Art imitating life...

After 10 days of feeling not at all myself...I'm angry and done with feeling sick, so today I started some new paintings. The image above is really just about my nose and head and the expansive congestion and wanting to fly away from it, but still feeling grounded (not in a good way). My friends this week, scads of kleenex and hot beverages...sorry to be negative but glad that at least it has inspired some new imagery...even if it is on cardboard!

These next 2 pieces actually have paintings on the other side that I'm only semi happy with...interesting I omitted the border without even realizing it...this top one was inspired by a drawing in my sketchbook.

Industrial Zen Treasury

I was excited to have my Teal Night Scape painting included in this wonderful Etsy Treasury of Water Towers put together by jeweler Rone Prinz. I find them whimsical in spite of their industrial, utilitarian design. I used to paint a lot more of them but they are disappearing from Chicago's skyline. Another reason I love to visit New York city, they are everywhere...delightful urban dinosaurs.  

New batch of paintings...

Just varnished 6 new paintings, here's a little peek.... I'll be posting all of them for sale in my Etsy Shop very soon!

Apartment Therapy....

As promised last week, here is a link to our House Tour on the Apartment Therapy Blog which went live on Monday. Thanks to Jason Loper now a Contributing Editor as well as fabulous Designer. Here's a peek at a few things that didn't make the House Tour...still lots of painting to do upstairs and art to hang:

 

Following protocol...

About seven years ago I promised myself I would do my best to 'either wake up or go to sleep somewhere I had not before, on my birthday'. So following protocol I woke up in Ottawa, IL on a very rainy Sunday morning. Fortunately we had made the short trip to the Starved Rock State Park area on Saturday where we had a great time hiking on a very spring-like day with temps in the low 50's and lots of sun. No tolls between here and Chicago, the park is free and you can bring dogs (we did not)... Semi-frozen water falls, which up until last week you could climb.The trails were mostly planked with lots of steps to different lookout points, a little muddy in places but otherwise very easy to navigate. Definitely got our heart rates up! Towards the end of the trail we came upon a great lodge where we enjoyed a little refreshment outside before finishing our exploration.This is overlooking the Illinois River at the Dam:

That evening we went to nearby South Peru, IL to try Mark Allen's Restaurant, owned by my friend Ann Weisbrod and her husband who is the chef. Great food and drinks and Ann's fun art work for the decor!So on the rainy morning of my 43rd Birthday we opted to drive back home to Chicago and relax with the dogs, it was the perfect lazy day...

• 42 Cleveland, WI
• 41 Lake Wenatchee, WA
• 40 Venice, Italy...I can't believe I didn't blog about it!
• 39 Saugatuck, MI
• 38 Bedford, PA...enroute home from a show in Virginia
• 37 The Dominican Republic

The last week in pictures...

I purchase these beautiful tulips earlier in the week, yesterday they were in perfect full bloom and I captured this shot in the morning sun...

Meet Jason Loper...new House Tours Contributing Editor for the Apartment Therapy Blog, my home will be his first official House Tour feature on Monday, March 8th! Jason is also the fabulous designer behind Zola Jones Designs.

Izzy in the suns spot...
A fun card for Eva May and new ACEO's in the works: And artist Vivian Visser who came in to paint with me last Saturday...we made these stuffed pets last year at a "Make Day" party at the Bouzide's. Her finished cat: ...and my unfinished dog:
Hope you have an amazing weekend! Rich and I are off to Starved Rock State Park on Saturday for some hiking and maybe even some tandem biking on the I & M Canal Trail on Sunday.

6 foot commission...signed, sealed & delivered!

 

  On Thursday I delivered this 6 foot commission that has been in the works since last fall. My clients are a wonderful couple from the Roscoe Village neighborhood. It was a fun collaboration, taking their list of things/places they love and then developing a composition around these elements. It becomes a very personal and meaningful piece. I can't wait to see photos of it hung, they have a gorgeous home and the colors are so complementary. I've included photos of the painting at different stages as well as the final sketch that was selected as a basis for the original piece of art.

I love this process and felt great working so big! Let me know if you would like to discuss a special custom painting for yourself!

So long February...

Some fun, random snapshots from the past month... Rich spotted a bee in our backyard a few weeks ago...in spite of all the snow!
I wish M&M's were always pink + red + white. Guess who ate most of these? I love the composition of this photo with Izzy...and of all Rich's guitars, this Danelectro is my favorite. Not only the best shade of blue but sparkly too. Snack spread for game night...really just showcasing how much better our island lights make things look with the right light bulbs. We had been using the wrong kind since installing 2  years ago! Rich modeling an 'ice mask' he lifted from the top of our rain barrel.