Now it is April. Spring is in the air, flowers blooming, bees and hummingbirds abound and here in the Valley of the Sun, the air is filled with the heavenly aroma of blooming citrus trees. But once again I’ve missed an opportunity, not to blog this time, but to plant giant sunflowers in my backyard. My husband tended the garden, tilling the soil and planting a variety of vegetables, all promising a bountiful harvest. I just couldn’t seem to find the time to sow those glorious seeds that produce my favorite flowers. I will miss watching the tiny goldfinches hopping among the giant green leaves, searching for a tasty insect meal. Even more, I will miss seeing the stunning, green feathered, peach-faced love birds (they are wild and flourishing here) that perch on the back of the flower heads, reach over the top and using their hooked beaks, pluck off the yellow petals one by one. This allows them access to the seed head, bulging with their favorite delicacy. Ahh, it will all be greatly missed. I promised myself never again to be “too busy” to plant sunflowers.

To compensate for my missed opportunity, I designed a surrogate, a beautiful Sunflower Metal Mosaic Mirror that celebrates the colors and contrasts of the real thing. It’s a beauty. But I doubt if it will fool the birds.

Pearl’s hair defies gravity, sticking up and out in a punkish Mohawk style.  Her eyebrows are long, white wisps of wildness. The hair on her legs seems to be long on one side and short on the other.  Her belly is pinkish white and nearly hairless.  As she grows older, her eyes are clouding with cataracts too.  But inside, Pearl is beautiful.  Pat tells me she has a sweet disposition and has become a cherished member of the family.

To paint her portrait was a challenge.  The photograph I was given shows her wearing a dog sweater, and looking down with clouded eyes.  I knew right off that I wanted to give her eyes life again.  I changed the view to one where she is looking at the viewer with a coy, come hither expression.  hee-hee.  I also chose feminine colors to show off her girlish appeal.  With a name like Pearl, how could I not?  The final touch was to hang a huge pearl pendant from her neck.  Thus, the painting title became “The Girl With The Pearl”.

She makes me smile.  I hope she does the same for you.

Bits and pieces and snippets, oh my!   Lots of tiny pieces of aluminum cans are scattered about my studio workspace when I’m creating Recycled Metal Mosaics.   I use the term ‘studio’ lightly, as my creative space is a small room off my garage.   But, it has everything I need to create and indulge my artistic ideas.  With the exception of an open window to ocean breezes.   I can dream, can’t I?

Boxes of recycled cans, organized by color, fill the bottom shelves of three industrial shelving units.   The middle shelves store paints, paper, canvas, brushes and inspiring photographs.   The top shelves hold my jewelry supplies for the earrings I make from tiny leftover pieces of aluminum.

Photos of friends, favorite quotes, inspiring images, and tools of all kinds are mounted on the wall in front of my desk.   This is my creative space where I go to be in “the art zone”.

Bulldog, Boston Terrier…what’s next?  I never guessed I’d be painting pet portraits.  But here I am, painting dogs and enjoying every minute of it.  I showed my painting of the bulldog, I call him Angus, to my fab hairstylist, Pat Noonan.  She immediately asked me to paint her 3 fur balls – Elliot, Pearl and Ralphie.  Here is the completed painting of Elliot with the original photo. Pat was so pleased, even had tears in her eyes. She said I’d captured her beloved Elliot perfectly.  Yes! That’s music to my ears.

If you’d like a portrait painted of your favorite pet, please contact me.  I’ve gone to the dogs.

After a long hike through Oak Creek Canyon, my husband Chuck and I took the afternoon to explore the multitude of shops and galleries along the main drag, Hwy. 179.  I find there is no better way to recharge my creative battery, than seeing what other artists have done.  One of my favorite places to shop is Hillside Sedona.

In front of the center are whirling, twirling metal & glass wind sculptures.  You can’t miss the place!  Andrew Carson’s sculptures, http://windsculpture.com/ , are an amazing feat of engineering and art gone wild.  I would love to own one these kinetic wonders.  I’m feeling recharged!