A Year of Painting

As the year is about to end, most of us review what 2016 has held for us.

For me health issues threw a few bumps in the road. The 5 months of shingles lasted into 2016 and then there were 3 issues with an abscessed tooth within 5 months.

Dec 28th while trying to make a left turn a truck crashed into the back of my car. I walked away shaken but unhurt. The car is a mess. The complicated negotiations with the police, the insurance agent and the other driver took 6 1/2 hours.

BUT, I am grateful for all the blessings that continue to flow to me; family, friends, clients, my spiritual path, a gallery show, a successful sale of paintings in July, and we have a precious new puppy;

 I completed 2 series, a portrait commission, some abstracts on paper and continue to teach private students who want to make encaustic painting that are more than just a nice surface:

Below are samples from the 2016 series and paintings:

commission

encaustic on paper

From Women Who Changed The World

Grandma's Picture In The Attic, form the series, "Memories"

Metamorphosis

From the series, "Pensive"

Happy Holidays!

To all of my friends, family and friends I haven't yet met in person,  may you have loving, peaceful holidays.

Another Encaustic Technique

Holding Her Space

Daises On Her Mind

I made this series of paintings a few years ago and have a handful available. Click the youtube link below to see the whole process.

https://youtu.be/RXOMIwZcbmY

Creating beauty for the home and helping the planet.

My daughter, Cynthia Hamilton launched her new business yesterday. It is Once Upon My Pillow.

I am impressed and proud of her effort. She has spent the last year, creating one of a kind designer pillows.

Soon these gems will be available to purchase on line

   Cynthia said “I created Once Upon My Pillow from a long-felt desire to do my part, my part for my community, for my fellow-woman, and for the environment.  With the help of women in San Miguel, and under my guidance, we created these pillows from cashmere, silk , cotton , and the most unique trims and buttons, to design and make one-of-a-kind, boutique, pillow cases, all hand-made from 100% recycled materials. I had a desire to help local women work from home; stay close to their children, and explore and expand their natural creativity; hand embroidering and sewing with a treadle sewing machine, using 100% recycled materials.  I do most of the cutting and all of the designs and encourage my Mexican assistants to use their creativity.”

The attention that goes into each pillow is similar to a Chanel jacket but without the price tag.


Her Mexican assistants lives have become interwoven with hers. Of course it is challenging and time consuming for her to find the perfect garments to cut up to make beautiful designer pillows; however these are pillows with a purpose.

Cold Wax, What Would Your Choice Be?

Last year I was contacted by Jerry McLauglin and Rebecca Crowell who were writing and compiling a book on cold wax painting.  Jerry asked if I used cold wax and if so would I contribute some images.

I admit that I do not use cold wax a lot, but since I had an interest in it and had already made a batch of the medium, I created several images to send them.

A few days ago I was notified that I was in the book. It is at the publishers now and will be released soon. This inspires me to continuing adding the wax to my oils, creating a fresco-like surface. I love changing techniques.

Here are the images I sent. I wonder which one was chosen.  I am guessing that there were very few other figurative submissions. What would your choice be?

Breathe Yellow if You Need Cheering

From my book, The Power of Color.

Yellow is a stimulating and cheerful color. It can lift our spirits, remove depression and increase optimism and create harmony. Yellow represents spontaneity, activity, imagination and exhilaration. It carries he warmth of the sun, bright and happy.

The person who chooses yellow as a favorite color is usually an idealist, and someone who likes to intellectualize. That is why is is not a good color for a restaurant that want hearty eaters, drinkers and a quick second seating. Yellow influences us to sit, talk, analyze and linger over a cup of coffee. The yellow person can be a bit of a dreamer, altruistic and futuristic. If you do not agree with this person, they may withdraw temporarily.

This may be the last posting about color meanings, unless you have specific interest in colors that I have not covered.

May you day be filled with the cheerfulness of yellow.

Do You Love The Color Purple?

Artists and persons of a cultural bent often prefer purple. They may be sensitive and have cultured taste. While vanity may be involved, the purple lovers have unusual endowments; are fond of all the arts, philosophy, ballet and the symphony. They may be temperamental and difficult to live with even if one is accepted by them. They carefully avoid the sordid, primitive and vulgar aspects of life and have high ideals for themselves and others.

The violet ray is divided into two parts, the amethyst or spiritual part, and the purple, the worldlier. Purple can stimulate passion and the desire for power. Think of the royal purple robes of kings. Commoners were not allowed to wear or use purple. This color can influence the higher mind. Violet stimulate the germination of higher forms of life in every kingdom.

What is your favorite color?

Is Orange Your Favorite Color?

Orange personalities are friendly, have a ready smile, a quick wit and are fluent, if not profound in speech. They are persons of good cheer and are able to get along with anyone. Orange fosters the will to succeed, optimism, and courage. People who are drawn to orange are good natured and usually do not like to be alone, They may remain single and share their vitality with all they meet.

Orange carries intense energy and vitality. It is the social color; luminous and warn rather than hot like red. it has an uplifting vitality that frees the body and mind and gives both physical vivacity and mental stimulation. new ideas are more easily assimilated when orange is used. If there is depression, lack of confidence or mental retardation, orange can help to raise the enthusiasm level and supply courage and power to cope with life.

This is a partial explanation from my book, The Power of Color" Available on Amazon Kindle

The Painter and the Poet

My dearest friend, Agnes Olive is an artist, writer and poet. Her Raku creations are in many collectors' homes as well as in museum collections. She is the author of Letters from Pakistan - One Woman's Odyssey. ( available on Amazon)


Agnes was particularly charmed by one of my paintings from my last series. Reverie. While she was at my home for a lunch last week, I was privileged to hear her read some of her beautiful poetry. We realized that her poem, I Whirl to the Oneness was a perfect companion to my painting, The Key To Her Heart. Here is her poem and my painting.

 They complement each other. What do you think?