I DON'T REALLY GAMBLE (EXCEPT ON LIFE AS WE ALL LIVE IT) BUT IF I LIVED NEAR A RACETRACK I'D PROBABLY BE IN TROUBLE!

'AND THE RACE IS ON'

12 x 12 Acrylic

I have been to the races a few times when I lived down in Boise, Idaho.  I usually rooted for the Horse whose name I liked best, or the color of the Jockeys uniform.  That's how I know I'd be in trouble.  I don't think you usually win that way! :(

This was a pour that couldn't get away.  The horses were 75% there.  I just needed to figure out where I was going with them.  The Raven, of course, needed to dive in to the race.  Not sure who won this one.  

The profession of book writing makes horse racing seem like a solid, stable business.

~  john steinbeck

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I shared the top Cactus below in my recent Newsletter but thought I would share both here today.  After all, I'm back in Idaho and we don't have Cactus up here, so I won't be able to share photos of cactus again for the next 6 months.  Anyone out there that wants to use these as a reference for a painting, please feel free.  

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

These four photos are all one Sunset taken the week before we left Ajo.   This was our last drive out into the Desert before we left and it certainly didn't disappoint us.

Charleen

TO READ AND/OR SUBSCRIBE TO MY MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

PLEASE CLICK HERE

SASSY IS AS SASSY DOES ...

SASSY:  adj.  lively, bold, and full of spirit; cheeky

'FEELIN SASSY'

6 x 6" Acrylic over and Acrylic Pour

For more information on this Piece please visit my Website at www.charleenmartin.com

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We went out for a drive in the desert last weekend and I took this photograph.  The lighting was almost surreal.  It gave the illusion of the Saguaro being soft and fluffy.  I'd say that was a little false advertising!

Same Saguaro from a little further away.

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CLOUDS  OF THE DAY ...

Sunset over Ajo.

KEEP CALM AND STAY SASSY!

Charleen

TO PLAY ...

OR NOT TO PLAY ...

'AND THE SEA TAUNTED THE BEAR  TO COME OUT AND PLAY'

This was one of those very happy surprises.  In a Pour, at least at this stage of my pouring 'career' :) you have a semi-plan and you hope for the best.  In this one, the colors are vibrant and I love the story being told ... at least the story I see being told.  What do you see?!

12 x 12" Acrylic Pour on Canvas

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

Beautiful Sunset. The clouds look like they are chalk lines in the sky. 

'God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.

~ Martin Luther

Charleen

STRUT YOUR STUFF!

WELL, THAT'S IF YOU HAVE STUFF TO STRUT!

LIKE THIS GUY . . .

'STRUT'

5 x 5" Acrylic painting over an Acrylic Pour

More information on him can be found HERE

And this is what the original pour looked like before I added Sir Strut . . .

Strut original pour

I've given myself a  little challenge to do at least several of these.  I have another waiting in the wings to show you next time but for now I thought I would introduce you to Lars.  I did not get to meet Lars personally.  He showed up at the Depot Museum (where I work one day a week) and my friend, who also works there, asked if she could take his photo.  It seems that this young man, who is from Germany, has taken it upon himself to skate across the U.S. from one coast to the other.  

Evidently he did not want to carry a backpack, so he devised this carrier to pull behind him as he skates.  Since I wasn't there to ask any questions, I'm not quite sure how this works.  I'm guessing it attaches somehow to his waist because I would think you would need your hands free as you skate.  However it works, if this young man has skated all the way from New York (where he started) to Wallace, Idaho, and is still smiling like that, then all I can say is he must have an indomitable Spirit.  Many kudos to him and a safe journey.

(WHAT FUN!!)

"Strength does not come from physical capacity.  It comes from an indomitable will."
                                                            ~  Mahatma Gandhi

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

photo by Indy Behrendt

My friend, who took the photo of Lars, also sent me this photo of a 'Bird Cloud' that she took.  It took me a minute or two (or three) to see it, but once I did, it was pretty evident.  Especially the head and beak.  Appropriate since I've been on a bird kick in my painting this week. :)

Charleen

P.S. If you are interested in seeing and/or bidding on, Art that has been donated by Artists to help the Victims of both Irma and Harvey, then you can just Click here at the DPW AUCTION

SOMEONE TOOK GROUCHY PILLS ...

"WHO ATE HIS CRACKERS ...?"

12 X 12" Mixed Media Collage on Wood Panel

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY . . .

photo  ~ Indy Behrendt

I had to take my work up to Entrée Gallery in Nordman last Friday.  They will be opening for the Season on Mothers Day weekend.  It was an absolutely beautiful day for a drive (good thing, as the drive from my home to the Gallery is a 3 hour drive each way! :)  The sky was a beautiful blue and the clouds put on a spectacular show.  A friend came along for the ride and she and I had a great time stopping, photographing and laughing about 'what we saw' in the clouds.  Indy is a photographer (and Silversmith) in real life so she had a good eye for all the sky action.  She took the above photo.   Can you see it?!  The Terrier ... running.  :)  She saw it immediately.  I have to admit I didn't see it until she told me, but of course now I can't see anything else!

“A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down.”  ~  Robert Benchley

Charleen

FLOWERS, FLOWERS EVERYWHERE ...

"MOM SAYS DAFFODILS GROW UP THERE TOO."

6 x 6 Mixed Media Collage

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

'Daffodowndilly'

She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,
She wore her greenest gown;
She turned to the south wind
And curtsied up and down.
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
"Winter is dead.” 

~ A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY  ...

Yes, I know it's upside down!  But ... I couldn't see anything right side up! :(  And there definitely is someone there this way!  I don't know what he's doing, getting ready to throw a spear, or create a Wind storm, but whatever it is, I see him and I know he's up to no good!

Charleen

GOT YOUR CARROTS OUT?

JUST ST-HOPPIN' IN TO SAY HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

"I CAN'T BELIEVE I ATE THE WHOLE THING!"

Have a Wonderful Day!

Charleen

PUT YOUR HEAD ON MY SHOULDER ...

OR ... BETTER YET, ON A PILLOW!  :)

I'm actually working on a couple of new pieces right now so I don't have new work to show today.  Letting spackle dry (for texture) on 2, letting backgrounds dry (and waiting for them to 'speak' to me) on another two, and slowly working on another one in Pointillism which will take a little while.  Did just finish a small piece that uses Pointillism, along with a little Impressionistic point of view, but I haven't photographed that yet.  I will probably show that next post.

These are two of the Pillows I have that are available in 6 sizes.  I love how both of these turned out.   If you would like more information on these please click on the link just before each pillow.

'SOMETIMES WE JUST WANT TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION'

For print and Pillow information Please Click HERE  (original also available)

'RUSSELL CROWE ... WHERE ARE YOU?'

For print and Pillow information Please Click HERE

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE SITTING BACK AND TALKING TO YOUR COWS
~  Russell Crowe

~ 

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

I see an old Codger, with a handlebar mustache, winking at YOU!  :)


Charleen