" Enzo "

What would pulmonary rehablition have to do with a beautiful dog like " Enzo " ? I use to paint eight hours a days and never ever think twice about it . It just was ! I took that gift very much for granted. Not any more ! When I started pulmonary rehab I could barely walk I was so weak, plus my motor skills were not working right . I was scared at how fragile I had become . After many painful hours of rehablition  and a amazing staff to support me , I am proud to say I am walking on the treadmill . It still hurts to move my body , but I am making forward motion . Pulmonary rehablition has given  me the courage and strength to go in my studio and paint on " Enzo " .  I have learn it is ok to paint for a hour , it is even ok to paint just for 15 minutes . It's all about building up my strength to paint . Thank you " Enzo" for reminding me it is only about the journey, not how far or how long you have been on the road . 

What ! A eagle feather ?

What does a eagle feather have to do with creating a beloved portrait ? It is a powerful tool that I use on every commission portrait I create . Prisma color pencils and graphite pencils leave small fragments of color behind . Then these fragments can smudge and streak color across a portrait creating a mess . In comes the powerful eagle feather to the rescue. The feather is so light when swept across the portrait it removes all the pencil color fragments without them smudging. 

We have been blessed to have a nesting pair of eagles on oak island which is across the salt water bay from us . Every fall we make a trip in our kayaks to check under the great

nest to fine feathers. We have been very blessed to have found many feathers over the years. In the native Amercian culture ,  Eagle medicine is the power of the great spirit, the connection to the Devine. It is the ablity to live in the realm of spirit, and yet connected and balanced within the realm of the Earth . The feathers of the Eagle are considered to be the most sacred of healing tools. 

Eagle medicine is the gift we give ourselves to remind us of the of the freedom of the skies. Every time my hand holds my eagle feather and runs it over the sweet eyes of all the portraits I do I know deep in my soul how blessed we all are. 

Move it or lose it ....oh so true

"Move it or lose it "....I heard this quote many times growing up , always just listening and chugging happily forward in my life . Well now , become ill and you start hearing this quote in your head over and over again in all parts of your life . It's become a daily battle and war to " Move it " .  Maybe deep inside me somewhere this quote was screaming in my head keep drawing, do not lose that part of your brain, keep moving your pencils and never give up  your passion for dogs . My goal for 2014 is to complete 4 pencil portraits a month and build up my strength to paint . I am already short on my goal this month .....treatment has been hard . Failure ? Nope ........because I am building my strength , I am " Moving it "

Thank you everyone for believing in me and my art !