Under the Sunflowers and a collector pic

Under the Sunflowers  Oil on panel, 8"x 8,"  SOLD

The cooler weather fall brings is always such a pleasant surprise.  This time last year we were holed up in a motel waiting for our house to be vacated! Fall was a total blur of moving and unpacking! I so look forward to seeing the leaves change this year. 
Today's painting features a spooky little black cat.  Sunflowers are still my favorites to paint--maybe try a few more combos (flowers + cat) before the snow starts flying. 
Also today, a quick share. My painting, "Blue Coco" sold to a buyer in Germany.  The painting was held up in customs for a really long time... Many emails were exchanged (worried buyer, me bugging my local post office.)  Finally, it arrived and she was kind enough to send me this picture.  Such a funky and cool space!  Can you tell she's is an artist?!  That's her painting of greyhounds above the mirror.  It makes me happy to see my painting in this setting. Thank you, CVW!  

Idea Cat and my kitchen tile

Idea Cat  Oil on panel 8" x 8,"  SOLD

This is the second time I painted this sweet cat from the shelter, the first time was here.  

This afternoon my husband and I picked up 118 pounds of "Glass Beach Blend Amalfi" tiles for the kitchen. They are subway tiles with a mix of shiny and frosted tiles in white and grayish green and will be accented with a narrow runner of more saturated green glass tile.  Still waffling on grout color, but psyched to see them installed! Pictures soon.

Sibling Kittens

Sibling Kittens  Oil on panel, 8" x 8,"  SOLD

Napping Kittens and my kitchen overhaul

Napping Kittens  Oil on panel, 8" x 10,"  SOLD

Very happy with this one, it's better in life. 
For those of you who've taken an interest in my never ending kitchen saga: This.

It's a fantastic trash drawer!  ...My talented handyman used how-to videos from Youtube to build it.  (Thanks, Rich!!) 

The Formal and the hot mess

The Formal  Oil on panel, 8" x 8,"  $330.

Hope you are enjoying Labor Day weekend.
I had two sheep/kitteh paintings planned this week, one didn't work out.  Will attach that for giggles. Note to self: Avoid over blending by mixing enough paint to go around. Use more paint!!

Five Cows

Five Cows  Oil on panel, 8" x 8,"  $330.

Should one endeavor to paint five cows and thirteen trees on a small panel, omitting extraneous details may be necessary.  :)

A Recent Commission Portrait of Horse and Boy

A recent commission, 10" x 8"

Doing commissions can be a living hell for many artists, myself included.  John Singer Sargent said it best "A portrait is a painting with something wrong with the mouth." (Cracks me up every time. ...he is one of my painting heroes!) Having said that, every once in a while I take a commissioned portrait gig and the stars align and everything works out beautifully!  This is one of them. 

Master Coco and the Daily Paintworks Monthly Contest

Master Coco  Oil on panel, 6" x 6,"  SOLD

The fluffy faced home model... my ever serious but cute Coco. 
I'm pleased to be judging this month's painting contest on Daily Paintworks. If you are a daily painter (or a painter.period) --go and enter!  Membership is not required.  Here's a link. 

Crimson Cat and Hoeptner on Katzenworld

Crimson Cat  Oil on panel, 8" x 8,"  SOLD

Last Friday, an interview with me and my cat paintings were featured on Sara Day's "Friday Art Cat" column, part of all-about-cats UK website Katzenworld. Check that out here. :)

Today a special thanks to Maggie Swanson (illustrator extraordinaire) for allowing me to paint "Crimson Cat" from a photo posted to her shelter cats blog.

In unrelated news: project kitchen over haul continues.  I started shopping for wall treatments.  Doncha know wallpaper alone wouldh've been food enough for thought...  but no.  I went to a tile shop too (mind blown!!) 

Though a bit overwhelmed with the variety of choices I did discover a couple tasty selections that may (or may not!) make the cut. 

Love the wild life theme! (Etsy wallpaper on left)

Included above, a picture of the wall that might be wallpapered. 

A few weeks ago, I found some wallpaper on Etsy that I liked. 

I had thought it so charming... (because deer! bunnies!) The Sherwin-Williams store had so MANY wallpapers.  I found another with deer! Gorgeous!  
Not to mention the neutral colors are a perfect match for the floor tile and would make the cabinets pop. 

lovely rippled glass tiles

Truth be told I found a half dozen beautiful wallpapers... and going to the tile shop complicated things further... The floral themed tiles to the right were my favorites. 

I brought one home with me to see what they looked like in the kitchen and they would totally work. Meanwhile, shelves need installed before tiles (doh!?) so yeah, maybe I swing back around and figure that out next?!  Feeling discombobulated but strangely optimistic. :)

Righteous Rita

Righteous Rita Oil on panel, 10" x 8," $410.

Sorry so mum the last few days! I've been multitasking a little more than I like.  Coming into the studio to paint was a welcome relief today. 
A quick share of the latest development in my kitchen renovation: a light fixture has been installed!  Pictures for your amusement attached. 

The old one used to bonk my husband in the head. ...until I tied it up with some picture hanging wire.  (kind of hilarious, considering the rolling pin design) -- the new one is bonk-free and features a dimmer.  I love it though it's a little more "glitzy" than I had anticipated?! Maybe the solution to that is add more sparkle to other parts of the room?! I had thought to skip a backsplash/tile and just do beadboard on the walls, now re-thinking that. Happy August!