On Monday, my first day back in the office, a coworker walked in and gave me a gorgeous vase filled with tulips. My favorite flowers. Although I truly enjoyed my sabbatical and can visualize a time in the future when I'll be spending even more time on the painting, my coworkers are my family. They are a part of my heart.

Today is the final day of my sabbatical and although I've been painting almost every single day, it's taken 3 1/2 weeks to begin to relax and get in a studio groove. What do I do on my last day? Begin a 5 foot square painting. Oil on canvas.

It's been a phenomenally busy couple days. Rich. Productive. Social.

I began in the studio before 8 am, and one thing led to another, including time with Bill in Volunteer Park and then we met up with Kerry...and Daniel joined us for dinner.

Late afternoon is a bewitching time in the Volunteer Park Conservatory.

Home for a break before returning to the studio. This morning again had beautiful light. Flowers have much beauty in their death. It's the final week of my sabbatical and I am just now beginning to relax. If I could I'd extend it two more weeks. But the end of our fiscal year and our annual audit means I need to return next week.

New painting begun last night... 28"x22", oil on canvas. I am limiting my palette over this sabbatical using only black, white, burnt umber, and yellow ochre. And in this piece, a little cadmium red.

Last evening at 22 with Craig.

When I returned home I had the overwhelming feeling I needed to be in the studio...and so rushed down. I work better in the morning or afternoon, and not so well at night. But every time I've heeded the rare bellowing call...it has never disappointed. Something special always bursts forth. It's such a different experience although for me, just as critical as the need to work when tired, terrified, disillusioned or not inspired.

Last night we checked out the Nick Cave exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum....as well as wandered through various rooms. It's a wonderful and thought-provoking exhibit.

Today we'll be prepping a canvas for hanging. At least one viaduct painting will be hanging at Coastal Kitchen until the end of June. The manager wanted my largest one... 60"x36". And he asked me to bring others because if there's room, he wanted to hang more of them. And on April 1st, I'll have some of the Bleeding Vessels hanging at the Hopvine for a month. Both of these places are on 15th Ave E, a couple blocks from my home.

It's been a busy time for the art.

I have a good friend from out of town staying with me which is just the kind of thing I need to clean my little place. So...I finally took photos...

I've been meaning to link to a great project and kept forgetting…until now.

My niece, the jazz vocalist and composer, is involved with a few bands. One of them, Manner Effect, is in the process of putting out a cd and a dvd. They created a page on Kickstarter.com which is an awesome site where you can pledge to fund projects and the money doesn't get charged to your credit card unless they meet their goal.

On their Kickstarter homepage you can watch a music video they created featuring one of Sarah's original compositions. (it begins with a very short intro about the project)

See video here.

And here is Manner Effect's homepage where there are links at the bottom left to listen to five more works.

Yesterday was an incredibly full non-stop day, beginning early with many errands and appointments. On my way down to the studio I noticed the light was delicate and rich at the same time. When I stepped in the studio at 8:30 am I was struck by the magic hitting the wall. It provided a sweet atmosphere to work on a few paintings.

Today on the bus...

It's been an interesting time in the studio. From the middle of last week until now...including today, everything has been hard. Exceptionally difficult. I feel lost. Uninspired. Not sure where I'm going. But again, I'm trusting it's simply part of the cycle and so continue to push myself to work.

These 4 are examples of where I was going at the beginning of my sabbatical. I haven't been able to return to further explorations is this fashion since early last week.


24"x36", oil on canvas




16"x20", acrylic on canvas




11"x14", acrylic on paper




18"x24", acrylic on canvas

still life of worktable...

I'm trying to take daily studio photos wondering what else can I see in that space that's new and different.


Since Feb 28, the first day of my sabbatical, I've painted every day except one. Thursday was a no work day. I purchased more paint and canvases, then headed to West Seattle to pick up paintings that had been hanging for two month and did bring everything to the studio. So it was work but not painting work. I was tired and needed a break.

Today, I'll be in there by 8:30 am because I have a photo shoot at 1pm. Someone saw the few photos I shot of friend's puppies and hired me to take photos of their dog. Hopefully the weather breaks because we plan on doing this at the park. From there I go home and chill for a few hours before heading to a dungeon warming party. It's been a busy party month and the month isn't even half over.

Thursday evening was Capitol Hill Art Walk. Instead of hitting the galleries I headed over to the Women's Tattoo Forum art show and fundraiser at Sole Repair to meet a few friends. It was an easy evening of good vibes and once again saw another aspect of my life come full circle as I was introduced to a couple who 12 years ago was recommended as being possible teachers for me. The reason we never met is because I was then introduced to the wonderful man who would become my teacher.

These two women are an amazing couple. Very old school in the sense of character and values and it's a big part of what I cherish most...depth, privacy, a unique substance, a desire to sacrifice and a willingness to invest much time, sweat, tears and blood...in something deemed worthy. It is about compassion. And an integrity that filters into all aspects of life. It's not a commercial venture yet one of soul and love. Spending even that little bit of time with them was a strong contrast to what we see today. It warmed my heart.

This year is evolving into a year of sweet and poetic completion.

The trash bag was in the studio's storage loft. Tossed a used lunch napkin and immediately became so captivated by the red of the napkin against all the blue that I had to pull the bag out of the loft/closet and move it in the large space with brighter lighting so I could shoot it.

Daffodils abound..!


Today begins the second week of my sabbatical. I'm focused on slowing down and spending longer stretches in the studio. I decided that this sabbatical would be like a low impact artist residency. I've yet to take a day off from painting...but may go home in the middle for an hour or two to split up my day. My goal is to spend the entire day in the studio without having to touch my home base.

For art walk I purchased three bunches of daffodils. Bright yellow flowers. I grabbed the many bottles in storage and placed one daffodil in each bottle...and a few in the pitcher. They filled the work table during First Thursday. A studio garden. On Friday I lined them up on the window sill...and a few on the coffee table, the drawing table and left the pitcher on the work table. When you walk in the studio it looks like spring.

I've been exploring something different and working in acrylic instead of oils. Here's an example of one of the pieces. It's small. The image is about 5"x7", acrylic on paper.

Yesterday afternoon in the studio...

It it spring and the sun it out. Walking back from the coffee shop early this morning, I heard happy birds. The warmth against my face felt so good. Today will be a studio day and tonight a friends night.

10"x10", oil on canvas...

Photo from yesterday...

And...new painting begun yesterday - 18"x24", oil on canvas