What a turkey! No really.

This is the kind of day I have had. Stressed, trying to get artwork together to hang at the gallery. A last minute call asking me if I could hang a few days early. Yikes. I won't even bother to mention that both my honey and I are under the weather. As I am frantically framing and wiring paintings a movement in our backyard/woods catches my eye. Lord above...20 wild turkeys taking a stroll past the pool. Luckily we have a pool enclosure otherwise they would probably be doing the backstroke as I write this. They came around the side of the house to get a sneak peek at the artwork for next week's opening. They walked up the stairs of the patio to the studio door. They peered in, freaking Harold the cat out.
These birds are huge. The males stood waist high and I am almost 5'8". I snapped photos, my husband came out, our neighbor came over. (I learned some of these were jakes, year old males. One can tell by the long feathers on their tails.) The turkeys thought we were very interesting, not in the least bit afraid. I could have pet these crazy things. The only time they gobbled in alarm was when they wandered away and a car drove by. A little bit of Florida wildlife. Reminder: earlier posts include information on pythons. At least with these we could eat them not the other way around.

the Beach Lady and her perfect match

Eureka! A beach lady and the perfect frame have met. It is always a trial to find the perfect match. The perfect spouse (I have that one), the perfect shoes, the perfect purse, the perfect bottle of wine, you get the picture, "ha!", said the artist,"yes, you get the picture." This painting I am posting a hint of is the infamous "Where are the Children?" She has endured lots of comments about her zippy bathing suit and her dozing while the children played near a beach, what kind of mother is this anyway? Well she has been cornered, so to speak, by a frame I painted with a multitude of pattern. They have cohabited in the same house for a while and never met until this morning. They are about as happy as a couple can be. They look good together. They complement each other. They prop each other up when the other is down. Okay this is getting out of hand. Six days of cold and cough medicine have literally gone to my head.
Bottom line is the lovely beach lady will be turned out in style for the March 6th opening at Artistree Co-op. The event will be from 6:30-8:30. Come see her. She will be hanging around with other new characters for the month of March at this lovely spot at 1600 Edgewater in the College Park area of Orlando.

Family, Love, Life, Wind

Reviewing a portion of a painting started for the hurricane show. This is a very small section of the 24" x 36" piece. The background is a collage of torn paper, the sea of flood waters. The woman is a return to my madonna/mother images. She is holding her baby tightly, her side to the wind, bracing herself. The trees and houses are caught in the rabid winds. Several of the images take me back to the spirit of previous paintings. Family, Love, Life...is the first to come to mind. Family, baby, the wind or whatever blows a family.
Stay tuned for more.

Mardi Gras radio via Starbucks

A New Orleanian office on Mardi Gras. Note: opened and beautiful Valentine Day tulips, gold beads with fleur de lis, frog with crown (on Mardi Gras somebody needs a crown), and the music you cannot hear. Starbucks has been selling a great CD of Mardi Gras tunes. The best way to start it out is with my all-time favorite Iko Iko sung by the Dixie Cups. I have told my family and written on my will that I want this played at my funeral for the recessional. The most joyous, infectious, get out of your chair song you have ever heard. Following this cheer is Litenie des Saints with Dr. John, Fats Domino's When the Saints go Marching In (the song of the year), and Professor Longhair's Go to the Mardi Gras. This is only the beginning of a long list of heartfelt going home kind of songs. Hope you can still find it and enjoy the sound of New Orleans' radio stations at Mardi Gras.
P.S. The purple, green, and gold beads are on the wreath at the front door. The king cake has long been inhaled. Don't forget lent begins tomorrow. What are you going to sacrifice? Reminder: this is all related to Catholic/Christian themes. Love to all in purple, green, and gold.

Tulips together

I am grateful I have Valentines. My wonderful children sent me these magnificent tulips for Valentines Day. They have opened over the last few days and been wondrous each hour. Several years ago in a painting class we were painting unopened tulips. As the class progressed the tulips began to open toward the large light source. It was beautiful, like a nature film. Did you see the Vancouver opening ceremonies last night? It was a spectacular nature film unto itself. Be sure to watch it somewhere, somehow. My other Valentine and I watched it after attending a Valentine gathering at the Artistree Co-op.

More to come

To the left is a stack of studies I have begun for my hurricane series. As a Florida resident and New Orleans native I have a few stories to tell. Watch for them as they unfold in the next few weeks. Plus even more exciting developments to watch for!

Geaux Heroes Geaux

Even Riley, our garden pig got into the act this weekend. Geaux Saints, Laissez les bonnes temps roulez!, Who Dat...all ushered in the weekend New Orleans and its fans have waited for. Having grown up in New Orleans there is a part of my heart that beats harder when something is said about the Crescent City. I admire the people who stayed, returned or ventured into the city for the first time after Katrina. These were real pioneers. Things were rough, things were dirty, things were depressing, and there was a long way to go to reach a success that outsiders could comprehend. I can only imagine how difficult it was living in New Orleans. The house I grew up in was under 5 feet of water. The present homeowners were heroic and put it back together. 85% of the city was under water. That includes more than what you saw on tv, that includes many more people than you saw on tv. There are lots of people who are putting the city back together and there are a lot more who will continue putting it back together. They are heroes. Our doctor friend has stayed past the point of exhaustion to carry out his oath to do no harm. Leaving the folks in New Orleans without medical care would do harm. He is a hero. The Saints as a team and as individuals are heroes. Tom Benson who kept the team in New Orleans is a hero. New educators who had the vision to build and improve on the poor education system are heroes. People who put their money and muscle into the rebuilding are heroes. New Orleans deserves this win, deserves a pat on the back and encouragement to keep up the heroics that are going to be required to continue the feat of rebuilding a city that took 300 plus years to build and 24 hours to destroy.
Geaux Saints, Geaux good people of New Orleans. When the going gets tough the tough get geauxing.

For two very strong and eye opening accounts of life during and immediately following Katrina check out One Dead in the Attic by Chris Rose and Code Blue: A Katrina Physician's Memoir by Dr. Richard Deichmann. You will have a new perspective on what happened in New Orleans and a new respect for those who endured.

Frame yourself

I have started a collection of picture frames for Artistree Co-op. These are some of the backgrounds I will be using. There will be a piece of plexiglass mounted over the papers. These can personalized with your own photos. Look for them early next week.