San Antonio Express-News Article

Not only do I paint flowers, but I write about flowers! I mentioned in the last post that I would have an article running in the San Antonio Express-News. If you are interested in reading it online, you'll find it at:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/salife/gardening/stories/MYSA123006.1P.poinsettias.1e718e7.html

If that link doesn't get you there, go to www.mysa.com and click on the SA Life banner on the left. From there you may need to go into the gardening section.

Art shows for January and Spring 2007

I'm starting to line up when and where my Contemporary Wildflowers will be shown during 2007. Here's a glimpse so far...

NEW BRAUNFELS ART LEAGUE GALLERY
The first exhibit of 2007 will be at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery (New Braunfels, Texas) for the annual Artists of the Month group exhibit. Each January, the gallery puts together an exhibit of all of the previous year's Artists of the Month and selects an Artist of the Year from the group. I was honored to be the February 2006 NBAL Artist of the Month (I won with "Sun Dance," a 4-foot-by-4-foot painting posted here). The show runs Jan. 4-30 with a reception on Thursday, Jan. 11 from 5-8 p.m.

DINNER WITH THE ARTS
The Greater New Braunfels Arts Council annual Dinner with the Arts is scheduled for Jan. 21. GNBAC is an umbrella organization of arts groups. As one of the NBAL Artists of the Month, I'll get to show my work at the event.

LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER
I've been selected to participate in "Wildflower Days Artisan's Festival" at the Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas on March 17-18. If you love art, love flowers, love Austin...put it on your calendar!

In other news...

ART CLASSES
I'm taking a break from teaching painting as I do every year. I'll start back on Jan. 16 at my studio in downtown New Braunfels. I have a few seats open in each class. Contact me if you are interested in learning the basics of acrylic painting. Classes are offer afternoons, after school, evenings and Saturdays for ages 10-adult.

FREELANCE WRITING PROJECTS
In addition to being an artist and art instructor, now and then I write. If you get the San Antonio Express-News, be watching for my byline (Linda C. Jacobson) on some articles in the SA Life section. The first will run this Saturday (a story on planting poinsettias in the ground). You can also read the stories online at www.mysa.com (I'll link the article in posting when it available).

WEBSITE
If you haven't visited my website, Casa de Linda, please do so. You can read about my Contemporary Wildflower series and more.

Merry Christmas!

As 2006 comes to close I sincerely hope that love and peace finds a place in your heart. Smile at a stranger, hug a friend, forgive yourself, find some happiness in your soul. I intend to do the same. God's blessings to you and yours!

Great open house...back to teaching and painting

Had a wonderful week-long open house that ended with Wassailfest Thursday night. Now my studio/gallery is back to "by appointment" and when you catch me there. I'll continue with painting classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays through Dec. 23, then break until mid January. Hope to do some serious painting over the break. I'm also enrolling students for painting classes in January. If this is your first visit to my blog, be sure to check out my website, www.casadelinda.com.

Open House in Progress!

Had a great opening and first full day of my Holiday Open House. Saw some old friends and made a few new ones. The event continues through Wassailfest, Dec. 7. Come see my gallery and newest works if you are in the area! See previous posts for more information or visit my website.

New wildflower paintings premiere at Open House

I'm so excited to announce that I'll have two NEW wildflower paintings on exhibit at my Open House that kicks off Thursday evening. Both have deep red backgrounds with assorted wildflowers, much like their larger cousins, NATURE'S HEART AND SOUL and RED HOT PASSION. But they are smaller. One is 24 X 30 and the other 18 X 24 (both are on 1.5 inch thick gallery wrap canvas). They are so new that I have yet to title or photograph them. And I won't be varnishing them for at least 2 more weeks. But they will be ready in time for Christmas gifting.

Our hardest cold front of the season is blowing in Thursday morning. I'll understand if folks decide to stay home. But I will be in my gallery/studio all week giving my collectors and friends ample opportunities to come see me and my work.

Holiday Open House and Art Sale

I've been working on getting ready for my annual Holiday Open House and Art Sale at my gallery/studio in downtown New Braunfels, Texas (upstairs at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery). I've sent out the invitations, both snail-mail and e-vites, placed some newspapter ads locally and am even running a banner ad on mysa.com. This will be a special event and I hope YOU are planning to come and bring your friends. The opening reception is Thursday, Nov. 30, from 5-8 p.m. Then my gallery/studio will be open every day Dec. 1-Dec. 7, closing after Wassailfest. I'll be open the same hours as the gallery below me, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon-Sat and 12-5 p.m. on Sunday.

ART SALE
In addition to a great exhibit of my wildflowers and other works, I'll be offering some great prices with discounts ranging from 10-50 percent off on select works of art.

ART CLASSES
I'll also be registering students for my acrylic painting classes (ages 10 through adult) starting up again in January. In addition to gift certificates, I'll have beginner painting supply kits on hand just in time to wrap up and put under the Christmas tree.

'TIS THE SEASON FOR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS!
Downtown New Braunfels is especially lovely this time of year. We have a plaza in the center of town that is aglow with Christmas lights. Just wonderful! And if you want to enjoy even more lights, plan to visit Santa's Ranch, located on I-35 just north of New Braunfels. I've had the pleasure of being their PR person for a few years now. Even if I weren't, I'd still encourage you to check it out! 1.5 million lights, wow!

Come celebrate the holidays in downtown New Braunfels and at Casa de Linda Art Gallery and Studio!

Highlight in the Incarnate Word Alum mag

My Fall 2006 issue of The Word, the magazine for Incarnate Word alumni, came in the mail today. I earned my BA at the college, located in the heart of San Antonio, in 1990. (Now it's the University of the Incarnate Word.) Under "class notes" on page 40 is a little feature and photo about my trip to the International Licensing Show last June. How exciting! Of course, my old classmates and teachers might not know me by the name they published with the article (I was Linda Calvert back then and have reverted to using my full name, Linda Calvert Jacobson, as an artist). You can even view the publication online (click here to go to the page with my mention).

COMING UP: ANNUAL HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE AND ART SALE
Be sure to mark your calendar, Nov. 30-Dec. 7, and if you are in the area plan to drop in for my Holiday Open House and Art Sale! Opening reception is Thursday, Nov. 30, 5-8 p.m. Open every day through Dec. 7. Closing reception is that night. Hope you can come!

And don't forget to visit my website if you haven't recently. www.casadelinda.com

Monday musings

What a weekend! The fine arts show in San Antonio was wonderful. First year so the crowds were not thick but the quality of the work on display was amazing. The organizers (San Antonio Watercolor Group) did well! Saw some friends from my invite list, which was wonderful. I do appreciate their support! Most exciting news is that one of my large wildflowers, CARAMEL SKY, now has a new home in Alamo Heights, a city-within-a-city in San Antonio. It's hanging above a fireplace mantel. Meanwhile, two of my paintings hanging in the New Braunfels Art League Gallery went home with a new owner yesterday and will now reside in a condo on South Padre Island! RED HOT PASSION, which was in the Artoberfest Show, and LATE SPRING BOUQUET, from my palette knife series, were both purchased. Like I said, what a weekend! I am always so honored when my work becomes part of someone's collection and I know it'll brighten their homes and lives.
Supposedly I can move back into my studio today. Hope to do so as I have classes starting back at 1 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday). Going to be a very busy week!
If you haven't already done so, please visit my website, www.casadelinda.com. I've recently had it redesigned.

Fine Art Show this Saturday

STUDIO RENOVATION
It's been a busy week! The building where I rent my studio in downtown New Braunfels is undergoing renovations and they started on the upstairs this week. This includes my studio space so I had to strip it down for painting. So no classes this week. But it will be so wonderful once it's all done and I'll have it all put back together in time for my Holiday Open House on Nov. 30.
FINE ART SHOW
In the meantime, I'm setting up tomorrow for a Fine Art Show at the Garden Center in San Antonio. It's an indoor show so even if it does rain, the show will go on. If you are in SA, please come! It's at the Garden Center, which is located next to the San Antonio Botanical Gardens at 555 Funston. I'm posting a map from the SABOT website. The show is sponsored by the San Antonio Watercolor Group, but includes all media. The show is open on Saturday, Nov. 4, from 10 a.m. -4 p.m.
ARTOBERFEST SHOW CONTINUES THROUGH NOV. 14
If you haven't made it by the New Braunfels Art League to view the Artoberfest Show, you have only a few weeks left. The show closes on Nov. 14.
WURSTFEST OPENS FRIDAY
And last but not least, just a reminder that the New Braunfels' salute to sausage, Wurstfest, opens tomorrow, Friday. Tons of fun and tons of sausage! It'll even be featured on Good Morning America on ABC in the morning!

Visit the "new" Casadelinda.com

I've had my website redesigned and it's up and running. If you haven't been there in the last few days, I invite you to visit. www.casadelinda.com

Upcoming-Fall Fine Art Show at the Garden Center

If you live in the San Antonio area, you'll want to mark your calendars for the first Saturday in November. I'll be joining about 40 other fine artists at the Fall Fine Art Show/Sale at the San Antonio Garden Center on Saturday, Nov. 4 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Garden Center is located right next door to the San Antonio Botantical Gardens, at 3310 N. New Braunfels. Come shop for Christmas then go next door, have lunch and stroll the Botantical Gardens. What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday! Just in case the weather doesn't cooperate plan to come anyway...this is an INDOOR show! Tell your friends and be sure to stop by my booth (#30) and say howdy! Now go put it on your calendar!

Enjoying a weather change!

So nice to finally have some cool mornings! This has been a busy and productive week! I did my demo for the Windcrest Art League in San Antonio on Wednesday. The all-lady group really enjoyed my palette knife technique for flowers and seeing a painting develop right before them. On Thursday, the New Braunfels Art League hosted a reception for Artoberfest. It was held during a Wine Stroll sponsored by the Downtown New Braunfels Association. We had 250-300 people in the gallery and ran out of wine about half way through the event! Two of my paintings are in the Artoberfest show (see previous posts) so it was great to get the exposure. Today I'm heading back the studio for my Saturday classes that I teach (Painting for Beginners).

New posting on gallery blog

I've upload DEEP IN THE HEART to my recent works gallery blog. Hope you'll check it out. Also titled the new painting with the white background: NATURE'S CONFETTI. A friend suggest a title with the word "confetti" and I really liked it.

Artoberfest Entries

I'm posting the 2 paintings that were juried into the New Braunfels Art League Artoberfest show. As you can see, the layered work, titled "Looking Into Spring," is something new for me. I've been working on plexiglas but this is the first time I've assembled a work for exhibit. The other, "Red Hot Passion," is very similar to a large Wildflower that sold in July during the first week of the Contemporary Art show at the gallery.

More new works posted on Gallery Blog

I've posted several new works on my gallery blog. Please check out my newest Wildflowers!

Casa De Linda Gallery

On Sunday I took my art out of the local Starbucks, making way for the next guest artist. (The good news: I have been invited back for January!) Since I have no other shows right away, I decided to rehang my gallery and get as many of the Wildflowers up on the walls as possible. As you can tell by the photos posted here, my studio is in full bloom! If you've visited before, you know this space does triple duty: gallery, working studio and teaching studio. And it's not a very large space, but I'm happy to have it.
In Other News:
...Two of my works were juried into the Artoberfest show at the New Braunfels Art League. The show opens today and is spectacular (OK, so I chaired the show and may be a little biased, but it really is wonderful). We are having a reception on Thursday, Oct. 12, from 5-9 p.m. Downtown New Braunfels will also be open for a wine stroll and late shopping so mark your calendar if you're in the area!
...Classes are going well. I still have a few openings Tuesdays afterschool and Saturday mornings.
...I'll be the guest artist at the Windcrest Art League meeting in San Antonio next week.
I'll be posting more photos in the days to come of the work juried into the Artoberfest show. So y'all come back!

Moving art from here to there

My show at the New Braunfels Starbucks comes down Sunday evening to make way for the next artist. I can't complain as I've been the sole exhibitor for 2 full months. Plus, the manager has invited me back for January. I'll have my studio in downtown New Braunfels open to visitors on Thursday, Oct. 12, from 5-9. The gallery downstairs (New Braunfels Art League) will be having a reception for our Artoberfest show. I'm the chair of the show so you know I'll be there. Also, downtown New Braunfels' stores will be open for a wine stroll. So if you are in the area, stroll up to my studio/gallery!

New works posted on "Gallery" blog

I've posted 2 new paintings, one of which needs a title, on my Recent Works Gallery Blog.
Check it out!

Wildflowers at Starbucks

I've been telling you about my work being on display at the New Braunfels' Starbucks. I finally got by with camera in hand to take a few photos. As you can tell, they work wonderfully with the color and lighting.

My Wildflower Garden

I've started a new variation on a theme I've been working with for awhile. It's a technique using a palette knife with acrylics, working wildflowers in bright colors on a soft black background. I had been working the flowers in a bouquet radiating out from a center point. This new series is more of a stand of wildflowers, similar to my large abstracts. I'm titling this series "Wildflower Garden." This is No. 1 in the series. As mentioned in my blog before, I'll be demonstrating this technique in October for the Windcrest Art League in San Antonio.
Other highlights in my life as an artist:
...I've been painting a lot this last few weeks and feel good about the results! I'm now "on break" from the classes for 2 weeks and will spend some of the time preparing for my booth at "Celebrate Art in the Garden" at the Antique Rose Emporium in San Antonio Sept. 9-10.
...Also, my solo show at the New Braunfels Starbucks Coffee has been extended into September!
...I'm chairing the Artoberfest show for the New Braunfels Art League. This is our really big, cash awards, juried/judged fine arts show. Let me know if you'd like more information.

New Wildflower Square paintings

Been busy painting over the last few weeks. Finished two more large wildflowers that I'll be posting to my "Recent Works Gallery" blog soon. Finished and framed several of the palette knife florals that I'll have in my booth at the Antique Rose Emporium in San Antonio on Sept. 9-10 for their "Celebrate Art in the Garden" event. And I've added several new paintings to my Wildflowers Squared series, which I'm posting here. I'm working more in groupings with this series now and have been playing with some monochromatic themes as you can see. These range in size from 4 inch by 4 inch to 12 inch by 12 inch. I have lots of fun with them as do my customers who like to mix and match the canvases. These are all available for sale in my studio in New Braunfels, Texas. I'm also posting a couple of close up shots to show the detail. Contact me if you'd like more information on this series. A good selection of my Squares are also on display at Gallery on the Square in Wimberley, Texas.
In other news:
-- Another of my large works, "Joyful Expressions of Wildflowers in Harmony" found a home in Austin this week. C.W. made the purchase as a 10th anniversary gift for his wife.
-- The Windcrest Art League (San Antonio) invited me to demo at their monthly meeting in October. I'll be sharing my floral palette knife technique.
-- I've agreed to chair the annual Artoberfest show for the New Braunfels Art League again this year. This is our largest show with $2300 in cash awards. It showcases some of the best in local and regional art. Show dates are Oct. 4-Nov.13. If you are an artist in the area, let me know if you'd like a prospectus.
-- Painting for Beginners: Last "summer" class will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 29. I'll take a break and start back on Thursday, Sept. 14. I'll be offering afterschool, evening and Saturday classes. Plus, I'm offering a kids' art camp for the Christmas holidays. Check my website for the current brochure or e-mail me.

August Happenings

What a busy month coming up! My work will be spread here and yonder locally during August. I'm the Canyon Lake Art Guild Artist of the Month for August, which means that I'm hanging in 4 locations at Canyon Lake (which I've group according to themes). You can see my work at: Wells Fargo (Comal County scenes), the Times Guardian newspaper office (sunset photos and paintings), Tye Preston Memorial Library (Wildflower Bouquets and Birdhouses), and First State Bank (wildflowers). The work is already up and on display at these locations. A little sidebar: if you click into the library website, make note of the colors and the logo design in the upper left corner...it's my work, too!
In addition to those Canyon Lake locations, I'm regularly featured at Vulture Gulch Stained Glass in Hancock (as are photos by my husband, David). Plus I'm still in Gallery on the Square in Wimberley.
Meanwhile, I'm excited to the featured artist for August at the New Braunfels Starbucks Coffee! I'll be hanging about 6 of my LARGE wildflower paintings next week. Also in New Braunfels: I'm still out at Grandmother Moon's in Gruene and at the NB Art League Gallery in downtown New Braunfels.
If you are in the area, be sure to mark Aug. 10 on your calendar. Downtown New Braunfels will host "2nd Thursday" shopping 5-8 p.m. but this month is special--it's also Hot Art After Hours. Drop by the NB Art League Gallery for a complimentary margarita then take the stairs or elevator upstairs to my studio where I'm having an open house. I'll have some of my latest works on display, including the 5 foot by 8 foot canvas that I painted specifically for the International Licensing Show in NYC in June (See the photo posted here...that's the painting behind me). Unfortunately, I had to cut it into 3 sections for transport, but I'll be hanging it as one unit in my studio. Hope to see you there!
Camps and Classes: I have one camp left, an Introduction to Landscape Painting for ages 7-12 the second week of August. Classes are going well with several students in the Tues eve, Thurs eve and Saturday classes. I'll be taking a break the end of Aug and first part of Sept. The fall schedule will start about mid-September, including after-school classes at my studio and a weekly class at the Fischer Store School Community Center, north of Canyon Lake.

Austin Art Show

This morning, S.G., a fellow artist and New Braunfels Art League member kindly e-mailed this photo of me in my booth that she took at a fine art show in Austin this past Spring (the FACET show). I feel like I'm sitting in the middle of a surreal flower garden! Thanks S.G.!

Paintings at Blood Bank

I was invited to take some of my work over to the new South Texas Blood and Tissue Bank branch location in New Braunfels (at Marketplace) this week. However, they wanted something "calming" to set folks at ease when they come in to donate blood. As an artist friend of mine says, my wildflowers SCREAM. But I do also paint more traditional works, such as the one posted here: "Another Spring on Bear Creek Road." It, along with "Texas Hill Country Spring" and "Honey Creek" are on display at the New Braunfels Blood Bank through the end of July. Bear Creek Road is what the old timers call FM 2722, which connects from FM 46 (just west of New Braunfels) to FM 2673 (South of Canyon Lake). I have painted this specific scene twice (hence "another spring..."). The first painting was sold a couple of years back to a Canyon Lake resident.

Nature's Heart and Soul has a new home

One of greatest pleasures for an artist is to see her work find a home where it will be enjoy and bring joy to others. This past week--on July 4th--a lovely couple from San Antonio saw one my latest paintings, "Nature's Heart and Soul" on display in the Contemporary Art exhibit at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery. I was not in my studio that day so they left a name and number and I called them on Thursday. We met in my studio an hour later where they looked over my other paintings and finally took a break for lunch. When they returned, they had decided on their first choice, "Nature's Heart and Soul." I know it has a good home and I couldn't be happier!
Camps start back up tomorrow with seven kids ages 5-8 in the morning and four, ages 10 and up in the afternoon. Teaching is almost as invigorating as painting...and I love to do both. Life is good! To all who read this: Have a great week and Be Happy!

Happy July 4th!

Just want to send best wishes for a safe 4th of July to everyone out in cyberspace today! I'm still catching up on work from being gone for a week to NYC, but here's the latest news...
CAMPS AND CLASSES:
Summer camps start back next week and I'll be ready! I've added an additional evening class (Thursday) for my Painting for Beginners adult students (Tuesday night is full). Plus I've added two more camps in August, Introduction to Landscape Painting for ages 7 to 12. Contact me if you are interested (artclasses@casadelinda.com).
ART ON EXHIBIT:
• Three of my wildflower paintings (including Nature's Heart and Soul, my latest painting) are part of the Contemporary Art Show this month at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery. The gallery just opened its newly rennovated "Side Gallery" and it is wonderful! Come see it for yourself!
• Coming up: I'll be the featured artist at the local Starbucks Coffee in August! Very exciting as thousands will see my work during the month. The New Braunfels Starbucks is located at the corner of I-35 and Walnut.

More NYC photos

Thought I'd post a few more photos. The photo showing the words "New Yorker" at the top of the building is a view David shot from the front door of the Javits Convention Center toward Manhattan. We stayed at the New Yorker. The tall spire behind it to the right is the Empire State Building. We went up the Empire on Wednesday night and David got some great sunset and night shots, as you can see here. On Friday morning, we went to the NBC plaza and got to see and hear Phil Collins in concert. I'm posting of photo of him and Matt Lauer. New York was wonderful and we can't wait to return and explore more of it!

Back in Texas!

We are back from New York. It was a fantastic trip. Got some solid leads that I will be following up on and feel really good about the future of my wildflowers for licensing. Now it’s all about the follow-up, which will take high priority over the weeks and months to come.

Above all, this was an amazing and invaluable learning experience for me and David. Just being in the thick of the International Licensing show and being in the thick of Manhattan (our first time to NYC)...Wow. I made the commitment for a booth in mid-April. That gave me about 9 weeks to pull it off, By “it” I mean everything from booking air and hotel, to designing and producing sales literature to planning the booth layout to shipping the artwork ahead so it would be waiting for us. For the most part, everything came together better than I could have hoped.

I'm posting a few photos of the booth and of David and I at the entrance to the show.

Ready for New York...Almost!

So it's almost noon on Sunday and I'm still checking items off my to-do list for the trip to New York for the International License Show June 20-22. I'll be at booth No. 1278 in the Art and Design Gallery displaying my wildflowers.
Mentally, emotionally...I'm ready!
In other news:
Art on Exhibit. A good selection of my work is out and around the area now: Gallery on the Square in Wimberley, Grandmother Moon's in Gruene, Vulture Gulch in Hancock, New Braunfels Cadiology (through the end of July) and, of course, at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery.
July Art Camps. One camp is full, but I have room in the other 3 camps for July. My Tuesday night adult painting class filled up so I've added a Thursday night class. Still have openings in Saturday classes at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. It's been a good summer for teaching and I've had a great time meeting new students and sharing my love of art with them. My summer brochure is available for download at my website, www.casadelinda.com.
Hope to have great news to report when I return from New York...or at least some great stories to tell!

Giant Art Steins on Parade!

I had mentioned in a previous post that I painted a 4-foot-tall stein and here it is. The New Braunfels Art League, of which I am proud to be a member, is sponsoring its own version of a "cow parade" this summer. But instead of bovines, the art league choose a giant German stein to honor the German heritage of the New Braunfels community. Local artists designed and painted 41 of the steins which are being sponsored by New Braunfels' businesses. The steins are now "on parade" for public viewing (including my contribution located in the lobby of Chase Bank in downtown New Braunfels). You can pick up a free map of stein locations at the NBAL gallery or at the NB Chamber of Commerce. To see all photos of the other 40 steins, go to the NBAL website and click on the virtual tour.
Odds and ends:
Finished up my first Summer 2006 camp and had a blast! Start another week-long camp on Monday. Been busy getting ready for New York...leave a week from Monday!
My art can now be seen at two new locations: Grandmother Moon's in Gruene (located near Adobe Verde) and Vulture Gulch in Hancock (Canyon Lake North). I'm also showing through the end of July at the New Braunfels Cardiology office in New Braunfels (on Common Street). Let me know if you need more information on any of these.

Webpage Woes

Thought I knew about all the broken links on my website but just yesterday found out I had many, many more. So I've replaced my extensive, multi-page site with a one-page, simplified version for the time being. If you have been to www.casadelinda.com before today, you might need to refresh or reload when you click in next time. If you see my logo floating on a cloud on a blue background at the top, you are on the right page. If you ever find any broken links (those little boxes with xes in them), please let me know!
Got my business card and one-sheet order in today. If you do go to my website, scroll down and you'll see the "one-sheet" that I'm talking about. It's a 8.5X11 flyer and I'm having them printed up full color on 100 lb gloss to hand out at the International Licensing Show. And speaking of the show...we fly up in 18 days!! Mucho work to do between now and then. Still packing and shipping my art out so it'll be waiting for me when I get there.
Camps and classes start next week. Can't wait to see all those smiling and eager-to-create little folks! I was able to add a link from my webpage for the 2006 Camps brochure (a pdf file). Another thing I can check off my to-do list!

My "riotous" Wildflowers

The writer of the article that ran in the Express-News last Saturday used the term "riotous" to decribe one of my wildflower painting. A friend just e-mailed me after reading the article, mentioning the "riotous" wildflowers in the photo. What an interesting word, "riotous." I googled it and first went to allwords.com where I not only got a definition but a pronoucition of the word. I had a sense of it's meaning just from the root word, riot. Allwords.com defines it as: very active, noisy, cheerful and wild. That'll work. The Merrian-Webster Online Dictionary's first definition gave "of the nature of a riot." But the second cited: "ABUNDANT, EXUBERANT: the garden was riotous with flowers." OK, so I've been using the Internet for over a decade, even met the Love of My Life on AOL, but I am still amazed at the wealth of information available online. And the speed. Wow.

Painting featured in Express-News article

A couple who own 2 of my paintings were recently interviewed for the San Antonio Express News for a Saturday home feature called "Spaces." The lead photo is of their dining room with my art as the focus, plus I am mentioned in the article! How exciting! If you'd like to read the article online, go to: http://www.mysanantonio.com/salife/realestate/storyindex.html and click on the headline:
"Spaces — 'Sweat equity,' love of art help couple renovate home"
After today, this link may not work. If you still want to find the article, you can by searching the archives.
****
23 days before I fly to New York. Spent much of yesterday and day gathering packing materials and assessing what work I'll ship up this coming week. Almost done with my new business card, need to work other sales material and my packets. But I even found time to do some painting this morning!

Summer Art Camps and Classes

Lots of interest is stirring for my summer schedule of camps and classes! And I couldn't be happier. I do love teaching art so very much. What's great about this kind of teaching is that the students (at least most of them) WANT to be there! I've already filled one camp and have several others with students signed up. And my summer Tuesday evening class for adults has 5 students. Wow. What a great group...it's going to be a lot of fun! If you live in the area, help spread the word that I offer camps for ages 5 and up. I can be reached by e-mail at artclasses@casadelinda.com. Thanks!

New York hotel...flight...check

OK, one more thing off my to-do list. Booked a flight and hotel for NY last night. So much more to do. Leave in 26 days! Had some more title suggestions for my most recent works. I've already registered the copyrights with the titles I choose a few days back. But thanks to those of you who looked and posted or sent me comments! If you haven't checked them out, please click over when you have time.

Progress on preparing for Licensing show

I almost feel like I need to create another blog just to journal about my journey to make it to the International Licensing Show. Every day I try to spend some time on some aspect of preparing for the show. For example, last week I completed a few more paintings to choose from. They are photographed for copyright registration. I now need to varnish them so they have time to cure so I can pack everything up to ship it to New York. In going over the options last night I've decided my best bet is to ship the work to the Freeman warehouse (it has to be there by June 8). Freeman handles the material (and decorating) for the Jacob Javits Convention Center. They will store the work and bring it to my booth during set up on Monday, June 19--all for a fee, of course. Every time I turn around, there's a price tag in addition to what I've already paid for the booth. No one said this would be cheap or easy. So here it is Sunday morning. I leave in 29 days. On today's agenda: work on a spiffy business card design and flyer to print up to have something to hand out; work on a nice packet that I'll have for those really serious contacts (that'll include a CD burned with images, my bio, etc.); varnish the paintings ... and I volunteer at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery today!
If you haven't seen my latest works, please click over to my wildflower gallery and help me name these paintings! Thanks!

Help...Newest Wildflower paintings need titles!

In preparing for my trip to New York in June, I saw the window of opportunity to get any new paintings done to choose from quickly closing on me. With that in mind, I did some serious--really serious--painting over the last few weeks. I have 6 new works to pick from now as I choose what to ship for my booth at the International Licensing Show. I've posted one here, but this and all the others are posted on my Wildflower Gallery blog. And now I need titles! Previously, I had great results from inviting friends and strangers to suggest titles for my paintings. I need your help again. Check out the new works on my other blog, Linda's Wildflower Gallery, and post your suggestions and comments on the new additions.
In other news...the Open House and Sale-a-bration for my 2nd anniversary was a great success. I am so thankful for such wonderful friends and supporters...true patrons of the arts--of my art! Thank you all! Registrations for summer art camps and classes are going well. Life is good. Busy. But good.

Open House, Art Camps and classes

Lots to do this week getting ready for my 2nd anniversary Open House and Sale-A-Bration at Casa de Linda Art Studio. I've sent out my newsletters to over 300 friends. Some went e-mail but most went snail mail. If you live in the area, please mark your calendar for May 11-14 and come celebrate with me! I'm putting up a special exhibit of my paintings and I'm having an Inventory Reduction Sale on select works--save 10-50%. David will also have his photos out and some will be marked 25-50% off. Our hand-painted Texas Birdhouses are marked down 25% and I'm having a clearance on my lo-carb cookbook at 75% off! The fun begins Thursday, May 11, when the studio will be open 6-8 p.m. In fact, most of the stores in downtown New Braunfels will be open for "2nd Thursday" so come stroll the shops! An extra special treat: the premier of the New Braunfels Art League Giant Art Stein Parade! And my stein, SpringStein, will be one of them. Then my Open House continues on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. -5 p.m and on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. As you can tell, this is all consuming of my time and energy. I have been painting this week and last. Finished my largest yet--a 6 foot by 8 foot canvas--to take to the International Licensing Show in June! Plus I did two 30X40 and a 24X30 canvas, as well as a round of the squares. On top of all this, I'm gearing up for my Summer Art Camps and Classes.

Welcome May!

What a month April turned out to be! As usual, I took on more projects than what I could accomplish. Well, not really as I managed to get just about everything done...and pretty much on time. In regards to art (I do other things, but that's not what this blog is about), I had a great day at Wein and Saengerfest in New Braunfels. Pleased with the help I had setting up the booth (thanks Kay and Karen!), the company I had all day (thanks Bonnie!), the sales (yippee!), and the weather was great! What more could I ask for? Spent Sunday cleaning and organizing my studio (mostly done) and then on Monday I completed my giant art stein. Mine will be one of 41 on display this summer in New Braunfels. Chase Bank is sponsoring my SpringStein. It looks a lot like my birdhouses...typical Texas Spring Landscape. I'll post a photo in the next few days.

I have something really big on the horizon. I've signed up for a booth at the International Licensing Show in New York. That's where I'll be come June 20-22! My hope, my dream is to interest one or more manufacturers in licensing my Wildflowers for any number of products: textiles, bed-n-bath, dinnerware, clothes, purses, ties...imagine the possibilities! So, I have less than 7 weeks to 1) raise the money to finance the trip, 2) book the airline and hotel, 3) create a marketing plan including news releases, bio, etc. 4) design and print material for packets to give out, 5) figure out what paintings I'm taking and how I'm getting them there, and, well, you get the picture!

On top of that, this month I celebrate my second anniversary for the Casa de Linda Art Studio and Gallery! Wow, it's been 2 years since I opened the doors on my studio upstairs at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery! Also, on top of THAT, I'm putting together my summer art camps and class schedule! Whew!

Since I want to celebrate my anniversary, promote my summer camps and raise money for my New York trip, I'm going to throw one big SALE-A-BRATION next week. It'll start with 2nd Thursday reception, Thurs May 11 from 6-8 p.m. Then continue through to Sunday. I'll have some great specials...the sales flyer is going in the mail in a few days. If you are interested and you are not on my mailing list, please e-mail me (linda@casadelinda.com) and I'll send you a pdf version. The more the merrier! Oh..and my stein along the other 40 steins will be on display as well!

Sunday Morning, 23rd of April

Making it through a really busy period (see previous post). Went to the reception at Antique Rose Emporium Friday and then set up at Dry Comal Creek yesterday. Met lots of nice folks at both events. Working on projects in the home office today. High on my list is finishing the brochure for my summer art camps and classes. Will try to get back into my studio early this week to work on a giant art stein for the New Braunfels Art League. Doing a wrap around painting of a typical Texas Wildflower scene. Mine will be one of 40 steins on display in New Braunfels this summer. It's a fund raiser for NBAL to renovate the building and improve the community outreach program. Sort of like the Cow Parade...but ours are giant steins (New Braunfels is rooted in German heritage). Be on the look out if you are in the area this summer!

Wildflower paintings on exhibit at Antique Rose Emporium, Dry Comal Creek Vineyards, Gallery on the Square in Wimberley, and Wein & Saengerfest!

I'll be super busy the last two weekends of April!
1. It starts the week of April 17th when I head down to the Antique Rose Emporium with a selection of my work for their first invitational fine art show (artists are there by invitation but it's open to the public!). The show is titled "The Gallery at the Hacienda de las Rosas." Then I'll head back down for a special preview, which is by invitation, on Friday night. The show will be up through the weekend, April 22-23. The Antique Rose Emporium is located at 7561 East Evans Road in north San Antonio (ph. 210-651-4569).
2. Meanwhile that Saturday, April 22, I'm heading over to Dry Comal Creek Vineyards to set up a display of my wildflower paintings for the Wine and Wildflower Trail. Vineyards throughout the Texas Hill Country are participating and folks can drive from stop to stop to enjoy wine tastings and the wildflowers (what few there are this year) along the way. I'll be there all day on Saturday, from about 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or so. Dry Comal Creek is located at 1741 Herbelin Road, off Texas 46 about half way between New Braunfels and US 281. Phone is 830-885-4076, www.drycomalcreek.com.
3. Sunday, April 23, is still open but I have a few options.
4. Then on the following Saturday, April 29, I'll have a booth set up in the street in downtown New Braunfels for the Wein and Saengerfest. This is a really fun, home-town but upscale event with several wine tasting booths, fine arts and crafts and, of course, food and music.
5. Sunday, April 30, it's back out to Dry Comal Creek for the final day of the Wine and Wildflowers trail.
Also this week, I'll be taking some of my larger works up to the Gallery on the Square in Wimberley!
It's "that time of year!" So mark you calendars and if you are in the area of any of these...come see me!

Texas Hill Country Spring-a wildflower painting

This is the painting that I finished just in time to enter the Canyon Lake Art Guild show. I'm really happy with it...but would might work on it a bit more if I get the chance. Knowing when to stop is one of the greatest challenges as an artist. This one's 24X36, acrylic on stretched canvas, nicely framed. It'll be in the show all month long and is available for purchase. It's priced at $695. Contact me if you are interested!

Canyon Lake Art Guild Show Wildflower Winner!

My Wildflower painting, "Celebrating Nature's Rewards," took 2nd place in the mixed media category at the Canyon Lake Art Guild Show! The show is up for the month of April at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery in downtown New Bruanfels, Texas. Go see it if you get the chance...lots of nice work this year! That was one of 3 works I entered, each very different. One of the entries was from my palette knife wildflower bouquet series. The third was a more traditional wildflower painting that I'll try to post in the next few days.

Canyon Lake Art Guild Show

I had started a painting last week that was going well enough that I wanted to enter it in the annual Canyon Lake Art Guild show that's being held a the New Braunfels Art League Gallery this month. I finished it within in a few hours of the deadline for entry and had to put a fan on it to be sure all the acrylic was dry enough. Popped it in a frame and turned it in, along with 2 other paintings (max of 3 allowed). I'll post this latest work on my blog in the next day or two, so please check back. It is a more traditional work, titled "Hill Country Spring." The show is up through April 29.

Now in Gallery on the The Square in Wimberley

Great news to share! I'm now in Gallery on The Square in Wimberley! For those not familiar with the area, Wimberley is this cute little day-trip destination for Austinites, Houstonions, San Antonioians and anyone making a drive through the Texas Hill Country. It's located on RR12, west of San Marcos. There's a concentrated downtown area with lots of old buildings that are now shops, restaurants and one really great contemporary art gallery: Gallery on The Square (yes, there are other galleries that carry more traditional work). David and I visited earlier this year on our way home from Austin where we had be checking out galleries to approach. It seemed like such a natural fit for my abstract work. They are tight on space and were not able to consign any of my larger Wildflowers. But, they were able to take on a good selection from my Wildflowers Squared series. (The photo posted here is from my foray into e-Bay last year--hence the line about "now bidding"-- which I have since discontinued.) As you can see, they are stretched canvas in gallery wrap style, meaning they do not need frames (no staples) and the paint continues over the edge of the canvas. I included samples from each size in the series, 4-inch, 6-inch, 8-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch. You can view more samples on my website in my online gallery, http://www.casadelinda.com/artgallery.htm. And just so you know, I have some broken links that I need to fix when I get a chance. But you should still be able to view the gallery. And if you want to learn more about Gallery on the Square, visit http://www.galleryonthesquare.com.
So that's my newest news!

Monday Art Joke

What a busy weekend! Two shows, back-to-back. Met lots of nice folks at the GartenFest in New Braunfels on Saturday. Several of David's photos found new homes as did one of my wildflower birdhouses. On Sunday, I was wearing a different hat as I represented the Hill Country Edge at a business expo hosted by the Canyon Lake Chamber of Commerce. Since this is my "art blog" I don't talk about my other projects much, such as the fact that I am the rep for the Edge for Canyon Lake, New Braunfels and Gruene. It certainly keeps everyone I know confused. :-) You never know where I'll turn up or what I'll be doing. But I always come back to my art. And speaking of which, I wanted to start the week with a really corny joke that I hope lightens your day!

The Painting Thief
Recently a guy in Paris nearly got away with stealing several paintings from the Louvre. However, after planning the crime, breaking in, evading security, getting out and escaping with the goods, he was captured only two blocks away when his Econoline van ran out of gas. When asked how he could mastermind such a crime and then make such an obvious error, he replied:
"I had no Monet to buy Degas to make the Van Gogh."

Spring Break?

No art classes this week since both of the local school districts are on Spring Break. But I've had plenty to do! Sat on a business panel for the New Braunfels Art League meeting Tuesday night. Hopefully shared some helpful hints about finding success as an artist, though I am a work in progress myself. Shared the panel with 2 fellow art league members, Becky Hicks and Rita Kirkman. They both have their acts together and their goals set. You can see their art at www.beckyhicksart.com and www.ritakirkman.com. This Saturday I'll be setting up at GartenFest, an annual event hosted by the New Braunfels Conservation Society. Hours are 9 a.m.-1 p.m., so if you are in the area drop in and please drop by my booth where I'll have my Texas Wildflower Birdhouses, Wildflowers Squared paintings and David's scenic photography. Post a comment if you need more information or directions. Admission is free (unless you want to attend the seminars, then there's a $20 donation) and the grounds are very cool. Lots of old, historic buildings have been moved in and restored. Next big show will be April 21-23 at the Antique Rose Emporium in San Antonio. I've been invited to display at The Gallery at the Hacienda de las Rosas, their first gallery art show. You can get more info at www.antiqueroseemporium.com. This site covers both the original Brenham location and the San Antonio location on Evans Road.

Monday Art Joke

OK...so this isn't really an art joke. But it's just too cute not to share...

A frog goes into a bank and approaches the teller. He can see from her nameplate that her name is Patricia Whack.
"Miss Whack, I'd like to get a $30,000 loan to take a holiday."
Patty looks at the frog in disbelief and asks his name. The frog says his name is Kermit Jagger, his dad is Mick Jagger, and that it's okay, he knows the bank manager.
Patty explains that he will need to secure the loan with some collateral.
The frog says, "Sure. I have this," and produces a tiny porcelain elephant, about an inch tall, bright pink and perfectly formed.
Very confused, Patty explains that she'll have to consult with the bank manager and disappears into a back office.
She finds the manager and says, "There's a frog called Kermit Jagger out there who claims to know you and wants to borrow $30,000, and he wants to use this as collateral."
She holds up the tiny pink elephant. "I mean, what in the world is this?"
The bank manager looks back at her and says, "It's a knickknack, Patty Whack. Give the frog a loan. His old man's a Rolling Stone."

The morning after an Art Show

Recovering from the weekend art show in Austin this morning. For those of you who have "done" shows you know how I'm feeling today. For those of you who haven't...well, it's sort of like waking up after being run over by a train. Sorry for the clicheé, but it's Monday...after a show. Saw lots of friends this weekend and made a few new ones. Seven of my wildflowers (3 palette knife style and 4 from the Wildflowers Squared series), now have new homes! I always feel so honored when people choose to buy my work. So if you are one of those folks reading this right now: THANK YOU! Lots to do this week. Many of you know that art is only part of my life and career. But on the art side, I teach painting Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (when I don't have a show lined up). My next event will be this Sat, March 18, at "Art at Twilight" from 5-7 p.m.
at Tish's Decor and More Gallery in Canyon Lake. I'll be there by 6 p.m. since I have a class that goes until 5. My next arts and crafts show will be the GartenFest in New Braunfels on March 25 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Conservation Plaza. I'm "considering" the Founders Fest in Dripping Springs on April 8-9 but haven't made the commitment yet. We are set to to a double whammy later that month: on April 22-23 I'll be at the Antique Rose Emporium in San Antonio. I've been *invited* to participate in a fine arts show there. On Saturday of that weekend, David will be at the Canyon Lake Market Day at the Rec Center. Then we have Wein and Sangerfest in New Braunfels on April 29. Spring is such a busy time for art shows and festivals! Let me know if you need anymore information on any of these events. I'll be happy to accommodate!

FACET- Artist Harvest Fine Arts Show

This weekend I'll be in Austin at the Palmer Auditorium for the Artist Harvest Fine Arts Show. This is my second year to do this juried show. And with this unusally warm, almost summer-like weather, it'll be nice to be inside! Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 11-12. If you come, please be sure to stop by my booth, #319. For more info, you can visit www.artistsharvest.com.

Sunday Morning Reflections

I picked up my rejected painting yesterday (see previous post). Since misery loves company, I'm feeling a little better. A good sized room was filled with works to be picked up. Several hundred I'd guess. Today David and I are putting in our work day for March at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery. I'm working some more on one of my palette knife paintings, the large 30X40 that I had posted here last week (I decided to take down that posting as the photos did not do the work justice). I'm expanding the flowers out to the edge of the canvas...something new that I had not done before with this technique. So I'll be working on that today if I can find the time, as well as doing some framing in preparation for the Austin show March 11-12. Tomorrow I celebrate another year on this earth.

Dealing with rejection

So I got the notice in the mail today. It was a postcard that I stamped and addressed when I submitted my painting last week for the juried show in San Antonio (see my last post). Turned it over hoping to see the "accepted" box checked. It was blank. The check I was looking for was parked in the "rejected" box. Bummer. I know that this comes with the territory but it still cuts deep. So I pick myself up (and plan to pick up my painting this weekend) and look to the future. I will be taking this work to the Austin FACET show in less than 2 weeks (yikes! I have only a week and a half to get ready!)...perhaps someone will see it, love and take it home. That would be sweet.

I love it when it rains...

OK, it's not really RAINING but it is nice and wet outside and do we ever need it! It's been way too dry for way too long and even drizzle is a welcome guest.
I took a painting to be juried for the San Antonio Art League and Museum's annual local exhibit. If you are so inclined, you can find more info at http://www.saalm.org. Anyway, I took "Joyful Expressions of Wildflowers in Harmony," a 24X36 upright gallery wrap canvas, which is posted on today's blog. I believe it is one of my strongest Wildflower paintings. I could enter up to 3 works but choose to go with only one. If (and that's a big IF) it are accepted, I am committed to leaving it on display through May 20. I have a lot going on between now and then. I decided to let that one painting stand on its own. Wish me luck!

Flood Series on exhibit at Tish's Decor & More Gallery

Thought I'd post pics of some of the works I now have up at Tish's Decor & More Gallery in Sattler. For those not from the area, Sattler is a village below the dam at Canyon Lake. In 2002, flood waters came over the spillway of the dam and created an amazing gorge between the lake and the Guadalupe River. I decided that I was obligated as an artist to document the historic event in my own way. I completed 12 paintings in the series, 5 of which are now in private collections. The remaining 7 are on display at Tish's Decor and More. I've posted 4 of the works here: Recalling the Flood of 2002 (12X24 framed, $195.00); Interpretation of the Flood I ((24X36 framed, $395.00); Canyon Gorge in the Spring II (12X24, framed, $195); and After the Flood-Spillway I (9X12 Framed, $145.00). If you are interested in adding one to your collection, they are all available for purchase at the gallery. I also have a few of my more traditional works up, as well as a sampling of my Wildflowers. And if you are in the area, Tish's is starting a montly event on the 3rd Saturday of each month: Art at Twilight. Come meet local artists, enjoy wine and cheese and art every 3rd Saturday from 4-7 p.m. Visit online at www.tishsdecor.com for more information.

Monday Art Joke

I thought I'd start this Monday out with an art joke. If you have one to share for a future blog posting, please e-mail it to me! Have a great week.

The Art Collector
A famous art collector is walking through the city when he notices a mangy cat lapping milk from a saucer in the doorway of a store. He does a double take.
He knows that the saucer is extremely old and very valuable, so he walks casually into the store and offers to buy the cat for two dollars.
The storeowner replies, "I'm sorry, but the cat isn't for sale."
The collector says, "Please, I need a hungry cat around the house to catch mice. I'll pay you 20 dollars for that cat."
And the owner says "Sold," and hands over the cat.
The collector continues, "Hey, for the twenty bucks I wonder if you could throw in that old saucer. The cat's used to it and it'll save me from having to get a dish."
The owner says, "Sorry buddy, but that's my lucky saucer. So far this week I've sold sixty-eight cats."

Sunday Morning Thoughts

While cold weather is the norm in many parts of the county, it's been absent for us in Central Texas for most of the winter. But that changed the end of the week as a double cold front hit and took our temps below freezing two nights in a row. Today we are waiting for it to "warm up" so we can get on the road and make it back over to the art show at the Fair Oaks Ranch Golf Club where we have a booth set up and waiting. It's a wonderful setting and really nice folks. We'll see what happens today.

Hoops and Yoyo

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! I just love Hallmark's Hoops and Yoyo cartoons. While I hate to give free adspace to a big company, these guys are just too darn cute not to share. Check out the February calendar link below and the many other Hoops and Yoyo links (copy and paste) or just go to www.hallmark.com and click on free e-cards:

http://www.hallmark.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/article|10001|10051|/HallmarkSite/hoops%26yoyohome/HOOPS_YOYO_ARCHIVE_CALENDARS

New Gallery Rep

I will soon have a new outlet for my artwork! I've been invited to be one of the regular artists exhibiting at Tish's Decor and More Art Gallery at Canyon Lake (www.tishsdecor.com). The owner, Tish, has a great loft space upstairs at her decorator gallery in Sattler where she features works by several artists. I'll be bringing in my work this coming week. This is shaping up to be a busy Spring season! As mentioned before, after having a month-long exhibit at Kerbey Lane Café in Austin in January, I was selected as Artist of the Month for February by my peers at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery. Had a nice little reception there on Thursday night. My work, including the 4-ft by 4-ft "Sun Dance" will be on exhibit through the end of February. The gallery is open every day (www.newbraunfelsartleague.com).

Some of you have asked where I (and my art) will be in the coming weeks/months. You know that the Casa de Linda Art Studio is open by appointment...e-mail me at linda@casadelinda.com to set something up! Also, several of my "Wildflower Square" series paintings are available at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin (www.wildflower.org) Just a quick calendar of upcoming events I've committed to and will be showing my paintings:
Feb. 12 (tomorrow) Demo my palette knife technique at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery, 12-5
Feb. 18-19 Fine Art Show at Fair Oaks Ranch (my paintings, David's photos, our birdhouses)
March 11-12 Austin Artists Harvest FACET Fine Art Show at Palmer Auditorium
March 25 Garten Festival at Heritage Plaza in New Braunfels
April 1 Wimberley Market Day (David will most likely have a booth with his photos and our birdhouses)
April 22 Canyon Lake Market Day (mostly photos and birdhouses...David will be doing this show as I will be at a Fine Art Show at the Antique Rose Emporium that same day)
April 22-23 Fine Art Show at the Antique Rose Emporium in San Antonio
April 29 Wein & SaengerFest, downtown New Braunfels (photos, birdhouses and paintings...in the street in front of our studio!)

I'm still working on additional gallery representation throughout the area and beyond. Please let me know if you have any leads!

Wildflowers in their home

OK...it sounds like a cliché, but my paintings really are like my children--or at the very least precious pets-- and it feels so good to know when they have good homes. David and I recently went back to visit the couple in Boerne who added 2 of my works to their art collection in December--and to take photos of the work in their new home. I'm posting the pic of "Spring Medley," the first 4-foot square wildflower I had completed last year, so you can see how it looks filling the wall in the formal dining room.
We are getting ready for my "Artist of the Month" reception at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery tomorrow evening, 5-8 p.m. We are hoping for a great turn out between the invitations we sent out and the fact that the historic downtown business district will be open for its "2nd Thursdays Downtown" monthly shopping event. Please come if you can!

Shows are up

I had 2 shows to work on this past week...my Artist of the Month exhibit and a children's art show, both at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery. This is my 4th year, I think, to work on the Kids Have a Heart for Art show that the art league sponsors. I'm sort of chair the thing but have some help along the way from other members, especially fellow member and friend Lynette. We invite 5th and 6th grade teachers from through out the county to submit students' work and the turn out is always so amazing. Had a cookie-n-punch reception on Friday with several hundred in attendance.

Then there was my own work that I was hanging this week. I have about 8 paintings on display, with "Sun Dance", the 4-ft square in the window. My reception for that exhibit is coming up this week...Thursday eve. Still have lots to do to get myself and my studio ready.

Website Updates

Spent some time this morning updating my website. Got almost all of the broken links fixed. If you are browsing my site in the next few days (www.casadelinda.com) and find broken links, please let me know! I've identified the ones on the individual "About Gallery" pages and those I'll try to fix in soon. Being my own "web master" is a pain but it's better than paying someone else to do it at this point. Someday when I'm extremely successful, I'll gladly pay someone else!
Heading up to Austin to pick my work up at Kerbey Lane Cafe. Tonight I'll be hanging my Artist of the Month show at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery. It's going to be an exciting month!

Monday Morning

The sun's shining and the birds are chirping...it's a great day in the Texas Hill Country. I spent the morning in my studio yesterday working on palette knife florals. I'll try to post them here or on my "lindaswildflowergallery" blog sometime this week. Picking up my work from Kerbey Lane Cafe in Austin tomorrow where it's been on display all month. Then I'll be hanging some of it at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery for my "Artist of the Month" display for February. It's going to be a busy week...a busy month...a busy Spring! If you are in the area, mark your calendar for Thursday, Feb. 9 for my AOM reception at the gallery from 5-8 p.m. It'll be held during "Downtown 2nd Thursdays," an evening of shopping when a good many of the stores stay open late. New Braunfels is following a nationwide trend of trying to get folks back downtown...even if for just one night a month. The New Braunfels Art League sort of led the way summer before last when they started something called "3rd Fridays Hot Art After Hours." Now it's a monthly thing, but on 2nd Thursdays. So drop in sometime if you can!

My Wildflower Gallery Blog

I just love how easy it is to upload and post photos of my artwork via Blogger. Love it so much that I created another Blog as an online gallery for my recent works: http://lindaswildflowergallery.blogspot.com. It's a lot easier than making changes to my website! I plan to use this blog to only post works, without long write ups, for my friends and clients to view.

Eureka...

OK, I've changed my mind. My artist friend Susan suggested "Sundrenched Abundance" for the large yellow. I do like it but I can't say it without stumbling over the word "drenched" in combination with sun and abundance. It's a problem I have with pronouncing certain words (don't ever ask me to say aluminum outloud)...but it is a lovely title. However, I just popped in my Yahoo! news page and saw a headline that had a word that instantly resonated with me. So this is it...the name for the 4-foot-square work: "Sun Dance." You never know where those ideas come from! Another question posed by my friend, should it be "Café Latte Grande," or "Caffé Latté Grande," or ??? Any thoughts? Post or email.

Still naming wildflower paintings

I'm still in a quandry, but I'm getting closer to completing the task of names the new works. I'm going with "Sunshine Meadow" for the 4-foot-square painting. A little simple, but I really just "see" the sun when I look at it. People keep using the word "happy" to describe my work and I'm resisting using that in a title. I also thought about "Sun Washed Meadow", "Sunny Wildflower Meadow", "Wildflowers Bask in the Sun". It's not a done deal yet, so if any of these...or any other titles, strick your fancy, let me know! Oh, and I'm still looking for "Latte" something for the off white and I need a name for the light blue.

Edited about an hour later: David and I brainstormed and came up with a title for the light blue: "Dawn's Early Light."

Edited again: Thinking "Caffe Latte Grande" for the off-white sky. What do YOU think?

Still choosing names

I have decided on 3 titles for prevously posted works. For the deep pink sky, "Magenta Morning," for the deep blue, "Twilight Dance," (thanks Susan) and for the blue/green sky, "Dreamy Daze Into Night" (thanks Marlene). I still need to choose titles for the large yellow and the lighter blue. I really like "Walk on the Wild side" and "View from a Picnic" but I keep thinking of something with "Sun" or "Sunshine" for the large yellow. It came in darker in the photo than it is in real life. I'm posting it again, with me in the foreground (and my little Artist of the Month ribbon in the corner). I'm also posting another work. I want "latte" in the title, but haven't got a clear name yet. Any ideas?

Artist of the Month

Exciting news to share! At the New Braunfels Art League meeting last night, I was selected as the February Artist of the Month. Each month, members are invited to submit a work of art, with the artist's name covered, at the general meeting for the members to vote on. I presented my yet-untitled four-foot square painting that I posted her a few days back. I competed several times last year but was always beat out, usually by more traditional, realistic work. What this award means is that I get to display my work in a front window for the whole month of February. In addition, I'll have some extra display space in the gallery in the same general area. I can't wait to see that bright yellow wildflower painting fill the front window facing W. San Antonio Street! Incidentally, I believe the image that I uploaded here came in a little darker than the original. I also get my bio in the art league's newsletter and can have a reception at the gallery to celebrate the award, which I plan to do. So if you are in the area, mark your calendar for the Second Thursday of February (Feb. 9) and come join me from 5-8 that evening. Many of the downtown New Braunfels businesses are now open late on "Second Thursdays" so I'm hoping for a good crowd!

Great names so far!

So far, I've had 3 friends come up with wonderful title suggestions for my latest works. I'm close to making some decisions, but I want to hold off another day to see what else might pop up. Anyone who reads this is welcome to make a suggestion...even if you don't know me! It's always so interesting to see what other people come up with. I've read and had other artist tell me that you shouldn't title your work at all. "Let the viewer see what he/she wants to see." But that seems so, so... impersonal. "Untitled," "Untitled," Untitled." How exciting is that? I do slack off to some degree when it comes to my Wildflowers Squared series. I'm doing dozens of those, ranging from 4-inch to 12-inch square. So I do number them rather than title individually. For example, "Wildflowers Squared(4) No. 1-Blue." And so on (the 4 is superscript, like a mathematical notation). But my big works...they NEED titles. Actually, they NEED names! Names that spark the imagination! Names that pull the viewer deeper into the work so that he/she becomes a part of the painting, a part of the experience. So thank you for looking at the work and letting your mind wander through the wildflowers. Have a great day!

Wildflowers without names

Had a great time at my "meet the artist" event yesterday. Met up with some old friends--expected and unexpected--which made my day! Thanks, guys, for your support! Talked with a few strangers about my work and gave out a few postcards. Every little bit of exposure helps and I'm still so excited that my work is being viewed by thousands of people this month while on display at Kerbey Lane Cafe.
I have several new works that are ready for names and I'm hoping that YOU can help me. (Last time I did that, I got some great suggestions, which I have used!) I'm uploading the new images with this blog entry. Look them over, think about it, and post any thoughts you have for titles. They range in size from 24X30 to 48X48. Yes, I've done another four-foot-square painting! It's the bright yellow one. Thanks for you help!

New works have names!

Thanks to Susan and Amanda, I've named the 2 works in the previous post. I choose "Caramel Sky" for the smaller one and "Mellow Meadow" for the other. I have several other new paintings that I'll be posting in the weeks to come and hope to get equally as inspiring title suggestions for those as well. How fun! I will have "Caramel Sky" with me tomorrow (Sunday, Jan. 15) when I appear at Kerbey Lane Cafe in Austin for a "Meet the Artist." I have 28 paintings on display there through the end of January. I invite one and all to drop by and say hello if you are in the area. The restaurant is open 24/7 and is located in NW Austin on Research Blvd (go to www. kerbeylanecafe.com for directions).

Help me name these, please!

I'm posting 2 new Wildflower paintings today. I finished these right after Christmas. I've been thinking of how my paintings look in homes, on walls of various colors. I know that many people have neutral walls, so I'm exploring background colors that may work with a variety of home decor. Perhaps I was also influenced by the color of the landscape in the Texas Hill Country. Now that we are in winter, the grass has turned brown and tan and shades of cream. Yet, in my heart and mind's eye the Wildflowers continue to bloom and brighten even the most dreary of days. I need your help dear reader. I have yet to title these two new works. I'm considering "Yellow Ochre Daze" for the smaller of the two, which is 24X36. I have no title in mind for the second work, which is a whopping 36x48. Do YOU have some suggestions? I would love to see them in a comment. Since the works are new, they are available for purchase as well. Please contact me if you are interested.

New Year!!!!

First day of a new year. A clean slate. Time to start fresh. They are all cliches but they work for me. Resolutions are the usual ones: get physically and financially fit while finding a way to spend more time with friends and family. Stop and smell wildflowers along the way. Like John Lennon said: "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans." So I raise my coffee cup in a toast to the New Year and living it to the fullest. To my fellow artists and art lovers around the world: may your year be filled with colors of happiness.