Happy Halloween!!

HI, Happy Halloween, Here is a pumpkin painting I did last year, called "Autumn Beauty". I had found this pumpkin gourd at a local store and brought it home. I wanted to show you a pumpkin watercolor today. I'm so happy both J. is doing great from his surgery and Daisy is doing better. Wonderful!!. So wishing you much chocolate and many treats, and a happy day and evening.Happy Halloween. The second photo is of my finished landscape of Willis Wharf,Va..I've enjoyed using the Quinacrodone Burnt Orange as a color for the roof and grasses. Now on to the next painting--Haha.. take care.. Diana

Zooming to the Vet!

Well I had an emergency today. J. woke me at 6:30am something was wrong with Daisy--(our Labrador) and sure enough when I saw her I knew she had a temperature. She was panting with a very hot nose and not a normal pant either.

So I took her temp and it was 103.9. A normal dog temperature is 101 so that wasn't good. I got a bucket with ice water and wiped her down. She was pitiful, the soulful look in her eyes.We had to do something. I ended up taking her to our vet again. All the way to Pocomoke,Md.to Dr. Johnson.It takes almost an hour to get there. But it was worth it. He gave her a shot, more antibiotics this time a z pack and something for arthritis and sore joints. I had planned to paint all day to finish this little commission but instead I'm zooming up the shore..the photo is of our return trip going across Shields Bridge.. a tiny bridge in Belle Haven,Va.

We did stop on the way home and got her a .99 burger-(-I got this idea from my friend Susan who drives her dog,Sam to the drive up window and orders him a vanilla ice cream cone and puts it in the cup holder for him. Sam is a sweetheart--Susan is too!) and now Daisy is snoring loudly on a blanket as I paint.

I've gotten a little painting done and stopped to post this. It's a landscape of Willis Wharf again. I've used some of Daniel Smith Lunar Black on the building. This has a granulation to it, which I love for texture on old wood. I'm looking forward to Meditation Class tonight at 6pm at The Bear and Cub Coffee Shop. I can use some tranquility..what a blessing Daisy is going to be ok... take care, talk soon,Diana

The Clam in the photo of my painting is a lovely work of art by Albert Buck Doughty. I bought this from him recently. He makes it by welding parts of old plows and machinery into these amazing works of art. Google him --I know he's on Facebook.. he's a great guy as well as artist!

Truly Blue

Hi, Well Daisy,our white lab, has been sick, here is her photo. She came down with Bronchitis, a sore throat, with a huge horrible cough. I took her to Doctor Johnson, a dear man who has been treating our animals for years. He said " Yep, she has a red sore throat."I said ,"Doc, where could she have gotten this." He said," Well, probably the same place I got mine." Haha..

Daisy was so miserable I stayed up late with her and naturally painted with her by my side. It was just a little painting of a blue cow... Here it is.. It's on Yupo and very loose.

Daisy is better now. Last night I was up late with Dusty, our other dog, who was terrified because of the wind, I kept getting a wet nose in my ear.

I will sleep tonight.!!! Take care, talk to you soon, Diana

Children's Watercolor Class at Bear and Cub Coffee Shop

HI, We all had a wonderful time at The Bear and Cub Coffee Shop in Pungoteague,Va. I taught a Children's Watercolor Class,this morning, there in their wonderful screened in area in the back. I focused on color wheel, basic washes, and then went into pumpkin still lifes and later an iridescent butterfly ( of their imagination). All,nine children, were so cute and they were so good.. very attentive, too. Here is the photos from our morning of fun.Thank you A.B. and G. talk to you soon, Diana

Garden Tomatoes

HI, the surgery went fine and J. is recovering well. I'm so glad. I haven't had time to paint this week. Mostly I've been running around with ice packs and glasses of iced tea. So here is a painting of a commission of homegrown tomatoes, I did this for a Christmas present(last Christmas) for a wife from her husband as a surprise.These were tomatoes from their garden. I was tickled with it. Take care and I'll be painting soon. I have the children's watercolor class this Saturday at the Bear and Cub in Pungoteague from 10am-12noon. That will be fun!! talk soon! Diana

No Place Like Home

There is no place like home. We had a wonderful weekend but it's always nice to get home. Our son had us stay with him in his nice apartment in the city of Richmond for the Art Affair show. We were only 10 minutes from the show and walking distance from so many restaurants and shops. The show was nice, weather perfect, met some wonderful artists but sales were down due to the economy, seems like everyone was looking and not buying but what do you do just keep on and it will get better,eh. Today my husband has knee surgery, I will be taking him to Salisbury,Md. It's outpatient. I'm taking a book to read instead of paint.. I'm zonked, shows just wear me out.. take care and talk soon. Here is a photo of Daisy at home and a picture of the sky outside out house.. Lovely isn't it!, Diana

Owls and Lady in Blue

HI, Well it's been an eventful week. Harvest Festival, Wednesday, was nice, lots of friends, food and a few sales for everyone. Thursday, yesterday was the birding festival and that was nice, not so many people but good friends and a wonderful bird show, I've posted a couple of the photos of the great horned owl and the barred owl.

Here is my new watercolor"Lady in Blue". I took this photo a few years ago of this lady who works at Maplewood Gardens near Nassawadox,Va., here on the Eastern Shore. The Eastern Shore Art League was having a paintout there. Barbara Custis was kind to have us there swimming in her pool, painting and everyone brought a dish to share. A lovely day.Wet paint at the bottom of her feet.. I finished it Tuesday. No I didn't paint anything today.. I'm too wiped out!

I will not be at Harborton Town Festival this year.( Go anyway if you can to support them) I hope you understand, my back is not good and I have done way too much this week.. I really need to rest up.. my next show will be next weekend at Art Affair in Richmond, Saturday Oct.16 from 10am-5pm and Sunday Oct 17 from 11am-4pm. This is a juried show with about 130 artists. Hope to see you then. Talk soon. Diana

Egg Basket and Gourds

HI, Here is a new painting I just finished-- a still life of gourds in my great grandmothers' egg basket. She used this in Wachapreague,Va. to gather eggs from her chickens. Her name was Elva (Dah) and she was a very dear lady with bright blue eyes and kindness truly radiated from her. She was married to my great grandfather, Bernie,Pop,(who would sneak us kids candy when no one was looking).They lived on Main St. Wachapreague,a fishing village on the Eastern Shore. My mother,her brother, and her parents grew up there.It was always special to go to JackaMoms and Dah and Pop's.

So here are some acorns, some different leaves, hickory,sassafras,devils walking stick, and 3 adorable gourds.. which I knew I had to paint, all the polka dots were so much fun.Fall has so many wonderful warm colors.. Now to frame it(UGH--not my favorite thing to do).. Talk soon, hope to see you at Harvest Festival, Diana

Painted Strawberries, Now Eaten

HI, I love strawberries, and I just needed something simple to paint(today doesn't feel complicated) so I painted them and then ate them.. I thought they would look cute in a larger mat framed so that's what I will do. For the seeds while the paper was wet I drew on it with a fine pencil a little almond shape so the color seeps into this and "Poof"seeds.. haha.Somehow the rhythm of the seeds and the simple shapes I enjoyed and seemed to fit today.

A Bald Eagle was in the front yard this morning.. WOW it was Majestic .. talk to you soon and remember Harvest festival is Wednesday! Have a great weekend! Diana---Now I may paint a little watercolor of Wachapreague.