Baby Step Taken and Another Thing

Victorian Home 2
5" x 5"
Acrylic on hardboard

Quote from artist Christopher Schink in Palette Magazine “…your criteria of good art is based on perceptual accuracy - how precisely a painted image suggests real objects - their actual size, form, and color. “It looks real!” is your viewers’ highest praise and your goal as a beginning artist”

A beginning artist??? Holy dung heap! I’ve been at this over 50 years to one degree or another and I hardly consider myself a beginning artist and yet I am stuck right there where he is talking about - still at the starting gate! It is high time I move on and I know it. I’ve known it for a long time -a very long time. Vanessa and I have talked about this before - I also have found journal entries from exactly one year ago where I was writing and thinking about the exact same thing -and I know it goes back - way back further than that. Actually back to my college days. I am stuck and held back by “proving” to someone -exactly who I am not sure - but I have the need to prove that I can draw, and believing that I can't, that I am not good enough yet ! And I believe it is partially tied directly to Christopher Schink’s statement above. Stuck at the starting gate. Dependent on others' opinions and judgment. Afraid someone would walk by and say "my kid (or monkey) could do that." I have my response ready - "Yes" I will say and smile sweetly "but they didn't - I did". It will be my heart and soul and blood, guts and tears on the canvas - for whatever it is worth. Fear...holding me back. Well, that is about to change - this year.

I am starting a class with Reed Cardwell on Wednesday and I am very excited about it. I feel very good and positive about being able to work through this and get moving, and his class will be helpful. New sounding board, new approaches. I am not saying I want to go completely different - but I want to express more than just another head, just another pear, just another "isn’t that nice, looks just like it" painting.

I was surprised at the L A Art Show - at the art that attracted me and held my attention. I have been distilling what I experienced, keeping my inner critic and judge locked away - far away, and just accepting fact as fact. One fact is that I like scribbles. I do. I like marks and mark making. The art that people walk by and snort "my kid or a monkey could have done that!" And yes, I am guilty of having said those things myself! I am ready to “make the leap from perceptual art to conceptual art - in some form or fashion. I don’t know exactly how. I want to be more imaginative - more creative - more expressive. Expect some bad and ugly art to be showing up here while I make an effort to pull away from the starting gate. Baby steps - and here is my first - a redo of the Victorian house - focusing more on how I "feel" about the house than in replicating an image. Yay for me! BABY STEPS!

And another thing..Artist Robert Genn stated at the end of his recent letter: "Fact is, you don't necessarily have to sell out to be a success. Sure, conservative reality rings the cash register, but exploring one's personal reality can be a lifelong love affair made gracious by hard-earned days of electrifying joy. Sensitive collectors pick up on this. In a sense collectors are way ahead of critics because their emotions harmonize with their chosen art and artists. Critics, often "sold out" by their need to dump controversial ink, are different folks than the wide world of untrammelled collectors who cave in to their legitimate needs."
from The price of popularity (January 30th, 2009 I highly recommend his his twice-weekly letters). Lots of words these days- I am off to try another whack at Victorian House and see what happens. I think I will keep working very small - work stuff out then go bigger.

Yep - lots of words lately - I actually look forward to shutting up , and getting to that place of "electrifying joy". Not yet I am afraid. Baby steps....

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Working Hard and Nothing to Show

I have had this video on the back burner waiting to show it to you. Watch this -



go here if the video doesn't show up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFx2hSkuWk8

Are you kidding me? I certainly admire the technical skill and expertise - and maybe the creativity of this cake decorator - but SERIOUSLY! are people supposed to EAT THIS? How could you possibly?- this is just twisted! What do you think?

I have been having bad headaches almost daily and my knee has been giving me problems since the L A Art Show. I think the headaches are partly weather and partly because when my knee is messed up I stand and walk funny causing back and foot and hip and neck pain - might as well make my head hurt too, and my eye, pretty much the whole right side of my body - LOL.

I've been working on the big portrait and also on a website and online store. I was up until 2 AM last night trying to figure stuff out. Plus I have been doing a lot of writing, journaling really.I really have been working hard - just not on stuff I can photograph and post.

I have chosen my 2009 theme. Introducing (insert drum roll here)...2009 THE YEAR TO SIMPLIFY & STREAMLINE...tah dah. So to that end each day I am tackling a box or shelf and getting rid of stuff. I am also working toward painting and working more efficiently as a part of the streamlining. I think by the end of the year I would like to have close to 50% less of almost everything...well, like clothing, books, craft supplies, junk.

And my major intention or goal for 2009 is to get my portfolio together and approach some galleries. 2009 will be my "make it or hang it up" year. Either I get in the black with my art or I just make it a hobby or something. Eww - a little old lady with a painting hobby - that doesn't sit well with me - well, so this is my intention/goal for now anyway. So any way - IF I am going to fulfill my goal/intention I will have to produce more which means I need to be less encumbered and more streamlined. See how it all works together? Genius. Right? LOL

I have a lot to say about what I learned - or figured out - from the L A Art Show - I have thought and talked and sorted and processed and have a real handle and focus - but this is enough for tonight. Tomorrow is another day - I'll write about it then.

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New Painting a Day and a bug and...

Window Watcher
5" x 5"
Oil on hardboard

Here is today's offering. This is for Karin Jurick's Different Strokes from Different Strokes challenge - and let me tell ya - for me it IS a challenge. I have never been one for architecture and landscapes - not that I don't want to be, I do. I'd love to be a landscape painter but I just don't seem to lean that way and when I do it is very uncomfortable. However, not being one to back away from very many challenges - here I am trying my hand at it. It seems funny to me that I can navigate a face or figure just fine - but give me a building and I can't keep track of which window, wall, or post I am working on or where I am in the painting- it totally confuses me - thus these tiny paintings take FOREVER! And then there is this...


This is a terrible photo - I know. But I took a lunch break and went out to check on my veggies and look what I saw! I ran back in the house for my camera and ruler - as I thought it was at LEAST a foot long - but alas it was only 3" - which still seems quite large for January! It was a bit of challenge to hold the ruler and the camera and lean way over to reach the fence and try to focus. As it happened I slipped and touch the grasshopper which jumped and took off like a small bird, making me and the dog jump - who immediately saw an opportunity to catch a "toy" and tore off after it. Bug and dog on a life or death chase through the garden. I think the bug lives on, the dog absolutely would not come in when I called and I had to catch her mid-stalk and carry her in, her grunting and grumbling the whole time. Grasshoppers in January? That is just weird for a girl raised in NW Ohio.

And my busy, busy brain runs on - I haven't even gotten to what I wanted to talk about - transitions and seasons and the things I have figured out and decided from going to the L A Art Show. i also have a disturbing but creative video I want to share with you too. Later I guess....tomorrow is another day. We will see-


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Oh so much going on in my head...Check this out

I met this wonderful woman, Jeanne, at a workshop in Santa Fe. We hit it off and have been staying in touch. I really enjoy her and her paintings, and even though her link is on the side of my blog - I really wanted to draw your attention to Jeanne and her work. I just love her paintings and I think you will too - this is a great little painting and story - so check this out:

JEANNE BAUER DAILY PAINTER: BELL TERRE

I worked today and ended up with nothing - but maybe tomorrow. Thank goodness for Photoshop and Painter - I got a lot further with my idea than I would have without it. Tomorrow is another day so we will see...

I am still processing all of my thoughts and everything I saw at LA Art show - busy, busy brain.

Don't forget to go to my Thursday, Jan 22 post and leave a comment WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS in order to be included in the One World-One Heart drawing for a painting.


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The Animal Odd Couple and an Art Note

Here is a heart warming little story for you. If the video doesn't show up, you can watch it HERE ,
or copy and paste this-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFz-FMj-9Ps



Now isn't that something?

On that "art note" we went to the Los Angeles Art Show today and had quite a wonderful time. I have a lot to think about, and process, and I am quite eager to blog about it. It was an incredible visual feast. There was only one gallery space that really injured my eyes! Hurt my heart! It will take a while to heal the horrible sights I saw, and to get those images out of my memory! It was a gallery from Paris and besides the work being rather inferior in quality, in my opinion the subject matter was so obscene and perverse and twisted...ugh! The only thing I can say that will give you just a tiny idea - imagine a wall sculpture ( it wasn't real I don't think - maybe some kind of rubber or clay or something that looks pretty real though) of a plucked, dead and decaying chicken humping an amputated arm, and it went down hill from there, way down hill, really way far down hill.

On a much brighter note, at lunch Randy from the TV show My Name is Earl came in and sat a couple of tables away from us. He is one of my favorite TV characters. Then when we went back to the art show we ran into Ty Pennington - who I am completely envious of because I think he has the best job in the world - maybe the universe. Now I have to tell you I am not a celebrity fan at all and I would NEVER have even recognized these people if it wasn't for my extremely observant and wonderful husband. But the real highlight of the day was I got to meet Linda Christensen- who as an artist I practically idolize! It was a good day.


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OneWorld One Heart Give Away

Yep - you read that right - Give Away - as in free!
(Read this then click on the world above, then look in the right hand column for a list of bloggers)

Here is the deal.... I am going to give away a painting in a drawing. To be eligible for the drawing, you need to comment on this post & leave a link to your blog or email so I can contact you if you are the lucky winner. You don't need to be a blogger to win. I will announce a winner on Thursday, February 12th, so please make sure you comment by 11:59 PM PST on Wednesday February 11th. And that is it. No hoops to jump through - no catches. Just comment with your contact info. If you are hesitant to leave your info know that I will not sell, rent or other wise misuse or abuse your name, or email address. I may write you a note on occasion, but quite honestly - and my family will vouch for this - I am not much of a "social communicator". I don't send greeting cards, I don't phone my Mother... or kids... or friends - well, not often. This blog is pretty much it. This and email. I hate spam - (unless I am in Hawaii and it capitalized, comes from a can, and is fried, with eggs, then I like it a lot, but probably mostly becasue of the Hawaii part) - I don't like to be bugged so I won't do that to you.
OK - I am rambling, sorry.

Here is the painting I am giving away --- one of my most recent ones ---

Yellow Tulip Shadow
3.75" x 5"
Oil on Hardboard
My little paintings start at $99 - so that is the value of this painting
It is unframed - initialed on the front & signed on the back

This One World One Heart blog was started by Lisa Swifka of A Whimsical Bohemian Blog with the general purpose of getting to know other people and bloggers online. Fun, right? BE SURE TO click on the world above and check out other bloggers giving away free art too (right side column, remember?). As of today there are over 400 participants listed and the few that I have looked at so far are really wonderful. The list will stay up about 6 months - although the give aways end Feb 12th.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
I have spent endless hours trying to track down and dig out email addresses from blogs and I just can't do that any more. After today -Jan 25th 9:30 PM PST -any comments with out emails addresses will be disqualified from the drawing. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. If you are afraid of spammers spell it out like this nsdavisart at aol dot com

Thanks again.

Okay - It is Feb 12 and I am closing the posts for this give away now. Thanks to everyone who participated and to everyone who left wonderful comments.


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New Daily Painting a Day and 5 Sentences

Yellow Tulip Shadow Essence
3.75" x 5"
Oil on Hardboard

I read 5 sentences at lunch that influenced me to make today's painting. I could not even read any further - I had to practically run to the studio and paint this little painting. An article by artist Christopher Schink in the current issues of The Palette Magazine says " Simple doesn't mean easy. When you take a minimalist approach, you can do less, but you have to do it better. Legendary Russian ballet dancer Rudolph Nureyev said that the problem he faced when performing was not making the difficult look easy, but rather making it look interesting. That's similar to the problem faced by experienced painters who take a minimalist approach. They have the skill to paint a barn or a figure or a bouquet of flowers in every detail, and they can convincingly depict a complicated scene or event, but reducing any of these subjects to its essence is a far greater challenge"

When I read those first 5 sentences some kind of bell rang in my head. I have been interested in moving toward more abstract work and mulling it over and over in my head. I have been sort of stuck on the big portrait the last few days, but now I think I may have a direction to get me over the hump and back on my way. Plus I like this little semi-abstract tulip today so much better than yesterdays too, it's more fun. Yay!

Now - back to work.....
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Nothing to do with anything, just smile

This has absolutely nothing to do with anything - except it made me smile and feel happy. I hope it does the same for you.




Hey Rick - maybe letting our two little dogs sleep with us isn't so bad after all....





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Daily Painting a Day

Yellow Tulip Shadow
5.75" x 5"
Oil on Hardboard

Well , it's obvious I need to work on flowers. LOL! My trusty yellow pear is sitting right there next to the tulip and it was hard not to paint it too! I tried to paint fast - I didn't want to bake it under the spot light. This surface has an rough sort of pebbly surface so that was kind of fun to work on. Yesterday was our 32nd wedding anniversary and Rick sent me tulips -my favorite flower. Then we went out to eat - I could choose anywhere I wanted - I chose Chipotle! LOL - we eat there all the time - but it really is my favorite. Yum!
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New Daily Painting a Day and Studio Views

Jefferson Memorial 2
5" x 6"
Oil on Hardboard
available for purchase - email me


I thought I'd take a second go at the Jefferson Memorial. I like this one much better I think, not so over worked. Not too much to say today - worked all afternoon on the big painting - messed it up, fixed it, messed it up fixed it, and so it goes.

Here are some current studio views - I took a break and saw my camera laying there and well - here ya are.

I should probably be embarrassed instead of showing these - but I like to see artist studios and how other people work - so here goes. This is my oil/acrylic painting studio. It is a converted bedroom of average size...oh, 11' x 12' - something like that. This is how I am currently working on the 4 x 5 portrait. I use a computer table for a palette and have rolled it right in front of the painting. Since I am working mostly on the face right now - having the table in front of the painting keeps me at good distance and from getting all picky and detaily - I don't think that is a word. Also, I prefer to work from life - but when that is not possible then a computer screen is the next best thing - here I can set my laptop up right in front of me too.

This is exactly opposite the wall with the big painting - you can see today's daily painting on the easel still. Also - the lighting is a real problem and I have lights all over the place which I am constantly struggling with and tripping over the cords - it's problem, and a mess and in spite of all the lights - I still can't configure them so I can work at night.

This last photo is taken from the door into the studio. The window is a north window - but the neighbors house is so close that the sun reflects off the roof and makes it like - well not like a north window - there is constant change and glare and I usually keep the blinds fairly closed. To the right of the window are shelves we put up for drying racks. Just 1 x 4's with a little molding tacked on to keep things from sliding off.There is an air purifier in there somewhere which I forget to turn on until my eyes are hurting, and another painting that is in progress - but really abandoned - I need to just start it over and throw this one out - the rest is just stuff and junk that finds it way in and never finds it way back out. In the closet we took out the hanging rods and installed shelving for still life stuff and supplies and canvases. We have more 1 x 4's laying on the floor of the garage - been there for months and months - one of these days we'll get those put up and I'll have more drying racks in there too. There ya have it. My mess, which I love, and am so grateful to have.
I thought I said I wasn't going to do these ridiculously long posts....Okay - this is the last long one!
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How Boring and New Daily Painting a Day

Here is my Daily Painting a Day for today. You may wonder why on earth I phrase it that way and there is a pretty good reason. The search engines - like Google and Yahoo look for text and key words and that is how they find you when you are "Googled" - thus using the right, relevant words in the correct way helps me to show up in searches.

The Jefferson Memorial at Night
6" x 12"
Oil on Board

This is painted from photograph provided on one of artist Karin Jurick's blogs. It is called Different Strokes from Different Strokes. Essentially she provides a photograph and whoever wants to paints it how ever they choose and then she posts them all on her blog. It is really interesting to see first of all how many artists are choosing to play along, and also how different the interpretations can be from the same photograph. Be sure to stop by her blog and check it out.
I am not a landscape artist - although I like the idea of it and would like to become one - but really - it is not my strength, and it shows in this painting. Although I like the painting and it was fun to do, and I'm actually kind of proud of it, or of myself, because it is out of the norm for me - it is way, way over painted. It looked much better about 30 minutes before I finished, darn it. I hate it when I do that!

Next,I have decided that I am writing way to much and have become completely boring. I apologize. I have started a journal - which I will keep private and try to stop blabbing so much boring drivel that is completely irrelevant to my daily painting - which is after all - what this blog is supposed to be about!

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Painting in Progress

Okay - I guess I am totally addicted to blogging. I have been hard at work - thinking a lot. I built a website www.nathaliedavis.com and published it, but it hasn't shown up online yet. It said it might take 24 to 48 hours before it was accessible and I may have passed the 48 hour mark - unless it shows up soon I guess I will have to go back and see what I did wrong. I like fooling around on the web and with the computer - but this is eating up too much time. I am very close to just paying someone to do it right. In the meantime, I thought I would show you some of the progress on the big painting - and one of the reasons I have not been posting - it is very nearly finished - but it seems like the final tweaking always takes the longest

Here is the start. I began in acrylics and then switched to oils - that is the photo I am working from taped to the wall next to the painting. The painting is hanging on the wall because I don't have an easel large enough to hold it. This system works fairly well, but it tends to bounce around as I paint and gets a little frustrating.



...and here it is much later in it's development. It would just be awesome if I could get it finished tomorrow! That is what I will shoot for - this is 4 feet x 5 feet, and is by far the largest painting I have ever done in oils. I like it.

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No Painting a Day and Look at This!

Yep- you read that right. No "Painting a Day" for me til - well, I hope next week. You might not get a blog email from me for a few days. I have decided to continue to clean, plan and organize and do a few things right this year. Getting a new web site is a top priority for me right now. I have been with Freeservers.com for a couple of years and they were fine for a while - until I needed some help and they turned into the rudest, most insulting and non-helpful people ever. I canceled my account and I see they have put advertising on my web site - even though I am paid through February NOT to have ads on it. They are resellers of an outfit from Australia and darned if those Aussies weren't just as rude and bad, I don't know how much $$ I spent on hold with Australia, until I gave in and hung up, which is what I think they wanted me to do anyway - Creeps - it's not worth any more of my time or effort - I just need to change it. SO to all of those people that I have recommended Freeservers.com too in the past - I am sorry, I take it back.

Resolving this and getting a new website is top priority right now - and I have been working on it the past few days - I bought web designing software and am trying to learn - really fast. SO let me see, I think I will list stuff:

1. New Website - actually 2, one a professional portfolio, and one a store for my Daily Paintings
2. Get my accounting and taxes in order
3. Clean up and organize my computer files - get my photos sorted and organized - right now they are all over the place, on disks and thumb drives and on 3 hard drives - ugh! How did this happen?
4. Start acting more like a serious business person and stop playing flighty, flaky eccentric artist -

*OK - no one ever gets everything on their list done now do they?? and actually I'm NOT playing LOL. Oh and ---

5. Get the big portrait done ASAP
6. Put my professional portfolio together and start looking for gallery representation

Yikes - now it's all out there, and now I feel really committed.

Okay - now look at these pictures!! A pea flower! I am going to have at least 1 pea pod to eat! Hooray! (as long as the birds or pests don't get it first) I guess it pays to go outside during the day : ) Actually it is just beautiful out there today. I noticed the fountain wasn't running. I looked out and saw that the bottom tier was completely empty - even though I just filled it the other night. Get that Rick? Another leak to fix. So I went out to fill it and lo and behold I saw this pretty little flower on my pea vine, and another bud starting too. They are on the vine that looks like it might not make it - it figures, so we will see. I may try to get a few minutes in to plant a few more things - this weekend is supposed to be warm and gorgeous too. Good, maybe my feet will finally warm up -
.

And will ya just look at that sky? Beautiful. Since I live in a hole and feel like I am always looking up - I thought this view would be particularly appropriate. LOL








"See ya" in a couple of days

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I got nuthin - no really

The only reason today was not a total loss is ... well, I can't remember right now why it wasn't - My painting was a total wreck, blech - I started on the big painting which is 4' x 5', but I have to start it over because the drawing got out of control and way too big. Yep - too big for a 48" x 60" canvas - that is just crazy. So since I am committed to posting daily on my Daily Painting a Day blog -(ha!) I thought I'd catch up on my gardening endeavors, such as they are, because nothing is going on there either.


So above is a photo of probably the most pitiful broccoli I've ever seen. They look pretty much the same as when I first planted them. Below are the peas and lettuce. As I said before the bunnies ate all my little pea sprouts and the pea plant on the far right as well as damaged the one next to it. That leave 2 pea plants which are barely growing and one looks dangerously close to biting the dust. The lettuce refuses to grow much.




These aren't growing much either - although stuff looks pretty green and healthy - nothing is really growing. It's like my plants are in suspended animation - maybe they are, I don't know that much about gardening really.

But I will leave the day - and you - with a beautiful, positive bright spot. Below is the beautiful Talivera pot and bright red cyclamen that my daughter gave me for Christmas, it had one bloom when I got it. Each day I can look out at breakfast and lunch and see the pretty red butterfly flowers flitting about in the breeze. Isn't it pretty? and the pot is just gorgeous - love it. Thank you again Rica. On another bright spot - not only do I have a blooming flower - I am NOT shoveling snow, or freezing cold! I am blessed indeed.


Tomorrow is another day...


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New Daily Painting and a God Sighting

Robert 010609
oil on hardboard
forgot to measure the size but maybe about 11" x 14"

So here is today's painting. I almost didn't go to portrait class as my head was pounding and not feeling all that great - again. (The weather I think) I sure am glad I went though. I had a great start on this portrait but got to talking and lost all focus - totally lost the likeness - but was able to save it as an interesting image any way. I'd like to work on it some more tomorrow if I can, or maybe just scrape it off - we will see...

Here is the God Sighting - that is my term for whenever I see or experience the hand of God at work, an answered prayer, a miracle, a blessing - whatever, large or small - where ever. So of course I pray a lot about the stuff I write about and lately it's been about substance, passion and vision. (Actually it's not just lately - I just found an email that I sent to Vanessa over a year ago about the same issues.)

Before Rick and I went to bed we were looking at some paintings in an art magazine and there was a painting by Reed Cardwell, which we both liked. He is a local artist and I took a one day workshop with him once. He teaches in downtown San Diego - which is just too far to go for classes.

So last night I woke up because I smelled smoke. My initial reaction was concern - but I quickly realized it wasn't the kind of "something's on fire" smoke, it was slightly spicy, more like smokey incense, or some kind of fragrant cigarette only nicer. I tried to go back to sleep only to be awakened again - and again. This occurred a number of times. I forgot to check the clock but I would guess it took place around 2- 3 AM. Then it changed from smoke to a spicy sweet earthy fragrance - like myrrh or patchouli or something. I can't describe these fragrances really. I have smelled it one other time, many years ago - probably about 25 years ago, after being anointed for prayer. At that time when I asked my pastor about it he told me it was the fragrance of the Holy Spirit and this fragrance stayed with me for about 3-4 days. Last night I just wanted to sleep - I should have woken up completely and asked God about it - but I just wanted to sleep. I kept sniffing my sheets and pillow case even though I knew it wasn't it. Finally it stopped waking me and I was able to get to sleep, then this morning I awoke with the thought and idea that I needed to do a series of abstract paintings based on classic hymns. Interesting. I only know maybe 3 hymns - I know contemporary worship music and praise choruses - but not hymns. I don't know hymns. I am intrigued by this idea although I find it is rather a daunting task. I am not very good with abstract art - I can do semi-abstract figurative stuff - but abstract work based on something I don't know or have familiarity with and is abstract by nature - music - wow. That seems like a lot - but not too concerned - if God wants me to do it then I guess He will help me paint them too.

I went to class and told Vanessa about it and she asked what time this took place - because she too was awakened by the smell of smoke - around 2:30 AM! Wow - confirmation. Then a little later I took a look at the upcoming classes, even though I was planning to take a session off, and lo and behold - Reed Cardwell is teaching a class at the studio - at a time I can take it - he's teaching abstract painting. Wow again. I guess I won't be taking a session off!

Coincidence? Nope. God sighting.

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I don't have a title for this and many questions

Oil on hardboard
6" x 6"

Well, here is another painting I did before Christmas - sure is nice to have a couple of paintings waiting in the wings for the days that just don't go as expected. I am still not feeling on top of the world - but much better.

I don't have a title for these paintings. I don't have title for this blog. This year is off to a slow and very unimpressive start - "starting out behind already" seems to be a consistent thing for me. I did start preparations for a 36" x 48" canvas for a corporate portrait. I am eager to get going on that one.

Here is what is going through my head these days regarding art; passion, vision and substance. Can passion be taught? Can you have a vision without passion? What is substance in a work of art? Where is the line drawn between commercial art and fine art? Can fine art be marketable art? If you are making marketable art then is it commercial by default? and that is just the beginning....

I saw a report on the news that thinking a lot leads to being overweight! AH HA!!! - so THAT is my problem! If I could find a way to turn my brain off would I lose weight? The scale says I am a GREAT thinker!!! LOL


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Happy New Year - Another New Start

oil on hardboard

Happy New Year to all of you - and a belated Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a happy what ever else you might be celebrating. I did not get cards out this year, I am just terminally behind. The good news is 2008 is finished and 2009 is new. Time to leave yesterday and all the old unfinished and failed stuff behind- leave it in the past, in my dust, and move forward into the new and fresh and build new successes. Time to plan, set some goals, learn from past experiences and apply lessons learned as I move forward.


I did this painting just before Christmas, but didn't get it posted. This year is off to a rough start a little bit. Rick and I have both been sick on and off, and just dragging in general. By this time I would have liked to have decided on my theme for this year, some goals set, thank you cards sent, phone calls made - but no. I have spent so much time on the sofa I am becoming sofa shaped myself!

Well,not to be discouraged. It's good to get this out of the way early and have it over with for the year. I do not claim or predict that it is going to be a bad year just becasue it doesn't start the way I want it too...in fact I predict, claim and prophesy an awesome, wonderful, full and successful year to come. I refuse to participate in the economic and every other kind of disaster I hear about on the news.



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NathalieSDavis.blogspot.com
www.NSDavisArt.com