My January Collage

I finally came out of the fog I felt from losing our little Tubby last Wednesday and finishing the Challenge on Friday.   Actually, I've also been busy catching up with a variety of household administrative chores too.  Tonight I finished a collage of all 30 paintings completed during January.  

Once again I can say that I learned a lot by completing this Challenge and now that it's over can honestly say (while exhausting) it was well worth it!

Do I Really Have To Wear This?

Do I Really Have To Wear This?

8x8, soft pastel

A little levity on this final day of the 30in30 Challenge. Thanks for following my journey this month it's been a roller coaster. I'll continue painting most days and will share my results along the way (at least those paintings I think are good enough). Feel free to follow my blog if you'd like to see what I'm up to.

This sweet granddaughter looked so cute in her giraffe costume for Halloween but you could tell she was really wondering why she wasn't dressed as a fairy princess like her big sister. You could almost read her mind from her expression!

Below The Foothills

Below The Foothills

8x18, soft pastel

Oh my....I'm afraid today was a gloomy day...and I took it out on my painting.  When I stepped back about half way into it all I could see was a dark moody painting.  I finally just gave in and let it all out.  Oh well....maybe tomorrow will be better.

Heartbreak

Heartbreak

6x8, soft pastel

How do you paint heartbreak?   I googled this phrase this morning after having to put our sweet little Tubby down unexpectantly.  He wasn't feeling good for several weeks and while he was in for his dental exam the doctor found a large tumor.  I hate cancer.  It was obvious we needed to put his comfort before our own agony and say goodbye.

So, most of today has been a blur.  I was going to blow off painting anything.   It's tough to paint without my little studio buddy.  This evening I decided to try a very quick sketch of him.  While it's far from my best...it's all I can do today.  Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.  Goodbye little guy!  

Footloose

Footloose

8x8, soft pastel

Oh to have the free spirit of a child!  This was a particularly hot summer day.  The grandsons were visiting and playing in the backyard.  They would march on a stone path through the flowerbeds and pick blackberries from the tangled berry patch.  Often the sprinklers would come out to cool off.  On this particular day Tyler was all about cooling off the right way...in the buff (although he was a bit hesitant when he approached the sprinkler).  Not many of us would be so carefree.  That's what I miss about childhood...being footloose and fancy free! 

Blue Pond

Blue Pond

6x8, soft pastel

Painting 26 is a loose interpretation of a pond in Japan that changes colors in various weather conditions.  In wintery weather it's a beautiful blue.

Snowed In

Snowed In

6x8 soft pastel

Ah, remember those hot days of summer?  The days you could lounge around on the patio soaking up the sun?  Perhaps you have in mind a picnic and a barbecue...a walk in the park...a trip to the zoo or an outdoor concert?

About now is when summer seems to be so very far off!  Snow piled high and not a beach ball in site.  But sooner than we think, we'll be dusting off the patio furniture listening to the morning doves cooing and planning our summer gardens.