We had our first light frost last night, but the Iris live on! I grew up in a place where winter meant winter, and the lake stayed frozen until mid-June, so there isn’t a day goes by that I don’t appreciate Iris still blooming on the 17th of December. This photo was taken on the 4th, blooming sporadically since then.

The Canna Lilies have been much healthier in the cooler weather than they were during the summer, when they’re supposed to bloom… a little raggedy, but they shouldn’t even have leaves at this time of year!

So many chores at home preparing for the holidays pull me away from typical art work, but that doesn’t stop the old eyes from spotting things! Transplanting and tidying the garden, shaking soil from dead plants, the root systems are very interesting. I call this one “Pretty Lady”. It’s from a dead Croton — one was posted earlier from a more mature plant.

The temperatures have dropped considerably here today… see what I found on the dining room shades this morning. Don we now our gay apparel!

Peace On Earth, pen on paper.

Sun Shower 01 is now sold! Above: central detail of the 85H x 45W x 2D acrylics on canvas.

Morning Light shown below, 48H x 36W x 2D inches acrylics on canvas, narrow frame. Also sold but a similar one can be replicated. Please allow up to 14 days to create before shipping.

Morning Light, $1,100.00 special order            

Now showing and available for purchase at Studio 2600 until January 2, 2008. 2600 Hibernia, in Dallas:
Sun Shower 03, photography,  Moon over Cypress, oil pastels, and  Dawn, acrylics on canvas

Galahs in Traffic, Australia. 14H x 11W oil pastels on paper, has 3-inch-wide white double mat and 26H x 22W inch white custom-built white wood frame with crackle finish.
Flocks of Galahs fly in front of cars… unfortunate fatalities along the highway to the Kangaroo Island ferry, South Australia. The trees illustrated are Norfolk Island Pines.

One of the pieces showcased in the AJAS Fall/Winter Online Gallery.
For Artists interested in juried competitions and online gallery exhibitions, the American Juried Art Salon (AJAS) gives helpful feedback and critique whether your work is accepted or not. For information about their Spring/Summer 2008 competition visit http://www.artjury.com/art.html  Artists whose work has been accepted twice in a row receive a website page for one year.

First Snow, 39H x 30W inches acrylics, crackle glaze on canvas and box-frame. Finishing: added some darker areas, dripped water down the top layer of glaze, and flicked some specks of white with a toothbrush. Sold, but can be replicated as a new, unique piece by special order in the same spirit as the original.
Detail images:

One of the things I love about living in Texas is that we still hear crickets in the evening during November. This one is a survivor with one leg half there and part of one antennae missing. Those big eyes followed every movement.

 

While tidying up the garden and shaking out the soil from dead plants I was marveling at the root systems and couldn’t bring myself to throw this one away, it’s so interesting. This one is from a dead Croton plant, stuck into the ground upside down makes a unique garden sculpture.
Below: Croton, 1992 36 x 24 inches acrylics on canvas (private collection, Scotland).