Friends on the Farm, as painted by me.

About a year ago, my mom became so ill in Racine that she entered the hospital, then nursing home, and back and forth, beginning her decline and the decline of my dad, whose shreds of strength were taxed by worry, visits, and financial issues. Being the only of my siblings who is retired, I packed up for Racine, and the hospitality of good friends Mike and Ales Marz. Little did I know that I would barely return to my home in Sparta between the end of Nowember 2014 and January 19, 2015. While staying with the Marz family I worked on 4 animal paintings that I am sharing here.

The first was "Struttin' Chicken", 9 x 12 inches, pastel on sanded paper. This chicken lives - or lives the summer before I painted it from a photo - on Highway BC just west of Sparta, squeezing through a hole in the barn door when I came to close. This chicken had attitude.

The next painting was "Betsy's Baby", my friend's goat with whom I was well acquainted by observation and by frequently photographing. The painting is 9 x 12 inches, pastel on sanded paper. I loved this goat, and I loved this painting, and while I painted it I felt connected to my home amd friend in Sparta, a home I missed with a visceral pain, even while feeling proud that I was able to be a help to my parents at this demanding time of ill health. When I later posted this photo on Facebook, I was not surprised that it SOLD! 

My third painting is "Napping Nellie, in the MOOd", 9 x 12 inches, pastel on sanded paper, from a photo of a cow that lived along the Sparta-Elroy Bike Trail, between Sparta and Norwalk. 

In my last week or 2 in Racine, I painted this miniature donkey, from photos taken at the farm on Highway Q where many of these cuties are raised. I named this guy Mike. "Mini-Mike", 8 x 10 inches, pastel on Canson MT board,

So here are the paintings of that era of my life last year. FYI, all are for sale except Betsy's goat, of course. Send me a message if you're interested.