I've been so inspired this month to return to my pink ribbon series with the many events that have taken place here in Connecticut for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
On my quest for new items to paint or showcase in my still life paintings I found this delicate pink rose tea cup with gold trim at a local consignment shop.

Look for more pink ribbon paintings this month!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
For breast cancer awareness month, Six Summit Gallery, Ivoryton, CT put out a call for artist to enter their “In the Pink” Juried Show. Running for Oct 3, 2012 - No?

I'm in!
I submitted three of my pink ribbon series painting and one was accepted! I was thrilled to be apart of this show.

Taking a Ride
This morning Dean and I took a scenic ride along route 80 to Ivoryton,CT to drop off the Watermelon and Pink Ribbon Painting.

The sun was shining and a crisp clear sky hinted to the beginning of a colorful fall season ahead of us. I’ve always loved fall since I was a little girl. I can remember so anxiously wanting to help rake the leaves into a big pile, (a pile taller than me... but that wasn’t saying much because the neighborhood kids called me smidge) in the front yard and then running and jumping in them! I still can remember my dad patiently raking the pile back to it’s  original height and we’d get a running start and scream our way to the leave pile. I get the biggest kick out my own kids repeating my childhood... I guess it’s inevitable - kids and leaves piles.... a color- filled explosion of fun!  

I'm always looking for ways to share my artwork with others. And I'm so excited to tell you about this new line of greeting cards I designed and printed with Send Out Cards.
I've been sending cards through the mail for over a year now with Send Out Cards and when Send Out Cards offered a Photo/print shop for bulk greeting cards I found it such a complimentary service to offer in conjunction with my art business.

• professionally printed
• blank on the inside
• envelopes included
• PLUS a portion of the proceeds will go to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Breast Cancer Awareness Charity.

If you're interested in placing an order for a set or two of these lovely art cards....  please click here.

And I just want to say a special thanks to all Linda Kuehlewind, Chrissy Kuehlewind. Debbie Nolan, MaryAnn Purtill, Trisha Watson and Hannah Jacob for supporting  us and the cause. Blessings to you all!

On my way into BJ's yesterday for just a few things... ha ha who am I kidding. 
In front of me was a bin of watermelons. I looked closely and notice the pink ribbon logo. So upon investigation I found the website below is a sponsor of Breast Cancer Awareness.. makes sense... think pink... watermelon... that's today's inspiration.

This painting wil be on display and available for purchase at our ART GATHERING Friday night at Main Street Cafe in Cheshire, CT

Hope you can join us!

Well my first art opening is coming up this Friday at the Main Street Caffe in Cheshire and I'm a bit nervous. I sent out the invites, posted it on Facebook and started to panic that I didn't have enough artwork to show. I know silly me... but this is how my mind works. I got up at 3:30am headed for the refrigerator and there was a fresh package of strawberries just screaming out "paint me, paint me!"
Really? It's the middle of the night should everyone be sleeping?
Well... needless to say.... I wash the strawberries arranged them on the new pink striped kitchen towel Veronica and I picked out at Ikea on Friday night... and the rest was history.

I'll be bringing this painting to the show on Friday even if the paint doesn't dry in time... how much fresher can it be off the easel....;)

Hope you can join us... it's from 5-7pm 
209 W. Main Street, Cheshire CT
It's a little tricky to find but look for the clock out front that says "Coffee" on it ...
by the way... Main Street Cafe not only has great food and coffee but the gifts - jewelry, scarfs, coffee mugs are worth checking out!
Hope to see you there!

Pink ribbon, pink grapefruit and pink depression glass... so many different shades of pink coming together on one canvas.

The inspiration for this painting came from a visit to the gym yesterday. It was late in the afternoon, I ran into my friend Hannah, we chatted for a few minutes and off I went to workout on the elipical... that’s when the creative ideas started circulating....

If you’ve been following my journal/blog I create six paintings at the beginning of March in honor of Hannah. I met Hannah over a year ago at our church and it was just this January Hannah was diagnosed with breast cancer. What shocking news, especially consider that Hannah is only in her 30’s and in excellent physical condition (she’s a runner). 

A large group of women at our church got together after service and prayed for Hannah and I have to say it was such a powerful experience. It touched me in a way that I wanted to reach out to Hannah, let her know how much I cared, but didn’t have the words to say it... so I painted it instead. One painting lead to the next with the pink ribbon woven into each still life..... it just felt happy, joyful and hopeful.. well, at least that’s what I was trying convey.

My thoughts and prayers are with you Hannah.

The lazy girl’s plein air painting is what I should have named this one.


plein-air |ˈplān ˈe(ə)r|

adjective [ attrib. ]
denoting or in the manner of a 19th-century style of painting outdoors, or with a strong sense of the open air, that became a central feature of French Impressionism.

ORIGIN from French en plein air ‘in the open air.’

Today the sun was shining so brightly through the kitchen window I felt compelled to venture upstairs from my controlled lighting environment art studio - in other words, I’m the master of the lamp that shines the light on each still life I paint. I decide how bright, where it’s going to light an object and it never changes...unless a) I change it or b) the bulb burns out.

Today I was willing to turn that control over to the sun like the plein-air painters do. With the exception that... this is where the lazy part comes in..... it’s still March and it’s still  way too cold outside so inside painting at the window is my version of plein-air painting.  The challenges were the same - the sun was playing hide and seek with the clouds and the longer I fussed with the details the further the shadows shifted. 

All and all.... the process was joyful and the pink ribbon and roses had a spotlight again today... which brought thought and prayers to Hannah as she recovers from Tuesday’s surgery. 

I fell in love with this shiny little vase in the Good Will Store. Among a sea of trinkets, plates, dishes and glasses, this one jumped off the shelf and into my basket. The shiny vase said, “I know, I know, shiny objects are very challenging to paint... but I think you’ll be very pleased when you’re finish.”

So I smiled. Paid for my assortment of cups, plates and this loud mouth shiny one. Returned home.

A few days later, I could hear the whispers from the shelf where my newly purchased props sat.... “use me in your next painting... place those pretty white flowers inside, add a little bit of eucalyptus and wrap that pink ribbon around my shoulders... and I promise to sit perfectly still so you can paint my reflection.”

Talking vases... who knew?

But the reality is.... the pink ribbon is both a common thread through this week’s paintings which symbolize the hope, prayers and thoughts for Hannah as she faces the reality of breast cancer. Stay strong beautiful one!

Why the combination of lemon, a bowl of sugar and spoon, daisy and pink ribbon? I can’t even answer it myself. I just started arranging these objects that were sitting around and this is what spoke to me... it said “paint me, please”... what a  well- mannered still life, don’t you think?

What I do know is the pink ribbon reminds me of Hannah and as I paint I pray for her and God’s hand of protection on her as she faces her surgery tomorrow.

I didn’t even finish “Pink Rose and Ribbon” and the idea of this still life came to me. Painting ribbons are very challenging but putting it into perspective... it’s a piece of cake next to fight breast cancer. This piece is another tribute to Hannah as she faces surgery next week. Thoughts and prayers are with you sweet thing!