Family Ties

"Family Ties" is a portrait of Mr. Eugene Kelly and his beautiful granddaughter Georgia. Karen, my client wanted a portrait for a Christmas present for Georgia, of course Georgia is an adult and Mr. Eugene is in heaven.  When Karen gave me the old photos to choose from I selected the one which moved my art heart, to me  the moment was all about capturing a tender moment.



Merry Christmas Georgia!

December 9, 2011

A prancing reindeer dashes through the snow with his feathery cardinal friends. If you love cardinals, this is sure to be your favorite. "Dashing through the Snow" is painted on a 5"x7" canvas panel.  Merry Christmas!

December 9, 2011

"Vixen" is both naughty and nice, she's Santa's secret favorite reindeer.  With her pink blushing cheeks and her pink cheetah scarf "Vixen" is ready to celebrate Christmas and the 2012 New Year. "Vixen" measures 5"x7" and is easily framed or can be counter displayed on a small easel.  Contact me for purchase and shipping details. Merry Merry Christmas to you and yours.

December 9, 2011

 "Kiss Me at Midnight" is the name of this proud and happy reindeer.  Contrasting blue backgound sets off the warm brown brown tones on a 5"x7" canvas panel.  "Kiss Me at Midnight" would make the perfect gift. Contact me for details and Merry Merry Christmas!

December 9, 2011

 "Rudolph's Woodland Friend" is my favorite in Kathy's 2011 Reindeer Collection. I was inspired to paint this sweet friend from a special ornament I purchased a few months ago.  He would be lovely displayed all winter long on a shelf, counter, or he is also easily framed.  Standard size canvas panel is 5"x7".

December 9, 2011

 "Jingle All the Way"  is an endearing reindeer just waiting to whisk Santa away on Christmas Eve.  A small acrylic 5"x7" acrylic painting that can be framed or you can display him on a counter or shelf.

Decmber 9, 2011

 "Peace" is a sweet little reindeer with a whimsical pink zebra scarf.  This reindeer is acrylic 5"x7" on panel, just perfect counter art.  She can easily be displayed on an easel or framed if you wish.

October 4, 2011

Sonya, a neighbor of mine came over and looked at my paintings in my "studio-turned home".  Seems like I have paintings everywhere, I also have a "gallery-hallway", thanks to my husband.
She chose one memaid as a gift for her grand daughter and commissioned another mermaid.  Adrienne, her four year old grand daughter received both mermaid paintings yesterday. "Adrienne" is the mermaid on the left and "Ariel" is on the right.
 Happy Birthday Adrienne!

September 29, 2011

 Painting my best friend Sandy, as a mermaid was so much fun!  I was thrilled when her daughter, Michelle commissioned a painting of her mom as a mermaid.....those of you who know me, know how I feel about mermaids! Well, to paint my bff as a mermaid? It doesn't get better than that! Quickly I started looking at all the photos of Sandy to find just the right one! Bingo! This photograph was taken at a little Wine Cafe in Hope Mills that we enjoy visiting from time to time.
I placed Sandy in the water like she was casually reading a book and soaking up some waves, look closely at the title of the book.  Sandy has a way of telling or describing information prefaced with "this is the deal", so of course, I titled the painting "The Deal".
Happy Birthday to my bff Sandy, from your daughter, Michelle.......we both love you!

September 27, 2011

Alex's wedding gift to Danielle was a painted album commissioned from me titled "Our Story " which expressed 5 significant events in their lives.  A sentimental gift is what Alex wanted to give to his new wife. I wanted to share a few of the pages in the album that express this special love between the two newlyweds from when they first met at the Sandwich Shop at White Lake to when Alex got down on his knees and proposed to Danielle in Central Park, NYC
.  Congratulations and Best Wishes to Alex and Danielle as they begin their life together.

August 29, 2011

 "516 West Duke Circle" was my mother and father-in-law's address until 1999 when Hurricane Floyd left flooding in the Rocky Mount area.  The flood took everything, they painfully lost their loving home where they reared 6 young children and where their grand children played. I remember getting "the call" from my sister-in-law, Ann and with a heavy heart she said "we lost everything".  Laura and Guy (my in-laws) shared many loving memories with their children and grandchildren at "516 West Duke Circle".
As I painted this portrait of their old home, many special memories of their loving home filled my heart. I especially remember that maw-maw would always let the grass get a little bit high at Easter so the grandchildren would have more fun finding their Easter eggs. This painting is about many loving family moments felt at "516 West Duke Circle".
This weekend as we celebrated maw maw's 82nd birthday, she and paw paw braced themselves for another hurricane, Irene.  This storm had a very different outcome than Floyd, Irene left only a few hours of clean-up and some inconvenient power outtage.
Happy Birthday Maw-maw!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

A beautiful day and beautiful family on a special day. No other title for this painting I could think of other than "The Love Painting". 

Friday, July 15, 2011

A day at the beach with "Mia and Nathan" .

Friday, June 17, 2011

"Turtle Love", a dreamy watery mermaid portrait. A family of sea turtles joins this happy mermaid as she swims and frolics in the deep jamaican aqua sea.

Monday, June 13, 2011

These two small paintings are titled "Sisters".  They were commissioned and painted for Morgan and Maggie for graduation gifts.  They are pretty close and have been together for many years, just recently they both graduated from Harrells Christian Academy.  In the fall the two sisters will be attending different colleges.  Hopefully these two small portraits will find their homes at Elon and Appalachian and remind the "Sisters" of sweet memories.

April 29, 2011

"Emma" is a big bright happy fish with green and pink hues painted on a contrasting black background.  "Emma" is available, contact me for details.

April 2, 2011

 I have a new love...my new French Resistance pochade box.  Pochade is French word that means "fast sketch", hence you have to paint quickly because of the changing light (this is how the Impressionists painted).  Artists use pochade boxes to make their studio portable.  It is set up to hold your paints, palettes, brushes, easel, paint thinner, brush cleaner and canvas......you can even accessorize it by adding hooks that hold additional brushes, paper towels and water bottles.........wonder if you can attach a wine glass and rhinestsones?  Hmmm....
I ventured outside in my front yard to try it out for the first time.  The red bud tree caught my eye this morning. A new challenge for this woman, I look forward to spending much more time with my new love, I can even take it in my kayak...yay!
See you on the road!
Oak Island next week with an old friend from college.............

April 1, 2011

 "Chicklet" is a sweet little yellow chick, she's pecking around for some yummy Easter food. She's tired of all the cold and rainy weather too.

Wednesday, March 30, 2012

 "LuLu" is a woolie cutie-pie sheep painted in oil and measures 5" x 7".  I bought a three-dimensional decorative sheep from Smellie Bloomers, a unique gift shop in Elizabethtown.  My goal was to capture her friendly nature and her adorable woolie coat in paint. I took the sheep that I bought, placed her on a table and put a spotlight on her and went to work painting her.  I had so much fun painting "LuLu's" woolie texture.

March 26, 2011

 A sweet little painting of peeps just in time for Easter.  Don't worry, this one has no calories. 

March 21, 2011

 I was asked to create a painting for a lady whose husband has lung cancer. As I spoke with Jamie, I learned that she is a strong lung cancer awareness advocate. Jamie wanted me to design a painting communicating lung cancer awareness. She told me that the color pearl was a symbol for lung cancer and she requested that I include pearls in the cancer ribbon. I decided to surround the ribbon with a bold black and white swirling motif.
Little did she know that lung cancer took my mother's life almost 24 years ago. My mother was diagnosed with lung cancer on March 1, 1987 and died June 1, 1987 only three months later. As I painted the pearls in the ribbon I remembered the strand of pearls that my mother wore around her neck. Oh, the memories......thanks to Jamie for asking me to paint this.  I hope you like your painting.
Lung cancer is the #1 cancer killer in the U.S.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

 "Mister Whiskers" is a 5"x 7" oil on canvas.  Painted with warm brown tones and a big sweeping green bow, "Mister Whiskers" knows spring is right around the corner and that carrots and cabbages will be waiting for him.

March 14, 2011

"Hoppy" stands tall with a prayerful stance.  Tied up with a sweet blue-black bow and surrounded by spring's first flower, "Hoppy" waits patiently for Easter.

February 24, 2011"

"Henry" is crabbing around the ocean's edge, looking for some warm sunny days.

"Peanut Butter and Jelly"

thinking sweet thoughts and things that go together like "Peanut Butter and Jelly".

February 3, 2011

 "Love Nest" is a 6"x6" oil and acrylic on a gallery wrapped canvas.  This painting first started out as my demo for our Fun Paint Parties we have every month. Sweet little aqua eggs nestle in the brown and green nest surrounded by pink hues.......ushering in the Spring.

Friday, January 14, 2011

 Many people have asked me why I paint sock monkeys, and this little monkey named "Patty" was my inspiration.  I first saw her at Smellie Bloomers before Christmas and I had to have her, she just had that special caring look about her.  I brought her home and painted her portrait! She reminded me of the sock monkey that my youngest son had when he was in the hospital a long long time ago. His sock monkey was the traditional brown monkey and was made by hand. 
Sock monkeys are so comforting and soothing and make me think of hugs and lots of lovin.  Stop by Smellie Bloomers in Elizabethtown, NC to see all of my sock monkey paintings and take one home if you like. Also, if you're interested in purchasing one of my paintings, inquiries may come to me. Thanks for looking!

Friday, January 14, 2011

 "June-bug" is cute as a bug, she comes bearing daisies for that special person. Her new home is Smellie Bloomers in Elizabethtown, but she would be happy to go home with you!

Friday, January 14, 2011

"Happy" is full of energy and is so happy swinging from one vine to another vine.  Couldn't you surround yourself with a little more happiness?  My sock monkey "Happy" can help.!  You can catch "Happy" at Smellie Bloomers in Elizabethtown.

Friday, January 14, 2011

 "Mel" is a peace loving sock monkey.  I'm sure we could all use just a little more peace in our lives, "Mel" will help!

Friday, January 14, 2011

  "With Open Arms" is my favorite sock monkey painting.  I have always loved cardinals, and this one seems to love sock monkeys too!  She is and 8 x 10 oil on canvas panel.

Friday, January 14, 2011

  "Ruby" is ready to party.  She is all fixed up like a lady, with her pearls and cheetah scarf, she will be the hit of the party.  She wants to know who's going to the party? Won't you join her at Smellie Bloomers for Valentine's Day?

Friday, January 14, 2011

  "Jo" is a 5" x 7" oil painting of a sassy sock monkey. Just the right touch for Valentine's Day!

Friday, January 14, 2011

  "Shug" is a sweet oil painting of a sock monkey with a sweet little heart on her chest.  She is painted on canvas panel.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

"Fancy" is her name, and she's ready to become someone's companion for Valentine's Day! There is just something comforting about sock monkeys.  But "Fancy" is also stylish, with her zebra print scarf, her sweetheart eyes and big red lips,(she is a little on the wild side too), she is just waiting to have some Valentine fun!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Snow is on the ground and love is in the air.  Being snowed in has given me the opportunity to package my original Valentine cards.  These cards are unique and are printed from oil paintings of my new series of sock monkeys.  Lately, I've become reacquainted with an old love of mine...sock monkeys!  I was so inspired I have painted 10 in the last few weeks.  This first one is named "Max" and he's holding a heart especially for you or your special someone. 
Also available are postcards,( 10 in a pack, showing front and back)  and a mouse pad with these words printed on it, "be my love monkey". These Valentine items and painting are truly original and special,  let me know if you would like for me to ship them to you, or you can purchase these cards and my artwork at Smellie Bloomers in Elizabethtown, NC.  Please email me with any questions that you may have, but don't wait too long. .