A Christmas Miracle, via Smoke Signals

Marina Grande, Capri

16x20, oil on panel

sold

Surprise! This is a Christmas commission I've been working on and I have loved it! It's based on a photo a darling young couple took on their honeymoon and, of course, that made my work even more fun and meaningful. On top of that, I have wonderful memories of two great trips I've made to Capri and, drumroll please, my precious young collectors welcomed their first child this week! A beautiful, healthy baby girl named Chloe. A Christmas miracle, indeed. Isn't that just the best way to end the year?

Thanks and blessings to my friends, followers, and collectors. I constantly ponder how fortunate I am to be surrounded by a group so admirable and loving. The very best wishes for 2011.

On another note, both my computer and I are under the weather so we're lucky to just be sending up smoke signals over here. Please forgive if I'm not painting, returning emails, etc. I hope we're both back on our feet quickly. Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas to All

Mr. Claus after Mr. Foster

8x8, oil on panel
sold

The Pause That Refreshes

Mr. Claus after Mr. Sundblum, Two

8x8, on panel

Santa in Art - Or Is It Illustration?

Mr. Claus after Mr. Sundblom

8x8, on panel

I am most inspired by that which surrounds me and right now it's tinsel and peppermint sticks and twinkling lights. Norman Rockwell has always been a personal favorite and, during these holidaze, I'm thinking about some of his contemporaries who painted Santas. Especially Alan Stephens Foster and Haddon H. Sundblom. Foster completed more than thirty Saturday Evening Post covers during the 20s and 30s; Sundblom, of course, created hundreds of Coca-Cola ads and is credited for capturing, visually, the world's most enduring persona of Santa Claus.

I read one time - and I'm paraphrasing here - that illustration is art at work. Without diving too deeply into the hot chocolate debate of art vs. illustration, it is facinating to study these beautifully rendered faces out of their advertising context. The book, Dream of Santa, Haddon Sundblom's Vision, published by Staples & Charles, offers a great history on the evolution of Santa in art.

New Friend in the Studio

Great Hair Day

6x6, oil on panel

email for info

Another in the Little Women series. You can click on the label below to see more of these 6x6 girls. Thanks to everyone for the comments - I'm so lucky to be in this community.

Oh My Gosh, I Forgot to Brag

Homegrown Lemonade

12x12 12x12

These two still lifes were juried into a local Christmas tradition - the 12Buy12 show at Austin ArtSpace. There is always an interesting and eclectic collection and the show runs through mid-December. Stop by if you have the opportunity. Now, I'm off to shop - wish me luck!