Study in Female Form

Here is a study I did today. Felt like playing with the female form.

Enjoy!

The Bride

Acrylic on Canvas

By Michele Lee

Copyright 2008

Sold and started a new

Well, Christmas season has arrived and I am starting to get busy.

A great big THANK YOU goes out today. I sold another painting. It was the one of the Magnolia and Pearls that I did for the special cork and canvas class. It is going to a couple in Kentucky for their 25th wedding anniversary. I hope they enjoy it.

The other, partial painting, is one I am doing for a gift. Sorry that I can't let you all see he whole thing. But the person it is going to reads this blog daily and I don't want them to see their present before Christmas. He he. It would spoil the fun.

Off to paint....Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving

Well another Thanksgiving has come around. I am always amazed at how my kitchen is so suddenly transformed into a food frenzy. This year my youngest son has taken an interest in preparing the feast. As I watched him grab a recipe and amazingly create a casserole, I am driven to tears of gratitude. This coming from the little boy who almost didn't make it. He was my preemie. He arrived about 7 weeks early and was so tiny I could hold him in one hand. After many long nights in the neonatal intensive care unit and years of breathing treatments and sleepless nights, I am watching in delight at what God has given me. A young man standing in my kitchen preparing a Thanksgiving Feast for his family!

And as we sit down to eat I will look around the table....and I will know that there is no greater gift that God could have given me...than to be in the company of those I love.....my family.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Enjoy!

The Luncheon

A while ago, we had a Decorator's luncheon at work. http://averagetoart.blogspot.com/ It was so beautiful. Each centerpiece was a clay pot with a different herb and lemons thrown in. How creative. We each got to take one home. I got sage and planted it in my garden. I also took a picture and have been wanting to paint it for a while. I found a little free time this evening, so I got out my trusty paints and went to town.

Enjoy!

The Luncheon By Michele Lee

11"X14" Acrylic on wrapped canvas

copyright 2008

$75.00 usd

Saturday Happenings

It feels GREAT to be back at work!

On the schedule for today...We have a trunk show at the studio http://averagetoart.blogspot.com/ from 10-12 for my good friend Deb. She has some great Jewelry from Africa. Hope to see you all there!

Then at the Monaco Theater http://www.monacopicturesusa.com/ today from 2-4pm we have a special Cork and Canvas class for a special group of women coming in to town. Stop by and say hello and maybe catch a movie. I hope you all have a great Saturday.

Enjoy!

The jewelry show went so well, we ae thinking of having another one before Christmas. Great job Deb!

Thank you to all the ladies who joined in on the fun at the Special Cork and Canvas. It was nice meeting you all. You were such a fun group to teach. And you all did so well.

Sorry I didn't get any pictures.

Magnolia & Pearls

16"X20" Acrylic on wrapped canvas

By Michele Lee copyright 2008

$100.00 usd

A New Day!

I awake every morning with a cup of coffee and quiet meditation on my back deck. It is my time to reflect on the day that has passed. I ask God, Where was I wrong and where did I hurt someone? What can I do to different next time? Then I reflect on the day ahead. I ask God, what do you have for me today? What can I do to better serve?

I learned, over the past few weeks, that I need to slow down. I need to really appreciate all that God has given me. And I need to take care of this body. I saw how much I had missed my painting.

I went to the Doctor yesterday and was given a good report. With some physical therapy and an injection, my back will be fine. I am so thankful.

Today feels like a brand new day. Like this picture. It was taken early in my recovery. Everything was new and fresh. It was the first time, in a long time, that I had gone to the beach and REALLY seen it.

So look around...it' a brand new day.....take it ALL in.....it is the first and last time you will ever see November 21,2008.....what do you want to do with it?

Enjoy!

A Birch Fall

I was asked the other day, "What inspires you to paint?". So I gt to thinking....I know....frightening thought. As I was sitting down to paint last night, I thought that the answer to that question was life. Usually it is happy moments in life. I thought I would share with you all one of those times. So here we go...

I have a cousin named Becky. She lives in Michigan. She and her family have a get-a-way farm/ranch out in the middle of no-where.(about 700 acres or so) They have 3 small houses on the ranch One is Becky's private home, one is for the guys to come hunting (it is decorated like a log cabin), and the third is for visiting family (it is decorated like grandma's house) this is the one that we stayed in. LOVED IT! We took the boys and went for a week last year during fall break. Between hiking, riding 4 wheelers, playing with the alpacas and of course me chasing some pigs, we were in heaven. There is no computers and video games. There is just nature. There were so many colors that it was a bit overwhelming. And there were birch trees everywhere! I don't think that I have ever seen that many in one place before. All the colors of fall with these striking white trees popping up everywhere. It was the perfect weather and one of those moments in time that make you stand breathless at the sight of it all. Hopefully we will be able to go back again....and I can take my paint with me.

Thank you Becky for letting us enjoy your Get-a-Way place and escape for a week. You ave given this family more than you will ever know.

These were the thoughts and memories that I was having while painting "A Birch Fall".

Enjoy!

WLRH interview

This past week I had the pleasure of being a guest on WLRH radio 89.3 here in Huntsville, Al. Beth Norwood invited me to come and take part in her "Talk About Art" program that she has started. Every Friday at noon on WLRH she will air a different local artist. It was so much fun! Beth really had some good questions, that made me think about myself and my art. And what a sweetheart she was. She has the ability to calm a person just by talking. Very Zen-like. Thankfully my back held in there for the 45 min. taping.
My spot will not air until sometime in March or so. I will let you all know when it is coming.
Thanks go out to Beth for opening my eyes to myself and my painting. I learned a lot!
And my friend Leigh, who helped get me to the radio station and for video taping the interview. I will post that later.
So remember to tune in every Friday to WLRH, 89.3 to hear "Talk About Art" with Beth Norwood

Magnolia & Pearls

What a great day. A few of my girlfriends came over today to keep me company. We played scrabble, ate chips and chatted. It was so nice having them around for the day. I have been getting quite bored with this laying around and taking it easy thing. Thanks girls!

After they left, I was so inspired.....I decided to paint. So here is the new piece for the day. I am going to use this one for a class that is coming up. I like it much better tan that silly Tuscany piece. Thanks to Alissa for the idea.

Enjoy!

Magnolia & Pearls

16 X 20 Acrylic on Canvas

by Michele Lee copyright 2008

Mural work

Here is a piece that I am doing for work. We are going to be doing a mural for a local non-profit organization. The theme that we have chosen is Autism. So, since I am STILL down with my back (12 days and counting), I got to work on the draft painting for them. The frog is their mascot and puzzle pieces are the symbol for autism. Still might have to tweak it a little more.

Enjoy!

The girls paint

Last night before Julie and her friends went out, they decided to take over my "make shift" studio in the dining room. It was fun watching them giggle and play with paint. It reminded me of the days when she was 3 or so. We used to get the finger paints out and have so much fun painting and laughing together. She is growing up so fast. She is running here and there. The whole world revolves around her friends now. Typical 15 yr old. But watching the girls last night just reminded me of how young they still are. And how, no matter how old you are, it's always fun to dip your fingers in some paint and just play.

So, I left the heart and straw that they had painted and added a wee bit more. And here is what I/we came up with....

"Whipped"

Enjoy!

By Michele Lee and the girls

16X20 acrylic on canvas

copyright 2008

Thanks Deb

I have some of the best friends anyone could hope for. Today I had the pleasure of my friend Deb http://pandabeads.blogspot.com/ coming over and cleaning my house. Let me just say this...WOW! What a treat that was. If you have not had your house cleaned before.....do it. At least once. But make sure you get someone good. Anyway, back to the story. So I got to leave the house for a bit this morning! That was a treat in itself. (Since I have been down with this silly back thing for 8 days now.) When I returned home and opened the door I was greeted with the clean scent of pine cleaner. But wait...there was a hint of chocolate. What? I looked around the kitchen and there it was. A big plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies she had made for us! At that moment I was transported back to being a little girl, coming home from school. Then I heard the sound of small giggles coming from upstairs. I looked up the staircase to find my friend Deb. She wore a pink scarf around her head with little rhinestones on it. A tee shirt,a pair of purple Indian pants with a small blue patch on the bottom and bare feet completed the look. She had her headphones on and was giddy with joy from what she was listening to and what she was doing. What a sight. Now THAT my friends is something I just had to paint.

Instead of being so tight with my paintbrush, like I often do, I decided to just paint. Without thinking about how or what.....just paint. I haven't done that in a while. And it really felt good.

So here is Deb. The hippie cleaning girl who gave me a treat today.

Thanks Deb.

Enjoy!

Painting from bed

I have been in bed for the past week with a bad back. I haven't had my back go out like this since I was 18 or so. It amazes me that I can hall paint cans and ladders, juggle work and kids, clean the house and do loads upon loads of laundry and my back is fine. But put me in some high heels and take me to a wedding and WHAAMO! So needless to say I am bored out of my mind. My sweet husband got up this morning and moved a large chunk of my art supplies, from my studio, into the dining room so that I could paint. YEA! It has been 6 days since I could move. So this was really a treat. Thanks sweetie.

I decided, since I could physically only go to the dining room, I would go on vacation with paint. (Plus I have a cork and canvas class coming up and need a painting.) Hopefully I will be out of bed in time to teach the class.

So here it is.

Enjoy!

Italy

By Michele Lee

16 X 20 acrylic on canvas

copyright 2008

Who is she?

A while back, my husband and I went on a mini-vacation to North Carolina. We stayed at a sweet little Bed and Breakfast called the Butterfly Creek Inn http://www.butterflycreekinn.com/ Our host, Sarah, was WONDERFUL!!!! While we were at the house I fell in love with this little lamp made from an old hat. I quickly sat down and sketched the hat as I saw it. I was surprised to see a lady come out of the sketch and not a lamp. I found the picture I had done the other day and wondered...Who is she? So I thought I would share her with you all. Maybe you can help to identify her. Can YOU think of a name?

Off to paint....Enjoy!

Beautiful Day for a Wedding!

Congratulations Cary and Carol! I hope that you two enjoy every moment God has given and will give you in this marriage.

Yesterday two of my dear friends got married. I had the honor of being asked to be the Maid of Honor. And let me just say...it was a "Beautiful Day for a Wedding". I don't think it could have been a more perfect ceremony and reception.

Cary and Carol (CA Marks of http://alabamaimproper.com/ & http://www.southernsinfulbliss.com/)

are like my brother and sister, and it was so nice to see them both sooooo happy. Here are a few pictures from the day. If you would like to see more, trot on over to Shiney's blog. http://fencepostings.wordpress.com/

Now....I am off to paint :)

Enjoy!