Of two minds.....

   Studio Work         Paint the Beach Work

 

Experimental art beckons to me with paintings waiting for that last touch of the brush.  My gear is stacked and ready for tomorrow at the gallery and the start of a new season of Fort Myers Beach Art Association.  We gather to paint and inspire each other, hoping to produce a masterpiece.  I am starting with a blank paper tomorrow...who knows where it will go?

 

And here on the table are the parts and pieces for the Paint the Beach plein air festival which occurs in two weeks.  Wednesday the chairmen will meet here so I can pass along some items but more will follow as the prizes, posters, and supplies needed are stacked in readiness.  The roster is full with artists eagerly awaiting the week of painting fun.  We hope that the construction along Estero Blvd won't discourage visitors and buyers.  The art is well worth any little delay in arriving!!

 

It's busy this week with painting, picking up my new car, meetings, helping the Beach Elementary students do their plein air work (to be displayed at the tent), a beach party on Friday and more.

 

On Saturday I'll paint in Ding Darling along the trail.  Past years have been enjoyable and successful as I've sold the painting right off the easel.  What fun!!

 

 

 

 

Saturday....

What a great weekend! Mitch helped me do the grocery shopping for the weekend dinner and visit from Steve & Karen. Good exercise for him in prep for school  Monday and gave me a leg up on food prep.
I made the chocolate lasagna recipe for dessert which turned out to be too rich for most of us. Vote was to use our old chocolate cream dessert recipe next time....which everyone loves.
After spending the morning prepping diner I was off to the KIA to a brush making class. Too funny as it was all potters making brushes for slips and glazes. There was a pile of pelts and bamboo for handles to use in the process.   It was a lot harder than you'd think to get the bundles of hairs tied tightly for glueing.
Wild boar was the most slippery. Fox and deer difficult too. But I made three and now that I know how may try some other materials to make texture brushes.
The family was here for dinner, missing Paige and Allie, with all of us enjoying the company. Cutter was his usual goofy self with Ranger avoiding him when possible. Fortunately the other two dogs stayed home!!!
Now to the fall migration where I look forward to some painting days and a bit of beach time.

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With the boys.....

My travels since returning from out west have been 20 minute trips between our daughter's home and ours.  Ethan and I held down the fort while Mitch had his surgery at Mayo and kept mom and dad busy out there with him. 

Each day I awoke early, or earlier if the dogs barked, and got E off to school at 7.  After that I fed the dogs and myself then drove back home to take care of things there.  Piles of laundry took a while and then I began to pack for our migration South. Back to be there when E returned home from school and then the dinner, homework and a bit of chatting before bed.  He is an easy kid and we had a good time though I am pooped from the routine.

After almost two weeks of that, Mitch came home, doing very well and I began my daily duties helping him as he recovers.  George is happy to have me at home by late dinner time and I am happy to sleep in my own bed again after about 5 weeks of not doing so.  I spend my time tending to Mitch, doing a bit of beading and reading, and today catching up using my own pc.

No art at all but I've been thinking about  new projects and materials I want to try. There is a huge pile of stuff to take south piling up.    And  Paint the Beach takes place in a month and there are many last minute things to check and do.  I will be happy to just be out painting in the sunshine again, no thought of prizes of exhibits at all!!!