Ohhhhh…this painting is absolutely glorious, Dreama. Please, please, please consider it amongst all the other beautiful paintings for your 2014 calendar. There’s a special magic to this one – the colours, the composition, and your magical words accompanying it. Beautiful!
Beautiful, Dreama. These are my kinda springtime gals.
Have a great time in Whidby Island. Looking forward to all the photos and shiny happy faces of all the artists and their shiny happy colourful creations.
“The Look”
12 x 12″ oil on museum quality panel
SOLD
It is THE look. The one Ed gives me when things are not going to his liking. Which means it’s his normal, everyday, what have you done for me lately look.
I was actually happy to capture this as it can be used in my defense in case he ever turns up “missing” and I am implicated. Eddie is the godfather of the brat pack and for all of his pleasant posing for the paparazzi, on occasion, the old fur mask slips a bit and the REAL Ed shows up;))
This is what people mean when they say someone gave them a catty look.
I looked it up in the dictionary and looky whose pic I found….
Catty Look—adj. being subtly or indirectly insulting
So…it’s Ed and fresh lilacs today.
Sorry about the Ed part.
I’m escaping from Ed traveling this week-end to Whidbey Island, WA to teach a couple of workshops —I’ve seen the list of names and I am excited to meet up with some “repeat offenders” and some new faces too–it’s gonna be fun!
All my US 2014 workshops are now posted—including my Shreveport, LA workshops which have just opened up. You can check them out by clicking here
I am heading to France next month and taking people with me—whether they want to go or not:))
Who are we kidding?? That 10 day painting adventure in the southwest of France filled up faster than Eddie at an all you can eat tuna buffet!
Evidently lots of people like croissants and blue shutters. And way old buildings and climbing roses. And chocolate and….well, you get the picture. It’s good to know I am not alone in my France obsession;)
I fully intend to take you with me via pictures and posting, so stay tuned:)))
Today we re-adopted Miss Kitty who had been re-adopted by my daughter a few years earlier…so my daughter said “now you can become a cat painter” and I got very excited about that idea when I thought of you and Eddie and all the possibilities!
Ahhh…yes….’the look’ – I know it all too well. I think most cat lovers know and have experienced this look many, many times.
In our house, it’s our black cat, Phillo (the feline version of le enfant terrible) – he’s truly adorable, but he also whinges and whines and complaints (loudly!) when something (usually most everything) isn’t EXACTLY to his absolute liking or his high standard of ultra-convenience, lol.
You really have captured that specific expression perfectly, Dreama. No doubt it made Eddie annoyed, though, heehee.
I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish I was going with you and all the lucky artists to France next month. But I’ll be with you in spirit, and experience it vicariously through the blog and the photos you’ll be taking all throughout the adventure. I will have to take comfort by eating many croissants, lots of brie, and down several glasses of wine, while reading (again!) ‘Chocolat,’ – as well as the latest in the series, ‘Peaches for Monsieur Le Cure’.
p.s. – bet you all had a great time in Whidbey Island. That part of the US is beautiful, and one day, I’d love to travel there.
Do you know about the traditional bakery there? I have to check back to get the name of it, but it’s owned and run with much love by two fellas (can’t remember their names, though – d’oh!). And there’s also the Macrina Bakery in …. is it Seattle? That’s where the book ‘By Bread Alone’ by Judi Hendricks was based on…on Queen Anne Street, I think?
Okay…okay…I’ll stop rabbitting on now and get back to feeding my fellas – one of them (guess which one?) is giving me ‘the look’…again.
“Red, White and Scented”
12 x 12″ oil on museum quality panel
SOLD
Empty.
We may fear this. Feeling empty, hollowed out inside.
Absent of the “noise” of life
So used to full that empty feels strange.
Consider though…
The Grand Canyon
An Empty that brings us to a place of awe
Hollow of a Tree
An Empty that offers a safe respite from the storm
Lungs
An Empty that gives us space to breathe into
Half Empty Glass
An Empty from which to measure abundance
A Ballroom
An Empty space in which to dance
To be full of things is to be empty of God. To be empty of things is to be full of God.
~Meister Eckhart
I think about that ‘empty’ space a lot. That emptiness is what allows for something to actually evolve in a natural way. I’ve had to learn that over the years- because one of the traps of being an artist is to always want to be creating, always wanting to produce.
~Meredith Monk
Sometimes it is useful to look at what can be emptied out in life
Beautiful, thought-provoking words that accompany an equally beautiful painting.
Empty – as in, waiting to be filled and re-filled again and again, with abundance. Our own special and unique cup to fill, or to ‘runneth over’ with joy, love and beauty.
Empty – similar to ‘blank,’ as in, a blank canvas, just waiting in eager and loving anticipation for the artist to splash glorious colours and emotions onto it.
Empty – as in ‘new’ or ‘afresh’. Was it Anne Shirley, in ‘Anne of Green Gables,’ who exclaimed how much she loved the start of every morning? That each new day was brand new, with no mistakes yet in it. Something along those lines, I think, right?
Thanks for sharing this, Dreama. It is a glorious painting, filled with glorious colours and one of my favouries in this year’s calendar – as a matter of fact, it was the painting for last month. Every time I’d look up from my craft table, there it would be, making me smile.
“A Beautiful Day Awaits”
12 x 12in oil on museum quality panel
SOLD
As the morning sun starts spreading its warmth and light over everything in it’s path it’s soeasy to imagine the JOY an ordinary day can hold:))
May JOY spreads its warmth and light over your day like liquid sunshine!
Springfield, Virginia Workshop II
My time in the Washington, DC area was simply wonderful. I ate way too well AND got to run around a bit to see some sights:)) Eddie Bill only called a few times to complain about Eddie Pierre (okay, that’s not counting all the text messages…ones like OMG EP is NOT my BFF –he 8 all the FFSBT)(Fancy Feast Savory Blend Tuna)—while I got to do tons of painting and meet some fun/crazy/talented/hardworking artists.
Here’s me adding one last stroke to A Beautiful Day Awaits. Okay, maybe not the last stroke. Maybe the 10th “last stroke”….you know—the just one more thing and then I’m REALLY done stroke/phase of painting:)))
Some absolutely gorgeous paintings from Day One—always love seeing all the paintings together –look how the personality of each artist has shown up!
Miles of smiles at this workshop….
Which made for lots of joyful paintings:)!!
Springtime in Springfield with a super talented bunch of gals:)!!
Sandra, Judith (Judy), Bobbi, Rebecca (Becky), Rebecca, Debra, Deena, Nancy, Vijaya, Lydia, Nancy, Judy, Susan, Barbara, Vicki, Jean, Julie–and my wonderful hosts, Gloria and Susan! So many familiar faces in this workshop and lots of new ones made for a very special three days—a very warm thanks to each of you for bringing your best self and making beautiful art!!
A glorious and beautiful painting that goes perfectly with its equally beautiful title. I wish for you and for all of us the very same – each and every day filled with warmth and light, filling up our collective hearts and souls and spirits like liquid sunshine.
Miles of smiles, most definitely! Look at those beaming faces. And all those beaming paintings, too. Wonderful! As always, I wish I could’ve been there – and maybe one day, as I’m saving my pennies (and euros), it may even happen.
In the meantime and until then, thanks for sharing these piccies with us (artists at ‘work’ – which is really ‘play’ to me, always gets my creative mojo going full blast).
“A Colorful Kind of Joy”
12 x 12in oil on museum quality panel
SOLD
In your enjoyment of the day remember to take a moment and catch the night sky:))
Full moon and stars that will take your breath away!
Diamond twinkles that bring a sense of awe
And falling stars to remind you
of just how special you are.
Millions of stars are watching and waiting for you
to simply
Look up:)!
Eddie says I need to just go ahead and announce the ten awesome peeps who won a copy of my latest book
Be Inspired, Adventures for the Heart.
Says the excitement is killing him.
(I’m sure it has nothing to do with him wanting to take a nap on the chair where I have the books sitting at the moment…)
Ten Awesome Peeps
Pat Alto
Karen Gifford
Mary Beth
Jana Withers
Carla Pasley
Fran Chuba
Carol Schiff
Anthony Whiting
Nina Snyder
Kay Wyne
Congrats to each of the winners and thanks to all of you for sharing what inspires you!!
(Winners please contact me with your snail mail address and I’ll drop your copy in the mail.)
A very special thanks to each of you who have already ordered a copy—it means so much!
To learn more about Be Inspired, Adventures for the Heart (and download your free copy or order your hard copy version) just click here.
To read all the inspiring comments left by all the amazing folks who read this blog, click here:))
P.S. Details on the Springfield Workshop II to follow:)!
P.S.S.Only 3 more days ’til my 2014 Workshop Schedule is released:)) If you wanna hear about it ASAP make sure you’re subscribed. You can do that by clicking here:))
Bring on those gorgeous, gorgeous colours!
What a beautiful and bright painting this is. Another contender for the 2014 calendar, I’m hoping?
I regularly go outside and look up at the night sky to take in all the amazing and literally wonderful/wonder-filled and awesome (and awe-inspiring) amazing-ness that are there in the heavens above.
Congrats to all the 10 lucky winners of ‘Be Inspired’! I hope to be buying my copy of it sooner rather than later.
Thanks, Dreama, for all the colours and the joy you bring.
“True Colors”
12 x 12in oil on museum quality panel
SOLD
Blue shutters, terra cotta pots, blooming roses and medieval buildings.
True colors in France:))
I love the song by that same name (True Colors).
A reminder that the real beauty lies in being ourselves, showing our true colors.
The patina that comes with the age of the buildings in France has a beauty that a new “perfectly finished” building of today simply cannot compete with.
Old fashioned roses have a fragrance that the newer hybrids simply can’t match.
Don’t be afraid to let them show….your true colors, like those of France, are beautiful—today be sure and show your
TRUECOLORS!!!
If video doesn’t appear, just click here to view:))
Springfield Workshop I
As always, my workshop with these great artists flew by way too quickly! So much talent, so many heartfelt stories and sharing among these gals. My wonderful hosts, Gloria Benedetto and Susan Johnson, made everyone feel welcome and supplied so many goodies to keep the energy going….including a little meet and greet for everyone!
From musical easels to marketing and motivation
With artists from Canada to Texas and Atlanta to Maryland
We had a super 3 days!!
Sassy and Soulful Artists in Springfield, VA:))
Marni, Ursula, Mary, Susan, Lorraine, Linda, Carol, Gloria, Michaelanne, Sue, Linda, Cathy, Tammy, Goodrich, Kim, Paula, Diane, and Lorrie….thank you for letting me hang out with you for 3 artful days!!!
Another beautiful painting, without glorious true colours abounding. Both France and Italy have a truly magical way of doing that – as antiquated and weathered as many roads and buildings are, their true colours shine forth, regardless…their soul and their heart and their character shines through, untarnished by time, but instead, even more beautiful with the passing years.
I’d like to be able to say and believe that too, about my own aging and weathering through the years. That even though I’m no longer ‘new’, I may still have a glean, a glow on the inside that shows on the outside. That my true colours, old as they may now be, are still bright, are still shining, are still vivid, and that I won’t ever be afraid to show my true colours and express them, untarnished even with all that weathering through many blustery storms and deserts that life presents along the journey.
Everyone looks like they had a fantabulous time with you, just as you did with them, for those three days in Virginia. All those happy faces, accompanied by all those very happy and colourful creations. Well done to all of you. May all of your collective true colours always shine brightly.
True Blue Friends
12 x 12in oil on museum quality panel
SOLD
Blue
(whether it be in friends, an old canning jar, or awesome skies framing pink spring blossoms)
has the wonderful ability to
to soothe the soul and lift the spirits:))
Springfield, Virginia Workshop I has been filled with….
Blossoms
Washington under the stars
Little Italian donuts with chocolate and amaretto dipping sauce with fresh dark roast coffee
and Ducks
(Meet my friend Duckie
waiting tub side as a welcome for weary travelers at a roadside hotel in Staunton, VA.
He’s now traveling with me and makes me smile every time I see him:)))
Just when you think it can’t get any better….15 awesome artists show up to share their love of painting for three days!
Sunny sunflowers and tantalizing tulips kicked off the first day’s work!
More paintings, more artists, more fun in Springfield, VA to follow:)))!!
P.S. I will be drawing for the 10winners of the Be Inspired, Adventures for the Heart books next week on my return home to Paris:))
P.S.S. If you missed my April Letter it had some fun stuff in it…you can catch up by clicking here:))
Bonnie Schallermeir, Watercolor Artist 
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Catty Look—adj. being subtly or indirectly insulting
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Ohhhhh…this painting is absolutely glorious, Dreama. Please, please, please consider it amongst all the other beautiful paintings for your 2014 calendar. There’s a special magic to this one – the colours, the composition, and your magical words accompanying it. Beautiful!