The old apartment served it's purpose for a long time. You can almost still hear the laughing coming off the walls. Yeah, the place was a bit run down and old, but it's been home. It has seen many great days, the kids as they grew, mom's little parties, granny dancing in the kitchen, 2 dogs and 3 crazy cats, so many warm memories. 

   But, now the old apartment is pretty much cleaned out, as it's time to move on. We found a house. 

   It'll be nice to have a house, more room, no noise from other tenants, no howling party people out on the street at 3 in the morning. The thing is, though, I know I'm gonna miss this place. It's weird...

   These girls, winter girls, are having the time of their lives. Girls, however, can be VERY competitive, more so than men, I think. 

   Out on the ice, snow flying, deep chill all around, right to the bones, it's all part of the winter girl's world. She's been skating since she was 3. She may even keep going to see if she has what it takes to compete. 

   Winter holds a special place for many Canadians, Americans, and Europeans. Here in Canada, skating, hockey, and pretty much ANYTHING winter-related, is almost a religion.

​Welcome to Canada... X

   In this painting, Winter Welcome, I wanted the viewer to really feel winter. Where I am, here in semi-northern Canada, winters are fabulous. The air gets so crisp and clean. On a clear day, the sky is so blue and bright. Your nose gets so cold, and your feet, if you don't wear proper boots!  It's actually a wonderful thing to experience a white and frosty winter.

   This winter, if you're able, head on out there and really embrace it, that beautiful landscape, the sounds of cracking ice on a peaceful lake, or the look of your breath disappearing into thin air...

   Many of us have or had mothers that didn't give us what we needed when we were children. This can be so difficult, as the mother is supposed to be nurturer, protector, mama bear, caregiver, and the like. 

   When I was a child, my parents got divorced when I was 4.  That was the '70's, so the mother usually got custody. Mine did, and here we go. Mom got the nice house, my sis and myself. It was a rather large and lonely place where often I'd come home to an empty house, even sometimes when it was dark outside. I came to find out in adulthood that I was a Latchkey Kid. I had a name! 

   I spent many a night out on the hall stairs, too scared of the dark to sleep. I realize now it wasn't so much the dark, but the feeling of loneliness that came from divorce and not having the father in the home.

​   This painting, Safe with Mother, is about what I longed for as a child, the feeling of safety, security, love, belonging, calmness, and having a mother that would protect no matter what. This sort of painting is some therapy for me, very good for me and the art, as it contains honesty, as well as an integrity in terms of my mood when I painted it. 

   Maybe, with the help of my better half, Misty and the good souls (many are collectors, interestingly enough), I can heal from the traumas of the past. By God, I CAN love. By God, I CAN be okay with myself and the world. Hey, I'm still here.

   This freaking world, what's happened? What the hell is going on? Well, a whole lotta weird shit.

   This virus stuff, wow. Now we have to social distance and wear a mask. That's some messed-up stuff! But, alas, there's always hope. We can keep our hope. We can look to another day. We can press on and work hard to contribute something to this world. I mean, if we're here, we should, don't ya think? I'll keep on painting my unique paintings. It's in my blood, it's my therapy, and I get to exorcise my demons. ;)

   As for you, what are you gonna do? If you're down, you're not out. Let's kick COVID-ass TOGETHER...  X

   

   

   In the world of my mind, even the rain has much color. In my rocky life, there were so many days where hope was about all I had...and paint. Loneliness can creep in on us. However, if we keep going, we may find the color and light in the darkness. If there is the possibility of a new and better day, sometimes we hang onto that.

   I'm pleased with how this painting turned out. It captures those days when someone feels pressed, challenged, or tried. The trials are the rain and the light and color are the hope.

   All of us have gone through things that shape us, test us, and can make us stronger. I, for one, am lucky to still be here. Sometimes when we face Hell and then trudge through it, we get to see some wonderful things.

   Let's be like the figure in this painting. Let's keep going and look for the light... X

   

   The moon, she's magic. I say, "she", because I guess to me, the moon feels like a she, like a goddess watching us, loving us, entrancing us. 

   This piece, Our Magic Night, it's all about being drawn in by her, the majestic moon, it can hypnotize us, it can shine with mystery. As for crows, well, they feel so great when they're incorporated with the moon. What secrets do they hold, what old tales could they tell? 

   Next time, when you're gazing at the moon, let yourself be entranced, dive into her, she will show you many wonderful things, maybe even inspire you in some way. ;)

   Remember the last time you were scared shitless? I bet you do. I sure as hell do. I was walking way out in the woods and got turned around. I started to worry I was lost. My amazing Aspie Power took over and I calmed down, kept walking, and eventually came out to where I should be. The Aspie Power bit is me making a funny. ;)

   You see, this painting is all about courage, whether it be a person on the Autism Spectrum or not, we ALL need to find OUR courage. We all have it inside of us. It can be a raging bull or a slow, little turtle, but we can use it.

   When I was little, I was very afraid of the dark. I'd often sit on the dark stairs in the hallway. All those stuffed animals around me in bed just didn't cut it. I'd imagine a madman or hideous creature in my closet. I was afraid to even let my hands or feet dangle past the edge of my bed. I was a mess.

   I think my parents getting a divorce when I was only 4 years old had a lot to do with my fears at night. It caused many other issues too. Well, luckily I found the courage to press on. I grew up and the fear of the dark pretty much went away. I don't always sleep through the night, though. I'm pretty eccentric in my sleeping habits, as well as other life habits. LOL...   

   In this painting, the girl is a warrior. She has seen so much already, both painful and joyful. She keeps on going, no matter what. Maybe you can too... X

   This piece is called, After the Fear is Gone. Ah, human fear, it can be very damaging. It can cause one to be held back, stunted, close-minded, uncultured, uneducated, and ultimately cause someone to live in a sort of box. That's not a life, at least not a good one.

   Now, when we speak of mental illness, that throws a whole other layer onto things. For those that have a mental illness, or what some call a disorder, the message in this painting could possibly relate to you, also. Having a mental illness is VERY challenging. Many of you know that I know. Enough said.

   Let's talk of some scenarios where an individual wants to summon up the strength to stand up and fight and change their negative situation. Say a woman just got slapped in the face by her boyfriend. Yes, I'm referring to physical abuse here. No, my art does not just contain the joyful things in life, it also contains pain, sadness, and everything in between. Look closely and you'll see it. The woman being abused can stay and put up with this or get the hell out of the relationship. Now, I understand sometimes a person feels trapped, mentally. That feeling of being trapped can be overwhelming. My heart goes out to people like this. May you someday be able to change the way things are.

   All of us at one time or another in our lives will encounter a situation where we'll have to make a choice, "Do I stay and see if things get better, or do I grab my love for myself and my respect for myself, and go bye-bye?"  The choice is yours, of course. I just paint pictures, but I DO hope you can make the right choice, the one that will lead to a positive life filled with a feeling of loving thyself in a healthy way.  X

   Sometimes when a woman is walking along, she'll stop and notice her reflection. She may be reminded of how much she matters, what she brings to the table, or how good she looks. In this painting, When She Appeared by the Window, I'm portraying a woman who catches herself staring at her reflection in a window. Now, because I tend to show deep meanings and symbolism in my work, there are other key elements at work here. This woman is a soul-searcher, a thinker, and has a healthy imagination. She dreams big. She tends to have vivid dreams as she sleeps. 

   In this piece, a strong wind comes by, the window and structure is old, the lovely smells of the outdoors fill her nostrils, she studies her reflection, she scans the most wonderful memories of her life. She's transfixed. She suddenly realizes how beautiful life actually is. All things that truly matter come into focus when she appeared by the window...