Bye Bye Guys !!

Graduation stimulated me to give out some portraits as graduation gifts... I will miss looking at the faces on my studio walls... They have become part of my environment, but the paintings have served their purpose, and "schooled " me in the art of the portrait, so they must be on their way !!!
All the recipients were delighted with their gift, and the best gift to me was the fact I learned that three, YES, actually 3 !!! of my former students, who I painted, WILL GO TO COLLEGE TO BECOME ART TEACHERS !!! WOW ! It made my day, and year !!


Yeah, Mehlville High--- I loved being part of the lives of the students and faculty there ~~

Spring Cleaning ?

Me and my sis worked for almost 6 hours on our booth at the Antique Mall. We rearranged, straightened, cleaned out loads of stuff, and generally spruced the place up !! Lin rearranged the upper shelf to create a theme, using vintage aluminum on most and childrens things , too. It looks great, I think. Somehow, moving things around seems to stimulate sales.... Hope it works !

On September 30, 2008, the unthinkable happened at Mehlville Senior High School. A darling, smart, sweet, and beautiful girl, named Ashley Marsters collapsed an died from a severe heart condition. She was sitting in her art class, in room 345, with fellow students, and her teacher, Kristen Kleyer. Ashley had previously been diagnosed with a heart condition, but her parents were told that she could not be operated on for it until she reached 18 years old.
Of course, the family, students, and faculty were in shock, with counselors trying to help grieving fellow classmates. The students and teachers decided to commission a portrait of Ashley and raised the money by collecting donations. I was asked to paint the portrait. I knew that it would be difficult, since I had never met Ashley, to obtain the type of "likeness" that would be required for this very special painting. Several photographs were sent to me, only one of which was suitable, but it contained two other people. I worked for quite awhile on the painting, and had to combine several images to finalize the hair, since much was covered in the photo I was using...
After finishing it, I had it framed in a frame which I thought would be a nice compliment to the portrait. I thought the piece should be presented to the parents- Ready to Hang...
It was a very solemn occasion, but a rewarding one. Meeting her parents and older brother, David, was a privilege.
I was most satisfied with the comments from her father, brother and mom who said it looked exactly like her. It was my foremost goal.
I felt good being a part of this, and watching the outpouring of love from the students, teachers and administration for this family. It also gave her family an opportunity to tell some stories and memories of their beautiful daughter to the people who had gathered at Mehlville High School to honor her.

Surprise, surprise !

After returning from a 2 week trip to San Francisco, my husband surprised me with a complete bathroom REDO ! It looks fantastic, although the pictures don't do it justice. It's hard to get a good picture, since it is such a small space, but it looks so much more up to date and nice !!
He told me later that he had the whole place in an uproar, with fixtures and tools in every corner of the house ! He had to figure out plumbing, wiring, flooring, and walls, as well as decorating it, too ! His color picks are so great, with new fixtures, beadboard, trim, and matching towels, rugs, and shower curtain, too !! I'm so proud of all the great work you did ! Way to go , Bus !!!

San Francisco Fun

Two weeks in San Francisco- don't ever let anyone tell you that it is warm there.. it is breezy and the air is generally moist and cool to cold !! take a heavy coat !! But it was such fun ! My daughter and I just "hung out" and had fun, as well as working to fix up her new (old) apartment. It needed painting and sprucing up, and we put together lots of IKEA furniture ! he ! We rented a car for a couple of days, but usually we were on public transportation, which means bus or train (BART) and I can tell you, that is an experience. I'll be posting some of the adventures, so I'll start with a few of the choice pictures.... It REALLY is a beautiful city !!, and the architecture is out of this world ! Thanks, Buff, for showing me such a great time !! I love you !

42 and counting

Recently we had an anniversary, in fact, it was on St. Patricks day !! (St. Patricks day was not as big a deal as it is nowadays !) Anywho, the first year anniversary my husband brought me one single rose, to commemorate our year together, and the following year it was two.... well, never could he imagine the 42 long stemmed roses that this year would barely fit into the vase... they were truly gorgeous, and I love them !! (and the man who gave them to me!)
p.s.- that other handsome man is my sis's husband, Roger....

Aussie girls

Here are two new portraits that I just finished of my friend, Marlene's grandbabies... They live in Australia, so I wasn't able to take my own photos. That makes it more difficult, because I have something particular in mind about how the finished painting should be, and that just changes the process a bit. There are certainly times when it's just impossible, though...

Marlene will have all 4 of her grandchildren's portraits now, because last year I completed the two grandsons...

We'll miss you, Christy !

We went to a very sad funeral today for a fun-loving friend, Christy.... She was taken too soon from us all, and makes us realize how precious each and every day is ! Christy was a great mom, and a wonderful, caring wife. She was a funny, charismatic, dry witted friend. She was fun to be around, we traveled many places together, with couples, and with "the girls"
Christy, we had no time to say "goodbye"- let us all take the time to tell those that we love how important they are to us. You made our lives a little richer for knowing you ! We will miss you, Christy

Eddie (Skagetti)

Here is our wonderful, sweet, funny, entertaining, mail carrier, Eddie Tappen. He, for so many years kept the neighborhoods around Kirkwood, Glendale and Warson Woods alive with his presence. Never would a day go by without the laugh, and joke of Ed the Mailman !!! Sometimes we would kid him about talking so much to people that his route would take him extra long to deliver the mail.... He forever would tease my husband about his golfing, and then he would say to me,"I guess he's out "working"today, right?" and then laugh... The joke between the two of them would ALWAYS end up with the phrase, "Hey, man, I've Got Your Back!!!"
Well, Eddie was supposed to retire last June, but due to circumstances he was not able to, anyhoo, I had taken a photo of him for a portrait, and then decided to give it to him when He Actually DID retire... well, long story short, I presented it to him for a Christmas present in 2008 ! In early February Eddie had some heart trouble, and will have to have a bypass operation. We Miss him terribly, and his smiling face !! Such a wonderful person! We all hope to see you again, soon, and wish you all the best!! You ARE the best !!
Here's Eddie with his portrait, and the painting in the process....(Eddie Skagetti is our nickname for him)

Booth 10C and 13C at the Antique Mall !!

My sissy, Linda, and I have a double booth at the Great Midwest Antique Mall in Eureka ( on the outer road next to 6 Flags ) We spend lots of time searching the sales and thrift stores for goodies that we think might sell for a bit of profit.. We usually paint, fix, glue or clean some items, and others just need a bit of TLC. It's hard to keep the booth looking great, since we don't work there all the time, but Friday we spent the day painting the walls. Roger, Lin's hubby, was nice enough to build us a shelf which goes around the booth at the top, and gives us so much more display space-- thanks, Rogie....
Anywho... we were there all day Friday, moving, painting, and rearranging our "merchandise" which spruced everything up a lot !! Then we added a few new lights, and a rug, to complete the "homey" feel... We were proud of our results, take a look !!!

Catchin' UP

Lots of happenings. A trip to Savannah, and side trips as well... A night out with the fabulous voice and visuals of the magnificent Celine Dion ! What a voice ! Other than that, just getting used to having my daughter gone again... She's found her way back to SF and sounds like she is getting settled just fine! She was even able to snag a great apartment in the same building where she resided 3 years ago ! She has many wonderful friends in San Francisco, and that gives her much joy ! Still Miss YOu, Buff !

I miss you !

My daughter has spent a year in St. Louis. (she hails from San Francisco, where, it seems she's "left her heart") She has lived with her brother, down in the Soulard area, and spent the last month or so with her ole Mum and Dad.... (I talked her into staying for the holidays, at least)
Anyhoo, she's had a bit of time getting to know her niece, Gracie, and then the little one, Kate, and has spent some quality time with both, I can assure you. (I love to watch her with the little ones) During that time she has worked as a free-lance photographer, photographing weddings for several companies, as well as for herself, and working on projects of that sort.... She has gotten her website up and running, and up to date, as well.
It has been such a fun time for me, and now I've put her in the minivan cab to take her, her bicycle in a big box, and her backpacks, to the airport to send her back to her new adventures in the Sunny state of California, once more..... While making my homemade cauliflower soup, with Vermont Cheddar cheese, last night, I missed her S O ! It was so fun to have someone to cook with, laugh at stupid stuff with, try new things with, learn stuff with, and most of all S H A R E with..... I Miss You, Buffer !!!- but I realize you must follow your dreams, and pursue the life and adventure that is such a part of you ! I love you so, and wouldn't have it any other way, but I can't help feeling a little pang of loneliness when I look at your computer and the empty chair where you spent so many hours.... Mom

Christmastime....and Thanksgiving shots, too

Somehow the pictures that Grammy takes, are usually of the little ones. Go Figure ! I do, occasionally get an adult in there, for a change. Here are a few from the gathering for the Thanksgiving feast, and the rest are Christmastime...

Holiday festivities....

Friday and Saturday were nights of great food, and fun. Will Green, Jim's brother, came in from Iowa, and we haven't seen him for years, so he wanted to get together. We truly enjoyed the great meal, and atmosphere of "Portabella" restaurant in Clayton.... The food was outstanding, and we had time to catch up on news and do some sharing. We had fun seeing Will, and finding out what he's been up to. Cindy and Jerry talked about some of their recent travels, and Judi and Paul shared a bit about all their Christmas plans with family. ---- if you go there, try the rainbow trout with pistachios, and the sauted spinach---- out of this world- everyone loved their meal !