Please see my New Blog

 This will be my last post on this blog.  As of today I have started to utilize the Blog on my website which can be accessed by clicking on the "Blog" tab on my navigation bar.  I think it will simplify things for me as well as my  followers or visitors.

This blog will still exist for visitors to read archived posts and to direct viewers to my  New Blog .

I look forward to your future comments.

Thank you for visiting.

Judging the Artifact Art Club Exhibit

I was honored to be invited to judge this years Artifact Art Club Exhibition which will hang in the Livonia City Hall lobby through April 29. 

 This all media exhibit containing 42 works of art from talented artists is a delight to see. 

Thank you Sherry Eid and the members of the Artifacts Art Club for allowing me to partake in your event.

Please take some time to enjoy this exhibit which is free to the public.

For more information on this exhibit and future exhibits please visit the Livonia City Hall website.

The Michiana Bird Society Fair

                                           (one of my four raffled prints)

I went to Mishawaka, Indiana for the Michiana Bird Society Fair this past Friday and Saturday.  As usual I really enjoyed being around the birds and the event  was very nice.  Thank you Marla and all the society members that I was able to meet and talk with and for your generous hospitality.  

What was not usual was the fact that I was sick with a very b ad respiratory cold during the whole event that I am only now recovering from.  I tried not to appear too obviously ill but don't believe I pulled that off too well. When ever I tried to speak I began hacking and gagging.  It wasn't pretty!  

I can only hope the the raffle of four of my limited edition avian prints were a sucsess for the bird society.

Thank you again, Michiana bird Society, for your invitation to take part in you event.

Featured Artist at Indiana Bird Fair

Bird fairs are always a lot of fun, if you enjoy birds that is.  Which I do.  They have always been a favorite of mine to watch, interact with and paint. 

I have been a featured artist at several "Bird" events including the Ann Arbor Cage Bird Club in Michigan, the Motor City Bird Expo in Madison Heights, MI and the Rainbow Feathers Bird Club in Romulus, MI.

On the 26th of this month I will be the featured avian artist for the Michiana Bird Society in Mishawaka, Indiana.

Then on April 30th I will be the featured avian artist for the Romulus event.

I will have on hand some of my limited edition reproductions, open edition reproductions,  collectible art cards, bookmarks and a few original paintings.

*This image is now sold as a Limited Edition Reproduction printed on premium 13 x 19 inch paper priced at $35.00.

A little Inspiration

Orchids are amazing.  After waiting a whole year, just when you've had enough of winter, this is what you get.

These are only a few of my plants.  I have about 25 different orchids. I know.....It's a sickness.

This is inspiring. I wonder what I'm going to paint next?

8 x 8 Garden Floral Series

I thought I would share with you my 8 x 8 Garden Floral Series.  While I don't have a great deal of interest in painting flowers they are often an important element of my work.  I decided to paint this series for two reasons. First of all these small canvases are a great "warm up" for larger planned canvases.  Another reason is simply that they sell and I need a better selection of smaller canvases for this year.  

As you may know the above images show ,from left to right, a Clematis, a Red Poppy and Tulips with Columbine all in various stages of development. None of them finished.  There is a forth not pictured which is of Black Eyed Susan's.  They are yellow-orange in color.

I'm planning on having about 10 painting in this series. and planning on another series of the same size of Wildflowers.      Can I do it?  

I would really like some suggestions of flowers that you would like to see me paint.  So put on your thinking caps and let me know.

Kate Paul's Solo Exhibit, "Ardent"

Last Friday I went to the opening of a solo exhibit of fellow artist and good friend Kate Paul. Her show is titled, "Ardent".  Kate explained that the title is more about her than the art.  I've come to know that the word explains her well and she and her work are one. 

I can't say I've ever enjoyed an opening as much.  Her paintings are alive and thought provoking. 

The exhibit is at Level One Bank in Ferndale, Michigan.  This is no ordinary bank mind you.  It looks more like a high end architects office with a really nice gallery that takes up more than half of the space.

 The exhibit runs through February 25.  This is a must see!

Check out Kate's website here!

It's all good.

At the beginning of each year I like to set new goals for what I want to try to achieve by December 31.  Lets see which goals were set for 2010".  They were "paint more, eat less, exercise more, catch up on my house chores, organize the garage, spend more quality time with all the people that I care about and oh ya, more me time!"

Hum! Lets see... Paint more?  I did!  Eat less? Lets just say that's a work in progress.  Exercise more? Part of the year!  House chores and organize Garage?  Some.  Spend more quality time with my family?  For all but 3 months of it!  More me time?  Not so much. 

I completed 15 paintings for the year, held several classes and workshops, was involved in a few group exhibits, Won a People's Choice Award,  judged an art show, guest speaker for a couple of art groups and did the Ann Arbor Art Fair, ( for the first time), as their Featured Artist.

  I'm not going to beat myself up over what didn't transpire.  I think I'll give myself a thumbs up for what I did accomplish and Try try again for this year.  It's all good.