Little dogs mean a lot

Painted a few small (5x7") works for the Little Things Mean A Lot show at the Swan Coach House Gallery that's opening November 17.
Decided to use my in-house models, who pose for kibble.  I had pulled source images from the Corporal Works of Mercy series. And, honestly, what says 'little things mean a lot' more than an itty-bitty spaniel with a big old heart?

Sit

Stay

Down


Leave it

Art Trifecta

The little telephone painting at the Swan Coach House gallery's 'Little things Mean A lot' show sold. Don't know who bought it yet. Glad it found a home.

There's a nice four page spread of my work in the January issue of American Art Collector. Come New Year's Day try their site, http://www.americanartcollector.com. It's a thrill to see my work in this context. The writing was very well done too, a particular pleasure for this ex-journalist to read.

Best of all, my new website is live, the result of a month of emails winging back and forth between myself and a tech savvy friend. Everything you admire is her work, all errors my own. May I present for your viewing pleasure...
http://www.virginiaparker.net
Ta-da!
Insert celebratory handspring here!

The Virgin complete

The Virgin is complete, and varnished (retouch varnish at this stage). The edges are gesso'd black, though I am toying the the idea of trying gold leaf around the gallery wrap over the black.

She'll go to the Swan House gallery tomorrow. Today I drew the bracelet, then redrew it when the best composition didn't quite click.

First Swan House Sale

Just got the email - the Heirloom Tomato painting sold, and they've asked me to send another small work over. The max size is supposed to be 8x8" but I have offered them what I have on hand - a pair of Venetian doorknockers, an Othello and a Lion of St Mark, that are 8x10." Nothing ventured, etc.

Swan House Gallery show - "Little Things Mean A Lot"

These small works were painted for the Swan House Gallery show. My secretary drawers yielded objects that resonate with meaning for me: the gold pen given me at the outset of my writing career, one of my sketchbooks, a lucky coin, and the pocket watch that belonged to my grandfather. I chose a single heirloom tomato and a bone-handled knife for the pleasure I take in red and sharp edges. I wrote haiku titles to scratch that writer itch.
For the 6x6" o/c the title is:

Time is not money.
If your day is spent drawing
it turns to pure gold.

Here's the 5x7" o/c title:

Heirloom tomatoes
Red and swollen on the vine.
The taste of summer.