We adopted a kitten yesterday :-). I had gone to the pet food store in search of catbox liners. There wasn't a sign out for adoptions so I didn't think there'd be any kitties there today. I made my way to the back of the store to find a bunch of kittens.

I'd always wanted an orange kitten with white paws but, for one reason or another, had ended up with other wonderful cats (we'd recently lost our cat, Megan, to cancer and Salem (my 10-year old cat) had been lonely).

	Salem took to the new kitten, whom we named Loki after the trickster god in Norse mythology, right away. They seemed immediately in sync. They played together...
Then had a nice meal together. Loki had fallen asleep in an inaccessible area under an easy chair but came out when we had dinner. I showed him the food dishes and he tucked right in, finishing Salem's dinner. Salem didn't mind at all.
	Loki adapted easily and I was surprised at how independent he is. In no time, he was fearlessly exploring. After several rounds of playing, eating and napping, he jumped up on the back of the couch and purred himself to sleep. An excellent first day.

"Nevermore in Denim Blue" pendant:

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Tree branches in silhouette frame a luminous full moon, a lone raven perched on a branch. In tones of denim blue, this haunting landscape was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's poem. This monochrome silhouette, part of the Zen Mandala series, is offered as a fine art pendant, hand crafted by the artist. Made from polymer clay with the print fired onto it, then sealed for protection.

Suitable for a man or woman, an adjustable knotted cord is included so the piece is ready to wear and will fit most sizes (these are adjusted by sliding the knots and don't have a metal clasp). If you would prefer a cord of a particular length with a clasp instead, let me know at the time of the sale (no additional charge).

Panda in blue pendant, "Moonlit Snack":

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Carrying a bamboo shoot, a panda climbs into the arms of a Japanese maple tree to contemplate the luminous full moon. The night sky is in shades of blue. This visionary landscape, part of the Zen Mandala series, is offered as a pendant, handmade by the artist from my original painting. Made from polymer clay with the print fired onto it, then sealed for protection.

Suitable for a man or woman, an adjustable knotted cord is included so the piece is ready to wear and will fit most sizes (these are adjusted by sliding the knots and don't have a metal clasp). If you would prefer a cord of a particular length with a clasp instead, let me know at the time of the sale (no additional charge)

Here is my latest painting, "Moonlit Snack":

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Carrying a bamboo shoot, a panda climbs into the arms of a Japanese maple tree to contemplate the luminous full moon. The night sky is in shades of blue. This visionary landscape, part of the Zen Mandala series, is an original acrylic painting on a gallery-wrapped stretched canvas (the 3/4" staple-free sides are finished off in indigo acrylic).

Size: 10" x 8"

I thought I'd try an ebay auction on the new crow pendant, "Raven in Red":

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A silhouette of a raven, or crow, sitting on a tree branch, gazing at the full moon. The night sky is in shades of orange, deepening to a rich red. This gothic fantasy landscape is offered as a pendant, hand crafted by the artist from my original painting. Made from polymer clay with the print fired onto it, then sealed for protection.

Suitable for a man or woman, an adjustable knotted cord is included so the piece is ready to wear and will fit most sizes (these are adjusted by sliding the knots and don't have a metal clasp). If you would prefer a cord of a particular length with a clasp instead, let me know at the time of the sale (no additional charge)

Here is my latest painting, "The Last Storm":

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Winter is nearly over with one final storm of the season. Seagulls soar through shafts of light breaking through the dark gray clouds. On the bluff, cypress trees stand among the pink wildflowers, just starting to bloom. Foamy waves break behind a yellow flowering plant with dark green foliage. This California seascape from Pacific Grove (on the Monterey Peninsula) is an original oil painting on a gallery-wrapped stretched canvas (the sides are finished off in brown acrylic).

Size: 18" x 14"

Today, we tried a new place, Sunol Regional Wilderness. We took a trail to "Little Yosemite", then looped back along the road. Part of the park is still used as grazing country so we got a nice visit with some cows along the way.

Went on my annual trek to see the pink/purple wildflowers at Pacific Grove. One of my favorite sights.

I finished a new seascape in oil paints today. While it's getting dry enough to photograph, I thought I'd post about the wildflower walk I went on today...

I heard of a new open space preserve in South San Jose (new to me, anyway) called Rancho Canada de Oro. We went on a short 1/2 mile loop through a meadow filled with purple lupines, then did the 4.3 mile loop. The first half was all up but not too steep. I was amazed by the flowers, California poppies that went all the way up the hillsides. Truly, a beautiful place. I feel lucky to have seen it at this particular time.

There's a nice park only 20 miles away that has beautiful waterfalls. It's called Uvas Canyon. This was a great time of year to go. Dry enough to hike but still plenty of waterfall action :-).

Here is my latest painting, "The Coming Light":

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Against a dramatic dark sky, the cypress tree perches on a rock along 17-Mile Drive in Carmel, waiting for morning, which is almost dawning. This California ocean seascape is an original acrylic painting on a gallery-wrapped stretched canvas (the 3/4" staple-free sides are finished off in blue acrylic).

Size: 8" x 10"

Made a bunch of new pendants last week and got them all uploaded to the Jewelry page.

After years of walking at Windy Hill, I finally walked far enough to see why it's named that. It wasn't too windy yesterday, although cold & gray. It's around 2.5 miles to the top. We nearly made it but not quite.

Here is my latest painting, "Winter Peace":

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The full moon illuminates two red cardinal birds on snow-covered tree branches, arcing to form a peace sign. Snowflakes dance in the blue night sky. This hope-filled piece, part of the Zen Mandala modern art series (visionary landscapes in a contemporary Asian style), is an original acrylic painting on a gallery-wrapped stretched canvas (the 3/4" staple-free sides are finished off in black acrylic) and can be hung with just a nail—no need to frame. It has been lightly varnished to protect the paint and preserve the lustrous colors. The copyright watermark does not appear on the actual painting.

Size: 11" x 14". Prints are available.

Here is how the sky looked yesterday at Arastradero Preserve in Palo Alto, California. It told of the rain to come but, at that moment, it was a beautiful pearly gray.

New peace tree pendant in patriotic red, white & blue:

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The rising sun illuminates red butterflies and blossoming tree branches, covered in cherry blossoms. The tree branches have arced to form a peace sign. Some of the petals are dancing in the sunrise, which is in shades of blue. This hope-filled piece, part of the Zen Mandala modern art series (visionary landscapes in a contemporary Asian style), is offered as a fine art pendant, hand crafted from one of my paintings.

An adjustable knotted cord is included so the piece is ready to wear and will fit most sizes (these are adjusted by sliding the knots and don't have a metal clasp). If you would prefer a cord of a particular length or color with a clasp instead, let me know at the time of the sale (no additional charge).

Nibblefest time again...

For those that don't know, nibblefest is a monthly art "contest" on ebay. All entries in the theme start at only .99. It starts on the 20th and runs through the 27th of each month. I don't normally run auctions on eBay anymore but, out of a sense of nostalgia or continuity, I tend to do nibblefest.

This month's theme is vintage cats. I submitted two auctions, as close as I could come.

The first is a black cat pendant on cord (from one of my paintings).

The second is an ACEO (mini) print of one of my recent paintings of a tortie cat that I felt had an old-fashioned spin to it, Cherry Blossom Waltz

I hope these little bargains find good homes :-).

Here's my new one, just to share. I took the photo where it's hanging to dry (indoors) so it isn't the best quality but you get the idea :-). There is a woman & cat meditating on the hill.

It's a 16x20 oil painting on stretched canvas. It won't be ready to ship for at least a month but I'll be able to run prints late next week.

Here is my latest painting, "Cherry Blossom Waltz ":

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Cherry blossom petals dance around a lovely tortie (tortoiseshell cat), who is watching the sunset. This charming landscape, with a touch of the old-fashioned in the gentle palette of rose, mauve and gold, is an original acrylic painting on a gallery-wrapped stretched canvas (the 3/4" staple-free sides are finished off in black acrylic) and can be hung with just a nail—no need to frame. It has been lightly varnished to protect the paint and preserve the lustrous colors. The copyright watermark does not appear on the actual painting.

Here is my latest painting, "Golden Afternoon Meditation":

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A Siamese cat and zen buddhist monk sit together in contemplation as the afternoon gives way to a glorious sunset in shades of yellow. The sunset turns the tree into a dazzling display of yellow, orange, red and purple. This visionary landscape is an original acrylic painting on a gallery-wrapped stretched canvas (the 3/4" staple-free sides are finished off in purple acrylic) and can be hung with just a nail--no need to frame. It has been lightly varnished to protect the paint and preserve the lustrous colors. The copyright watermark does not appear on the actual painting.

New cypress tree pendant:

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I have a special fondness for that painting because it's the only one I painted on location (our hotel room overlooked the ocean and I'd brought a canvas & paints with me).

Kona Kat ACEO Limited Edition Print

A black cat has leapt onto a table where coffee has been laid out, mesmerized by the steam rising from the cup and pot. The red hibiscus flowers in the background are echoed in the blue batik cloth on the table. The pottery coffee pot has a relief of palm trees crossed above a tiki and is an earthy shade of raw sienna. Behind it, palm trees sway and sea gulls glide in a glorious tropical sunset in shades of yellow, orange, magenta and purple. Tiki torches are aflame on the distant beach. This Hawaiian seascape is offered as a limited edition art card (ACEO).

This is my entry in the Nibblefest Art Contest, a themed art contest beginning on the 20th of each month. Please be sure to search for NFAC on eBay to see more great entries, each starting at just $0.99. Thanks!

I am participating in an auction for Barack Obama:

Japanese Garden Vertical Wall Calendar
Buy this product at CafePress
Designed by Japanese Garden Landscapes

My latest oil painting, "Sea Foam and Seashells":

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On a distant rock, a mermaid lazily swirls a hand in the water. Seagulls glide through the gentle sunset, the darkening sky in shades of yellow, rose, lavender and gray. Sea foam swirls around the rocks. Seashells and a sand dollar adorn the beach. This seascape is an original oil painting on a gallery-wrapped stretched canvas (the 3/4" staple-free sides are finished off in brown acrylic) and can be hung with just a nail—no need to frame. The copyright watermark does not appear on the actual painting.

New pendant, "Halloween Sunset":

Item 180285993307

A black cat and crow frame the setting sun. The sunset sky is in shades of orange. This monochrome visionary landscape is offered as a pendant, hand crafted by the artist from my original painting. Made from polymer clay with the print fired onto it, then sealed for protection.

An adjustable knotted cord is included so the piece is ready to wear and will fit most sizes (these are adjusted by sliding the knots and don't have a metal clasp). If you would prefer a cord of a particular length with a clasp instead, let me know at the time of the sale (no additional charge).

Here's a picture of Callie in her buggy, with my mom:



That's the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse in the background (it houses a surfing museum).

New pendant, "Dragonflies in Teal Moonlight":

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Dragonflies flit among the cattails, beneath a luminous full moon. The night sky is in shades of teal blue, deepening to indigo. The reeds and dragonfly are in orange tones. This piece, part of the Zen Mandala modern art series (botanical visionary landscapes in a contemporary Asian style), is offered as a pendant, hand crafted by the artist from my original painting. Made from polymer clay with the print fired onto it, then sealed for protection. A hand-sculpted dragonfly on the bail (the piece that fits over the cord) completes this unique piece.

An adjustable knotted cord is included so the piece is ready to wear and will fit most sizes (these are adjusted by sliding the knots and don't have a metal clasp). If you would prefer a cord of a particular length with a clasp instead, let me know at the time of the sale (no additional charge).

Here is my latest painting, "Calico Tea Meditation":

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The water has been poured over the tea, but the empty cups must wait until the time is right. A lovely calico cat drifts off to sleep while the tea steeps. Steam rises from the pottery tea pot. The clay tea pot and cups have a leaf motif. On another table, branches of cherry blossoms arc gracefully from a black vase. The wallpaper depicts plum blossoms on swirling water. Inspired by the Japanese tea ceremony. This square zen landscape is an original acrylic painting on a gallery-wrapped stretched canvas (the 3/4" staple-free sides are finished off in black acrylic) and can be hung with just a nail—no need to frame. It has been lightly varnished to protect the paint and preserve the lustrous colors. The copyright watermark does not appear on the actual painting.

The model for the tea set was from the amazing gallery of Tara Robertson Pottery.

Size: 10" x 10"

Set of two ACEO limited edition prints featuring cats, koi and turtles in Japanese Gardens, starting at only 99 cents on eBay:

Bidding Starts at only 99 Cents for the set!

Nibblefest is a monthly themed art contest on eBay where all art starts at only .99.

To see more great entries, search for NFAC on eBay.

Here is my latest painting, "The Scent of Red Roses":

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Out for a moonlit stroll in a garden, Frida stops to smell the red roses that are climbing along the wrought iron fence. A crow or raven has fluttered down too. Both are illumined by the full moon. Frida is wearing a simple white peasant dress, with a chunky Mexican bead necklace and earrings. A branch from a pepper tree sways overhead. This visionary landscape is an original acrylic painting on a gallery-wrapped stretched canvas (the 3/4" staple-free sides are finished off in dark blue acrylic) and can be hung with just a nail--no need to frame. It has been lightly varnished to protect the paint and preserve the lustrous colors. The copyright watermark does not appear on the actual painting. Size: 11" x 14"

New original ACEO, Black Cat in Red Sunset:

etsy Item 10863883

A black cat sits in a tree watching the setting sun. Some of the autumn leaves are dancing in the sunset sky. This visionary piece with a Southwestern palette of yellow, red, turquoise blue and purple, part of the Zen Mandala modern art series (botanical abstract landscapes in a contemporary Asian style), is a miniature original acrylic painting.

New original ACEO, Calla Lilies on Dark Red:

etsy Item 10753345

Original acrylic painting on fine art paper.

I've listed a bunch of my ACEO limited edition prints starting at only 99 cents on eBay:

Bidding Starts at only 99 Cents!

ACEO's (ART CARDS EDITIONS and ORIGINALS), a spectacular trove of creative expression that will fit into your pocket. ARTISTS of all varieties can be found in the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow...A virtual GALLERY IN YOUR POCKET!

ART CARDS EDITIONS AND ORIGINALS are:

• AFFORDABLE!
• COLLECTIBLE!
• TRADEABLE
• 2 1/2" by 3 1/2" (inches)
• Easy to handle, show, and store (fits into standard trading card albums, sleeves and storage containers)
• Created by LIVING artists who sell ART worldwide
• The door to a gallery of hundreds of great artists

Trading Cards presented by Self-Representing Artists. Search ACEO to find these artists!

Limited edition ACEO print of "Gate to Spring":

Item 180225860383
Bidding Starts at Only .99!

You pass through the gate out of the snowy winter night and into a beautiful Spring garden.

Nibblefest is a monthly themed art contest on eBay where all art starts at only .99.

To see more great entries, search for NFAC on eBay.

******************** SNS ************************
Saturday Night Specials

See the top section, SNS Sale Today Only, for bargain prices on selected items (paintings, prints, jewelry).

Prices go back up first thing Sunday morning.

I'm calling this one my "no fuss, no muss" SNS because the prices are already marked down. No calculating sale prices, or waiting for a revised invoice.

And, I'll ship on Monday. What a deal!

******************************************************

Golden Redwoods ACEO

An original acrylic miniature painting of California redwood trees with a stream winding through.

I am thrilled to announce that you can now purchase my fine art pendants at East West Bookstore in Mountain View, California. It is a beautiful shop to visit and they have wonderful nightly events, most of which are free.

Black Cat in Mossy Tree - Ready to Wear:

A black cat gazes at the luminous full moon. Moss hangs on the tree branches. This feng shui, mystical landscape, part of the Zen Mandala modern art series (botanical abstract landscapes in a contemporary Asian style), is offered as a pendant, hand crafted by the artist. Made from polymer clay with the print fired onto it, then sealed for protection.

Item 180206598910

An adjustable knotted cord is included so the piece is ready to wear and will fit most sizes (these are adjusted by sliding the knots and don't have a metal clasp). If you would prefer a cord of a particular length with a clasp instead, let me know at the time of the sale (no additional charge).

Orange California poppies against rich dark green foliage. The flowers are framed in a dark green rectangle, with a slight sparkle. This floral piece is offered as a fine art pendant, hand crafted from one of my paintings.

etsy Item 8746582

An adjustable knotted cord is included so the piece is ready to wear and will fit most sizes (these are adjusted by sliding the knots and don't have a metal clasp). If you would prefer a cord of a particular length with a clasp instead, let me know at the time of the sale (no additional charge).

Siamese Cats in Pink Blossoms - Ready to Wear:

Two Siamese cats sit together in a blossoming tree, illumined by the full moon. Some of the pink cherry blossom petals are dancing in the night sky, which is in shades of lavender and purple. This feng shui piece, part of the Zen Mandala modern art series (botanical abstract landscapes in a contemporary Asian style), is offered as a pendant, hand crafted by the artist. Made from polymer clay with the print fired onto it, then sealed for protection.

Item 180203543681

An adjustable knotted cord is included so the piece is ready to wear and will fit most sizes (these are adjusted by sliding the knots and don't have a metal clasp). If you would prefer a cord of a particular length with a clasp instead, let me know at the time of the sale (no additional charge).

An abstract heart in shades of turquoise, blue and purple with a slight sparkle. This chunky wearable fine art is offered as a pendant, hand crafted by the artist, and one of a kind (OOAK). Made from polymer clay.

An adjustable knotted cord is included so the piece is ready to wear and will fit most sizes (these are adjusted by sliding the knots and don't have a metal clasp). If you would prefer a cord of a particular length with a clasp instead, let me know at the time of the sale (no additional charge).

Item 180202406772

My newest fine art pendant...A white dove glides through the clouds in shades of pink, magenta, violet and purple. This inspirational art is offered as a pendant, hand crafted by the artist from my original painting. Made from polymer clay with the print fired onto it, then sealed for protection.

Item 180201286177

Fine Art Pendants

My newest items are fine art pendants. I make these out of polymer clay, using a high-quality print of one of my paintings, fired right into the clay. Each one is signed and dated on the back. Lots of these are coming and are selling fast :-).

This year, my new calendar designs feature original haiku by my mother. Here is the deluxe 12-month zen critter one:

And I also have quite a few single sheet ones

etsy Item 7671949

Three dragonflies flit through a forest of green bamboo. This feng shui landscape, from the Zen Mandala series, is an original miniature acrylic painting.

ACEOs (Art Cards Editions and Originals) are miniature works of art that measure 2.5" x 3.5" (the size of sports trading cards).