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I hide behind color to help keep me safe…

Always feeling out of place.

The colors are comforting…

warm tones, cool tones..

earth tones.

Always hiding behind color for I feel safe.

Cloudy day here in the Atlanta area….calling it a day to hang out with the puppies before the rain starts….they need exercise and play. The above portrait is indeed a self portrait that was completed this morning. I have been meaning to do one….just other more important things on my to do list…with that stated, it was on my list to complete….so did!!!

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The start of a new day…sounds promising indeed. My days each start pretty much the same…get up, take the puppies outside….pretty chilly this morning from 60 degrees yesterday to low 30’s this morning….brrrrr….shuffle into the bathroom, entourage following. Wash up, brush teeth….comb hair….all without ever looking in the mirror….way too early for that. Head into office, still in my jammies….turn PC on….back in the kitchen to put the tea kettle up (I like a cup of green tea in the morning). It is then I notice somewhere along the way I have lost my entourage. I head back to the office and there they are…already napping, knowing I will sit look through e-mail….sip my tea…look at yesterdays work and start painting for about an hour or so, then time for breakfast. They are so very adaptable to my schedule. I type that with a smile for…say, I was to go over that hour of quiet time in the morning….then boy are they ever so annoying for they want breakfast. After each feeding there is a pack rule ….no play for a few hours (always reminded me when I was a kid, no swimming after eating)….this rule stems from having dogs that can possibly suffer from bloat. It has never been discovered why some breeds experience this, we know it is in many a hereditary problem…others, well so many things have been said to be the cause….since no one really knows…well there must be rules right

Well, they know exactly when it is time to play…..they just know. Just as they know when one of their loved ones should be coming home….sure, your thinking that they are creatures of habit…yes indeed, that they are….but it is more then that. …Dogs can tell time

The image was taken this morning, bad light but this is the view from my chair when it is pushed back….often times Gemma (the dog that is missing from the photo) does not follow me into the office, but rather stop in the living room preferring to nap on the comfy leather sofa.

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Another busy day….multi tasking several things at once….as usual. Working on several “On the Easels” for the time being, this was just a quick warm up to get the creative juices flowing.

16×24 Art Paper

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After a lonnnng day I needed to do something fun.

11 14  Art Paper

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I did not take the original image…lots of little distractions being edited out, leaving their pose and the background…well sort of anyway….dislike the grass they are in front of so removed that as well. Hopefully I will be completing this in a day or so….check back soon. The hairline is off on both boys, and little one does not even have a face yet….tomorrow.

On the Prowl….

As I was sitting at the computer yesterday mid afternoon, I noticed one of the Cooper Hawks (there are several) putting on a display. S/he soared wings full span, then dived down would disappear before I could spot her again.Now, I was raised in the City and I am in no way what you would call an out doorsy kind of gal I always feel honored whenever I get the chance to see something like this….especially just looking out my own window. I have seen enough NG to know this hawk was busy hunting. My eyes flashed to “my birds”…the small enclosed area with which I feed the birds and thought they are in danger. Never one to loose an photo op, I grab the camera, attach the long lens and out I go.

I can see there were a good number of birds on the branches as I looked up and notice many of the black birds….all of which like to sing and tell a tale (pretty noisey when they flock together and they are always together)….nothing, no chips,, no songs…just quiet, still….very quiet for there to be that many birds…the quiet meant Danger, you could sense it, feel it…

My eyes were searching out the hawk for s/he must be very close….I was slowly removing the lens cap as I was taking a step off of my patio when all of a sudden all of the birds take off at the same time….there were many….the noise of their wings and the chirping at the same time startled me. There was the Hawk, just a few feet away….out of the bush and up and out of sight.   Not a good hunting day….still I had a good look around to see if any injured birds about before letting the dogs out.

Now….before anyone lectures me about nature….I am a tad bit protective of the birds that have chosen my yard to feed….especially that of the cardinals. They nest close by and I have in past years managed a few good close ups of the babies….they are raised knowing me the dogs and the camera. During the times they are feeding in my yard I feel responsible for their safety.

The dogs are great at chasing the neighbored cats away…..and if I see the hawk I will go out with camera and photograph them…they are lovely creatures. I find they do get annoyed with that. Noticed the word annoyed….I do not get the sense of fear when I am around…..it seems to me that when I am in a wild bird of prays presence they just really seem annoyed for I am a disruption to the other birds….I disrupt their hunting.

So why you wonder do I feed the birds knowing it can put them in harms way. Well….I cannot control the simple fact that some people who have cats allow them to roam….without any forethought of what their beloved pet can do to the bird population. Add to the fact that any roaming animals is an annoyance to most….yes, I have been told by cat people that their cat NEVER leaves their property…yep….if you could see me I AM rolling my eyes Cats are pets and should not be allowed to roam the street….nice to think that you cat stays right on your property….my neighbors think that as well. I have several photographs of their cats hanging out in my yard.

During the winter months the birds actually need the extra food for they burn so many calories just trying to stay warm….also…it just makes me smile watching them. As for the hawk….well that is part of nature. I can try to keep the birds safe by letting the dogs out…but that is the best I can do.

Over the years I really do not remember seeing so many of the hawks….and I do not remember them getting so close to humans. They have no where else to go I would suppose. My area is so very built up….behind my house it is like a little bird sanctuary for there is a creek. Especially now, during the drought….I have seen an increase in the birds feeding….no wonder an increase in the birds of prey. I wonder though, since so many birds of pray in this very small space just what effect it will have on my birds. Time will tell.

I will be going through my files to see if I can put together a few of the images of the Cooper Hawks and come up with a painting. My images are not the best for my lens is not long enough so I will have to do some research for the detail…..for I would want to paint those eyes…..truly amazing. I could always climb a tree and sit in wait…yep, me rolling my eyes again

5×7 Art Paper Mini Painting

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Sometimes I need to just take a few minutes to paint something, anything….it is the best way to relax, de-stress. Usually…when this happens I am not in the mood to work on something that I have already started…to bad for I have several still “On the Easel”….but rather I just sit and paint and where it takes me….well at this stage I am pretty sure most can guess where I am headed with this.

Took another short break and continued with this one for a bit…still a ways to go but progress being made.

11 x 14 Gallery wrap

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Something started the other day and completed this morning.  I love painting with just hints of lines…the colors are the detail in this painting.  The human form is truly amazing to paint.

Art Paper

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I have been going back and forth in between several paintings and sketching out plans for new ones…a few portraits here and there. The New Year has found me a little distracted and with not having the ability to concentrate on any one thing….I am doing a little bit of everything. Takes a little longer to get things done….but with so much to do, well for now it is just the way things have to be. Todays On the Easel is just a sketch of a woman standing, with the most wonderful color of  light washing over her body….the start of a series of woman of all ages, shapes/sizes.

Gallery wrap

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Up dated Jan. 23rd:  Still very much a WIP (works in progress) at this point….but getting a little closer.

The start of a portrait…always a little scary, and exciting. All of that white space, just lines….can you capture who that animal is, the personality? Always more fun if the client allows the artist free rein, however when dealing with a beloved furry friend…well sometimes it is best to not tamper with perfection and one would do their best to capture the animals true likeness. The eyes have it hand s down….they speak volumes to their human friends so important to make that the focal point. I will do my best to post an update to this a little later in the day.