Texas Wildflowers are blooming...for real!

You know how much I love wildflowers. While I'm proud of my interpretation, nothing beats Mother Nature this time of year. One of the best displays of color I've seen in the area is on the stretch of State Highway 97 between Floresville and Stockdale. Superb! If you are in the area and can find the time, grab your camera and take the drive. You'll be glad you did!

Canyon Lake Art Guild Show

ART IN THE HEART OF TEXAS
My artist friends at the Canyon Lake (Texas) Art Guild will have their annual show during April at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery. I'll have some work in the show as well! If you are in New Braunfels during April, be sure to stop in to see "ART IN THE HEART OF TEXAS." Plus, you are invited to come for the opening reception on Sunday, April 1, from 2-4 p.m., at which time awards are presented. Then the gallery, as well as many of the businesses in Historic Downtown New Braunfels, will be open late on Thursday, April 12, from 5-8 p.m. for late night shopping.

CASA DE LINDA ANNIVERSARY
I'll be posting more information during April, but you may want to save the date on your calendar for April 28-29. I'll have my 3rd Annual Anniversary Open House and Sale-A-Bration at my studio/gallery, located on the 2nd floor at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery.

Congratulating my artists friends; my Garden Clubs article

Joseph Hammer's Mixed Media Collage...
David and I went to an opening reception last night at Blue Goat Gourmet in San Marcos (Texas) for our friend Joseph Hammer. Joe is a mixed media/collage artist, using old book covers to create interesting works of art. The exhibit continues through June 21. Blue Goat Gourmet is a charming breakfast/lunch/dessert cafe located at 310 Mary Street (ph. 392-GOAT for hours and directions--be sure to mention that you read about them here :-). Joe also shows at Davis Gallery in Austin and 1550 Gallery in Kerrville.

Susan Carlin's Pastels...
Our good friend Susan Carlin won honors at the Austin Pastel Show recently. Read about it and see the winning "Caldo" at her blog.

Another San Antonio Express-News article...
Also wanted to let you know that I have another byline in the San Antonio Express-News today (Saturday, March 24). This time I've written about garden clubs and the local Master Gardeners programs. You can read it online at www.mysa.com, go to SA Life, then Home and Garden. This link should take you right to it for the next few days after this posting. Enjoy!

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Show

Had a great weekend at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Saturday was especially busy with people there to look and buy. Sunday's traffic was lighter with more lookers. A total of 8 of my wildflower paintings found new homes. Also sold 52 notecards featuring my paintings! Had several friends come out to visit and that was wonderful! Thanks to all for a successful weekend!

Listed with Simply Licensed

I'm happy to report that my work is now featured on the website, Simply Licensed. This is a portal showcasing artists for manufacturers who are looking for work to license. You'll find me listed as one of the artists under my full professional name, Linda Calvert Jacobson.

Wildflowers at New Braunfels Starbucks, Artisans Festival at Wildflower Center

If you are in the New Braunfels area and haven't seen my wildflowers hanging at Starbucks, this is your last chance! I'll be de-hanging on Friday. Which is perfect timing since I'll be taking some of the paintings with me to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center for the Artisans Festival this weekend, March 17-18. Come see me! And don't forget, I'm hanging at Gallery on the Square in Wimberley and I'm one of the artists featured in the Art in Bloom show at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery.

IN OTHER NEWS...

My life as a freelance writer: Had another article run in the San Antonio Express-News this past Saturday. You can read it online at:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/salife/gardening/
Click on "Pride of Lions"

My husband has finally joined the world of blogging. He'll be posting thoughts and information about gardening in the Texas Hill Country. Visit his blog at:

http://happygrowingwithdavid.blogspot.com/

Listed with Internet ArtResources

Internet ArtResources The collector’s guide to the visual arts!

I just got word that my listing for Casa de Linda has been approved with Internet ArtResources. Click on the link above to check them out (I'm listed under galleries as Casa de Linda Art Studio and Gallery). I continue to look for ways to use the Internet to promote my art.

ART IN BLOOM at New Braunfels Art League Gallery

Ah...the Redbud trees are starting to pop and I saw some yellow Lady Banks roses blooming in New Braunfels today. Spring is just around the corner! We are in for some freezing weather this weekend but the end of winter is near. In the meantime, enjoy Spring through art:

WILDFLOWERS ON EXHIBIT...
"Art in Bloom" is the theme for the March special show at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery and three of my wildflower paintings are in the exhibit. SPRING SPLENDOR, DANCING WITH BLUEBONNETS, and, my most recent painting, TEXAS WILDFLOWER BOUQUET. I was also invited, along with about 4 other artists, to display one of my large contemporary wildflowers in the window at Color Express, located down the street, to promote the special show. I choose WILDFLOWER TAPESTRY, my huge 5-foot-by-4-foot floral (shown above). It looks fabulous from the street!

ART IN BLOOM RECEPTION...
The reception for "Art in Bloom" is 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, March 8. Downtown New Braunfels will be open late and will be hosting a sidewalk sale. Since I teach that evening, I'll be upstairs in my studio. If you are in the area, drop by to see the show, have a glass of wine and come up to say hi!

VISIT MY WEBSITE...
If this is your first visit, please be sure to check out my Casa de Linda homepage and my online gallery!

Updating the blog

MY LIFE AS A FREELANCE WRITER...
You know when I don't post anything for a while that I must be busy with other "stuff" and/or there's just not much news. Well, I have continued to write for the San Antonio Express-News. My latest story is in today's issue (Saturday, Feb. 24), in the SA Life section. It's an article on easy-to-grow houseplants. And it's posted online as well (click here). I will warn you that the direct link may change day to day so that might be a broken link by the time you read this. You should be able to access it from www.mysa.com, go to SA Life, then go to Home and Garden.

MY LIFE AS AN ARTIST...
I was invited to participate in a small fine arts show at Fair Oaks Ranch last weekend. That's a community located north of San Antonio, near Boerne. One of my favorite palette-knife florals went home with lady on Sunday. I hope that it brings her much joy and happiness.

My work is currently hanging at the Starbucks in New Braunfels and Gallery on the Square in Wimberley (to see my work on display there, click here.)

Now I'm preparing for the next show at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery: Art in Bloom. Goes up March 2. More on that later.

As always, thanks for visiting! Don't forget to visit my website and my online gallery blog if you haven't already.

San Antonio Express-News feature on Sara Eyestone

I continue to freelance write for the San Antonio Express-News. My latest article ran today in the SA Life section. It's a feature on the condo home of a fellow artist, Sara Eyestone. She lives in little love nest right on the RiverWalk. Just perfect for Valentine's! You can read the article online here or by going to www.mysa.com, then click on SA Life, then Home and Garden, then the headline: "Spaces: Red Hot Romance." Don't miss the slide show of her home.

New works at New Braunfels' Starbucks

Seven of my Wildflower paintings on exhibit at the Starbucks in New Braunfels through mid-March. The selection includes: AN ETERNAL LOVE, 24X18X1.5, $1000; NATURE'S CONFETTI, 40X30X1.5, $1900; FIELD OF DREAMS, 40X30X1.5, $1900; BLUEBONNET RHAPSODY, 30X24X1.5, $1400; and PAINTBRUSH TRIO AND COMPANY, 14X14X.75, $225. Also, LOOKING INTO SPRING, my 18X24 multi-layered work priced at $1400, is being shown for the first time outside of my studio or the New Braunfels Art League Gallery. And rounding out the show is WILDFLOWER GARDEN NO. 14, one of my palette knife florals, priced at $150.

In Other News:

Art Receptions...
If you are in the area and have the time, drop by the New Braunfels Art League Thursday evening for not one, but two receptions! First, from 4-6, is a cookies-and-punch reception for the childrens' art show up this month. I'm chairing the annual Kids Have a Heart for Art exhibit, which features over 325 works of art by Comal County 5th and 6th grade students. Then from 6-8 p.m. is the Downtown New Braunfels Second Thursday Late Shopping event. Start with cookies and stay for the wine! It's all free and open to the public!

Art classes...
I still have a few seats open in my Saturday morning, Tuesday after school and Thursday after-school painting classes. And one or two slots for the adults only classes on Tuesday afternoon and Thursday nights. E-mail me at linda@casadelinda.com if you are interested.

Upcoming Fine Arts Shows...
I've been invited to the Fair Oaks Ranch Fine Arts Show on Feb. 17-18. I'll be one of the artists setting up in the Country Club there.
Don't forget to mark March 17-18 on your calendar and come see me at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin for the annual Artisans Festival.

Looking forward to summer...
My Summer Art Camps were a resounding success for the last 3 summers. I've got my schedule ready for the 2007 Summer season. Camps are for ages 5-8, 8-12, and 13-adult. E-mail me if you would like a brochure!

Visting for the first time? Check out my website, www.casadelinda.com and my online gallery!

Gallery on the Square in Wimberley

I am again displaying my wildflowers in Gallery on the Square, a wonderful contemporary fine art gallery located in the heart of Wimberley, which is located in the Texas Hill Country west of San Marcos and Austin (click here to learn more about this little getaway or here for a map).

Currently on display are:
BLUEBONNETS & COMPANY, 24X30, $1400;
SUNSET CELEBRATION, 40X30, $1900;
and, just in time for Valentine's,
HEARTFELT PASSION, 30X24, $1400.

All are on gallery-wrap canvas. If you are ever in Wimberley, please stop by this gallery and be sure to ask about my work. Of course, you can view a large selection of my wildflowers posted at my online gallery. As always, my Casa de Linda Gallery and Studio in historic downtown New Braunfels is open by appointment. Just e-mail at linda@casadelinda.com if you are interested in seeing a larger selection of my work in person.