Merry Christmas Day!

Best wishes for a day of joyous good times and some lovely moments of peace as well!

Candlelight & Cheer

There are two ways of spreading light;
to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
~Edith Wharton

This season of festivities and parties with friends and family is a time for joyous laughter, warm conversation and memorable times. Cheers to all of that and to letting your light shine.

The illustration above is one I created for an architectural firm's holiday card.

Holiday Soirée

'Tis the season for holiday events! Above is the illustration I created for TriFecTa, a floral, events and gift shop. It was their annual holiday event this past weekend. I featured elements that make a home festive for the holidays in the creation of the image--amaryllis, trees and greenery, gifts, decorative birds (they bring good luck to your home), and the warmth of candlelight.

Art at the YWCA

This week our local YWCA celebrated the completion of a new building, the "McCarthy Residence" as part of their "Campus of Caring", to house women and children seeking refuge from domestic violence. I am happy that two pieces of my art were selected for their wonderful new space. Special thanks to Lyndsie and Lisa of Alpine Art for facilitating this purchase. The images above, "Twilight" and "Dreamer", are 18" x 24" archival giclée prints of my original gouache paintings. Please feel free to contact me if you would like one of these prints. I have limited the edition to ten prints, each hand signed by me. I hope the images of my art contribute a peaceful and congenial atmosphere to the residents there.

Harvest Moon & Autumn Apples

This rare Harvest moon falls on the day of the autumn equinox, which won't occur again until 2029! It ushers in both the official start of fall and an abundance of apples fresh from the orchards to farmers markets and grocer's bins. Above is my artwork (available as a limited edition print) inspired by the crisp air and crisp apples of this wonderful season. I've invited my friend the cookbook author Marguerite Henderson to share her delicious recipe below -- a sneak peek from her upcoming dessert book, Small Sweet Indulgences, scheduled for release next fall, 2011. I hope you enjoy my art, apples and autumn with tonight's radiant full moon!

APPLE AND PEAR CARAMEL CRUMBLE

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
2 D’Anjou pears, peeled and thinly sliced
juice and zest of 1 lemon
¾ cup brown sugar
3 T. butter, cut into small pieces
2 T. cornstarch
1 tsp. kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl; place in a 13” x 9” ceramic or decorative baking dish.

Crumble Topping:

1 cup flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
4 T. butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

In a bowl, combine all ingredients and crumble with your hands to make sure it is well mixed. Pour over the prepared fruits. Bake in preheated 375o oven for 45 -50 minutes until bubbly and golden brown. Serves 8.
NOTE: Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Corn & Tomatoes

The summer harvest of corn and tomatoes has arrived! This image was inspired by the sweet corn grown by local farmers and the vine-ripe tomatoes that are at their best during this season. It's Tuesday and I love getting my weekly email recipe from master cook and recipe guru Tori Ritchie. Here is a link to her website for a delicious recipe, "Smoky Corn-Tomato Relish" that makes great use of August's bounty. And, you can also sign up for her Tuesday Recipe emails. Thanks for sharing Tori!

This image is available as a limited edition fine art print. Please contact me if you'd like one.

In The News

My art was recently featured on the cover of the Art section of a local newspaper. What a pleasant surprise! The gouache painting shown was a portrait commission I did for the Salt Lake Art Center's exhibition "Not Just Another Pretty Face". The patron was inspired by one of my paintings of natural elements so the portrait portrays the elements of fire and air which are based on the couple's individual astrological signs. The Salt Lake Art Center invited artists to participate in the commission process by holding art salons last winter where artists and potential patrons of contemporary art could meet. I thoroughly enjoyed creating the gouache painting "Fire & Air" for my patron and look forward to accepting other commissions. Please contact me if you'd like to commission a painting. The exhibit has been on display since June 5 and will be ending this weekend on July 24, 2010.

Spring Awakening

And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast
rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.
~ Percy Bysshe Shelley, "The Sensitive Plant"

The crocus have blossomed, the daffodils are in bud, tulips are blooming and it is a blustery grey day. Today it feels right for a lyrical quote by an English Romantic poet to accompany my painting "Faith", acrylic on plywood.

A Healthy Contribution

My gouache painting “Blue Birds” above will be featured in a fund-raising auction tomorrow night benefiting the children of Nepal in support of the non-profit Nepal Cleft & Burn Center. The theme of this painting is one I continue to explore, with the flying birds expressing liberation, freedom and a letting go of something inside, intertwined with the figure of a woman. This medical center is part of a larger health care complex in Kathmandu and was organized by a group of U.S.-based Tibetan rug importers, including the Tibet Rug Company for whom I created several rug designs in the past. It is a pleasure to be a part of this event for such a worthy cause. It is being held in a beautiful rug gallery, Foothill Oriental Rugs in Salt Lake City, and I am especially excited to hear the live sitar music.

Feeling Buzzed

Spring has arrived and I was excited to see a few honey bees buzzing around the crocus blooms in our front yard. I use honey every day and truly appreciate the people who keep our honey bees healthy and safe. This image was originally inspired by a sketch I did after a visit to our local Farmers Market. I find it amazing that a small creature like the honey bee has such power in nature. Almost everything that grows needs pollination and thanks to the honey bee we not only can sweeten our tea but eat a crisp apple in the shade of a tree. Do you want to help save the honey bees and beekeepers in the U.S.? In the U.K. you can help save the honey bees by adopting a hive. Why doesn't somebody do that here?

Showing My Feminine Side

I was recently interviewed about my thoughts on being a "woman artist". It was interesting to think about and consider the questions put forth by Jay Heuman the Curator of Education at the Salt Lake Art Center. Since this month is the 30th anniversary of National Women’s History Month, it is the perfect opportunity to contemplate the contribution of woman artists throughout time. A random few of my favorites are Georgia O'Keeffe, Tamara de Lempicka, Sonia Delaunay, Vanessa Bell, illustrators Jody Hewgill, and Anita Kunz, and book artist Julie Chen. You can read the article in the Artists of Utah ezine "15 Bytes".
Above is my gouache painting "Lute" 30 x 22 1/2 inches.

Wolf Moon

This image was inspired by this past weekend's full moon. The Native Americans called January's full moon the "Wolf Moon" because hungry wolves would howl longingly outside their villages at night. My illustration, while originally inspired by this, ended up becoming the beginning of a narrative idea of a relationship between a girl and a wolf. I am now working on other sketches to see how the story unfolds.

Haute Wheels

A scrumptous project I completed recently was an illustrative logo and truck design for Chow Haute Asian Cuisine On The Go! Utah's first upscale mobile food truck. They hit the streets last week and wowed people with their amazing food and can't-miss colorful truck. Today is their official launch party. Cheers to much success!

An Artful New Year!

Happy New Year! Last night on New Year's Eve we participated in "ARTini", a fundraising party and art auction for High Road for Human Rights, an organization that coordinates and mobilizes people at the grassroots level to protect human rights around the world. I offered my two paintings above and they each sold during the live and silent auctions. A nice way to ring in 2010!