I Need Your Help...

As some of you know, I have entered An Art Showdown at the Saatchi Gallery. I am humbly coming here to ask you to click on the link below to vote for me. The more stars you can find in your heat to give me or that you think this painting deserves, I would appreciate it.Click here to vote. "10" stars is the best and "1" is the least deserving (it is true some of my more logical friends questioned this fact). The details of this painting appear at the site.

The competition is a rather long term deal...I was not clear about it until this morning, actually. Apparently this week is open to voting, then the top two are chosen. Those two go head-to-head and the winner then is in a group of other winners later in the year.

I thank everyone who has already voted and thank everyone who will vote. If you do not feel moved to vote, then I thank you for taking the time to at least read this. I know your days are very busy.

Now, speaking of days...I am continuing to paint and take care of other issues, too. Things are going well and I look forward to talking here again soon.

Have a Beautiful Day wherever you are in the world.

You May Have Heard...

Mike from Devon, England has sent his two sheep, Esmiralda and Ermintrude on a tour. They first visited Andrea in Paris, then they decided San Francisco was calling them and visited Lynn. Recently they spent a few days with Cris in Oregon where they had a tea party with Annie. Today, they decided to make a stop here in the Washington, DC area before heading up to the North Country to visit Suki.

Earlier today I received a call from Reagan National Airport, and the woman on the phone said two fluffs with purses were asking for me. I said I would be there soon. So I headed down to Alexandria to pick them up. Right away they wanted to go into the city. We hopped on the Washington Metro right at the airport and in 15 minutes we were on the National Mall.

Let me tell you these two are chatty. Here is the conversation I overheard on the Metro:

Ermi: Do you think she will take us to a proper pub? I would love a pint.

Esmi: I hear they do not have proper pubs here. These buildings are far too new.

Ermi: Really? Where where do you suppose they meet their mates?

Esmi: Do I have to tell you everything, Ermi? They use a Blackberry to meet their mates.

Ermi: I have never been to a country where you meet your mate on a fruit. These people appear far too large for that. A banana would make more sense.

Esmi: You are a fruit, Ermi! A Blackberry is a mobile. You know, Mike will not let us have a mobile.

Ermi: You have lost your mind, Esmi.Then we are walking across the Mall near the Washington Monument when this brief conversation took place:

Ermi: Do you think we can see Baaa rack O' Baaa ma?

Esmi: I understand George Bush is making him stay in Chicago until next month. One more thing, Ermi, no matter what Cousin Sally told you, Baaa rack Obaaa ma is not Irish.

Ermi: Someone needs to throw a shoe at George Bush for doing that to Baaa rack.

Esmi: Ermi, you are so slow - that happened days ago.

We had some fun, seeing the capital and the White House (although they did not want to go in). They enjoyed The East Wing of the National Gallery, too. Later we wondered over to the train station, because they thought they should begin their trip north. It will take them a while on the train, then a bus and finally Suki will try to get to them by car. It will be Friday before they can get to her place in the North Country.

They collected their tickets and the last I saw them they were headed for the platform towards New York City - Starbucks in hoof!

What a lovely duo!

Thanks Mike for allowing them this whirl wind tour!

Weekend Fun!

Today Jess gave me a fun little gift to share with you. Here are 100 "things you may have done" in your life. When you are finished here, visit Jess' blog for some incredible color!

The answers in bold are the ones that I have done:

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo (only round the house though, like Jess)

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train (quite a few nights, I might add)

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community.

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo's David

41. Sung karoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (I've been to the bottom, also like Jess)

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business (a couple of them)

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job (but I have been caught up in a lay-off)

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a lawsuit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Read an entire book in one day

So there you have it. Please feel free to join in the weekend fun here. Jess asked if people participating would leave a comment saying you are in for the fun. I will ask the same thing...but feel free to leave a comment anyway.

Have a Beautiful Weekend.

Drawing Lines

As many of your know I am a book junkie (I suppose it could be worse). This particular book, Finding Your Visual Voice, is a very basic workbook type reference. One reason I like it is for the interviews of various artists. Sometimes, when my muse decides I need to explore something I am not aware of exploring, I will turn to this book to see if there is something I might be missing as I proceed.One of the things which caught my eye when I opened it last night was this quote:

Everyone knows that a single line may convey an emotion.
-Piet Mondrian

Other than really loving Mondrian's work, I wondered why I found this quote so appealing to me last night. Could it be because I really do a lot of line work in my paintings such as with the Horizons or some of the poured work? Could it be those line faces which are nagging me to put them in my sketchbook? Or is it because I really only paint where my emotions lead me and I need to focus even more on line work? Do you have any insights on this subject? Do you like line work?

Now I did show you these faces drawn larger - one per page. I also have drawn a few pages of just small little faces. What I find funny is how all of these feel like adult faces to me. Is that because they are so severe with just the lines? The other thing I might add about these faces is they all come from my imagination...I have never seen one of these faces and tried to get it down. They all just seem to be in my head and need to come out. Maybe they are ghosts. What do you think? :)

I look forward to your thoughts today. Speaking of today, have a good one!

Bits and Pieces, Again!

Sometimes I do odd things...well, maybe more than sometimes...and purchasing this sampler pad of a variety of canvases was one of those times.I know the intended use is to test out the different types of canvas, but I am not going to follow that convention...who do they think I am anyway? :) So this sat around my studio until it caught my eye yesterday. You see, I had some paint left over and still wanted to paint. So I pulled off one of these canvases and laid down a coat of indigo acrylic. No, actually, I laid down indigo on 3 sheets of this. I let it dry then did some playing like this...
I know this is a typical Kim painting, but I do have a thing for these horizons. What you are seeing here is copper and pearl acrylic. Now, what do you think I should do with these little bits of painted, un-stretched canvas? Mmmm... Well, it was fun to do and it is an interesting way to play around while you are waiting for the large canvas to dry.

I want to send out a very special HUG to Suki today as she deals with a trying time.

I wish for you a beautiful day!

Weekend Play

This weekend I played in my studio a little bit. Mostly I was glazing some of the paintings I have shown you lately...and there is still more to do there. But I had to play with a bit of color, too. Three years ago I purchased 3 tubes of watercolors to create invitations to a reception we had for our daughter when she graduated from college. I found those watercolors and played a little bit with them. This is the "blotter paper" used in this play time.This is rice paper and I tossed some sand on it when it was wet. I thought it turned out with some possibilities. I can use it for wrapping paper if nothing else. It is really white and not a buff. I just photographed it late last night and not in great light.

This is one of the things I blotted up a little bit. It is also on (white) rice paper. I had used some sumi ink and a sumi brush to draw the lines. Then I just squeezed a little paint from the tubes on the paper at the ends of the lines. After that, I just sprayed the paper with distilled water to move the pigment around a bit. Then used some powdered pearl pigment to sprinkle over the top.

I know this is not much to share with you, but it is one of the things I did between the glazing layers. One of the things I have learned is there are a limited number of applications where I prefer to use a brush to paint with. Do you find you like brush-less painting? When I do use a brush, there are a few which are my favorites, though.

Some of my blogging friends are having a difficult time right now, so I send each of you a lot of energy to get through these tougher times. And for everyone have a Very Beautiful Monday!

First Day of Autumn Picnic

Happy First Day of Autumn! And if you remember, today we are having a blog picnic. If you are participating, you are to post photos of what you choose to bring to the picnic to share with everyone else.
Andrea had a lot going on today, so I am also posting her contribution to the picnic. She has brought along these wonderful French Macaroons. Aren't they beautiful? You can see she is sharing four different flavors...Citron (Lemon), Pistache (Pistachio), Fraise (Strawberry) and Cassis (Black Currant). Don't they look delicious?

So I thought I would bring along something to go with these wonderful French Macaroons. How about a Cafe au Lait (coffee with milk)?

Sorry this really only comes in one flavor, but you can add sugar or honey if you wish. And if it is cool where you are, someone will bring a lovely blanket where you can cuddle up and enjoy this bit of sweetness and a smooth hot beverage.

So as you visit your favorite blogs today, make a note of all the lovely things people will be bringing to this world wide blog picnic!

Isn't this a beautiful way to begin a season...not to mention the week?

Playing Around...

This is a quick shot...clearly not centered and not well lit...of one of the things I have been doing in my studio. Yes, I even threw some paint on the wall...but I had not painted that room on purpose and will have to prime it anyway (wallpaper).

I seem to do this. When I have been out of the studio for a while, I tend to want to do something which is poured or thrown rather than brushed. I wonder why that is? This is actually a bit of all three (poured, thrown and brushed). First it is a canvas which was painted before, and I wasn't crazy about it at all. So I painted over the original with Paynes Grey and allowed some of the paint from before show through. Then I poured some paint (pinks, lavenders, blues). Once that dried...took a while...I mixed some pearl acrylic with some of the clear glaze of which I have become so fond and painted that over the whole thing. I did this 4 times...once vertically, once horizontally and in two different oblique directions. The last thing I have done here is to pour and throw the same colors over the dried pearl effect.

What techniques appeal to you when you have been away from your studio for some period of time? Do you paint over or use parts of previous works you are not pleased with? By chance would your studio wall be reminding you of a Pollock?

I have no idea where this is going, if it goes anywhere. But I thought why not show you messes, too. It is all acrylic on a 30" x 40" canvas.

End of Summer Housekeeping Day!

Marianne has issued this invitation on her blog and has extended it to all readers here, too. I thought it sounded like a fun way to begin autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. I will be making a post here. Would you like to join in?

The plan is simple: decide what you would like to picture on your blog for the picnic on September 22.
Use your imagination - It can be anything you would like to prepare, bring or do at your picnic.
You may want to take a picture of picnic places, picnic things you have, the wonderful foods you will prepare, birds that might visit us, something you might wear, a pet you would like to bring with you, flowers, games to play, books to read, poems to share, anything at all. Anything.

Take a picture that expresses your Indian Summer Picnic. Post it along with whatever you would like to say about your contribution on your post. This is an all day event that transcends time zones.

And Thank You Marianne for this lovely Award! The rules are similar to most awards:

1. Put the logo on your blog.
2.Link to the person who gave you the award.
3.Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4.Put links to those on your blog.
5. Leave a message on those blogs.

I offer this Award to all the blogs listed on my blog list on the right hand side of this page. You are all amazing people and wonderful friends.

And Suki has shared this award on her blog. Isn't that sweet?

These are the rules which go with this particular award:

1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message on the blogs of the girls or boys you've nominated.

Like Suki, I also wish to offer this award to everyone listed on my blog list. You all deserve these awards for the most amazing blogs I know.

So these are a few things which have been collecting lately and I wanted to share them with you...lots of fun and lots of positiveness! I am focused on positive things these days and my blog friends help keep me focused on my goal.

Thank You All and Have a Beautiful Day!

A Game To Play...

Here is another bookmark for you!

This is a game Marianne has posted on her blog. I thought it would be fun to play with on this Sunday! Here is what you do, post the list, highlight the things which apply to you and add your own at the end.

So let's get going:

01 .Bought everyone in the bar a drink.
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s nappy
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten tipsy on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse of both the sun and moon
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had/Have amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain.
65. Gone to a drive -in theater.
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted a river
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Gotten flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in a Rocky Horror Picture Show
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Passed out cold
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a TV game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were collected in the wild.
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept 30 hours in a 48 hour time frame
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read “The Iliad”
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life
151. Organized a HUGE event!
152. Seen something you can't explain with science.
153. Had a book published
154. Solved Rubik's cube.
155. Been married three times, twice to the same man
156. Been to Petra
and my addition:
157. been an expatriate