HOT WEATHER

We have had a most unusual occurence here in the cool northwest. We had a week of 100 degree plus temperature. With fans blowing on us, we survived. Our house does stay relatively cool because of thick insulation and triple glazed windows--which keeps heat out, but, we are finding them not repairable when the spring mechanism (that keeps the window up) is broken.
But, it was cool enough for my intrepid band of painters to come here on Tuesday for their class, and again on Thursday for the "all paint together" session.

I have started a painting of land iguanas, three of them, eating prickly pears and generally looking iguana-ish. Some of them are wonderfully colorful. After this I want to do a large tortoise as found in the Galapagos. He (or she) has a wonderful expression which I want to capture. An article in the Christian Science Monitor, with pictures, whetted my interest in the Galapagos. I usually don't know where my next painting subject will come. Makes things interesting. I expect that I will return to painting the Northwest soon, though. There is so very much beauty here. Allene

I am back

I have been silent for a while as I have been under the weather, but now am healthy again, and have recovered from my illnesses and from the methods used to cure them. The cure in some cases was worse than the illness.

I have been painting again, and am still working on large northwest scenes. My biggest problem is to be critical of an area and then work on it until it is half dead!--or totally dead! My first painting is the best, not the redone one.

Carole, Eric and Gina (the kids) brought dinner here last night and cooked it for Fathers Day. Actually I really enjoyed watching them in the kitchen. They are all pretty good cooks. If I can figure out how to add photos to this blog once again, I will do so. Otherwise Ièll have to wait until I get the durn thing figured out. Allene

A sunny day

Yippee, a sunny day. So wonderful to have one! It is even 72 degrees outside. Dick is planting his garden as the soil is at last warm enough.

I am working on my newest painting still. It has a complicated rocky background, so has a lot of different forms in the back. It is still fun to work on it, the painting hasnt gotten to that difficult finishing up stage yet.

You may notice that I am very short on my supplies of apostrophes. My keyboard simply wont print one. I have brushed it, banged it on the desk, blown compressed air into the keys, and still cannot dislodge whatever is stuck in that key. I may have to actually buy a new one. grrrr.

Carole (daughter) is coming for dinner. She is one of my toughest critics, but usually right on. I will have her take a look at this newest painting.

I now have my paintings on Imagekind and Yessy. So far no nibbles for sales. But, I remain hopeful. I have been looking at Artspan, they sound as if they have good services for artists, but they are more expensive. So, I am still thinking about them. I would like to sell some paintings through them. On Imagekind, I can order prints at a reasonable price and have them sent to me to sell. I plan to do that for a couple of open air sales we will be having in May and June. Well see hos productive thatis. Allene

Grandchildren

My grandchildren, ages 16,11 and 8 are coming here for a visit this weekend. I have paintings to give to two of them, and must get them framed. One is of Garfield for the 8 year old, The other is of the 12 year old playing and practicing baseball. They both were fun to do, especially the baseball one, as I painted Andrew (the grandchild) in 5 different activities on the painting. (Well, One activity was Andrew showing his dog at a dogshow, the rest were baseball.)
The 16 year old, Maria, does not have her birthday until June, and I have to decide whether I should gift her now or later. She will be working this summer, and wont be out here with the rest of them, sigh.

A gallery artist thinks I should advertise painting various children or grandchildren doing their favorite things. I will do that, and see if I get a nibble. Allene

www.Allene

Reading mail

At last I checked for comments, and was delighted to find a couple. Anne and Bud, Eric took a job with a medical electronics company in Issaquah, a town east of here. It is not a bad commute for him, and he plans to ride his bicycle some days.

Liana, thanks for the mouse poem. Sounds charming. Now, if I could only hear you sing it.

I talked to Arlis about Mike (my nephew who is having cancer treatment.) He feel pretty miserable, I asked what the medical marijuana laws are there. Marijuana is used here, as the law allows it, for medical problems, and nausea from chemo-therapy seems to be helped a lot by it.

Thats all with th family news!! Allene

Well, nearly spring. April 8, 2009.

It is gray and cloudy today, supposed to start raining this afternoon. Oh, well, spring will surely come some day.
Went to my sketchbook project last night. There are 12 of us exchanging sketch books. I had fun with drawing portals--the theme of the book. Some entries were really formal with poetry by Rumi and complicated locks and doors. I chose to do a humble mouse hole with a welcome to his or her world. I can not be serious all the time!

My computer keyboard still has the flu. When I try to type an apostrophe, I get È. When I try to type a question mark, I get É also. I am still trying to remove whatever bit of detritus that is screwing things up. I really dont want to buy a new keyboard. Anyway, you will find my blogs devoid of apostrophes in contractions and question marks.

Today I am going to see my daughter, have lunch with her, and hopefully get my unruly locks shortened.. So, I will only have a few hours to work on my newly begun painting of a rocky British Columbia shore. I am still painting large, 22 by 30 inch, paintings. Fun to be able to spread out like that and have a greater challenge.

I am in a constant intellectual battle over whether I should paint abstracts or stay with realism. I truly love painting in a realistic representational style, but keep thinking I should branch out into something looser. My heart is not in another style, though. Oh, wurra, wurra me. Any comments from you that have seen my paintings. My website is AlleneSoshea.com and at Imagekind.

Adendum:

If you would like to see my newest paintings, go to www.imagekind.com or to Yessy.com and click on my name in the artist lists. Allene