Blog

A reader asked me to provide insight on the topic of shadows on sunlit skin, specifically in regard to my painting Under the Noonday Sun. She asked, "How do you decide where to put them or is it just intuitive?" [...]

I was recently introduced to Anne Lamott's book, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. (Of course, the title itself piqued my interest, though it is not about birds!)   Not far into the book - in fact I was still perusing the introduction - something I read stopped me in my tracks. Anne is sharing advice from her father, also a writer, encouraging her to write:    "Do it every day for a while... Do it by prearrangement with yourself. Do it as a debt of honor. And make a commitment to finishing things" (emphasis mine).    Bird by bird. I put the book down [...]

Are you a bird watcher?   When we owned a condo in Southwest Missouri, I would look forward to being greeted by Eastern Bluebirds whenever we arrived. It seemed as though regardless of the time of year, I'd always see those beauties during our visit: perching on posts or telephone wires, swooping down to catch an insect, even sitting in the branches feeding their young. They always made me smile.   A strange coincidence? I'd seen bluebirds in the St. Louis area, but never in my backyard. Over the past year or so, however (since we sold our condo), I've begun seeing a pair of bluebirds [...]