December 30, 2014

The Year Past- 2014



HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

To all my blogging friends that come visit me through the year. 
As the year comes to a close, I thought of what exactly did I do this past year. Could I have done better? more? 
First of course, what did I do for others?  Humans and animals. Well, that would be a personal thing.. so let's leave it at that. 

 I exhibited in the Strawberry Festival at the beginning of the year.. 
 and finished my Alaska journal from my 2013 trip.

How could I forget my trip to Alaska and the Northwest, the year before.  Managed to make a quilt, two actually, one for my dear friend..  
  Also did some Florida series paintings, after all I do live there.
Forum Challenges, and how could I forget the '30 paintings in 30 days Challenge" ?

  It took me a month to recover from that .! lol . 
 A trip or two to Biloxi,.
Then the 4 day workshop that I took in Sept.. over on St. Pete beach.
The memory of that will last and will do another one this year. Same place different instructor .... after a lifetime of painting I finally got to take a class. ! 

  

Opened my Etsy shop and working at it to make it a success. 
I've gotten a few commissions from it and that's always nice..made a few sales already... that's good too. !!

Letting any unpleasant instances go, and there are always some.
Life is never without those bumps and bruises...My mom had a saying that 'what doesn't happen in a year, happens in a day'.
We never know. So,... I'll put my foot into the New Year and start walking like I've always done.  
Thanks to all of you for your support and encouragement for my art, my health, and my life. 
Barbra Joan...

December 24, 2014

Pirates Gold.   Some things are hard to leave behind. 
Mom.

December 21, 2014

Hi All

Hi everybody, here I am at my art table doing some sketches.
The holidays are upon us and always difficult for me.. I get around it by trying to keep busy. 
 A very big Italian family and all the traditions have been replaced by mostly dear friends ... if it weren't for them, I would probably go to Tibet and become a monk . lol.  
 No, not a laughing matter,  but I make the best of what I have and try to not think of what I don't.. Life has taken it's courses, people have made their choices, and I get on with my own. 
I do want to wish all my blogging friends, a very Merry Christmas,
and the Happiest of New Years.   Barbra Joan ...

December 18, 2014

Josie / Sold


Somehow without looking for it I've been designated a pet portrait artist.  Someone who purchased the 'Naptime' painting has asked me to do 'Josie',  and now another commission for a pet cat.. 
As long as they are happy, I will comply. 
I tried to capture that personality of Josie whom I am told loved playing with that ball above everything. Here is the photo it was taken from ... 'Josie and Her Ball' . What a beautiful girl..


 

December 13, 2014

Nap Time / Sold

I'm in my 'cat period '. Painting some different ones for my Etsy shop.  Plus I love painting them.. Cats and I go waaaaay back. 
Anyone who says "I don't like cats", probably has never had one.

December 10, 2014

Tuxedo Cat Watercolor/ Sold



This is the finished painting done on Arches 140 lb CP paper and ready to go into my Etsy shop.. It's in an 8x10" mat. 
So I'm in my cat painting mood. People like cats, and I've sold the one of the cat looking out the window.  Which BTW was my own cat Jenny... yes, she is a model.. lol 

December 9, 2014

Tuxedo Cat Sketch

A 20 minute kitty in my sketchbook ... I had a cat like this .. His name was Mickey...oh some of the light spots are from the sun..
You all know what a great ! photographer I'm not.... 

December 8, 2014

Pencil Finished

Just found this piece that I'd started about a year ago... I'd never finished it but now added a few touches this week.. One thing about my photography or editing, I can't seem to lighten my photos . Not that I don't try..... In this one, the paper is white, but it and everything else looks darker.. This about a 16x20". 


December 4, 2014

Forum Art Challenge

This was for an art Challenge on a Forum joined years ago.. http://www.jwjonline.net/.     
It's a piece of a puzzle  and other members have to guess who is the artist... Well this cutie was my piece and they've already guessed it.
So... safe to post it here.  Darn she had a flower on her hat and I completely forgot to put it there.. Didn't want to scrub out, but guess I could have..