Dr. Hank Hine, director of the Dali, gave a personal tour of the spectacular building under construction. Signature residents Peter Stanhope, Laura Bryant, Rita Bateman, Susan Burr, Jan Fazio and I were thrilled to be so honored. We are forming a committee to try to raise funds for the completion of the building early next year.

The million dollar spiral staircase will rise through the entire center of this remarkable building and is a work of art in itself.

I waited for five years to decide what color I wanted as a backdrop for my gallery paintings. But the wait was worth it. Dale Chihuly’s group in Washington, chose this dark charcoal for their glass exhibit in St. Pete several years ago and it almost stole the show. Temptation is an appropriate name. Paintings are going to “pop”.

I’ll be teaching a fun two-day workshop at the Morean Arts Center, June 22-23. From beginners to advanced artists, this is a fun experience in looking at ordinary, everyday objects and using them to create a lively composition from an entirely new perspective. The finished piece will use colors, shapes and values, rather than precise drawing, to bring together a work of abstract art. We’d love to have you join us.

This abstract of white flowers came from a photograph of gardenias in my back yard years ago. I thought it was more interesting than just another flower painting and the composition came together easily. This is the type of work we’ll do in the workshop.

To register, please call the Morean Arts Center for materials list and details. 727-822-7872

Art is a language that speaks to you. What you “hear” and read into a painting is what it calls up from your own personal beliefs and experiences. What this painting means is entirely up to you. 

The Morean Arts Center proposed a collaborative effort of hanging modern, original art in the new Diagnostic Clinic recently completed in Largo, Florida.  Five pieces of my work and several large abstracts by Marjorie Dean Andruk were selected  for exhibit and are now hanging in the public areas of the clinic for patients and visitors to enjoy.

If you’re in the neighborhood, drop in to see the art at 1301 2nd Ave. SW in Largo.

Another painting went to the Signature this week, White Abstract Azaleas. The painting was actually conceived from a photograph of the white azaleas in my own back yard before I moved into the loft. The lime green background was the perfect touch for the dramatic, charcoal gray gallery wall in my customers’ 19th floor home. The Signature, with it’s amazing sail-like architecture is a new icon for downtown St. Pete, attracting people from all over the world. I’m honored that my work is being chosen by so many new buyers to give them the modern, edgy look they want.

Two more of my favorite paintings moved into the Signature Place condo in downtown St. Pete this week. A lovely Finnish couple purchased a new unit on the 27th floor and began looking for new art to have in their home in America. They visited my website and made an appointment to see my work in the studio before deciding. We walked four paintings across the street and the two that stayed were The Critic and In the Balance.

My paintings become familiar friends in the “landscape” of my life, lining my gallery walls with memories and emotions. When one leaves, there is always a little twinge.

I sold three large paintings this week, brought six back to the studio from a show at Eckerd College and sent seven others out to the new state-of-the-art medical diagnostic clinic in Clearwater which will rent them for several months. This is my first experience at renting and I’m delighted with the idea of a company paying ME to provide insured storage for my paintings. Now I have some free gallery space to put new paintings up. Back to the easel.

Gone are Girl With Black Dog, The Town Meeting and The Vinoy. But I have good images and have had great results with giclee prints so they will still be available from the website.

When the Morean Arts Center asked me to participate in a series of intimate luncheons with the public as one of  ”the stars of the St. Pete art scene”, was I going to say no? In the the first place, nobody had ever referred to me as a “star” and I liked the ring of it.

Seriously, the luncheon was a wonderful opportunity to see a few friends and meet new people who are interested in my work and art in general. We had a lively question and answer period and, as always, speaking to a group taught me a lot of new things about myself and my own take on life.

This new luncheon program was only recently launched by the Morean. Try to have lunch with an artist you’d like to know more about when next month’s invitations go out. All it costs is the price of your lunch and you’ll meet some interesting people who share your love of art.

Contact the Morean Arts Center at 727-822-7872 to be put on their email list for upcoming luncheons and special events and exhibits.

Feelings and ideas have been coming quickly lately. This 48 x 24 canvas was the perfect format for using gel medium to adhere found pieces of dead palm trees that were exquisite, intricate weavings by Mother Nature onto the surface. I then painted around, over and through the three collaged organic pieces with thick strokes of earth colored paint and, at the end, added a few smaller strokes of metallic copper paint for added excitement.  I won’t sign this painting until a new owner decides which side should be up.  A well composed abstract should work in all four directions. Any suggestions on what to title this piece?