January 2026

Palmetto Bluff

Happy New Year! I’ve been planning 2026 for quite some time, so I hit the ground running this year. There is so much I want to do and I’m being very selective about what goes on the calendar, where I go and who I see. Time is precious and I’m surrounding myself with kind, positive, supportive people.

 

In non-art related news, we had the opportunity to see the Falcons - Saints game and the Hawks - Pelicans game! We had sweet seats for both games - freebies to boot. It was my first NBA game and I thought it was really fun. It’s amazing how different it is in real life versus watching on TV. Both games are high on entertainment - great music, fan participation and hype. And the people watching is second to none. Big fun.

Docent training and tours are back in session, and I’ve met my tour quota for the year. It’s going to be an interesting year as we celebrate the museum’s 100th anniversary. Currently the third floor (American) is closed for a complete renovation, and everyone is on pins and needles for the big reveal later this year.

I’m in the process of preparing for my first art trip with students. We’re going to Birmingham next month to see the Monet to Matisse exhibition. I’ve been studying the exhibition catalog, which will be supplemented with a docent guided tour. I’ve also prepared a worksheet of prompts to help them process and remember what they see. Very excited about this!

Classes are back in session! My Acworth drawing class is full and we had a full pastel workshop on January 15. Everyone is fired up and eager to learn. Students have asked for more pastel workshops! It’s mind boggling to me to see the demand for art classes in such a small town. 

Student Work

Speaking of teaching and small towns … we’re kicking off our first Drawing Fundamentals class through the Decatur Arts Alliance. An ice storm delayed our start, so we’ll start February 2nd. 

Scott and I went to Palmetto Bluff over MLK weekend. AMAZING, as usual. It truly is a bubble. We walked over 12 miles on Saturday morning, weaving in and out of the oak canopy and along the salt marshes. Heaven. I also met with the gallery manager regarding plans for my next shipment of paintings. I feel like I’ve said this too many times, but it bears repeating … I am SO thankful for PB and their staff.

They had warm chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate for us to enjoy by the fire. What’s better than that???

I joined the Portrait Society of Atlanta! Am I a portrait painter? Nope, but I want to attend their monthly life drawing sessions and you have to be a member to participate. Hopefully I’ll get better at it. I’m also taking a life drawing class through the High Museum - see pics under the ART section.

ART

I worked on a few things this month - a strawberry still life and some beets. I have a still life workshop in March, so I’m trying to work on a few still lifes before the workshop. I’ve learned that practicing in advance leads to better preparation and higher quality questions. 

I’m also in a small group every other Friday for the next couple of months. This is not a group that’s focused on technique. It’s really about who you are as an artist, your voice, your vision, your outlook on life and way of seeing things and how to pull yourself out of a creative rut. I was very happy with these 4 pieces that were all experiments.

My first tondo!

And here are photos from my 4-week figure drawing class at The High! So much fun. Each week I feel more and more comfortable. Still a lot to learn about anatomy, but I’ll keep after it.

 

 

COMING IN FEBRUARY

Teaching, docent tours, a museum weekend getaway for me and Scott and our artist field trip to the Birmingham Museum of Art! Another really fun month awaits!

OTIS LOUIS AND WINSTON 

I caught Otis grooming Louis the other day! Maybe Otis is turning a corner?? Otis still hisses but it is less often. He’s pretty much taken over the guest bedroom as his territory and when Louis or Winnie go in there, he gets all outta sorts. I understand. He still crawls in bed with me every morning for about 10 minutes of solid snuggles. He loves to stick his head under the blanket for a few minutes every day.

Under cover inspections are part of O-doggie’s routine

Winnie is the King of Snuggletown. There’s no question about it. He’s a lover and he is perfectly content to be at the bottom of the pecking order. He’s so soft, so snuggly, so sweet. He grooms me in the middle of the night, kissing all my fingers, arms and hands. Whatever makes Winnie happy :) Winnie is also obsessed with the freezer. If I open it, he runs to it as fast as he can. Maybe it’s the ice cubes?

Warming up on a bitterly cold Sunday morning

Lou Lou is a madman. He is obsessed with anything you bring in from outside - grocery bags, shopping bags, bags, more bags, pencils, pens, ponytail holders, my purse. I’ve been painting in pastels at home a little because we had the ice storm (wasn’t much of an ice storm), so I put W and L in the sunroom while I paint for about an hour. Drives them NUTS that they cannot be all up in my business.