A Grateful heart

As close to done as I could get yesterday, though I'll be looking at it long and hard later this morning.

Answered Prayers: Gratitude
oil on canvas, 16x20"

 

As I lit candles and prayed for my family and myself, I didn't know exactly what I was asking for, but it turned out to include a life as an artist, fidelity, and unconditional love.

Painting detail

 

Art show deets

Please join me 7pm, Friday 13th, for the opening of the spring show at Mason Murer Fine Art gallery masonmurer.com Click on the link for directions.
The show runs through May 12.

New series: Answered Prayers
In 2004 I was lighting candles in Italian churches and praying for my family's happiness. I didn't know what I was praying for until later, when I learned what makes each of them - including me - happy.
Harmonium, 18x36", oil on canvas

More Tomatoes & Knives

Sometimes I find the knives, sometimes they find me. I audition tomatoes at the farmers markets.

Home stretch

Rocked out on the last painting, the one that's my answered prayer. Decided to add my dogs - my stand-in for unconditional love - and a jar of brushes. There's a basket on the lower left that actually held candles, but it looks remarkably like a dog bed. That's where I'll place the dogs and next to it the mason jar with brushes.  It will be relatively subtle.
 One of the reasons this image is mine is the shadow that divides the space. Being a Gemini and all, and keenly aware of my dual nature, this speaks to me.
Today I'll be deepening the darks and adding the dog/jar/brushes. Maybe hanging a triangle from a candelabra arm.
No title yet, though I am considering several; among them 'Grateful Heart,' 'Ars Longa, Vita Brevis', 'Divine Intervention.'
I've got four tomato and knife paintings done and four out of five of the Answered Prayers. Showtime is April 13. That's a Friday.  I know, right? Still, lucky for some, as they say.
I have exactly seven days to have this finished, dry, varnished and wired. It's possible. Really.

Adding this from Tuesday

Made darks darker, added a layer to the rug and the stone floor and sharpened the candelabra. One more round of light on the right side wall - not there yet but closer to the value I'm aiming for.

Carefully added Moochie and Maddie - scraped the paint off and did it again on a different scale, with only one dog. Better. Then added the jar and brushes. Worked wet on wet and fast (for me).
Here's a detail of the new elements.

Time's a wastin'

Harmonium's last day on the easel.

One minute I'm chugging along in the studio at a measured pace, one eye on finishing up the series for  my next Mason Murer group show, the other on a new triptych that's in the drawing stages, and Wham.
First an email pops up about a Mid-summers Nights Dream Show in June (small works, under $2000, one night only) Sure, count me in.
Followed by a letter accepting two of my paintings - Clothe the Naked and Thirsty - for the Decatur Arts Festival fine art show. Yippee.
This morning I confirmed the date of the show at Mason Murer, which I had a hazy idea was scheduled for end of April, beginning of May....nope. My paintings are due on April 10th for an April 13 opening.  I'm sending three ( maybe four) Answered Prayers) and three (maybe four) of the Tomato & Knives paintings.
Yikes! I lunged across my desk to the easel, where I have been moving paint to canvas ever since.  I don't expect to surface from the studio until April 9th. Nothing beats a deadline.