Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Still Life Oil with White Flowers

"Anna's Gift"
Oil on Linen
24" x 36"


The New Year is nearly upon us.  I'm crazy busy getting ready for Christmas and Hanukkah (we're an equal religious opportunity family) my annual New Year's Day Brunch and cleaning up all the old details of the previous year that needed tidying.  As I run back and forth between the house and the studio carrying things that have migrated to the distant corners of the house, I realize how fortunate I am to have all this space.  A few years ago I built my studio large enough to hold myself and my students.  Despite being over 400 square feet though, it still feels crowded.  But that's part of my good fortune. The clutter, I mean. It's loaded with easels, paintings and supplies that keep me busy seven days a week and fills my home once a week with several wonderful students.  Anna is a young student in my class and she gifted me earlier this year with a lovely branch of hand crafted white flowers on a branch.  It's in the painting above.  


My days are filled with work and painting (OK...that's work too), good friends and students and lots of laughter.  How lucky I am.  Then there's my husband.  He's patient (he needs to be) and good humored and sometimes I don't think I deserve him.  My cats are wonderful too.  They snuggle with me when I read in the evening and follow me around talking to me all day.  I have a lot of wonderful artist friends and non-artist friends and family and life is generally pretty damn good.

So what I'm trying to say is that although this post started as a gripe about how busy I am, I have turned it into a letter of gratitude.  I know I don't hear from many of you in terms of comments, but I know you're out there and occasionally stop on by to see what's new.  So you're part of my total gratitude picture.  Thank you for being a part of my crazy life.

I wish you a wonderful holiday and a magnificent New Year.  Be healthy, be happy and be safe!

All my best to you!

Susan