New Challenges in 2012

I have been home not feeling well, and then I received an email confirming that I had received a partial scholarship, was accepted and my registration confirmed for the EDGE Program for Visual Artists at Edmonds Community College!!!! My day definitely just got better! I start classes on my lucky day, Friday the 13th :-D

I have a beautiful show up in the Loft at Gallery North in Edmonds, WA. Many of the paintings were inspired by my trip last year to Ireland with my husband, Allen. I paint small paintings on site when I travel and take a few thousand photos. Once I am back in my studio I use the small paintings along with the photos to create larger paintings. I like to play music that I have brought home from my travels to help take me back to the place of inspiration.

In the main Featured Artist Room in Gallery North, I have a brand new painting for January that was inspired by the view from our B and B Seafield Farmhouse overlooking Courtmacsherry Bay. The morning light striking and the shadows, along with the pearlized effect of so much moisture in the air, made for a beautiful and breathtaking view.

Summer and Busier than expected

Okay, my bad. I have not written as much or as often as I expected to. I was able to leave my McD's job and no longer have to get up at 3:15 in the morning!!! Yeah! Somehow, I thought I was going to have more time to do stuff this summer. What I forgot and my Allen pointed out, was that I still had all my regular daytime jobs. So I really only gave myself more time to sleep. Which is just what my Dr. ordered.

I have been painting as much as possible though. I began a 30 day creative challenge that I put to myself. I painted, sketched or studied something to do with my art everyday from June 1 to June 30th. It was amazing, challenging, hard work and fun at the end to see all that I created.
When I get home and have my own computer available, I will post some of the paintings.

For now, working hard, trying to find time to spend with Nieces and Nephews and just loving the fine weather we are having in the Northwest.

My Fall paint out at Samish Island is fast approaching as well as our trip to Ireland. I am re-visiting some places and visiting new ones this time around. My painting kit is being fine tuned for easy carrying and quick access for painting on-site. Allen is so awesome about making sure that I have time and opportunity to paint when we travel together. I have given myself a packing as light as possible challenge and have purchased the tiniest of suitcases. I will blog later on what I plan to pack. Cheers for now from the fast approaching 5o, kim

Ponderings in the cold sun

I am listening to, of all things, a Donovan cd that was brought into the gallery by another artist. Brings back memories of childhood. The sun is shining into the back window of the gallery and I am thankful for the radiant heater. I am longing to get into my studio and finish up a painting I have been working on for a couple of months now. It is a painting for myself and from a wonderful day on Dingle Penninsula in Ireland. I traveled there in July of 2008 with a girlfriend of mine. She was not a painter and I only painted one time during the whole trip. I did take over 1800 pictures to use as reference for paintings when I got home. This coming fall I am returning with my husband and best friend of 30 years. He is wonderful to travel with and always makes sure that I have time to paint.

The view I am painting is from an old cemetary with celtic crosses, field grasses and a view of the bay. Storm clouds breaking up so that the sun shown through. Absolutely gorgeous. I just have a few more layers in the foreground and to decide if I need one more cross in the composition. Cheers for now, kim

My Fiftieth Year ramblings and paintings

I was standing in the shower, and thoughts came flowing in as the water poured over the back of my head. You know how it is, stuff always pops into your head when you have no pen or paper to write it down, no keyboard to hammer.

It is my fiftieth year, I turned fortynine in late fall and I realized in the shower that this is my fiftieth year. I have things I want to share. I should also warn you that I have an odd sense of hilarity. A sometimes, tilted way of seeing things. Tilted because I am falling down at the time and think "this must look absolutely hilarious" and actually crack up as I am falling because I am picturing in my head how it must look. Picturing things in my head is actually a good thing because I am an artist. Being able to laugh at ones self is important in the creative process.

Okay getting off track. I started this blog to share some of my stories, thoughts, and paintings.
So for now, this is a beginning of sorts. Today I set up the blog and added my painting "Coastal Walk".