Here are a bunch of photos from our adventures in December: Clarice on her 4th birthday (12/11) and Steve, Grandaddy & Clarice with our Christmas tree, riding the Harley, and a perfect ski day in the mountains of NC.

Here is Olivia Clarice at her Christmas program and Steve after having cut down our Cmas tree.

Steve & Clarice have fun in our surprise pre-Thanksgiving snow.

Fall can be so much fun.

Clarice & her friend, Chloe (aka Buzz Lightyear), had a wonderful, magical Halloween!

Clarice strikes a pose in her princess ballerina costume.

Clarice is enjoying the view from our newest community, The Views at Cranberry. Check out our website at:
www.TheViewsatCranberry.com

Steve & I are so proud of Clarice's latest artwork. She drew the cat and wrote "C-A-T" at the top all by herself and then came and showed me. This is her first word besides "Clarice, Mom" and "Dad" that she has written all by herself.

Then Our House has 3 doors: one for Mommy, one for Daddy and one for Clarice. Can you spot the steps (on either side of the house)? Then we have a big garage. Mom's car doesn't have any tires. But Daddy's truck has 3 tires. The "flowers" are actually supposed to be steering wheels.

Hope you enjoy these!

Our little girl is growing up!

Theatre staff gave me this Build a Bear that looks like my picture from the brochure below. She is also Classically Hip! The piano in the background was not part of their gift to me. :)

Here is yours truly modeling for High Point Theatre's new season. Did you know I play the clarinet? I didn't, either! Theatre staff also gave me a Build-A-Bear that looked just like me (same outfit as you see here). What nice folks!

Here's something inspirational for me: a tree branch, elegant and vulnerable in the cold of winter. I digitally retouched this photo of a wild winter sunset. I'm doing a series of paintings now based on the initial photos. This is part of my goal to understand negative space better in order to make better compositions in all my paintings.

This is not exactly a skyline, but it is a view from far below the steeple of First Presbyterian Church of Charleston, SC. We had an exquisite trip there on a gorgeous April weekend -- lots of inspirational painting ideas. Sorry this is a late post this week!

Nick & Alyssa all done.

A potentially sticky situation...

This brother and sister are the subject of my current portrait, which is almost finished. I must finish the hands and feet and finesse the bottom lower right quadrant and her skirt. I can vouch for these 2 being "angels" since they are my much-beloved niece and nephew, Alyssa and Nicholas.

Fat can be sweet and beautiful -- like soft, chubby toddlers with tummies protuding over their diapers, or like my Sweet Petunia Pig here.

These 3 paintings will be entered in the TAG Gala art auction next week.
Large landscape: 24" x 36," acrylic on canvas, "Canon City, Colorado."

2 small mixed media works: 9" x 12," watercolor on watercolor canvas, gallery wrap, painting continues on sides, with bead embellishments (red teardrop; turquoise sphere), antique lace embellishments and gloss varnish (no need for glass or frame)
"Scarlet Starlets" and "Tea-Stained Tulips" from my Simple Pleasures series

I have finally finished all the illustrations for the upcoming Littlejim book, to be published this summer. Here are LJ & his sister going to get firewood on a cold, moonlit, winter's night at their farm; next is the day LJ learns of his winning entry written for the Kansas City Star. These are the final versions.

This large-mouth bass is a character in my first children's book published in 2002. Her name is Madame Mossback. She can outsmart any fisherman. Note for experienced fishermen: one angler is "cheating" by using bait & a spinner together. He is desperate!

Spring means Tulips
"Tea-stained Tulips"
watercolor 2005

Here Littlejim has won a national writing contest and his accomplishment has been announced at the 4th of July celebrations on the mountain. The local townspeople are celebrating with him. His parents are in the back reading the newspaper which has published his winning essay.

This is from my first children's picture book. One of my happiest childhood memories is splashing my bare feet in the river at my Grandmother's house.

I finished this B&W interior illustration (for my upcoming book). This is an emotional scene. Littlejim has witnessed a horrible accident and has run away. He feel into the muddy creek and finally, his father came to see about him.

The Union Jack I proudly bear
Emblazoned in my bulldog hair.
A tribute to a fearsome man:
Dear Winston, 'twas your sturdy plan
That broke the chains of tyranny.
How I desire to honor thee.

Ladybug invasion: THE handbag of choice at this year's Oscars. :)
The "C" is for Clarice -- my daughter.

I did this felt piece to decorate the wall in front of my daughter's art workstation.
Ladybugs are so fun and cheery -- except when they are swarming your house!

Just finished this new illustration for the children's young adult novel, Littlejim, written by Gloria Houston. Here Jim is speaking on "What it means to be an American." The 48-star flag denotes the Union circa 1917, when our story takes place in North Carolina's Appalachian mountains. Jim's mother and sisters are on the back row. Jim is standing on a platform at the front of the schoolroom to deliver his speech.

Because I am often asked to speak about careers in the arts, I thought a small sample of my normal Q&A session might be helpful to other women artists.

Q: How do you stay creative when you have a family to care for?
A: I look for creative things for us to do together. Go see a good family movie with inspiring art. Miss Piggy never fails to entertain or inspire! Then do an art project as a family. Drawing and painting are our favorite activities.

Q: What do you do when you are burned out?
A: I go to the symphony, watch films or read quality literature. That way, I'm away from visual art for a while, but I'm still reminded of the incredible depth of human creativity. It's amazing how fast I'm recharged to get back to my art projects.

Q: How else do you get fresh ideas?
A: I'm part of a local women's artist group. We meet to discuss business ideas, artist opportunities and to critique our work. When my "well is dry," these talented ladies inspire me. So it's important for mom-artists to take a break from the family and relate to other women artists.

Q: What's the most important thing to remember about balancing your family and your artwork?
A: To surround yourself with positivity AND to know how to refill your "creative well."

warm thought for a cold day:
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skilfully, mysteriously) her first lily

from "somewhere i have never travelled"
e e cummings (with "lily" in place of "rose")
posted for my mother, Lili Marleen
photo from my dining room table at home

Thank you for visiting my blog. Check back here often to read the latest news about my children's books. I will update this blog with information about booksignings, new book releases, school visits, and work in-progress from my studio.