Wonderful Opportunity to show and benefit ASAP

Art for Shelter Animals painter Carrie Jacobson, working with painter Susan Miiller (not a typo) has a couple of opportunities for painters who love animals. These are fine chances to expand the Art for Shelter Animals Project (http://artforshelteranimals.blogspot.com), too!

Painters who are involved in ASAP make paintings of animals in their local shelter, or with a local rescue group, and then donate the art to the shelter or rescue group. The shelter or rescue group can do whatever it wants with the art: sell it, use it as an inducement to adoption, reproduce it on mugs or t-shirts, use it to decorate the office, whatever. When the artist finishes the work, she sends an image to me and I post it, with a story about the artist, and a link to his or her site, on the blog.

Both of these opportunities are intended to benefit the Port Jervis/Deerpark Humane Society in NY state. Susan lives nearby and volunteers there; Carrie used to live there, too. It's a good shelter, and could really use our help. Here's the website: http://www.pjhumane.org/ . The animals to be painted are at the very bottom of the home page.

First of all, of course, when you finish your piece, please send an image to Carrie (carrieBjacobson@gmail.com) for posting on the ASAP blog!

The first exhibit takes place in the office of Jeff Parker, 156 Pike St., Port Jervis. Parker is a podiatrist and an artist and an animal lover. He has a very nice space to show and sell art. That exhibit goes from July 26-Sept. 10.

Then, the work will move to the Deerpark Museum, for a one-day show on Sept. 18. Anyone who is in the area is invited to come and demonstrate during the day.

After that, the work will go to the shelter, to be used as the shelter desires.

As always, you can frame the pieces if you want, but you don't have to. It would be great if you would put a wire on the back for hanging.

The Wallkill River School has kindly agreed to accept the pieces. Susan will pick them up at the school. If you're out of the area, please mail them to her at the school:

Susan Miiller

Wallkill River School

232 Ward St.

Montgomery, NY 12549

Facebook Find

This is the third painting I've used a find on Facebook as inspiration. The first couple of images were of friends. This lovely daughter of a "friend" is someone I've never met and are friends because of Mafia Wars, Cafe World or one of the other games I play on Facebook. I could not resist her three year old carefully bringing up that cup to drink her pink lemonade at her "Tea Party". Lindsay generously allowed me to paint her beautiful daughter Leah.

8x10 oil on board

Palm Tree Trio

One of my fav artists Dana Cooper painted a set of palm trees on one of her recent posts. I told her I have wanted to try and paint palm trees and love the way she rendered hers. She told me she wanted to see how I would treat the subject.

They may be a simple subject for others but this took me 2 days, wiping, repainting and repositioning the third palm. I'm not entirely happy with it but its a start.

20x16, oil on board

SJC

SJC is the Airline code for San Jose International Airport in California. I usually use this airport for flight. As you probably do, I love to people watch while waiting for my plane to start boarding.

8x10 oil on board

"Sauna"

Here is that sauna I mentioned in "Dubious Welcome". I was struck again by the single light source coming from the only small window into the sauna. Though it had sat idle for the entire winter, it still had such a warm and welcome feeling with its log walls and cedar setting.

I would love to actually experience a sauna such as this one day.

8x8 oil on Raymar Artboard

"A Bridge Not Crossed"

Someone was sharing photos of scenery encountered during their walk. I immediately was taken by this bridge, surrounded by receding snow, crossing over a beautiful blue river still wearing sheets of ice.

I would love to visit this bridge in person one day.

24x36 oil on canvas

"Dubious Welcome"

When I was visiting the lake, I was invited to check out the outdoor sauna. I had never seen one and was amazed with the way one would light a fire to heat at least nine buckets of water to create steam for a cedar lined room. The experience was described as one of great relaxation and cleansing. I didn't get to experience this but I was struck by a little changing room next to the fireplace. The only light in the room was the one coming from the open door. Because of this lighting, I thought the room was giving me a "Dubious Welcome"

I may attempt to paint the sauna room in the future. It was quite small and beautiful.

I also had to share the breakfast my 12 year old surprised me with this morning. Happy Mother's Day!

36x12 oil on canvas