This is one of Jamie's and my favorite views from the cliff hike at Cape Blanco State Park Oregon. I took my reference photo sitting on a park bench that was conveniently placed to just sit and watch the ocean, listen to the breezes, and relax. Jamie loved this spot and so did I --- how I miss that fella and how I miss the OR coast!
Fresh off the easel:
I've had a hankering to do a Dungeness Crab on Yupo for a very long time. This joins my Oregon Coast Memories series.
'Washed Up', 10x5, watercolor on Yupo.
Every February my friend Billie Colson sponsors a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis research at her Independence Gallery in Loveland Colorado. The Gnomes I painted at Christmas were so much fun, I decided to do a Gnome and Gnomess, following the Rose theme, to donate this year.
My son Geoff got an adorable sheepadoodle puppy in October, named him Brewer. Geoff just had a birthday and I decided to try something I'd never done before as his gift - a pet portrait. I'm happy to say it turned out pretty darned good, looks just like him.
My sister-in-law Barb Bethel was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and is in the fight of her life. I painted mini Nurse Gnomess to be with her during treatment and give her courage and strength.
Now I'm caught up with my posts. Back to the studio and another Oregon Memory!
I didn't do much painting in 2023. Here are the few I managed to crank out.
We loved camping at the South Monticello park near Elephant Butte NM. This is the view we had from our rv site. Jamie & I loved sitting here and watching all the birds on the lake.
And the ever present wild foxglove that grows everywhere along the South Oregon Coast.
I painted miniatures to use as Christmas gift tags for family; they do double duty as tree ornaments. The Gnomes were especially fun, and very well received.
My final 2023 piece was pretty special. My daughter-in-law Jenise is a great gardener and has a masterpiece yard. This is her agave, the photo taken by Jamie many years ago when the plant was just a baby. I painted it for Jenise, from Jamie & Me --- need I say there wasn't a dry eye in the house?
After a lengthy hiatus, I have gotten back to painting!
To test my mojo, I started with mini watercolors that I will give to my Kids and Grands - as gift tags which double as ornaments. Shhhhh. . .
For myself, and Remembering Jamie, I painted blueberries. Every summer we were on the Oregon Coast, we took junkets to the pick-your-own blueberry farms.
BTW, I'm doing okay with the holidays so far. I miss Jamie terribly. The ornaments we collected in our travels provide sweet memories, many smiles, and quite a few tears. I'm looking forward to Granddaughters' arriving this week and to spending time with my CA family.
I've been in my apartment a month now. It's been a busy month of buying furniture & accessories and dishes & glasses and so much more. Tons of details taken care of too (moving out of an RV and changing resident states is challenging).
The place hasn't felt like I live here --- it's felt like living in a hotel, not really my place. Everything is new, nothing is familiar. I've felt disconnected, displaced, somewhat disoriented.
But yesterday and today I hung my paintings that I just got back from the framer. Now this feels like HOME! It feels like MY PLACE!
I sit in my comfy chair and revisit Norway, Denmark, Ireland, Scotland, and Italy. I stretch out on my sofa and travel back to Canyon Country of Utah and Lee's Ferry AZ where rafters enter Marble Canyon as they begin their journey down the Colorado and through the Grand Canyon.
My paintings take me back to places Jamie and I loved, and where we spent so much time together. Such fond memories of the incredible life we had together. How I miss that man!
TEN WEEKS! And I still wake up thinking you must already be in the kitchen grinding beans for our Daily Cappuccino.
I miss our mornings most of all. I miss our chats. I miss making plans for our day together. And yes, I miss my cappuccino.
We should be taking a hike today, dontcha think? Remember this one? --- over Red Mountain near Bryce Canyon Utah. Great hike, outstanding views, lovely day together.
I miss you so damned much!
