Progress on the Art Studio

I'm excited about the art studio--its coming right along. If you look on the left hand side you'll see a 12' section of stud wall that has no batting. The 12' wall will be removed next spring and an 8' x 12' dormer will be added. There will be a matching 8' x 12' dormer on the right as well.

We haven't quite made the decision yet between building an elevator, or building stairs to the studio. We'll see what happpens in the spring. In the meantime, we have a hole cut in the floor and access the studio with a ladder.

This weekend we insulated the ceiling, walls, and installed vapor barrier. Pictured here is my friend Pam, also an artist--who came to help us install insulation. Burrrrr, it was really cold here in Wisconsin today.

Later, Jon joined us, and the three of us finished the ceiling quickly. Jon stapled one side, Pam the other, and I was in the middle with the wide broom as the deadman, holding the batting up in place. We worked together like a three-piece suit.

White Rose

Here's a detail from one of my paintings . . . of white roses . . . I chose one single white rose in honor of our little baby love Mitchell who passed away Nov 25. He was two months old. My sister's first little grandbaby. My sister wrote, though his life was ever so short, he showed all of us what courage was . . . and he brought us together.

Painting: "The Violin" - from start to finish

These images are scans from photographs of a painting I did twenty five years ago. I moved to Wisconsin 27 years ago, so that's how I remember the age of the painting. I sold it to a couple who lives in Appleton, WI.

I thought you'd like to see how I start and finish a painting.

Cherries & Pears - Painting on Furniture

A number of years ago Jon and I built some tables - I had it in my mind to paint fruit on a couple of the tables. Here is the result. Cherries and Pears.

I didn't have anything to look at while painting the fruit--everything from memory, hence the reality that all the leaves end up looking the same. Nonetheless, I sold the table and enjoyed the experiment. My friend Pam bought the table. It is five ft. long, and 18 inches deep. A nice foyer table.

Vintage Pieces Found

The doilie is from my sister in law Robin's collection--a gift. The tissue box handpainted by my mother Lorraine. The rocks--picked up in our yard by my mother Lorraine--one rock had a perfect thumb print--making a great worry stone, and another rock shaped like a heart. The bell I found at an antiques shop in Poisippi, WI. I think you'll see some of these items in the future (painted in a still life).

Building the Garage - Next: Wiring and Insulation

The windows and passage doors are installed. Waiting for more than a month for overhead doors to be installed (the only thing we contracted-out).

Looking at the north end of the studio, and below a view of the south end of the studio.

DH Jon installed a 6ft. wide balcony off the back of the south end of the studio and installed french doors. The air pulls nicely through the long room. If you can imagine, 8x 8' dormers will be installed on both sides of the long room.

Winter is closing in now, so Jon will wait until spring to add the dormers. In the meantime, we'll set the boxes, pull the wiring, and insulate the walls, up to the areas where the dormers will begin and end.

The balcony isn't huge, but big enough for a couple of chairs and a railing of course. Below is the view from the balcony.

Grandma Eva's Phone

This is my grandmother Eva's telephone. The phone sat on her desk in the hallway between the kitchen and living room. Her phone number was Dickens 35-123.

I remember one afternoon toward the end of her life. I listened while she dialed the Orpheum Theatre and asked for assistance when her car pulled up in front of the theatre in 15 minutes. I was driving her to see "Love Story". I knew there would be a long line, but grandma was way ahead of me--she had it all figured out.

Sure enough when we arrived at the theatre the usher walked up to my car, opened the door, and escorted grandma to her seat. I parked the car and returned to the theatre. Much to my surprise the usher was there waiting for me at the entrance. I had my money ready, and he handed me the ticket stubs. Then, he took me to my seat next to grandma. Wow, what service. The movie was great. We both cried.

P.S. - the beginner's spell book in the photograph is just a spoof, a prop I bought for Halloween decoration.

More Paintings

This painting hangs in my dining room. I painted it in 1988. I remember working on it in my basement studio. Man that was a really small studio, but somehow we managed to squeeze-in 6 to 8 easels for students. My students were the greatest. So far, I guess I've only shown you still life paintings-but at my studio we painted a variety of subjects including landscapes, seascapes, wildlife, flowers . . . I remember each and everyone of my students and their beautiful work. Golly we had fun!