This is a flame azalea that will go in the Master Gardeners show in April. No, it’s a representation of a flame azalea. I’ve been looking at the nexus where humanity bangs into nature. This is a painting, not a flower.
Garden spot
This is for the Master Gardners show at Gallery 86 in Waynesville, NC on April 2. It’s been nice painting from a photo taken in the summer, while the high temp today was 26. 
Truth in January
I am painting these flame azaleas from a photo. Now it’s cold, wet, and dark, what was it like when this photo was taken, and it was the height of blooming season? What is the truth about a garden?
Iris
This is for the Master Gardner’s show. I’m getting better at acrylics.
simmered
One of the luxuries of being able to work on my art every day, is that I can let a painting simmer, until I’m ready to get back to it. This landscape
has been bugging me, just one little part. I hung it in our living room, and I knew I would have to do more work. Now I’m not afraid of “destroying” a painting. I hear deKooning say “kill it, and bring it back to life.” To me it’s like kids and dogs, you can’t let them or YOUR painting win.
smaller and smaller
Jen gave me a bunch of small canvases. I usually work large, and I’ve been looking at these little things since Christmas. I’m going to paint each one from the image of a red daylily. Here’s 12″ and 5″.
Holly, too.
I worked on Holly again. This morning it looked like an abstract from the 40’s. Not exactly what I had in mind. I want to balance between representational and abstract. Hopefully that isn’t just a boring place.
Tai Chi helped
We went outside to do Tai Chi today. Then I went into my studio, and had a productive day!
needed more paint
I rush through life. Until recently, I rushed through paintings. Sometimes it worked out okay. I find that slowing down helps me really see my own work, sort of like being outside. And I’ve started teaching Tai Chi for Arthritis, a very gentle and SLOW exercise program. The class meets in the gym where I have my studio, so as soon as the students leave, I get to work. This blossom is from a Mountain Magnolia, which the locals call a cucumber tree. I worked diligently to abstract this flora, and the more I did, the livlier it looks. Now the painting sits for another period of time, but I’m moving in the right direction. I’m over the fear of ruining it. It’s my painting, not a living plant.
not DOA
This tree fell on our power lines this winter and did a lot of damage. The repairmen cut it up. Now it has these lovely blooms. Should we tell the tree that it’s toast?