Bleeker Books

10x12 oil on panel
Available at Tidewater Gallery

I'm back home after a too quick trip to the NC coast. The opening reception for "Vignettes" was delightful. My heartfelt thanks to Ray and Jan for hosting and for all their work preparing the show. I'm so grateful to have such good people to work with. It was really nice to meet new friends like Sue, Judy, Dan and Eileen - and to see my "old" friend Whitney who came to visit with me. That's her checking out my work below!

The gallery has just the most amazing collection of work - I would have gladly taken home many many items if I could have. If you are anywhere in the area, you really should visit.

The area itself is just beautiful. I've always loved the coast and I look forward to being able to return someday soon. Now, its officially summer for me! Time for R&R!

Judging A Book

16x12 oil on panel - sold

We had a morning that felt like this today - but its warmed up quite a bit and I had to take off my trench coat and roll up my sleeves.

I admit to owning and loving my e-reader, but there is still nothing quite so nice as browsing bookshelves. Its not unlike looking at art. The covers and titles promise us an escape, a learning experience and commentary on the human experience.

Life Interferes with Art

I've heard of life imitating art, or is it that art imitates life? Whichever, but for me, life's been interrupting my art.

I have not been able to get to the easel (both literally and figuratively) in the past week or so for all the shipping boxes and framing supplies. I've been hard at it getting lots of new paintings to my galleries. Besides that, family, school, health, etc. just keep needing my attention. I find it very difficult to cleanse my mind and settle into painting.
Next week is spring break in central Texas too and I doubt I will get a chance to work then.

Below is something I did a week or so ago. It was a little departure from my usual painting style and done in muted tones over washes of burnt sienna. He looks dwarfed by the stacks, but I measured and the stacks really were that tall.


10x8 oil on panel

I will have purchase info on this tomorrow. I'm saving that info for another post.

Fan of Fiction

6x6 oil on panel
$100 + $12 s/h

I love bookstores. And I love used bookstores especially. I am a big fan of regency "romance". Three or four years ago I would never admit that, lest I be chastised for reading romances. Well, they are a fun escape. My favorites, and the reason I frequent used book stores, are the ones written in the 70s and 80s. Before the "bodice rippers" which fill the shelves today. After one has read all the Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer's written, one must find something.

Browsing the Stacks

6x6 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h - sold

Bookstores are a favorite haunt of mine. Probably the same for this woman as she spent a lot of time perusing the literature section. I was on the floor camped out with several options I wanted to scan. My camera was with me as usual and I couldn't resist capturing her absorption in the books before her.