Greetings Dear Ones,
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Today marked my 64th trip around our Sun. Glad we're all taking this ride together! I'm not sure if I have ever published a blog post on my birthday, but I decided that this would be a fun way to commemorate an important year. (Been feelin' a particular Beatles song all day. You know the one, right?)

But, before we get into that, let's catch up on some local art happenings...

The evening of 9/20 marked the opening reception for the Brazosport Art League Main Gallery Artists Showcase featuring work by artists of the Houston Visual Artists Network (HVAN), including Suzanne Buckland, Joanne Kendall, Cora Salvino, Rodney Butler & Winnie Wells. It was a fun night with amazing artwork and some of Houston's nicest artists. The show runs through October 20th. (Check out photos of the artists below.)

The very next day (if you follow my blog you may see a pattern here) my son and I had an absolute blast @ the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory's annual Xtreme Hummingbird Xtravaganza! Truth be told we go to a lot of events in the area, but if it ties into art in some way, you can be sure that I'll be sharing it here. Before I get to the part about the art, I want to mention the important work that GCBO does for wildlife. This organization conducts large avian conservation projects including migration studies, habitat enhancement, land acquisition, regional habitat mapping, and more. The information they accumulate provides a scientific basis for the protection of birds and their habitats around the Gulf of Mexico and far beyond. During this event we got to watch them band some teeny-tiny hummers and let them go. They literally flew right past our heads!

This event had the cutest hummer mascot that was worn by an eight-year-old child. There were plenty of booths and activities for adults and kids including food and wildlife encounters.

Notable amongst the booths was wildlife photographer Mike Williams. He offered beautiful hummingbird posters for only 7.00 each! The purchase of these photos help fund GCBO. I hope you will visit their Lake Jackson, TX location. In addition to Mike's photos, they have all kinds of souvenirs for bird lovers including books, t-shirts, hats and even native plants to attract birds. Did I mention GCBO is a great place to bird watch? This stop should be at the top of every photographer and plein air painter's list.

We also met a fiber artist at the Xtravaganza. While not affiliated with GCBO, I thought her creations were adorable and worth a mention here. Click the images below to contact the artist via email.

One of our favorite booths was hosted by the National Wildlife Refuge. They had a chart to measure each guest's "wingspan" against a bird of the same size. Once our match was discovered we were given a name tag to wear with the name of the bird. My wingspan was equal to an Osprey. Wow! Can you guess which bird was Justin's match? BTW, we were both very happy with the results of this fun activity. 

The two of us have been so busy! Between the hummingbird event and yesterday, Justin has enjoyed his chess club at Brazosport College, I've been to 2 concerts at the Clarion (highly recommend!), we went to the City of Clute's Sunday Funday featuring Willie Manchew ( a towering mosquito wearing a cowboy hat and boots) and live music, and I've been to a couple of BAL meetings. Holy Macaroni! There's no shortage of fun things to do around here.

As a side note, for those of you that don't know me personally, you might be wondering why I spend so much time with my grown son. Well, a few years back Justin had a TBI (traumatic brain injury). After a while he began to have cognition issues and difficulties with his short term memory, so he moved in and I care for him full time. He still has good long term memory which allows him to continue playing chess. He likes learning new things, although it might take him awhile longer than some folks to lay down new memories. One of his latest endeavors is writing poetry. It was a very nice surprise when he gifted me this poem on 10/2. (See below.)

So the big day rolled around. I woke to a beautiful sunny day and wondered, What will I do on my 64th birthday? Will I go out to eat with a friend, hop on a river boat tour, pedicure, movie? So many choices! My entire schedule was wiped clean so that I'd have the whole day to do whatever I wanted uninterrupted. After breakfast I realized that I do "special" stuff all the time. I just wanted to stay home and enjoy being 64. So, that's what I did.

​Justin's (much appreciated) other present to me was doing my dishes all day. Isn't that nice? I spent a good part of the day finishing a cute little drawing that I started last night. (See below.)

"Born to Love You"
6"H x 8"W x 3/4"D framed
Graphite, Gel Pen, Colored Pencils on paper
​65.00 framed (see below) 

Midday I took a nap (HEY! I'm 64!).

After Justin's friend picked him up for an outing, I loaded the doggies in the Jeep and went adventuring around the area. We drove to Demi-John Island and Hide-Away-on-the-Gulf. Both are old neighborhoods I haven't visited for decades. Next I took Maximus and Poco for a fun walk around the lovely wooded Oyster Creek Municipal Park which they both thoroughly enjoyed. (The park sits right on Oyster Creek and has a 24 hour fishing pier so, again, if you are a photographer or a plein air painter, this is a great spot for both.)

A beautiful sunset and it was so-long to a relaxing agenda-free birthday. Many happy returns! ;-)

Good Evening Art Fans,

It is no secret that this artist is a proud Texan and definitely a Gulf Coast girl. So I want to share a little taste of what this region has to offer. Art wise, we have a ton of creators in various disciplines. In addition, the amount of kindness and generosity among locals is second to none in my experience. 

Case in point, I was invited to a brunch at the Brazosport Art League Gallery on Saturday, September 7th. The occasion? A celebration of appreciation for the lovely volunteers that act as docents for The Center for the Arts & Sciences. Isn't that nice? The event was catered by Swamp Shack Lake Jackson, TX. Am I a docent, yet? No. But, I was invited anyway. Again, super nice! There was an abundant amount of delicious food and wonderful people to get to know. Many of the artists from BAL generously donated art and art supplies as raffle prizes for the attendees. There were almost as many prizes as there were docents at the brunch! I was given a raffle ticket and (lucky me!) I won a beautiful set of art note cards created by Linda Strickland. (See photos below.)

After a wonderful time art BAL, I headed home to spend some quality time with my family, then back out to another event: Bluewater Market @ Stahlman Park Event Center on Surfside Beach.

Inside the event center was kind of an interesting mash-up of vendors selling home made food and others selling artisan goods...and some selling both! These are a few of my favorites...

Monday, September 9 was my very first day as Art Shop manager at the Brazosport Art League. I was so excited and nervous at the same time! Some artists were dropping off new artwork while others left their work to show for another 2 months. After curating these small works, I took a few photos (see below). I think of our section of BAL as very giftable small art pieces. Our guests are sure to find something special to take home.

We are fortunate to have so many talented artists at the BAL Art Shop. As I get to know them better, I will post information with photos about each one. In the meantime, I hope you will stop by and see the fabulous artwork created by local Texas artists. You're sure to find something you just can't live without.

Hope to see y'all soon!
  S.

Recently, I read a Nextdoor post from someone lamenting that she is new to the area and doesn't know what to do or where to have fun. Well, if you find yourself in an end-of-summer funk wondering how to shake it off and where all the fun is happening, this blog post is for you! I have so many exciting things to share that I cannot possibly squeeze them all into one post. But, I will do my best to share the best 5 or 6. Because this is primarily an art blog, that's where my focus is. And, since art can be found in so many unexpected places, you will find links to destinations you can explore in cities and towns that you might not have thought about before. And, yes, I've included a couple of my favorite art galleries, too! Did I leave out my own creations? Heck no. At the end of our Internet journey, you'll find my most recently completed works of art.
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So, fasten your seat belt. It's time for an art road trip! Here we go...

Last month's blog ended with a recommendation to stop by The Madeley Fine Art Gallery's Artists in Action - Sip N Shop event on Friday, August 2nd in Conroe, TX. In case you couldn't make it, let me give you a little taste. (Click on any of the photos below for contact info on each artist.)

The very next day, Saturday, August 3rd found my son and I at the Shark Celebration at Sea Center Texas in Lake Jackson, Texas. The event was quite crowded with happy shark enthusiasts. My son and myself among them! This was our very first time to visit and I was amazed that not only were the displays of local sea life top notch, but they also have a fine collection of coastal artwork on almost every wall. While getting photos of the actual fish in the aquariums was hard (you'll have to go there yourself to see the live fish), getting photos of the artwork was near impossible due to all the excited kiddos. So I literally had to stop by on another day just to pop in and take a few art photos. 

​You can't miss the beautiful bronze statue at the front entrance called, appropriately enough, A Fish Story.

There were also tons of fish sculptures pretty much everywhere, as one might expect. 

There is a large reproduction of artist George Campbell's The Red Fisherman just before you turn to meet the aquariums. This is a great place to start and really captures the feeling of life along the Texas Gulf Coast which is the focus of SCT.

Literally every hallway and corridor has some artwork in addition to the educational exhibits. These are just a few...

If you want to take a little bit of the experience with you, Sea Center Texas also has a gift shop where (in addition to books, t-shirts and other keepsakes) you can purchase several high quality posters of Gulf Coast sea life. We really enjoyed our visit to Sea Center Texas and plan to book a tour to visit their hatcheries later this year.

Below are two examples of posters by artist Ben Kocian you can purchase in the gift shop.

August 11th I joined the Brazosport Art League and I couldn't be any happier. Everyone has been so nice and welcoming! I really feel like I am home. Right away I was offered a leadership position, so I will be the new BAL Art Shop Manager beginning this fall. Very exciting!

August 16th was the Artists Reception for the Brazosport Art League's Juried Show. Below are thumbnails of some of the winners. The artist's name is on each slide. 

The judge did an amazing job and explained her reasons for choosing each piece. There were so many great entries to choose from! Below are two of my favorites. One of them won a prize and one did not. (Everyone is a winner IMO since they had to be judged into the show.) Which of all these artworks are your favorites?

​Be sure to catch the show. So many beautiful artworks in all mediums. It was expertly judged by artist Paula Winter and runs through September 15th:

Brazosport Art League Gallery
400 College Drive
Clute, TX 77531

Do you ever schedule fun adventures for yourself? I try to have a Fun Day outing with my son at least once a week. Not being one to sit still for long, the very next Saturday 8/18 our destination was the Surfside Historical Museum. We have been to Surfside Beach, TX many times over the years and certainly since moving to the area. Lately, we like to play on the beach with our doggies. But this particular day we set out without canines in tow. 

​The Surfside Historical Museum is located on the second floor of the Surfside Beach City Hall. Outside are monuments that commemorate the Battle of Velasco and the sinking of the ship Acadia during the Civil War. 

...as well as a replica of battleship Brazoria, and several others.

There were many artworks representing early residents of the area as well as more modern inhabitants.

For those artists that love to draw or paint pictures of shells, you might be interested to know that this little museum boasts a large collection of seashells, some dating back as far as the 1700's.

Everywhere there were reminders that Surfside Beach was once Velasco, the birthplace and former capital of Texas.

Just outside the Surfside Historical Museum is a real treat: Fort Velasco! The current Fort Velasco Timeline Circle approximates the size and the location of the original 1832 Fort Velasco. The inner walls are covered with murals that tell the story of the Karankawa, the first people; the early days of the colony created by Moses Austin and later led by Steven F. Austin; the 1832 Battle of Velasco; and the signing of the Treaties of Velasco.

ALL of the murals were created by local artists from adults to school age children. This is a wonderful place to bring your family, picnic and learn about an important part of our shared history. (See slideshow of some of the murals below.)

Beyond Fort Velasco are two hiking trails. The Fort Velasco Trail has educational displays every few feet with interesting little tidbits like the receipt from the suite where General Santa Ana was temporarily housed. (See below.)

The Bird and Butterfly Trail goes the opposite direction and not only has educational displays, but also benches, birdfeeders and birdhouses for your bird watching pleasure. It is well planted with plenty of shade. Surfside Beach is recognized as Bird City by the Audobon Society! You'll also find plenty of butterfly loving plants and a beautiful butterfly mosaic sculpture created by nonother than our new friend Jon Gerber! As it turns out, he is not only a councilman, he's a local artist!

If you are a birder, art lover, plein air artist, history buff or outdoor enthusiast, you owe it to yourself to stop by the Surfside Historical Museum and be sure to visit Fort Velasco and the nearby hiking trails. I do recommend waiting until mid fall, though. There is a lot to see and when we went it was blistering hot...in the triple digits. You want to be able to stay awhile to view everything and, unless you are used to the heat and covered in sunscreen as we are and were, fall would be much nicer.

Is there still more to see? Heck, yeah. This Internet art road trip is not quite over...

Our last Fun Day outing in August was Friday 8/23. Off we headed to a different beach in another nearby island town to explore a similar, yet different destination: Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary. A protected area of land located on the island of Quintana, Texas, this is a sanctuary for birds, particularly during migration season, and can be enjoyed by birders and nature lovers alike. The largest portions of the sanctuary are owned by Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, with smaller portions owned by the Town of Quintana and the Cradle of Texas Conservancy.

Last July's hurricane Beryl left it's mark on this community. Damaged murals and palm trees missing their tops are reminders of the mess caused by the recent category 1 hurricane. Still, the island charm remains.

With the observatory directly across the street, we parked in front of the Quintana Town Hall which sports a festive flamingo mural.

The Town of Quintana has won Community Achievement Awards for enhancing the beauty of the area and for conserving natural resources.

With that said, this is a heavily industrialized area and it is not uncommon to see huge tanker ships just a stone's throw away along with the MASSIVE Freeport LNG complex in the background. So, be aware of that before you make the trip otherwise it can be a bit of a visual jolt.

The main feature of the bird observatory is the observation tower which allows one to look down at all of the trails and across miles of natural habitat. This was not my first time here, but it was for Justin and he was a little nervous as we reached the third level of the tower. It's a long way down! There's no elevator, so you'll have to walk, but the view and the benches on each level make it worth the climb.

​After spending time on the tower it was great to head out and hike the trails. There are plenty of benches to rest on, but bring water, especially in the warmer months. There are no vendors on Quintana.

Educational displays are plentiful here. This is super helpful, especially if you are sketching, photographing and/or birding. We were a couple of weeks early for good bird sightings. September through November is really the time to view migratory birds. But, we did see a beautiful pelican and some raptors (too far off to get good photos, darn it). In addition, it might be interesting to note that there are historical markers at the end of some trails.

One of my favorite touches is the Gulls N Herons newspaper stand next to the observation tower. The quarterly birders' publication is FREE. Nice!

Some of the amenities on this island are still closed due to hurricane damage, so after visiting the observatory we drove down to a local fishing spot, the Quintana Jetty, to watch motor boats and tug boats cruise down the waterway. Just on the other side is the City of Surfside Beach with all it's colorful houses. Not a bad way to end the day.

The radical change in living environment (The Woodlands and Brazosport are visually and culturally much different) combined with the storm that welcomed us three days after our move, has caused an interesting shift in my artistic process. After creating a steady flow of stream-of-consciousness drawings for the last couple of years, my inner world has changed. Right away I'm visualizing completed artworks and experiencing a surge of turbulent yet optimistic images that beg me to bring them to life. 

​I gave a sneak peak in July's blog post of two pieces I had started. They are now finished. I submit them here for your interpretation and enjoyment. Let me know what you think.

"Transformation"
9"H x 12"W unframed
13"H x 16"W framed
Markers, Gel Pen, Graphite, Colored Pencils on paper
247.00 unframed 
​299.00 Framed

 ​"Fish"
​11"H x 14"W x 1"D framed
Oil Sticks, Graphite on paper 
​155.00 

More are on the way. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, thank you for sharing this journey with me. If there is anything you'd like to see or discuss in this blog, reach out with your ideas. Questions? No problem. You can reach me via text any time: 832-549-1730. Available for commissions, I am here to serve this community of artists, art lovers and visionaries. 

With All of my Love,
  S.

Good Evening One and All,
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This is my attempt to cover all pertinent happenings art-wise since my last blog, so let's jump on in...but FIRST I need to report that...I moved! I have been looking for a new place for awhile since the rental agreement on our apartment was ending this summer. I cast my house hunting net far and wide and came up with several promising properties. About 3 weeks into June we found the cutest little cottage community in Brazoria County. After visiting several properties in the area,  my son (who lives with me due to a TBI) and I decided we liked the cottage we viewed in Oyster Creek, TX the best. At the end of that house hunting day, we all went to Surfside Beach with our doggies and had a great time (see photo below).

Because I have lived in The Woodlands for over 8 years and have made a lot of friends, it was hard to say good-bye. But, change is good and it felt right to be moving back to my home port, so to speak.

We did not find out we were approved for the cottage until Monday, July 1st. So, with our move-out date (and a holiday) fast approaching, I reserved a U-Haul and packed all of our things. The plan was to move most of our things that Wednesday and come back to The Woodlands and stay until the end of Friday night (literally the very last minute). That way I could relax a bit before hosting Artists in Action - Sip N Shop, enjoy the event at MFAG and then come home, gather our things and say one last good-bye to our lovely apartment in The Woodlands before making the long drive down to the coast with our pets.

​In case you missed the last Artists in Action, I posted a few photos below. These photos were taken within a few minutes of set up. Once it got busy, we started making sales and I didn't have time for more photos...not even of myself!

Myself, my son and our little fur-family had a fun filled weekend eating at new-to-us family owned restaurants (check out Burnt Biscuit in Brazoria, Maria's Kitchen in Freeport and CHIPS Family Restaurant in Lake Jackson), visiting old haunts and unfamiliar venues including a new church: Unity of Brazosport. Being aware that in the wee hours of Monday 7/8 Beryl would be hitting Surfside Beach, I had to make a decision. Should I try to outrun the storm or ride it out? Knowing that our cottage community is on the NORTH side of the levee, that we were NOT in a flood plain, and that my insurance would cover my Jeep (just in case the storm surge did breach the levee), I decided we would ride it out. I've seen a lot of hurricanes and made the best decision. Getting caught on the road would have been a nightmare.

When we finally emerged from our abode around noon on 8/8, after the winds had died down a bit, I found our little cottage had suffered no damage whatsoever! Unfortunately, I learned that Surfside Beach, our sister city to the SOUTH of the levee was a complete disaster. And, many of our friends as far north as The Woodlands and Conroe suffered terrible damage to their homes due to falling trees, wind and rain. It would be almost 2 weeks before we had both power and Internet service again. I spent the daylight hours unpacking in the heat and caught up on my reading by flashlight at night. Sorry to say, I was too sweaty to think about drawing. The artwork would have been ruined before it was completed.

To say July 2024 has been eventful would be an understatement. If you are reading this from sunny/soggy Southeast Texas, I hope your power has been restored and that you and your loved ones did not suffer any damage from our "little" hurricane that came in and wrecked the place. My heart goes out to those that lost their homes.

But, every dark cloud has a silver lining, as they say, and I was feeling strangely free and optimistic in our new home despite the aftermath of Beryl. My mind was swirling with mermaids, oceans and all kinds of sea life. Once we were up and running again, artwork began pouring out of me. (See a couple of current works-in-progress, below.)

There's another old saying that also applies here: The Show Must Go On! After suffering  damage to their roof and some flooding, the Freeport LNG Theatre (located inside The Center for the Arts and Sciences in Clute, TX) moved forward with their performances of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I am so happy that we went! The show exceeded our expectations. The performances were wonderful and funny. And, the house was PACKED. Afterward, we were so fortunate to meet the actors (still in costume) across the hall at the Brazosport Art League Gallery for the play's opening night reception. The goodies flowed and when they ran out of cake, drinks and other tasty treats, more were served! It was pretty much standing room only, so I fired off as many photos as I could while carrying on conversations and munching sweets. (See below.)

What I saw of the art show hanging in the BAL Gallery during that reception was intriguing, so I decided to go back to The Center the next weekend to enjoy the BASF Planetarium with my son and get a better look at the artwork, too. The exhibit titled Post Modern Retrospective did not disappoint. It  featured the work of two artists: Ken Ness & Kenneth Halvorsen. I must say that I had more "WOW!" moments viewing that show that I have had in a very long time. I took a ton of photos, but due to this blog running longer then most, I'll feature a couple of my favorites by each artist along with their artists' statements. (See below.) If you get a chance to see this show in person before it leaves on 8/11, please do so. You'll be glad that you did.

If you can't make it down to Brazosport to view art, no worries. I'll be making the 100 mile trip back up to the The Madeley Fine Art Gallery in Conroe to host another Artists in Action - Sip N Shop this coming Friday, August 2nd from 5 - 7p. We have a great line up of accomplished artists drawing, painting (and maybe even BUILDING) artwork LIVE as well as FREE refreshments. Check out the thumbnails below. They each have a sample of the artists' work as well as links to their  contact info. Naturally, I'll bring a collection of my own artwork to view and purchase, as always. I hope to see you all there! (Scroll to the bottom for the full flier.)

Happy Saturday One and All!

In less than one week we have another great Artists in Action - Sip N Shop event at the Madeley Fine Art Gallery. An entirely different group of artists gather for this event the first Friday of each month. They will be creating beautiful works of art right before your very eyes! Ceramics, representational and abstract paintings, contemporary drawings and decorative crafts. Something for everyone and FUN for the entire family!

The ACTION starts at 5p. Refreshments are FREE and all original artworks will be for sale, so bring your check, credit or debit card. You may find an artwork that truly speaks to your heart. If so, be sure to take it home. It will bring years of joy and you'll also have the satisfaction of supporting a local artist. It's a win-win!

Since I am in charge of the event, I will not be creating artwork. BUT, I will naturally bring some of my smaller pieces with me and have my own Mini Show by the front desk.

Check out the thumbnails below for samples of each artist's work and click on them to be taken to their websites, email or social media pages. Scroll to the bottom for the full 411 on Artists in Action Sip N Shop:

​Here's the full address:

Artists in Action - Sip N Shop
Madeley Fine Art Gallery
127 Simonton Street
Conroe, TX 77301

If you have any questions about the gallery, the artists featured at this event or really anything @ all, you can text me 24/7: 832-549-1730. 

See you there!

Good Evening Art Lovers!

For several weeks I've been kind of teasing about a piece I've been working on for a very long time. Dropping hints in the form of tiny details of the artwork every now and then. Well, it's finally finished! It's a combination of representational artwork, stream-of-consciousness drawings and collage. I call it SUBJECTIVITY because everyone has an opinion about art. (Am I right?!) The artwork is designed to be hung in any direction because it is all about the viewer's personal perspective.

Currently, SUBJECTIVITY is on view at the Madeley Fine Art Gallery through June 30th. Every month the gallery has a People's Choice Award wherein guests at the gallery can vote on their favorite artwork. If you happen to be at the gallery and you like this artwork, I would really appreciate a vote as I am usually showing artwork in the jewelry cabinets and  not eligible to compete. I worked a very long time on this mix media piece which is listed as number 53...so vote for me! :-D

But, even if you don't want to vote, art always looks better in person and this month there are 85 pieces of original artwork created by local artists to enjoy. Wow! So, stop by the gallery with your family and friends and enjoy the show!

"Subjectivity"
11"H x 14"W x 1"D  - or -  14"H x 11"W x 1"D (this artwork can be hung in any direction)
Sharpie Markers, Gel Pen, Acrylic Paint, #2H Pencil, Colored Pencils, Collage 
495.00 framed (floater)
​Shown framed and unframed above.

"Joy Vortex"
11"H x 14"W x 1"D  
Gel Pen, Colored Pencils
SOLD
This artwork is also on view at the Madeley Fine Art Gallery through June 30...or until sold.

Dear Art Lovers,

I have news about an exciting event that you will NOT want to miss! The Madeley Fine Art Gallery is hosting Artists in Action on Friday, June 7th from 5 - 7p. CST.

What makes this event so special? You'll get to watch 6 local artists actually CREATING THEIR ARTWORK LIVE in the gallery and chat with them about their process. Each artist will bring artwork that they are working on and also have finished artwork available for sale. I'll be there representing the gallery during the event and while I won't be creating artwork, I will have a Mini Show of my work available to view and purchase. 

This event is 100% FREE, Fun and in conjunction with the City of Conroe's monthly Sip and Shop event! So, in addition to having fun at our gallery, you can also check out other local businesses that will be open and serving refreshments, too.

Each of the art thumbnails below are created by myself and our 6 featured June Artists in Action. Click on any of the images for links to their websites, social media, contact information. It's like a little sneak preview of what's in store. Check it out!

Here's the full address:

Artists in Action
Madeley Fine Art Gallery
127 Simonton Street
Conroe, TX 77301

If you have any questions about the gallery, the artists featured at this event or really anything @ all, you can text me 24/7: 832-549-1730. 

See you there!

This is a detail of a drawing I've been working on, off and on, for a couple of months. I really wanted to have this drawing finished by next Monday so I could show it at MFAG in May. Not sure that's going to happen. Will keep you posted. I will probably continue to be MIA until this is finished, though. Thanks for taking this journey with me and feel free to comment below or tap me on fb. Goodnight Art Lovers!

Dear Patient Friends, 

I seemed to be clipping along doing well this first quarter of 2024 until February when a mystery "bug" hit my family and we were down for a couple of weeks. Still catching up with my to-do's and creations so, by way of apology, I offer a quick recap...

As mentioned in an earlier post, I had a couple of pieces entered in the Conroe Art League's 12x12 fundraising exhibition in January (both sold, BTW). While working as a docent at the Madeley Fine Art Gallery during that exhibit, I met the NICEST person and she brought along her grand kids. Vickie Mitchell is a fellow CAL artist. We struck up a conversation and it turns out one of her grand-kiddos is actually a very young member of the Conroe Art League! Wow! I was so impressed that I wanted to introduce you to this aspiring artist.

Avery Panter is only 8 years old and already she's making a name for herself. She joined the Conroe Art League last August when she was still only 7. She entered her original ceramic creation in our CAL Fall 2023 Judged Show and WON 1st place in the children's division!
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I took a photo of Vickie and the whole Panter gang in the gallery last month and will post it below along with some photos of Avery and her winning entry: Magic Marker Holder.

Congrats Avery!!!

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Early February found me working to create and finish a Chinese lantern for the Conroe Art League's first Chinese New Year event held in partnership with our neighbor Dragon Bowl C in downtown Conroe. Since the theme was to be "Asian inspired" and I wanted to keep my work contemporary, I opted for collage incorporating crystal mirrored pieces with Asian models showing off the latest 2024 Spring fashions. Check it out and let me know what you think. (Obviously, these photos were shot late at night in my studio.)

Lanterns were completed by dozens of artists. They hung in the CAL conference room until the big event...

During the celebration, they were hung outdoors and were illuminated with light bulbs. When the event was over they were taken down and raffled off. You can see a few of them below. Do you have a favorite?

The rest of the month saw me working on more of these fun bottles. A small group of them are currently on view at the Madeley Fine Art Gallery. But, if you'd like to see the entire collection or request that I design something special just for you, shoot me a text: 832-549-1730. I'd love to show them off! Most of the bottles are decorated all the way around and some are designed to be viewed standing up or laying down. You really MUST see them in person.

Recently, I attended a very special book signing. Marilyn Miller Lowry is an accomplished artist, fellow CAL alum, educator, counselor and author. Her autobiography A Stroke of Magic: How Trauma Transformed My Truth is inspirational. It describes her life before and after a stroke. Within this life changing event she found courage and gifts she had never imagined. Each chapter ends with helpful questions as the reader follows Marilyn on this journey to discovery. Highly recommend!

Are you an art lover living in the Houston area? Are you hungry for something new? Would you like to take a drive amid the lovely spring wild flowers? If you answered YES to any of those questions AND you'd like to view the creme de la creme of International artworks, I have just the thing for you. The CAL International 2024 is on view NOW at the Madeley Fine Art Gallery through March 30th. But, mark your calendar for Saturday, March 23, 2024 when the WINNERS will be announced during the artists' reception from 6:00 - 8:00p. Meet the artists and fall in love with your favorite artwork. Refreshments will be served.

Well that about wraps things up. Next time I sit @ the ol' computer, I'll be writing about other galleries and some new drawings that I have in the works. In the meantime, if you'd like to chat with me in person, I'll be at the Madeley Fine Art Gallery with my own Mini Show on these dates:

Saturday, March 16th / 1:30p. - 4:00p.
Saturday, April 13th / 1:30p. - 4:00p.

Madeley Fine Art Gallery
127 Simonton Street
Conroe, TX 77301

No need to call ahead. Just drop on by. See you soon! :-D