I lost my bestest of friends a year ago

Today is a bit of a sad day for me as it is the culmination of one year without my best friend whom I lost to cancer.  Lois lived a simple and very generous life with her assistance to family and friends in need, wherever she found them.  Jeff and I found a new second mother in Lois and a best friend any couple could ever have.  She loved painting and was talented in such.  She also loved her pet Zoe and music.  Lois had a heart of gold, and a great sense of humor.  There was never a shortness of laughter when Loey was around.  We came to expect her to pull up in her motor home every Memorial day and spend a week or longer if she could. 

Lois and I were able to travel to the Black Hills, and Florida as well as Norther Wisconsin together and had some good times.  She is sadly missed.  The picture I have here is one I did for a memorial piece for my son-in-law when his grandfather (a career county police officer) passed away.  I think it is time to do a memorial piece in memory of my friend as well - just need to get in the right frame of mind and not cry through it. 

Buffalo - head and coyotes and deer

Spring is almost here.  The deer are out and about every morning on my way to work, the Eagles are flying over head or sitting in the trees along the valley and I have seen 3 coyote crossing the highway in just the last few weeks near the Rockton Bridge.  The animals are finally stirring.  The coyotes don't appear to have mange in the least bit.  Beautiful animal - tail all fluffed out.  A pack of them woke me up Thursday morning about 1:30am - must have been feeding down by the river below my house - making an awful ruckus! 

Painting tips

If you are new to painting, one thing you must do is to Practice!  Yes - Practice.  If painting is new to you, be kind to yourself.  Give yourself time to learn the art and to grow in it.  Don't expect to be able to paint like me or another artist right away.  I teach painting classes - hours of painting classes and I can paint upside down, sideways and across the table in front of you, but I have had hours of practice.  Practice makes perfect - or in some of our cases as perfect as we can be in our own art form.

Practice painting on freezer paper or wax paper.  This allows you to slide a design or instruction sheet beneath the practice paper and copy the form, thus perfecting your work.  Paint on Glass, metal or other non porous materials.  These materials allow you to wash or wipe off your painting design and start over - Note, I allow my students one wipe off otherwise we never make it through a class.  If you are a perfectionist - Leave the perfectionism at the door - it will come in time, but do not expect to be perfect the first few classes.

MOST IMPORTANTLY - BREATH AND HAVE FUN!