on FB, I’ve had a very persistent and cruel cough for over a week now. I finally went to the doc yesterday, which I HATE doing, but I was pretty miserable not having had much sleep. I found out that I have acute bronchitis progressing to mild pneumonia. Ugh!! So, for the first time in 7 years, I am very happily taking some antibiotics.

I wrote this almost two years ago on my blog when my youngest had pneumonia. It is totally how I feel now:

“For a nurse, I am pretty anti medication and will turn to nutritious foods, herbs, teas and tonics first.  I always trust that our bodies will do what they need to do to reach health and homeostasis. When it doesn’t work that way, I worry, worry, worry, wondering what I did or didn’t do.”

I spend a lot of time working hard to take care of myself. This cough has been like a rug pulled out from under me. I don’t know how it got so bad. But, I will get back on track — I feel the end is in sight!

acrylic painting on 12 x 12 x 1 inch wood panel
for sale ~ $150
prints will be available soon!

I’ve had this little elephant in my head since I made this heart, wanting to do the same technique.

It is so much fun to play with color this way and then watch something emerge by adding the white.

I think it is hard to be different. I’ve often been the different one–in my family, at work. I eat differently, have different beliefs, ideas, and I have to create and make. This makes me strange to some.

But, in order to walk the path where you are true to yourself, you should walk proudly and show all your colors.

Like Brene Brown says in her book, Daring Greatly, “We must dare to show up and let ourselves be seen.” It’s a great book by the way. I’m giving myself permission to finish reading it over the weekend, heal this nasty cough I have so that I can show up for my creative self and work my magic on Monday.

What are you giving yourself permission to do this weekend? Whatever it is, I hope you have a great one!

I finished my little challenge of painting a faces every day. Above are the last 5 faces.

And here are all 25 faces together in order.

I had a lot of fun filling up my journal with these faces and now am trying to think up a new challenge for myself. Maybe to just get some portraits onto canvas or panels.

First, I have to get working on 3 big deadlines I have coming up.

Have a great weekend!

This is my 1920′s girl with bird, somewhat inspired by The Great Gatsby. I loved that movie and all the sparkle and glamor.  Spectacularly dramatic!

This was painted on an 11×14 flat panel. I took the picture late this afternoon and the colors aren’t totally right. The shirt is more purpley-pink and the blue more turquoise. I might have to retake the pic.

Anyway, I really enjoyed dipping into those purpley-pinks. I used to really love  purple, then I didn’t, now I do again. Purple, I missed you!

Here is day 12-20 of my daily portrait painting challenge in my art journal. My art journal is getting nice and fat. I love that!

I am still doing them within a 20-30 minute time frame.  I plan on doing 5 more days and then will start working on actual canvas or wood panels.  It’s time to get over my fear of big blank canvases.