VINEYARD SKY

VINEYARD SKY 6x6 acrylic on board

This is one of the only paintings I've completed since I last posted. But I must admit I'm liking this one enough to turn it into a larger work. The 5"x5" and 8"x8" prints are in my Etsy Shop here.

I've been busy turning another year older, traveling to Indiana to visit family and friends, be surprised by a, um, surprise birthday dinner filled with several of those precious people I did life with for many years in the Midwest. We drove to South Bend to have a little memorial for Tim's mom and afterwards visited the University of Notre Dame so my grandson could dream about his future possibilities. 

I had a plein air paint and play date while in Indiana with my friend Kelly. She's fairly new to painting, especially plein air but pulled off a very impressive piece and I think she was pleasantly surprised at her abilities. Sorry I forget to take an after picture.

Upon returning to San Diego I arranged another painting day here with my friend Suzanne to celebrate our birthdays together. She, is very new to painting and I chose her favorite vineyard as the subject. What a joy it was to pop her painting into a frame and watch her expression. I did get a picture of her posing in front of her finished masterpiece. See, she is still glowing.

Friends are coming to visit this next week so I won't be painting, just socializing and enjoying every moment of this gorgeous weather. xo

STILL WATERS

STILL WATERS 6x6 oil on board

I reworked and renamed this one.  Not a huge difference, but wanted to add more texture with a palette knife.  Adding two size prints of STILL WATERS to my Etsy Shop in a 5x5 and 8x8.  

Since moving to the desert we have managed to kill numerous plants and flowers. I somehow anticipate the garden nurseries will plaster our faces on a warning poster stating THEY KILL FLOWERS.  I'm learning the hard way that containers work better than planting in the ground.  I just love having vases of flowers from my garden, but that is tough as it doesn't rain and the heat scorches my favorites.  So last year I tried a pot of succulents and when they didn't die I added another and then another.  So far so good. So a couple months ago we added more containers and filled them with more succulents. Still don't really know what I'm doing, but hoping I won't end up with a bunch of empty pots. Advise anyone?

Every chance I get I pick up a few beach stones to add to my courtyard. Adds a bit of interest I think..looks better than dirt, yes?

SPRINGTIME IN PARADISE

Sorry for the obnoxious title, but seriously; take away the earthquakes, wildfires, cost of living and some crazy people/things and there you have it…PARADISE. I didn't want to rub it in that we never had a winter, well, nor did we have rain. Oh well…..sunshine and roses EVERY DAY. Spring is my absolute favorite season. We recently attended a beautiful outdoor wedding and I made a trip with a friend to the Japanese Friendship Gardens. Looking for some inspiration to paint.

Many more beautiful shots, but I will refrain, as it's probably still snowing somewhere.

The Etsy shop has been doing surprisingly well. I just added my Love Boats. This painting of two sailboats nestled together in the Santa Barbara Harbor is available as fine art prints and available in two sizes; 5x7 and 8x10. Click the link or go to the Etsy Mini in the sidebar to check out all the art and fabrics I've added to the shop.  

SHOP OPENING

Well, last time we spoke I was working on building a new website.  But just to be an overachiever I was also building a shop on Etsy to offer art prints and my out of print stash of fabrics.  The plan was to finish the website first, but while my MacGyver husband was helping me with a problem he hit the OPEN SHOP button.  I thought no one would notice I was there yet and quietly kept plugging away.  Wrong.  A gal from Australia found me and Facebooked her Aussie friends.  BAM!  Love those Aussies.  So I just officially added my Etsy shop in the sidebar to the right and invite you come on over.  I'm still listing items, so if you have a particular art print or fabric you don't see, please ask.

In other breaking news, Tim and I celebrated our 32nd anniversary; it rained once here in San Diego and we ran around trying to save the rain water in buckets and trash cans; AND I broke my own record of 6 hours straight in the dentist chair!  

Oh, and I finally broke away for lunch at Cafe Merlot with an awesome friend and it was so much fun to play hookie from the routine.  Sure beats pita chips, garlic hummus and talking to myself in front of the computer.  Must try this again sometime.

DO TEASERS COUNT?

Okay, that's the teaser.  That's all I've got today, but my head is filling with dancing images now.  I'm liking it, so what do you think?  

Awhile back I decided I was way overdue for a major facelift….of my logo, that is.  I closed my website in 2010 after some personal tragedies knocked the wind out of me.  Then we moved across the country and had to dissolve the home decor products line we were manufacturing.  It has taken some time, but I have convinced myself that I am capable of redesigning my own website and online store.  I'm making progress, but as you know one thing leads to another, to another, to another.  The learning curves and hiccups keeps me out of the studio, which is where I'd much rather be these days.  Okay, back at it but I am promising myself that I will also work on a few of those dancing images before my head implodes.

STAY TUNED! 

WHAT'S GOTTEN INTO ME?

SOMETHING IN THE WAY SHE MOOS by PAULA PRASS

WHATCHA DOIN? by PAULA PRASS

Not quite sure what got into me, but I just painted a cow and a pig.  And the pig turned out a bit cartoonish which makes me scratch my own head.  A far cry from the abstract I was working on and ready to throw out the window.  Oh well, it's done and I rather like imagining the pig curiously leaning in, hoping to be included in whatever might be going on.  So he stays, or is it she?

Each one of these creatures stared at me while I was working on the next, cheering me on, or at least that's what I felt.  Working alone in a small studio can do that to you.  Here's the whole menagerie now staring at you with those melt your heart eyes,

There will be prints coming soon.  Working on all the details involved with opening a shop and website is time quite time consuming.  Takes me away from what I'd rather be doing these days….hang out with these guys. 

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

After another disappointing attempt at an abstract painting I decided to paint something distinguishable. See if you can figure out what these are:

TOOK MY NAP, NOW CAN WE PLAY? by PAULA PRASS

TELL ME I'M PRETTY by PAULA PRASS 

Much happier, in fact, I think I'm in love.  Just look at those eyes.  Me thinks these are keepers.

On another note I had an amazing short visit with my daughter.  We packed in shopping, hosted a Stella & Dot Trunk Show, and lots of food.  She came from the Midwest vortex thingy so the weather here was yet another treat.  I was secretly hoping she might get stranded here; oh well.

Happy and safe weekend!

WINDOW IN BURANO

I have absolutely fallen in love with Burano, Italy.  The houses, shutters and doors are all brightly painted.  I already have a longtime love of windows and doors.  Flowers on the sill or a flower boxes make hearts float out of my eyes.  Yup, it's true.  I get on Google Maps sometimes just to "walk the streets" and tour cities around the world. Burano is one of my all time favorite stops.  

I decided to paint a window for my home and place it in my hanging easel.  I bought two easels years ago at market to use in a Decorator Show House.  I wish I had purchased dozens of these easels because the room I designed ended up on the front cover of Better Homes and Gardens Window and Walls and a book (here's a Before and After post about that cottage dining room here). I had way too many calls and emails wanting those easels.  Problem is they were no longer for sale and I sold the other one to a client.  

Speaking of chandeliers (huh?) I sure wish I had the chandelier I used in that Cottage Dining Room.  It was a bazillion dollars back then and sure it would be two bazillion now.

Before the holidays we invited four couples to dinner and our small dining room got swallowed up when we put the extensions in the table. We would have to walk outside and around the house to come in another door to get to the other side of the table. We tried moving the table into the much larger, unused living room.  As soon as we did, it was such a Eureka moment.  We thought, "Why not keep it this way, we're the boss of us?"  So we did.  We lit lots of candles for that dinner, but we are planning another event this week and decided we need a chandelier.  Went about researching something large enough to light a large room and cheap enough to take back down if we ever sell the house and have to turn it into a living room again.  I was not happy with the prices or the timeframe to order one.  So two weekends ago we set out to find something local, cheap and in stock.  I prayed beforehand for a great find, as God knows I can be a tad bit, how should I say, PICKY.  After hitting all the big box stores we decided to check out Urban Barn, a huge flea market shop/antique, um...barn in Escondido.  That can take about two+ hours so I went in hopeful.  Tim and I split up to divide and conquer.  We met up a couple times and Tim mentioned he saw a chandelier way in the back area but too much stuff barricaded him from getting a good look.  He tried to take me to this back area but were told it was off bounds.  Not finding much, we purchased a birdcage and wine holder and as we were checking out the owner asked if we found what we came for.  Ha, next thing we knew we were the proud owners of this big baby.  Cost?  $35.  Yes way!!!

It's not the one from the show house, but looks and feels very Restoration Hardwareish and works just fine for $35, don't ya think?  Oh, and here's our newly converted "sitting room".  It's my favorite place to sit in the morning and plan my day.  Okay, that scary striped thing is a coverlet and I'm usually under it. 

SOLD MY FIRST PAINTING

Due to lack of sleep I sold my first painting! It's very normal for me to lay awake and stare up at the ceiling all night long.  One night I finally gave up and decided to clean out my inbox.  I know, I know.  In doing so I saw an email about an upcoming art gallery exhibition.  The receiving for the artwork submissions was the very next day.  I have never submitted artwork before, but the longer I thought about it I decided it was about time to get off my art stool. The next day I delivered my pieces and later got word they were accepted. Tim and I attended the reception, then moved on to all the holiday travels and festivities.  Then I got this call from the gallery saying one of my pieces, NEW YORK, NEW YORK sold.  AND the gallery's Chairman for the Board is the one who purchased it.  That's pretty cool for a rookie, right?   

While I have sold numerous pieces, they were always made for giclee's or reproductions and I own the originals.  This is a new experience for me and I must admit I have conflicting emotions.  I really liked that painting.  Makes me wonder; do artists hold a personal attachment to each piece?   I guess I better get over it, because I currently have seven paintings in various stages of completion.  I have poured hours over each one and they kinda grow on me.  Guess it's better to give them a new home than to enjoy all of them and be a starving artist, right?

Over the holidays we hand-delivered those pieces (here and here) for our grandson.  Here's what the whole group looks like hanging over his bed. 

TIM'S DAD AND HIS PLANE  WWII

He was genuinely excited, but Tim practically had him sign a Right of First Refusal in case Wyatt ever wanted to move on to another theme.  

So I started RUNNING this week using the Couch to 5k app!!!!!  Please, hold the applause.  Save it for when I actually finish.  What helps is there's a Brit that talks to you and I'm a tad bit embarrassed that she's talking when I'm within earshot of others.  I try to time it to get past people before or have even turned around to run in the other direction when I couldn't avoid passing people in time.  Now I can truly say, "gotta run".  xo

PAULA'S NEW KICKS

NEW IS THE NEW WORD

While 2013 certainly wasn't one of my best or worst years, I was still kinda mumbling "Good Riddins" under my breath as we were all welcoming in 2014.  However, as much as I dislike the underlying feeling that in January I'm supposed to make promises resolutions (so I can break them in February, then beat myself up for the rest of the year), I'm surprisingly much more upbeat about starting off the year with a clean slate.  The thing is, not setting any goals definitely didn't work for me!  So this year I'm in a good place and actually WANTING to achieve some goals.  There.  I said it.  Don't judge me. 

So the first thing I did was get a daily planner that was so stinkin "me" that I would actually want to use it.  I chose Whitney English's Day Designer.  I love it!  And, btw, if anyone ever doubted my long time affair with black and white stripes, here's the proof.

Speaking of love, my other long time love is all things Kate Spade.  Jennifer just got me this Things We Love book for Christmas and I hate to say I may have drooled on it a little.  These two books and my bible are what's getting me pumped to take on this New Year with a bit of vim and vigor!  My desire is to be able to add the word NEW to my vocabulary and use it frequently; as in NEW ARTWORK, NEW WEBSITE, NEW FRIENDS, NEW NUMBERS (as in dress size, cholesterol levels, income, you got it…)  This year I want to accept all those Happy New Year's wishes as blessings so that by the end of the year I can finally say, this was a happy year.  With that said, may you all have an amazingly HAPPY NEW YEAR.  I mean it!!