Back to Barcelona

Last week's vacation cruising Canal du Midi in southern France started with two days in Barcelona before taking a train to find our boat. That proved challenging, given the rail strike in France – more on that in blogs to come. Since we spent our honeymoon in Spain, we were excited about getting back to Barcelona. Its architecture is […]

Energized Friends

Birds of a feather is a trite way to say it, but I am truly blessed to have some amazingly creative, community-minded, high energy friends. Better yet, they are willing to share their skills, connections, time and knowledge with me, inspiring me to greater heights. Recently, I had dinner with a friend who has a corporate […]

Opportunity Knocks

Not to sound too New Age-y, but sometimes you just have to put the intention out there and then watch carefully for the universe to respond with an opportunity. After devoting a lot of time in the last few years to volunteer board work, I recently decided to focus on my art business. At a farmers market in March, I noticed […]

The As-If Artist

One thing I love almost as much as art is social psychology. I'll spare you details of how I invented a major in consumer psych so I'd be allowed to take college courses in art, marketing, psych, design, advertising, architecture and communications from six departments in four different schools of the university. Suffice it to say I'm fascinated by how colors and shapes […]

Finding a Good Home

People often ask how I can give up my paintings and whether it feels like giving up a child. Well, never having had that sad experience I can't say for sure, but I'm guessing it's quite a bit less traumatic. In fact, it's a relief when my work goes to a good home, with someone who loves it. […]

Pleasures of Produce

This isn’t a New Year’s resolution about eating better, but take it that way if you prefer. My “produce aisle” paintings are very popular – fruits, veggies, wine bottles, etc. They’re often purchased in multiples for collectors’ kitchens or bathrooms. This doesn’t bother me in the least. In fact, I find it flattering that people want to see my […]

Older and Better

No need to choose just one, and I don’t say this simply because of a sign at a recent dinner party saying “silver is the new blond!” Older has given me time and resources to travel more. Better is because I’m healthier (thanks to our CSA farm share) and more fit (thanks to Pilates) than when I […]

Painting Challenges in Portugal

First of all, Portugal actually makes Rome look flat. Once I understood that, the challenges became clear for a dedicated walker who wants to photograph and paint the spectacular views. Famously built on seven hills, Rome is filled with staircases and winding streets. Its relatively gradual inclines are nothing compared to Portugal’s hills, which rise almost straight up. Portuguese […]

Who Curated That?

The term curated has been appropriated recently by trendy shop owners, restauranteurs and others so that every collection of clothing, jewelry, furniture or food is now “curated” just for you. Professional curators have degrees in art history to help them select art and determine how best to preserve, store and display objects. They can spend years putting together exhibits that involve […]

How Exhibits Happen

People visiting my exhibits often ask how I happen to be showing there. Research I did as a consultant revealed many artists sit in their studios hoping a curator or gallery owner will knock on their doors. Not very likely, for most of us, so I try to make my own luck rather than hope for a fairy godmother. This […]