Bluebonnets Are Survivors

2009 looks to be a very lean year for Texas bluebonnets and enjoying a nice display at the Wildflower Center Artist's Show last weekend may be as good as it gets for this spring.

Linda and I have enjoyed a few fantastic wildflower displays with bluebonnets as the dominant flower over the last decade in the Hill Country. These along with childhood memories south of San Antonio are a great part of Linda’s inspirations for her contemporary wildflower paintings. Reflecting back over the last 10 years I can really think of two years where almost every where in the Hill Country we traveled we saw awesome displays of bluebonnets.

It seems to me that even though Texas is world renown for the sweeping vistas of bluebonnets the frequency of these displays of grandeur are fleeting and not at all something you can count on each spring as one might think. These realizations lead me to have even more respect for the tenacity and sheer ability of bluebonnets to survive as a species. This favorite flower so deeply identified with Texas can be decimated by drought and reduce these prolific fields of blue azure to tiny spots of color along such famous scenic drives as Willow City Loop near Enchanted Rock. Too much rain at the wrong time can be just as detrimental for these floral displays and the forthcoming seed that insure their very existence for future generations to relish.

The Texas Hill Country and bluebonnets seem to be perfect for each other. The extremes of weather conditions that the Hill Country is known for seems like the perfect training ground for the bluebonnets to evolve as a species. This land of extended droughts and infrequent but furious flash floods, searing summer heat and poor soil fertility, of winter months that can soar to 100 degrees for a day and the next week be below freezing. The Hill Country is a land of extremes yet the bluebonnets thrive in the few good years and survive the many harsh ones.

It all in the bluebonnets genes, they simply know how to proliferate in this land of extremes. As a human being in these uncertain times I take great solace and stand in awe of this ability to survive and thrive. Yes, times may seem harsh now but we will survive and in due time we will thrive. At least if we take a lesson from nature and our beloved Texas bluebonnets.

Wildflower Days Are Here Again!

It’s that time of year that the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin puts on its annual Wildflower Days. For 2009 it all starts March 21 with the Artists & Artisans Festival. Linda has been invited back this year and will be among the 20 artists that will be offering their unique Texas artwork for sale.

The days and hours for the event will be Saturday March 21, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday March 22, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. We invite you come by and peruse the artwork as well as all the wildflowers on display throughout the Wildflower Center. The Hill Country wildflower show may be sparse this spring but the vast variety of Texas wildflowers on display at the Wildflower Center along with the artist’s festival will make this the place to be to put a spring in your step and joy in your heart.

Artist Dalhart Windberg will be signing his newest print “A Spring Occasion” from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and the proceeds will benefit on-going work at the Wildflower Center.

Shou Ping will be on hand to discuss her wildflower watercolor sculptures that are on display at the McDermott Learning Center and Art Gallery from March 14 to May 31. Both Linda and I admire this very gifted artist and look forward to see her and her newest creations.

Linda will of course have some of her most recent large wild flower artwork, a great selection of smaller original wildflower paintings along with several of her newest designs from our online store. No rain needed to enjoy these floral delights. We hope to see you in Austin next weekend. Pray for more rain!

2009 SPRING BREAK ART CAMP - March 23-26

For the most current art classes go to CasaDeLinda.com and click on classes.

Last year's Spring Break Art Camp was so successful that I'm offering it again this year. I teach this art camp for ages 7-12 from my Casa de Linda Art Studio in downtown New Braunfels and it's scheduled for the week that both local school districts, New Braunfels ISD and Comal ISD, are taking off, March 23-26.

Parents can choose between half-day camp (mornings 9-12 or afternoons 1-4) or full-day camp (9 a.m.,-4 p.m.) Each camp is limited to 8 students maximum. Fee for the half day is $145 and that includes ALL art supplies as well as mid-morning and mid-after snacks. For the full day camp, which includes staying over for lunch, all of the art supplies and two snacks a day, the fee is $275. (Full-day campers need to bring a sack lunch).

Students will complete a variety of projects during the camp, including some drawing, some painting and some 3-D work. At the end of the camp, they will take home all of their projects. We'll talk about some famous artists, such as Andy Warhol and Vincent Van Gogh, as well as more contemporary artists such as William Wegman, which they may not be familiar with. Some of the projects will be inspired by the works of these artists. We'll also do a color wheel and explore how colors work with each other, experiment with various painting techniques and learn about composition.

If you are interested in saving a seat for your child, please call me at (830) 624-5302 or e-mail me (linda@casadelinda.com).

Incredible Floral Paintings:Austin

The wildflowers are blooming in North Austin as of March 3, 2009. Linda and I, with help from a fellow artist from the New Braunfels Art League, just finished hanging Linda‘s latest Wildflower Show. A dozen of Linda’s wildflower paintings are now on display at the newest Kerbey Lane Restaurant off Hwy. 183 at Anderson Mill. The décor and painting schemes for the various rooms seems like they were designed just for Linda's wildflower art . We posted a few photos for your viewing pleasure.

The dining areas that we hung the wildflower art in were mostly earthy tones of rusty brown, mustard yellow and lime green. I thought that shade of green was going to be a challenge but once we had some of the paintings hung we knew they were going to look great.

They have a state-of-the-art hanging system that made hanging the artwork a breeze. Allison who curates the art for all the Kerbey Lane locations was a pleasure to work with and we had all the artwork up in a little over an hour. One of the quickest art displays we have done in a while.

This new facility lends itself to large contemporary art pieces so we couldn’t be more pleased with the invitation to display here. Viewing the final outcome exceeded all of our expectations. Several customers made very positive comments as the art went up so that helped affirm what we were feeling. We do hope you will get a chance to stop by for a bite and enjoy the artwork.

WILD FLOWERS IN BLOOM, MARCH 2009

Wildflowers are in full bloom in Central Texas, as well as flowers of myriad varieties and colors, and it is only March 2nd. That’s not possible, you say. It is too early; we just had freezing weather last night. We are in one of the worst droughts in recent memory, you say. Well tell that to artists on display at New Braunfels Art League Gallery that just opened their special show today called “Art in Bloom”.

I worked at the art league yesterday and saw several of the entries as they were coming in so I know that if you come in during the month you will be impressed. Linda entered some of her newest wildflower paintings for the show. They are not even on the blog or website yet so if you want to see some of her latest artistic efforts you will want to stop by. The three wildflower paintings are called “Wildflower Paradise”, “Royal Assembly” and “Sunrise Serenade.” Each uniquely different, but they are all full of joyful expression.

March 6th is Linda’s birthday and as luck would have it that is also the date for the opening reception for the “Art in Bloom” show. The hours are from 5 to 8 p.m., so if you get a chance stop by, and maybe raise a toast to the birthday girl. Wine and hors d'oeuvres are being provided for your pleasure while you view all the incredible floral paintings, photography and mixed media. You will walk away inspired, refreshed and maybe with some new artwork to start spring out right.

This is David, Linda’s biggest fan and loving hubbie writing this post. Linda is going at a furious pace right now, trying to keep up with all the shows and events she is or will be doing this month, so I may be writing several more posts this month

You can always subscribe to her e-newsletter to keep up with all the happenings in Linda’s world of wildflowers or stop by this blog often as I will be trying to post every few days about this very busy month.

It may still be freezing and the drought may stunt the beautiful displays of wildflowers in Texas this spring but rest assured Linda is busy making sure that wildflowers in all their glory will be there to put a smile on your face and a spring in your step.