I had a few operations a couple of months ago, one being my right hand where they detached & then reattached the ligaments in my index finger. I wasn't able to paint but I did find that scratchboard, which I've been wanting to try for awhile, was easy to do. Somehow a world without art was not an option. My hand still looks bad but feels great now.

It's been a long while since I posted but have made a new resolution to re-begin posting. It's good for me to keep in touch with the artists around me.

I'm in California right now & will fly home next Friday. My husband & I are going to drive back to Cali for the holidays. We can stop & visit my daughter & see their new home in CO (with it's fabulous views) along with their new horses - can't wait! Will have to bring some very warm riding clothes. I also have plans to go to a couple of the wild horse sanctuaries to gather more reference.

 Had a terrific Oct. show in San Dimas. Really looking forward to the western show next April.

 I have had great news from the ARC (Art Renewal Center) that my 'Brahma Mama' made it as a finalist to the animal/wildlife division. This is a huge honor. 'Brahma Mama' has won a few major awards & it's going to the Women Artists of the West show in Texas. You can see an image of her & other goings on on my web site at www.lindawalkerart.com.


This is 'Gazelle' 7" x 5"; original sold at the Irving Museum show (I'll get more ambitious with the size when I get home). It's the second piece I did, the first on being "Ram" which is on my web site.

This is a message written for artists and sent from Robert Genn <robert@painterskeys.ccsend.com> on behalf of; Robert Genn Twice-Weekly Letter <rgenn@saraphina.com>
This letter deals with quantity vs quality. It has a very surprising conclusion & is well worth the reading as is his other letters & the responses from other artists. If you do not already get his letters I would highly recommend your signing up for them. The latest letter

Two artists  November 2, 2012 or http://painterskeys.com/

Robert

PS: "Artists get better by sharpening their skills or by acquiring new ones; they get better by learning to work, and by learning from their work." (David Bayles and Ted Orland)

Vote for me on the Art Stars Video Competition!!!

Click on the link below to view a short video

http://www.youtube.com/artstarscontest#p/c/0F95A2CE4AC35901/10/ZBYbWeNATf0

I am in the 28 finalists for the Jerry's Artarama 'Art Stars' Competition. The votes are counted as views of the video but only one view per day per computer ISP is counted. The counting is finished April 30 so please let it run every once in awhile, I would be very appreciative.

My husband and I filmed this video with some less than satisfactory equipment and without the professional help of some of the artists so please forgive the pixilations and less than satisfactory quality. This isn't an excerpt from a full length professional video. The winner of the competition will have a full dvd professionally done for them.

No matter what the outcome I will be putting together some DVDs this year. I would like them to be on subjects that have been popular for my workshops.

I'm painting a lot and getting ready to leave for California early April through mid June. I'll be teaching a workshop in Wickenburg, AZ April 12 through 15.

Here is a photo of our two new bulls, #91 & #92...no, we haven't as yet come up with names for them, they need manly names. They're in Kentucky right now & I'd like to watch them grow but it's just a little far to just drop by, perhaps we can fix that in the near future.

Again, I've been a long time getting back to my blog. I'm trying to make a habit out of too many things, exercise, painting, cleaning, goofing...just not enough time or willpower.

I'm painting again, I took a few weeks off from life & did a little less than nothing. I became ambitious just a week-ish ago. Am about 1/2 finished with a painting of horses o the back side of Santa Anita Race track.

I have to start taxes soon & there goes another week but this year am hoping to get to them early so I'm not trying to do them & pack for SoCal.

Hope this is the start of an exciting, healthy, 'wonderous' year for all.

We got home two weeks ago & I arrived with a cold which laid me up for a week & from which I'm still trying to get my energy back. I haven't even finished the unpacking & clearing up. Starting to feel a little more active & we walked down to the lake to take pictures of the swans. I got some gorgeous photos & probably just in time as the lake is starting to ice up. I also took a lot of photos of our two newest calves (two dandy bulls - Greg is really happy about that). They are by & out of some very good bucking stock so it should be interesting to watch their progress.

We found a place to buy in TN. 25 acres of pasture with a wonderful house (2,500 sq. ft. on an unfinished basement). That's the good news, the bad news is that we are going to have to work on getting our home up for sale - lot's to do.

I put the painting to OPA into the mail & finally got my paints set up. Would like to start a painting for the OPA National show, among others. I have a drawing done of horses behind the scene at the track that hopefully will turn out as I envision it. I'll also start on the swans, calves, wild horses, buffalo, elk.....oh my! Must go work.

I won a second best of show!!!!

It has been a great past couple of weeks. I won second place in the San Dimas Wildlife show, last weekend...Yea!!!! It was even made better because there were some outstanding artists & art. The show was a terrific success & the sales were stellar. I'm going to try for their western show (have to show that I have enough western work). The people who run the show are so great to work with & many of my artist friends are there. It would work out to be good timing with the Wickenburg, AZ workshop.

I also was invited to participate in the Small works show at the Clymer Museum of Art in Ellensburg, WA. I have to get those paintings in the mail ASAP. I stopped & picked out a frame to be made for the Oil Painters show & it should be home about the time we get there.

We are leaving Sunday to drive home through Nashville. We just found out we have another bull calf on the ground & Greg is anxious to see his new additions. We have also found a few houses to look at. some with about 25 acres, although I'm too old to be taking care of cattle, it would afford us some space for quiet.

Our trip so far

I had a great time at the show in Cody, WY. Great art & terrific experience. I had the Irma Cody suite which I decorated with easels covered with old fashioned material to display my paintings. We had a great turn out & the show was a success which always helps one have a good time.

After the show my husband & I made our way through Yellowstone park ( we had a little trouble because of some fires closing a portion of the road & construction closing other parts). Never the less it was spectacular! Tons of elk & buffalo & fabulous scenery - great pictures that I can't wait to paint from. We walked all of the available geyser trails & had to drive through Bozeman the first day to get to our room in West Yellowstone late but it was worth it.

We are both looking forward to doing this again.

I'm at a hotel in San Dimas tonight. We set up our show tomorrow & then have the "dinner" for the collectors. The show is two more days & then we will start looking to leave the first of the following week. I think we are still set on driving through Nashville on the way home. We have several places to look at for new homes & we just found out we have a new bull calf so it will take some pretty bad weather for Greg to decide this isn't a good idea.

I stopped on the way to San Dimas to get a frame made for a painting that is going to the OPA eastern regional show in Florida. I am anxious to see how it looks but he is sending it to our home so will have to wait for awhile.

Will post some images of our trip later this week. I'll also let you know how the San Dimas show goes. This is such a good show & they only invite 23 artists so I am very honored to be amongst them. A very dear friend & funny gal, Leslie Kirchner, will be staying with me on Saturday night so that should be a fun evening. So far the room is fabulous & I am having a very good time.

'Autumn on the River' oil 9" x 12"
Just one of the gorgeous autumn days in Minnesota. I am doing a wildlife show so I placed some ducks in the milling in the background.

'Misty Vista' oil 9" 12"
This is at Bandon Golf Course in Oregon. A good day no matter how you play.

I'm slowly getting ready to leave for my trip to Wyoming & California.

Must make a correction to the date for the San Dimas Show, it's Oct. 16 through 18.

We will stay in L.A. for a couple of weeks to visit with the moms & go to the ABBI bucking bull show in Las Vegas on the way home. Three days of entertainment & food. We stay at the Southpoint which is about as comfy as it gets. I also plan on a lot of visiting with art friends & getting saturated with art. We have some great friends that are long time docents at the Getty museum & I plan to take them up on an offer of a close-up inspection of some of the gorgeous work there.

I've been painting on some small landscapes lately. They are so much fun to do that it might be hard to get back to the detailed work of fur & feathers. I started because it seemed that backgrounds were what I needed the most work with. I could always do them well but I'm working to get more spontaneity. It doesn't necessarily add up to less work. The goal is to really work on looser brushwork. I can't see myself using the thick juicy paint that plien air painters use but a softer, lost edge look that is my own is coming through. So far they have been very well received. I've include 2 at the top of this entry.

I took down the show at the Northern Gallery & got my painting sent off to Texas. I have decided not to do the San Bernardino show - it's just so much work & even though the sales are good I get way too tired & it keeps me away from home for too long. I'll probably put my walls up for sale when I go back to L.A. in April for the Wickenburg, AZ workshop. It will be my 4rth & I may also do a one day plien air workshop between the lecture & the 3 day workshop. I'll post more on that later. I've decided to concentrate on juried shows. They are much easier on me & I can do some traveling to the openings along with the couple of wildlife shows I do in CA. I've been asked to do some workshops that are out of town but I'll have to see how well they schedule in. I may also finally get to some sculpting & wouldn't jewelry be fun?

Stay well & be happy creating.