Ranch Blossoms ~Bestest Blog ~ Bestest Workshop ~ Bestest Art Blog ~ Art Blog

Ranch Blossoms $190.00
16” x 12”, Acrylic on watercolor paper adhered to gallery wrapped canvas ¾” profile
Last summer I had a delightful workshop on a ranch near Marble Falls. I first saw Robert Burridge’s work on the Cheap Joe’s Art Catalog. It was a a series of coffee cups similar to the ones offered on the Amazon link and I was smitten. That is the power of a painting. I had to know more about this artist and his technique. I purchased his book, his cd’s and tapes, and decided I’d go anywhere to take a workshop. Ranch Blossoms is one of the pieces begun in that workshop. We painted in a metal building with the doors open as there wasn’t air conditioning and this was Texas in September. We wore wet towels around our necks to stay cool. It was glorious.

Now I’ve scheduled a figurative workshop with him in October in Mendocino, California. Bob states in his book Loosen Up

“Remember, all this thinking and creating is just
a game. There is no ultimate significance to it all. However, it’s the best
game there is. I only know that I’m happy to play the game and I paint. But
what it is that I am about to paint, what happens, I never know in advance.”

When I was painting that week at Dena Wenmohs Ranch, I didn’t plan this painting. It just happened. I call the painting “Ranch Blossoms” a mystical name for a mystical painting. It was hot and dusty and one of the most creative weeks I’ve ever had. No TV, out in the country with the donkeys who followed you on the short walk to the main house for lunch at Dena’s home, just eating, talking, dreaming painting.

Bobby Griffin over at the Bestest Blog http://www.bestestblog.com/ is setting up a new directory this morning. I will post more about it later.
http://www.blankestblank.com/

Thanks to Peter Chen's Blogger Tips and Tricks article I was able to get the workshop photo in the middle of the page!! Yoo-Hoo!

I just knew "bestest" wouldn't be in the dictionary but surprise at Dictionary.com I found this entry. It's slang and had one entry. It will probably NOT be my new favorite word.

Sold ~ If You Give A Mouse a Cookie ~ Or How I Got From There to Here

"Always Thinking" self portrait
SOLD to Art collectors in Colorado
22" x 15" image
140 lb. watercolor paper
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.. by Laura Numeroff
My elementary library students used to love to hear that book read to them and it tells about the circuitous route this mouse takes after he wants a cookie and it gives valuable lessons on cause and effect. Check it out by clicking on my Amazon link button to the above and to the right. I feel like that mouse in search of a cookie this morning. Plans were made to hit the kitchen table to pay bills but after checking my FeedBlitz email, I got all involved in reading the email from Peter Chen on blogger tips on putting a photo at the bottom of your blog . So I emailed him to ask if I followed his directions would that be my photo or his. I’m a newbie remember? So he answered and put it in his comments and that went on for awhile and I always like to check out others’ comments and found this one on Chen's site.
I like to read comments nearly as much as posts and right below one of Chen's posts was this comment posted on 6/25/2007 by
Daniel Thompson and he said on Chen's blog...

I have been reading your blog for some time, but never bothered to leave a
comment. I have found it to be helpful and posted a little article about it
here:
http://profiledirectory.blogspot.com/2007/06/blogger-tips-and-tricks.html

So now I want to go register my profile with Daniel Thompson. That I have done and if you are not convinced to do the same read this post where he lists why profile pages are important… Then at the bottom on his links of Wrong Blog, …
he mentioned he’d won a prestigious award so I was intrigued. Mr. Thompson says: I was surprised, no I was stunned, to receive an email from Bobby Griffin saying that I won the coveted Bestest Blog of the Day Award. I mean, this blog isn't even a week old!

So who is Bobby Griffin and I had to go check out The Bestest Blog of All-Times. Yes, I want to sign up here and I added his link to my blog roll under Blogs I Like.

After reading this interview with him, I felt like he was a pretty good guy and I’d like his Bestest Blog.
Internet interview with Bobbie Griffin about what a blog should be. http://tomasinagunterouw.wordpress.com/2007/07/14/an-interview-with-bobby-griffin/

OK, I’m going to want to join up with anyone who wants to promote my blog. Bobby, you and I are new best friends. So it’s now after noon and no bills are paid and it began when I wanted to read Peter Chen’s one article. If you give a girl a computer, she’s gonna want to email, then she’s gonna want to blog and quickly found out that blogging is like email on steroids. Maybe, eventually I'll get back to the bills.
The book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, by Laura Joffe Numeroff, gives valuable lessons on cause and effect and is suitable for ages 4-8 or maybe a senior or two..maybe even 71. The first line sets the mood, “If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to ask for a glass of milk.” On Amazon it was rated 5 stars and reviewed by 109 satisfied customers. To read more about the book, click on the Amazon link button on this page. Felicia Bond illustrated the book. Other titles in the series: If you Give a Moose a Muffin and If You Give a Pig a Pancake recommended by Oprah's Books for Kid's Reading List. All are wonderful reads.
I found this on YouTube if you'd like to hear more about the mouse and the cookie.