A GOOD DAY

It's a good day today....a glorious day, as a matter of fact!

I'm writing this on Sunday.

The neighborhood is blessedly quiet.

The temperature is quite comfortable.

The clouds are keeping the hot sun at bay.

There's a gentle, cooling breeze.

I have been in my studio all morning with the doors wide open.

Lovely!

And.............

It's a good day because I've had a couple of  days of productive painting.

And one magical experience when the canvas seemed to bloom into a painting, right before my eyes!

I nearly cried in joy and gratitude.

It is for those moments I paint.  It's as if the heavens open up and shower artistic blessings on me...in abundance!

....and the angels sing..........

I went to Brandon's new studio-apartment one day last week.  The building is so happy looking, I just had to paint it.

Here it is.

#103

11 x 14 on canvas

I love the brightly colored buildings in Tucson.  Isn't that chartreuse fabulous?

When I had finished that painting, I was left with remnants of chartreuse, blue, black and white paint on my palette.  So, I thought I'd play with making some desert greys...and also to try to make a painting 'be' something recognizable with little, or no, details.

I put spots and splotches and streaks of paint on this little 5 x 7 masonite panel and I quite like how it turned out.

After I put the final touch of ochre paint on this one, I wanted to try another painting in which I would make a real effort to simplify, simplify, SIMPLIFY!

I searched through my photos and found one I thought might work.

This is when the magic happened.

RAIN ON THE CHIRACAHUAS

18 X 24 on canvas

There's one more..........

I painted this one several weeks ago.  I had it 'done'....or so I thought....

Today, I saw some ways to improve upon what I had and I really like it, now.

CANYON RIVER

9 X 12 on masonite board

It has been a really good day!

And now, it's time for a nap.

I will go to sleep counting my blessings!

WORTH THE WAIT

It's monsoon in Tucson.

That's when the heat-weary inhabitants can be observed, throughout the day, scanning the skies in hopes of seeing rain coming their way.

I got petulant last week about the lack of rain at our house....so, I painted this. 

Paint it and it will come.

At least,  that was my hope, my intention and my prayer!

WAITING

18 X 24

We finally got several decent showers at our house. 

I'm taking full credit.

Of course, this probably helped.

Look what happens when it rains!

This is my Texas Ranger.  Most of the year, it's a rather dull grey-green, non-descript bush.

  But when it rains!  Oh my!

It explodes into a cloud of lavender blossoms. 

It smells like heaven!

If you look real close, up near the top, you can see a bee getting drunk on nectar!

At this time of year, lots of days I ask myself,

Why on earth do you live in this hotternhell country?

Then the magic of rain on the desert happens......

and I know why.

And I am grateful!

BIG!!

That's what this is.

48" tall by 64" wide, to be exact.

Brandon talked me into buying it from him because he needs to make more space in his own studio. I'll admit, it was pretty easy for him to talk me into it.

I had no idea what I'd do with it but I figured it would tell me...eventually.  And it did.  This is my CANYON DREAM....in progress.

It is based on one of my favorite places on planet Earth, Canyon de Chelley, on the Navajo Reservation in Northeastern Arizona.  I've never been down into the canyon, only up on the rim.  Some day, I'd love to go on a canyon tour, but until then, my dream painting will just have to do.

What I have found amazing is that painting these big canvases is much easier, in many ways, than painting a smaller one.  I am less constrained by space and therefore I am less constrained in the painting of it.  It's just downright fun!

My biggest struggle with this painting has nothing to do with the size.  It's all about my ineffective, incorrect and inept use of the color green!  Virtually all the greens are just too 'green.'  And it ain't easy being green, as Kermit the Frog so wisely told us.  I am thinking that perhaps this monster painting will be the very thing to break me from my wrong thinking regarding the color green.  I sure hope so!

My friend, Lori e-mailed me yesterday morning and asked if Iwanted to accompany her and her sister, Susan and sister's friend, Mary (visiting Tucson from Canada) on a little jaunt to have a Sonoran Hot Dog.  I am thinking that a Mexican Hot Dog is about the only thing with enough power to entice me out of my studio and away from a.  my big painting...and b.  the air conditioner going at full blast.

I said 'YES!!!' with no hesitation. 

And ate two of them...with no hesitation!

While we were out, we decided to do a little tourist-y sight seeing.  We took a short drive through part of  Barrio Viejo 

click here

 and then a longer drive out over Gate's Pass.

That was especially fun because my last painting, just before I started my BIG one, was of Gate's Pass.

The good food, good fun and the heat just wiped me out and I took a lovely, long nap after I got home.  I awoke to...........................drum roll please!

RAIN!!!!!!!

Not much of a rain...but enough to make the air smell sweet and to cool things off a bit....and to make beautiful music on my tin-roofed patio.   It's time for our rainy season, so I'm hoping we get lots more.

And, I am hoping that you find as much to be grateful for as I'm finding these days. 

A B.I.G. canvas to play on
and
R.A.I.N.