The Village - Sur la Table

Sur la Table

8x6, soft pastel 

This week I had planned on painting 3 paintings....but "the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray".   Final fall cleanup with a trip to the dump and snow today.  Both of those events changed my mind for me.  Sometimes, you just gotta just go with the flow.     

I did get this little piece finished...Sur la Table in The Village at Meridian.  I love the colorful flowers and how peaceful it is during the early morning hours, for a time, uninterrupted by shoppers.  

The Village - Walking The Dog

Walking The Dog

6x8 soft pastel

This is the second in a series of scenes at The Village in Meridian. This painting is of the window display at Charming Charlie's. It's a colorful place...I especially love the black and white awnings and the sign painted on the window "We ❤️ Handbags". You just can't resist stopping by and taking a look at all the goodies within...even when you're supposed to be walking the dog. 

Couch Potato

Couch Potato

6x8, soft pastel

Tubby is my little couch potato. Ever since we lost his buddy Scooter this past April, Tubby has been at my side, day and night..night and day.  Each morning he has his breakfast and follows me into the studio where we sit together sharing a chair and ottoman by the fireplace. I sip my coffee and read the paper or catch up with social media while he snuggles into the blanket for a short nap.  He does little else these days but seems especially content to sleep on the back cushions of the couch while I work at the easel. Here he can keep an eye on what I'm doing and can occasionally gaze out the window in case a squirrel dares to enter his yard....or, he naps.  Most often he naps. I surely love this little guy!

The Village - Dining at Twigs

Dining At Twigs

6x8, soft pastel

Today I finished this little piece.  It is the first painting in a series of scenes in and around Meridian, Idaho...the best little "small" town in America...at least I think so.  Not many years ago Meridian was truly a small town but with the explosive growth of Boise during the past 20 years, Meridian and Eagle couldn't help but follow suit.  The good thing about so much growth is the newness of just about everything.  New streets, new houses, new shops and restaurants...and the people in Idaho (longtime and new residents) are among the most friendly I've ever met.

This scene is the outside patio of Twigs Restaurant at The Village.  The Village is a gorgeous dining, shopping and family entertainment complex that opened in 2013 and continues to expand with more and more retail spaces opening each month.  Walking around The Village reminds me of Disneyland or Disney World...it is not only beautiful with fountains, sculptures, and flowers but is impeccably maintained.  A great place to capture life in Meridian. 

Roadside Barn 2

Roadside Barn 

6x8, soft pastel 

Today I had enough time to refine a painting of the Roadside Barn (painted in Sept). I don't think I helped it much if any...oh well.

I also started another painting of a scene at The Village located in Meridian, Id.   The patio at Twigs is a perfect start to a series of Meridian cityscapes I hope to do this winter.  I've been busy taking photos and narrowing down a few...now, I can finally get down to actually painting them.

The Patio At Twigs...Work in Progress 

Beach Bum 2

Beach Bum 2

8x6, soft pastel

I finished the remake of Beach Bum today. This is one of my favorite boat scenes. I can just imagine being on the beach on a warm sunny summer day...especially helpful today where it's cold and rainy outside.  I'm afraid it's going to be some time before I walk the beach again.

Wisconsin Winter Glow

Wisconsin Winter Glow

8x1-, soft pastel

I find it fascinating that Sept.'s 30 in 30 challenge would be followed by such a lean Oct.  Oh well, life just gets in the way sometimes. I do have a couple things on the easel...and this one finished yesterday for a very special person.  

This is a Wisconsin barn at sunset. It's fascinating how many colors go into producing snow... especially at sunset with a grayish sky giving way to such a beautiful sunset glow.