The Art of Joyce Brandon - Volume 1

2008-09-07T11:07:00.005-04:00

Time to move on to Volume 2!

Visit the new incarnation of my art blog here: http://joycebrandon.wordpress.com/

I've been having difficulties logging into and occasionally even posting here on blogger. So hop on over to my Wordpress blog to get caught up on all the latest news!

edited 8/07/09 for correction of blog address

2008-09-01T16:56:00.004-04:00

2008-03-12T10:27:00.001-04:00

Last Night

2008-03-10T20:19:00.002-04:00

Tonight.

2007-07-17T12:11:00.000-04:00

Busy Busy!

I'm taking a moment to post some updates. I currently have 2 auctions on eBay. Last week I updated my website. I just added profiles on 2 new art focused sites:

myartspace.com

talentdatabase.com

And.... Now I'm making lunch and drilling the times tables with Charles while Gillian draws a map. Joyce Brandon

2007-07-14T12:29:00.000-04:00

The eBay group PAAO (Professional Animal Artists Online) is having a Friday the 13th Challenge: "Black & White"

Animal art in a black and white theme is to be auctioned on eBay starting this weekend. There are a variety of mediums & sizes allowed - so I've put up "Basher at Rest" Click the image above to find my auction. To find other entries click here to search eBay for keyword "PAAO CH" - Joyce Brandon

2007-07-07T20:44:00.000-04:00

... --- ...

What do you contribute? What can you do to improve? What am I talking about?

2007-07-02T19:20:00.000-04:00

Work in Progress

Feeling good about this one! - Joyce Brandon

2007-05-26T22:28:00.000-04:00

There is a unique stillness in those moments when you are certain there will be no interruptions...

I sat on the damp back steps with the last glimmers of twilight fading and watched the fireflies blinking so rapidly and in such profusion they seemed like flashbulbs in a stadium.

The air was heavy and the horizon misty. Colors faded into a blue-black palette, yet the bright yellow twinklings made tonight's entrance spectacular.

A beautiful, lonely night.

2007-05-23T20:16:00.000-04:00

I have to post about this album on all my blogs... I just love it. If you haven't heard it you need (I mean NEED to). "The Story" by Brandi Carlile.

Here are the lyrics to another of my favorites... Track 2 -

"The Story"

All of these lines across my face

Tell you the story of who I am

So many stories of where I've been

And how I got to where I am

But these stories don't mean anything

When you've got no one to tell them to

It's true...I was made for you

I climbed across the mountain tops

Swam all across the ocean blue

I crossed all the lines and I broke all the rules

But baby I broke them all for you

Because even when I was flat broke

You made me feel like a million bucks

Yeah you do and I was made for you

You see the smile that's on my mouth

Is hiding the words that don't come out

And all of my friends who think that I'm blessed

They don't know my head is a mess

No, they don't know who I really am

And they don't know what I've been through like you do

And I was made for you...

2007-04-30T11:16:00.000-04:00

Finished

2007-04-25T21:12:00.000-04:00

Almost Done!

Just a bit more work to do around the eyes and possibly the background (darken a bit around the edges... create more of an aura around the children). - Joyce Brandon

2007-04-25T13:52:00.000-04:00

Portrait of Children

Completion rapidly approaches! - Joyce Brandon

2007-04-22T09:46:00.000-04:00

My art blog has mutated into a family blog... so I've decided to create a blog purely dedicated to family news, events and general chatter, saving this blog for art alone. You can find our new online family journal at http://brandonfamilyblog.blogspot.com

2007-04-08T18:26:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday, Charles!

Hard to believe he's already eight years old! He had a great little party yesterday. The lego sets were a BIG hit and he is having fun right now trying out the game cube games he received.

Gillian couldn't be left out... Grandma brought her a Cabbage Patch Doll.

Easter has been a lot of fun, the kids have enough candy to last them until Christmas! Grandma and Grandpa Steve arrived to visit on Thursday night and will head back to Oklahoma tomorrow morning. My brother also came over Friday, Saturday & today to visit & celebrate.

It's been quite busy. I'm a little tired.

2007-04-05T19:56:00.000-04:00

Cole's Turkey

Termination Date (Estimated): 04-21-07

0900 Hours

These photos were taken this evening using my little kodak Z740. The tom and his hens were about 1/4 mile away. My husband was SOOO excited he insisted I post them immediately so Cliff & Bill could check them out ASAP (Hi Guys!)

2007-04-03T11:29:00.001-04:00

2007-04-01T11:51:00.000-04:00

After the Storm

A nasty line of storms passed over the Mississippi river and threatened us with tornado warnings all evening. The clouds were the deepest blue, almost indigo and charging across the sky. But when the storm passed the sun shone through and the edges of the clouds shined brilliant gold to the West. I was even fortunate enough to catch a rainbow across the field to our East. We were very fortunate to have been spared the terrible tornadoes recently endured by so many in Oklahoma.

2007-03-29T09:14:00.000-04:00

And now for something completely different...

What We Call the News | Send To Friends | Funny Animations at JibJab

2007-03-06T13:32:00.000-05:00

Portrait Progress

I've completed the rough sketches, copied them on the scanner and cut out the copies to fiddle with on the canvas and get a feel for the best placements. So here's where I am as of this afternoon! - Joyce Brandon

2007-03-04T18:36:00.000-05:00

Happy Happy Birthdays!!

Cole is 31 today & Gillian turns 4 on Tuesday, so we had a double birthday party on Sunday! Gillian recieved lots of baking/grocery shopping toys & a unicorn that she's now totally in love with. She also got a kit to make tiaras & she designed one to share with her daddy!

Charles was such a sweet big brother. His 8th Birthday is almost a month away & it's so hard for him to wait... but he was the perfect helper delivering packages to his little sister to open!

-Joyce Brandon

2007-02-19T09:16:00.000-05:00

Duke & Boomer

Completed this portrait late Friday night. There was yet another snow storm going outside & it was a good way to keep my mind occupied instead of worrying every minute about Cole getting stuck in the drifts. Cole made it home in one piece (and cursing the snow) and I felt great getting the painting finished. - Joyce Brandon

2007-02-10T18:00:00.000-05:00

WIP

Wow! I'm so sorry it's been a bit since my last post of a work in progress. I started on this one last week, but was leery of posting it because I didn't know for certain if it was going to be a gift/surprise. But now I know that the only ones who don't know about the portrait are the subjects themselves! And really, unless I send some dog biscuits along, I doubt if the subjects will be all that impressed anyway, LOL.

At the same time our little bunny babies are doing great. All 5 are growing wonderfully. I hope you'll take a moment to see their latest photos on the Sparrow Grass Rabbitry blog... Also we have a regular website for the rabbitry www.jerseywoolyrabbits.com We're very proud of our wonderful doe Cinders. She's taken excellent care of her own and calmly accepted an orphan. Great momma bunny. - Joyce Brandon

2007-02-08T17:38:00.000-05:00

Pretty Bird...

This pheasant hen was a pleasant surprise when I glanced out the window this afternoon.

2007-01-27T14:27:00.000-05:00

WOOOHOOOO!

I am so excited! One of our two pregnant Jersey Woolies has had a healthy litter of baby rabbits! The kits are wriggling and warm & Cinders (the mommy) is doing great. Please visit the Sparrow Grass Rabbitry blog to see their first baby pictures. - Joyce Brandon

2007-01-24T07:25:00.000-05:00

Can't Sit Still!

We are expecting a special delivery this week... Our two Jersey Wooly does are due on the 26th and yesterday I felt the kits kicking around for the first time. Please visit the Sparrow Grass Rabbitry blog to keep up with the news on our sweetest little rabbits!

I worked on my painting Monday, just like I said I would, but kept getting error messages when trying to load posts yesterday. So I gave up and this morning switched over to the new version of blogger. I hope it will reduce the problems I've been having recently with posting & adding images. Speaking of... Here's my Kestrel as he was yesterday morning.

Today is grocery day so I'll have to force myself to leave... Rabbit gestation is 28-31 days so they could really have their babbies any minute. Remember that Christmas morning feeling when you were about 8 years old? Yep. Thats where I've been since yesterday!

Wish us luck! - Joyce Brandon

2007-01-21T11:09:00.000-05:00

A Week

Starting with ice storms & followed with 4 days of plumbing problems (aaaaaack!).

I'm headed to the studio & will post my progress later today or early tomorrow. Just thought I'd stop here first and let you all know I'm still kicking (and screaming?).

Wonder what other artists are blogging about today? Drop by the Worldwide Women Artists who Blog Lense on Squidoo! Also... If you haven't stopped in lately, I've been a busy girl working on my website joycebrandon.com Feel free to drop it and check it out. - Joyce Brandon

2007-01-09T10:09:00.000-05:00

Manning Lewis Studios

Meet a new member of the Worldwide Women Artists! Visit Paula Manning-Lewis' Journal of a New Mexico Artist. I found the link to her site in one of her introductory emails to the group and I love her southwestern landscapes! I'll be adding her link to my little list off to the right... So you can find her even when this post passes from this main page. Check her out. - Joyce Brandon

2007-01-08T08:12:00.000-05:00

Birds & Bows & Land Bug Woes

My little kestrel is coming along, bit by bit.

I didn't get to paint yesterday - Cole took us to Gander Mountain and bought me a compound bow. We had so much fun with target practice until the wind picked up and the temperature dropped like a rock. Then our friends dropped by and the kids ran around playing while we stood out in the garage mulling over the prospect of purchasing 15 acres of timber by the creek.

Cole can't stop thinking about it. He has been bitten HARD by the land bug. It's a very nice piece of land, just down the road. We'd be able spend the summers camping & playing in the creek, then be able to hunt it through the fall & winter.

In other news... Saturday morning Cole told Gillian she needed to clean up her room. It soon became very quiet and I began to wonder if she'd snuck downstairs, so I peeked in her room and this is what I saw...

She was sound asleep under the big alligator that my mom knitted for her last year. She loves that critter. - Joyce Brandon

2007-01-03T10:39:00.000-05:00

104

Darn it! I missed whooping it up for my 100th post. Ah well. I guess I'll have to make it a double at 200.

I'm working on an 11x14 acrylic of the American Kestrel and will not be posting a picture of it yet. You may remember I mentioned that ugly stage that so many paintings go through. Well this one seems to me to be verging on terminal.

Instead I have posted a new photo of myself for my profile (you know... off to the upper right). Now that one I like. - Joyce Brandon

2006-12-31T15:43:00.000-05:00

One Last Post for 2006!

Falco sparverius

I finished this study of a male American Kestrel today. It's Derwent watercolor pencils on a 9"x9" sheet of 180# Canson acrylic paper. Gotta say I prefer the Canson for wc much more than acrylics.

Adios 2006! - Joyce Brandon

2006-12-31T08:57:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year

There are a number of things I hope to accomplish in the comming 365 days... things I need to learn, things I need to change, things I need to continue. I don't like the whole resolution concept, life tends to overwhelm those last minute promises and they are left behind in a trail of mild regrets... There isn't any reason to make more promises to myself that I will not keep in the end.

So instead I've found two quotes that I feel are very fitting for me at this time.

"It has bothered me all my life that I do not paint like everybody else." - Henri Matisse

"The object of art is not to reproduce reality, but to create a reality of the same intensity" - Alberto Giacometti

The words of Matisse touch my soul. It is a feeling of inadequacy that I relate to very deeply. Knowing that an artist such as himself could possibly have felt the same is both confounding and reassuring.

The Giacometti quote is so powerful, it gives me hope and comfort as a reminder that in this time of photo-realism & stunning computer generated art, there is still a place for an artist like myself if I continue to push myself to create the emotional intensity in my work that each subject sparks in my heart.

I wish for us all an inspiring and fulfilling new year!

- Joyce Brandon

2006-12-29T07:01:00.000-05:00

Worldwide Women Artists Who Blog

Artist's blogs allow us to post works in progress, give the world a glimpse into our lives, and get to know one another. To me a blog is a continually evolving artist's statement, without all the flowery terms and jargon.

I hope art lovers and artist's alike will take a moment and check out the link to this collection of the blogging members of Worldwide Women Artists. A permanent link can be found in the right hand column beneath my profile even after this post passes from the main page. ~ Joyce Brandon

2006-12-27T06:58:00.000-05:00

Colinus virginianus

Northern Bobwhite Quail - my latest completed project, a gift for a friend. 8"x10" acrylic on canvas. All together now... "Joyce! Photograph first, varnish second!"

I'm re-reading a favorite book, Living the Artist's Life by Paul Dorrell. When ever I need a kick in the pants this book does it for me. It's an energizer, no doubt!

On a sad note... We had a terrible weekend in our little Sparrow Grass Rabbitry.

Cinders had her first litter on the wire and they didn't make it. Then less than 24 hours later Lil' Misfit passed away from a wool block and took her babies with her. In all we lost the sweet doe and 8 kits. Our loss is made only more painful knowing what gentle, loving little bunnies Jersey Woolies are. We miss our Misfit, and we will miss having the opportunity to love, play with and get to know all the babies. - Joyce Brandon

2006-12-21T08:45:00.000-05:00

WC Pencils

Yesterday was a busy day of completing Christmas shopping & grocery shopping. I'm tired out! But in the middle of all the hustle I did manage to pick up a nice set of Derwent watercolor pencils. I've been wanting to try them out for a long time. -Joyce Brandon

2006-12-15T12:53:00.000-05:00

Whew! Website Updated...

I'm very happy to say that my website has been completely revamped & updated. Thank goodness for GoDaddy!

Please take a moment to visit and see the new and improved JoyceBrandon.com. What a relief to have that all up to date again. - Joyce Brandon

2006-12-14T14:06:00.000-05:00

New Auction

Norwegian Fjord Horse

He's for sale on eBay! Just click here... - Joyce Brandon

2006-12-13T19:18:00.000-05:00

My Heart is Broken

Peter Boyle has passed away. The first movie my husband and I watched together was Young Frankenstein. I loved his episode of the X-files. He will be so very missed. - Joyce Brandon

2006-12-13T09:53:00.000-05:00

Basher

This is my sketch based on a wetcanvas reference image. I can't wait to get going on the canvas. - Joyce Brandon

2006-12-11T16:34:00.000-05:00

Finished

- Joyce Brandon

2006-12-03T10:57:00.000-05:00

Success!

Cole got his deer yesterday. It was a perfect shot and a beautiful doe. He's taken her in and we'll have a nice freezer full of venison soon.

2006-11-30T10:24:00.000-05:00

Fjord

2006-11-14T22:58:00.000-05:00

One Year!

Yep. I've been on blogger a whole year.

2006-11-10T10:46:00.000-05:00

Autumn Leaves

The beautiful weather this week allowed us to enjoy playing in the ever accumulating leaves. Here are some before, during, & after shots (from Wednesday).

Even after a thorough flattening the leaf pile didn't lose it's appeal for Gillian... (Day two)

2006-11-08T09:41:00.000-05:00

Busy Busy Busy

The days are slipping past and the Dewitt rabbit show will be here very soon. I considered showing Cinders, but I need to get her ear tattoo and don't really want to have someone do that at the show.

In other news, Charles is all moved into his new room and both he and Gillian love it. I can hardly get Gillian to sleep up in her own room.

Work is keeping Cole very busy. He's probably going to have to work the first Saturday of deer season... I think he's on the verge of a broken heart. - Joyce Brandon

2006-11-02T13:04:00.000-05:00

Halloween Photos

Although it was FREEZING on Halloween, we still managed to go trick-or-treating in the nearby town. Charles and Gillian were so cute in their costumes. And when Gillian was too cold & worn out to go on, she got a ride on Daddy's shoulders. Charles visited a couple of houses on the way back to the car and he was sweet enough to ask for a treat for his little, worn out sister.

The first photo is of Gillian as Leia with the cape I'd sewn for her & using Yoda's light saber. The other photos are on Halloween, just before we left. I love how Gillian is looking with admiration at her big brother. They didn't want to wear their cloaks because it was pretty warm in the house... But they were very thankful I'd made them once we got out in the cold night air! - Joyce Brandon

2006-11-01T15:50:00.000-05:00

NaNoWriMo

What is wrong with me!! Do I not have enough to do? Do I really need to be constantly busy? Am I trying to drive myself crazy(er)?

Well here I am in my first day of NaNoWriMo 2006 and I'm at a total of 801 words and am in chapter 3 of my novel. No not reading. Writing. Crazy.

2006-10-24T22:03:00.000-04:00

Updated Mural Photos

I have been having a difficult time getting into Blogger to post, so this photo update is actually from early this morning. I'm very pleased with how the painting is going. We finished two coats of "sand" on the floor & the whole family is getting very excited. Gillian painted much of the body of the first jelly fish you see. She is so proud of it! Charles has been speding time watching me paint and looking through his dinosaur and ocean books to try to find even more things for me to add... I don't mind, but I'll have to keep them small to avoid needing a tarp on the floor.

And I do know that some of these creatures are not suppose to be in the same sea as the liopleuradon (as my husband notes each time he views our progress), but we are taking some artistic license. We can do that, ya know. LOL! - Joyce Brandon

2006-10-20T11:46:00.000-04:00

Halloween is on the Way!

Gillian is very excited about Halloween. Charles is going as Darth Vader and Gillian is going as Princess Leia... Actually she's going in a bride costume with ear muffs altered to look like Leia's buns (the hair style, silly!).

But she came up with a rather interesting combination costume that I felt needed to be shared with the world...

Introducing...

Princess Vader!!!

(Of course her brother couldn't pass up a "bunny ears" opportunity!) - Joyce Brandon

2006-09-27T11:34:00.000-04:00

Mural

Still plugging away after a few days off on sick leave. Some nasty germ got ahold of us... except for that lucky little boy of mine! Getting ready to head out for groceries but thought I'd post a couple of photos of our progress.

- Joyce Brandon

2006-09-24T11:47:00.000-04:00

New Blog

I started a new blog today to post information about our rabbitry. Just yesterday we brought home a trio of Jersey Woolies to start our own little herd. We've joined the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and the National Jersey Wooly Rabbit Club (JNWRC). And registered our little rabbitry as the Sparrow Grass Rabbitry.

Drop in to take a peek at our new babies! Click on the above link to Sparrow Grass Rabbitry. Thanks - Joyce Brandon

2006-09-17T19:41:00.000-04:00

Swimming With Dinosaurs!

The mural is going well... Charles & Gillian are enjoying helping with the corals & soon the sea weed & kelp. We have here an elasmosarus.

And this is our liopleurodon... By specific request from my son.

- Joyce Brandon

2006-09-14T23:31:00.000-04:00

Coyote & Crane

So strange! On a detour from our grocery trip we came across 3 young coyotes in the road (leading from the stream up to our house). When I slowly drove up two of them hopped off into the corn field, but one sat and looked at us and then became distracted with chasing grasshoppers!

I'd stopped the car and he didn't run off so I became worried that he would sit around and a farmer would come by and shoot him. So I got out of the car and clapped my hands at him and tried to shoo him off..

He backed a couple of rows into the corn and sat down to look at me... Like I was just the most interesting and unusual thing he'd ever seen!

I then drove up the hill to our house, picked up my camera, and returned to the bridge and found the following...
One coyote was crossing the bridge and I tried to get a photo, but it vanished into the weeds at the opposite side. We drove on across to where he'd gone & when I looked back at the other side of the bridge there was another sitting at the edge of the corn field looking at me.

Then as I headed back to the car I saw a very LARGE bird. I snapped a few pictures of it, trying to figure out what it was... Probably a heron or crane.

Suddenly, another coyote scurried along beside the weeds at the edge of the stream, then dashed across behind the bird... The coyote was very focused on the bird and didn't notice me at all.

As I returned (again) to the car my daughter yelled out... "Another coyote!!" Sure enough here came another coyote running up from the creek toward the bean field, just like the one I'd already photographed. I wasn't as quick this time and couldn't catch him (her?) in action... But it stopped at the edge of the field to sit down and look at me. So I did manage to get a couple of pictures of it!

It wasn't until I loaded the images on the computer that I noticed that the coyotes weren't the only ones on the hunt today... The crane (heron?)

has a BIG snake in its beak!!!!

What an exciting day! - Joyce Brandon

2006-09-12T22:00:00.000-04:00

Mural

Here is an image of one wall in progress what is soon to be of my son's new room...

The theme is "prehistoric oceans" - My son has always loved dinosaurs. I hope to do the theme justice... Even if it is on a brick wall. Ahhhh!

- Joyce Brandon

2006-09-12T00:42:00.000-04:00

Remember

I just finished watching the Tonight Show. Jay had on Charlie Rose (who I love) and James Woods. Mr. Woods gave a very touching interview. Today has been a very emotional day. I hope all those dealing with loss are finding some peace. - Joyce Brandon

2006-09-09T06:56:00.000-04:00

Weekend?

It sure doesn't feel like Saturday. Cole didn't get home till 11:45 last night (after leaving for work at 6am) and I got up with him at 5 this morning to help him get ready to go back in.

Thursday afternoon the kids and I painted our son's room with the background blue for the ocean. Yesterday afternoon I mowed - after an extremely dry spring and early summer (just long enough to ruin our garden) we have been getting quite a bit of rain and now the grass is going nuts.

While we were having lessons in the morning I left the chickens in their coop... knowing that the mowing would stir up lots of grasshoppers & likely lure them out into the road (the chickens). I believe I mentioned that last year we had a hen get hit out on the road - we do have a beautiful fence but the portion facing the road is made of wood posts and cattle panel. Turns out our chickens are just the right size to fit through the panel grid. :p

Anyhow... Some of the pullets decided that no coop was going to ruin their grasshopper hunt and they started to fly out. So we added clipping wings to our daily chores. The birds weren't pleased... but hopefully it will go a little way to avoiding vehicular homicide. - Joyce Brandon

2006-09-07T11:01:00.000-04:00

Ahhhhh...

"...the report of my death was an exaggeration." - Mark Twain

The ending of summer brings us a great deal of relief - from heat, from home improvement projects and from a fearful period where my husband's work outlook was more than uncertain.

Since this spring we have completed construction of a garage, built a fence around our entire property, put a steel roof on our house (and used the remaining pieces for our hen house), insulated our shed, installed a new window in the basement, repaired our stove & purchased a new computer after a lightning strike, and begun painting the basement room which is being converted into our son's room (thus the new window).

Our son wants an ocean themed mural on the walls of his new room - a prehistoric ocean! So in addition to normal daily lessons, the kids will be getting an extra dose of art over the next week or so.

I'm so glad the days are returning to the normal routine. We've really had too much going on and it's stressed us all a bit. I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted here... I can assure you it won't happen again. - Joyce Brandon

2006-07-07T14:27:00.000-04:00

I'm Still Here

Your Alias Should Be:

Izabella Simone

What Should Your Alias Be?

Just a little fun for Friday. - Joyce Brandon

2006-07-06T11:25:00.000-04:00

Oh My Aching Muse!

Last time I saw her she'd become entangled in a huge roll of wire fencing. Prior to that she apparently bonged herself with a post pounder... And before that she was hiding from the scary new neighbors.

The poor old girl is afraid to come out in the light of day, but last night she gave me a series of dreams about going all out on a bunch of works in charcoal.

I hope the offer of a couple of weeks with me all to herself during the day will lure her out in the open! Cross your fingers - Joyce Brandon

2006-07-04T17:14:00.000-04:00

Savior~Faire Fabriano Samples!

I was surprised to find a nice big envelope in the mail yesterday from Novarto, California... My Fabriano paper samples have arrived!

Inside I found the following samples:

300gsm/140lb sheet hot pressed traditional white watercolor paper

1 hot press ultra-white, 1 cold press ultra-white, 1 cold press w/ watermark, 1 cold press traditional white, and 1 rough ultra-white.

I can't wait to try them, but it may be a week or so. We are working hard on our fence and are down to just under 350' along the roadside... but it'll take a bit longer to allow for drilling post holes and letting the concrete set around the gate posts.

Our children will be visiting their grandparents in just a couple of weeks and my husband and I are very excited at the prospect of our first vacation alone together... ever. Even though we're not going anywhere - LOL! - Joyce Brandon

2006-07-03T23:24:00.000-04:00

How Art Made the World

If you haven't seen it yet, check out your PBS station and watch "How Art Made the World." I apparently missed the first episode in the series, but saw tonight's "The Day Pictures Were Born"

Very interesting... - Joyce Brandon

2006-06-28T11:26:00.000-04:00

SavoirFaire, Samples & GSM Conversion

This morning as I scanned the American Artist website, debating about subscribing, I came across a link to the SavoirFaire website and discovered they are currently offering artists samples of Fabriano Artistico papers in traditional white and ultra-white. If you're an artist interested you'll find a link on their main page or you can click here.

After requesting the sample I spent some time browsing the SavoirFaire site and I began to wonder about the weight of the Artistico paper. Weight describes the thickness of a paper - which is especially important for a paper you plan to wet with paint! On the artistico portion of the site they have various sizes listed at 200, 300, & 640 gsm. I've been using 140lb Canson watercolor papers but I had no idea how the weights convert from gsm to lbs.

Being the info hound I am I took a spin around the web and found this great conversion site: Inveresk - Watercolour Paper Weights. Although the conversions are not exact you'll get a very good feel for the comperable weights. The site also explains why Grams per Square Meter is a truer measure and why pounds can be a bit misleading. Lbs can change between two papers of the same thickness if the size of the sheet changes...

Confusing! Thank goodness for the internet - Joyce Brandon

2006-06-27T10:55:00.000-04:00

Little Visitors

Living in the country and surrounded by fields, our yard is an island of short grass that attracts ground squirrels from miles around. Last Friday it appeared that a large litter had lost their parents. The babies, of varying sizes, were wandering around the yard - oblivious to the danger from our dogs and the resident red-tailed hawk. On top of all that, I needed to mow and was not about to accidentally hit one.

So I captured the three youngest and kept them up until I finished mowing the acre around their back breaking little holes and then snapped a few photos before returning them to their siblings. They are terrible about tearing up the yard with ankle-breaking, mower killing holes... but they are so cute! - Joyce Brandon

2006-06-16T11:08:00.000-04:00

Love to Daddies!

Father's day is fast approaching, and my dear husband has already received his gift. A hammock. I know it doesn't sound like much, but after a hard, hot day he loves to kick back in his hammock and relax under the pines - asleep in no time!

We have to take a few days to enjoy relaxing before diving back into the fencing project (which has been moved up due to circumstances beyond our control) and then turning our attention to the roofing marterials.

Here are a couple of dominoes for the Art2Art project. Joyce Brandon

2006-06-07T09:42:00.000-04:00

Everlasting

Summertime doesn't mean a vacation from learning for our homeschooling family. I love being able to follow our interests and had never intended to stop lessons during the summer months. I hope it helps our children to feel that we don't really ever need to take a break from learning. We all learn a little every day!

Yesterday I started reading Tuck Everlasting to the kids. They are loving it. I'd planned on only getting through chapter 2 but I would end a chapter and hear "read more! read more!" So we finished up yesterday with chapter 8. Of course I couldn't help myself and I kept reading.

I came across a striking scene in chapter 12, where Angus Tuck is trying to explain to the almost 11 year old Winnie why keeping their secret is so imortant.

"Winnie blinked, and all at once her mind was drowned with understanding of what he was saying. For she - yes, even she - would go out of the world willy-nilly someday. Just go out, like the flame of a candle, and no use protesting. It was a certainty. She would try very hard not to think of it, but sometimes, as now, it would be forced upon her. She raged against it, helpless and insulted, and blurted at last. "I don't want to die.'"

My mouth dropped open when I read this paragraph. The entire 12th chapter is a beautiful work in itself... It says everything perfectly. I just felt a little strange, having plucked this book from the library shelf without even looking for it, knowing I'd been mulling similar thoughts over so recently. I hope you don't think I have some sort of morbid fascination with death, but I feel like it is a part of "the wheel" that we often close our eyes to because we feel so uncomfortable with thinking of an end to our participation in it.

If you haven't had the opportunity to read Natalie Babbitt's Tuck Everlasting I must highly recommend it. We are considering watching the movie version when we finish the book - which may be today if we continue on at the same pace. - Joyce Brandon
reading Tuck Everlasting life death dying homeschooling

2006-06-03T15:56:00.000-04:00

Marigold

Finished! This is my Marigold, based on the reference photo by Madelaine Fedorowich - Joyce Brandon

2006-05-31T21:30:00.000-04:00

Recently you may have noticed that I'm not listing as often on eBay. I shut down my eBay store and haven't had an auction in weeks. If you are an artist, self representing or if you sell original art work period you probably have a good idea why I'm looking into other venues. The big bay is becoming (or simply is) a haven for thieves.

I belong to a terrific group called Worldwide Women Artists and frequently I check my email only to find yet another friend has been the victim of theft. Copyright violations are commonplace and eBay's policy of simply deleting the auction while allowing the more profitable thieves to continue selling, only allows the practice to flourish. While the true creator of the work must jump through hoops the thief is easily posting stolen pieces from new victims.

This weekend on WetCanvas someone asked a valid question about copying images from books or magazines or photos for their own learning experience. If the items are not ever to be sold or used as examples in your portfolio then go for it. Then the conversation began to receive comments from folks who feel that if an artist post's an image online it becomes fair game to be copied for profit... and from those who feel that a copied image isn't stolen because the copier makes their own brush strokes & uses their own paint... Neither of these are true. Permission from the original artist is always required. The problem is when beginners come and ask honest questions and receive bad information in response - perhaps from someone who received the same bad info when they started out. From there they are opening themselves up to legal recourse. It doesn't matter how much copying the artist feels is alright, what matters is the legal reality.

Now back to eBay. It has its cumbersome VeRO (Verified Rights Owner) program which is suppose to protect artists who are victims of theft... but when it comes right down to it an artist must rely on their friends to watch out for identifiable copyright violations and their lawyer to go after the thief. Often artists who haven't used eBay as a sales venue have been the victim of theft and fraud on the auction site. Anna Conti offers her own continuing experience and a warning to other artists in her article "eBay Art Fraud: Copyright Violations, Plagiarism, Forgery"

Protect yourself. Learn about copyright law here Consider online artists groups... Develop a circle of friends who can watch your back & return the favor when you can. Spread the word that though imitation may be flattery, selling copied artwork is a crime. - Joyce Brandon

2006-05-30T23:10:00.000-04:00

Marigold

Current work in progress... Marigold based on a wonderful image in the wetcanvas image library (posted by Madelaine - an amazing photographer). I have to let the cowboy sit for a bit... getting too wrapped up in it. - Joyce Brandon

2006-05-27T15:32:00.000-04:00

Unless it kills you...

Driving home from the pharmacy today thinking about how common and forgettable sensation becomes (when is the last time you really noticed the feel of the steering wheel under your finger tips? or the weight of your shirt's cloth upon your back?) Which somehow led me to pondering man's knowledge of death. I've heard it said (or seen it read) that a fundamental difference between the human animal and "lesser" creatures is our knowledge of our own eventual demise... but I couldn't help thinking that though we may know we will all someday die, we still must go on living our lives, surviving or thriving... and we can not dwell too long on our knowledge of the end of our lives without the risk of being crippled with the fear of the possibilities or complete despair.

Which in turn lead me to think that perhaps I should stop thinking about it then. Not really - but it's as far as I'm gonna open that little window to my soul today!

And now for something completely different...

"You should keep on painting no matter how difficult it is... Unless it kills you, and then you know you have gone too far." - Alice Neel

Off to paint - Joyce Brandon

2006-05-23T21:56:00.000-04:00

Art 2 Art

I discovered a most interesting "group" today. The artists create small works (sculpture to painting to whatever) and leave them in a public place to brighten someone's day. The website can be found at www.a2a2006.com and the eBay community group is here I think it's an extremely exciting idea, similar to BookCrossing

I'm in! - Joyce Brandon

2006-05-22T14:49:00.000-04:00

Two days gone in a blink!

What a BUSY weekend. The garden was starting to get weedy and the tomatoes & corn were still needing planted so I spent a good portion of the weekend in the garden. We have a 50x50 plot which we've filled with onions, potatoes, green beans, peppers (sweet & hot) tomatoes and corn. (yes - I promise I'm going to till between the rows... the weeds have no idea what's coming!)

Saturday was a very nice day and that marked the completion of the sidewalls on the garage. Sunday started out windy then calmed for mid-day then the wind picked up again and the rain sputtered around for a couple of hours. BUT my husband, my brother, and a neighbor spent the day putting the roof on. We have a roof! (see that long wooden box in the doorway - that's the steel for the roof of our house... project #2 on the list)

Between cooking & gardening & playing heroscape with my son and defeating a villan on Super Mario Sunshine (for my son of course!) I did manage to squeeze in some painting. I lightened up the horse and kept working on the grass in the foreground. I have an inexpensive (read cheap) feathered brush that I tried briefly as a substitute for the tiny, individual brush strokes... But met with disappointment... So I'm back to slow and steady.

Please excuse my scattered and possibly typo strewn post... I was up at 4:20am to wake the kids and drive my husband to work so he could pick up his company van. The exhaustion is worth the savings on gas! - Joyce Brandon

2006-05-20T19:56:00.000-04:00

This is only a test

I'm trying out a tagged post for a fellow WWAO member. I did lots of weeding in my garden today. Gardening is so fun. But not as much fun as painting! We did find a little toad hiding between the rows, though. - Joyce Brandon
gardening toad painting

2006-05-19T21:04:00.000-04:00

This Evening

Here's a little progress on my painting. Enjoy! I'm off to finish cooking supper and watch X-men 2. - Joyce Brandon

2006-05-17T11:46:00.000-04:00

Kodak Z740

Ummm... Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

This image was taken this morning. I was seated 2-3 feet from the painting on my easel. I zoomed in and I was using the "flower" close-up option (recommended for high light close-ups). I used no flash, as I had the painting lit from above and from the left front with 2 true spectrum lights. I had to make a very minor color balance adjustment - which probably would not have been necessary if I were using natural light.

So my point is... I am EXTREMELY pleased with this camera so far. I took some photos of my husband and children yesterday and they turned out so clear and true - I couldn't believe they weren't scans from my 35mm! I hope to try a few "macro" type close-ups this afternoon.

So now you can clearly see my progress on the cowboy! Yea! - Joyce Brandon

2006-05-16T09:52:00.000-04:00

GOOD Morning

After waking up to rain & clouds for the last three or four days we are finally seeing some sunshine! I'm going to go ahead and get the Kodak z740. My birthday is just over 3 months away - but the inability to get a good photo of my work is driving me to distraction. PLUS It will be very nice to take my own reference photos and immediately see if they are useful.

Note to my 35mm - I still love you baby!

On a less selfish note... There was an email sent to the Worldwide Women Artists list asking about the validity of an unexpected request from an unknown gallery for a solo exhibition. Teresa Turner, co-creator of WWAO along with Laura Iverson, sent a link for artists wondering about suspicious galleries, offers, etc...

http://www.atelier-rc.com/Atelier.RC/Art_Alarm.html

This is a "watchdog" site and their stated purpose is "Warning artists against fraudulent offers, false claims and scams."

-Joyce Brandon

2006-05-15T17:49:00.000-04:00

WIP Cowboy

OK - here's where my painting stands as of this afternoon. It's 12x16 acrylic on canvas. This image is poor... and as I said - the painting is in that adolescent gawky stage. It only gets better from here... that's what I tell myself, anyway! - Joyce Brandon

2006-05-15T11:06:00.000-04:00

Here we are...

This is a sketch for the painting I'm currently working on. Right now the painting is in it's "ugly" stage... I have to keep reminding myself of that because right now when I look at it I feel a little sick... okay - a LOT.

Later today I may photograph the painting for a WIP... maybe. - Joyce Brandon

2006-05-15T10:12:00.000-04:00

My Latest Crazymaker

well.. right at this moment my crazymaker is BLOGGER! It's not letting me upload my sketch. I'm going to log out and try again. - Joyce Brandon

2006-05-13T21:15:00.000-04:00

Tag...

I'm really giving this tagging thing too much thought...
So I'm just going to tag some folks who's blogs I've enjoyed recently...

Since a whole day has gone by I'm also going to adjust my tag questions... 3 is the magic number!

3 Places you'd love to visit
3 people you haven't seen in years... but wish you could
3 things you'd like to accomplish in the next 3 years
3 people you will tag
1.... Nora Sallows
2... Becky - the Absent Minded Housewife (LOVE her blog)
3... *S* (I know her real name & she liked my Icelandic painting)

2006-05-13T10:28:00.000-04:00

I'm a Loser Baby....

Yah... Sorry Lisa - That ticket was a BIG loser. Out of 5 picks I had 1 number. ONE! When it comes to the lottery I'd only win if the prize were a stoning. -joyce brandon

2006-05-12T20:50:00.000-04:00

Red VW Bug Complete

This is the ACEO I completed today for a friend of my mother. Hope she likes it! -Joyce Brandon

2006-05-11T22:31:00.000-04:00

TAGGED!!

Lisa (Asil-Art) Tagged me... Its my first time!

5 items in my fridge

1- Peach yogurt

2- Salami

3- Diet Pepsi

4- Shredded Mozzarella

5- LOTS and LOTS of eggs

5 Items in my closet

1- Sewing Machine

2- Quilt

3- Cammo sheet thing (hunter husband)

4- Yoga Mat

5- WAY too many paint stained tees

5 Items in my Purse

1- Chap stick

2- Tissues

3- Dick Blick discount card

4- spare glasses

5- lotto ticket (oops - better check that!)

5 Items in My Car

1- booster seat

2- hair brush

3- cat litter

4- funnel

5- child's life jacket

5 People I tag

I just don't know ... I ... This is too much pressure! I need time to think.

2006-05-10T20:45:00.000-04:00

Happy Early Mother's Day

Happy Mom's day to all you loving ladies out there! I am pleased to say I received my mother's day gift a little early - a nice Winsor & Newton Easel from DickBlick (my VERY favorite store!) I can't wait to use it.

Now I have a question - especially for those of you who photograph your art. My mother offered to get me a digital camera for my birthday to make it easier to photograph my paintings. I've been reviewing some threads on Wetcanvas about digital cameras and am pretty sold on the Nikon Coolpix - the L3 is 5 megapixels w/ 3x optical zoom. It's about $200. But while I was getting groceries I stopped at the photo department of the evil W and saw a Kodak EasyShare z740 - which is also 5megapixels, but with 10x optical zoom. It was on sale for about $250. So for those in the know...

Does the quality of the coolpix override the greater zoom of the Kodak? Or should I choose the Kodak? I haven't heard much from artists about Kodak, while I've heard some positive comments about Nikon... HELP! Advice is much appreciated.

2006-05-09T15:04:00.000-04:00

No Way!

OK - so I'm a geek. I started out to write this big long explaination of how I discovered that one of the guys I went to high school with is an actor/writer/artist. But it all boils down to my brother bringing a movie over for my children to watch.

Hoodwinked

The next day I got one of those annoying but occasionally unignorable emails from classmates.com... So I went and updated my profile... yes I'm still alive, married, 2 kids, painting, me... BlahBlahBlah. But for some reason I was thinking about a friend who said she'd seen Peter Bedgood do a stand up act a few years ago in T town. Now this guy was always very funny and unusual (one memory of Peter involves occasionally hearing someone waltzing down the school halls whistling the theme to Andy Griffith) and I could easily see the transition to comic. Anyhow... I decided to google him.

Imagine my surprise when I find that in '99 he was in an indy film, Chillicothe, that received recognition at Sundance. More recently Peter was involved with Blue Yonder Films in the creation of Hoodwinked!(doDOdodo...doDOdodo)

SO THERE GUIDANCE COUNSELORS EVERYWHERE!

I didn't know Peter terribly well, but he left a lasting impression as a guy who would always be himself. I am thrilled that he's finding success on his own path & happy to learn that he resisted the pressure to conform. (rules for behavior, dress, proper thought, etc... were a big 35 page orientation booklet sort of thing at BAHS)

YEAH Bedgoodsky!!!

2006-05-07T11:56:00.000-04:00

ACEOs In Progress

The image above shows 2 ACEOs with two slightly different variations on the VW theme. Not too clear, but they give you an idea (however faint) of how I tend to begin a painting. First I sketch and sketch in my nice simple spiral sketch book. Finally, once I've come to a version of the subject that I feel good about, I place a sheet of printer paper over the sketch and create a rubbing. I then place the rubbing over the intended surface, in this case a 2.5x3.5" piece of 140# watercolor paper, and trace the image thus transfering the sketch to it's final home.

Now to paint! - Joyce Brandon

2006-04-29T18:01:00.000-04:00

Who's Yer Muse?

Just taking a break from cleaning house and found this:

"Which of the Nine Muses is Your Muse?"

~Melpomene~

Your muse is Melpomene, the Songstress, the muse of Tragedy. Her symbol is the tragic mask. There could be several reasons she is your muse. You could be simply fascinated by the dark and the plethora of emotions that accompany any good tragedy. You could also be depressed yourself, in which case you might try working on making Thalia your muse...

237 other people got this result!

This quiz has been taken 19855 times.

1% of people had this result.

Interesting. - Joyce Brandon

2006-04-28T16:26:00.000-04:00

Fryday

I do feel a little fried today. It's been a long week. I'm excited to see the new "Featured Artists" page on the WWAO website. (I'm on it!)

I just finished mowing about 1/4 of our yard before the mower ran out of gas... my man is bringing some home, but I don't know if I'll finish before the rain (if it rains...it looks like it may rain... who knows). I think next week we'll visit the zoo, hopefully we can get some other local homeschoolers to come along. And of course I've been sketching away - waiting for my next painting to appear beneath my fingers. Speaking of painting... "Turtle" my ACEO is currently up for auction.... (Just click her!) ~Joyce Brandon~

2006-04-25T17:16:00.000-04:00

Tortoise ACEO (But I'm calling her "Turtle")

This is the poor neglected ACEO that I'd left waiting for color for so long. She's finished and ready for a new home.

This painting represents the story of the creation of "turtle island." A sky woman falls from the heavens to the world covered in water. The turtle offers her back for all the water animals to cover with mud from far under the seas to create a land for the sky people to dwell upon.

In this piece the unselfish tortoise rests in the warmth of the sun and watches over the Earth, now filled with the children of the sky woman. -Joyce Brandon

2006-04-12T00:12:00.000-04:00

HELLO Hello Hello hello ello ello lo....

I'm glad to be back from the birthday season. Our son had a great time, so did his little sister... But she came down with a fever Sunday night. BLAH! She is still not over it - it seems to vanish during the day and slowly builds back up through the night. Poor little (big) girl.

Painting... I've been wanting to start a... "Mommy!! Maaaaaaawwwmy! What are you dooooooing? Can I paint tooooo!?"

You see what I mean. Anyhow - here's a picture of something that's actually getting done around our house...

- Joyce Brandon

2006-04-04T12:47:00.000-04:00

A Thought

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle." St. Philo of Alexandria

It's about to get really busy here again. My son's 7th birthday is Friday and my mom is arriving earlier than I'd expected to visit. So it's dusting and vacuuming and laundry today & grocery and gift shopping tomorrow. Woven through all that, we're studying volcanoes & my turtle is crying out for attention. - Joyce Brandon

2006-04-02T12:13:00.000-04:00

Volkswagen Beetle

The Outsider Art group on eBay had a little competition for April 1. "Far Out Outsider's Challenge" The idea being to create a piece of Far Out art and post it on April Fools Day. The VW Bug is my idea of a classic hippie vehicle and a far out auto. So that was the inspiration for my ACEO. You can find my little bug listed on ebay here: Far Out Bug or search eBay for "far out outsider".

By the way - Have you seen the new VW "unpimp" my ride commercials? I find them highly amusing. You can view one here:

"Time to unpimp ze auto."

2006-03-30T15:29:00.000-05:00

ACEO

She's swimming in space - waiting to evolve past the sketch stage. Did you know the scales on the shell of the turtle are called scutes? Scutes are made of the same thing as our nails... and horse hooves. - Joyce Brandon

2006-03-24T11:51:00.000-05:00

Dreams & Surprises

I haven't woke in tears in a very long time, but last night I had a horrible dream that I was diagnosed with cancer and the doctor told me that even if I had the treatment it wouldn't extend my life for much more than a couple of months, and without I was looking at weeks. Wow. That put a damper on a restful night. So glad it was just a dream. I believe it may have been a sign to be more conscious of the pleasure of life as well as my own physical health.

On a FAR more positive note... I couldn't believe it when I saw that a famous, published author had visited my blog and been kind enough to comment. Mr. Dorrell ("Living the Artist's Life") stopped in last night. How cool is that!? I'm amazed he had the time with all the projects he's got going on. I found his book so inspiring and discovering his comment in my very own blog was wonderful boost for me. - Joyce Brandon

2006-03-21T15:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Spring!

Yesterday my husband brought home our little spring chicks - 6 Black Australorps & 6 Red Stars. Come August they should be laying enough to keep all the neighbors in eggs! They are all cozy and warm under their heat lamp now.

When the kids aren't watching the chicks they are playing out in the SNOW we got last night and this morning. The temperature isn't bad though...

I finished "Living the Artist's Life" this weekend. Two thumbs up! I'd better get back to painting now. - Joyce Brandon

2006-03-15T18:44:00.000-05:00

Tortoise Moon

Finally complete! I am so happy to introduce you to "Tortoise Moon." She took some time to decide her details... But I am so happy with the results! I tried to upload her and post last night, but blogger seemed to be having a problem.

Of course, in order to get a good image of the whole 11x14 painting I had to scan it in halves and paste them together in PSP. It doesn't have that line down the middle in person! Here is a close-up of the old girl herself so you can see her without the distraction...

Tomorrow I'll be posting more detail scans on the Works In Progress page of my website joycebrandon.com - thanks for visiting! Joyce Brandon

2006-03-13T16:47:00.000-05:00

Tortoise Still in Progress

Slow and steady, right? Well she is coming along... I lightened up the sky a little more, gave her an eye, detailed her shell and the rocks and wisps of grass. Now I am just torn about adding the cactus to the scene... I really want her to be the sole focus without any clutter to distract. Hmmmm.

I'm into the section of "Living the Artist's Life" that discusses getting into a gallery. I don't feel that scene in my blood, so reading has slowed. I don't want to be ignorant of the details of gallery life and I shall complete my reading this week... But I love being a Self Representing Artist. I do want to mention that the chapter on his starting the gallery and building it to it's current state was tremendously moving and inspirational - even for someone outside that loop. - Joyce Brandon

2006-03-11T21:01:00.000-05:00

Thanks Lisa - it's pretty dead on!

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion:

You have medium extroversion.
You're not the life of the party, but you do show up for the party.
Sometimes you are full of energy and open to new social experiences.
But you also need to hibernate and enjoy your "down time."

Conscientiousness:

You have low conscientiousness.
Impulsive and off the wall, you don't take life too seriously.
Unfortunately, you sometimes end up regretting your snap decisions.
Overall, you tend to lack focus, and it's difficult for you to get important things done.

Agreeableness:

You have high agreeableness.
You are easy to get along with, and you value harmony highly.
Helpful and generous, you are willing to compromise with almost anyone.
You give people the benefit of the doubt and don't mind giving someone a second chance.

Neuroticism:

You have medium neuroticism.
You're generally cool and collected, but sometimes you do panic.
Little worries or problems can consume you, draining your energy.
Your life is pretty smooth, but there's a few emotional bumps you'd like to get rid of.

Openness to experience:

Your openness to new experiences is high.
In life, you tend to be an early adopter of all new things and ideas.
You'll try almost anything interesting, and you're constantly pushing your own limits.
A great connoisseir of art and beauty, you can find the positive side of almost anything.

The Five Factor Personality Test

2006-03-11T16:19:00.000-05:00

Tortoise Progress

I didn't like the blue - I wanted it to be warm and dry - so here's where I am now! I am quite pleased with how she is turning out.

I'm searching for a good digital camera, specifically for photographing my paintings. Something that will still allow me to afford groceries for the next three weeks! Any ideas?

My husband's parents sent $$ for his birthday and he finally got the 12 gauge he's been wanting. He actually lucked out and got a top of the line Mossberg for a great price.

Let's see... What else is up? The weather is DIVINE today. Must be near 70 and all the robins and blackbirds and finches and starlings and sparrows are filling the yard. Arround here, seeing a robin is a harbinger of spring... but I don't really get the fever until I start hearing the red-winged blackbirds sing!

Have a Beautiful weekend - Joyce Brandon

2006-03-07T09:48:00.000-05:00

I'm back! We survived a very busy weekend. My husband and I even managed to go out to dinner together. I did get to sneak in some reading here and there - made it to chapter 4. Mr. Dorrell has a very conversational style - it's like he's talking with you over a cup of coffee, or a bottle of beer. Makes for a very easy read. So far his advice does apply to all artists, and it's got a very lived in feel. I'm enjoying it greatly!

I managed to get 0 painting done. Keeping everyone happy and fed didn't leave much time for me to haul my supplies down from my room and get all set up to paint. So once again this gets me thinking about my wish to get the attic converted into my studio. We'll have to play a game of musical rooms - which in all honesty I find quite exciting. My son will get the large basement playroom, my husdand and I will move out of the attic bedroom into our son's bedroom and I will convert the attic into my own studio. But it's going to take some work on the playroom to make me feel comfortable having my son sleeping down there. - Joyce Brandon

2006-03-03T23:30:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited! Today I received my copy of "Living the Artist's Life" - by Paul Dorrell. I can hardly wait to dive into it!

I'll be hard pressed to get any reading done this weekend, though. My mother arrived today for a visit from Oklahoma, our pole barn materials are being delivered tomorrow, my husband turns 30 on Sunday, and my daughter turns 3 on Monday.

WHEW!! Painting? Reading? Probably not much in the next few days. - Joyce Brandon