SUSAN'S . . . PLAYING AGAIN!

My good friend, Alex Richardson came for a visit - and all the way from London! In March I posted of his petite piece Blue Mesa Floor , when recalling of my experience at the Petrified Forest National Park during my September residency. The pastel scene depicts an rapid, approaching storm viewed from the Blue Mesa outlook. I was able to enjoy his little painting since it would be many months before he arrived in the States. A sweet good-bye, but know it's flying to a good home.

HOTEL DEL pastel, 10"h x 8"w courtesy of Tirage Fine Art Gallery SOLD - PRIVATE COLLECTOR Today is an exciting week for me with anticipation of a couple of out-of-state / country guests! So wonderful to catch-up with news, share wonderful dinners and just enjoy one and another's company. The excitement is killing me! I just can't pay attention to finish a started petite painting, so decided to post a recently completed pastel in Tirage's possession and available for sale. This painting is a slice of the iconic vacation landmark Hotel del Coronado . Even though the hotel is a conglomeration of several various shaped buildings, it is visibly known for it's red turret which graces the front entrance. The hotel which dates back 120 years, is a beachfront luxury resort as well as a location for motion films, such as Some Like It Hot, that starred Marilyn Monroe and Tony Curtis. There is even rumored a ghost, Kate Morgan, still inhabits the premises. She had...

After waking up to another rainy day in San Diego, I decided to post something a bit brighter. Last week amidst the rain drops while at Catalina Island, a small rainbow popped out in the afternoon. Such a wonderful splash of colors! And how amazing that the arc is perfectly aimed for the flag. Nature is such a thing of beauty.

THE VIEW 4 1/2" X 4 1/2" pastel white archival matt, glass and 8" square petite, gold scrolled frame SOLD- PRIVATE COLLECTOR After climbing so many hills, found out I needed a break or two. The Zane Grey Hotel had a lovely veranda off Zane's original library / sitting room, which overlooked the town of Avalon. I could glimpse a mountainside view of nestled homes beyond the turquoise chairs. The next best thing would be a friend and a glass or two of wine!

I'm still traveling in my head to Catalina. Of course it has helped tremendously that the weather has been rainy and damp. (Hey, are we still in San Diego?) As I stated in an earlier post, the Zane Grey Hotel is located at one of the highest spots of the Town of Avalon. It's closest neighbor is the Chimes Tower, which I've included a picture for your pleasure. As you can see it was getting ready to rain once again, so the colors of the tiles are very subdued. Nevertheless, the tower is a wondrous sight. In 1925 the Chimes Tower was presented to the Town of Avalon by Ada Wrigley. Since then the tower rings every quarter hour from 8am to 8pm.

For the first time, I stayed at the Zane Grey Pueblo Hotel - http://www.zanegreypueblohotel.com/ - when I traveled last week to Catalina Island. Zane Grey was an American novelist known for his westerns and this was his home on the Island. The Hopi Indian-style Pueblo is located on this picture at the highest point of Avalon. It was quite a daily hike, plus there were an additional 28 steps to climb from the road to the doorstep! I initially planned on painting through the evening, yet instantly fell asleep from all the hiking! Truly a peaceful place to stay without any phones nor televisions. If a guest could not handle the withdrawal, there is a small tv in the central, common living room.

BURST OF RAIN 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" pastel with archival white matt, glass and gold scrolled petite frame SOLD - PRIVATE COLLECTOR Wouldn't you know as soon as I was dropped off to paint on Middle Ranch Road in Catalina Island, it rains! Luck of the Irish, huh? But I'm only part Irish, so the rain eventually stopped and the sun peaked through.

3 WINDOWS 4 1/2" x 4 1/2' pastel, archival white matte, glass + petite gold scroll frame $150 + tax and $15.00 for insured, priority shipping Returned late last night from Catalina Island and what a wet and damp visit! Still was great and fortunately I had wonderful clouds in result of the rain. And sporadically the sun would pop out. The first evening I captured a house on a hill with vivid clouds as a backdrop. More to come.....

Tonight I am packing and will be leaving bright and early to catch the ferry to Catalina Island. I will be painting wild flowers in the inner Island and gratefully transported by the Catalina Conservancy . This arrangement was coordinated by my gallery, Tirage A rt of Pasadena. Tentatively there are arrangements for a group show of the paintings by the participating Artists in November 2010. Have my fingers crossed ( You know, it's hard to type with them crossed! Didn't know I was so talented.) that I will capture some wonderful images. Really excited about this get-a-way and will let everyone know this Friday how it went when I return. Bye!

CLOAKED NIGHT multi-media - 7" doll / 8" cape - wall mount Above is one of my dollies for the upcoming show, Frayed . The doll's head and arms are mounted onto a block of wood with a sunset executed in oil pastels. She is adorned in a sheer cape embellished with miniature silver crystals and will be mounted on the wall.

BLUE SKY + CLOUD 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" - pastel matted, glass + 8"square gold scrolled frame $150 + tax, $15.00 for insured priority shipping I enjoy so much watching the movement of the skies! Huge clouds look so static, yet in a matter of a few minutes change shapes and direction drastically. They also have so many layers of colors.

Well here they are! Who would believe the little baby doll would have 2 right feet? Do you think it qualifies for Ripley's?

STORM'S COMING pastel - 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" 8" square white matte, petite gold leaf frame SOLD- PRIVATE COLLECTOR A storm arose quickly one day while I was painting at the Petrified Forest National Park. It was quite strange for one minute the sun was blasting down and the next, black clouds were rolling above my head. It was a mad dash to pick up my easel, pastels and small stool. The shrubs on the horizon darkened similar to a sunset, yet the sky was still a bright blue.

As you can see, we were racing through LA. There was just so much to see! And Hollywood Howie and Pepsi were so excited over the hot dog vendors, who were on every corner! It was such a mad dash that I didn't even have the time to day dream or stare into the blue sky.

Some of you may have been asking, just who are Christine and my companions, Hollywood Howie and Pepsi, that accompanied us to the toy district in Los Angeles? Well this is Hollywood Howie and what a gent he is! Definitely is a man that knows what he wants - and that was to try and scarf anything and everything he found laying on the sidewalk.

DOWNFALL pastel- 11"h x 14"w SOLD - PRIVATE COLLECTOR Believe it or not, I have been painting even with all  my racing around - hard to believe, but true. I usually work simultaneously on about 9 paintings mounted on a wall  easel, with different due dates for each. May be a delusion, but I feel  I do not overwork the pastels when I work on many. Much of my current focus is work for my solo June show, Frayed , to be held at Ray Street Custom Framing and Gallery . The work will be a collection of reconstructed baby dolls and pastels, with the premise that there is always a glimmer of hope on the horizon. This sunset Downfall, is one of the pastel pieces to be included. Hope you enjoy the view!

It's been a couple of days since posting and seems as if the time just raced by. Are there just 24 hours daily? Seems as if this is truly not sufficient to accomplish all - and I thought 24 was such a large number. So what have I been up to as time raced by? Just drove back from LA / Pasadena after delivering paintings to Tirage Gallery and enjoying 2 days of the sights and sounds of the big city. So fascinating and unlike San Diego, with something going on at every corner. One of the days, I went with my sister, Christine and her companions, Pepsi and Hollywood Howie to check out the toy district. So excited that I scored some baby dolls for my June show, Frayed . And ... one of the baby dolls had 2 right feet! I have never seen such a thing. Feel a bit sorry for the baby doll and a little hesitant to cut her up, but sure she will become something unique and special.

Last night I attended Ray-At-Night, a monthly North Park San Diego art festivity, where a collection of my still lifes are on display at Sharp Gallery . I believe everyone is thrilled and finally adjusted to daylight savings time for so many people were out and about. Great place to support the arts and listen to music!

Today is kind of gloomy ... okey, I know the people  of sunny San Diego always whine when the sun  goes away, which is normally never. So we really  don't have much to complain about, do we? Then  we are so shocked when it does happen. And I am  a transplant, so one would figure that I was accustomed  to all kinds of weather, but somehow, along the way I have  forgotten what snow, sleet and rain was all about. Amazingly, I painted a subdued, shadowy apple quite  indicative of the weather. Seems a bit intense and quite a mood indicator. APPLE SHADOWS 5" x 5" pastel $95.00 + tax, $5.00 insured, priority shipping 5" square, glass and gold leaf frame

SOLD - PRIVATE COLLECTOR Even though it has been a few days since posting, I have been busy painting away. (Ah-ha - caught me! Guess I haven't been tripping over my feet continually, huh?) I just completed this piece and after framing will be on it's way to Tirage Gallery. Balboa Facade is 10" x 8" and on a La Carte Pastel base, which is excellent in holding my successive layering of unblended pastels. The painting is a depiction of an entryway near the Visitors Center at San Diego's Balboa Park ( http://www.balboapark.org/ ). The Park houses the majority of the City's museums and dates back to 1868. If you visit, this is a must-see attraction.

After stumbling over my feet, while daydreaming and staring into the skies, I came to the conclusion of a needed reprieve. So figured it's time for a snack, and what better than an apple? Tasty and also a wonderful prop. Gerald (http://drawanappleaday.blogspot.com/) can testify to that, since he is going strong with his daily apples. GREEN APPLE 5" x 5" pastel, gold leaf frame without a matt $125.00 plus $10.00 for insured priority shipping All in all, I say it was a delicious apple and a joy to paint. Enjoy!

By now most have heard that a 7.2 earthquake struck Mexicali yesterday, with minor damages in San Diego. And the town has been talking non-stop since. Where was I? Wouldn't you know, I was outside, walking and looking upwards. I am embarrassed to say that I didn't feel a thing, but did notice and fascinated by a berserk flock of sea gulls and one crane, flying erratically. They glided from tree to tree and in a circular motion. Their formation was beautiful to watch. And today it's raining in drizzles with an overcast sky. The sun peeks out at very small moments. What a good day to paint. THE SHADED CLOUD 4 1/2" x 4 1/2", white matt, glass and petit gold frame $150.00 + tax, $15 for insured priority shipping

Well, I finally had enough energy to paint after eating that chocolate glazed donut. Miracle food! The clouds were great for it rained yesterday. So off I went for a walk, mesmerized with the colors while looking up at the sky. Clouds give off the false impression of being static, yet in reality move quite quickly. And as they move, their shapes change. As the sun sets, the colors intensify, enveloping the city in a colorful shroud. And I have you know, I was so good and didn't trip once! PEACH SUNSET 4 1/2" square, white matt, framed with glass and gold scroll frame SOLD - PRIVATE COLLECTOR

Here's a little something for you that are up late - or is it, early to rise? Nevertheless, so nice to view something that is sweet, a treat and chocolate. Almost - okey, not quite - as good as eating one! CHOCOLATE GLAZED DONUT 5" square, glass + gold frame $95.00 + tax; $10. insured priority shipping