Hi everyone,
I haven't added a painting to my blog in a couple of years....because I've been so absorbed with making quilts at the Teaneck Senior Center.
Here's a photo of my latest creation, destined to be delivered to my son's new apartment in the Boston area...very soon.
Love those wolves and polar bears!  I'm hoping it will bring the energy of the animals to their new life there.
I am getting back to painting again, taking classes with Paulette Cochet at the Alpine Community Center.

She's a great teacher with lots of interesting techniques to share.  Send me an email to kathylindner123@yahoo.com and I can let her know you'd be interested in being on her email list.

Peace and Calm at a Bed and Breakfast

This painting is of a room at a Bed and Breakfast on Chincoteague Island, Virginia. I believe it was called the Watkins House, but I am not sure they are still in business.
There is nothing more wonderful than a night or two at a B and B to calm your nerves, give you time to think and contemplate what you will do next on this wonderful life journey. I stayed here for two nights after a long trip back from North Carolina when I visited my daughter and her family...a couple of years ago. When I look at the painting, I have the same feeling of calm and relaxation I felt when I was there. I am grateful to all the B and B owners who make this possible for us.
This and the paintings below are now for sale, complete with dark walnut frames. If interested, call me at 201-928-1787. Plan a rest for yourself soon!

PAINTINGS FOR SALE

Here are two other 12 x 16 water-soluble oil paintings for sale, including the one in the post below. The first is a cozy house next to my favorite park in Teaneck, NJ. Title: Cozy house. The second is a scene in Votee Park in Teaneck, NJ.
Title: My favorite rocks. Each comes with a deep walnut frame.
If interested, call me at 201-928-1787

Inspiration from Edward Hopper

I recently took a class at the Art School in Demarest, NJ. I experimented with water-soluble oil paints. I used to work in oils, but couldn't stand the smell.

Now I have found a new medium that looks like oil...but it is odorless and cleans up with water.

One of our assignments was to copy a master painter in our medium. Hopper worked in regular oils, but I copied his Coast Guard house. See how he is a master of having the light hit the building. Now if I can just do that on the paintings that are my ideas.

This 12 x 16 painting and several others I did in the class are for sale. Call me at 201-928-1787. The other paintings are in the posts above.

Koi fish to make you happy!

Have you ever watched Koi fish? Recently, I photographed the Koi fish swimming in a tank in our local Chinese restaurant.

The owner was so excited that I was photographing his fish. When my camera's batteries died, he eagerly found some replacements for me...so I could keep photographing.

The Koi, originally brought to rice paddies to serve as food for the workers, were patiently bred by the Japanese for their glorious colors and patterns.

They are the subject of beautiful Koi art, myths and Japanese folklore.

They have individual personalities, make wonderful pets, and can be trained to eat out of your hand. I read one account where the owner would pick up his koi, throw him back in the pond, and he would come swimming back for some more "play".

Perhaps we have many things to learn from the koi fish. Here's a painting I did of two that looked like they were "in love".

CHINCOTEAGUE HORSE

This past June I travelled to Chapel Hill, N.C. to visit my daughter, Carla, husband, Jeremiah and their 3 year old twins, William and Sophia.

As she has lived there, I've had other opportunities to see new scenes along the way.

This time, I stopped for two nights on Chincoteague Island, off the coast of Virginia. I stayed at the Watson House, a lovely B &B and enjoyed the day visiting the horses on the island.

There is a "Rune" stone I picked once which represents the horse. It's called Ehwaz. Ehwaz is a Rune of transit, transition and movement...of new dwelling places, new attitudes or new life. It also signifies movement in the sense of improving or bettering any situation. " As I cultivate my own nature, all else follows." Sometimes I just need to visit horses.

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

from THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

by Robert Frost

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence;

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

When I travelled to Ithaca to see Ethan, my son, Amy, my daughter-in-law and Lily, my granddaughter, there are two ways to travel. One is out Rt. 80, the other is out Rt. 17 West. I chose Rt. 17 and was astonished at the scenic views along the way. The photos I took have made all the difference in the reference material I now have for my paintings. Wouldn't it be wonderful to live on this farm? Perhaps some day I will have a house in the country where my children and grandchildren can visit. We could watch the birds, turkeys and deer as my son and his family do... in Ithaca....and I would have more and more scenes to paint.

WHICH ROAD WILL YOU TAKE.....IN LIFE?