I seem to be doing double consonants this week… Remember the second of my two little paintings didn’t work out. This is the third, and is of a Cactus Wren, the Arizona State bird, perched on a prickly pear cactus fruit. I haven’t thought about cactus wrens for a long time, but now am remembering watching them when I lived in Phoenix. They’re a scrappy little territorial bird. Fun to watch! This painting is called “Desert Delicacies”, is 12 x 9 and will also be for sale at the Settlers West “American Miniatures Show” on February 13th in Tucson.

This is one of the little paintings I was working on this last week. I had fun with it as I was glad to have an excuse to do some southwestern subject matter. I love the Arizona desert and it’s wildlife. The Sonoran Desert is really so beautiful, and more lush than some deserts as it has two rainy seasons, winter and the summer monsoon season. I like this silly title, and feel it does reflect the way the crazy hare takes cover – sort of like an ostrich sticking it’s head in the sand! Harebrained Hideout is 12 x 9 and will be part of the Settlers West “American Miniatures” Show on February 13th in Tucson, AZ.

Oh, I had mentioned how one of these little paintings (this one) went so smoothly and the other not? The other didn’t make it… I painted it out and did a third painting I’ll try to remember to put up tomorrow.

A Reason to Fly is 24 x 30.

I’m posting two pictures I took a few weeks back during the autumn Montana Painters Alliance (supposed) paint out in Glacier Park. I pulled into Duck Lake just as the snow clouds were descending. The storm lifted for a few hours the next day, so I did get  some pictures at least, at Many Glacier. It’s so beautiful there, but painting in the snow is something I was not prepared for! This hawk was nice enough to pose for me and was very patient. I believe it was a Swainson’s Hawk by the markings.

MPA is going to have a show at the C.M. Russell Museum next summer with paintings we’ve done, inspired by Charlie Russell’s haunts in the Judith Basin and Glacier Park. That will be fun!

Also – I’m celebrating! Some of my artist friends and I submitted a show proposal and were accepted by Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art to do a five woman show entitled “One Hundred Mile Radius – A Response to Place”. The participating artists will be Fran Carlson, Lisa Easton, Christine McKay, Debi Schmit and myself. This show is exciting to us, as we all approach art from very different perspectives and mediums. We are finding already that this collaboration will stretch and push us all in different directions artistically, and make us reexamine our own work and focus as we interact with each other. I’m thrilled! Date to be determined, but will be at least a year from now.

In March when we lost Tara, and then Joe, I also had to put my 13 year old cat to sleep – during the first day of the Russell Show no less. What a month. I decided to paint a tribute to my special Possum, as a final farewell. It’s been good for me to do so. I really miss him. I don’t think the painting is finished yet. There’s something wrong about the eyes and I may want to push the contrasts. I’m waiting for the paint to dry though, so I’ll post it anyway. This painting is 12 x 16 and will not be for sale.

Another sadness for the art community and beyond. How much more can we take? Sculptor Joe Halko died this Wednesday, March 11, at the age of 68, after suffering a series of debilitating strokes. Joe was a very kind and gentle man, loved by all who knew him.

We are lucky to have many examples of his fine work in the community which will serve as continuing comfort, inspiration and tribute to Joe.

I sent this “card” out with notification of Joe’s funeral. The landscape is Joe’s beloved wild country, Gibson Lake in the Sun Canyon area and near the Scapegoat Wilderness on the east slope of the Rocky Mountains in Montana.

The geese are Joe’s and are escorting him away.

While attending a high school rodeo with my daughter, I got some good pictures of the horses and kids in action. This was truly one good horse, and he was taking a well earned break. It was a cold, snowy day outside, and I liked the soft warm light in the arena that afternoon. This painting is an oil, 16″ x 20″