Latest version. This piece sure is going through a lot of changes.  Still not sure if it's finished.

This piece has been causing me headaches, for sure! I knew I needed something else in there, to make the whole scene more interesting, and to balance things out a little bit. Standing there and staring at it this morning, it came to me in a flash! A Skull!  There it is, something for the characters to be looking at, other than a dry river bed, and what better way to suggest that these three might be in trouble than to show a previous traveler to these parts?

I've just completed this little graphite drawing. It's entitled 'Dumpin' Duncan'. If I decide to illustrate my books, I will likely use this one along with some others I have rattling around in my brain.
I'll be starting another graphite drawing later this week.

  Working hard to get ready for the Mothers' Day Studio Tour. I have two new pastels in the works, and I hope to get a couple of more pieces done in time.

There's been a small set-back with publishing ICE. Outlaws Publishing and I have gone our separate ways. Not sure what the problem was so maybe we can just mark it up as 'creative differences'. That's a good catch-phrase.

Anyway, no worries. I am giving ICE another thorough proof-reading and then Eric and I will be getting together to publish it on Create Space. I'm thinking this is going to be a better way to go. So, those of you waiting for the paperback, I hope to have it available by the end of next month.

In the meantime, here's the two pastels I'm working on. Both are nearing completion but not quite there yet.

Wow! March already! The Mother's Day Studio Tour is going to be here before we know it. Still working on building my portfolio, but I probably have enough pieces for the show now. Too many is better than too few, plus I have to get some more prints made up. Money, money!
I want to get a few graphite drawings done as well. I have a couple laid out in rough but haven't gotten down to them yet.

So, here it is, about as finished as it's going to be for now.
It's not as finished as I would like it to be, but I feel that if I continue to push it, I'm going to overwork it. Time to move on.

Here we are, half way through December, and no one who wanted portraits done for Christmas have come through. Typical. Still, I had a couple who gave me down payments, and even they haven't gotten the photos to me. I guess they don't really want them for Christmas.
In any case, I am still staying very busy. I know have most of the elements ready for the book cover. I just need to get together with Eric so we can play around with it on photoshop. Then, of course, there's figuring out the publishing site! That's next on the list. But, we're getting there!
Now, all we have to do is bring these three paintings into one image, and add the text. No problem.

 Still busy! Getting some writing done, but mostly focusing on preparations for upcoming Christmas shows and fairs. I'll be at the Christmas Craft Fair at the Community Center on Camano Island on the 18th of Nov. Then, I will also have a table at Lady Fit, in Stanwood, on Dec. 2nd. Come on by for some unique Christmas gifts, or commission a personal pet portrait.

I'm also working on my book cover design. I think I'm happy with the one I have on the go now, but still some work to do on the rough before I start the serious piece. Here it is, so far.  Keep in mind, it is still just a rough!