EXTENDED LEAVE(S) OF ABSENCE

Artwork compliments of God.

I'll be on an extended leave of absence beginning tomorrow,as life calls.

I'll check in with your blogs upon my return.

CARLOTTA CAT

TWO A.M.

I hear a noise coming from the back patio.
I nervously peek out the window
and discover the source of the commotion:

Carlotta has released Tweety from her cage,
unlocked the back door,
and they are dancing by the light of the full moon.
With her 'deer in the headlights' face, she turns to me and speaks softly:
"Not to worry,,,we are only dancing, I'll put her back."
But I wonder,,,,
Carlotta can be so sneaky sometimes,,,
Is Tweety in danger?
What do you think?

A mixed media hanging sculpture

as a  little birthday gift

LITTLE SOMETHINGS

My sister asked me if I could come up with  some "little somethings"
for her to give to her co-workers for Christmas. She didn't have any preferences, and left it up to me.
We'd discussed clay,,,wonky women cards,,,and tiny paintings on tiny canvases. For some reason or another, none of these ideas appealed to me very much, mostly because of the time involved with making several. I finally came up with something that I thought people might actually use.
Bookmarkers.
On the back is the quote: "Dreams are the seedlings of reality" by James Alden.

I've finished five, with three more in various stages of unfinished. They're fun, and fairly quick to do.
Each will be in it's own little presentation bag, with my Off The Wall card attached. I hope they will
use and enjoy them.

THURSDAY'S CHILD,,,,

,,,,on a Wednesday.
 Just because.

This is the latest painting that I've been working on.
It's acrylic on 24x36 canvas.

Here's a detail shot.

I'm having a hard time getting quality photos,,,,it's very cloudy today, but a perfect day to paint.

The color is washed out, it's actually much richer.

EDIT 

Leslie, thanks for the much needed push to keep trying to learn

Photoshop!  Of course now it's too dark, but it's so much closer to the real thing.

I'll keep working on it, and maybe one day I'll learn how to re-size!

There may be hope for me yet!

TO BE CONTINUED,,,,,,,,

I am out running the streets,,,,
the highways, and the by-ways.
I am seeing The Sisters in Kansas City,
my Light,,, Jack, in Dallas,
and enjoying the Autumn color,sunshine and rain at the lake.

I haven't painted, so here is an older portrait of you,,,
of me,,,
of whomever.
A portrait of a certain time,a certain feeling, a different world.
This is soft pastel and charcoal on 16x20 paper.

I hope to get around to your blog soon; and see what's new with you,

and I hope everyone is having a beautiful fall.

FIGURE STUDY

I am wanting to do abstract figures. This one isn't
abstracted enough. Nor is it real enough to be realism.
It wobbles around somewhere in-between, in limbo.

I also am working on back lighting here,,,
and since seeing it on the screen, I realize
the fabric is too bright, and I will add glazes
to tone it down.

Also, the floor slants, which would be fine if
that were echoed somewhere else in the work.
It amazes me what all I don't 'see' until I put it on the screen.
Of course there are other areas that aren't pleasing me also,
but I'm working on it.
Sigh,,,it looks so easy when I see other people's work.
But it's not.

DAY TRIPPIN',,,

Yesterday was too beautiful to stay inside, so we traveled north
to a small town that used to be the Capitol of the state.
Such a charming old place with wonderful buildings from the 1890's.
Take a look. This was the Capitol building. The Capitol now being in Oklahoma City,
this is used as a museum. Some of the buildings are brick, as are some of the streets, and some
of the buildings are sandstone. Most are in unbelievably good condition, and of course some are no
longer used.

I've attended performances at the theater.

Many people live above their places of business.

We wanted to have lunch here, but there were too many people waiting already.

The original mahogany bar was filled, as was the parlor area.

The front of the building has a new facade, but this used to be a saloon.

We didn't know until we arrived that a wine and arts festival was being held.

Several areas had live entertainment, and this girl had an incredible voice.

It was interesting to watch this artist at work. It was hard to get photos, as

in places the crowd was too packed in.

Here I am in the Saloon

I couldn't resist taking a shot of the door to nowhere in an alley.

One of the most interesting facts about the town to me, is that there are underground tunnels

all through the area that were once for horses. Somewhere under the city is a stable.

No longer is the public allowed to tour the tunnels, maybe it's no longer safe.

There are blocked off stairs in some places that used to lead down to them, from the streets.

We hadn't been to the area in quite some time, and were glad to see businesses still operating in

these old buildings. There used to be a twice daily enactment of a 'shoot-out' in the street, with cowboys

and their swooning ladies, all in full costume. They haven't done that in some time.

I'd imagine that it's difficult to keep a place like this going,,with all the fast food places and Walmart

out near the highway,,,and many for rent signs were on buildings. But they still try, and I like that.

It was a fun day, I hope you liked seeing some of our history.