Spring has arrived!

It is so beautiful here in the mountains of western North Carolina. The new leaves bursting forth are the most amazing shade of green.  The dogwoods are beginning to bloom, and the redbud trees are glorious!

I have been busy over the winter, and did not realize that it had been so long since I last posted a blog.  Please forgive me.

Here is my most recent painting... I call it Psalm 19:1
 "The heavens declare the Glory of God."

I have been taking lessons from Bob Travers at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts here in Black Mountain.   Bob is an amazing artist in his own right, and an excellent teacher.  You can see his work at http://www.bobtraversart.com/

Well, I need to get some sleep. 

I'm heading out into the hills tomorrow

to get some pictures

of this glorious spring scenery.

So much news to share!!!

Hey everyone!  I'm sorry I haven't posted in quite a while, but I have been BUSY!!! Since I last posted, my scratchboard has earned me a membership in the North Carolina Wildlife Artist Society.  I also showed one of my scratchboards in the Bring Us Your Best VIII Show in Hendersonville, NC. Although I didn't win any prizes, it was still an honor to be juried into this exhibition.

Even more has happened in my quilting career!!!  In the past couple of months I have designed seven new quilt patterns.  These can be seen at my pattern website Primrose Lane. I had them displayed at the Asheville Quilt Guild's Annual Show and was very pleased with the response. 

By far, the biggest seller and most popular quilt was my "Appalachian Memories Quilt".  This quilt features 12 hand embroidered barn blocks with quilt blocks on them.  You can purchase this quilt pattern on my website at Primrose Lane.

48 hours after the quilt show was over, I was in Ohio and West Virginia promoting my barn fabric that I drew for the Mystery Harvest Shop Hop group.  (Last January I was commissioned by this group to design a special fabric for their shop hop that featured 12 drawings of barns with quilt blocks on them.)  The shop hop was a smashing success, and it was great to see all the different ways that the shops were using the fabric.  Of course, everyone made quilts, but some made purses, tote bags, table runners, wallhangings, pillows, aprons, pot holders, T-shirts, window valances, and used them as appliques on dish towels. One even had them applied to the backs of clear plates, making matching dishware.  It was a fun and exhausting trip.  I got to meet a lot of wonderful ladies and visited some really great quilt shops.

By the way, if you are interested in purchasing the fabric, please go to their link above, and you can order directly from the shops.  Although they gave me a few yards, I don't have extra to sell.  Here are a couple of my favorite items the shops created...

I wish I had the time and room to post all the pictures I took during this shop hop.  The creativity of the different shopowners and their employees was amazing.

I have already started designing some more quilt patterns and am eager to get busy sewing next week.

By the way... they have already commissioned me to design another fabric for them for next year's shop hop.  I can't tell you what the topic will be, but I know it will inspire as much or more creativity than this year's fabric.  Guess you will all have to just wait and see...

My First Art Award!

As a member of the Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League, I was able to enter their recent juried show being held at the Tyson Library in Black Mountain.  I placed second in the Drawing Category! 

Here I am with my art and my ribbon.  The drawing is called "Stories to Tell", and is an 8" x 10" on Ampersand scratchboard.  My daughter says the picture makes it look as if she is fussing at me.

Freedom

Saturday I felt the need to paint rather than scratch. The watercolor that follows was painted that afternoon.
I found this photo online and loved the action of the scene. I think the appaloosa was the most challenging since the shadows had to be so much more subtle than those on the darker horses.

Two New Works and Booth

A week ago I participated in an Arts & Crafts Show in Cullowhee, NC.  It was a lovely show.  I will also be participating in their winter show during the Thanksgiving weekend.   Here is a look at my booth...

While at the show, I stayed busy working on some scratchboard. The Lioness that follows was completed at the show.  The Tiger was started at the show and completed in my studio.

"Making Friends" is finished!

My big scratchboard is finally finished and ready to be framed.  The frame was ordered today, so it should be ready sometime next week.   So looking forward to having these two precious foals hanging on someone's wall.  ... I apologize for the glare.

Almost finished!

This larger scratchboard (16" x 20") has been a real challenge.  I think I enjoy the smaller boards because they can be completed more quickly.  However, it is nice to have the larger surface available... more room for details.  Here are two more pictures of it in progress.  I have some fine tuning still on it, so it is about 2-3 hours from completion.