Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Children and Christmas


Well with 5 grandkids and a sixth on the way - this is an exciting time of year. Two of my grandkids had birthdays on the 15th; Jackson turned the big 5 and Cameron turned 3!!! Today the 23rd is also Vicki's birthday, Mark's step mom who passed away this March, we will be having our annual toast of Kahlua for her this evening! It's funny how much you miss people that made you crazy when they were here. Then my oldest son, Alex, turned 26 on the 20th - he thinks he is sooooooooooo old. I actually got to spend his birthday with him this year and just loved our time. His birth was quite an event so I wrote him the following poem for his special day:

HAPPY 26TH BIRTHDAY ALEX !!!
T’was the night before ALEX and all through the house,
not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.
I sat at the table, phone in my hand;
crying to Grandma, “When will this baby land?”
Your Dad was out having beers with the boys,
he stumbled in late and had his football toys.
I was still sitting a tearful wreck,
yelling and screaming, “What the heck?”
His head hit the pillow, I watched the clock tick.
Til my belly started stretching and you gave me a kick!
Up the stairs yelling, “It’s time to go!”
Your Dad still tipsy moved ever so slow.
Stop just a minute he needed to shower,
I sat on the sofa, “Come on it’s the hour!!!”
We raced through the snow to our hospital room,
and now the pain started, I asked, “How long will this loom?”
Sixteen hours later your cute head popped out,
with tears in our eyes we gave a joyful shout!
My how you’ve grown,
THE ADVENTURES YOU’VE SEEN.
Twenty six years later you still make me beam!!!
Love, mom

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Art on the Streets





My Key West Trip. . .
November 1st landed in Ft. Lauderdale - sunny and balmy warm! I spent a fun afternoon with my brother who lives there and got on the road to Key West early Sunday morning. Arriving on the island early afternoon - got to my bed and breakfast ( The Popular House - OMG - they were great!) and settled in. 6 pm was the time to meet my instructor, Sandford Birdsey, and the other students. It was a small gather of ten students, some spouses and local artists! Sandford greeted us all and gave us an overview of the week ahead. We all shared some great wine and food to get ready. The next five days we met at 9 a.m. to go to a corner on Key West and paint a location of Sandford’s choice. We were all over the sidewalks, painting, listening, critiquing - it was a wonderful experience. I learned a lot, met some great people that I will stay in contact with hopefully for many years!
My wish for all of you, my customers & friends. . . that you take time out and find the time to pursue a passion. That you will be selfish and take a trip that is just for you and enjoy it without guilt! Wow, it is amazing!
The two quotes I will take with me daily :
“If you make a mistake, make a big one so everyone thinks you did it on purpose!” And, “Treat yourself with respect and importance, treat your art with respect and importance! Make time for both yourself and your art!”
Sandford Birdsey - she is a recognized Watercolorist and a remarkable woman - check her out at:
http://www.signofsandford.com/
The picture up top is my painting of Blue Heaven restaurant in Bahama Village. The other is of Sandford, me, my new friends from Quebec City - Claudette and Louis! This was at our end of week gallery showing at Simonton Court - beautiful.
Dana

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

BREAK THRU

Well - day 3 in Key West painting with Sandford Birdsley and nine other students. Today was awesome - my painting still needs alot of work but I can see so much progress - AMAZING. The jitters are gone - I am with a great bunch of women - no, no artist! Today was FUN.

We painted Blue Heaven - and I can even tell that is what I painted.

Biked to the beach = took a cat nap! What could be more perfect - well Mark being here would make it perfect!
Dana

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Key West Live

Okay - taking a painting trip is intimidating. I don't understand alot of the challenges of watercolor and this is turning out to be exciting - scarry. Day one was over the top with doubt and a bad painting. Day two has gone better - processed all the info from yesterday and what everyone else did with their work - WOW. So my second painting was better but a long way off. Went back to my room and re-did the painting - better but lots of room for improvement.

This trip is all about GROWTH as an "artist". That is what I want to be when I grow up.

Dana

Thursday, October 30, 2008

KEY WEST ART

Okay I leave in one more day - long day here at the dealership - long week actually. Saturday will be day one - hanging out with my Lauderdale brother Dean! We'll have fun. Then Sunday morning the sunny drive down to Key West. At 6pm I will be attending a reception for all the students to meet and listen to Sandford Birdsley get us started!!! This is going to be such an experience!
On the home front - just to let you know - Mark did jump successfully and he is HOOKED on flying through the air. So, come spring time he will be learning to go solo.
I know I will be learning alot over the next week and will be hopefully posting some of my work and certainly that of the teacher!
Excited!
Dana

Monday, October 20, 2008

PERFECT DAY


With only Sunday's off, one's like yesterday are treasured. I slept until 8am ( which is really late for me), it was so nice. Got up sat with Sophie and drank a couple cups of coffee. Sophie and I then mozied up to the artroom - and got started in a calm way. Usually I am pressed for time and trying to put together a project in panic mode. Yesterday I worked into my project and pieced it together. My brother, Dan, has poor health and I have been supposed to paint his angel for him since - I don't know - March maybe. My mom asked me to get on it because he hasn't been doing well lately. I wanted to take my time and do it right - finally. I had the vision in my head (as I always do) and started to put it on paper. Dan is very religious so I decided to have a faded picture of Jesus Christ included ( that didn't come out as well as planned) but Dan will appreciate it, I'm sure. For the most part, I'm really happy with the finished piece and am sending it out to him today! I didn't really leave the house until late in the afternoon. The sun was shining and all the colors were bright and crisp. Mark and I finished it off grilling chicken and he made the best potatoes ever - salad - glass of wine - what could be better! PERFECT DAY!

Sunday, October 19, 2008

QUEST


13 more days until I leave for en plein air - Key West. My "QUEST". I'm now calling it that instead of my dream trip - because... I wrote of my gift from Jackie, a collage by Edee Joppich! This picture does not do it justice, I'm still trying to figure out the photo - computer thing. Anyways - each day I look into this collage and see so much more than the day before. I am looking at the layers and pulling out new information and inspiration for my "quest" into art.
Grateful to have experienced these two women!

Dana