A Lazy Day

It's Sunday, August something..., my brain is so worn out I can't remember the date.  I think it is time to slow it down a bit.  Since my last post in February I have had a show in Great Falls in March, one in St. George in April, one in Maynard Dixon Campout in May, one in Bozeman in July, one in Sun Valley in August, one in Eden in August and three more to come before the end of the year.  Add to that the running a gallery, planning shows, playing with grandkids, the roller coaster of life and you probably can imagine why my brain is worn out.  And yes, I still LOVE what I do!

My favorite cap these days is that of Grandma.  Aspen and Jack are my youngest babies.  Seems like they might be the only thing that stops me from working these days, a time to stop and smell the roses.  I love my babies SO much!  You know, I really always imagined I would be more "settled" by the time I had grandkids.  I thought life would be slower, more predictable.  I think I am working harder than ever before, doing my best to balance life and art, when actually there is no balance between the two.  They are both full time, entwined together with experiences of joy and sadness, optimism and disappointments, abundance and financial stresses all together.  Life is how you look at it, a choice of interpretation.  And no matter what your successes, there is always more to do.  The better artist one becomes, the harder it is to achieve those successes.  Naivete propels us to the place we need to be to truly understand what comes next.  Have you ever wondered what it would be like to not think and feel so much?  To be pleased with all you do?  To take life's gifts for granted and not ask why or how?  Yeah, me neither!

Back to paintings....  Here are my favorite pieces from the show at the Kneeland Gallery.  I think one might understand my introspection of late by looking at this latest work.  A little dark,  a lot moody and always looking for more.  Maybe my next series will be that of "lightening up a bit"!  Drop me your thoughts if you have a few extra minutes in your day.  I would love some feedback as I have lost some of my objectivity with this series.  The forest from the trees kind of thing :)