Here Comes a Little Checkerboard Chicken.

HI, Ok,so technically I didn't put a puppy photo up.. :) . But you can see at the top left hand side what I have on my art table,a photo of the dear little ones. Kendra sent it this am. I print them off and put them there next to me so I can glance over and see them as I paint. I know.. silly, huh!(aren't they adorable--and one will be here soon!)

This week has been filled with exchanges. I went to Norfolk on Monday to the D'Art and picked up my work from there. I hadn't sold but I know a few of my friends did so that was good.  People liked my work so we'll see.  Wednesday, I had to go exchange my work at The Hermitage in Onancock,Va. I took 2 new watercolors up there,"Gran's Pail of Sunflowers" and "Tiger Swallowtail". This display goes down the hall into a lovely sitting area in the front of the main building. The ESAL members can display 2 pieces each. They're all for sale and anyone can go in and buy them.

  The Heritage Show this weekend was nice but it rained buckets so we didn't get as big a crowd, I did sell a couple of things.(The chicken in the previous post .) I was hoping for more.  The Almost Spring Show continues at the Red Queen Gallery until the end of March..My Roses Class at ESO unfortunately was cancelled, not enough students,disappointing but on to the next class..

 So, today it's cloudy and damp with lots of Juncos,snow birds, in the yard ground feeding. I'm painting on this little chicken by the window.  The checkerboard paintings are so very relaxing to me. Keep warm and have a cup of coffee or tea,  wishing you a wonderful day, love,Diana

Puppies are born!

Hi, Here's Sarah,the mother yellow lab, holding her new puppy. Six gorgeous, health, yellow lab puppies and we will be bringing one home in 7 weeks! I'm so excited... Kendra sent this last night! Just puts a smile on my face! love,Diana  www.shorefinelabs.com

For Heritage Festival Tomorrow!

HI! Yesterday I got 5 paintings framed. This morning I did 2 and I've been working on this chicken ever since.  I'm trying to get ready for the The Heritage Festival at The Eastern Shore Community College in Melfa,Va. on the Eastern Shore.  I'm getting there slowly. Last night I realized I didn't have a chicken,a chicken watercolor. So I sketched this one in my sketchbook. It was a fun sketch not a every detail kind of thing.. so I've almost got him painted. I'm waiting for the first glaze of the background to dry then I'll go back and hopefully only put one more glaze on it.

 Then frame that one and 3 more, I grumble the whole time I do it. If I were a millionaire I'd have all mine framed by a personal framer. Wouldn't that be fun!!:)

  The show info is up in the right hand corner of my blog and the hours are from 10am-3pm Feb.23 which is tomorrow. John said it's going to rain.. he's so comforting.. the rascal.  It might not.. ok it's supposed to heavily rain but I hope we will have a nice crowd anyway.  Oh dear.. what are you going to do.. right..

 While the chicken (yes -- the painting) was drying I managed to load the racks in the car.  My back is not good and I have sciatica but I thought it would help to have that part done.  John won't put the paintings in until just before we leave.So wish me luck and yes  ESAL has an opening at Red Queen at 5pm. So I may be laying under a tree by Sunday!  :) I'm kidding.. probably.

 OOOH puppy news..  check out Debbie's new baby on the blog list..he's adorable Her blog is View From Harmony Hills.

and my puppy news. Sarah, the mama dog is nesting, she was tearing up newspapers yesterday and Kendra said she is huge! I think it will be soon. I'll let you know. love,Diana 

Two New Watercolors

Here are 2 new 8x10s. I did the roses today,I drew them last night. The actual flowers are wilted terribly.. but I'll put the heads of the roses in a bowl tomorrow and enjoy just the petals for a few days. They seem to smell more now. The little landscape is from a paint out. I took photos of Harborton,Va. when the Eastern Shore Art League(ESAL) went to Jennie Budd's lovely home and garden. This is from one of those photos.

 I need to get framing,this weekend I have the show at the Eastern Shore Community College-The Heritage Festival. It will include an old tractor display and lots of local history of the ES.as well as 30 local artists and our work  plus that Saturday night is the opening of the ESAL Almost Spring Show at the Red Queen Gallery in Onancock,Va. I've got to frame my 2 paintings in the morning I ran out of time today and of course I've changed my mind. I 'll be entering the roses watercolor in the last post and the orchids.  I always put down silly names that can be most anything. This time it's Spring and Finding Spring.  Ha ha.. it works.. when I finally find what to paint!

 Hope you all are painting up a storm and enjoying each moment of it. Tell me what you are painting or doing. Talk to you soon,Diana

No word from the puppy!

Roses Watercolor

HI, Well He just left. While he and his Dad were working out both days I worked on my roses watercolor.It's finished. The colors are really brighter than the photo shows.My roses are red, but I  enjoyed making them different colors--- and up to the top left you can see the ice crystals.. over the blue rose. We had snow  yesterday and a little today. The temperature is going up and things are melting fast. One thing about the ES of Va. we can have almost all temperatures and weather in one day!! :) I sure hope we have enough left overs for supper!! Have a great Sunday. Love,Diana

Puppy News--- Kendra is putting Sarah(the yellow mother to be lab) bed in order for the birthing. A small plastic blue pool will be the whelping bed in her home. Sarah is doing well, getting larger and larger but doing fine.. Now we wait.. !!!!

www.shorefinelabs.com

Company is Coming!

Hi! My son's coming home tonight for the weekend. We're looking forward to it. I started fixing chicken salad for supper .. and discovered after I had it all chopped up that I was out of celery.. so off to the grocery store I went.  I ended up picking up more groceries, of course. :)  Cleaned  and got his bed ready.

 While I had breakfast I started sketching roses, I've put a little negative painting around 2 of them.  I want at least one more maybe 2 roses to complete the painting.I'll go paint while I wait.. Clay called. He's on his way. I hope you have a great weekend!!

Talk to you soon, love,Diana

Happy Valentines Day!

Hi, I've been painting and have finished my Orchids watercolor just now. I may add one little brush stroke or two to the top of the left side larger white petal,just at the top to define it more. I can see it fine but once I put it here.. it is  hard to see it from the white of the background.

Heard from the Puppy! Sarah the mother dog is getting even larger. Kendra, her owner said her dear belly is only 4 inches from the floor. The earliest we can hear the puppies are born will be Feb. 22.. Can you believe it..!! We'll actually have a dear puppy soon! 

Wishing you a wonderful Valentines!! I've thought of course of my Daisy,my yellow lab, today. One day when she was a puppy, John was standing by the door holding her in his arms as I was leaving to go to the grocery store.  I kissed Daisy and walked out the door and realized.. "Oops" I forgot to kiss John, so back I go to kiss him. He declared it was always like that.. :)  ha ha..The dear man gave me roses!!! I was so tickled so I'm going to fix some nice coffee and go paint roses. I got him a steak to fix for supper.

love to you and Happy Valentines Day! Diana   

Watercolor of Orchids

One of those days,full of errands and a dentist appointment,I did get to paint later in the day. Finished my dishes,just now, and there was a very large possum wandering thru the backyard.  Silly thing. He was cute! I've added the large orchid to the bottom of the watercolor-- yes,I'm back to talking about the painting.Ha Ha..well Maria, a friend of mine gave me some photos of her orchids(and her permission to paint them) last week, and I thought they were gorgeous.This one is one of hers. We'll see after I finish this flower where or if I add leaves. I will..pretty sure.

Talk to you tomorrow.. Hope you get lots of love tomorrow and give lots of love(Remember it is Valentine's Day.)  Have a wonderful one!

..love to you,Diana

Doggie Names Needed and What I'm painting now!

HI, This is the demo I did for class. I had it all drawn and then painted one of the orchids there. Today I've painted the second one. We had 4 orchids to paint from. This is one I bought. (There's always some excuse to buy flowers /orchids!! and I love flowers so.. )

 It's a rainy day here. I had Tai Chi at ESO in Belle Haven this morning,my friend Beth and I are taking it. Jim Mahoney is the teacher and we have learned so very much. He's a very dear man and excellent teacher.

Puppy news.. Sarah,the mother yellow lab is doing well and getting larger as we speak.. Her belly is almost to the floor. She is due to have puppies the end of this month.( We get first pick-- I'm so excited!!!)

 Now we need names.. anyone got any doggie names.. I'd love it if you'd share some. I'll get finally pick of course.. with a little say from John.. :) Girl probably, but some boy names too in case!!! Let me know!! thank you, talk to you soon,Diana

Opening and Orchid Class

Here are some photos of my orchid class today. Everyone did a beautiful job. The first photo is me at the Opening last night. What a weekend. Thank you to everyone for coming out to support me. It meant so much. take care,Diana

Planning and Blue

HI, Today I've worked on my Orchid class-- getting everything ready for it. I've fixed the palettes, prepared the lesson, and got the supplies in the bags ready to go.I want to have it planned because tomorrow, I'm going to Norfolk to the Ocean+Land+Bay=ESVA Art Show opening at D'Art. Brenda,Gertraud and I are going together.(Brenda Clark paints acrylics, Gertraud Fendler does photography as well as beautiful sea glass jewelry.) We'll have a great time.

I just added the Thalo blue to the right bottom of the amaryllis painting. It's finished. I thought about it for a day.. but knew I had to do it for balance,what do you think? It seems like I mostly go with my intuition as to how a painting develops. Do you or do you plan it ??

I was fortunate, yesterday, I actually got to hold a Screech Owl. It was incredible, so soft and so very weightless. The ear tuffs are 2 small feathers. Oh my gosh his feathers were just exquisite.What a gorgeous fellow!
Talk to you soon,Diana

Amaryllis and Sunset

HI, Here's what I've gotten done today. Yes, that was me(in the multicolored pink hat), standing in my front yard looking at that magnificent sunset!! So amazing. What did you do today? Love,Diana

Rearranging the Amaryllis Watercolor

HI, I've been working on this amaryllis painting,today. I drew it to include pansies and a narcissus. But after looking at it for a few days I knew I'd never be happy with it.. too many things that didn't work together. So I'm going to draw an amaryllis in the front left corner somewhere, erase those pansies,adjust the composition .. and just do it.. This is one of my frozen washes!! Feels like I could make some more tonight.... It's a cold day here.

 We'll all enjoy spring.. I know I will.. sitting outside painting. It'll be here before we know it.

 Today was my Daisy's (my yellow Lab)birthday. She would have been 12.Last birthday she had a great day,I remember her groaning in glee  as she lay on a blanket in front of the red gas heater.. Stay warm. love,Diana

Orchid Class coming up!

HI, Next Saturday I'm teaching at Norfolk Botanical Garden. We'll be painting Orchids in watercolor. We'll be pouring painting and I will have photos as well as orchids to paint from. This is one of mine last year. I don't have any blooming now...so I'll have to search for some. :)  I have 3 living with only green leaves. But I'm planning on buying one this week,only thing is here on the ES it's hard to find them. I'll show you the plant when I get it.  Love the gracefulness of these gorgeous flowers. Have a wonderful weekend! Diana

E R Visit..

One of those days.. I woke to John standing over me. Your Dad is going by ambulance to the Hospital. Leap. Well sorta.. for me.. stopped and picked up Mama. She didn't ride with the ambulance. He'd taken too many pills. 9 last night.--oh my gosh.. he wasn't trying to hurt himself... He's ok. They checked him over and sent him home. So much of the day was spent down there with my sketchbook. I drew him.. not the best but hey I had a pencil in my hand and it kept me busy.. So that's been my day. This afternoon I've cleaned and listened to soft music..(so I didn't think about what could have happened) How's yours been?? Love to you,Diana