Summer Garden
It's a gray day here in Washington. Solstice is here. We celebrate on Friday with Touch Drawing.
After months of painting, I can finally get excited to show what's been born. Thanks to Michael Johnson for the photos and lack of room in my apartment, these pieces are already in a show at Vetiver Organic Hair Spa (also a gallery). It's behind The Egg and Us (across from Issaquah post office) on Gilman Boulevard. Kristina and Richard have offered their space to me this time of year for 4 years now. I'm grateful for the invitation. You're welcomd to go in to see the pieces. Check the website to see their hours. http://vetiverhairspa.com/
Higher resolution photos on website on December 20..
Winter garden asleep.
Borage takes over my small garden plot. The blue flowers attract bees by the hundreds. July, and August are perfect for watching them work because I can get as close as I want. They don't care. What surprises me is humans' fear of bees. I've been stung. I know about allergies. However, bees are a primary part of our lives.......... pollinators. If we poison them, we poison ourselves. See the YouTube video Queen of the Sun. These paintings are in honor of bees and their struggle. 
This painting, "Hive," now has gold leaf added to exaggerate the reflection from bees' wings. I wanted to get the feeling of the "buzz" in the hive as well. First question asked about this piece is, "What is that textured stuff on the left side?" Packing paper stretched and attached to the canvas with polymer medium.
The garden inspired work about stones, too. These 2 pieces are at Vetiver.
They're textural, painted in layers of thick gesso, paint, and polymer gel
mediums. I'll be teaching this process in the Intermediate Acrylic Painting
Class at Art East this next quarter.
And the joy of creating.
May you feel the joy of being alive this season.
