Toad Trillium in all their glory

The trail across the street from our house is covered with patches of this wonderful native wildflower. 

Bob Ross meets Rachel Ray

 A bit embarrassing, but here you have it.....

lol

Verity

Controversial artist, Damien Hirst's controversial 67 foot sculpture of a pregnant woman was installed yesterday in the quaint town Iflracombe, Devon. I love it. It's a symbol of the grace and power of womanhood. 

I think it's modern art at its best: a thoughtful concept with elegant and poignant execution. I'm a sucker for clashing contrasts and the sleepy rural setting of the English harbor town highlights the sleek and striking bronze sculpture. 

Love it...

Making Small Art (with big heart)

A lot of work goes into a little piece of art. 

Here is the pile of wood (approx 6"x6" square blocks) that my husband cut using the mitre saw. He used to do it by hand. These little gems are waiting for me to sand them and paint them....

Here they are with their first layer of color. For this, I use house paint/primer.... 

And here they are all boxed up and ready to be photographed and shipped to galleries (or you!)....

Tithonia

These Tithonia (aka Mexican Sunflowers) have been in bloom in our garden since July! 

Needless to say, they have also been in bloom in my paintings for the past few months. 

Back to the light box

Live and learn. My last blog entry was about the new way I found to photograph my small work. Well, I scratched that! No more "stump gallery." Back to the light box.  

Still trying to figure out systems so that I can have a regular practice of posting a painting a day to my blog, Etsy, or Daily Paintworks site. Yes, I crave discipline. I think systems, order, and discipline supply the framework for lots of fun and discovery. 

So, here are some shots from the light box....

The Stump Gallery

I make big paintings. I make small paintings. I can't help myself from making both. They each serve a function in my creative life. 

I have my big paintings professionally photographed. I am so prolific with my small paintings, that I try to photograph them myself. For years I've experimented with different methods (I'm not a photographer), and kind of quit trying a year or two ago. But, I think I finally found a way to photograph my small paintings. I'm psyched. It's fun. It's easy. And I think it's going to work aesthetically for me.

I've titled this showcase for my small work The Stump Gallery. It's a stump in my backyard. Keep it simple, silly! 

Want to see more paintings at The Stump Gallery? http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheStumpGallery