Well... I was a slacker and didn't do a blog for July. So, here's one covering two months!

The monsoon season really ramped up in July, and during July and August, you could at least spy a rain shower on the horizon someplace or another a good portion of the time. This also meant cooler temperatures (more 90's, less 100's) and higher humidity (oh joy - I thought I escaped that!). I'm a sky gazer anyway, and it's been a glorious time to watch the drama unfold above.

On a hot day in early July, I took a trip up to Mount Lemmon to escape the heat. At over 9,000 feet, it was nearly 30 degrees cooler on the mountaintop than down in Tucson. The trek is a little time consuming, but well worth it. During the monsoons, though, part of the key is finding a time when it's not raining up there, as the mountains get so much more rain than the city does.

The wildlife sightings weren't as plentiful over July and August, but we did see our first tarantula spider outside the apartment. He didn't bother us in the least and I thought he was pretty interesting. I know, I know, I'm a weirdo. We also had a few onslaughts of Sonoran Desert Toads (aka Colorado River Toads) in the depression outside our apartment, which the monsoons filled to make a little lake. They make the weirdest (loud!) noises and depart as quickly as they appear. I was totally baffled the first time they showed up until I figured out what the racket was.

I also got to spend some time in the Tortolita Mountains, just north of Tucson, while house/dog sitting for my second cousin Kim and her sweet dog Murphy. Kim and her husband Ian have built a beautiful home that is surrounded by a rocky desert wonderland. It was like a mini vacation in our own backyard.

The fam along the coast in Newport, Oregon

August was, well... full of love. The first week of August, I took a trip to Corvallis, Oregon, to see my sister and her family. As a bonus, the icing on the cake was that my mom was there, too. We had lots of fun and laughs and a trip to the coastal town of Newport, where the high was 60 degrees - not a temperature I've seen in a while!

I visited my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, the last week of August for a whirlwind few days. Having never "moved away," it's a new thing to visit home and figure out the logistics of how to cram in visits to everyone who's been an important part of nearly 40 years of your life. I was sad that I could not arrange a way to see every one of the many, many lovely people whose faces I miss. I had many more great intentions than I had days and hours, and unfortunately time seems to have a way of evaporating when you’re trying to meet new babies, celebrate milestone birthdays, help moms, catch up on major life changes, check in on puppy dogs that own your heart, attend weddings... you get the picture. I did my best and that's all I can do. I can't wait for next time!

And now, art! I think I did pretty well considering that I took two trips. I started making 2"x3" size "miniature paintings" and have really had fun with these little studies. Many have sold and they've proven to be a popular item.

"The Land of Stories" I & II, all framed up and ready to go to their new home

I also received a really neat commission. I was asked to recreate one of my miniatures as two 5x7" paintings. The scene, which was from a trail at Madera Canyon, Arizona, made the customer think of the stories she reads to her grandchildren. She said it felt “like you could walk right into a land of tales and mythical creatures.” She plans to have them help her hang her piece and to help them hang theirs. Then she will tell them that when they look at their painting she will look at hers, and they’ll meet in the “Land of Stories.” So sweet!

There are, of course, still pieces waiting for you in my online shop. I hope you'll hop on over and see if one of them takes you to a special place, too. Shop now ›

"Sonoran Suitor"For sale as of this blog posting — "Sonoran Suitor"
For sale as of this blog posting

"Cactus Cartel"For sale as of this blog posting — "Cactus Cartel"
For sale as of this blog posting

"Fetish Pottery Still Life 2"For sale as of this blog posting — "Fetish Pottery Still Life 2"
For sale as of this blog posting

"Newport, Oregon: 8/5/18, 13:05:08SOLD — "Newport, Oregon: 8/5/18, 13:05:08
SOLD

"Newport, Oregon: 8/5/18, 13:05:08"For sale as of this blog posting — "Newport, Oregon: 8/5/18, 13:05:08"
For sale as of this blog posting

"Tucson, Arizona: 12/24/17, 15:21:20"For sale as of this blog posting — "Tucson, Arizona: 12/24/17, 15:21:20"
For sale as of this blog posting

"Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado: 5/27/18, 19:22:12SOLD — "Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado: 5/27/18, 19:22:12
SOLD

"Armory Park, Tucson, Arizona: 5/19/18, 14:59:29"For sale as of this blog posting — "Armory Park, Tucson, Arizona: 5/19/18, 14:59:29"
For sale as of this blog posting

"Bahía la Cholla, Sonora, Mexico: 6/20/18, 12:14:32"SOLD — "Bahía la Cholla, Sonora, Mexico: 6/20/18, 12:14:32"
SOLD

"Madera Canyon, Arizona: 5/10/18, 12:48:27"SOLD — "Madera Canyon, Arizona: 5/10/18, 12:48:27"
SOLD

"The Land of Stories I" and "The Land of Stories II" - SOLD (Commissioned pieces)

"Tortolita Mountains, Marana, Arizona: 7/28/18, 19:33:28"SOLD — "Tortolita Mountains, Marana, Arizona: 7/28/18, 19:33:28"
SOLD

"Tucson, Arizona: 8/17/18, 19:14:22For sale as of this blog posting — "Tucson, Arizona: 8/17/18, 19:14:22
For sale as of this blog posting

"Tucson, Arizona: 8/11/18, 19:09:32"For sale as of this blog posting — "Tucson, Arizona: 8/11/18, 19:09:32"
For sale as of this blog posting

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I sound a bit like a broken record, but it's always hard to believe a month has gone by. I think that if I didn't set a goal to write one of these monthly, I might find that six months had passed before it occurred to me to sit down and record another. I certainly can't complain that time goes by slowly.

The first Saturday in May brought a visit from our good friends Kerri and Brian from our Louisville hometown. They spent five days with us in the desert, and it was so nice to catch up and host them. Kerri and Brian have so many exciting things going on (especially the impending arrival of their baby girl) and Aaron and I were very grateful that they took some time out to journey across the country to spend time with us.

The weather has been nearly 100% fantastic in Tucson since we settled here in October, and May brought a few days of 100+ heat. I guess it can't be perfect all the time. In response, I took the opportunity to visit Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains just south of the city. The elevation means cooler temps and a different landscape. These mountains are one of 27 Madrean Sky Islands in the U.S. Their higher elevation and more plentiful precipitation make for more abundant greenery and lots of wildlife.

Silly me thought that the wildlife in the hot desert would hide from the heat like most humans do. I was wrong! During May, there were several interesting sightings near our apartment, including large troupes of coyotes, even more hummingbirds than in winter, a western diamondback rattlesnake, and a desert king snake (a "good" snake that eats rattlesnakes).

I enjoyed a lot of time with friends in May. In addition to Kerri and Brian's visit, I spent time with my friend Kalisha in Tempe and Heather in Tucson. I also wrapped up May with a visit to Colorado with Jenny, who was once my college roommate at Bellarmine University. She kindly informed people along the way that we were celebrating 20 years since we graduated from that institution of higher learning. What did I say about time?

Jenny and my trip was a bit of an impromptu idea. She wanted to go somewhere I'd never been, and those options seemed a bit slim. She'd also never visited a major national park. So, I suggested Colorado, and we spent the last few days of May in Estes Park, Colorado Springs, and Denver. It was as gorgeous as I expected, and I look forward to painting some of the scenes I encountered there. Highlights of our trip were Rocky Mountain National Park, Garden of the Gods, the city of Manitou Springs, the Denver Mint (where our pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters originate), and the Denver Botanic Gardens.

Work in progress from my watercolor class

I began taking a watercolor painting class from my drawing instructor. While I have a Bachelor's Degree in painting, I trained in college using acrylic paint, a completely different medium than the watercolor and gouache I've been using the past couple of years. I've never really received instruction in watercolor, and I feel the class has already helped me a lot. I plan to continue with both classes for the foreseeable future, both because they help me improve my artwork and because I really enjoy my instructor and classmates.

Sadly, I think this might have been the least productive month I've had since embarking on my artistic journey in 2016. I completed just two paintings, but I do have two more underway and also wrapped up two drawings in class. Of course, I did take a vacation and host house guests, which I wouldn't trade for anything.

June is looking to be a hot one, with triple-digits in the forecast as far as the eye can see. I'll be taking a trip to Phoenix and then heading to the beach in Mexico mid-month, but right now, I think I need to wrap up this update and get out the paints! Thanks for following along. :-)

Shameless plug alert! In case you're wondering, I have a few more paintings available for sale in my online shop than I often do. Also, I'm open to selling any of my drawings - feel free to make an offer or ask about pricing. Shop now ›

Photo from which I painted Sunny (compiled from two separate photos)

Tucson Botanical Gardens, Tucson, Arizona: 4/24/18, 9:06:56

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