Here is yet another painting of my daughter Aleah. Obviously she is one of my favorite subjects. This painting was so fun to paint. I tried something a little different with this one. Instead of using my daughters actually drawings and writing in the painting I drew them in. This painting is currently a part of the Utah Arts Council "Untitled" show and will be on display at the Rio Gallery at 300 South Rio Grande St. for the next few weeks. The show is part of gallery stroll on Friday night as well as the "300 Plate" show at Art Access Gallery which I also have work in.

Saturday night was the opening party for this years Spring Salon at the Springville Art Museum.

The top photo is Justin Taylor holding a newspaper that I have yet to see. It was a complete surprise to me to see my painting in the paper advertising the show. I have to admit I couldn't help but stand by my painting the night of the show to listen to what complete strangers had to say about it. It was kind of fun. If you have a chance to make it to the museum there is some outstanding work in this years salon.

Here is my third and final plate for the VSA Arts 300 plates fundraiser. I just got invitations and will send them to those of you who have requested one. I have about 5 more so if you want one let me know.

My studio is finished! Ironically, it was finished over a week ago but in the transition I lost the cable to my camera so I couldn't download these photos. It feels so good and so different from before. My favorite part of my studio are the walls. I love Aleah and Eve's writing and drawings on the walls it really feels like a part of a painting. Finally, a studio that is me. Now I need to get to work!

I just spent two days going through five years worth of paper! Keeping things can come back to haunt you! I decided to clean out my studio and be more like some of my artists friends. Honestly out of all my artist friends the men are by far more organized and clean. Jeff Hein, Sean Diedeker, and Greg Stocks... just to name a few. My studio was made up of some very random items of furniture. I had a computer desk that I bought over 8 years ago at a Down East Home tent sale for $50. Then there was the little dresser I bought from a garage sale. I sanded it down and painted the drawers blue. I took both of those along with other random things to D.I. today. Although I am excited for the new, I felt a little sentimental about these little pieces of furniture that have brought me this far. So I am painting my studio white, yep I said white. I have not painted anything white for years. I have decided however that I am going to let my girls draw on the wall and then I will paint it with various shades of white like I do my paintings. It feels good to be giving myself a fresh studio space. I will post photos of it when I get it done.
If you have seen my studio before it will shock you how good it is going to look. As a person who is so affected by my environment I can hardly wait to see how this will influence my art.

This is my second plate for the VSA Arts 300 plate fundraiser. This painting was inspired by Bonnie and Margot (sorry for the bad photo). They belong to one of my favorite collectors Grace Ivory Rock. In 2003 Grace bought two of my first oil paintings, and recently purchased "Kids In the City 2" from my show at Coda. I had the privilege of going to Grace's home and seeing how my art was displayed. I love the way she has decorated her home and is definitely an artist in her own right.

It feels good to be creating again. This is a sketch I did of Aleah. Sometimes I am able to catch something in my sketchbook that becomes difficult for me to duplicate. I feel like this sketch captures something about the 9 year old version of her. I love the messy hair and freckles.

The painting is one of three plates I am doing for the "300 Plates" fundraiser at Art Access in May. Some of you may have noticed my current love affair with the color orange. Yes, it can be difficult to sell paintings of my girls. But if I am going to paint a little girl why should I try so hard not to paint my own who I intimately know every curve of their little faces, the colors of their skin, the flip of their hair.