Two new works. "Calling the Oneota Home" Oil on Board. 18" by 24". There is a strong story that goes with this image. The land I lived on for 27 years was full of Native Spirit. A thousand years before the Oneota lived on this land. Its a personal story as I honor their life on that land so many years before.

"Totem, Whistle Call" Oil on Board, 12" by 24". Wolf,Bear,Deer and Spider, each calling their own name to the sound of the sacred whistle.

A little late but a good post nontheless.

A little late posting about my entry into the American Academy of Equine Art's Fall Showcase from September, 2015. Last fall 2 of my graphite works were juried into this show and sold on opening night "Salute" and "Turning the Wheel" both 9" by 12" graphite on Strathmore Rag Paper. Images below. I needed to reformat my computer yesterday and in process do not have easy access to my images. Tomorrow is another day and I can put them up assp. Currently fighting with Facebook. I've been locked out for days. Crazy computer angst. I wasn't even hacked, just reformatted and lost my sign in info. On the pretty good news front, I am one of 4 finalists for the Wisconsin State Fairtastic Poster Competition. A good deal of time has been spent working on my design and presenting drafts. Today was the final jury and I was told it was a tight jury between my piece and the winning artist's piece. Darn........ So close... My piece will be on display at the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds the first 2 weeks in August. It was a fun project, though taxing. I made it very detailed and went though a lot of brushes. Not sure if I can post the image yet, so I won't. Also last summer I was again juried into the New Visions Gallery, Culture and Agriculture exhibit in Marshfield Wi. That's 6 in a row. I'm hoping to get another piece done for this year's upcoming exhibit

5 years cancer free, God willing, knock on wood or dance naked around the old burr oak tree. I've spent most of my life, since 27 yrs hoping to stay cancer free. 2 types of cancer, one much worse than the other or maybe not. Its something that is just always there, a tiny shadow stuffed deeply behind days filled with wringing out every ounce of grace and joy. When you are a caregiver of someone else you don't find much time to think such things. I'm a grateful caregiver, it keeps me moving forward and not thinking about myself. So grateful we are both still here and able to go on loving each other. Grateful of being a grandma and cuddling small bodies and filling their heads with silly stories, teaching them to swim, pushing bodies down into the pool so they can touch the bottom with their hands, (at their request), and fast as light pulling them back up by their pants to grab another breath of air for their tiny lungs to fill, only for another request to dive back down again and again. Does it get better than that? Little faces behind big green bug eyed goggles. Grandchildren, aged 3 walking past your paintings and making comments, "Grandma, I haven't seen these before." and " Grandma, I don't like the yellow birds, I don't like their cheeks.", and "Grandma, I'm a Painter, I can't go pick up the walnuts in the yard, its not my job.". All my grandchildren, so incredibly bright and gifted and sweet. Themselves budding artists and musicians finding their wings in their own worlds. So very proud of my 2 sons who have grown into incredibly talented, responsible, loving men. Grateful to have had that old farmhouse for so many decades to fix up, clear fields, dig fence posts, raise critters, build the sweat lodge and bring ceremony back to that aching land. Cancer free..seems a bit hollow today when I hear of the passing of another incredibly talented artist, Shary B. Akers. I met her briefly over the phone years ago when I curated an equine art show. I remember well the conversations and could hear such grace in her voice. We are losing too many, too soon. Blessings today to everyone who has had to struggle with this terrifying disease or have had to even think about it, fear it, carry it with them. Blessings to the young woman, Kjersten Snell, I got my Racki dog from 9 years ago, who was struggling with esophageal cancer and lost her battle so young and fought so hard. I pray for a future without this monster. Until then I'll keep moving forward, trying to squeeze every ounce out of a very blessed and juicy life. Namaste.

New Graphite Drawings

Turning the Wheel and Salute were both juried into the 2013 "Equine Jubilee" at The Arts Castle in Delaware, Ohio. "Turning the Wheel" Graphite on Strathmore

"Salute" Graphite on Strathmore

New work, "Yellow Bird" Oil on Board.

"The Red Clyde Mare" 11" by 14" oil on canvas. On a farm in Trempealeau County I found this lovely red chestnut Clydesdale mare. At the time I had never seen a chestnut Clyde before. She glowed in the sun. I noticed the tips of her ears were rough and torn looking. Maybe frostbite? I have never seen that in a horse before.

"Fly By" 18" by 24" oil on board. When my cousin and I were in our teens we rode horses from sunrise to sunset over gravel country roads and through hay and corn fields. This painting didn't start out with this memory in mind. But yesterday as I was scanning it I remembered those hot summer days. We had a horse named Beauty, a big bay mare with a heart of gold. We road her double and bareback, usually me in front and her behind with her hands around my waist. When the corn was about knee high, we would take Beauty into the corn field and gallop up and down the rows. We were pretty good about not knocking down the corn and stayed between the rows. The field was hilly and there were a few times I didn't warn my cousin that I was about to give Beauty my heels and urge her into a gallop. She never fell off, we were both glued to the back of the big bay mare, having the time of our lives. The corn rows and the long leaves of the corn in this painting brought that back to me. Pretty close to flying.