The Morning Ritual of Coffee

A good cup of coffee is one of my favorite things in life. There is a wonderful coffee house we occasionally visit in San Anselmo, which has a lovely garden area. We love the “neighborhood feel” of the place, along with the friendly atmosphere.

There’s something so comforting about the delectable aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the hissing of the frothing machine, and people gathering together for their morning ritual of coffee.

The Morning Ritual of Coffee

“In Seattle you haven’t had enough coffee until you can thread a sewing machine while it’s running.” ~Jeff Bezos

“Good communication is just as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.” ~Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Happy May 1st

I love the month of May! Everywhere you look, everything is turning green and blooming. I also enjoy how the days are warming up, yet the nights are still cool.

Today, I took our garden furniture cushions out of storage, and worked on creating a comfy area for us to enjoy our garden. I’m happy with how it turned out.

Afterwards I relaxed and sipped my cup of Earl Grey tea, as I watched the birds play in the water fountain.

“Gardening is the art that uses flowers and plants as paint, and the soil and sky as canvas.” – Elizabeth Murray

All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar.” – Helen Hayes

“May our heart’s garden of awakening bloom with hundreds of flowers.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Another Busy Day

Although it has been a busy couple of days, I did manage to work on my painting. I still haven’t decided what to do with the crystal ball.

Maybe tomorrow inspiration will strike, or maybe not. I still have a ways to go before it is finished, which gives me plenty of time to figure it out.

The Awakening – Combined Media on Canvas – 11 X 14 inches

“Whatsoever that be within us that feels, thinks, desires, and animates, is something celestial, divine, and consequently, imperishable.” – Aristotle

“There is a desire deep within the soul which drives man from the seen to the unseen, to philosophy and to the divine.” – Kahlil Gibran

Beautiful Weekend

We had a beautiful weekend, the sun was shining, and we hit the mid-80’s. Saturday, when we got back home from running errands, we were able to take our dog out for awhile so he could run, play, and snooze in the grass. He is such a sweetheart!

On Sunday, I went to the Gem Faire and had a great time looking for beads and such. I was completely worn out and tired by the time I got home. lol

Since I didn’t have any time to paint over the weekend, I began working on “The Awakening” early this morning. I still have a long way to go but at least I made some progress today.

The Awakening – Combined Media on Canvas- 11 X 14 inches

From a Sketch to a Painting

Today I’m turning the previous post of a sketch into a painting. I began by blocking out the whole painting into tonal groups. I also added a crystal ball and started working on the head and body.

When working in Painter IX, I am able to add layers to the original under painting and work on these individually until I like what I see. Afterwards, I merge the layers with the original canvas and my painting is finished.

Tomorrow I plan on working on the background, hair, and clothing. My paintings can take a few weeks to several months to complete, depending on how large or complex they are.

The Awakening – Combined Media on Canvas – 11 X 14 inches