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In April I attended a three day workshop in Cincinnati with Carrie Schmitt. It was a group of women who loved to paint, loved Carrie and her way of creating and we formed new friendships. I really love this picture!
A flower bar where we chose a bouquet of flowers to interpret and paint in our style.
my interpretation.
Beautiful wings were painted and we had our pictures taken in front of them.
Fun Picture!
Carrie and myself on the last day. She is as beautiful inside as out. This is the second year that I took a workshop with Carrie. Last year I flew all the way to Oregon. This was just a three hour drive. So grateful for the opportunity.
This week I am going to be preparing for my first art show of the season. Tulip Time in Holland Michigan. I wanted to show you some of the paintings in process that came out of my workshop with Carrie Schmitt. Such beautifully talented women that I was with! If you are feeling a bit down these should perk you up.
These paintings are just a small portion of what was created that weekend. Every woman did three or four paintings.
Don’t these just take your breath away?
Beautiful!!
Just enjoy!
That’s all I think you can absorb for now. Stop back if you need a pick me up.
The day has been pretty foggy mostly with peeks of sun. It is supposed to be more sunny tomorrow. I would like to see farther out to sea.
The loons were right in front and it was fun to hear them and watch them dive and pop up in another area.
This seagull was doing a flyby and had something in his beak, possibly a crab? I liked how I was able to capture his wings in flight.
Just a pretty planted yard in Bar Harbor.
A stone fence is beautiful.
Just a different view.
Lobster boat heading out.
A hotel had this planted, such a wonderful array of posies.
Foxglove
A yard full of lobster traps.
Window boxes full of geraniums. We are having a great time and having some R and R. We will see what tomorrow brings and I will share.Thanks for checking in.
I buy only Bath and Body works hand soap because I find it doesn’t dry my hands out and the scents I just love. I usually buy 8 to 10 at a time so I don’t have to run to the store often. I just opened this one and I highly recommend it, Sweet Mint Mimosa. It makes hand washing a pleasure, not just something you have to do.
The day wasn’t too hot or too humid and the skys tonight are just gorgeous!
The sunset through the tree, pretty! It was even brighter than this.
I have two pretty burgundy hollyhocks that grace the back of my garage. I love how dark they are.
I never get tired of the daylilies. Each year they keep putting on a better show. These are Betsy Ross’s.
I have a show coming up this weekend in Fort Wayne, at Freiman Square. I have this new piece finished to add to my booth. I was thinking one day how many cats we have loved and lost because that’s the way it is. I put in all different patterns to represent them. They all held a special place in my heart.
This pool brings such pleasure for me. I had to take a picture because it was so blue and nice. We swam in it and just enjoyed the day off. I hope you had a great 4th of July too. God Bless America, Land That I Love!
I started this painting on a 10 X 10 canvas with the idea of an angel and a dimensional earth. For the earth I used half of a Styrofoam ball and wrapped it with plaster cloth. I let it dry for three days until it did not feel damp., then I painted it with acrylic paint. The halo is very thin jute braided and glued on with heavy gel medium. The earth is also glued on with a good layer of heavy gel medium as it is not heavy at all.
The finished painting. Generally I do not use a well known quote but I felt that this resonated with everyone as a song. We all need to work on Peace by being kind to our earth, to fellow man and to our animals. The owl is of course representing wisdom and the hearts love. I really really liked the gold that I used for the halo and her dress. It was the first time I opened this bottle and it is Golden brand Iridescent Bright Gold (Fine) and also the first time I used golden Quinacridone Magenta as in the flowers.
Wrapping around some of the images on the side for interest.
The opposite side. This is up in my Etsy shop if you would like to purchase a print. As always, thanks for stopping.
Lil Punkin has been added to my etsy shop. Black crow resting on the top of the deep orange or rust plaid pumpkin with a little white heart.
Little Pot of Flowers has also been added to the shop. These flowers don’t wilt, fade or need watered. They are contained in a black stenciled pot with green and white dots.
I couldn’t leave out the statues and interesting features that the garden provided me with. This is the cooling waterfall that the garden provided.This was in the tropics.
This lovely girl greeted everyone at the door.
A babbling brook in the foyer as I walked into the building.
I love the face on this tree. He was hollow so that kids could learn about the inside of a tree.
Just a pretty fountain surrounded by lovely flowers.
A garden statuary that resembles an egg with leaves.
A bamboo water feature in the garden.
The koi pond.
A bamboo staircase.
As I stepped out, this group was outside.
This lady was hiding upon the flowers. I love the lime green!! That’s it for the tour, hope your day pretty too.
is pretty
A
My husband and I have been on vacation this week. If you are friends with me on facebook you know this very well because I post pictures often of things I see or places we go. I like everyone to share in my fun. We were making a trip to New York City and this was our first stop because we didn’t want to drive straight through. This is Grove City PA…a nice little city that had a great outlet mall. For dinner this night we went to Elephant and Castle Inn, it had British food that was very good! I snapped a picture of this informative arm, thought that was pretty clever.
Since it was sunday the mall had closed at 6 p.m. but we still walked around since we had been sitting a lot that day while driving. Also our dinner needed to be walked off. There was this CUTE building and from it was coming the wonderful scent of baking donuts! We will be staying at the same place on the way home and you can bet I will be paying this place a visit!
I love little buildings! It is stone with a tin roof and look at those daylilies growing. It was adorable.
The lush hostas and ornamental grass are just lovely!
Look on the back….a waterwheel. I am looking forward to tasting these donuts.
This pot of flowers was gorgeous. The different types of flowers were perfect and the colors just made me go…Ahhhh!
I am going to use the colors in a painting, it is just beautiful.
The green, red and orange of these daylilies was perfect against this white fence.
In the middle of this mall is a wetlands. I was very impressed by that.
That’s a willow tree back there and then I wonder if in the spring this area blooms with color. I don’t know but can just imagine.
How handy this is…..a free, freestanding charger for your electronic devices. I just thought that was very generous. It just goes to show there is anything out there to take a picture of, even a mundane plug in. Keep checking back for the next installment of “The Hawkins go to New York”.
I was helping my sister Linda with her baked goods business at the Auburn Indiana Farmers Market today. It is on the square in front of the courthouse. They have added some sculptural art. I have heard many people say that they don’t like the modern sculptural art and I agree that it is hard to interpret. I see it that there has to be some kind of physics involved when designing it because it takes much vision and thinking to keep this from falling apart, how is it being held to the ground with only three pieces touching? This one also at the top where the red dot is, will move with the wind. I think it looks like a person walking and as the piece moves at the top they are observing the world around them.
 A beautiful arrangement of flowers planted in big pots.
Such intricate carving around the clock.
Pretty purple flowers, not sure if they are a form of phlox.
I don’t know her name but she is one of the vendors. Her father in law has a greenhouse in Michigan and she has been selling the plants every week. They look so healthy and she said she would bring her card next week so I can let you know.
A little walk to the Cupbearer Cafe, and I come across this interesting light fixture.
I thought this wall sign was very neat.
Signs pointing the way. We understand as the weather gets warmer the vendors become more abundant.
This family was using the sculpture as a photo opportunity.
Many dogs were taking their walks. My sister is going to make dog treats for them next time.
Love the look of determination in her face. She picked up some pretty plants.
These colors are really, really, nice!
This gentleman stopped by to talk about baked goods.
Two more dogs are taking their owners for a walk.
I believe he has spotted something!!
This little guy and his brother were so busy.
Let’s go Mom!!
I kept missing his flip flops.
He is deciding on his next move.
Auburn Indiana, the classic car capitol of the Midwest.
Such a beautiful display of tomatoes from Georgia.
This little squirrel was busy hiding his nuts.
Fabulous hanging baskets.