Checking In

There's a kiss of winter in the air here. No snow, but a frosty morning. I was out snapping pictures of one of my mini-paintings, and I looked beyond the tiny canvas and realized it was actually quite pretty out:

From my deck. A lovely, crisp Autumn day!

It's been a long while since I updated. The art fair went well, and I sold lots of prints and mini-paintings.

The house we were offering on, we had to pull our offer for. Things started changing (good changes, but stressful) for my husband at work, and it put us in a situation where it possibly would be foolish to buy a new house at this time (but talk to me next summer, and we'll see!)

Part of the reason I haven't checked in as much is that my community here suffered a tragedy when a girl in high school committed suicide. She was a year ahead of my daughter, and they went to school together from elementary on. When they were younger, they were friends. As they got older they had drifted apart and were not close. But it seems that in the midst of something this tragic, everyone is close to the fire of it all. It touches everyone in some way. The funeral was last week, and it was heartbreaking. My daughter had been having a tough time before this happened with a few things, and this just changed everything in a frightening way.

"Pieces" 6x8, acrylic on canvas panel

So, I've been focusing on my family rather than anything else, for the most part. Crisis mode, and it's exhausting. I have to confess that this hasn't been an easy time for me. I've had days where I just want to cry. Not work, just cry. You don't truly understand how much you can hurt, or how terrified you can actually be until you are a parent. There is nothing more precious to me in the world than my children, and to lose one of them would break me. Completely.

"Perch" 3x3 mini-canvas, acrylic

"Just Hangin'" 3x5 acrylic on stretched canvas

I did manage to do a time lapse video of the two minis I just posted:



I realize now that I should do the time lapse on my art desk instead of the kitchen table. The slant on the desk allows for the camera to see past my hand better. I'm contemplating doing the time lapse for the Queen of Hearts. I haven't had a chance to start painting her, because it's time for all the holiday paintings, but I'm getting close to starting! I did the time lapse on the white rabbit, so I know how much work is involved with painting and shooting at the same time. I just haven't decided if I want to go through that trouble again, yet!

I finished off this mini yesterday:

"Kitty" 3x3 acrylic on stretched canvas

I think it may be the last Halloween one I do... although I never got to my owls, so maybe that's not the case. I just sort of feel ready to start in on the Christmas ones!

So, that's where I'm at. Where I've been. Lots of stuff happening, much of it not good, but I have high hopes that things are starting to get better and will continue to do so!

Busy, Busy, BUSY!

I'm conducting a giveaway on my Facebook art page for a free custom ACEO painting, so if you're interested here is the entry:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This weekend I'll be at the Chaffee Center Art in the Park event in Rutland, VT. I've done this event once years ago, but I haven't been back since. I've learned a bit about art fairs since then, but I still feel unprepared for this one. It's a two day event, so we'll see how it goes. I'm crossing my fingers that it'll go well! In the meantime, I'm painting minis as quickly as I can so I have stock for the event:

I've also been under a lot of stress with the MAYBE new house. We still haven't heard anything on our counter back to the owners. I'm starting to give up hope, and I'm feeling quite down about the whole thing. I've actually been struggling with the stress level and life things over all. I'm actually feeling pretty depressed right now. It's likely that this is just my brain finally cracking up with all the things going on all at once, and that once things calm down I'll be fine. But I just feel... sorta sad right now.

However, that doesn't mean I can close my door and get away with it:

He likes to grip the door and shake it too.

So, I'm out. I'm painting and matting prints, and talking to Tax Departments on the phone, and managing children's schedules, and working on house stuff, and...

*sigh*

At least painting is fun! I think I'm going to try another time-laps video of one of the minis today. I'm thinking a mouse in a Christmas stocking? Or something like that...