I'm thinking...that I just might have seen some magic today.

I'm thinking...that I just might have seen some magic today. A flock of cardinals flew across my sky. A flock. I didn't think it possible. There must have been twenty of them. All together in their red glory. It was early evening, with the sun down low, just above the hills and the light was, well, perfect. They were almost glowing. Just as quickly as they appeared, they all swept down into the heavy oaks, in unison, like birds do, and they were gone. I laughed out loud. I was so delighted.
I am glad my husband was with me, or I would have doubted what I had seen. He saw them too. He was more amused at my amazement than anything else. I am moved by the most random things.
The hill country where I live has been a gift. In its modesty, treasures abound. Wildlife is everywhere. I have watched the same white-tailed doe grow large every winter with her spring babies for almost ten years now. We call her Pippen. She favors corn tortillas...after all, this is Texas. Besides cardinals, we also see blue jays and morning doves and mockingbirds. And plenty others. The list is long.
I paint the flowers that grow when it rains. And if we get lucky enough, it rains. Sometimes I paint the plants that don't need to wait for the rain and when the light is just right, their colors move me, just like the cardinals.

I'm lucky to live here.

I'm thinking...to Thalo, or not to Thalo.

I'm thinking...to Thalo, or not to Thalo. That is the question.
You see, I have rarely brought out the blue or the green tubes in ANY of my paintings.  To me, thalo represents flash and glitter, or maybe neon lights, or possibly stiletto heels. Kinda like Vegas, I guess.
I am more the granola crunching, Tom's shoe wearing, natural mid-day light kind of gal...and painter. More like Durango, Colorado than Las Vegas, Nevada!
That's right!!
In the past, when I have attempted mixing in a bit of this vibrant (and garish) hue, I have suffered disastrous results. The colors become loud and commercial and scream for attention. On top of that, the color mix seems to thin and I see through the paint. Imagine fingernail polish on a 7th grader.
But here's the thing.....
I'm painting an agave and half of it is in light (all moss and lime and butter) and the other half is in deep shade (imagine indigo dusk and fir trees and caribbean water). Thalo is calling me. If I am brave and put on those fishnet stockings and stilettos I will get results. How else will I achieve the limes and the caribbean waters? Thalo is calling me.
I am singing an old song in my head. Goes something like this:

"You gotta be bad, You gotta be bold, You gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, You gotta be tough, You gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, You gotta be calm, You got to stay together
All I know, all I know
Thalo will save the day!"

Or something like that, anyway.
I'm getting inspired.
I'll find the video, so you can sing along.
I think her name is Des'ree.

See ya!

I'm Thinking...

I'm thinking it's time to get going.  I put my kids on a plane back to Savannah today and it was bitter-sweet. They are off, making a life for themselves and that is a beautiful and necessary adventure...and I am sad and lonely already for their sweet faces.
They've got things to do.
So do I.
There's this big, beautiful, over-bearing and quite loud, blank white canvas trying to get my attention every time I come into this room. It's time. I've lolled around all these holidays, not ready to pay it any attention....and it's time. I'm looking forward to the colors and the detail and the surprises. I'll likely go on and on about it in the coming weeks. Get prepared. I can get quite anal.
We begin anew.

I'm putting this music in for my husband. He, too, begins anew this year and he's got things to do. And this song, called "This Is the Song (Good Luck)" by the Punch Brothers, speaks to him for me.
Let's raise a toast to new beginnings.
See ya,
Karen

I'm Thinking.....that I need to start a blog.

I take after my father in more ways than I want. One of our similarities that I don't mind is that we are (were, in his case) both verbose. So....I have lots to say.....about lots of stuff. This blog will give me the podium I am too shy to approach in real life. And it will also give me an outlet to share the things that I am passionate about. Things like my kids, my art, my generation, my country, my......on and on. Just wait. Pick a subject. I'll have an opinion.
See ya
Karen