Turning it up.

Despite my sparse posting, I have been quite busy painting lately.  In fact, it has finally become a priority :)

Three or fours times a week I make it up to the Arcata Community Forest to paint, and have moved on from the quick little hour-max sketches I was doing to some larger paintings with significantly longer sittings.  And in the evenings I have been working on portraits. (Portraits are so hard!!)

Its intimidating, honestly, knowing that there are already so many talented artists working, but I am making a push to get paid (Sell!) the work I am doing.

For starters, I am participating in the North Coast Open Studios this year!
The Opening Reception is this Saturday, May 7 at Stonesthrow Boutique in Eureka (during Arts Alive), then on June 4, 5, 11&12 I will be receiving guests at my studio.  I'm very excited and preparing as much work as possible.  Here are some peaks into what I've been up to:

 haven't come across another of these yet...looking!

 Slug friend!

the way I roll...

Northcoast Land Trust Grand Opening

The Northcoast Regional Land Trust invited a bunch of us Plein Aire artists to flood the land and paint it up!
I didn't take enough pictures, all the other artists were very cool, but here are a few of the things I created while there:

native willow trees that can be used to grow more elsewhere

I'll have to go back again to finish this one :)

 everybody loves a dandelion

Prints!

Bug Press has done a lovely job making some prints for me (to sell).
The next batch might have some text ("Humboldt, California" etc)

Michelle's Yoni Tree

This painting is dedicated to Michelle Hel-Loki Angelina, and her struggle as an incarcerated transgendered woman.  Over the many months of our correspondence, she has become a dear friend, and has opened my eyes to the cultural systems that led to her incarceration and the challenges to her rights as a human while in the American prison system.

50% of proceeds from the sale of this painting will be donated to a Non-Profit organization working towards justice for Transgendered people, currently I am thinking about The Transgender Law Center.  

Found some snow. Painted (in) it.

Happy New Year

Already 6 deep into the New Year.