Flamingos Can Swim

Flamingo Swim

This is the time of year when the color balance shifts from more color outside to more color inside our home. Possibly there is more color in my paintings too at this time of year although it's subtle. Coral pink is one of those hard to use colors in the garden, but it always looks great with burgundy, plum and dusty pinks. Every color is pretty if we know what to lay it next to. I am trying to absorb this idea as much as possible and continue to learn. More artwork here.

Penguin Sculpture Art Dolls Miniatures

The Conductor Sculpture

Penguins have the uncanny upright posture that makes them excellent conductors! They can handle any weather and still retain their upright posture and composure.

We've all heard, "What's black and white and read all over?" It's the penguin conductor with his music. (The next time someone says the newspaper you must tell them the truth about the conductor penguin.)

I hand sculpted the penguin out of clay and the box is made of paper mache which I primed, painted, antiqued and varnished. It is a "working work of art," not to be confused with the term "they are a piece of work," which is not a good work of work or term of endearment (the english language!) You can store little treasures, jewelry, acorns, or moss in it is the point that I am paddling around trying to catch.

More facts and information here on the sweet conductor who wants to be the director of music at your home. Penguin loves it's job.

Singing Chicks Original Folk Art

Songs that come from the heart are the sweetest and cannot be held back. Do you recognize a song when you hear it? All the little wonders of nature singing to us and when you live in the hustle and bustle of the city you often miss these little sweet songs.

My new painting is full of color! Like a song with the notes going all over the scales.

More about my current paintings here.

Blue Ginger and Black Footed Penguins in Hawaii

Here are the cute penguins at the Hilton resort in Hawaii. If you go down at 8am in the morning you can watch them get fed and learn a little about them. Yes, they are tropical penguins from South Africa! I didn't know there were tropical penguins. I was feeling rather sorry for them, but we were told they are comfortable and they are used to warm tropical weather. Everyone present immediately felt relieved to hear this.

I love how they line up like school children and there isn't any fighting over the fish nor is there any chewing. Swallow. Swallow. Swallow.

We all got to touch this one. It felt like a newborn calf. It was raised in San Francisco by humans and now thinks it is a human. They call it imprinting. Also we learned that they are many different species of penguins and this group here picks a mate for life. If one dies usually the mate dies soon after.

We were told that these black footed penguins look exactly alike and they have to test their blood to find out if they are male or female.

The resort is 22 acres. You walk around a bend and then come upon a private pond like these flamigos above. I think this is a black swan, too. I should have paid more attention, but then I was spellbound by the tall towering gingers. Red torch ginger, pink ginger, shell ginger and blue ginger. I didn't see any white fragrant ginger there blooming. That is the fragrant one!

Some of the gingers were over my head...so healthy. To hear a little slack key music you can go to their website: http://www.hiltonhawaiianvillage.com/ and take a virtual tour of sorts.

Primitive American Girl Candylei Cake Folk Art Painting

Hooray! Today I rototilled the garden. It's a beautiful sight just like a blank canvas. After a week there will be weeds growing no doubt, but TODAY....It is a sweet-smelling parcel of earth full of promise!

Our Westie, was quite pleased with it, too, as it was so soft and digable. I had to lather him twice in his bath afterward. The bluejays, robins and cardinals hopped around on it after we came inside. They were doing their own folk dance while the doves watched from the oak tree not sure if they should join in.

I finished a sweet painting of 3 girls holding up cupcakes. (We are still in the cupcake cooking frenzy.) This painting is also special because it portrays 3 family members.