Here's another I'm working on for my class. Will try to get back to it sometime this week.

Lion tamarin from the National Zoo. Acrylic on stretched canvas, 12x24." This is among a series I'm painting for a grad class, the Artist Teacher Connection.

A new painting I finished last week. This one is 16x20" on stretched canvas. Meanwhile, birdie is a girl, and is now named "Pippa." I'm currently hunkered down in the craft room, bracing for hurricane Irene. It's a good thing I made these cookies yesterday . . .

Birdie is home!

Work in Progress

A king vulture. 16x20." Hope to find time to finish it, but for now I need to get to bed.

It's been pretty busy around here! There hasn't been time to make or paint very much, but I did teach a week at a camp. I have a great photo of a king vulture I am hoping to start painting soon. In other news: I've acquired a new friend! My first pet, ever. Name and sex to be determined. I can't wait until the cage comes! I so want it to be home with me now. More on my conure soon!

A flamingo from the National Zoo, painted for a friend. This was done on 10x20" stretched canvas, in acrylic.

Started this fellow late at night, then picked up where I left off the next morning. I had to get creative while arranging lamps to work on it. To the left of the painting, you can see I placed my floor lamp on the table. These stepwise images make it so obvious how great daylight is for painting. I just wish that pendant lantern I ordered would come in already! This is a large one compared to the rest you've seen here- 24 x 30 inches on stretched canvas.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/4 C all purpose flour

1/2 C cocoa

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 C butter, softened

2 1/4 C sugar

4 eggs

1 C sour cream

1/2 C buttermilk

1 (1 oz.) bottle of red food coloring

3 tsp. vanilla extract

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

-Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, set aside.

-Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

-Beat in eggs, one at a time.

-Mix sour cream, milk, food coloring, and vanilla.

-Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat.

-Spoon batter into 30 paper lined muffin tins, filling each cup about 2/3 full.

-Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until done.

-Cool pans on wire racks 5 minutes.

-Remove from pans and cool completely. Frost them.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 C butter, softened

2 T sour cream

2 tsp. vanilla

1 (16 oz. ) box confectioners' sugar

-Beat cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla in large bowl until light and fluffy.

-Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.

A simple 3D star made from this tutorial. Imagine how pretty this would be in delicate paper, lit from within?

Check out the work of this amazing artist, Lorenzo Duran! He makes intricate, lace-like cuts in real leaves to form images.

Completed tissue wreath. I estimate this took around 400 folded tissue triangles. I tried to show the versatility of tissue paper as a medium by demonstrating different forms and textures one can achieve with it. This was built on a 10" foam wreath form.

A new wreath in progress. This should take awhile.

Here is some of the paper sculpture I've been working on lately. This first image is a wreath of catalog pages I made for a friend.

The next four images are shots of a crazy headdress I built which was inspired by a trip to France a few years ago. The spiky crown refers to the Statue of Liberty, which came to us from France. Behind the crown is a pair of wings, since I was lucky enough to photograph an amazingly tame family of swans at Versailles. The bridge across the eyes is the Sully bridge, which crosses the Seine very close to Notre Dame. I created the paper roses in response to the real ones I saw while eating lunch in the rose garden at the Rodin museum. I used only one neutral color hoping it would tie together all of these disparate elements and establish a sense of harmony. Obviously, I was bursting with enthusiasm for the 10 days I spent in France, and I hope this joy is captured in my artwork here.

This book is amazing and inspiring! You could spend so many hours marveling at artwork made with simple, humble paper. Buy it if you're an artist or simply wish to be amazed at what human beings can make. There is also a DVD with interviews, paper sculptures you can print and assemble, and more.

Happy Independence Day!

Burrowing owl from the National Zoo. Painted on my beloved Ampersand artist panel, 8x10." Happy Independence Day!

The evolution of White Kitty.

Not dead. Boy, I sure am a fickle blogger. I'll add some of my recent paintings, in steps, as I created them. This one is 11x14" on cradled board. I am loving that as a painting surface, by the way! Ampersand makes the ones I'm using.