Thursday, July 31, 2008

"Pretty in Pink..."

...A simple Coneflower...
or
Echinacea purpurea...as they say in fancy circles. :)

"Efforted" on specially this night for
my Uncle Skip... :)

Thinking of you with love!

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Monday, July 28, 2008

"Sunrise...Sunset..."


...Cactus Mandalas.

I have become addicted.
I cannot help myself.
Everytime I design one of these...
I feel the digital "NEED"...
These "negative" color flips become an anxious anticipation...
A sensual addiction worse than dark chocolate...
Okay,
Not worse than dark chocolate...but verrry, very close.
Think it's time to put me into
Microsoft Digital Editor color rehab???
Funny, NOT!...
"They tried to make me go to rehab......I said No, No, No..."
Amy Winehouse

Happy Cactus Monday All!
May your sunrises and sunsets today be glorious!

And...
Triple Happy Birthday Wishes Today to...
Lexi...in Illinois, who is 5 today,
and to
Joya and Jillian, in Arizona, both turning 6!
WooHoo! :)

Saturday, July 26, 2008

"Letting Loose..."


...A little late night levity.
Limbs...
Lines...
and Leaves.

Friday, July 25, 2008

"Oooh!..Lookie Here...! "

...This beautiful award
was just presented to me Thursday by
Marva, in Colorado, at Purplepaint's Muse blogspot.
And Friday by Kazumiwannabe.
...Double the fun!
Thanks so much Marva...and Kazumiwannabe! A big WooHoo! :)

The rules for accepting this award are:

1. Choose 5 blogs you consider deserving of this award for
creativity,
design,
interesting material and
a contribution to the blogging world.
2. List the name of each person awarded and a link to their blog.
3. Show the award and the name and blog link of the person who presented you with the award.
4. Show the link to the Arte Y Pico blog. http://arteypico.blogspot.com/
5. Show the rules.
Now...I, in turn,
would like to present this award to a few of the people who
"rock" my artistic and imaginative world.

1. Anita Davies, in England, at Art by Anita.
Anita is, plain and simple, my "self appointed" mentor...
Oprah has Maya Angelou...I have Anita...
Plain and simple -If you haven't visited her before...
Do so now...she's an artistic DYNAMO-she does not disappoint.

2. John, in Kansas, at John a Lookin' Around:
John has beautiful journal pages of life all around him.
He is currently working on a fabulous travel journal
which has inspired me to start one of my own...A must see!

3. Pippa, at Pippa's Porch.
Pippa has a thoughtful and creative blog built this premise:
"The best kind of friend is the kind
you can sit on a porch swing with,
never say a word,
then walk away feeling
like it was the best conversation
that you ever had." ~ Anonymous
I love visiting her!

4. Teri, In Wisconsin and Arizona, at Teri's Painted Daisies.
Teri is an amazing blogger...
She fills her pages daily with
a dazzling delightful variety of topics.
She is active in many drawing forums
and brings joy to my heart with her art!

Irene is both artistic and inspirational.
Her absolute love of nature is prominent in her artwork-
and her workshops spectacular.
I make a great armchair traveller...(don't like bugs)
Irene's site is a world of adventure to me! :)
A "Must See!"

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

It's a bird...It's a Plane..."



NO! ... It's Anita's Maruman..."A Taste of Home"...
...boots dusted off...looking as "spiffy" as ever...winging her way
eastward away from the blazing heat of the Arizona desert
with fiery crimson colored skies painting her way
to
the cool green forests of northern Sweden
and the anxiously anticipated artistry of
Nina Johansson.
My, we had such fun together!...She will be greatly missed! :)
Next to arrive for a desert visit is Jennifer's "Transitions"
sent all the way from Anita in the fens.
I have open arms and a tall cool drink awaiting her! :)

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

"Brand New Peeks...! "





And...Here they are...Fresh from the scanner...
A few teensy-tiny peeks (to assure the surprise of the reveal)
of my 10 new pages in Anita's Maruman sketchbook
"A Taste Of Home..."

Stay tuned...
our little adventure only gets better and better and better!
I cannot wait to get my next book!
JOY!...Margaret :)


Monday, July 21, 2008

"A Desert Update..."

...From Me To YOU! :)

Season of the Year: Summer Monsoon...
Days: Blindingly blue clear skies-
occasionally punctured with billowing thunderheads or maybe dusted
by a couple of haboobs (no joke...they're real...a cool pic here)
towards late afternoon...
Temperature Ranges: 100+ and horribly Humid to 115+ and Scorching...
PLANTS & ANIMALS:
Prickly Pear Cacti: Some are beginning to fruit...
Saguaro: Tall, flowerless and thirsty...
Argentine Giants: Displaying second round of seasonal blooms...
Night Blooming Cereus: Flowering only in my memory...
Lizards: Hotfooting it across the yard and walls...
Quail: Under cover of the shade during the day
Cooing and scurrying about only during early morning hours
and before sundown...
Rabbits: Annoying
Me: Luxuriating in the coolness of the A/C
but still
wilted...and hot...and "dewy". LOL!
And then...there are the
Sunsets
and...
Nights: Brilliant crimson painted skies
Temperature: Lows mid 80's and still heavily humid
Vegetation: Sleepily awaiting automatic irrigation
before sun up the next day...
Rabbits: Out and About...Still Annoying...
Everything man made: Radiating the heat of the day.
Me: Still luxuriating in the coolness of the AC,
Tuned into late night HGTV,
Still awake, artistically burning the midnight oil...

Have really Cool and Happy Cactus Monday All !

Friday, July 18, 2008

"I'm Just Too Picky..."

...I have NO favorite color...Seriously!
My color "faves" are fickle and fleeting.
My choices
depend on my mood, or my subject, or my medium,
or the time of day, or...whatever!
I truly have NO single favorite color.
But...I will confess...I do L*O*V*E them all! :)
And,
my latest watercolor loves are the Daniel Smith Quinacridones.
They are so hot...and sultry...and juicy...and energetic.
Mmm-mmm-mmm... "Oooh La La!"

EDM #180
"Draw Something in Your Favorite Color"

Thursday, July 17, 2008

"It's A Small World..."

...And OH! How Wonderful it is!

Since I first received this award from Anita and Kathleen
I have been presented it twice again by another two lovely artists:
Lisa, of Lisa Reed How I See It, in Texas
and Clare, of Mummushka's Sketch Journals, in Australia!
Ladies, I am truly humbled.
Never, even in my wildest dreams, did I ever think
my teeny little art world
would grow to have such big and beautiful horizons.
What an honor to "know" each of you!
You can view my seven nominees here.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

"After 500 Inches of Snow..."

" ...Nature finds a way!"

Found growing wild
near one of the footings for the deck of their log home
in Clark Colorado...
20 some miles north of Steamboat Springs.
...My sister-in law Sue's place.
A sign of hope!

Monday, July 14, 2008

"My, My...MYYYY..."

...Ooooh MY!

I confess...
I have absolutely flipped over the funky fun-ness of a new FLICKR toy!
How can a girl resist??? LOL :)

Happiest of Cactus Mondays to all!
WooHoo!

Sunday, July 13, 2008

An Award! WOW!

Today really is a day to party!

This comes from Anita Davies in England at Art by Anita Blogspot
AND
from Kathleen in Oklahoma at My Creative Spot Blog

What a double fun surprise to receive today!
Thank both you so very much!
The rules of acceptance are:
1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. Nominate 7 other blogs.
4. Add links to those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

So, here are seven of the many, many sites that I really enjoy:
(Wow! Looks like you are getting a second one Teri!)
Margaret-MaggieArt

Participation is totally optional...but definitely a lot of fun! :)

"Celebrate Good Times..Come On!"

My 100th...BLOG POSTING!

"Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul.
Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal."
-Ralph Vaull Starr

My deepest appreciation and gratitude goes this day
to all my wonderful art loving visitors and friends
from all over the world...
who "pop in" every "now and again" for a blog visit.
You have excited my artistic spirit and touched my heart.
You have energized my imagination with your comments.
You have become a welcome part of my every-day.
Together may we continue to "reach high"
and "dream deeply"...
For, the best "100" is yet to come! :)

And last, but certainly, not least...
I send, with love, my happiest birthday wishes ever on this day
to my brother Mark...
and to my sister Susan,
Born this date exactly two years apart!
I Love You both! Happy, Happy Birthday!

My oh, my! It really IS a Wonderful Day! :)
So...
Let's Celebrate...Come on...! :)

Friday, July 11, 2008

"A Drawing is Born..."

I have always been intrigued by the complexity and beauty of mandalas. There is something about their intricate designs, their spiritual "vibes", their links to the past that really appeals to me as an artist. Although my free form floral-inspired "mini mandala" drawings posted here lack the geometric precision and size of their professional relatives...the overall feel of each one to me is still very pleasing and soothing .

Believe it or not , when I put my pen to paper I had no plan for this piece...not a clue whatsoever of what I would draw. It all just happened-grew, if you will, one shape after another after another. My pen just freely flowed over my moleskine-IT, my pen, seemed to control the art... not me! I truly felt I witnessed a project be born out of artistic energy. Have you ever had that feeling?

Thursday, July 10, 2008

"JOURNEY...On Tour Now..."

...with Nina Johansson...in SWEDEN...
travelling out and about the countryside north of Stockholm...
Ahh...Sooo Sweet!

Read all about the
Awesome Artistic Adventures and Antics of
Anita Davies, Nina Johansson, Jennifer Lawson, and myself
in this summer's

Posted below are the full views of my 10 pages in
my little Maruman "Journey."
CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE :)













Monday, July 7, 2008

"I'm a Lonely Little Saguaro...

...in a bougainvillea patch...
a bougainvillea patch,
a bougainvillea patch.

I'm a lonely little saguaro
in a bougainvillea patch...
...Oh,
won't you come and play with me?"

Have a Happy Cactus Monday All...
...And don't forget to set aside some time to
PLAY! :)

Happy 91st Birthday Ollie!
and
Happy 1st Birthday Austin!
We Love You Both!