Valentine Print

I guess, I could have called this print

"Going Dutch"

Periodically I have created little paintings,

colored ink drawings

or mono prints for special occasions.

Last year was the "Mad Hatter Love Fest"

Christmas slipped by--

so I started early not to miss Valentines Day.

For some reason I could not shake the vision of a Dutch rabbit--my favorite.

I was compelled.

I know rabbits and baskets are for Easter,

but I had to do it.

"Abounding"

Shower me down

Abounding love

seized.....

Sweet Spring!

Cowgirl Up

http://www.cowgirlupart.com/

This is a really nice site.

You can go to the artist list and see a sampling of

who will be there and what they will be showing.

I enjoyed looking.

CowGirl Up is an invitational exhibition and sale

March 26th

at the Desert Caballeros Museum in Wickenburg, AZ

Last year we sent paintings

but weren't able to attend.

Greg and I are going this year.

The day before on the 25th we'll be at the Wilde Meyer Gallery

for my annual spring show.

Thursday Evening 7:00 pm

Come by if you can.

Creating a Space to Paint--easel

This picture shows my basic easel idea

---- spanning a double book shelf

Which provided space to keep books and supplies and

whatever.

Studio Easel--Red Shoe Studio--Apache Junction, AZ
2002

(My original 1985 easel was just a simple framework

that leaned up against the wall.)

Then the easel evolved into this version.

It also had a twin there out of view on the right .

The two easels linked together allowed me to paint an 18 by 6 foot triptych

once upon a time.


A close up here shows the basic idea.

Holes drilled in the vertical wood side ends.

I've always used these giant nails to hold up the cross piece--

they might be called concrete nails--

About a foot long.





Now this is the latest incarnation. I designed it and a friend of ours built it.

This time no book shelves behind--no sliding doors.

A small shelf at the top attached to the wall --12 inches deep--

supports the flat surfaced easel.

And gives me a place for my special books

with storage for extra canvases behind.

I considered buying a free standing easel for my new studio--

but I like to be able to move the painting up or down

all together or one end or the other.

I paint mostly horizontal large paintings

which doesn't work so well with even the most expensive free standing easel.

I usually sit to paint--but with this I could stand.

We built the extra cross board

to hold small paintings when I'm working on a series.

These little ones are from the series

"When Poppa Brought the Rain Home."




If you can't have your own personal studio right now--

You could have your own closest studio

using this idea.

Put everything inside--even the painting holding horizontal board

and the giant nails.

The two vertical rows of holes

would be the only visible clue.

My new Red Shoes Studio

Shanrila-la
Oregon House, CA

To Love and To Be Loved----Purses and Shoes

If you are not familiar with Icon Shoes

a visit to their website will be a fun adventure--

Art on purses and shoes.

My daughter, Roxanne has been collecting Icon shoes for years.

Being purse lovers, we talked about how much fun it would be to see

Carter Holman images in their collection.

They make beautiful high quality products.

Roxanne sent Icon Shoes one of my

Evolution of a Self-taught Painter books--

as an introduction.

Like planting a seed---

That was more than 2 years ago.

I hear that this spring the complete line of shoes and purses

To Loved and to be Loved

will be available to see and buy.

I guess you can find them right now in their shops

but not on line---

until now?

We took sample to the festivals in Arizona.
It was fun to see such a positive response.
Take a look for yourself--
http://www.iconshoes.com/

Beginning again

I don't know quite where to start.

My last post was in October.

How could that be?

Things are just now settling out.

I painted in my new studio

at my new easel

for the first time

in months--

today.

Moving the studio from one room to another

is equivalent to the average person moving to another house.

So many things to find a new place for.

It's a burden--most people see it that way--

to have so many things.

For me it's like having a large pallet.

And I do.

So we have been moving furniture--dishes--collectibles for two months.

Our website had to be redone---

All better now.

And new.

Nothing stays the same.

November and part of October

was filled with preparing for outdoor art festivals.

In October we went back to our home town Cushing, Oklahoma

and participated in the Art in the Park Festival.

It was fun to see and meet friends and family.

Then there was the Olive and Wine Festival across the street.

Really!

A show at the Lilly Vijil Gallery in Nevada City--

Very nice Southwestern flavored spot.

A fun Day of the Dead show.

Then we went to Arizona for two outdoor festivals.

It is very special to actually meet the people that appreciate my work.

Our daughter Roxanne came up from Fort Worth to help.

Great to spend time with her and see her in action.

We stayed with our friends Mark and Betty

of the Wilde Meyer Gallery.

It was fun to see Betty's horses down in Tucson.

Then we came home to finish the studio move

and get the house ready for

Christmas and the family visit.

And now on to the next detail as the story unfolds.

Henri Matisse said,

"Derive happiness in oneself

from a good days work,

from illuminating the fog

that surrounds us."