I have about eight more paintings in this batch (of fifteen) to finish and I am hoping to have them all done (or almost done) by Tuesday.  I am quite sure I can get six of them done, two are questionable as they are not as far along.  Still, I am very happy to have just about finished these paintings by the time I had hoped to and a little surprised.  I set the goal but didn't really think I would make it as closely as I am. 

I was at the bookstore the other day and came across a book about Frida Kahlo.  Now I'm hooked on Frida.    I've studied her briefly in school, saw the movie, but really haven't had a close study of her work before.   A really fascinating and disturbing life.  It's funny, I think you find the artist you need to find when you need to find them.  I mean this in terms of my artistic development.  As I go, I figure out more what I want to paint and what I don't and I go through stages of studying one artist or another.  As I said, I seem to find them (often accidentally) when I'm ready for them.  I wasn't seeking out Frida Kahlo, I just stumbled across a book and it immediately spoke to me on that particular day.  There is an intense meaning to her work plus an edginess (edgy is an understatement I'm sure).  I'd like to put more personal meaning into my work and just a bit of edginess as well.  Not the extreme unrest or violence you find in Frida Kahlo's work, but just a tiny bit of unrest (to get an idea of what I mean, see my previous painting "Planting the seed".  I have attempted this edginess before in trying to make it just a little bit uncomfortable.  One example,  by placing a reminder of time in the mother's baggage.).  My next set of paintings I'll be taking what I've learned from this current batch and then incorporating both these new ideas into them somehow. 

Phew!  That was a long post.  Thanks for reading!  Have a good weekend.

It's fun to see what is emerging in my paintings these days.  This polar bear just was there and the colors, something that often changes many times over for me, just felt right from the beginning.  I am especially pleased with the mountains, not sure the photo does them justice.

I will be sharing several more new paintings over the next week or so.  Really, over the next several weeks as I have many more to finish up too.  I'm very excited with how they are progressing, feel like I am hitting my stride. 

This new blog does not have a "followers" widget so I hope you will be able to follow it.  If anyone is unsure how to do so, please e-mail me.  I know how to follow people using Blogger if a site doesn't have this feature.  Also, I have the "RSS Feed" down below if that helps.  And, since I don't really have a way of knowing how many followers I have, at least not until I find a way and I am looking, please leave the occasional comment so I know you are out there.  I'd really appreciate it! 

And don't forget, I do have a newsletter I send out about once a month.  Go here to subscribe.

Welcome to my new blog!  I am using my web site's blog feature to simplify things but I will have to see about making it look a little more aesthetically interesting.

I am painting like crazy right now and hope to complete about 10 more paintings in under 2 weeks (5 are already done).  I think I can do it, that is unless I really start thinking about it...then I'm not so sure...  The paintings are for a possible show around September and I'll have more information about it when we get a little closer. 

In the meantime, here is the first of the 15 paintings.  This is one of the three paintings I began at Project Space 3 (you can see some in progress photos of it in my Photo Gallery).  I brought them all home to finish, the other two are almost complete.  Although I did not intend the likeness, this dog looks quite a bit like my own dog Bandit.  Especially that expression on his face.  No doubt hoping to get on with the walk.

Have a great weekend!