The artists challenge

I decided to participate in number 23 of The Artists Challenge. Challenge 23 is called The Butterfly Circus and was based on a short film of the same name. Director /Writer Joshua Weigel brings us a disabled man’s story of hope against all odds. “Butterfly Circus” was The Winner of The Doorpost Film Project 2009. To see this short film, please visit The Doorpost website. Visually wonderful, shot in sepia tones, the costumes and props bring images of the great depression era. Powerfully emotional. I submitted one of the paintings I did for the Vox show to the challenge. Love a Lefty. There are 18 participating artists in gallery 23 challenge, some really nice work. Visit The Artists Challenge gallery 23 and check it out! Be well... Tj.

February Art shows!

Here are the postcards from 2 of the February art shows I am participating in. The Erotica exhibit at the Marco Fuoco Gallery and the "Let Me Count the Ways" exhibit at VOX.

The 3rd show is a benefit and I am donating 4 small works. The Kennedy Gallery Art Center who is sponsoring the annual "Art With Heart" exhibit. All works from lots of local artists are to be 4 inches by 6 inches, postcard size. 100% of the proceeds go to benefit C.A.R.E.S. the Center for AIDS Research Education and Support, and the Matthew Sheppard Foundation. Both great causes and I am happy to participate. I purchased 4 of the tiny canvas last night, and plan to finish and donate all 4 to the cause. The Kennedy Gallery Art Center is located at 1114 20th Street. When I have the little paintings done I'll post them! Until then, be well... Tj.

Paintings for Vox show and more...

Here are the 4 paintings I have that will fit for the show at Vox Sacramento. 2 are from the last year and 2 are brand new! First is a piece I did last Valentines day called Big Juicy Heart and is acrylic on 28x22 canvas. Second I did for the Day of the Dead show in October called He Gave Her His Heart acrylic on 16x14 canvas. Then the 2 new paintings are Heart on Fire acrylic on 18x36 canvas and Love a Lefty acrylic on 20x16 canvas. I hope there is room for all of them, I think they all fit and work together great!

They are also having a benefit for Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. They provide financial assistance to career musicians who face illness or disabilities. An organization that hits close to home! I am donating these 2 small pieces, Orange Heart and Pink Heart both acrylic on 8x8 canvas.

2 things I am very excited about! I finally got my new camera, I decided on a Canon EOS Rebel T1i. NOW, I just need to learn to work it! AND, I went to Aaron Brothers today, it was the last day of their 1cent sale. I bought a bunch of canvas... should have enough to last me for well... a while!! We will see. :) Be well... Tj.

February Second Saturday show at Vox

Here is the flyer for the show I am doing at Vox Studios at the Urban Hive Building. Should be a great show, very worth while charity benefit.

No flyer for the Marco Fuoco gallery yet, I'll post it when I have it! Be well!!! Tj.

New art for a February Second Sat Show

So, I don't know if this is what they were talking about, it took me some thought as to what to do for this one. The Marco Fuoco Gallery is doing an Erotica Sensual art show for February. No not porn, Erotica. Second Saturday is the 13th, so this kind of fits with Valentines day. Anyway, what the heck. How do you do Erotica without doing porn? That was my question. I haven't sent this to them yet but I hope I got it! Sexy yes. Erotic will I think so, but is it erotic enough? Well I guess we'll find out! The first is bigger than I usually do, 36 by 36. I really enjoyed the larger canvas and I think I'm going to try some more larger scale pieces! Acrylic of course on gallery wrap canvas. I call it "Red Boots", for obvious reasons! The second is smaller, 20 by 20 again Acrylic on gallery wrap canvas. Titled "Tasty!" and I have 2 from my Big Beautiful Women series I think will work also. "Curves" 12 by 12, Acrylic on canvas board in black frame, and "Rear View" also 12 by 12 Acrylic on canvas board framed in black. I am also doing a show in February at Vox studios. But it is all about love! The show is called Let me count the ways. More on that to follow! Ok kids cover your eyes!!! Here are photos of the paintings for Marco's. Sorry about the bad quality, I am using my daughters point and shoot camera and couldn't get it without the flash and it's making a glare. (I am getting my new camera this week, can't wait!) So for Red Boots here is the whole painting and then a side view. The side view shows the colors better. Be well!!! Tj.

True Life Story #1011 Drag Queen Bingo!

Yesterday a friend posted on Facebook she was going out with friends to Drag Queen bingo. I responded... what? I want to hear more about that!! But she never got back to me. So, I think, well… next time. I get home from work, my husband suggests we go out to dinner to one of our favorite hamburger places. Hamburger Patties. It is a bar/restaurant in midtown Sacramento, they have great burgers, friendly staff. The building was once home to Sams Hofbrau, a place my hubby and I knew very well, he used to play there several times a week so it is very familiar to us. Anyway, we go to dinner and we arrive and their parking lot is really full! The attendant tells us it's Drag Queen bingo night! What? We stumbled into it!! AND I won!!! BINGO!!!!!!! Yep the 2nd game we played I won. Which was too fun because if you win, you have to go up and they put a wig and crown on you and you have to walk/run through the restaurant while all the other players pelt you with their balled up bingo cards! No worries, the cards are just paper, yes I proudly took that! I won $30 in Hamburger Patties bucks so it paid for our dinner! The fates just wanted me there last night I guess... And I haven't laughed that hard for a while, what a kick!!! Be well… Tj.

I so agree with this!

True Life Story #682

I have been struggling in the last few days with a decision, kind of like Dorothy when she met the scarecrow, which way to go. My crossroad? To stay with the YMCA or to join 24 hour fitness.

The only reason this even came up is because of the break ins in the parking lot of the Y and the lack of response from them. I know of at least 5 incidents of broken windows and stolen objects. I mean really we are sitting ducks in the parking lot. We pull in, get out of our car with our towel or exercise bags, obviously we are going to be in there a while. The Y has cameras in the parking lots, but they didn't stop thieves from stealing my camera! Anyway, decisions decisions.

We went to 24 hour fitness and took a tour. They sure do have a nicer facility, much more equipment, more classes, a whirl pool, a steam room, AND it is less expensive! So what's stopping me? Well the pool for one. I go for the water aerobics classes at the Y. The pool at the Y is big, 25 meters and 6 lanes. It goes from 4 to 12 feet in depth. They have 4 nights of water aerobics classes and a Saturday day class and a lifeguard on duty all the time. 24 hour, has a 25 meter pool but it's only 2 lanes and only 4.5 feet deep, AND no lifeguard! They have 2 nights of water aerobics classes but earlier at 5:45. There is a 24 hour about 10 miles from my house that has 4 nights at 7:00. What to do…

Saturday afternoon I go to the class at the Y. As I'm walking in, a mom and her 2 kids are coming out, the kids have big bright smiling faces just having come from the pool. I go to class and enjoy it. Leaving, at the counter there is a young mom and her 2 girls, the older girl has a big smile on her face and is singing Y… MCA. Then in the parking lot a dad and his 2 kids running toward the building anxious to get in the pool.

The smiling faces of the kids. Those little moments of joy I get to experience at the Y. That won't ever happen at 24 hour. I go home and talk again with my family. Joe is perfectly comfortable with the Y, the equipment they have to offer works for him. Lindsey would like to go to 24 hour she has friends that are members and they could exercise together. So, our decision is… we keep our family membership at the Y, and get Lindsey her own membership at 24 hour. Yes a little more money, the break in thing? Well just don't leave anything of value in the car dummy! :)

I feel good about it, the family atmosphere at the Y, the kids joy that I get to share, that is priceless! Be well… Tj.

Happy Birthday Elvis!

Elvis Presley
Born January 8, 1935.

Wow he would have been 75??? That crazy! Well Happy Birthday Elvis! Where ever you are... :) Tj.

Trying to jumpstart my creative juices!

Ok, so step one in to get my creative self blasting forward in 2010 is to get my studio cleared and organized. It is a daunting task, as my studio became home to many non studio like things over the holidays. The box from our new TV, our old TV, boxes and bags, moved lamps and tables, plastic tubs of stuff. Now that the holidays are over maybe I can get it to be functional again! First step was to take down the Christmas decorations. Done. Next the old TV is going to goodwill, TODAY! Done. TV box and plastic tubs back down to the garage where they belong! Now I just need to organize. And that isn't going to be easy. I mean what do I do with all this art? I have art stacking up everywhere! I produced a lot this last year and didn't sell much of it. What to do… oh well I'll figure something out. At the very least, neatly leaned up in the corner right? Then I need to figure out how much blank canvas I have. I do have quite a bit yet to fill!

Then the next step to recharge! Get those creative energies going, but how? Ok, well I found another artist challenge! This one is just a little different, and has a whole world that comes with it. It is more than a blog challenge it is a private club of artists, they call it a dare between artists. There is always a theme for each challenge of course. But it is even more, there is a whole forum for artists. To discuss and share information and news. The Artist Challenge - A private art club for artists, art patrons and fool hardy souls! Ha! I am excited I found it, and hope to jump in for one of the upcoming challenges!!!









I do have some valentines in my head I want to put on canvas. No shows in January I took the month off to recharge! So here we go are you coming with me??? Be CREATIVE!!!! Tj.

Happy New Year!!!

Celebrate!!!

2010 is looking so bright, you gotta wear shades!!!!!

I am still here!!!

I haven't posted anything for a while but I am still here. Our holiday was grand! Spent it with my brother and his kids. I say kids, but really they are not any longer. Heather is almost 17 and Thaddeus will be 13 in a couple of weeks. I do miss Christmas with little kids around. But I'm sure one day we will have that again. (keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get grandkids someday) I have not been to the YMCA in a while, probably 2 weeks and I'm starting to feel like a slug! I've taken an oath with my hubby we will get back to our routine again after the new year is upon us! A new year and a new decade!!! 2010 here we come! Unbelievable. When I think about things like, the Y2K project I was involved in at work and the panic that swept over the well, the world! That was 10 years ago… what???? Can you believe it? I can't. The next decade promises to be a bright and shiny one. And it's almost here!!! I have not painted in a couple weeks either and I am missing it!!! I just bought some canvas at Aaron Brothers, 1 cent sale! So hopefully I'll be splashing paint again soon. But here is a painting I did, well 2 years ago now. I was late with my Christmas cards so I decided to do Happy New Year cards that year. Here is the original… poor Santa. He was pooped!!! Be well… Tj.

Merry Christmas Eve!

I just wanted to post a Christmas wish to everyone who stops by! Give the gift of time this year, share some with your family and friends, make some Christmas memories! Here are a couple of pictures from my Christmas pasts! Be well... Tj.

It's Lindsey's Birthday!!!!

My baby!!! How in the world did my baby turn 23?? Well I"m not sure but she did! Today is my beautiful daughters birthday, and she is now the grand age of 23! Happy birthday honey! I love you!!! I am so proud of you, you are a wonderful human being. You blow me away... really. You're so smart, and beautiful, you have a loving kind heart. You have brought me sunshine and happiness and so much love! Here are just a few photos of your life.

Grandpa, Grandma, you and me. Just after you were born. - Me and you at Carolee and David's Christmas party you are about a week old. Hard to believe I was 30 then. - You and me in Cannon Beach! 1989. - Lindsey and Nick in Little league! You were too cute and had such heart for the game! And look at Nick's game face! - You in your art show in Southside park! Lovely, colorful and talented! -When you had your purple hair!! - You in Vegas baby!!! Your 21st birthday, hard to believe it's already 2 years ago! - And you and your baby Pixi, just last month. I love you honey! Mom

Mom's candy III

I really intended to post this sooner, better late than never though!

Mom's Caramels

2 cups of white sugar
3/4 cup dark Karo syrup
1/2 cup butter
2 cups of half and half
1/2 cup nuts
1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar syrup and butter and 1 cup half and half. Bring to a boil, add remaining half and half stir constantly. Let boil until it clings in cold water or 240 degrees. Put chopped nuts in bottom of pan. Pour mixture on top of nuts. Cut while still warm and wrap individual pieces in wax paper. Share with family and friends! Enjoy!!

Tomorrow, Friday December 18th is my baby's birthday! She is going to be 23, I can't believe it. How exactly did that happen??? Be well... Tj.