Blog

The First week in May is Art Walk in Fayetteville, and Kathy Love and I are sharing a booth in the town square! Quite a few Houston friends have farms up there ( it's just a little over an hour from Houston), but it feels a million miles away! All proceeds from sales go to ARTS ( Arts For Rural Texas). Last year, artwork donated by ARTWALK artists raised an incredible $19,015, and every dollar goes directly toward funding free education programs for children in rural Texas communities. So not only will you see great art in Fayetteville next weekend, but your purchases will go towards a worthwhile cause. I hope you come by our booth! We are in the OLD FIREHOUSE, Booth #64, near the Food Court & Weingarten. See you there!

Hollee, the "Hostess with the Mostess", was kind enough to continue a tradition that started over 20 years ago. The World Famous Spring Art Painting Trip to the farm. Hollee went all out to feed us Three Squares and acted like it was all "So Easy" ( There is nothing "Easy" about Chicken Pot Pie and Key Lime Pie)! Thank you, Sweet Friend! We were having so much fun catching up that it was difficult to tear ourselves away to paint, but 3 of us plopped ourselves under a big tree in the shade and looked around. The trees on the property are magnificent, so I went for that. Carolyn painted the charming red dollhouse, and Renee, from the comfort of her chair, did a lovely painting of the sun through a row of trees. With the draught, wildflowers were sparse, so we went for what endures. Big Oak trees and Friendships, equally built to last!

The little plein air (below) I did in Sicily is one of my favorites, so I thought Spring Break was the perfect time to paint it larger. However, what's inherent every time you enlarge something is more space to fill the canvas. A plein air, by nature, is meant to be quick, while you have more time with a studio painting. As usual, I was so busy painting the plein air that I neglected to shoot more reference photos of people at the beach, so I used photos of my family instead. It was so much fun, I was wondering if any of you would want a painting of your family at the beach. What a special memory! Happy Easter!

Every March, like clockwork, Houston opens its gardens for the Azalea Trail, and every year, hundreds of Plant and Garden lovers line up to see magic unfold! No matter what the weather, armed with galoshes and umbrellas, we Houstonians brave the elements to get inspiration, and a little envy, traipsing through other people's acreage. This year, I am afraid I missed my window and only made it to Bayou Bend before the rains came, but as usual, I was not disappointed. No matter when I go, the gardens seem to delight with another secret vignette I missed before. This little statue is a perfect example of the hidden treasures at Bayou Bend. I hope this will inspire you to make the Azalea Trail a Spring Tradition!