Barbados Beach Shack – August 31, 2009

“No great deed, private or public, has ever been undertaken in a bliss of certainty.”
– Leon Wieseltier

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Barbados Beach Shack

6″ x 6″ Watercolor

I took this picture when I was there in September of 2008.

Last December, I painted this same beach shack with acrylic on a 4″ x 4″ gallery wrap canvas. I didn’t look at the first painting at all, when I painted this watercolor. To look at the two of them, side by side, is fun. They are so different! I’m not really sure which one I like the best. I do like them both.

About Leon Wieseltier

Leon Wieseltier, the sharp-tongued literary editor of The New Republic, has used his role to deliver brilliant, scathing put-downs of intellectual fads and pretense. He was born in Brooklyn in 1952. He studied Jewish history and philosophy at Columbia, Oxford, and Harvard’s Society of Fellows. He won the National Jewish Book Award for the memoir Kaddish, about his year of mourning after his father’s death.

Sweet Mountain Meadow – August 28, 2009

“You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.”
– Robin Williams
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Sweet Mountain Meadow
6″ x 6″x 1.5″ Acrylic on
Gallery Wrap Canvas

Monarch Watch – August 27, 2009

Believe more deeply. Hold your face up to the light, even though for the moment you do not see.
–Bill Wilson

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This is a Whiskey Transfer,  on an open 5″ x 7″ greeting card, then painted with watercolor.

The Monarchs are going to be migrating through Oklahoma in another month. (Our latitude is 35.287) We love when it happens, although the numbers have been fewer the last few years. On the peak days, we try to spend as much time on the lake as we can. It’s so beautiful when you’re floating around out there, surrounded by Monarchs! You can find your latitude on the internet, if you don’t know it. They may be visiting you any day!

MonarchWatch.org

Hydrangea Macro – August 26, 2009

“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”

– Andy Warhol

Hydrangea Macro

6″ x 6″ Acrylic

About Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol, the American pop artist, is probably best known for his silk screens of Campbell Soup and Marilyn Monroe. He was born as Andrew Warhola in Pittsburgh in 1928. His style borrowed from comic books and advertising; he wanted to remove the separation between commercial and fine art. His studio, the Factory, became a hub for the New York art scene. He was also a prolific filmmaker. He was shot three times in the chest in 1968 and narrowly escaped death. He died in 1987.

M is for Meatballs – August 25, 2009

“Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
– Steve Jobs

M is for Meatballs

2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor & Ink

Alphabet Exchange

About Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs, the American computer pioneer who cofounded Apple, is known for his intensity, his brashness, and his focus on elegant design. He was born in 1955 in Los Altos. At age 21, he and Steve Wozniac built the first Apple computer in his garage. Its successor, the Macintosh, introduced the mouse. After Jobs was ousted from Apple, he bought Pixar Animation, creator of Toy Story and Finding Nemo. On his return to Apple, he introduced the iMac and iPod, restoring the company’s luster. He now lives in California with his wife and three children.

Spring Garden – August 24, 2009

“Man’s main task in life is to give birth to himself, to become what he potentially is.”
– Erich Fromm

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Spring Garden

8″ x 5.5″ Watercolor & Gouache

Winner of:

Award of Excellence from

The Whistle Stop Gallery

Granite City, IL

“Out of Nature” Show 2009

About Erich Fromm

Erich Fromm, the humanist German psychoanalyst and author, is best known for his book, The Art of Loving, which describes love as care, responsibility, respect, and knowledge. Born in Germany in 1900, he emigrated to the United States in 1934, fleeing Hitler’s regime. He taught at a number of universities in the U.S. and Mexico and wrote eight books delineating his view of human nature.. He believed that modern society makes us feel isolated and long to reach out to others. He died in 1980.

Quiet Street – August 21, 2009

“Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.”
– James Bryant Conant

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Quiet Street

5″ x 7″ Watercolor

The Color of Trees – August 20, 2009

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”

– Anatole France

The Color of Trees

Acrylic on Two 4″ x 12″ x 1.5″ Canvases

About Anatole France

Anatole France was the pen name of Nobel Prize–winning French author Jacques Anatole François Thibault. He was born in 1844 in Paris. His father was a book dealer, and France spent his life among books, including 14 years as assistant librarian to the French Senate. His novels, including the Contemporary History series and The Gods Are Athirst, often use allegory and religious symbolism as vehicles for moral questions. He died in 1924.

Puppet People – August 19, 2009

“It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time.”
– Winston Churchill

Puppet People

6″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

I know this is goofy, but sometimes weird stuff appears on my canvas. I’m not too sure how this happens, but I roll with it and usually have a pretty good time. **grin**

Pink Trees – August 18, 2009

“The Noah rule: Predicting rain doesn’t count; building arks does.”
– Warren Buffett

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Pink Trees

5″ x 7″ Watercolor

Whiskey Transfer

If you haven’t tried it, a whiskey transfer is a lot of fun! You start with an ink jet print. Turn it face down onto your watercolor paper. Liberally brush whiskey onto the back. The whiskey will transfer the ink to the paper. Then, just paint! (well, let it dry first) Remember to reverse the image in your computer before you print it, or it’ll be backwards. Have fun!

About Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett, the legendary American financier known as the Oracle of Omaha, is the world’s richest man. He was born in Nebraska in 1930. As a youngster, he sold six-packs of Coke for a profit and first invested in the stock market at age 11. His first limited partnership reaped dividends up to 30 percent. He follows the simple but powerful principle that you should learn about the intrinsic value of a company before you invest. He is now the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, a diversified holding company.