Bird's Nest In Watercolor

HI,  I took Sadie, our lab, out in the backyard yesterday to paint. She chewed on a large branch of pine tree and I painted what was near me, baby Bee Balm and chickweed in my flower garden. Later I added the little nest I found in the yard a few months ago. Just a little spring painting,although now the weather man is saying snow tonight or tomorrow.  Drats.

 Sadie misses Rudy too.Thank you all for your love and support. Love and hugs, Diana

Our Dear Rudy passed away

Rudy had cancer,it got very bad very quickly. She died yesterday at 3pm. She in a lovely grave by our Daisy.I put yellow flowers from our yard on her grave. I'll plant more flowers just for her this spring. We miss her so much. Can't talk now. Love Diana

Been one of those weeks..

Sadie with her head in a pot.

HI, The show went well. I sold 5---,4 were little eastern shore landscapes and the fifth was my Emu. I was wiped out afterwards,my back is not so great. Monday, I had to go to Cape Charles,Stage Door Gallery to exchange my work. It's a lovely gallery but in the morning I had to take our Rudy --our 20 year old kitty,to the vet. We found out some bad news. She has cancer, the only help is to keep her comfortable. We are,and have been,she is spoiled so very spoiled as she should be..  She is moving less but is happy. A lot of purring going on. Today I found out my dear friend is in the hospital with some health problems. So I took her paintings and mine to exchange at The Hermitage in Onancock,got all that done. It's been one of those weeks I haven't gotten any painting done and feel as if my head is in a bucket. But spring is on the way, the trees are budding with new leaves... I'll go  pick up my paint brush, we've already played ball (Sadie and I). Love to each of you,Diana

Their Kitchen Wall

HI, I now need new batteries in my camera,so this is not a new photo. Here is a photo of one of my customers walls.. She sent it to me. They have 5 of my paintings there. Wow.. I'm so honored and pleased.Which ones? The bottle of wine (I'm in the reflection on the bottle),the tomatoes underneath that...they are from their garden,the eggplant next to it, then way up top the lime green tomato and under the chef,the checkerboard cherries.

Class went well, a small group. Very nice ladies, we painted landscapes. Afterwards I stopped by my parents home to see my sister,Terry, she had come over from Richmond,Va.to spend the day.  Home to check on Sadie and Rudy, the kitty.I let them out as I was unpacking and the cat disappeared into the woods,then Sadie did. They paraded out,first Rudy, then Sadie in the back with a buzzard wing hanging from her mouth.... wonderful..good grief.. I got all but one feather.. and she swallowed that.

I'm so tired. Going to go lay down. love to  each of you! Diana

Plein Aire in the Backyard!

Plein Aire

Sadie is trying out my chair to my art table..she would sit in my lap as a pup.

HI, I had a lovely class yesterday. It was small but we had a good time and enjoyed painting sunflowers. I did find some to paint from! I hurt my sciatica again-- or it continues-- now I have a numb foot up to my knee. My left side. I think all the carrying my supplies up the steps at the ESO (Eastern Shore's Own Art Center). The building is an old elementary school and it has so much charm but lots of concrete steps..I'm going to have to take it easy for a few days and I'm back to sitting on the heating pad!  This afternoon Sadie,Rudy--the 20yr old cat, and I went out in the backyard and I painted as Sadie pulled up roots,brought 7 foot branches out of the woods,(we were impressed), and ate as many crickets as she could find. 

I still haven't done my second painting for the ESAL Show yet. No worries.. it's due next Thursday.. ok I'm worried. Hope to work on it this weekend. What are you doing this weekend??

 Love to each of you,Diana

A Blissful Fall day!!

Oak Leaf and Acorn

Sadie eating Oak branch

Rudy, not so happy with Sadie's enthusiasm.

HI, I've tried to paint on the back porch with Sadie, the puppy and Rudy, the 20 year old cat, outside with me. We ended up on the front porch, with Sadie running here and there and Rudy hissing. Before it got to that level of fall bliss I did paint one oak leaf and an acorn. Ah to paint.. such a lovely day!! ha ha. How has yours been. love to you,Diana

Painting in the Sunshine with Rudy!

Oh, it's such a sunny day, Rudy,our kitty and I went out on the front porch and we sat and painted for awhile. Remember where Daisy and I painted. Rudy decided to lay on the edge of the painting,silly kitty. Now she is nestled on the trunk in the den where she sleeps 90% of the time. I wonder how she'll feel when she gets a puppy nose up there with her.  :) Less than 2 weeks we'll have our puppy.  Here is the painting I'm working on. I was adding the blue glass lid and the jonquil in the foreground. Unfortunately the flowers have died-shriveled up-- not quite slimey but getting there.. so I've had to improvise. The last photo is of our visitor---yes 2 fox comes to our backyard most nights. Beautiful animals but they must leave before the puppy gets home. He was not fearful of me getting closer and closer to take this photo. I hope you had a warm sunny day today too. What have you done this April 1st..? love, Diana

Pansy Watercolor , Dear Rudy,and Puppies

HI, I've spent most of the day at the veterinarian's ,Rudy,our 19 year old cat hasn't been feeling well so she had blood work and they found she is Hyperthyroid. So we came home with kitty pills.. oooh I hate giving a cat a pill and I've sat down with a cup of coffee,of course and started a little pansy painting. I hope to fill the paper with different color pansies. These Johnny Jump Ups were from my flower garden and the white one too. I love seeing a palette in use. Here is mine.. It makes me happy to hold my paint brush and put color all over the palette. Hope you have a slathering paint kind of weekend.. love to  you,Diana

The Puppies are 7 days old today!!!OH.. here's another puppy photo.. :) ps the UPS fellow stopped by last night..around 8pm to deliver a package. It was dark outside and I ran out waving the photo of the puppies.. He knew Daisy and knew we were waiting for a dear little one.. We were out there looking at the photo by the lamp in the yard.. :) Ha ha..

Wet Berries

HI, Here is a wet in wet berry little wash I did this morning. I need to do more washes to develop more wet in wet techniques.

Rudy is out now, no one is near her. She will not use the litter box. Wish I could just keep her in that would solve the kitty problem. For now we are watching her closely while she is out. I'm going to look into that program Maria.  talk to you all soon, Diana

Owl Changes and Menu

"Screech Owl",8x10,original watercolor,$99.

HI, I framed my Screech Owl and I made some changes. I went over the background with a deep dark black. My mixture for black is Ultramarine blue plus Sepia. I can control if I want it to be a cooler black.. add more blue or a warmer black add more Sepia. I just felt like all the orange around him fought with his detail. I've hung him on my gallery wall in my kitchen. I can enjoy him until the next show.

I'm zonked tonight. I've been cleaning for Thanksgiving.I put away my glass for framing,washed the bay window in the dining room,put up the clean curtain. I cleaned up my art table(not my painting table)  in the kitchen and organized my papers to make more room on it. I can keep them flat and up high so no Rudy walks on it. This is Rudy, she's 17 and unfortunately got beat up by  a feral cat the other night. She's ok. She mainly was sore,but has now developed a fear of going outside. It's difficult being a spoiled cat. :)

Still wishing for a puppy,but will wait. Tomorrow morning I go to the grocery store. We're having my parents and my son over for Thanksgiving. Menu so far is
                                            1. Roasted Turkey
                                            2. mashed potatoes
                                            3. baked pumpkin
                                            4. turnip greens
                                            5. giblet gravy
                                            6, homemade dressing
                                            7. cranberry sauce out of the can.. I love it!
                                            8.string bean casserole
                                            9.sweet potato biscuits with wheat flour
                                            10.french apple pie
whew.I'm making everything from scratch.. but the cranberry sauce I'm tired already.but we'll have tons of leftovers! ha ha. talk to you tomorrow. Diana -- tell me what you are having for Thanksgiving dinner.. and what you've been painting or sketching!

More Stargazer Lily

hi! I've worked on my new stargazer lily painting today. Here's some photos I took of the actual flower in the flower patch and Rudy asleep under the butterflies.. silly kitty she likes the hot weather.. but I think 98 degrees is a little too hot for me. Keep painting.. talk to you soon, Diana

Framing A Cat

Some new frames arrived-- Rudy was asleep in the chair. She decided when I wasn't looking it was too good to be true.... so there she is!! I'm getting ready for my watercolor class this Saturday at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. I'm excited.. so many flowers to paint!! take care,Diana