I love my Sock Monkey!

Tulips, Fruit and Bowl Study (Sold)

For years I have always wanted a Sock Monkey.  Yes, I could take the time between painting, selling, owning a gallery, teaching, partying, etc. etc, to learn to make one for  myself. But alas, I have not. I guess I was always hoping someone, somewhere, would present me with one of the little darlings.  Well, it finally has happened. I have my very own. I have decided to post him as my profile picture on Facebook. I feel  he represents my personality (and on some days how I actually look). I love him. No fears, I will not create one on canvas. I promise.

Feeling great!

An art class

I love painting and I love teaching art.  I am so happy when parents walk into the studio and see a finished work and their eyes light up with pride. I feel like I am doing something so worthwhile on this planet. Goddesses, allow me to always paint and teach!

Finally coming out.

Landscape (Sold)

Yes, I am finally admitting the truth. Years of secrecy, skulking around back alleys, meeting with people that are just as torn up about their feelings as I am. Searching the Internet to satisfy my dark needs.  I am out and proud of it! 

I am a Pez collector. There, I have said it.  It may ruin me, however, I am willing to take that risk. I love those wonderful things with their sharp angular bodies.  The expression on the face of each character makes me shiver with delight. I carry one of the little darlings in my purse wherever I go. It has saved me many times. If you want to diffuse a bad situation, pull that little candy carrying gadget with its beautifully sculpted face, out of your bag and place it on the table.

Either the principal players in the event will run for cover or burst into peels of laughter.  I count on the latter. They have cheered up friends that are down, stopped me from walking into the water, and soothed crying children. If an object has this much power it must be something of greatness. And so it is. I counted how many I have obtained over the years....107. I am a true believer in the worth of Pez. I have Pez from countries all over the world. Now, just to buy more refills for them . Never mind the Governor General award in the arts, I want to have my likeness on a Pez!

Holy Hannah!

Floral (Sold)

Ok, now I really know the holiday season is upon us. In this case it was right directly upon two couples in the Canadian Tire store (in a town which will remain nameless as to not incriminate our area). It's exhausting looking for holiday lights. For one thing, all the white ones are always gone.... if you do find some, you know that when you get them home you get to play a little lottery light game. Your one Christmas wish is that the bloody things at least half light up. At my house, if half of the strand works it's cause for celebration. We break out the wine, clink our glasses, and decide where to hide the half that doesn't work.  Nothing is as nasty though, as the two couples that were in that hardware store. I suppose the lack of  sparkling lights on the shelf sent the four of them into a tizzy. A huge brawl  ensued. Both couples wanted those lights and well, that lack of holiday spirit just took over. Now we're not just talking a little heated conversation. Things were flying off shelves and two police cruisers arrived to break up the dispute. One of the unhappy shoppers ended up in the cruiser. "Dear Santa, please send bail money!"  I am not sure who ended up getting those lights but I want to wish them a Very Merry Holiday. 

Moment of Silence

(Sold)

I was teaching today. There was a moment of silence. Very rare when you are instructing a 12 year old girl. She was engrossed  in her work. All of a sudden, she lifted her lovely face from her canvas and shared something with me. "Sometimes I get a funny feeling in my stomach, sort of like I don't feel well."  I knew from this one statement, that it was not a physiological cause.  Perhaps my years when I was young and felt this same  feeling gave me an inkling of what was to come. It was a self esteem issue for sure. I asked this talented and beautiful girl to elaborate on her feelings. Being 12, it is more difficult to put this into words. Ahh, but I was wrong. The simplicity in her explanation was just right. "I never feel like I dress right and I don't look that great."  Here I am, thinking that I am encouraging self esteem, teaching them to express themselves, sharing with the world their thoughts, their feelings, the colour they have within them. I won't go into the details of the rest of our conversation, however it was one of ego boosting and letting her know that she was amazing. The thing that made me the saddest, was that I could tell by the look in her eyes, it was falling upon deaf ears. What have we done as a society to allow our  precious children to feel so inadequate? (it certainly isn't her parents as they are stellar). Although I may only be able to put a tiny dent in this situation, I promise to do my best to positively influence every single child that I teach or come in contact with.  I will from now on, instead of asking what do you want to do when you grow up, ask what do you want to be like when you grow up? At least that will keep the conversation going...

Another Painting in Progress

24x30 on canvas (Sold)

Started this painting last week. Living by the ocean, there are bouys everywhere and I had yet to paint any! Thought it was about time. Most of it is just blocked in. It is far from finished but I will work away at it....
P.S. Thanks to a photo by Gary Slye!

Chester Sail....Sold

You make me smile. You are my hero....XXX