in progress

almost...

just beginning

decisions

More flying horses at various stages of completion.

xo, j

color at the MoMA

frank lloyd wright

jackson pollock

helen frankenthaler (i love this painting!)

matisse

matisse

klimt

rousseau

van gogh

chagall

Saturday morning I took the bus into NYC to visit the Museum of Modern Art.

My intention was to see the new Jasper Johns and Gauguin shows,

neither of which allowed photographs.

It was a rainy afternoon and the museum was very crowded,

this made for some blurry photos as I was bumped around quite a bit.

I've been working so much lately it was a relief to spend some time 

with many beautiful paintings.

xo, j

queen of the bed

"However little television you watch, watch less.  

Read.  Read for pleasure.

Read for happiness."

-David McCullough

And so I have.

Thoroughly absorbed in an 800 page tome

with a small stack waiting on my chair.

While wandering through my local greenhouse Saturday

I found a large palm plant in the discount section.

I have a weakness for wayward plants so now I wake 

under the sweeping green boughs each morning.

I hope it will get enough sun in that corner,

but better a chance with me than into the dust bin.

Cut veggies to be roasted for dinner

and Pantone color reference cards to try and spur

my reluctance to commit paint onto board.

It's snowing again...

but spring is just a couple of weeks away.

xo, j

snowstorm!

mocking bird

tufted titmouse

finished?

next one!

Early this morning a strong storm dropped

about 10" of snow at a rate of 2-3" an hour.

An afternoon lull brought some cold rain and now

another 3-6"of snow is expected this evening.

My work was closed today and

other than the necessary task of shoveling out my car

I've stayed inside, painted and watched a movie.

Sadly, my hands hurt too much to knit right now.

The birds were taking turns at my feeder all day.

Poor little ones still found the courage to sing at my window.

I can't wait to see the ground again…!

xo, j

staying warm

It's 4f/-15c this morning but the sky is bright blue.

Put the first coat of blue on the latest flying horse painting

and then did a little work on another pair of mittens.

Quick photo of Miss Sophie taken with my phone last night.

Hope are all having a warm week!

xo, j

stay inside weekend

It rained all day Saturday then by early Sunday 

evening the clouds began to clear.

I stayed in, drank copious amounts of green tea with ginger

and inspired by V's beautiful mittens, started a new knitting project.

Narcissus bulbs are now nearly a week grown, the photo is from last Wednesday.

I read somewhere to start bulbs out of direct sunlight to prevent them from growing too tall.

Mine always seem to topple over when they bloom!

The painting was also part of the visiting collection from the Hague

and gathered almost as many admirers as the Vermeer.

The Goldfinch, by Carel Fabritius

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

xo, j

Girl with a Pearl Earring

I took the day off to visit this lovely painting at the Frick Museum in NYC,

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer.

Advanced tickets were sold out so I stood in the cold drizzle

for an hour and three quarters to get inside and I'm so glad I persevered.

She was behind glass but the precise brushwork and luminous colors,

especially the delicate blush across her cheeks, were beyond words.

I may have caught a little cold and will now have some 

green tea with ginger and lots of honey before climbing into bed.

It was a very special adventure.

things that fly

It's been bitterly cold here with a wind chill bringing the

real feel temperature down to -35f.  Brrrrr!

A recent snow storm brought a flock of Robins to the treeline,

a bird I am not accustomed to seeing until mid March.

My flying fish paintings are now done and I've moved on to horses

suspended with balloons!

I may not possess the technical skill of Patrice

but I am thoroughly enjoying the process of painting again.

Friday is fast approaching!

what i've been doing

Working with oil paint slows me down,

especially important when the rest of my life is so hectic.

The fish wind sock idea just appeared in a sketch one day.

Friday night I attended a local theater production of 'A Christmas Carol.'

It was opening night and my dear A's first performance on a public stage!

He did a great job, so proud of him.

On Sunday I visited an open studio show hosted by a painter friend.

Eight artists had work for sale and I bought a couple of holiday gifts for family.

busy, busy, busy

Hope everyone is well.

xo, j

wednesday morning

Another cold but sunny day.

It's been fun trying to paint again but I think too much!

I should stop all the thinking and just paint!

My dusty brushes attest to how long it's been since they were used.

A little terrarium under my olive tree,

a reminder of Italian summers long ago.

Find something beautiful in the every day.

I must remember that.

xo, j

jacobsburg state park

thistle

honeysuckle

the shade of crossing over a tree line

a view of the blue mountain, the appalachian trail runs along the top 

cute home along the creek near the parking lot

pig riding a unicorn?!?

pajamas 

This morning I was up and on the trail by 11:30am.

It's been sizzling hot and I wanted to try and beat the heat.

Because of the high temperature the stream trails were very busy,

crowded with barking dogs and laughing children splashing about.

I opted for the meadow trails which were steamier but less traveled.

Within ten minutes I was drenched in sweat...summer time!

*smile*

Gnats dove for my eyes, wiggling about as I brushed them away.

The humid air amplified the thick, sweet smell of honeysuckle

  while catbirds and rufous-sided towhees sang at every turn.

(catbirds "mew" and towhees sing "drink-your-tea!")

Thistles and day lilies are just starting to bloom.

By 1:00pm, when the parking lot was near full, I was on my way home.

I popped a beer into the freezer and took a cool shower.

Then a veggie burger and tabbouleh for lunch with my icy drink.

The rest of my day was spent catching up on some 

hand washing and then painting until evening.

Hope everyone enjoyed this first weekend of summer.

xo, j

Some Sun

Some sun this morning although cloudy days lie ahead.

An old painting I dug up,  Sophie sunning her toes on

her ironing board perch and a newly opened orchid.

Feeling the need to clean through the apartment...

maybe this weekend.