When I was on vacation last week…(wait, I was on VACATION last week? Where has the time gone?) …I spent a great deal of time consuming caffeinated beverages and painting. I finished 13 paintings in fact. Mainly because in my studio, in front of the fan was the only place I could tolerate the insane heat. (In Oregon, 90 degrees  is the insane threshold, in case you’re keeping track.)

Remember my Kickstarter project? The one where you all crowd-funded a 2012 calendar of my paintings? Yeah, that one!

Well, as of June I’ve launched into painting the portraits that will make up the calendar. Fittingly, I started off with the cover girl, Niki. Isn’t she a beauty?

Niki, Cover Girl

Here's Dru. He's in the calendar too.

I am only doing a limited run of these calendars so if you want to make sure you get one, please pre-order here. When they’re gone, they’re gone.

If you read The Pioneer Woman, you’ll probably recognize these next portraits.

Like millions of other people, I read Ree’s blog every day. There’s always something that interests me on a personal level…but that’s why we choose to read the blogs we do, right? Her post last week about her kids saddling and unsaddling the horses prompted me to go back to my photo albums. I looked through pictures of myself as a kid with my horses (in order of appearance) Sonny, Babe, Theo and Rowdy, and re-live my own saddling and unsaddling days. When I got my first pony at 9 years old, I remember thinking how heavy the saddle was with its wooden stirrups and clanking buckles. You’re supposed to throw the cinch(es) over the saddle when you put it on, but invariably those buckles would slide down and hit me in the face. Consequently, I did a lot of bareback riding to avoid the whole situation.

My family lives in the city and I sometimes regret that my kids won’t grow up doing farm chores and playing in the woods like I did. They aren’t spoiled, but there is a different level of responsibility that country kids learn, I think.  Seeing Ree’s kids working on the ranch plucks at my heartstrings just a little.

In the past year or two, I’ve painted Ree’s dog Charlie and even her cow. I can’t wait to see how these portraits of her children look all framed up at the ranch.

Despite a headache that’s lasted for a million years, I awoke on Monday with a radically heightened sense of possibility.

And sure enough, good things started happening.

First,  it was announced that my painting, Naughty had been included in the Top 10 finalists for the Mutt Lynch wine label contest. We find out today if I win the case of wine, bragging rights and a trip to Healdsburg, California. Fingers crossed.

Second, author Neil Gaiman posted some photos of my paintings living in his house. In his entry hall, specifically. I am over the moon about this.

Look, Cabal's in the photo, too!

 Third, I finished an enormous painting of 21 dogs and two people and got an order for two more giant paintings. The first enormous painting required a trip to Home Depot and construction of a hoopty workbench.

I’m outgrowing my workspace and LOVING IT.

They’re done! I just completed a trilogy of cat portraits for a client and here they are. I can’t wait to see them hanging in their new home.

Meow.

It seems much of my week has revolved around cats. First, Ron Weasley is losing his hair again so I had to get him dosed up on Advantage. During the summer he loses his big mane and fluffy tail but it’s growing back now…just in patches. He looks like a homeless cat, so I have to concentrate on getting him back in shape so someone doesn’t take him to the animal shelter.

He’s a lot of trouble.

As usual, I don't know what he's doing here.

Secondly, it was my sister’s birthday today and I told her to watch the mail for her present.

“Is it something homemade?” she asked.

Turns out, she was hoping for a painting of the new kitten that has replaced her children in her affections. She’s  really going to be disappointed when she opens New Moon: The Board Game.

Lastly, I am doing a trilogy of paintings for a client and all the paintings are of the same tabby (as I might have mentioned, I have a soft spot for tabbies.) She sent me very interesting shots, two of which are extreme close-ups. This is the second painting and I’ll post them all together when they’re finished.

Baxter

Completed: September 17, 2010

Soundtrack: Cher

Beverage: Diet Rite

I’ve probably titled three or four posts “Weekend Update,” but only because I want to be Tina Fey when I grow up. Short of that, I think I’ll just keep painting.

Meeka

Sutter

Darla

Completed: July 25, 2010

Soundrack: Storm Large, Crazy Enough

Beverage: Coke Zero

Dear Universe,

I would like to paint more horses.

Cheers,

Rachael

Gidget

Completed: June 13, 2010

Soundtrack: Glee Soundtrack

Beverage: Diet Coke

According to Twitter, it’s Bastille Day. Everything I knew about this holiday was forgotten somewhere between now and 9th grade history class, so the only thing French I can contribute is this.

French Bulldogs.

You remember Butters, right? The guinea pig that’s named after my favorite condiment? Well Butters has three guinea pig “siblings” that wanted their portraits done as well.

Momma

Betty

Humphrey

Completed: July 9, 2010

Soundtrack: The Pretenders

Beverage: Nothing yet; where the heck’s my coffee?