Friday and the weekend...

I did not hear from my client with the okay to start on my next streetcar commission...How funny to have two streetcars at the same time! So I decided to be naughty (I actually have two smaller paintings of parrots that I should probably start on) and just work on something that I wanted to do, not needed to do. So I did three small (10x20 is pretty small for me) sketches for a set that I have been wanting to do. It is of three landmark buildings here in Jackson. I did a larger paiting that had all three in it and it sold almost immediately, so I have been wanting to do something similar yet different ever since then. So I got the drawings on canvas ready to start on and then I did a block-in of a scene from my trip to Santa Fe in September. A block-in, by my definition, is where you put your basic background colors on the canvas in the spots where they go and pretty much get the canvas filled up with something, even if it is not going to stay that way in the final version. In this block-in I have left out only the spots where some of the flowers are going to be. (why I am not quite sure) So those are the blue holes you see. I have added some of the more detailed stuff, also...stuff that would not normally be in a basic block-in. I am still trying to find my way back to the painting style that I want to end up with. When I take a long break such as I have recently done, it takes a while to get back to where you want to be. In my case, I want to paint loose, colorful dramatic paintings where you are moved by the breathtaking play of lights and shadows. Not too much to ask is it?

On another note, this is what we woke up to on Saturday morning...(Not your typical Mississippi morning let me tell you!) I just wanted to share this since it is SO unusual. We have lived in our house for 17 1/2 years and I can count on one hand the times it has snowed enough to get any coverage at all. This was really beautiful, even though it was not but a dusting and did not cover everything. The woods were beautiful and it was still snowing pretty hard. Of course, it was all gone before lunchtime.

And finally another shot that is too cute not to share. These are my three assistants...

When we did the remodel we put a new little bench thing in front of our dining room window, which is right by the computer armoire. The intent was to make it wide enough that they would all three be able to lay there together. It has only been in the last two days that they have decided they can all three fit.

I'm off to paint!