A Place to Rest

"A Place to Rest"

30" x 30" acrylic and collage on canvas

Here is the latest in line of paintings I'm doing for the show. I found a poem in one of my favorite little books that seemed perfect for it...

It doesn't take much
to hold the tiny weight
of a song sparrow,
any little twig will do,
or a sturdy weed in a field.

Why do I think my fledgling ideas
have to wait for a thick branch
or a secure landing place
before I set them down?

The wisp of a fleeting dream
can rest for a while
on a small extension in my soul.

If I never let these dreams land,
they will not gain strength
for the long flight into fullness.

All it takes is a little twig
to rest a great dream on.

~Joyce Rupp

My new Public Relations team!

Ruby and Emmett

Could I have a better PR team than this? How lucky can I be...to have Ruby and Emmett grace my new testimonials page! Thanks, Shennon for taking such a wonderful photo of two of my very favorite people. I don't think I could come up with a better advertisement for Abby Creek Studios than this!

The new site is almost here...I can taste it! Keith and I are doing some final prep and fine tuning...but everything should be ready to go by Friday. Keep your fingers crossed.

In the meantime...here are some beautiful words by one of my favorite poets to keep you in the mood for spring. The flowers are poppin' around here!

Green sings
like no other
color.

Green rings
my heart round
with the starlight
of laughter,
the dance
of enthusiasm.

Green brings
vibrant shoots
of energy
laced with passion.

Green flings
bouquets of dreams
meant to come true.

~Joyce Rupp

Winter through the windows

"Windows #2"
8" x 8" acrylic and collage on canvas

Available in my Etsy shop here

Here is the sister painting to "Windows" (from my previous post). I seem to be having problems uploading anything to Etsy today though...so it will probably be tomorrow before it appears for sale in my shop.

As for the photograph below...I took it the other night outside my studio when it was almost a full moon. It looked like the perfect winter moon so I had to try and capture it.

"Winter Moon"

To end the week on a wordy note...here's a beautiful winter poem to keep you warm. Have a great weekend!

Winter birds
have their ways
of survival.

They fluff out
their feathers,
fend off the freeze,
find food
in secret sources.

The winter bird
in me,
she, too, fluffs feathers,
finds food
in a season grown cold
and barren.

Blessed be
that winter bird
in me.

~Joyce Rupp

First Dog of Spring!

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

This is Mr. Boomer...the ONE dog painting I was able to work on and finish while "The Maisenator", our new name of endearment for Maisie, was recovering from her broken toe. Boomer belonged to some wonderful friends of ours who live in Priest Lake part of the year, right next door to my Dad. Boomer is no longer with us...but I can imagine what an amazing dog he was. He was an Airedale Terrier...a very smart one who had personality plus and a heart as big as Idaho. Thanks, Bobbie and Jim...for having me paint your special boy.

Have a great weekend, everyone! Before I go...here's a beautiful little taste of spring...

Spring flowers
preach the gospel:
we who have died
are alive today.

We who risked winter
now raise our heads high
to the glorious sun.

Delicate petals,
daughters of resilience,
they call to me,
encouraging the heart
of true believing.

~ Joyce Rupp

Still Life and Steamboat Springs

"Three Apricots"
6" x 8" acrylic and collage on canvas

Just finished this painting today. I saw these apricots at the store the other day and had to paint them. They just looked so perdy and plump. This painting is available for purchase at my Etsy Store here.

James and I are leaving tomorrow for three days in Steamboat Springs. We've lived in Colorado for 11 years now and have not been to Steamboat yet. That's shameful for a Coloradan! Aside from the San Francisco trip to visit family (and we don't call that vacation!)...we haven't been away for some r&r since Abby passed. I could really feel it this week; unmotivated, tired, cranky and bored with the normalcy of every day. We are in the midst of planning a big trip for Oct/Nov...but decided we'd better run screaming out of the house and up to the mountains this weekend to save our sanity!

I will leave you with this "appropriate for the occasion" poem from my favorite little poetry book and wish you all a very nice weekend. Be back on Tuesday!

Flowers last
a long, long time
if they have
what they need.

Why is it
that I neglect
myself?

I need to feed
on beauty,
walk more often
under starlight,
listen to the wind,
and rest my weariness.

Then my flowers
will last
a long, long time.

~Joyce Rupp

Bright Green Limes

"Limes"
6" x 6" acrylic and paper on canvas

This painting (I just finished today) makes me want a mondo margarita...Especially since the temperature in Boulder, Colorado is close to 100 degrees. Yikes!

Since the theme today is green (yes, I just made that up)...here's another beauty from Joyce Rupp, taken from "Rest Your Dreams on a Little Twig". Enjoy...

Green sings
like no other
color.

Green rings
my heart round
with the starlight
of laughter,
the dance
of enthusiasm.

Green brings
vibrant shoots
of energy
laced with passion.

Green flings
bouquets of dreams
meant to come true.
~Joyce Rupp