Grapevine Magazine - Thank You

I am very excited and want to thank the Grapevine Magazine staff for selecting my artwork to be included on the  January/February 2016 cover with my retirement story about my art for the issue.  It is always amazing to see yourself in print.  I sent in my short story and then was honored to learn that they had selected me from all of the entries to be featured in a full length career cameo article that appeared on the inside cover.  

Due to the length of the article I won't copy it all here, but for anyone retiring I did want to share my last paragraph, because it is something I truly believe.  I was asked if I had any advice for those who would be retiring soon and starting in on a second career.  My advise to anyone retiring

"Follow your passions.  Don’t shelf them for some time in the future.  Like myself, many agents take on another career after leaving the Bureau, but even if you can only find a few hours a week, do it.  Don’t put it off.  The pursuit of the arts in our golden years is just as important as art programs are to our children.  There are many different arts, but whatever one you pick, be it  painting, sculpting, music, writing, photography, woodworking, acting…art will make your life richer."

1978 Green VW Van (sold)

Jan 27 | Coffee NOW

“Coffee NOW”

6x6” oil ($75)

This is a compilation of a number of cat photos, mainly because trying to see a black cat's features in a photo isn't easy!  I saw a cat poking its head through a pink blanket and decided I liked the color with black.  The eyes were from the first photo and the eyes I had to paint.  Intense and demanding.  Loved them.  

ART TIP

I love using a Kemper Wipeout tool and its double sided tool.  Thank you Dreama Tolle Perry for introducing it to me.  Beside wiping out, they are terrific drawing lines when painting wet into wet.  You can use it for whiskers! and signatures and just drawing in a line you've lost to help you place your paint better.  They should have them at your local art store in the ceramics department.  If not, almost all the online art stores carry them.