What a relief, I can wear cashmere again! Not that I hate summer, but this one and the one before were almost unbearable. It did fly by however because I've been so busy with the new website and all the administrative tasks involved. And the Garage Gallery, where the birds have been all season, closes next week so they'll be coming home. Next up, I'm putting together my online Shop - stay tuned!

Speaking of the birds, this is Scout, a brand new Mixed Media on Paper piece that went through quite a few changes that you can view in my Process page on the website. Now I'm working on a female cardinal which might be finished in time to post here next week. I'm calling her Claudia - get it, or is the reference too obscure?

 

 Yesterday, a friend from out of town came to see the birds I have in the Garage Gallery. We were greeted by this guest who had placed itself perfectly. Everyone is a critic, but my friend, who is a well-known writer, said the work had "an eerie beauty, both unworldly and of this world at once." He is not the first person to say they are unworldly - perhaps I should add that word to my artist statement.

This is Professor. He is available, sans spider, at the gallery until the end of the month.

 It's been almost a month since my first email blast, and this beauty was the first piece to sell in response to it. Yesterday, I went to the post office to send out one of the CoVid 19 collages that sold because of the blast as well, so it seems to be working. Oddly enough, the hawk is Freya and the collage is called Frida, and I can't help noting the coincidental similarity of their names.

In other news, I entered an exhibition opportunity in London and have had a rather rude awakening about what would be involved in getting the piece there if it got accepted. I'll spare you the details and just say it would be cheaper and easier and frankly more fun if I pop it in my suitcase and fly it over, stay in London for the opening, go visit my friend in Newcastle while the show is on and if it doesn't sell, pick it up, pop it back in the suitcase and fly it home. Can you say VATs and complicated courier services?

Finally finished Ava, she's been on the desk for months. I've been so engrossed with the mixed media on paper pieces that the wood panel paintings, which always take a long time anyway, have escaped my interest lately. I'm not even sure I like her, but I think she works. I do need to let her set for a day or two before I apply beeswax and then buff like crazy to give her that mysterious glow all the wood panel birds have. I also took a series of progression shots that I'll be adding to the website later. They're pretty interesting, if you care to take a look.