January Musings

Hey, all I'm gonna say is: it'll take a lot of babies at $5000. a pop to cover $16,000,000.


That would be "The Green Monkey" of course. Looks good, doesn't he? My good friend, professional photographer extraordinaire Joe DiOrio shot this portrait just last weekend as well as a bunch of primo photos for a local Ocala farm. Check them out here. Love all the grays - reminds me of something cavalry.

Back to The Green Monkey: we won't be seeing those astronomical figures again anytime soon. I wandered over to the OBS Winter Mixed Sale this morning and picked up a hard copy of the Jan. 16th Bloodhorse. Very positive and affirmative article about "What's Working in Racing" especially after two years of doom and gloom. Refreshing insight. And all I listened to at OBS from my friends and acquaintances was doom and...right. I propose a shift in attitude. I've said all along that the biz will recover with a vengeance and emerge like a phoenix. The market corrections are at hand.

Here's a latest painting. How do you inject "dynamism" into the gentile world of hunter/jumper?

"Smooth Sailing" oil on canvas, 30" x 18"

And it's actually quite dynamic. Must feel like you've been vaulted onto the third floor balcony when sailing over those seven foot jumps.

“Dick Cheney and I do not want this nation to be in a recession. We want anybody who can find work to be able to find work.” - George W. Bush

*NOTE: for those of you who comment on this blog, I've had to re-instate word verification for awhile. The spam robots are attacking me daily.

The Blushing Hostess

My mother would say to me when I was a young, "Surround yourself with beauty and beautiful things." Although I've strayed from that sage advice, I remember her point well: immediate environmental milieu would soothe me through the tough times. Of course she was right.

Which brings me to why I adore The Blushing Hostess Entertains blog. The Hostess writes in a smart style that's witty yet elegant. I can almost hear her purring voice imploring us to acknowledge a modicum of grace in our daily hectic endeavors. Her blog is to be savored, akin to sitting down at the dining room table, sipping a glass of pinot noir while leafing through the latest Neiman Marcus catalog.

These days the lovely, simple niceties that would - rather should - enhance my crazy life take a far back seat to the serious business of art making that commands priority. Time, my dears, time.

Thank you Hostess, for featuring my artwork on you beautiful blog. What an exquisite gift.

"For his heart was in his work, and the heart giveth grace unto every art." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Phlox

Last summer Michael and I dug a drainage ditch in our front yard to alleviate some of the water generated by our Florida downpours. Digging must have activated lots of long dormant seeds of phlox, a wildflower that grows everywhere in central Florida in the spring. They just appeared uninvited yet tolerated more affectionately than relatives.

Well, of course Michael can't mow down these beauties. Oh sure, an elegant excuse.

They've imposed themselves with attitude.

Our Florida roses strain to compete.

Moi's planting table of tomatoes, peppers and cosmos. The gargoyle is Babush.

Butterfly Garden

I'm completely caught up with all my commissions! Now what? I think today I'll actually clean the sacred ground of my studio that is never touched. Dust, you know. There's no telling what I'll find. Afterwards, I believe a quick, small painting of my own choosing is in order to put me back in touch with my original creativity.

Last weekend was moi's birthday. My best friend Lynn took me to the Butterfly Garden in Coconut Creek just north of Ft. Lauderdale. As usual, she took some lovely photos. Enjoy.

I've been urging Lynn to enter one of those photo contests. This photo is more than worthy.