caught in the middle

the middle of winter

the middle of painting a hallway

the middle of teaching a class

the middle of writing a proposal

the middle of making a dress

the middle of painting a series of squares

the middle of not buttoning my jeans

and ah, the middle of my life

I am really hoping to be finishing some of these things soon, but not the life, not yet!

sharing my work in 2014

Like some of you I'd love to see my artwork on a gallery wall, in someone's home or perhaps even favorably reviewed in a major publication.  I am grateful for the accomplishments that I have achieved to date, but its not over yet.  (why do we always want more?) There is longevity in my family gene pool and I plan to make good use of the years ahead!

In the meantime, while I await fame and fortune, I wanted to share more of my work with more people.  So this year I am giving away 52 small works of art.  One for every week of the year 2014.  These are all small postcard-ish sized paintings done on paper by me.  Each one is an original.  Here's the fun part.  I keep a few of these in my bag with me wherever I go and leave them in places I've traveled or visited- I don't get out of Maine too frequently, but I do have a year and a couple of big trips in the planning stages….  

Maybe you will find one tucked away at your neighborhood coffee shop, art supply store, gallery, library or community bulletin board, and if you do, please come back here and let me know!

congratulations, Nancy!

Your calendar is on its way!  

Thank you to the others who commented on my blog, all my best to you in the New Year!

Here in Maine we are waiting out another big chill and snows.  I was hoping to dig my way to the studio today, but have just come in numb from digging my way to check on my chickens (they are fine despite the -7 temperature outside).  So for now I will build a bigger fire and get out some knitting…

presents, presence and a give-away

Christmas was a flurry of shopping, end of year events, stocking the kitchen, visiting, organizing, scheduling, meal planning, trips to the post office and running out of time.  In an effort to do everything I so often feel like I get to enjoy less.  So this year, I baked a few less cookies, we ate a few more leftovers instead of preparing elaborate meals ( I still overindulged), I wrapped a few less presents and tried to go on a few more walks.  I thought about being present with the days and tried to enjoy the quiet moments in between the hustle of the season.  

Today the sun is shining on fresh snow, the wind is kicking up and the temperature is rapidly dropping.  As I reflect on the passing of another year, I am trying to gain footing in the studio again, trying to get enough fresh air and exercise despite the arctic front, and trying to eat a little cleaner (at least for a week or two).  It is time to push the reset button on life for the New Year.

I put together a 2014 calendar as my gift to family members this year and I am giving one away in the next few days.  If you'd like a chance to  win one, please leave a comment on this blogpost and I will randomly draw a name on January 1st!  These are on satin finish paper, 5x7" with a clip for hanging.

Happiest of New Year to All!

in the mix

faded colors of fall for the trio I am working on

The studio has been a quiet place for the past few days… but life has been busy, as it often is with a change of season.  I have at last been taking care of fall clean up in the yard, dug up the dahlias, moved soil into new beds for the spring, made my last pile of leaves and shored up the chicken run for winter.  I started knitting a sweater and even painted the bathroom. This weekend we did lots of driving to see some relatives and now we can get ready for the first of the winter holidays- the eating one.  Best of all I am so excited to have #1 home from college for a few days!

wednesday

 a new series underway and some pages from today

long weekend

holy trinity

dynamic duo

tuesday, late afternoon

big and small

I think I'm done with this.  Its been a little bit like running around on a playground- having so much space to paint in and on.  I don't know if I will continue painting on this scale, but it was good to get more physical with my work.  Its been a while.

 Meanwhile, I am thinking about my next move, prepping new surfaces and filling pages in my journal.

october: the end

I finally woke up to a frost on the ground this morning. It has been such an impossibly temperate fall I was actually a bit surprised how chilly I was walking the dogs.  But it is time.  The garden beds are just about laid to rest.  We are diligently managing our leaves-not. Our chickens are molting as fast as the trees.  The sun is noticeably lower in the sky and spends less time shining.  The late afternoon is when I catch it streaming into my studio now. 

I spent this week getting a little crafty (thank you mod-podge) for the hundreds and hundreds (we once counted over a thousand) of children who descend upon our street for trick or treating each year.  It is a safe few blocks of houses where the police barricade the traffic so folks can enjoy a sort of sugar fueled mardi-gras in October.  I never really liked Halloween, but this day becomes something of a community event which I feel lucky to be able to take part in.  Its why we live in a small town, know our neighbors and spread good cheer (and candy) throughout the land!

BOO