Day 56-Peacefulness

Day 56- Peacefulness

I decided I needed some peace and calm in my life so I painted these trees swaying in communication.

Day 55-Twilight Trees

Day 55-Twilight  Trees

More trees today. I am enjoying the texture and the possibilities of these marks. I wish that I could take that walk at twilight through trees such as these.

That truly is the beauty of being an artist-you can create your own world. How lovely.

I am feeling the project a bit today-this has been a great deal of painting! Fun for sure-but work.

5 days to go-now my attention begins to turn to such things as labels, hangers and all the other details involved with hanging a show.

Day 54- Bright Day

Day 54-Bright Day

Today I wanted to incorporate the new trees with some of the older shapes. Here is the result-they do work together. The brighter colors are a nice relief to the dull ones I used in Days 1-4. This has been a great experience-the focus on the work is so fun and I've become a better painter.


Now, only 6 paintings to go. I will also be painting at the gallery on the weekend of the show.

Day 53-Three Trees

Day 53- Three Trees

These trees are coming along-I like the playfulness of the patterns. More gestural than some previous work. Now it is time to combine these new shapes with the old ones and see what happens...

Day-52

Day 52- Sparkling Trees

These are a new direction for tree paintings-There is definitely possibilities here for more exploration and experimentation.

Day 51- New Trees

Day 51- New Trees

I've been thinking about trees and set up a problem for myself to break down trees into simple form. When considering tree they are complex with leaves and limbs, movement and direction. These two trees have life and movement. Watch for more trees in the upcoming days.

Day 50-Family Portrait:Baby Girl

Day 50-Family Portrait:Baby Girl

Day 50 ....the home stretch awaits me. 10 more paintings to go.


Today continues the Family Portrait Series. I decided to paint this one because we have two new Baby Girls in our family. I like the jaunty tilt of her head. All the girls and women in our family are "spunky" I would expect no less from these new additions.

Day-49 Family Portrait: Grandma & Bingo

Day 49-Family Portrait: Grandma & Bingo

This family is so happy to be together. I love how elderly people love their animals and how their animals love them.

Day 48-Family Portrait: 3 Generations

Day 48- Family Portrait: 3 Generations

Today's painting is of an extended family. We have Mom and Dad, two kids and a Grandma on the right. I particularly like the skinny teenageer and the grandma together.

Day 47-Family Portrait 2

Day 47-Family Portrait 2

Today's painting is a Family Portrait of a single parent with two kids. I realized that in my writing yesterday I called that painting a "typical" family. I'm not sure that is true-it is the stereo-typical family, mom,dad and a 3 kids, but the reality is that there are many, many single parents working their hearts out raising their family.

Day 46-Family Portrait 1

Day 46-Family Portrait 1

This is the first in a short series of Family portraits. This family is fairly typical, 3 kids, mom and dad.

Day 45- I Walk the Line

Day 45- I Walk the Line

Though not a huge fan of Johnny Cash, I definitely grew up on his music and others like Hank Williams. In the song Mr.Cash is walking the line of fidelity, that's not my meaning here.

I am referencing the line we walk as artists. How far to go for art's sake? What is sacrificed when a big project is in process and the artist is totally focused on the work? Is it worth it? Is it healthy?

As a mom, wife, employee and someone who has many & varied roles-I sometimes do not realize when I'm completely distracted by the art work. 

It's only when someone calls me back to "real-life" that I realize how deeply I've been ingrained in the creative process.

As I complete my 45th painting today I know that I am now nearing the finish of this project.

I wonder, how will that feel ? 

Day 44-Falling Slowly

Day 44- Falling Slowly



 A bit of humor here on day 44. This painting was painted upside down, so the entire piece feels a off balance.

Day 43-Aquascape 2

Day 43- Aquascape 2

This painting is a preliminary work for a larger piece. I am going to be painting 2 works to donate to an auction to raise money for a new animal + art  project in New Mexico. I'm happy with the background colors and blending, the plants are pretty cool too.

17 Paintings to go!

Day 42-Spring Garden 2

Day 42-Spring Garden 2

Today was a beautiful day with a high in the upper 60's! This is welcome after a long and cold winter. Spring brings out the optimism in me. Things look brighter and being outside is not a test of survival.

Day 41-Walk'in on Air

Day 41- Walk'in on Air

There are good days, there are bad days and then there are Days that are Perfect. I'll take more of the latter, thank you.

Day 40- Signs & Symbols

Day 40-Signs & Symbols

This is a curious little painting-not sure where the idea came from. I like the hieroglyphic feel to it-it also has the look of constellations. The background is definitely sky with stars.

I also have a Déjà vu feeling about a couple of the figures. (Possibly not enough sleep and too much painting :)

Day 40- A big landmark in the 60in60 project. The home stretch in in sight!

Day-39 Big World, Small World

Day 39-Big World, Small World

Today I am thinking about how at times I feel so removed from other countries in the world. Events that occur "there" seem to have little to do with me living my life. But we are all connected, related and what happens far away concerns us all.

Today I am preoccupied with the events in Japan. So I painted the night sky and wonder when I look at "my" sky who might be looking at it too.

Day -38 Make New Friends

Day 38-Make New Friends

The title of today's painting says it all-we all can exist in peace regardless of our differences.

Day 37-The Meeting

Day 37-The Meeting

I'm excited to have the figures and the fish together in a painting. The meeting is the first step in  any relationship- When I feed my fish  in my pond, they come to the surface just like this, with their noses out of the water.

My goal is to go to the next level-push the true relationship...my daughter thinks the next step might be a bit strange- imagine that.

Stay tuned.

Day 36- Brothers

Day 36- Brothers

These two fellows definitely feel like brothers to me. There is a companionship, a familiarity in them that says family. I like the rhythm that sibling children have. I grew up close to my brothers and sisters and many times as kids we seemed to function as one unit.

I'm excited about the plant on the left too, it is a new design and I think it has possibilities. Now, those plants at the bottom are another thing altogether...are there new figures emerging here?

The development of the Language of Line continues.

Day 35-Fashion Fish

Day 35-Fashion Fish

So, Okay I don't see life like everyone else.

These fish are another jumping off point for me. Stay tuned for more fantasy creatures from the deep and beyond!

I've added a new painting to the link above called "Other Artwork"-it is a take-off on Day 1's painting "A Fine Day".

Day 34-First Guppy



Day 34- First Guppy


I am very happy to be painting fish in this series. Years ago fish were a subject that I worked with often-particularly in computer generated art.

I am a "fish-kinda-girl". I grew up near a large river, learned to fish at an early age and had great uncles who were actual fishermen and I have had many. many aquariums over the years. Currently I have a 1100 gallon outdoor pond. 

My Fav. Grandma raised fish in a cement pond in her yard. She would raise fantailed guppies in the summer.

The natural sunlight did amazing things to the colors of the guppies. And, if you've ever had guppies you know they are prolific breeders. So in the fall, we would help her "bring the fish in".

There would be hundreds of the most beautiful huge fantail guppies. We would sit for hours watching them in large aquariums in her kitchen.

It feels like coming home to be creating fish again.

Day 33- Sweet Pea & "Baby" Kink

Day 33- Sweet Pea & "Baby" Kink

Today's painting is inspired by an amazing animal foster story. Melissa & Kurt were looking for a puppy when they came across a 911 ad on the Albuquerque Craig's list. The ad was looking for someone to foster a mom and 10 puppies who were at high-risk for euthanasia. Melissa & Kurt had never fostered before, but they stepped up and said "Yes, we'll take responsibility".

Here's their story:
http://momand10pups.blogspot.com

My daughter and I have been animal fosters for 4 years -we've seen the sadness and abuse that animals can face today. So this story is particularly touching to me.

All of the puppies have been placed in homes and this painting shows the mom, Sweet Pea and her pup, Baby Kink enjoying a romp in the sun. They now live with Melissa & Kurt.

Day 32- Image for Poster

This is the image for the poster I am creating for the show-I love seeing all the pieces together.

Day 32-The Conversation

Day 32-The Conversation

This painting is directly from life. It is fun to observe various conversations and the dynamics that go with them. In this work there are the two primaries and the observers.  The gestural lines communicate their interest level.

Day 31-Happy Birthday Baby

Day 31-Happy Birthday Baby

We are celebrating again today as our family has a new member! I have a new grand-niece and I and delighted.

The painting is sentimental baby colors with bright stars in the sky.

Day 30-Breaking the Plane



Day 30-Breaking the Plane


So at last one of the figures has entered the painting (within my painting).I'm not a football fan, but I've always liked the phrase: "Breaking the Plane" when it comes to touchdowns-Nice visual.

So the figure broke the plane and entered the painting. Fun Stuff.

Today is Day 30-Halfway home to 60 in 60 Days.  Nice feeling, also a bit daunting...30 more ideas.

Day 29-A Moving Experience

Day 29- A Moving Experience

Yesterday I was at the Indianapolis Museum and saw an exhibit called "Hard Truths: The art of Thorton Dial" which is a retrospective of the artist's work. At times I found myself speechless while viewing this body of work.

Mr. Dial works in very large assemblages made of found objects on canvas. Also sculpture. Here is the link to the website. If you are anywhere in the Midwest I highly recommend this show. It will be on exhibit into September.

Thorton Dial at Indianapolis Museum

Today's painting is the impression I had of the work. Moving.

Day 28- Baby Steps

Day 28- Baby Steps

The past few months I have spent a great deal of time learning new things. I love learning about new subjects-especially if they relate to art.

I've become a docent (tour guide) at the university museum and am having a great time with that-but so much to learn. I also have been trying to learn more about photography and then there's learning to use my labeler (no kidding).


The painting is called "Baby Steps" because as I struggle to learn these days I am indeed taking baby steps. But I love the feeling you get when the excitement hits as you learn new information. Not so much, when you think you know it all and you find out you don't.

Day 27-Confessions of a Museum Junkie

Day 27-Confessions of a Museum Junkie

I admit it-I'm hooked. I love museums. I love museums of all kinds, railroad, art, airplane, history, fish lures...you get the pictures. I don't however like medical museums or crime museums or weird stuff- Why, do we need these?

For me museums are hallowed ground. A visual feast. There's always the quiet and the anticipation of what you might see next. In the case of art museums, you can share another person's view of the world through their art-How cool is that?

This painting is inspired by anticipation of traveling to a new museum tomorrow with my trusty side-kick daughter. We are both very excited.

She's the perfect companion in a museum-over the years we've developed a rhythm of sorts. We each give the other space, but still share the experience. 

A Fine Art Indeed.

Day 26-Cookie Dog's Dream Day

Day 26-Cookie Dog's Dream Day

My dog Zoe comes back into the series today. Honestly this dog will do most anything for a "cookie" or something that resembles a cookie. She is a mix between a Chihuahua and a Dachshund (get that picture, she's also black and white-go figure) and tends to gain weigh easily (I think she's just Big Boned :)

Anyway, she is cookie crazy.

Because of her weight issues she was plumping up even on low-cal doggie cookies, so we devised a way to still give her rewards, but keep the calories down.

We bought a different brand of low-cal dog food than the one she gets for meals and those kibbles became cookies! Magic- instant cookie treats.

She doesn't seem to realize they are the same size as dog food-she loves them and is so proud when she "earns" one. I never said she was a genius. I'm pretty sure she's not.

In the painting it is every dog's dream to have it raining cookies, especially on a sunny day.