I am honored to be the first Featured Artist for the Grand Opening of Comma Spa, Wine and Art Gallery.  I will have originals and prints hanging and for sale throughout the month of April so please stop in if you are in the downtown Portland area.  The owner, Ashley, does an exceptional job at pampering her clients and puts the utmost effort and creativity into all that she does so I am sure her new place will be a big success.

The Grand Opening is from 3 -8 PM on April 7th. I will be there from 5-7 PM.  Hope to see you!

Comma Spa, Wine and Gallery 1126 SW Morrison St. Portland, Or, 97205 (MAP)
503-241-6500

Comma is a full-service spa, wine bar and art gallery, featuring a hand-selected assortment of Northwest wines to sample at our wine bar, and a rotating exhibit of works by local artists.

In addition to offering a complete selection of services, including hair, nails, body waxing, massage, reflexology, and makeup and skin care, Comma is also proud to be the only Portland-area spa to offer Vinotherapy – therapeutic treatments and products incorporating the powerful anti-oxidant and restorative properties of grapes and grape vines.

You’ll still find the same knowledgeable and caring staff you’ve come to know and trust at Elegant Nail Studio, along with our expanded services that now allow you to indulge all your senses!

I haven't dropped off the planet, but I did move to Eugene, Oregon last summer for work reasons.  I needed a change of pace and I got it.  But alas, Eugene is not for me and I am headed back up to Portland.  Due to fatigue, work stress, moving stress etc., I have done very little to nourish my own creativity while I have been here. I have discovered how much I NEED to carve out time and space and create a lifestyle that nurtures my art.   So, I am excited to be moving back to Portland shortly and get going.  I just recently heard  a woman on the radio, a writer, describe inspiration as a wild animal which one must seize quickly if they want to keep it.  It is slippery and fast.  For months I have stood passively (or lethargically!) as "wild animals" have grazed at my feet then dissapeared.  When I get to Portland, I plan on catching them as they come.

These were completed in May and June.

"Life" - Chalk pastel and ink on paper.

"Hideaway" - Chalk pastel on paper.

"Sunrise" - Chalk pastel on painted canvas.

"Evening" - Chalk pastel on painted canvas.

Thanks to all who came out last night (in the rain) to attend my show opening. It was a great night for me. I met some new people and enjoyed seeing friends from near and far, old and new and sharing the evening. Your support and kindness is encouraging and appreciated.

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Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. -Helen Keller

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The "Sea" picture below has been in progress for months. "Tu Amigo Victor" was inspired by a meeting with an artist in Berlin. The vacillation in my style from precise and clean to childlike and loose is pretty evident here. They are both me.

"Sea" - Chalk pastel and ink on paper.

"Tu Amigo Victor" - Chalk pastel and ink on paper.

I have been fortunate this year to travel more than usual. I recently returned from Barcelona and Berlin. It was a memorable trip and I got to soak up art everywhere I went. In Barcelona, I was blown away by Gaudi's architecture as well as its picturesque beauty and in Berlin the street art is everywhere with some of the graffiti being suitable for museums. I have never seen so much graffiti in my life. Berlin is a real crossroads of cultures and feels vibrant and alive. Good times.

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 Finally, with all the hubbub of the holidays over, I've had some time again to focus on art.  Such a pleasure.  I have been experimenting with incorporating ink into my drawings to acquire a bit more detail.  Here's the latest:

"Dream" - Chalk pastel and ink on paper.

"Pear" - Chalk pastel and ink on acrylic painted canvas.

"Calm" - Chalk pastel on paper.

"Lush Twilight" - Chalk pastel and ink on paper.

"Night River" - Chalk pastel on paper.

With my November fundraiser now completed, I am happy to report that I was able to donate $700 in total to Peace for Paul.  Thanks to all of you who helped make that happen!  Your donation will be used wisely and go a long way.  

I am working on getting the prints finished and they will be mailed out by next week at the latest Many thanks to all who participated!