Little Paniting

Here is a little painting I just finished for the gallery.  Oh, I don't think I told people about the gallery.  I now belong to a co-op gallery called Gallery Calapooia.  It's fun and keeps me painting.
You can take a peek at www.gallerycalapooia.com

Happy Halloween!

I just hope I get a few trick or treaters this year, or else my back side will look a lot like this ladies.

My Studio

Someone asked me last week why I have never shown a picture of my studio on my blog.  I thought to myself, because it's a mess!  But, then I thought, who cares.  Probably lots of artists have messy studios.  At least I hope they do.  Anyway, here is a picture of my workspace, I did tidy up a bit.
I have a big bay window that my art table sits in front of.  So, I have lots of nice light when I'm painting or drawing.  I have a desk because I have to act like a business owner sometimes.  I own a small greeting card company called Melissa's Art Inc.  Then behind my desk is my computer and printer.  Oh, and I have books, lots and lots of books.  I love books!

 That quilt hanging on the wall is one that I made.  I'm very proud of it.  That's why it's on the wall.

Have a nice weekend everyone!  M.

Lets go to the Pumpkin Patch

Here is a little painting of my daughter on a visit to the pumpkin patch.  She is 27 now, so this was a long time ago.  But, in my mind I can go back to this time any time  I want.  Which is kind of nice for me.
This was done in watercolor on 140 lb paper.  I also used my new wonderful brushes.  Boy, I really needed those.

Highlights Workshop

I just got home from a beyond wonderful workshop, put on by the Highlights Foundation in Honesdale PA.  The workshops are mostly writing workshops.  But, I was lucky enough to get accepted into The Advanced Illustration Workshop, Highlights was offering.  I'm still kind of on a high from the whole experience.  Really, it was worth every penny.
We had wonderful little cabins to stay in. Located in the beautiful mountains of Pennsylvania.  Meals were delicious and the wine flowed freely in the evening, if you wanted to take part.  Which I did.
Our instructors were, E.B. Lewis, Matt Tavares and Joy Chu.  All were so interesting and all of them taught me new things and new ways to look at things.  The whole workshop was really designed to open us up and push our boundaries, which it did ten fold.  If you ever get a chance to take one of their workshops I highly recommend it.  Here are a few photos of my time there.

This is our group of illustrators, along with our teachers and our den mother Cindy Smith.  I kind of fell in love with all these people.

This is a cut paper project that Joy Chu had us work on.  Our task was to come up with a character and them illustrate it in cut paper.  We needed to make a flap so the head would open up and then show what that character was thinking about.  I loved doing this.  Here is what was inside my lions head.

He went to the big city!  I think he might have a date!  I now, love working with cut paper.  Who would have thought?

Here I am working hard.  I think it was getting pretty late, but who cares, it was fun, fun, fun!

You can find out more about the workshops Highlights has to offer at their web site.  www.highlightsfoundation.com

New Bike

I have a new bike.  Yes, I ride around town on a bike.  What's not to love about cruising along on a summers day.  If I could make Lois sit in a basket and ride with me, it would be perfect.  She wants nothing to do with bike riding.  I think she prefers wandering around the back yard, smelling the grass.

Here is a new painting I just finished.  I'm not sure if I love it or not.  Guess I'll think about it for a bit.

Nice day for a Ride

Well, it's a nice day for a ride on an elephant.  I wish.  Gosh, I do love elephants.   I have talked about this the past,  I have a very long relationship with an elephant named Packy who lives at the Washington Park Zoo.  He's my favorite.  I have loved him since I was 5 years old.  My parents would not buy him for me.  So, he had to stay at the zoo.  He seems happy enough.  I guess things turn out for the best.  I will just have to go visit him.  I wish those darn zoo keepers would let me inside his house.  But, they won't.   They say it's a safety thing.  Zoo keepers, you can't control them.