A Not So Timid Garden

“This strangely still pause between summer and autumn, greenery bright and gold, and the heat and rising wind that is once again readying itself to rush it all away in a climactic symphony of color and scent, in my opinion, one of the best parts of living on earth.” —Victoria Erickson   Where do you find inspiration […] […]

Where do you find inspiration for your paintings?

This is a question artists are often asked. In response, I wrote that ideas for paintings come from anything you see or dream of. My ideas often come in dreams. They are in my mind when I awaken or during meditation. Since I love painting from nature I seldom leave the house without my phone […] […]

Daffodils

Yes, I know I mentioned daffodils in my last newsletter. But many of my readers are in cooler climates and their spring flowers are still popping up. Few flowers remind me more of Spring than the daffodil. Below is a poem by William Wordsworth, the first of four stanzas, along with a birthday card I designed. […] […]

A Time for Nesting

This past year I took a break from writing and painting. Since opening my first studio in 1973, ten months is the longest I have gone without a paintbrush in hand. My time was spent capturing moments in nature, visiting museums and botanical gardens, adding finishing touches to the cottage, gardening, and collecting healthy recipes. […] […]

Gardens, Butterflies, and Paintings

Even more so than the warming temperatures the joy of Spring, for this artist, is the newness everywhere you look. Everything is fresh and vibrant. Each day there is amazing growth of trees and plants to behold. Creating a painting is not unlike a butterfly struggling to shed its cocoon, growing flowers, or growing our […] […]

About that little grandson of mine with the zebra . . .

mural with juvenile jungle animals.

Someone emailed and thought that my #2 grandson beside the zebra below was a recent photo. This is a current photo taken last week when he stopped by to retrieve his painting which was on loan for my Open House. He’s grown to be a very cool young man. […]

Enthralling Adventures

Each blank canvas is a new adventure. Two of my grandsons have made sure that I had enthralling adventures for the last two years. In the January newsletter a year ago, I wrote of my oldest grandson’s request for a painting for the living room of his new home. This year grandson #2 asked if I […] […]

A Time of Transition

Autumn, a time of transition, my first pet portrait outside of a mural, a place for nurturing, and a delightful email containing a surprise from my past. When I say “past” I’m talking . . . my art from 40+ years ago. Wowza! I’d like you to know that I appreciate these few minutes you will […] […]

Switching it Up

This month, studio time has been split between taking photos for my website redesign, continuing the Parrot Tulip Series, and finishing an acrylic painting. Have you ever been nearly finished with a project when doubt crept in and you wondered if the work had been worth the time and energy? How did you handle it? […] […]

New Beginnings

Would you like Spring to last just a bit longer? The charm of a fresh Spring flower never fades. Actually, my allure of flowers any time of the year hasn’t diminished. Here is my way of clinging to Spring. These are the first two watercolors in my Parrot Tulip series. In this newsletter, you are […] […]