Monday, April 21, 2014

Happy Easter salad

Is this not the prettiest lil ole Easter salad you ever saw?  When I walk into the yard and see what God has provided I am very thankful.  As in all things... you have to have the eyes to see... I am learning how to see what has been provided for food that has always been here in my yard.... I just forget you can eat some of these things... The salad has the usual things... different lettuces, arugula, and spinach from my veggie garden but also includes violets, dandelion greens, arugula and turnip flowers.


Thursday, April 17, 2014

Scott Spins Vinyl at Chimmera

My husband, Scott who is often heard but never seen on the radio, NPR's Folk Salad, was invited to spin Vinyl at Chimmera's Vinyl Brunch this week. 

This is my son, Dylan and his future wife, Melody.

Worlds Collide ... the morning and afternoon classes meet at the park

We jumped on our chance to find a beautiful day without much wind to paint in the park.  Unfortunately it was very hot with out much shade yet.  Oh well, plein air painters gotta deal with it.  Here are a few pics from our day at the Gilcrease Museum Stuart Park





Spring Storm... Trouble.... SOLD!

I have to remember the sky is one of the main things I love about Oklahoma.  I got home just in time to cover some of the crops that have already popped up in the garden.  Yesterday I painted outside with my adult class in 85 degree weather.  This pretty little storm is expected to first drop hail and then tomorrow drop temps to below freezing and it is APRIL!!

This dramatic sky and others like it inspired this new painting.  My facebook pals had several suggestions for names.  I am leaning towards " Trouble."  Nothing spells trouble like an Oklahoma tornado and throw in a bad hair day....

Oklahoma Vineyard

This is a little 6x6 sketch that later was used to complete a larger work. It took going to France to truly appreciate the beauty of  the unique landscape of Oklahoma.  We have vineyards, fields full of flowers ( not poppies though) and one of the most diverse terrains in the United States with Mesas, Prairies, Treed Mountains,and Mountains with little vegetation, and  Hills.  We are missing the Ocean, which we actually have but it is no longer filled with water :-).  Back to the painting....The little one is sold and the larger one is on auction this week on ebay.  You can bid here 
Want to read my blog about my life as an artist?  click here

Monday, April 07, 2014

As a working artist I wear many different hats in order to make ends meet.   On Mondays and Wednesdays I facilitate an Art and Healing program on the High Risk Pregnancy Unit at Tulsa’s Peggy Helmerich Women’s Center.  I am considered and artist in residence through the Arts and Humanities Council.  I have done this project for over 8 years and have been witness to amazing, unintended results.  What began as a program to help break the boredom of the young women on the floor who were confined to their rooms and specifically to their beds for weeks and months at a time.  In the confines of those four walls and in that bed there is no chance of interaction with anyone else on the floor, even their own neighbors, many of whom are experiencing the same difficulties.
Add the Art Cart Sessions:
What before were endless days with nothing to look forward to, no one to talk to, the stress and anxiety of being in the hospital, the worry of their condition and that of their unborn children, and the lack of creative input or output at the most creative time in their lives, now with the art sessions the young women have a reason to get out of bed 2 times a week.   Their spirits rise as time draws near for the sessions .  Solitude turns to community.  Worried young women share their stories.  I often hear “Oh, I am in here for that too.”  Second or third time moms often share a successful preemie birth story  with others who have low weight unborn babies that they are worried about.  Tension and Anxiety begin to lessen as the girls work with their hands creating wooden plaques, frames, jewelry, knit, crochet and more.  The room fills with animated voices and laughter.
This week I had 3 Spanish speakers in Art Cart Sessions, two of whom had been in their hospital rooms for 3 weeks w/o ever meeting each other. One of them had attended as often as I would invite her in my very bad Spanish. This time there was a lot of happy Spanish voices in the room and new friendships were made. The English speakers have been faithful attendees and have stayed later after I leave to continue doing art and this time, one of them brought in movies to watch with everyone after the session. This would have NO CHANCE of ever happening except for the art cart sessions.

Is your church or civic Women's Group looking for a great cause to support? I have been working for many years doing an art program with young women on strict bed rest, many of them for months at a time, awaiting the birth of their child. They are all on the high risk unit of the Peggy Helmerich Women's Health Center. The art cart sessions are the ONLY thing they have to look forward to each week. Unfortunately we have run out of funds for the program and are looking for someone to take on the funding. Any ideas out there? Call me or contact me through Facebook. I had a paid position but am having to move to volunteer just to keep the program going. You can also make a donation through The Arts and Humanities Council w attention the High Risk Unit art cart Arts and Healing Program.


Sunday, April 06, 2014

A Day in the Life....

After a leisurely attended breakfast, newspaper and coffee, my husband and I went off to attend an interesting discussion at Trinity Church downtown. The day is cloudy and the once lovely spring temperature has steadily dropped throughout the day which is ok by us as it will keep me out of the garden and free me up to paint.  Did I say "keep me out of the garden?"  Well I meant to say that I went out and picked the day's salad greens and threw in a few red bud tree blossoms for good measure, and put up my garden tools just in time before it started to sprinkle.

Looking ahead and seeing the sky darken, I stacked up some firewood up by the house and out of the reach of the rain.  I built a nice fire, put on the kettle, my husband settled in to spend the day writing and I started to work on a couple of paintings that I have been playing with lately.  The one pictured here was started after seeing some beautiful clouds right before sunset the other night.  Fortunately I was near a great vantage point and could pull off the road and snap some photos before coming home.  I was also in the mood for a portrait so I kind of combined them both.

I always think it is a good idea to take small breaks from your work as you move through the process.  It gives you some needed distance and hopefully you will gain a truer perspective on what is working and what is not working for you. And that is why I thought I would stop, snap a photo or two and blog for a minute.  Well gotta get back to the fun.



Friday, April 04, 2014

Cowboys and Indians








My college class's first still life.  Since we live out here in cowboy, Indian country I thought we might work with that theme.  Fortunately my husband had some toys that survived his childhood that made it into this painting.  It is for sale this week by auction on my ebay site.  To visit my ebay gallery and this painting in particular, click here

Thursday, April 03, 2014

Help Support the Art and Healing Program at the High Risk Unit


I have worked for the Tulsa Arts and Humanites Council for many years as an artist in the schools, art in the parks and for the past 9 years, for Art and Healing Program.  Well that program is running out of money and so I thought I would put these little studies up for auction to help raise money for the program.  The first one was done on request for a Route 66 art show this year.  It is multi media w photo and pencil and features my mother as a young woman as she traveled from New York to California on route 66.  It is on masonite board.  The portrait is a little demo for my class on looking for planes on the face.  The 3rd one is a little oil study of our own Gilcrease House.  I was leading a workshop there and afterwords, did this study before returning home.  90% of the proceeds go to support the program which serves young pregnant women who are on strict bed rest at a local hospital, many of whom must be confined for months at a time.  This is their only outlet.  It is so much more than art sessions.  It is the one time they are out of their rooms.  They, through the art program, can now meet other moms on the floor in similar situations.  Instead of stress, depression and confinement, they experience joy, make friends who they can visit with during the week ( otherwise they would never have a chance to even meet the woman who lives in the room next door to them.) , share knowledge of their condition, parenting, and of course, participate in creating at the most creative time in their lives.   
bidding starts at $5 with free shipping.
Of course, anyone wishing to donate to the program w/o the auction can do so at the Arts and Humanities Council of Tulsa.  Make sure to earmark your donation as Art and Healing Program at the High Risk Unit at Peggy Helmerich Women's Center Tulsa.  THANKS!!
To Bid
To Blog



Saturday, March 29, 2014

Dead Nettle, Dandelion, Lettuce, Arugala Salad. First of the season

Celebrating the seasons first few salads and fresh mint tea.  Salad with lettuce grown in a cold frame over winter, dandelion greens, dead nettle flowers and wintered over arugula.
                                                                             Then


                                                                             Now

Vintage Pitcher and Egg

I had a new student last week and rather than scare her away with a complicated still life, I set up a very doable still life for her while the rest of the class finished up a very difficult one.  This is for auction this week through ebay at a very low start price of $40.00 or buy it now for $150.  To bid click here
Here are both paintings:




Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Tango in Tulsa

This is one of my favorite paintings, maybe because I love the dance... Anyways it is on auction this week on ebay.. hate to let it go but willing to send it off to a good home.  Want to adopt it? bid here

Oh, I almost forgot, I have a painting on auction this week starting at only one penny.  click above, enter into the ebay site and click on my other items.  What a steal!

Saturday, March 22, 2014

a penny auction!

Every now and then I take a sketch and start an auction at a penny.  It brings people into my ebay gallery and  hopefully will get them shopping there.  This was a painting done after a trip to France where we stayed at a friend's abby where she was celebrating 25 years there.  What a beautiful place.  Anyways this is a painting of the lavender fields that lead up to the abby which is bordered on the other side of the road by a huge field of poppies and then an almond grove.
To be the first to bid, click here

Friday, March 21, 2014

Tornado

One of my favorite subjects to paint is the Oklahoma sky.  You can't paint Oklahoma skies forever without including at least one tornado.  This is a tornado that I actually saw ( it was a little further in the distance when I saw it )  We pulled off the road just long enough to snap 2 photos and then high tailed it on out of there.  I have painted its portrait a couple of times.  To bid on one of them click here 


Thursday, March 20, 2014

In the beginning....

Spring Garden
I have left over lettuce from the fall, Kale, Arrugala, Spinach, Onion, Garlic, too.  In my perennial garden I see Salisify, Mint, Parsley and will see soon.... Asparagus.  I have my fingers crossed on artichokes.  I have planted turnips, artichokes, lettuce, spinach, onion... and even peppers, and tomatoes which I will cover it it gets too cold. 

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Red Roses on Terracotta

This painting was painted after picking some roses out in the back yard and putting them on the kitchen table.  Normally I wouldn't think I would like red and orange together but I was struck by how pretty those flowers looked against the terracotta walls in my kitchen in mid afternoon.  I had to paint it.  This is on sale now in my ebay gallery.
To Bid

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Cowboys and Indians

Cowboys and Indian Toys fight it out in this still life.  My students wanted to kill me after this painting.  I set this up for my first year students.  I never know what the skill level is going to be and try to set up something that isn't too "girly" when I have guys in the class, so I thought I was doing pretty good with this one.  Unfortunately the complicated still life made them very nervous as most of the students had never picked up a paint brush before in their lives... so it was kind of like survival of the fittest... We lost one along the way and the rest of them learned a thing or two :-) .... although they hate my guts...
To Bid
To Blog

Saturday, March 08, 2014

My friend, Louise had made me 2 birthday cakes in my lifetime and on both times they were so pretty ( and delicious ) that I thought I would paint their pictures.  This is one from last year's cake.  I experimented a little with pallet knife as I buttered on that frosting.  THIS year's cake is on auction and you can even bid on it here!
You can also visit my blog here

Sunday, March 02, 2014

Some great music to listen to while you paint

My son, Dylan is owner of Scissor tail Records here in Tulsa.  Although his home base is here, his artists hail from around the world as do his followers.  He choses music that is very easy to listen to (not to be confused with " easy listening " music found in elevators and dentist offices... Yikes!)
Check his collection out at https://scissortail.bandcamp.com/


Honoring our grandmothers


Several years ago I lead a weekend painting workshop at Gilcrease Museum.  What fun I had going through the shareable archives there and hand picking some things to include in a still life that I did w my group.  I wanted to do something that centered on what our grandmothers might have had in their possession back in the day.  No Barbies back then for little girls ( notice the dolls ) and I figured my grandmother ancestor ( and Scott's ) would have a working knowledge of the forest, what you can eat, and what to use for medicinal purposes.  Anyways.... This painting is on auction this week through my ebay gallery. http://www.ebay.com/itm/390780388600?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1586.l2649

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Tango

What do you do when you inherit grandma's dancing shoes?  Well if you have just jumped into learning the Tango, and you are a painter, you paint them.  This is on auction right now on my ebay site.  One of my favorite paintings.
To Bid

Monday, February 24, 2014

Jesse Aycock CD release March 7 Fassler Hall, Tulsa, OK, March 8th in Little Rock, AR

Watch the Currentland video Here

Purple Ribbon and Silver Coffee Pot

If you want a little peek into my classroom, you can find it in the silver coffee pot :-).  The class groaned when they saw this still life, thinking they could never paint the reflections on the silver.  I keep telling them, "don't concern yourself with painting a silver coffee pot, just paint exactly what you see... The values, and shapes etc and low and behold, when you stand back from it, you will find you have painted a silver pot.  What is always fun to me is that you get so caught up in finding shapes and correcting values that often when you stand back you are surprised that YOU are pictured in the reflection and you didn't even know you were painting yourself.  This painting is on auction this week on ebay.  To Bid


Sunday, February 23, 2014

6x6 vineyard sketch

I actually painted the first one of these paintings on site very early in the morning at an Oklahoma Vineyard.  What a delightful day.  I painted while others picked and then around noon everyone broke for lunch prepared by vineyard bed and breakfast staff, complete with wine of course.  The original painting was sold several years ago but since then students who remember the original, asked for me to demo the process for them. Pictured below is a 6x6 sketch from which I created a larger piece. The painting on auction this week ( 16x20 oil ) is a product of that 2 day demo.  It is on auction this week on ebay.  To bid  
When you click the " bid" link above you also have a portal into all my other art auctions on ebay.  Enjoy my little gallery :-)

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Red Roses against a Terracotta Wall

I had picked these roses from the garden and liked the effect of seeing them against my terracotta wall.  I was surprised that I liked it since I would not normally put those two colors together.  It has become one of my favorite floral paintings.  I have it on auction this week.
To Bid

Friday, February 14, 2014

A new batch of ACEO paintings on auction

At the request of one of my ebay art collectors, I started painting these little ACEO artist trading cards.  What a great idea for an affordable way to start your art collection and for us artists, a great way to introduce people to our work.
To check out this auction click here.  Bidding starts at $28.50 with no reserve.


Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Green Pears on Red and White Striped Cloth 6x6 oil

This is one among many daily and larger paintings on auction this week through my ebay gallery/auction site.  This began as a class project.... painting one object on a striped cloth.  My students breathed a sigh of relief when I mentioned that our next project involved only one object.  They breathed another kind of sigh as they saw the addition of the striped cloth rather than a plain backdrop.  heheheh
To bid

Monday, February 10, 2014

Garden " Bed"

Just an update.  I made this from an actual bed spring wooden form last summer.  The lettuce that I planted a month ago is coming right along under the protection and added warmth collected by the old window that rests atop it.

Last Night's Writing Theme, " Night sounds"

Last night Scott and I were sitting out back by the fire and had a bit of time before the Beatles retrospective was coming on the TV.  We decided to write something.  Scott's turn to pick the topic.  Night sounds.  He started off thinking about the sound of bugs on a hot Arkansas summer night but that Beatle thing was now in his head so he surprised me with the night the Beatles came on the Ed Sullivan Show.  Here is what I wrote:



Night sounds
I feel a slight chill as we leave the warmth of the counselor’s lodge and step out into the night.  Behind us now the sounds of conversation and laughter fade and the light from the windows ceases to light our way. 

I have spent the day in my swimsuit with my brother and sister sunbathing on the dock and playing in the water in front of the lodge which sits on the banks of a quiet, secluded lake in the Adirondack Mountains.  My mother and other counselor’s wives in bathing suits and sunglasses sit in lounge chairs  on the dock and keep an eye on us as we play.

A day in the sun and an evening by the fire inside the lodge has left me tired and longing for bed.  A loon calls from the lake and is answered by thousands of unseen insects in the deep forest that surrounds our pine needle path which leads to our borrowed two room cabin in the woods.  The path is thick and soft with hundreds of years of decaying wood, pine needles and leaves.  Even with my meager  sixty pounds  I can feel the path give and push back with each step.  The sound is quiet and comforting…. Until, to quicken our pace, our dad mentions the bears that might come out and bite our bottoms.  He punctuates with a pinch on the closest bottom which makes us all laugh.  We still quicken our pace as,  ‘you just never know…’  We are familiar with bears as one of our favorite weekend pastimes is to visit the town dump at night with others of like mind, where we watch them come out of the woods to feed. 

“ What would you do if you ran across a bear?” we ask our mom. “Well, just as he opens his mouth to bite me, I would stick my hand all the way into his mouth and down to his tail and pull him inside out.”  That answer was quite satisfying to all of us and we felt protected.  In our little world all stories have a happy ending and little children don’t ever get eaten by bears.

We come to an opening and we see the water pump up ahead where we always stop to pull down a paper cup and fill it with hand pumped, ice cold water.  We turn off the flashlight as the stars and full moon will now light our way.   The air surrounding us is crisp and clean. 

From across the lake we hear the sounds of a bugle playing taps and calling all to rest.
“ Day is done.
Gone the sun.
From the lake…
From the hill….
From the sky.
All is well…
Safely Rest.
God is nigh.”

In my bed in the same room with my brother and sister with mom and dad in the other room, I am safe.  I am loved.  All is well.






Monday, February 03, 2014

Avocado 6x6 oil on canvas

To Bid

Lucky Penny Dolls to Benifit Tulsa Arts and Humanities Council

A portion of the proceeds from the Lucky Penny Doll sales goes to support the work of Tulsa's Arts and Humanities Council.  To place your bid, Click Here

The story behind the dolls:



My husband, Scott, had had a heart attack and was recovering in the hospital.
After several days of little sleep, lots of worry, I was returning to the hospital after running to Scott’s office to call clients and cancel appointments. I parked my car and got out and in the quiet, had come to a more full realization of just how close I had come to losing my very best friend.

It was then that I remembered that strange old superstition, “pennies from heaven.” It is a silly, but fun and a little comforting, to think that if you find a penny on the ground it is someone that you love from the other side (Heaven) sending you a message of love.

Well, I started walking through the parking lot and said to my father (my dad passed away about 12 years ago from a heart attack), “Dad, I really need a lucky penny right about now.” Which made me weepy so I said to myself, “that is just silly, buck up and put on a good face. You can cry about all this later.” I did not tell anyone about my request to the other side of course.

So I continued on up to see Scott. My son, Dylan was there and about a half hour later he turned to leave. I saw him sneak some little flat thing onto the bottom edge of Scott’s bed. He didn’t know I saw him. I picked it up and said “Dylan, what is this.” He replied “lucky penny.” and walked out. He had left a penny that had been flattened by a train… his lucky penny. I couldn’t tell him what that meant to me at the time as I didn’t want to get emotional but later just told him and my brother in- law, Ed.  When Ed came to visit the next day he dropped a penny in my lap and said “I found that and 4 more in the parking lot.” I, myself, found another in the stairwell and 2 more at the Church studio, one being on an inaccessible little roof outside the lobby window, a day later. I just felt like it was a good omen, a message from the other side that all will be well and it has been.

When I was in the hospital with Scott, I worked on knitting a little doll. Inside the doll I put all the lucky pennies. Now it is our lucky penny doll.

I continue to find lucky pennies and have stored them in a special place and I continue to make these little dolls. Each one contains one of those “found coins.”  Each one is unique and of course, very lucky.      Margaret Aycock

Caution, all dolls contain a coin, and some, buttons.  Buttons and coins my pose a choking hazard.