Advice from a BUTTERFLY

Photo taken at Belews Creek, NC

1. Let your true colors show
2. Get out of your cocoon
3. Tke yourself lightly
4. Look for the sweetness in life
5. Take time to smell the flowers
6. Catch a breeze
7. Last, but certainly not least, remember, we can't all be monarchs!

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.

Here are a few photos of my inspiration, taken by me, at Carolina Marina.

If I can pull myself away from this blog they might actually become paintings. There are not enought seconds in a minute, not enough minutes in the hour, and certainly not enough hours in the day.

Do you paint?

Painters look at the world around them in a different way. It is both something innate and learned. I look at the world around me and see many different colors in the sky, the trees, the grass. I see greens in old fence rails and blue in gray horses. I see shapes between the branches in the trees, shapes in and around buildings, the shape and color of light as it falls on the floor or comes through the curtains. I feel and see the many ways that light changes from sunrise to sunset.

Both oils and acrylics have such amazing properties that allow me to portray the effects of light and shadow on everything from butterflies to roosters-especially birds, hens, geese, chickens-anything with feathers. If you have never painted but you love being outside-painting allows you to combine both loves. Painting allows you to learn something every time you participate in the experience, because each time the light, the wind, the weather change your subject appears different and new.

Here's what I hear all the time...
"Oh, I wish I knew how to paint, but I don't have any natural talent."

"My art teacher in Grade 5 told me I wasn't very good."

"My sister has all the talent. I wish I was as talented as she is."

"I wish I could paint what's in my heart."

If you don't allow these negative thoughts to guide you it might be a real surprise to find out that you too have talent. To me, painting is not about the destination-the completed project, it is about the journey, the joy, the experience. I never worry about producing museum quality masterpieces, and it's a good thing I don't, or I would never pick up another brush. This is about participating in activities that bring out your creative spirit, and we all have one, trust me. All you need is to WANT to paint or draw from your heart.

About Me

This is a photograph of my painting entitled, "Bend Oregon, A Love Affair". I didn't get to stay there long, but it was truly an wonderful experience.

Although I've had a life-long, deep love of art, I am mostly self-taught. I picked up what I could, when I could from books, an occasional workshop and miles and miles of brush time. I've began painting at my kitchen sink since my daughters were small..sometimes setting up my canvas after getting them tucked away at night, only to blink my eyes and see the sun rising without my being aware of the fact that the night had come and gone. And yes, this wasn't yesterday. They have birthdays this month, and they are 41 and 36...when did that happen? Recently I have returned to fine acrylics and oils.

Although I paint as often as I can my very detailed style and natural rhythm just don't result in a huge output. So, I paint small format, original works at my own pace. I generally paint canvas, but I am about to rekindle my love of wooden duck decoys, antiques and wooden objects.

Painting is such a fascinating experience. Once you see the light around you, and begin to understand the endless ways to use color to show it, there is no turning back. It becomes something you can never completely master, but continue to learn and travel on the path of discovery that keeps life so interesting.

Thank you for your interest in my work and please feel free to contact me at anytime about anything.

Why Butterflies?

“Tell me Sir, what is a butterfly?” asked Yellow the caterpillar.


'It’s what you are meant to become.

It flies with beautiful wings and joins the earth to heaven.

It drinks only nectar from the flowers and carries the seeds of love from one flower to another.”


“Without butterflies the world would soon have few flowers.”


“It can’t be true!” gasped Yellow.
“How can I believe there’s a butterfly inside you or me when all I see is a fuzzy worm?”


“How does one become a butterfly?” Yellow asked pensively.


“You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar.”


“You mean die?” asked Yellow.
“Yes and no…What looks like YOU will die, but what’s really you will still live.”
“Life is changed, not taken away. Isn’t that different from those who die without ever becoming butterflies?”

(From the book "Hope for the Flowers" by Trina

Why painting?

Painting is such a fascinating experience. Once you see the light around you, and begin to understand the endless ways to use color to show it, there is no turning back. It becomes something you can never completely master, but continue to learn and travel on the path of discovery that keeps life so interesting.

“There are two kinds of artists, the emotional painter and the academician. The academician can paint into old age sitting on his stool licking his canvas until 98 years of age. The emotional artists burn himself up; he does not live long. The academician always creates something acceptable, boring, but acceptable. The emotional artist often misses, but when he hits, it is breathtakingly beautiful… touched by the gods!”

Sergei Bongart 1918-1985