changing times

Today I learnt that at one year children are vaccinated for chicken pox. I was surprised. The reasoning, however, is sound. The young ones do not have immunity, although their parents probably have immunity. But these days, with so many cancer patients surviving (that's great news) toddlers are being vaccinated to reduce the chances of cancer survivors catching chicken pox as apparently it can be fatal to them. Interesting!

Today, against all odds, I completed a tiny work which will probably be in the Legato exhibition. It was very strange working on such a tiny scale (8 inches by 6 inches wide) but I think it is quite OK.

Maybe I will post a picture and describe my reasoning behind the scale later.

Today I am grateful for time to paint.

pressed for time

My blogging is likely to be more erratic as things get busier promoting Legato, the exhibition for peace and remembrance in Cassino, Italy, 15 -29 May.

Check out the blog for Legato, or if you are on Facebook become a fan and see the works as images are uploaded.

Today I am grateful for the internet.

finished

Happy first birthday, Parker. Now to hide this until the big day :-)

The work is a little brighter than it appears on this computer screen. Hopefully you are seeing it in its true colours.

And, in case you hadn't noticed, there is one sun, one hat, two sports balls, two readers, two books, three kiwis, three ants, four pink birds, four cats, five lady bugs, six sheep, seven beach balls, eight painting spiders, 9 numbers... etc.

Today I am grateful for time to paint.

of course, when you buy the frame...

The birthday gift painting was almost finished, so it was time to purchase the frame. I had ever-so-carefully checked on line and painted to the American standard paper size. Being a "belts and braces" type person I hadn't cut the paper but had painted over the measured edges so that there was room to crop a nice clean edge.

I hadn't counted on the frames available not matching the official standard paper sizes - oops!

Daughter and I looked hard. Then we both spotted the perfect frame. Common sense said take the smaller one, it was closer to the painting size. But the next size up... well... who could resist?

So, the long and short of it is that today has been spent extending the composition and painting out the splotches on what is now a white border around the image.

A few more brush strokes to tidy up part of the design, and the painting is ready. One little boy is already intrigued by the tiny images and bright colours, and crawls over to inspect it regularly.

Today I am grateful for little fingers clasping mine.

not shirking really

This is almost finished... hopefully tomorrow it will be ready to frame. These look simple but take a huge amount of time. This one, once I met the intended recipient, changed considerably from my original design. I still have to do the washes that strengthen and highlight areas of the background, particularly on the left hand side. Oh... and yes, it did make his mummy a little homesick, when she saw the "P" and the little landscape inside it...

Today I am grateful for health and sunshine.

progress

For the last two days I have been working on a new painting, one I have been planning to paint for a year. Photos when finished.

Today I am grateful for warm weather.

sometimes

Sometimes when it seems that you have far too much to do the best thing is to do nothing.

Today I am grateful for the ability to "switch off" the busy noise.