Lost Marble

6x6" oil on canvas, SOLD

Ok, seriously...I lost most of my marbles a while ago. Working on a marble rejuvenation program right now. It requires but is not limited to: Hibernation time every single day, naps without explanation, quiet time when I want it and my choice of music when I don't, one cup of very strong coffee in the morning and one slushy, almost frozen beer around 5:30 (pm) and no whining dogs or children. Really. That's pretty much what it's gonna take. (We all need a dream....right?)

Chumpy II

8x8" oil on canvas, SOLD

Only two out of seven dwarfs left, Chumpy II and Bones. Planning on taking them both to ArtWalk with me-- unless they find a new home first! (They look especially dapper hanging together!)

Love Bandit

5x5"oil on canvas, SOLD  

It's all about balance, isn't it? Waaaay too many balls in the air lately and I know it does not bode well for my sanity when I haven't picked up a paint brush in ten days. Feels like I'm about to go sideways with all the adult stuff that's needing my attention right now. So I'm posting a few of the Daily Paintings that sold in the Temptation6 show (thank you to my new collectors!) and I am heading for my easel for a little bit of balance and a whole lot of painting. Yay!

Love Puppet

8x6" oil on canvas, SOLD

Sheesh! What was that all about?! I'm talkin' the endless parties, food, gifts, wrapping, cookies, shopping, food, champagne, more gifts and more food! Who can paint in the middle of all that? Enough already...a piece of dry toast never looked so good for dinner.

I'm back at the easel and fired-up as ever to paint the many bizarre and quirky folks that are lurking in my sketchbooks. This new year will bring with it some exciting events; new venues, a group show in February with 5 of my favorite San Diego artists, ArtWalk in April, a solo show in July, and plenty of art-filled affairs in between. This is definitely the best place to keep on top of where you might find my paintings on exhibit. If you are so inclined, I would advise you to subscribe to my blog to receive my newest paintings in your mailbox, fresh off my easel. And I will never share your email with anyone else. Cross my heart!

Happy New Year!

Out of the Vault: Diamond Boys

20x16" oil on canvas

Oy vey! I ventured out today into the world of cheesy Christmas presents, blaring Christmas music and cranky consumers trying to be cheerful in spite of it all. Complete mind-numbing overload. Next year, I'm thinkin' Hanukkah is the way to go. Spread it out a little...seems like a good idea to me.

I'm pulling some festive favorites out of the vault this week; can't seem to get to my daily paintings between the designated Santa duties and preparing for my January show. Note to self: never, never plan an exhibition that hangs a week after Christmas. Geez! Going sideways tonight...

Just Between You And Me

24x36" oil on canvas, SOLD 

I am so happy that this painting sold at the UnFramed Show on Saturday!

It's always great, of course, to sell your art but it's just that much better when it goes to someone who honestly LOVES your artwork. The folks that bought this piece, Amanda and Jason, are collectors and they definitely have a fine appreciation of art that is just a bit offbeat. Just my kind of people! It's so gratifying when the people that understand my art actually seek me out at venues like the UnFramed Show or the C-Note Sale at the San Diego Art Institute (next weekend).

Thank you to everyone who "adopted" a new painting at the show; seventeen paintings found new homes. And now I've got to get to work...lots of new and weird ideas rolling around in my head!

Guardian Angel Of The Heartless

8x6" oil on canvas, SOLD

This is my last Recession Angel for the week. Now I'm on to help the elves with the Angel Ornaments. Keep an eye out in the next couple of days for my new 2009 Ornament!

Recession Angel #2, Cherub Of Chapter 11

4x4" mixed media

Doesn't he look just miserable? Well, this is the second in my series of Recession Angels and I really don't think they should look anything other than miserable. Like yesterday's painting this one also has old newspaper collaged into the background. It gives this little angel a bit of a pinched look I think. So, in reverence of the Great Economic Pickle we find ourselves in, all the Recession Angels are $100 bucks and shipping is free. Such a deal!

Eeny, Meeny, Miney Mo

8x6" oil on canvas SOLD

Remember when you were a kid and this is how you made decisions? If only it were that easy now...maybe rock, paper, scissors?

This is an attempt at making the background a bit more important in the painting. It's where all the secrets are hidden, all the weird stuff that's going on in my head while I'm painting. Pretty scary, huh? And here's one of those tiny bits of data my brain tries so desperately to hold onto: Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo was a song by Billie Holiday. (Hope my link works so you can listen to Billie).OK, there. I can let that little fun fact float away and make room for something equally as important...

Out Of The Vault: Trixie Shines Her Little Light

8x6" oil on canvas, SOLD

OK, now that Halloween is just a memory, it's time to think about Christmas, right? Well, even though Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday I am starting to plan my holiday angel paintings. This year I think I'll do a few Angels of Recession pieces (they will be very small and a little tarnished).

And I'm already working on the 2009 limited edition angel ornament. I've even had some pre-sale orders. Last year's ornament was very popular and it's a tradition I want to keep up but this year's edition will be a bit more "limited". The elves are just too busy helping me get ready for my next solo show in January. And, let's be honest, stressed out elves are just so unpleasant to deal with during the holidays. So to get us all in the mood, say hello to Trixie, one of my favorite angels from last year.

Punchinello

8x8" oil on canvas 

Finally! Wee Bitty Man #7 or the last of the Seven Dwarfs. Were you able to match them up with their Disney counterparts? If so, let me know and a fabulous prize awaits you...Tomorrow, the Eighth Dwarf. Yes, eighth and it's a woman....

Snarky

8x8" oil on canvas, SOLD

Here's Dwarf #5, Snarky. Any idea who his Disney counterpart would be? Read on about my little contest: After all seven dwarfs have been posted the first three people that can correctly match the names of my Wee Bitty Men to the original Disney Seven Dwarfs will receive a very small...but meaningful gift from yours truly. Small being the operative word here... If you want to peek at all the Wee Bitties before I post on my blog check out my website. But you have to wait for the last Dwarf posting to send me your list of name matches. Good luck!

Wheezy

8x8", oil on canvas

We're makin' our way through Snow White's Wee Bitty Men. Wheezy is Number 4...three more to go and then I will introduce #8, the unknown dwarf. Stay tuned...

Chumpy

8x8" oil on canvas, SOLD

Third of seven dwarfs. Anyone want to guess who this guy is in Disney-speak? Remember, I've got a little contest going to see who can match my dwarfs to Snow White's. Extravagant prizes will be awarded to the winner....

Hop on over to my website to see the whole gang of little guys.

Sneaky-Pete

8x8" oil on canvas, SOLD

Here's #2 of the Seven Dwarfs (or the Wee Bitty Men as I like to call them...). Any ideas which Disney Dwarf this guy could be? No hints from me...OK, one: He really had the hots for Snow White.

Pokey

8x8" oil on canvas

So now we start rolling out Snow White's Wee Bitty Men. Of course, I couldn't settle for the Disney names so I spent hours (truly...) agonizing over the names. I wanted them to have some relevance to the original names but with a twist.

So here's my challenge: After all seven dwarfs have been posted the first three people that can correctly match the names of my Wee Bitty Men to the original Disney Seven Dwarfs will receive a very small...but meaningful gift from yours truly. Small being the operative word here... If you want to peek at all the Wee Bitties before I post on my blog check out my website. But you have to wait for the last Dwarf posting to send me your list of name matches. Good luck!

4+20 Blackbirds Come Unhinged

36x24" oil on canvas SOLD

This is the fourth of the five large Fairy Tale paintings in my new series. As a kid I always loved the image of those pesky blackbirds baked in a pie. I actually wondered what would happen if they escaped from the pie and, well, here's my take on the whole ordeal. It's pay back time, baby!

Hope you'll stop by tomorrow's opening reception of "Fairy Tales And Strange Birds" at Bread & Cie in Hillcrest from 5:30 to 7pm. Twisted Fairy Tales, a wine tasting and delicious baked goodies straight out of the Bread & Cie ovens. Could be the beginning of a great Friday evening. Hope to see you there! But if you can't make it, the show will be up until Nov 5 and the collection is now available for viewing on my website.

Little Miss M. Makes Peace With The Arachnid Nation

36x24" oil on canvas, SOLD

Day two of posting the new Fairy Tale series. I'm so happy to finally be sharing them! And I'm on my way out to hang them on the glorious red walls of Bread & Cie. The opening is Friday night from 5:30-7 and all you San Diegans are invited to drop by. If you'd like to preview the whole show, all 13 new paintings are now on my website.

I really had to face my fears in painting this one--I don't have much integrity when it comes to spiders. In fact, I act all girly. Not a pretty sight. But my daughter has convinced me that we should not smash them in an act of pure power over nature. No, we should lovingly catch and re-direct them to the out-of-doors because they were here first. So she and I are spiders re-directors which requires a lot of squealing and flapping of the hands. It's a tough job. So even though this is a painting of Little Miss Muffet, it's also a little bit me. Our secret.

Rapunzel Lays Bare Her Wanton Waves

36x24" oil on canvas

As promised, this week and next I will be posting my new series, "Fairy Tales And Strange Birds". Tomorrow I am hanging the show and the opening reception will be on this coming Friday, Oct 9 at Bread & Cie in Hillcrest from 5:30 to 7pm. Please drop by for some wine tasting, treats and twisted fairy tales. There will be five new large paintings and eight individual portraits of Snow White's gang (And yes, I said eight!) Feeling a real sense of relief tonight--I've been working on these paintings since mid-summer. Hopefully in the next couple of days I will have the whole series up on my website for up close viewing.

Earthling

8x10" oil on canvas SOLD

Another re-visit to paintings past but this one is the perfect visual to go along with my link below. This is so cool...a few days ago I got an email from this guy Morgan in Northern Ireland. He wanted to tell me that his band, The Sons Of Robert Mitchum (great name!) wrote a song that references me and my art. I have no idea how they know of me or my paintings but I think it's a perfect example of our shrinking world, thanks to the internet. So take a minute to listen to the Sons Of Robert Mitchum from Belfast. The song is "Soviet Hotel Dressing Gown". Hmmm, small world! I told you it was the perfect visual...

http://www.myspace.com/sonsofrobertmitchum