Fall and football have always provided me with such joy and entertainment. Obviously the colors of fall would entice any painter to paint, but why be drawn to football? I guess the answer is I grew up with it. 
My parents lived in Ann Arbor, MI while my dad attended the University of Michigan Law school. I spent ages 3-5 romping the campus. I’ve always loved the feeling in “The Big House”, U of M’s beautiful stadium. When the Wolverine band plays “Hail to the Victors” I still light up and cry.
As I consider life transitions, I can’t help but mention how many college teams have been added to my cheering list over the years: Grand Valley State University, Western Michigan, University of Georgia, Universities of Texas – Austin and San Antonio, and of course the great Michigan State Spartans. I followed in my brother’s footsteps to attend MSU in East Lansing. I met my husband and earned a degree at this gorgeous campus.
When I cheer for the various colleges attended by loved ones, I’m also cheering for my family and our shared love of learning. I have “woofed” with my younger brother while watching the GA Bulldogs, toasted wine with my older brother after the Spartans beat Ohio State 28-24 in 1998, taking on their rightful position as season-spoilers. I cried when my babies graduated from UT and UTSA.
Now that my daughter is a professor at the University of Kentucky, guess who has gained my loyalty? One artistic benefit of this is my new love of painting bobcats. Go WILDCATS! Go BIG BLUE! (except when you’re playing the MSU Spartans)
Thanks for listening,
Barb
P.S. – Here’s me, my husband (right) and brother celebrating MSU’s 1998 football victory over OSU.
I have been a birder for as long as I can remember. Chasing after birds as they flew actually made me feel free and unencumbered. It was the birds of prey that caught my attention first. The hawks and owls with their fierce eyes were a pleasure to sketch and paint. In Florida I discovered brown pelicans, watching in wonder as they dove beak-first into the ocean to catch fish. They way their bodies “kerplopped” into the water in such a bizarre fashion intrigued me. Then there were the Osprey diving feet first to grab fish with their talons. Sometimes they misjudge the size of their prey and are pulled under the water to certain death.
In Texas the hummingbirds provided me with a favorite subject to sketch. I’d work on five different drawings in various poses as the hummers got “nectar” from our feeder. Every year a male black-chinned hummer would arrive perching on our peach tree waiting for females. After mating, off he went to chase another! The females laid eggs then raised two babies alone.
Another Texas favorite was the roadrunner, which mates for life. I observed one wandering about seeming greatly disturbed only to find his dead mate close by, the victim of a fast-moving car. It always amazed me to know that roadrunners are capable of working together to kill a rattlesnake, not quite the cartoon image from long ago…
I’m participating in a new joint show with a fellow watercolorist Bernice Wood at the Artists Attic in Downtown Lexington. This event has made me consider all of the shows I’ve been involved in over the years, along with the changes I’ve witnessed. Recently my shows have taken place in areas where I’ve just moved and know virtually no one, at least in the adult world.
After moving to Concord MA in 2007 I met new fellow bird and art lovers. I had a show the first year I lived in the area. It inspired two commissioned pieces and sales of several small hummingbird paintings. Before I left the area in 2013 I’d had several shows. More importantly I taught watercolor and drawing to dozens of students, many of whom became friends and soul mates. I learned new skills – How to paint landscapes and flowers in order to teach my students. This learning/teaching experience made me a better colorist than I’d ever been. During my seven years in MA I definitely witnessed a drop in sales for all artists, and was thankful to be a passionate teacher.
Fast forward to 2013 and our move to Lexington KY where horses, not birds, rule the roost. Oil paintings are much more common and popular than watercolors. I’ve met a group of delightful and talented artists at the Artists Attic. Out of 26 members only two of us are watercolorists. Artists in all media have seen a drop in sales over the past decade. The reasons are numerous:
Sadly at the peak of my ability as a teacher and painter, I’m struggling to find students in the area interested in learning watercolor and drawing.
The current exhibit at the Artists’ Attic has given me an opportunity to show my best work. Compliments abound! Like all artists I appreciate the sentiment, but these days such sentiments rarely turn into sales or opportunities.
To that end: Horses, UK, and the beautiful Kentucky countryside will join birds and people in my paintings. A love of learning has always been one of my biggest passions, so bring it on in the Bluegrass State!
I’ve included the drawing I did after his death. As usual art helped me to cope. The drawing was done from a snapshot taken at his surprise 82nd birthday party. Normally there would have been lots of photos from my own camera. Unfortunately I landed in the hospital the night before. When I finally arrived at the party unshowered, exhausted, and bedraggled, he looked up at me with pure joy. As always, even at age 82 and wheelchair-bound, his strength of spirit lifted me up.
I’m so glad that I agreed to the photo because it captured how I felt toward a dad who was/is my hero.
She was so excited to see Nick that she planted a big, very visible lipstick kiss on his cheek! It touched my heart so, I knew this was something I had to draw. I wanted to make it special so I drew a heart of flowers around the portrait. Prior to that time I had not been an avid flower painter but this event got me started down a new path. I hope you enjoy the drawing – to me it’s a golden oldy, loaded with sentiment!
Artful Passages 