Dec 30 2008
2008 was a huge year professionally – I dove into the mural business and painted 3 of them; I painted 125 other paintings from 6″x6″ to 24″x36″ (if I counted correctly, which is always a little dicey with me); I completed 4 portraits (without developing a twitch under my left eye); many drawing students both [...]
Dec 26 2008
“Boxing Day”? It means the day after Christmas in England. It isn’t called this because people have piles of boxes lying around or because they are punching each other’s lights outs for crummy gifts given or too much money spent. It has to do with the rich folks boxing up their excess and taking it [...]
Dec 23 2008
This is the crowd shuffling back down the hall as the party was over. The conversations were so much fun. I heard people going on about the bathrooms (“Fine facilities!” in a very Southern accent), talking about how many paper napkins with the White House emblem that they stuffed in their purses, and the cameras [...]
Dec 22 2008
A note about getting “gussied up”. . . I faxed the White House a second time to ask about the dress code. Here in Tulare County, “dressed up” means that I iron a polo shirt for Michael to wear with decent jeans. “Formal” means his best Wranglers, boots, and a “sport” jacket. (“Sport?” What, is [...]
Dec 21 2008
Once we knew the date of the White House reception, I began making plans. We have very good friends in Pennsylvania who invited us to stay with them AND, get this, loaned us a car! So we flew into Harrisburg, which has rocking chairs in its airport!! Here is what some of their area looks [...]
Dec 20 2008
In August of 2007, I was asked to paint an ornament for the White House Christmas tree, representing Sequoia National Park. My first thought was “Shoot! Another freebie!” I was told an invitation to a reception at the White House would come with the ornament, and I thought, “So? I have to pay for that [...]
Dec 19 2008
In college, I had an art teacher in a design class or some other esoteric subject who said to me, “Just because you can draw doesn’t make you an artist”. I was devastated, insulted, dismayed, shocked, and any other adjective you can think of for the situation – how dare he say that to me!! [...]
Dec 18 2008
This is the far corner of the workshop where I paint. You can see the little stove is working again, now that there is propane in the tank. The Vice President In Charge of Heat And Power And Water lit the pilot last night after returning from hours and hours of pushing snow around with [...]
Dec 17 2008
This is how Alta Peak looked from my window this a.m. Not only is it cold outside, it is very cold inside my studio and painting workshop because I ran out of propane!! I painted awhile and finished a little painting that you don’t get to see because it will be a gift for someone [...]
