Crossin' the Mason-Dixon Line

By the time you read this post I will have crossed the Mason-Dixon Line for one of my favorite vacations of the year.

Dave and I have headed south to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We'll enjoy five days and nights at a West Virginia State Park—replete with simple cabin built in the 1930's, big ol' stone fireplace, all the firewood we could want, and miles and miles of trails to hike—way out in the middle of nowhere. Bookending our time in the wilderness we'll hang out with our daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughters in Virginia. Doesnt get any better than that!

I've packed a travel art kit but, as was the case last time I vacationed, I don't know what shape these vacation days will take—will I paint? what will my wifi situation be? will I post online?

Once again, heading to Don't Know!

Below, a placeholder until I return.

color study on unstretched canvas
2014

Gone Fishin'

As I write this post, I'm in Maine with my dad to share a week-long vacation. Later this morning (Saturday) we leave Bethel and drive to Port Clyde where we'll take a ferry to Monhegan, a one-square-mile island I've never visited before. Ten miles off the coast. No cars allowed. Watch out for dangerous cliffs. Woo hoo!

I've packed a tiny travel art kit, but don't know what shape this vacation will take—don't know if I'll paint, don't know what my wifi situation will be, don't know if I'll post, don't know but what I might extend the internet part of my vacation even after I return home.

Just know I'm getting on a ferry and heading to Don't Know!

Below, a place holder until I return.

color study
4x4"; acrylic on canvas
abstract
2014

KISS*

Keep It Simple, Sweet girl.

Following a conversation with lonnnnnng time friend and now fellow artist, Sylvia, after she did a couple of color studies, I took her lead, grabbed all the yellows I could find in my studio, and … KEPT IT SIMPLE, for a change.

Painted me a little color study to cover yet another patch in my Core Values project.

Before:

repository for last dregs of paint clinging to a brush

After:

newest patch

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* KISS is an acronym for "Keep it simple, stupid" as a design principle noted by the U.S. Navy in 1960. The KISS principle states that most systems work best if they are kept simple rather than made complicated; therefore simplicity should be a key goal in design and unnecessary complexity should be avoided.

Never knew the origin of the acronym till I looked it up just now.