September 2025

                                     
I’m doing my best to block out the noise, the fighting, screaming, ranting, finger pointing, hypocritical, outrageous, angry cacophony in the world right now. After 58+ years on this planet, I’ve never seen so much anger. I truly believe that social media might be one of the worst things that’s ever happened to society. Everywhere I look or go, it seems someone is itching for a fight. There is no respite, no safe place to block out the bullshit and there are land mines at every turn. I’m so tired, so sad, so spent. It feels like it will never end, and I’m struggling to cope with it. I’m miserable, truly miserable. (I know the cure, by the way … more time in museums, more travel.)

Gotta buck up. Maybe having a jam packed October will help. Palmetto Bluff and New Smyrna are right around the corner. My first deliverable for this month was 4 paintings for New Smyrna. Those are complete and I’m happy with them. Here’s one in case you’re curious.

Next, I need to wrap up my paintings for PB and that’s been more of a challenge. My strategy is to take a little bit of everything - acrylic, oil and pastel - and in a variety of sizes. That way I’ll have little groupings that can be hung in the gallery as mini collections. 

The next challenge is preparing substrates for the workshop attendees. It’s backbreaking work with spray glue and exacto knives. There’s no way I can do it at home due to the kitties, so I’ve started working on it at the studio. It’s time consuming and I wish I had help.  

I entered a few things in the upcoming Luminosity show with the Southeastern Pastel Society. Won’t know for a few weeks if anything got selected.

TEACHING 

I taught my last drawing class at Acworth for the year. They were a really special group. Everyone worked between classes, encouraged one another and were inspired by one another. It was just awesome. 

While drawing classes may be over, I’ll be teaching a one day pastel workshop on November 5 and January 15. Pastels are expensive and I know that people are curious about them, so I’m including all of the materials in the fee. If things go well, I’ll offer a pastel series of classes. Private lessons continue at the studio with my regulars.

PAINTING

A friend of mine has been painting a lot using ink, so I went over to her house earlier this month and got a few pointers from her. So much fun! I plan to experiment more with ink once PB and NSB are behind me. I love the contrast of dark sharp lines over transparent washes. 

I took ink to Tanyard Creek the next morning and really enjoyed painting with sticks, ink and water from the creek. My friend Jeremy scoops up water and uses that to paint with acrylics en plein air and I just love the idea of the water from the creek being used to create the painting. LOVE. Doesn’t get any more organic, does it?

 

My paintings at the VH bookstore are selling quickly. When October is over, I need to start stockpiling paintings of local scenes. 

I’ve drawn for over 600 days straight. Today I asked myself, “What’s the point?” I don’t have an answer. I know this - I’m not posting every day any more. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone but myself. So I’ll keep drawing and I’ll post a clump of them once a week or so. Or maybe I won’t. IDK.

OCTOBER

You already know what’s coming: Palmetto Bluff and New Smyrna Beach. I’m equal parts excited and nauseous. See you back here in a few weeks. Cat photos ahead …

OTIS LOUIS and WINSTON

We passed the calming collar from Otis to Louis this month. Of course, Louis is a little Houdini, and somehow finds a way to get the collar off, so it’s an ongoing battle. He’s so, so cute and can be so sweet, but he definitely has a WILD streak - like, scaling the curtains kinda wild. We have also been giving him a little CBD oil to help calm him down. My Winnie Bo Benny, on the other hand, is a perfect gentleman. I don’t love the 4 a.m. grooming from him, but it could be worse :)

We took the munchkins to see Dr Douglas at PHAH this past week. There was a mistake in the records - they actually didn’t need to be seen - but we went through the basics since we were there. Louis is a whopping 12.9 pounds and Winston is 12.4 pounds. Dr Douglas and the vet tech were smitten with them, kissed them, held them, squeezed them. It was so cute.