The Helium Burden Blog

I have started back at my other blog The Helium Burden with regular posts about my brain cancer diagnosis. I decided to share that blog here with you, my fellow artist and friends. I love dialogue and welcome it, so don't hesitate to share your thoughts and comments.

Here is the CaringBridge site my husband keeps updated.

Recently, I was approached local artist friends offered to put together a benefit to help Craig and I with medical expenses accruing from my recent diagnosis. I am overwhelmed, humbled by and grateful for the generosity of artists and volunteers who have committed to be a part of this act of service and sacrifice. The event will be on November 5th from 4 to 6 p.m. here in my town of Fredericksburg at my church, New City Fellowship. I am speechless, to be honest.

My hope and desire is to get back to the easel once radiation is over early October.

Until then, I have a few paintings left from the "Birds" show at FCCA if you would like one. As always I can work with you on payment.



"Sparrow"
5"x7" oil on panel
$300



"Black Swan"
5"x7" oil on panel
$300


"Osprey"
5"x7" oil on panel
$300



'Magpie"
5"x7" oil on panel
$300



"Dark Eyed Junco"
5"x7" oil on panel
$300



"Ruby Throated Hummingbird"
30"x24" oil on panel
$1200



"Osprey"
5"x7" oil on panel
$300



"Great Tit (UK)"
5"x7" oil on panel
$300


"Bald Eagle"
30"x24" oil on panel
$1200


"Cedar Waxwing"
5"x7" oil on panel
$300



"Hummingbird"
5"x7" oil on panel
$300

Opening Reception of "Birds."

Here are photos from the "Birds" opening reception at FCCA this past Friday night. It was a packed house. I sold several paintings, as well. Thanks to all who came out to celebrate the completion of a year long journey with birds. The show hangs through July.

I am taking a few weeks well earned rest and then it is back to the easel to prepare for the "New Mythology" show in November at HCCA.

Artscape and "Birds"

"Artscape with Bill Harris" is now online. You can see the episode here.


The reception for "Birds" is this coming Friday, July 1 at 6 p.m. at FCCA.

Here are photos of installation.

"Birds" at FCCA.....

Here is a slide show preview of "Birds" opening at Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts: June 26th - July 31st.
And here is the page and a link to the press release for the show.
We hang this Sunday.

Bird show and Artscape

The "Birds" show page is up on the FCCA website.

I have been varnishing paintings and staining frame wood. Most of the paintings are framed and ready. We hang on the 26th, so the work will be open to the public from then on. The reception is the following Friday, July 1st at 6 p.m.





I was on "Artscape with Bill Harris" last week. I will have the show online as soon as it is available, so stayed tuned.

Update....Bird show.....

I took a hiatus for several weeks as you may have noticed. I appreciate transparency and I am sure I have mentioned my struggle with depression in the past. My old friend came for a long visit recently, so I spent some time "wandering in the woods" so to speak. I feel I have found the way out finally.

The bird show at FCCA opens on June 26th, so there is much to do between now and then to get ready to hang. I will have three to four large paintings and 18 or do 5" x 7" paintings in the show. The reception will be held Friday July 1st at 6 p.m.



A new painting for New Mythology.

On the easel....

Framing for the bird show has begun....





"Barn Owl Study"
5"x5", oil on panel
$75 framed, message me if you want it...

On the easel....

Many thanks today to the almighty Sharpie......

On the easel and other things....

Paintings for the bird show are wrapping up. All the fine details are almost complete. I am beginning the framing, labeling and pricing along with a few other goodies. I do plan to have a drawing for one of the paintings. Yes, you have to attend the show to be entered.


"Bald Eagle"
30" x 24" oil on panel


"Peacock"
30" x 18" oil on panel


Sir Issac Newton was shipped home to Colorado yesterday. Kathleen says she will get a photo of him posing with his painting, which would be awesome....I am so proud of this painting. Thanks to her husband Dan for providing a great photograph. So often I get the old Polaroid shot indoors....almost impossible to work from....


"Sir Issac Newton"
20" x 16" oil on panel

Not much painting this week. We have dear friends who are being relocated, so Craig and I have committed to been spending with them weekly until they leave. I did do another study, though. If you have Facebook, I have a few up still available and add weekly. Any subject ideas for these?


"White Peacock"
5" x 5" oil on panel
$75 framed

"Overcoming the Seeds of Doubt" has been sold. I am so honored and humbled when someone spends their hard earned money on one of my paintings. You can read the narrative at the link.


"Overcoming the Seeds of Doubt"
18" x 24, oil on canvas

Update...

Last painting for the bird show...


"Peacock" oil on panel, 36" x 18"

And a few studies....


"Swan" oil on panel, 5" x 5", $75 framed


"Cardinal" oil on panel, 5" x 5", SOLD


"Deer Study" oil on panel, 5" x 5"
$200

On the easel...in the sketchbook

sketchbook...


Peacock
oil on panel
18" x 36"


oil on panel....

New painting on the easel..

Peacock
oil on panel - 36" x 18"

Study Painting

Peacock Study
5" x 5"
oil on panel, $80
message me if you want it...

On the easel

On the easel.....

On the easel...

All the work for my FCCA bird show in July is about finished and then I will move on to varnishing, framing and getting all the details done. I am planning on having a drawing for one of the paintings. I just need to plan how I want to do it.



As that body of work wraps up I am beginning to shift focus back to New Mythology for the show in November. I have several paintings waiting to be completed and begun for the series, including the one at the bottom.

Etsy

New small oil paintings available on Etsy.


"Grackle"
oil on panel

On the easel..polar opposites

Bald eagle on the easel.
I was talking to my husband last night about hearing other artists say they work 10 and 12 hour days in the studio. I have to say because of the manner and style in which I work I am exhausted after four or five hours of painting. So many tedious strokes with tiny brushes, so much concentration on mixing color and checking, rechecking proportion.



I have had a 48" x 36" canvas with a half finished portrait of Jeff Buckley on it following me around for several years. About my front door in the foyer is a large high wall I thought I would paint something for....I am not sure what I will do from here. Maybe a silhouette of something....my abstract artist friends are probably thinking I shouldn't quit my day job in realism....
I love all genres of art. Abstraction is pretty sophisticated, so I call this free painting at best. But I love it so far. It is a completely opposite process from painting, say, the bald eagle. Anyway, let's see what happens.

On the easel

Today I had physical therapy and I had my weekly Skype chat with mom, so I only worked about three hours. Tomorrow is Craig's RDO (off day) and unfortunately, we have to go to court because we were witnesses to in a case now going for a second round.....may or may not get to the easel.

Today's work......oil on pane, 30"x 24"....

Bald Eagle on the easel....