My Rhode Island

I just finished a series of paintings of some of my favorite local locals.

The painting at top left was a little 12 x 16 painting I did during my 365.  Back then I had spent weeks trying to minimalize my painting style as much as possible.  I had loved the effect and promised to return to the concept, but you know me…I got distracted :)

Well, I remembered and tried again.  Even though the color palette is quite restrained and minimal itself, I tried to keep the colors as bright and vivid as possible.  No mud.  I don’t see the world through a beige lens :)

I also knew I wanted them to all tie together like a series, so I worked on all of them simultaneously.

First I did all the skies, then I blocked out the landscapes and then carefully, one by one I added all the details. I have to say, adding the trees, grass and rocks was terrifying.  I really liked the uber-simple landscapes and wondered if I should just stop there.  I’d love to get some viewers feedback.  How minimal should I go and still be able to communicate my beautiful locale?  My intuitive self would say make a hundred more paintings and then you’ll see clearly… but my good old regular self says “hey, that’s way to long. I want to know now!”   Yes talking to myself again… :)

I am going to turn this collection into a mini-art print set.  I’m thinking 8×10’s.  It will make just the prettiest little bathroom for someone won’t it?    ;)

Today’s my birthday.

As a gift to myself, I joined Weight Watchers and the gym in February.  My goal was to feel awesome by my birthday which is always Memorial Day weekend which just happens to coincide with the beginning of summer.  The past months have been a lot of hard work and discipline.  I put myself first very adamantly.  My exercise schedule was just as important as the kids music lessons, sports practices and play dates. Of course there was guilt in that at first, but now I am an equal citizen in our family and everyone has supported me.  To date, I have lost 16 pounds.  And guess what?  IT FEELS AWESOME!!!  Hardly anything is wiggling and jiggling and I’ve slowly decreased my addiction to salty crunchy junk food (mainly Doritos and anything orange!)

So today I will thank the universe for my good health and smaller waist size.  But I think I’ll take an extra few moments to embrace the discipline.  I come up with some crazy goals and after I declare them to the world, I WILL NOT BACK DOWN.  That’s usually why I like the declaring it to the world part.  But really, I didn’t think I could do this one.  I really like to eat – and drink for that matter ;)  I thought I’d fail within a month… maybe even two weeks.  But, showing up at WW, seeing the same women each week and routing each other on, sort of made it fun.  I don’t own a scale so I had to show up for weigh-in once a week.  That in itself was enough to get my personal drive  into OVERDRIVE.  I do like a challenge I must say.  It’s been pretty cool.

So, I did it.

The weather is absolutely stellar today. I’m heading outside with my head held high.  I’m a year older and I feel great!