This painting is only 6" x 6", and is part of the community mosaic project fundraiser held at the Francis Hardy Gallery in Ephraim WI. I participated for the first time last year, doing a collage of a doodle of chickens and rooster, this year I whipped out a bromeliad plant and tropical bird, in oils. I have painted bromeliads a lot and managed to do this little painting in a few hours. I like the square format and the intimacy of it. Over 250 artists paint, draw, collage, in any media to create a wall of art at the Hardy. People then purchase a lottery ticket for $25 that will result in them winning a painting, that will be a totally random thing. All the art sells by the end of the season and people get a surprise art package in the mail.

This is plein air festival at the Peninsula School of Art in Fish Creek WI. I am trying to decide if I can get up at 7 a.m. on saturday and go paint their dockside quick paint with about 40 other people, I have no confidence in doing this, painting in public, not sure I can handle that. BUT I have been asked to help sell wine tickets at the Saturday night reception, which, i think, i can handle... and will hope to see some of the activity throughout the week, though its really hot and humid, summer is fully on right now. I should be out there painting, having watched Shelby Keefe do an amazing demo yesterday at Edgewood Orchard Gallery, I only feel somewhat inept and disgusted with the paintings I have sitting in my studio right now, not really done but they are dry and not very thrilling to behold. Anyway they moved her demo inside because it was too hot in the court yard, no one complained about the move. This heat reminds me of Australia, those January days when it was so hot and humid, you could break a sweat just thinking, while sitting still. I have great admiration for the plein air painters who have come from all over the planet to paint here this week. We are living in a world of abundance right now. These people who come and paint for the entire week in all manner of heat, bugs, and crowds are to be commended. Its a great opportunity to see some amazing and talented people in action.

PAINTING PORTRAITS

We opened the 2nd Annual Door Prize for Portraiture at Chez Cheryl on June 30 with a bash for the 18 artists and their friends. I thought it would be hard to top last year's initial launching of DOOR PRIZE, but the weather held nicely, a great and happy crowd attended, the art work is once again a best representation of each artist, and the show looks good, though it is a very different presentation from last year. Can't put my finger on it but it seems more subdued, still diverse in media, with photography, ink drawing, pastel, oil and acrylic. BEST IN SHOW was awarded to Lori Beringer of Plymouth WI, Honorable Mention went to Rick Risch of Fish Creek and Suzanne Rose of Kohlburg, WI. I did a painting of Joanna Lavell, of Melbourne Australia. She is my step daughter and a very talented and lovely person, the painting is titled FRANGIPANI BLUES and recalls my first time meeting her in Lismore New South Wales, with the huge frangipani bushes surrounding her place, I had never experienced them, and now when I think of Joanna I think of her wonderful singing and her frangipani.