New Tomato Painting

"EH Tomato"
5" x 6" acrylic and collage on paper

So, I'm wondering if I should start calling these paintings "Abstills"? They're not a traditional still life...and not quite an abstract. Let's see...how about "Lifestracts"? NOT!

I don't know if any of you watch the "American Masters" series on PBS? We watched one the other night about Annie Leibovitz that was wonderful. I've always loved her work and I appreciate her even more now. Her photos are powerful and unique. You always know a Leibovitz photo when you see it.

By the way...I DID start an Abby Creek Etsy shop so take a looksie when you have some time. I just posted the above painting for sale.

Sweet Princess Abby

Well, wouldja look at THIS! I just received this Abby Doll from my sweet friend, Kimberly Wlassak of Garden Painter Art. Kim was so helpful to me after Abby's passing...and this is just another dear thing she's done for me. She titled it "Sweet Princess Abby" and totally captured Abby's girly, fun loving spirit here. I can't thank you enough, Kim for this little treasure. The doll itself is just beautiful...but the added bonus is that the arms, legs, and wings all move. Abby can dance, fly, wave...or anything else she desires. I love it!

Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend. By the way...if you're in the mood for a really good DVD movie, watch "The Painted Veil". I wished we'd seen this one on the big screen for the incredible vistas of China. Beautiful!

New Dog Painting

"Frankie"
12" x 13" acrylic and collage on canvas

This is Mr. Frankie...my latest dog commission. Isn't he the cutest!? What a lucky client I have that has this big boy in her family. I REALLY enjoyed painting this one.

And thanks for all your sympathies (that I shamelessly sought out!) about my dental surgery. It wasn't all that bad other than the fact that I've had silly putty like bandages in my mouth and couldn't eat any solid food all week. I became very cranky yesterday and by 6:00 couldn't control myself. I went to the store and bought some very soft rolls, slabbed them with butter and chewed them between my front teeth. If you can visualize a squirrel eating...that was me.

Hope you all have a really nice weekend. Enjoy yourselves and think of me when you're eating all that solid food from the barbie! Can you barbecue Cream of Wheat?

My Best Friend

This is one of my favorite pictures of Abby Louise. She and James and I went to Santa Fe together several years ago. She loved to stay at the Inn of the Anasazi - (yes, this girl dog had expensive taste!). On the way down, we stopped at the Great Sand Dunes. Abby loved romping in the sand. She looks so happy here and always had the best smile in the world.

It was two months ago yesterday that she passed away. I miss her every day but she is with me in my heart...always. I found another poem that I really love from "When Only the Love Remains". It is what I hope Abby might be feeling...when she thinks about me.

Best Friends Are Forever

I've left you in body,
But oh how my spirit
Sings only the love that you gave me;
And still, I feel warmth of your
loving words to me,
Your poems make my heart fully swell.
My life, it did end so abruptly,
I watched as you suffered so openly;
Well please dry your tears
So that I can dry mine,
Remember, best friends are forever.

"Rubes"

Miss Ruby Marie

I thought I would start the week off right with a photo of this sweet little button, Ruby Marie. She is the daughter of our wonderful friends, Shennon and Greg...and is the cutest thing that ever came down the pike! We all had breakfast together yesterday...and as always, Ruby provided much needed comic relief at the table. She's at the grabby, throw, yank stage now and she keeps us all on her toes. Look out world...because Ruby is about to start walking too! What a bright light in the world she is.

And on a different note...oh joy...I get to have some dental surgery today. Icky poo kaka. It's not supposed to be too bad though although I won't be able to eat much for a few days. I guess I will just have to resort to some Ben & Jerry's if I must.

I have lots of work going this week...a new still life and a new dog commission to finish and a greeting card order for a new pet boutique in Maine. I may be standing there with gauze in my mouth...but a paintbrush will be in my hands!

Thanks for all of your good advice about Etsy too...it was much appreciated. Have a good Monday everyone. xox

New Abstract

"Jumping Off"
3.5" x 4.5" acrylic and collage on paper

So I'm thinking of starting to offer some of these smaller prints and paintings on Etsy. I haven't had any experience with Etsy yet so if any of you have some fabulous advice...please do tell! It would be so appreciated.

It's beautiful and bright here in Colorado today. The birds are out singing away...maybe a little too much so for me. Alright already! hee hee.

"The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place; from the sky, from the earth, from a passing shape, from a spider's web." ~Pablo Picasso

Yellow Peppers

"Yellow Peppers"
8" x 8"
acrylic and collage on canvas

From fruit to vegetables this week! Just finished up this painting, "Yellow Peppers". I incorporated some sheet music as collage. My grandmother left me piles of sheet music after she died and I love to use it in my art. She was quite a wonderful piano player too!

Hope you all had a nice Mother's Day weekend. It was a little bittersweet for me because I miss being a dog mama. :(

"No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich."

-Louis Sabin

Happy Mama's Day

I love this picture of my mom and I at the beach. This is what motherhood is all about!

For Mom

"Her voice stretches out to me
like a branch that holds
a quivering leaf
from dropping to a dark landscape.

Remembering times past
the two of us
spilling sweet milky laughter
across a sturdy table.

Two hearts tightly
bound together by faithful glue
Thank you, Mom
for giving me
gentle wings of resilience."

-Linda O'Neill

Light a Candle Today

"Sugar"
Painting by Rebecca Collins

The Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is asking that you light a candle today, May 9th at 7:00pm MST in honor of the lost lives of innocent Pit Bulls that have been killed due to the reinstatement of the Denver Pit Bull Ban.

From their email...

"Since reinstatement of the ban, Denver has killed at least 1,100 dogs believed to be pit bulls or dogs possessing the majority of physical traits of those breeds. Some estimates place the death toll much higher, at least 2000 or more.

The pit bull ban was first passed in 1989 but a state law was passed in 2004 that made breed bans like Denver’s illegal. Denver suspended enforcement of its pit bull ordinance at that time. Denver officials went to court to challenge the new state law. Enforcement of the pit bull ban resumed on May 9, 2005 when a court ruled Denver could enforce its pit bull ban."

Many dogs have been forcefully taken from their families and euthanized because they "look" like Pit Bulls. The media has portrayed Pit Bulls as vicious animals for years when in fact, it is just not true. The problem lies with irresponsible pet owners who don't spay or neuter their dogs, who tether or chain them, train them to fight and abuse or neglect them.

I chose the beautiful portrait above by Rebecca Collins of Art Paw to represent all Pit Bulls today. Her name is Sugar. Sugar is no longer with us...but her spirit reminds us of the beauty, majesty and innocence of the breed.

Please write your local representatives and protest all Breed Specific Bans. This is happening in many communities...not just Denver. Please speak up for and protect dogs like Sugar who can't speak for themselves.

Frolicking Fruit

"Bananas In Love"

10" x 20" acrylic and collage on canvas

This is my latest fruit painting incorporating more of that beautiful collage paper I found. I had started it before Abby passed...so just finished it up a few days ago.

Hope you all had a nice weekend. Ours was good. Yesterday, we went to see the movie, "Year of the Dog". It was great and all you dog lovers out there should see it! It wasn't fluffy or cutesy...instead, it was a very moving story about a woman losing her dog and how she deals with the aftermath. Of course it was sad in many parts (and I cried like a baby when her dog died) but it was uplifting at the same time...especially the end.

The movie really made me miss Abby...but just seeing the faces of all the sweetie pie dogs on the big screen was enough to soften my heart.

Have a nice Monday.

My little Valentine

"Valentine"
10" x 11" acrylic and collage on canvas

Miss Valentine is my latest commission. What a sweet Chihuahua...it was a pleasure painting this sassy little diva!

Three things I thought you might be interested in. First, there is a great dog ecard site I found through Modern Dog Magazine. It's called Sloppy Kiss Cards. Really fun dog and cat ecards for every occasion. They have some fabulous Mother's Day cards!

Next...is something new for your dog library (don't we all have one?!). It's a book I recently read called "Just Gus" and it's a beautiful gem of a story about how a rescued dog brought joy and healing to the life of a cancer patient.

And last but not least...there is an amazing end-of-life sanctuary called SAINTS that takes in senior and special needs pets that have nowhere else to go. It breaks my heart to think of a senior animal in need without a loving family or home...so these people are doing very important work. It's getting late...but there is still time to donate something to their "Wishes for Whiskers" silent auction coming up on May 12th. If you can donate any service or artwork to them...please think about it as they are in need of funding. You can reach them through their website here.
Abby Louise thanks you!

Enjoy this first weekend of May!