Wishing You all a Happy Holiday

Cypress Tree at the Polasek Museum
18x24 inches
Acrylic on birch panel


Henry and I wish you the happiest of holidays and a wonderful 2011!!

I have been busy in the Loft Studio this fall, getting it set up and arranged to be a cozy hideaway for my patrons. Please come anytime you are in the Gainesville area. I am usually there around Noon on Wednesday - Saturday each week. Henry comes with me on Wednesday to entertain everybody.

I continue to paint my favorite farms, and trees. In 2011 I will add some floral and garden paintings to honor requests from patrons.

My Web sites:
http://www.lindablondheim.com
http://www.lindablondheimlandscapeart.com
My Blogs:
http://lindablondheimartnotes.blogspot.com
http://linda-blondheim.blogspot.com

2011 Calendar

February

Linda's Annual Chili Party

March

Wekiva Paint Out
EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival Art in the Gardens Weekend

April

Evinston Paint Out
Winter Park Paint Out

June

Linda's Hot Dog Picnic

November

Canaveral Seashore Paint Out

North Florida Muse

North Florida Muse by Linda Blondheim | Make Your Own Book

New Magazine Article

Landscape Paintings

Friends,
Enjoy this article published in the Haile Village Journal by Sarah Carey.


For more information or to obtain a photo of Linda Blondheim, e-mail: skcarey1@gmail.com
July 2010

Landscapes reflect artist's passion for capturing region's history
GAINESVILLE – Painter Linda Blondheim's work is a vibrant spectrum of North Florida life and land, rendered impressionistically in all four seasons, at all hours of the day and night.
From postcard-sized paintings produced quickly, when studio time is limited, to larger pieces that hang in homes throughout the country, Blondheim's work always contains undercurrents of yesterday.
Widely renowned for her Southern landscapes, Blondheim is respected by patrons and fellow artists alike for her commitment to land and water conservation in Florida and for her generosity of spirit, as well as for the painting skills she's honed for more than 30 years. Always original, Blondheim's paintings make thoughtful and interpretive use of color and composition and reflect her deep familiarity with “Old Florida” scenery as well as other venues in North Carolina and the Deep South.
Typical Blondheim landscape scenes range from public and privately owned pastures and farm fields that remain home to livestock and horses in the region, to coastal marshlands and pristine ocean and rivers. Her work captures Florida's rich agricultural history as well as its entrenched reputation as a tropical haven for visitors from Northern climes.
An honors graduate of the University of Tampa, Blondheim performed postgraduate studies in fine art at the University of South Florida before embarking on her painting career. She honed her reputation as an oil painter, but has recently shifted to working primarily in acrylics, although she still likes to occasionally use other mediums for effect and variety.
Local residents have likely seen her work at Paddiwhack, her primary Gainesville gallery, as well as recently in solo exhibitions at Books, Inc., the Vam York Theatre, Melrose Bay Gallery, and the Ice House Gallery in McIntosh.
It was in that gallery that 12 years ago, McIntosh resident Lindy McCollum Brounley, a communications specialist at UF, spotted a particular Blondheim painting...and fell in love.
“It was a vibrantly painted landscape of a stand of sabal palms in a grass prairie,” Brounley said. “Like most all of Linda's Florida landscapes, it evoked a powerful sense of 'home' within me.”
Brounley's mother purchased the painting and gave it to her daughter for her birthday that year.
Since then, Brounley and her husband have collected four additional Blondheim landscapes of Florida locations that are meaningful to them. As a Christmas gift for her mother this past year, Brounley purchased a painting of a dirt road hugging the treeline at the edge of a hilly, plowed field outside of Evinston, Fla.
“For us, Linda's paintings of our beautiful North Florida landscapes document the rural lifestyle and its unique ecological treasures that we love and hope to preserve,” Brounley said.
Although Blondheim has deliberately downsized her gallery presence in recent years, she has simultaneously expanded her Web presence, reaching out to patrons and potential patrons through a blog, Facebook and Twitter, in addition to the more conventional Web site.
“At one time, I would have never considered reducing my gallery presence, as that was how I felt artists became known, and I was not as confident in my own ability to attract sales in other ways,” Blondheim said.
To survive in today's market, she has had to devise more creative ways of marketing a broader selection of work at different price points to appeal to a range of clients – individuals who never thought they could afford to buy an original painting but quickly learn that Blondheim's art is actually quite affordable, as well as art lovers who pay top dollar for their favorite scenes.
Much of Blondheim's subject matter is captured off the beaten path and resonates with both Florida natives and others who have come to call Florida home. Among her favorite places to paint locally are Fair Oaks Farm, owned by attorney Rick Knellinger, and the Wood family's historic farm, both located in Evinston.
Blondheim visits Evinston whenever she can, particularly between October and April, before the summer's brutal heat sets in.
“I have been fortunate to have Linda spend considerable time and effort at Fair Oaks documenting the farrn in gorgeous paintings which preserve for all time, the nurturing nature of a vanishing landscape,” said Fair Oaks owner Knellinger, who has accumulated several Blondheim paintings in the past two years. “She wanders the fields finding views through which she captures the spirit of the farm and those who toil here.”
The Wood farm, which has been designated a Century Pioneer Family Farm by the state of Florida, is located on the shores of Orange Lake and holds a special place in Blondheim's heart because of her years-long relationship with the Wood family. Ashley Wood, a retired communications director formerly with the University of Florida's Food and Agricultural Sciences, said Blondheim is always welcome to visit the family's farms, lands and yards.
“It's always great to hear from our Evinston-area neighbors when we have a 'Linda Blondheim sighting', because we are so pleased to have her creative talents that so wonderfully capture the lands and environment that we all love, appreciate and work to protect,” said Wood, who has known Blondheim since she was hired right out of high school in the early 1970s to work in the IFAS print shop.
“She was there for about a year or so before she went back to school for her degree and career as an artist,” he said. “I recall seeing her several years later at the Santa Fe Spring Arts show where she was showing her work and talent for possibly the first time.”
Since then, Wood said Blondheim had developed into “one of the best, if not the best, plein air artists of Florida.”
“She can so uniquely interpret the North Florida environment, the wonderful Florida clouds and sky, the statuesque oaks and palms and the Southern landscapes,” Wood said.
Blondheim was the poster artist for the 2010 Evinston Paint-out, one of six invitational events she will have participated in this year – and that's a downsized schedule for the Lacrosse resident whose studio 11 miles from Gainesville is her late father's converted shed.
A founder of Plein Air Florida, Blondheim once travelled throughout the Eastern Seaboard to participate in numerous paint-outs, but she has come to a point in her life and career where she prefers to stay closer to home,so she can concentrate on studio work and be more available to her 87-year-old mother and to other family members.
That's one reason why she has devoted more time recently to Internet marketing, even gradually reducing her in-studio teaching and workshops in favor of “E-classes” she offers to her current students. Many of Blondheim's students are already aspiring artists seeking to reach their next level of achievement through professional consultation, but some have never previously picked up a paint brush and seek Blondheim's help to pursue their dream of learning how to paint.
“The logistics of travel, and the sheer physical demands of setting up, taking down and painting non-stop in unpredictable conditions can be very stressful, but most importantly I have come to feel that my strengths are better realized in the studio,” Blondheim said.
This year, she painted at events in Wekiva Springs State Park, Epcot Center in Orlando, Bartram Trail in St. John's County, and Winter Park as well as Evinston. The Canaveral National Seashore National Paint-out looms in November.
A self-described workaholic, Blondheim's friends know that she is also a “foodie” – an excellent cook who wouldn't consider having guests to her studio without putting out a spread of homemade munchies and dip, along with the requisite lemonade.
Her studio chili parties are something of a tradition for Blondheim fans. Patrons and others who are on her mailing list receive invitations to these get-togethers, which are Blondheim's way of showing appreciation to her friends and patrons.
At Art Salons – a concept Blondheim came up with for hosting groups of art aficionados at her studio – she whips up a fabulous lunch that might consist of spaghetti, salad and carrot cake.
Blondheim once worked as the personal chef for former McIntosh resident Louise Courtelis, a University of Florida philanthropist and former owner of Town and Country Farm. Courtelis and her daughter, Kiki, both of whom now reside in Kentucky, own several Blondheim paintings and have consistently supported her and her work over the years.
Town of Tioga resident Liz Brown discovered Blondheim's work after being invited to an Art Salon by her friend, Lindy Brounley.
“Lindy knew that my teenage daughter, Gracie, is an aspiring artist, and suggested that I bring Gracie as well,” Brown said. “We had no idea what to expect, and frankly I was a little intimidated. Would I be the only guest who knew nothing about art? Of course, I had been to art museums, and I had some haphazardly chosen art in my home, but I had never spent much time trying to learn about art.”
She added that what transpired was a lovely afternoon of lunching, laughing, and learning about one artist’s process and philosophy.
“Linda opened her studio and her home to us, fed our minds and hearts with her beautiful Florida landscapes, and our tummies with her delicious food,” said Brown, a staff attorney in the U.S. Attorney's office. “I grew up in the Florida Panhandle where 'beach scenes' are ubiquitous, but Linda’s paintings were like nothing I had seen before. Linda has a gift for capturing the essence of her subjects, so that you can smell the salt air, feel the cool spring water, and hear the palm fronds moving in the breeze.”
Blondheim asked the Art Salon participants to view the paintings in her studio, and to share which painting they liked best and why.
“There was no pressure to sound like an art expert, just an opportunity to reflect on why we are attracted to certain images,” Brown said. “Linda discussed how and why she chooses her subjects, demonstrated how she makes a painting, and answered our questions about collecting art and what advice she would give to a young artist-in-training.
“Then she told us that that she started giving her own children art to collect when they were young, and in that spirit I later bought Gracie some small florals that she especially admired to remind her of our afternoon in Linda’s studio,” Brown added. “This past Christmas, I put one of Linda’s paintings of Poe Springs on my 'wish list,' and I now enjoy looking at that refreshing scene at the end of a long, hot, day.”
Although Blondheim has deep roots in Alachua County, having been born and raised here, she can never mentally stay in one place too long. She constantly evaluates her business and marketing plans, while never losing sight of her personal need to evolve as a painter -- perfecting her techniques in a specific medium, for example, or experimenting with a fresh approach to value study.
“What I especially admire about Linda is her commitment to expanding her skills as a painter, ever immersing herself in the study of aesthetics while experimenting with color, mediums and other various techniques,” said Sharon Crute, an Ocala artist renowned for her dynamic equine paintings. “In this ongoing endeavor, Linda generously shares her acquired knowledge with her peers. As an equine artist, she urged me step out of my horse genre and take a try with plein air painting, something I would never have considered. This is how much she remains fully engaged as an artist.”
For more information about Linda Blondheim's work, or to purchase a painting, go to www.lindablondheim.com. Oh, and there will be a cake party (red velvet, sour cream pound and carrot cake are already on the menu) at her studio on September 25. Anyone interested is more than welcome to attend.

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The cake party locationhas been changed to Melrose Bay Gallery, State Road 26, Melrose, Florida

Fun in the Studio

Summer Glory
30x36 inches
acrylic on Birch panel
Landscape Paintings

Notes From the Studio

I'm having a swell summer so far, working in my studio with the AC on. A welcome change from bugs,heat and poison ivy from the paint outs of spring.

I finished this large painting and now I am waiting for two canvases to be shipped, to start another large painting or two. They will be panoramic.

In the mean time I'm having so much fund with miniatures. See them on my Miniature Paintings Page.

I hope summer is going wonderfully for you too.....

I'm Back!!

Faye's Bald Cypress
18x24 inches
acrylic on panel
Landscape Paintings

I've been on the road for awhile doing more paint outs at Evinston and Winter Park. I had a wonderful adventure and you can see some of the paintings on my web site. Now I am settled into the studio for the summer to work on large format paintings. If you would like to come for a visit and see my work, please let me know by email: lindablondheim@gmail.com

I still have a "Make an Offer" painting each month, so check that out on my specials page at the web site. This month's offer is currently at 75.00 and will be available through 5 PM on May 31, 2010.

I also have a new "Miniature of the Month" club available. I will send you a 2x3 inch miniature each month for 400.00 a year or 35.00 a month. What a fun way to collect paintings or give paintings as gifts to friends!!

Enjoy your summer and I'll check in here about once a week.
Love,
Linda

The Wekiva State Park and Wekiva River Experience

See my Wekiva Paintings:
Landscape Paintings
Small Landscape Paintings

I've just returned from the Wekiva State Park where I painted with other painters for a week, living in the park. There is no other place in Florida more beautiful. At sunset, the lake behind our cabins has a neon blue color with pinks, salmons and yellows in the sky. The dark pines show as ghostly blues and dark grays in front of the scene. It is the perfect winter place to be in Florida.

For the next two months I will be traveling, first to Walt Disney World for the annual International Flower and Garden Festival in Epcot. I'll be painting in the World Showcase March 26-28.



I'll be off to my favorite Florida location, Evinston, Florida for a week to paint the farms and ranches April 17-24. Our paintings will be for sale at the Wood and Swink in Evinston and at the University of Florida president's home for a gala opening and sale on April 24th. Proceeds benefit the Wood and Swink restoration. It is Florida's oldest working Post office. The paint out is sponsored by CTF

After Evinston, I'll be off to Winter Park for the annual Paint Out sponsoring the Albin Polasek Museum. What a beautiful museum!! I'm looking forward to painting there from April 25- May 2. Polasek

I'll see you at one of these places and look forward to each one.

Love,
Linda

Commissions For Farm, Ranch, and Rural Florida Landscape Patrons

Lane to Fair Oaks Farm
24x36 inches
acrylic on wood panel

As many of you know who read my newsletters and view my web site Landscape Paintings, my true love in painting subjects are the farms,ranches, and rural lands of Florida. I am always happy to do commissions for my patrons. If you have a farm or ranch, or land that you love in Florida, I'll be happy to paint it for you as if it were my own. I am devoted to rural land conservation and have a deep commitment to preserving images of ranching and farming in Florida. Trees, pastures, old farm houses,cattle and barns all are favorites for me.

Contact me at lindablondheim@gmail.com

Wekiva Paint Out

Wekiva River Spring
24x36 inches
acrylic on wood panel
See at the Florida Museum of Natural history through May 2010

See my paintings HERE

Newest Press Release

For more information or to obtain a photo of Linda Blondheim, e-mail: skcarey1@gmail.com

Feb. 15, 2010


Noted Southern landscape artist to paint at Wekiva State Park March 1-6

GAINESVILLE – Southern landscape artist Linda Blondheim will return to one of her favorite painting spots at the upcoming Wekiva Paint Out, scheduled March 1-6. Artists paint in and around Wekiva State Park, including the Wekiva Island and throughout the Wekiva River Basin.

This is Blondheim's fourth consecutive year at the invitational event, which she says is her very favorite of all the paint-outs she participates in.
“I have never missed one,” she said. “I feel that I come home each year when I arrive, unpack the car and go out with my paint box each morning. This paint-out is unique because it is the only one that allows the painters to live together in cabins on-site for the entire week.”


Blondheim said the housing arrangements and free range artists are given to the park, the river and Wekiva Island (formerly known as Wekiva Marina) during their stay leads to an immersion experience unlike any other.


“The hospitality for the artists is first class,” she said. “We are pampered by the event director, the staff at the paint-out and by the owners of Wekiva Island. They bring in a pontoon boat with a captain who takes us out on the river to paint each day. We can paint wherever we wish to and on our own schedule.”
Artists are provided with meals each day, so there is no need for them to cook, Blondheim said, adding that the camaraderie among participating artists is both stimulating and fun.


“The park is absolutely beautiful and the river is wild and pristine, with many beautiful birds, reptiles and otters in full view,” she said.


Widely renowned for her Southern landscapes, Blondheim is respected by patrons and fellow artists alike for her commitment to land and water conservation in Florida as well as her refined painting skills. Always original, always exciting, Blondheim's work makes thoughtful and interpretive use of color and composition and reflects her deep familiarity with “Old Florida” scenery as well as other venues in North Carolina and the Deep South.


Her landscape scenes range from public and privately owned pastures and farm fields that remain home to livestock and horses in the region, to coastal marshlands and pristine ocean and rivers. Blondheim's work captures Florida's rich agricultural history as well as its entrenched reputation as a tropical haven for visitors from Northern climates.
Much of Blondheim's subject matter is captured off the beaten path and resonates with both Florida natives and others who have come to call Florida home.
Visitors to the paint-out will have the opportunity to purchase an original Blondheim work of art at a reasonable price, but also to feel good knowing proceeds from all paint-out sales will go to the Friends of the Wekiva River organization to better preserve and maintain the quality of the river and the state park.


Artists will be painting daily, from Monday, March 1 through Saturday, March 6, with most beginning at first light and painting until sunset. Finished artwork will be available to view and purchase in the Wekiva Island Wetroom/Art Gallery, which is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. To 6 p.m. And from 10 a.m. To 4 p.m. On Saturday.


Wekiva Island is located at 1014 Miami Springs Road in Longwood. Turn off Wekiva Springs Road and onto Miami Springs Road, which is the north side of the intersection with Hunt Club Blvd. And Wekiva Springs Road.
In these times, more and more people are choosing “staycations” over more expensive travel opportunities, opting to stay home and enjoy their own environments in more creative ways. What better way to support state land and wildlife conservation efforts, invest in original art, buy American and support a local artist than to nest at home with your favorite landscapes captured in an original Blondheim painting?


To learn more about Blondheim and see images of her work, go to www.lindablondheim.com.
To learn more about the Friends of the Wekiva River organization, visit www.friendsofwekiva.org.
For more information about the Wekiva paint-out, go to www.wekivapaintout.com.
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Wintering In

Wintering In at Fair Oaks Farm
20x24 inches
acrylic on wood panel

See my paintings HERE

Notes From the Field

This is that magical time of the year in North Florida, that so few appreciate. Most painters love spring and summer with all the flower blooms and emerald green fields. For me, Fall and winter are the magic. As I step outside I see subtle shades of gray, both cool and warm, many variations of brown, gold and purple in the landscape. Here and there are startling fields of winter rye grass, sharply green against the grays and rusts around them.This is north Florida at it's best, with the bite of winter chill.

Linda's Next E-Class

Southern Trees in the Landscape- February 15- March 22, 2010

Study the trees of the South and how to paint them, including canopies, trunks, mechanics of trees, light and shade, and color of trees.

100.00
HERE

A New Year in the Landscape World

Brewster Farm
20x24 inches
acrylic on wood panella
See my paintings HERE

Thanks to so many for taking advantage of my December sale of small plein air paintings. 20 of those paintings have new happy homes!!

My January Browse Bin Special is in progress HERE through January 31, 2010. These are larger older paintings from my bin. All are 250.00 with free shipping.

This year will be full of activity and full of new work. I am focusing on wonderful trees and our rural lands of north Florida for 2010. I have changed my palette a bit and am tweaking that now. This palette has a more subtle color harmony with more rich grays and color accents for my new year.

I'll be on the road starting March 1st for a series of paint outs around north and central Florida. More about those later.

Happy New Year dear collector friends. I am so grateful for your support and interest in my work.
Love,
Linda

Happy Holidays from Linda Blondheim Art Studio

Lake Alice
8x10 inches
oil on panel

December Special

WISHING YOU ALL A JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON

December Special from Linda Blondheim Art Studio

Hidden Pasture
20x24 inches
acrylic on wood panel
wired and ready to hang unframed
1500.00
Free Shipping and gift wrapping
Purchase HERE


December Special:

My December Special for Friends:
Any 8x10 inch painting on my web site will be 75.00 with free shipping and gift wrap. On December 1st, go to Small paintings to purchase, through January 1st. Happy Holidays to all my friends.

Transition to Winter- Linda Blondheim Art Studio

Transition to Winter
18x24 inches
acrylic on wood panel
wired and ready to hang unframed
Free Shipping and Gift Wrapping

Purchase HERE

At long last fall has arrived in North central Florida. It has been a slow lengthy wait with unseasonably warm weather. Last week I noticed the color of winter coming. The oranges, mauves, pinks and wheat colors like a quilt over the landscape. The smokey blues and grays have come in the distant trees and trunks of trees in shadow. What glorious color now to savor and enjoy. I am beginning to hear the Sand Hill Cranes calling to each other as well. Florida is at its best in winter.

North Florida Sky

North Florida Sky
18x24 inches
acrylic on wood panel
wired and ready to hang unframed

Purchase HERE

Here in north central Florida, the skies are spectacular. I love to paint them though I can never give them the justice they deserve. We like to think of them as our "mountains".

A Facebook Friends Make an Offer

River palms
12x16 inches
oil on panel
free gift wradpping and free shipping

This is my "Make an Offer" painting featured on Facebook through November 15 at 7PM. To make an offer email me at lindablondheim@gmail.com Put offer in the subject line.

The current high offer is 20.00

Linda Blondheim Art Studio News

Poor Man's Creek
12x16 inches
oil on Masonite
700.00
unframed
free shipping

Purchase HERE





“Small Works/BIG Ideas/ Thinking Inside the Box” will open at the Melrose Bay Art Gallery on Sunday, November 8, 2009 with a reception from 1-5 PM. This show features over 100 original works of art in a variety of media by 52 recognized as well as emerging local artists.


Artist participation was by invitation only and the requirements were simple: each artist was given an overall allotment of 432sq inches, all work had to be original, framed if appropriate, with outside measurements not exceeding a total of 144 square inches per piece. In addition each artist was assigned specific size dimensions for hanging space, so “thinking inside the box” was necessary.


Why small works? Because art created on a small scale is both intimate and indescribably powerful. This particular format also has the potential for making the work of a favorite artist more economically accessible and art patrons will have a wonderful opportunity to acquire art for collecting or for giving.



The Melrose Bay Art Gallery is open every weekend from 10 AM to 6 PM on Saturday and from 1-5 PM on Sunday. “Small Works/BIG Ideas/ Thinking Inside the Box” will be up from Saturday, November 7 through Sunday, December 20.


* * *
Melrose Bay Art Gallery
open Sat 10am-6pm & Sun 1-5pm
103 State Road 26 at Centre Street
PO Box 36
Melrose, Florida 32666
(352) 475-3866
new email address:
melrosebayartgallery@gmail.com
www.melrosebayartgallery.com

My Annual Studio Sale is in progress in Gainesville Florida, at Books Inc. corner of NW 13th Street and NW 5th Avenue, just 5 blocks north of the University of Florida entrance.

November 1-30, 2009

A busy Fall-Linda Blondheim Art Studio

Fall at Fair Oaks Farm
20x24 inches
oil on wood panel
1500.00
Free Shipping
Purchase HERE

I've been on the road some this fall and very busy with various projects. I'm back in the studio and ready to paint in lovely Evinston, Florida again. Studio Dog and I are headed out this afternoon for a painting session. Enjoy this lucious fall weather in North Florida. get out and discover the back roads, the beautiful coast and rivers of our state. Eat in the old fashioned restaurants in small towns. Get the flavor of North Central Florida, "the heart of Florida", in your blood. You will know why I love it with a passion.There is a new adventure for you just around the corner.

Linda Blondheim Studio Newsletter October 14, 2009

Coastal Palms
12x16 inches
acrylic on birch panel
wired and ready to hang unframed
Purchase HERE


Landscapes of the South
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lindablondheim@gmail.com
Studio: 386.462.5726
Please forward my newsletters to your friends. I need to grow my business. I'll
reward you with a tiny abstract painting.
Don't forget that I offer 10% of the sale cash referral rewards when you send a
new patron to me who purchases a painting.
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October 14, 2009
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It's time for my

Annual Books Inc Studio Sale

November 1-30, 2009
at Books Inc in Gainesville
Corner of NW 5th Avenue and NW 13th Street
5 blocks from UF

I have the following for sale:

I always have a lot of paintings in the sale, including studies and older paintings.
This year I'll bring the older frames and the drying boxes too.
This is your chance to own a Blondheim painting if you have been waiting.




My next E-class is Virtual Plein Air, I - November 10, 2009 Sign up HERE



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Along the Bartram Trail



My paint Out Adventure

I've been away at a paint out in northeast Florida between Jacksonville and St Augustine
on State Road 13
Belulahatchee is an interesting area of that drive. it is a creek/pond which is
a tributary of the St John's River. it is very old Florida in every way. A swamp
with Cypress trees, palms and lots of beauty. In other circumstances, magnificent.
We were privileged to paint on the property of well known writer Stetson Kennedy
and I met him. He is in his 90's but is as spry as can be and very active. The painting
above is of one of his cottages on the river.

On the day I painted there it rained on and off all day long. We would paint for
an hour and then have to retreat to our cars during the current storm. I felt lucky
to have completed this painting at all. There were patches of good light despite
the rain.

I do believe this was the hottest most miserable weather I've ever painted in. I'm
not much of a plein air summer painter, preferring the cool dry climate and color
of Florida in Fall through Spring.
It averaged from 90-96 each day with 80-100% humidity throughout the week we were
there. It is very still along the river, with little air circulation.




I spent a lot of time at Alpine Grove Park. It was the location for the wet room for paintings
and where all of our meals were served. It is a lovely park which fronts the river,
with many oaks, palms and cypress trees, along with a few old Magnolia trees. I
decided that I wanted to spend the day on a painting, so I chose this beautiful
scene. I was really tired by the end of that day after standing in one spot for
about 6 hours. It was worth the effort to have gotten a good sized painting in an
event where most paintings are small.


The park has several old buildings and the old house is lovely, in the 1800's vernacular
of Florida homes. There is a long new dock, which is covered for shade and protection
from the rain. Naturally, with so many artists participating, the dock was always
full of painters, so I only got one study there on the first day before everyone
arrived. I tend to avoid the most popular locations in order to seek quiet for
my painting time. Avoiding chatter is very difficult at paint outs, unless you
have a smaller number of painters with many locations to choose from.

The Bailey Ranch was one of the great locations along the Bartram Trail. it is
a working cattle ranch along the river and very interesting. There are lots of old
oaks and tall pines there with cracker cows, donkeys, and horses. it's not beautiful
like the farms in Evinston, but it is quite interesting.



In spite of the wretched weather I enjoyed painting along the Bartram trail. The
committee members could not have been more helpful to the artists. I am grateful
for the excellent food and hosting I received while there. Thanks to North Florida
Land Trust for an excellent experience.
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How About a Recipe?



I had the chance to eat very good food, while I was painting the Bartram Trail.
Two of the best places where I ate was Shannon's Pub on Racetrack Road and SR 13,
and at Beach Diner on SR 13 in Mandarin. We also tried DonJuans Mexican Restaurant
which was also good, on 13 in Mandarin.


At Shannons, I tried one of my favorites, Shepherd's Pie . Here is my recipe, similar
to their's.

1 pound ground round, crumbled and pried with one chopped onion, a bag of mixed
vegetables, a can of crushed tomatoes, beef stock mixed with bit of red wine and
corn starch. Fry and drain meat and veges. Pour in stock mixture and simmer until
thick and yummy. Season with salt, pepper,thyme and parsley.

Make a batch of mashed potatoes, keep them spreadable but pretty thick.
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded.

Put meat/gravy mixture in a deep pan to bake in oven. Spread mashed potatoes over
the mixture like cake icing. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake until golden
and bubbly.







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Back to What I Love

I'm almost through with my obligations for fall now. I have worked hard and I'm
ready to get back to my first love, of painting the farms and ranches here in north
Central Florida. I can think of nothing I would rather do with my time. I will
shortly be through with a small commission, a day trip to the Epcot Food and Wine
festival on this Saturday and a couple of small day events, scattered through the
fall.

I'll be giving up my painting location at Paddiwhack for awhile, switching to Evinston
instead. I want to take advantage of the beauty there for a few months.
Since I will be out and about painting out of my studio for the rest of fall, let
me know if you wish to pay a studio visit, or use my web site instead to purchase
paintings.

I'll be checking in with news, but not quite as much as summer, when I have more
time to write.

There are plans for another Evinston paint Out for 2010. if you would like to be
a sponsor for another Evinston paint out, or to sponsor one of the artists with
hosting, meals, or patron purchasing, please let me know.The paint out is not a
reality yet, but we hope it will be.


(Artists, This will be an Invitational paint out only, so don't write to me to get
applications. There are none.)

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Out Painting


I'll be painting for the next few months in beloved Evinston Florida, moving there
for the fall to paint. Come by the Wood Swink Post Office to step back in time to
a more pleasant world. Freddie has the best produce, fresh every day for sale. Located
between Micanopy and McIntosh off US 441 on County road 225. I'll see you there.

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This Week's Ebay Paintings


Opening Bid:$3.99
Retail Price:55.00
S & H: Free
No Reserve
Type Blondheim Art into the Ebay search window HERE


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Linda Blondheim Art Studio Newsletter, October 1, 2009

Night Palms
20x24 inches
acrylic on wood panel
HERE




Studio/Plein Air Equipment for sale

I have the following for sale:

used frames

miniature- 3.00 each (4x6)
small 10.00 each ( 6x8-8x10)
larger (12x16-16x20)20.00 each
1 heavy gold 30.00 (18x24)

a nice 12x16 inch panel drying box, 50.00

an old 8x10 drying box,needs a lid, 10.00

Art instruction books 5.00 each

email me: lindablondheim@gmail.com


My next E-class is Virtual Plein Air, I - November 10, 2009beginning September 29.
http://www.lindablondheim.com/publications.php


Florida Clouds


I don't know about other places, but here in North central Florida we have had the most incredible clouds this fall. I've gotten into the habit of jumping in the car, late in the afternoon with Henry and just driving around to gawk at them with awe. I can't remember a more impressive view of the clouds in recent years.

We like to think of clouds as our mountains here in Florida. We have every hue from bottle green to teal, orange,pink,red,yellow, and rich dark purple.

As a landscape painter, I have a keen interest in them and a fascination with painting them. I am of course, not alone in this quest. Lots of my painting friends do them as well. Some of my painting friends have signatures to their work with their clouds. I have one friend who is well known for her pink clouds. What's fun is that her paintings always have pink clouds, no matter what the atmospheric condition or time of day she is painting.

Mine go through various stages of development. of late, I have been using a lot of back lighting on mine with fairly deep shadows on the fronts of the clouds. A bit more red in them as well, but I'm very fond of the orange blue compliment gray in mine.

Clouds become a landscape painter's signature, part of their style if they have a keen interest in them.

Here's a bit about Clouds:

Cloud Types common cloud classifications Clouds are classified into a system that uses Latin words to describe the appearance of clouds as seen by an observer on the ground. The table below summarizes the four principal components of this classification system (Ahrens, 1994).

Latin Root Translation Example

cumulus
stratus
cirrus
nimbus heap
layer
curl of hair
rain fair weather cumulus
altostratus
cirrus
cumulonimbus

Further classification identifies clouds by height of cloud base. For example, cloud names containing the prefix "cirr-", as in cirrus clouds, are located at high levels while cloud names with the prefix "alto-", as in altostratus, are found at middle levels. This module introduces several cloud groups. The first three groups are identified based upon their height above the ground. The fourth group consists of vertically developed clouds, while the final group consists of a collection of miscellaneous cloud types.

Since I am not a science type person, I'll simply enjoy the view. I often like to go to the Orange lake overlook just south of McIntosh, Florida to enjoy the huge cloud formations rolling across the sky in the late afternoon there.

Clouds allow me to wonder and dream about our good earth and sky. I can't think of any more beautiful visions than an open sky full of ever changing clouds. Because they change so rapidly, I've learned a thing or two about saving time while painting them. I will often premix all of the colors I want to use for a cloud study, making it much faster to work and capture their beauty.

The next time you want to have some free fun, go out to a place with a vista and take your lawn chair. Sit and dream, while you watch the clouds go by.



The Painting Process

Night Palms

I've been fooling around with my "Night Palms" theme this week, first with a 5x7 study to warm up with and then this painting. I've gotten a lot of questions about the Night Palm series from friends, collectors and other artists, about the process.

Some of the paintings are actually started on location and a few of the small ones are done alla prima on location. When I paint out for nocturnals I NEVER go alone, unless it is in my own yard. Safety is very important, especially for us gals!!

I often use a little book light for the work, which clips onto the lid of my paint box. I got mine at Radio Shack and it comes with a little battery stand that is plugged in to sue when I'm not painting. It is convenient but not really very powerful, so i am always looking for another way. Some people paint with the miner's head lamps, but the spotlight from those can be difficult because they do not produce any ambient light and are almost too strong. One of the best ways is to paint where there is a lot of ambient street light or on a full moon night, my favorite.

My best method is to go out and simply observe what things look like at night, taking notes and thinking about how to portray objects in darkness, then going back to my studio to produce paintings like this one. Painting nocturnals is more about the esthetic of the look rather than the reality of night.

I've always loved the night and feel comfortable with it, having been a landscape painter for most of my adult life and living on rural land. We learned very young how to navigate in the dark, ride horses and so forth. There is a mystery of the night that is very appealing in art. We are all fascinated by nodcturnal paintings.

My favorite place to observe for nocturnal paintings is Wekiva State Park. It is simply magnificent at sunset, sunrise, and into the night. The early evening and dawn color there is beyond beautiful with the smokey grays, deep mauves,blues,silvers and rusts of winter. I can't wait to get there every year to paint for a week.

Step outside at night and observe the mystery.


How About a Recipe?


I have been playing around with the idea of making old fashioned cakes and yeast breads to sell again. Not the fancy bakery cakes, but the old timey ones that Grandma used to turn out. It's been a long time since bakerys sold good old style cakes and there might be an interest for them. I'm thinking Lemon poppy Seed with lemon curd filling, Carrot Cake with orange curd filling, Red Velvet Cake. Sour cream with strawberry/amaretto filling and burnt buttercream frosting. Chocolate chip cake with chocolate ganash rum icing. I wonder if anyone would be interested?

This week's recipe, I made up the other evening when I was bored with the usual meal. it was surprisingly tasty.

Beans,Chili and Rice

1 can chili
1 can black beans drained
1 small chopped onion
3 cups hot cooked rice
1/2 shredded romaine lettuce
1 large tomato diced
dash of chopped cilantro
dollop of sour cream for each serving

heat and mix beans and chili
Pour over rice
top with lettuce,tomato,onion,cilantro and sour cream.

Yummy!!

Cook's Tip:

Forget the bagged salads and make your own. if you keep a tomato, bag of whole romaine lettuce, an onion and a seedless cucumber in the fridge, you can make a salad fresh in lickity split time. It will last so much longer than a bagged salad.



On the Road Again


I'lll be away for a couple of weeks, first to St John's County for "Painting the Region" along state road 13, part of the William Bartram trail. I haven't done a paint out since May, so I am very rusty. Let's hope I'll get my plein air muse back again for this event. I think most of my painting time will be at the ranch but I really don't know what any of the locations look like, so we will see. My tendency is to avoid other painters when I work, so whereever the crowd is, I won't be ;>)There are a lot of painters at this one, so it may be difficult to find a quiet spot each day, but I will try. I am not staying with artists I know or even my host, so it will be a bit lonely there. Come see me.


http://www.paintingtheregion.com

After Painting the Region, I'm off to Orlando for a day or two with my daughters and their men to the Wine Festival at Epcot. A mini vacation if you will. When I get back, I'll have lots of stories for you. I am hoping my host has internet service or there is a coffee shop nearby. I'll check in on Facebook frequently while on the road. http://www.facebook.com/linda.blondheim



A Tribute to North Florida

The Ken Burns Film


I've been watching the newest Ken Burns film this week, Our National Parks, America's Best Idea. it has been a profound experience for me, loving the land and water as I do. Ken Burns is one of our most gifted artists, a national treasure. If you have not seen his films you simply must. They are sublime recordings of American history and culture, made with meticulous craftsmanship and subtlty, giving dignity to those souls who came before us.

I wrote an email to Mr Burns through his agency this week, asking him to do a film about Evinston/Cross Creek/Orange Lake/Micanopy. I don't know whether he will receive the email, but I so believe that area of Florida deserves his magic touch with film. I wish a documentary film maker would discover this part of Florida. The lovely film Cross Creek done years ago was the closest one I've seen that does it justice, though it was a biography focusing on MKR.

When I drive through these old towns, sit in the Wood Swink by the stove, and wander the Wood Farm and Fair Oaks Farm, I long for a way to pay tribute to the beauty I see there. I fear that the Wood Swink will close before the repair work and upgrades can be done for lack of funding. I want to see the ranches and farms continue as they have been for a century or more. I cringe when I see the developers licking their chops at Orange Lake and the Paynes Prairie Rim.

I've done what I can by being part of land conservation efforts here in north Florida. I urge you to do the same.

http://www.conserveflorida.org/index.html
http://alachuaconservationtrust.org/index.php?/alachua/mission-history/
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/lands/fl_forever.htm
http://northfloridalandtrust.org/




Out Painting



This week I'll be packing for my trip and will not be at Paddiwhack. I'll be back in front of the gallery to paint two weeks from Friday.



This Week's Ebay Paintings


Opening Bid: $3.99
Retail Price: 55.00
S & H: Free
No Reserve

Type Blondheim Art into the Ebay search window.

EBAY

Linda Blondheim Art Studio Newsletter, September 24, 2009

Lake Alice
University of Florida
20x24 inches
acrylic on wood panel

Landscapes of the South
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Linda Blondheim Web Site
lindablondheim@gmail.com
Studio: 386.462.5726

Please forward my newsletters to your friends. I need to grow my business. I'll
reward you with a tiny abstract painting.

Don't forget that I offer 10% of the sale cash referral rewards when you send a
new patron to me who purchases a painting.
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September 24, 2009
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Studio/Plein Air Equipment for sale

I have the following for sale:

used frames


miniature- 3.00 each (4x6)
small 10.00 each ( 6x8-8x10)
larger (12x16-16x20)20.00 each
1 heavy gold 30.00 (18x24)

a nice 12x16 inch panel drying box, 50.00
an old 8x10 drying box,needs a lid, 10.00
Art instruction books 5.00 each
email me: lindablondheim@gmail.com [mailto:lindablondheim@gmail.com]

My next E-class is Values in the Landscape I. Starts September 29, beginning September 29, 2009 HERE



Join Our Mailing List HERE
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Butterfly Fun



Henry (AKA Studio Dog) and I have had fun this summer observing the beautiful butterflies
around the yard. It seems that we have had more this year than in years past. They
are all lined up in their prom dresses each morning flitting around the dance floor
in cobalt blue, yellow orange and even rusty red. Some wear iridescent make up as
well that shimmers as they curtsey and twirl around. Henry watches in fascination
as the colored bits fly around the yard.

One of the great features of the Natural History Museum in my town is the Butterfly
Rain Forest. I remember when the museum was downtown in the Seagl Building and
then later on campus in the underground way cool building. I loved it then, much
more than I do now. In those days they had a lot more of the antiquities on display.
I remember the rows and rows of butterflies mounted, old tools, dresses which were
installed in pull out glass cases; Lots of really cool bones, arrow heads and parts
of dinosaurs. It was scruffier then and more arcane, a place of mystery and discovery.

It was the kind of place you could hang around in for hours browsing, looking at
the dioramas and wondering about the past here on earth. Like an ancient book shop
without the generic, upscale coffee bars you see everywhere now. We are losing
all the old scruffy places now. I can live with it, but I miss them. I'm sure the
new place is much better for them, but it is too sleek and cold for me now. I miss
the old place.

The butterfly forest is cool though, and the museum now features art exhibitions
of which I have been included a few times. It's better for the new generations
coming along, bigger and easier to run I'm sure.

I watch a great show called P Allen Smith's Garden Home. I love that guy. He makes
gardens into outdoor living spaces and often talks about how to encourage butterflies
into your home garden. His show is on the create channel.

My research at: Opler, Paul A., Kelly Lotts, and Thomas Naberhaus, coordinators.
2009. Butterflies and Moths of North America. Bozeman, MT: Big Sky Institute. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/
tells me how long my butterfly friends live.

Adult Life Span

Marking studies suggest that winged adults of many (and perhaps most) species live
only a week or two, and that the male tends to live a few days less than the female.
However, in some species, the adult life span of some generations may be much longer.
For example, in some species, adults that emerge in late summer or early fall hibernate
overwinter in a sheltered spot. Also fall-hatched monarch butterflies migrate south
in fall and northward in spring. Adults of these species may survive for 8-9 months
or longer.

Total Life Span

Total life span includes time spent in the larval and pupal stages, as well as the
adult stage. Each species description in Butterflies and Moths of North America
includes the number of annual "flights" for that species. A flight is a generation
of adults. Thus, if a species has "two flights from May through September" it means
that one generation will emerge from the pupal stage in spring and a second in summer.

Actual months of emergence depend on latitude. Life spans of these two generations
will be very different depending upon the species' strategy for getting through
the winter.

If the spring flight comes from eggs that were laid in fall by the previous year's
summer flight, the total life span for the spring flight is 10-11 months. Eggs laid
in May/June by those adults develop much more rapidly, due to higher temperatures,
and adults emerge in about 2-3 months, resulting in a total life span of 3½-4 months
for the summer flight, or less than half that of the spring flight. However, if
the species is one in which adults of the summer flight overwinter, then the spring
flight develops from eggs laid in spring, and in this case the summer flight is
the longer-lived generation.

Not all species have two flights per year. Some species, particularly northern ones,
have only a single flight annually, or a total life span of about a year. Some Arctic
butterflies are believed to have a 2-year life cycle due to the extremely short
growing season and the scarcity of high quality food for the larval stage. And some
desert species, which normally have a life cycle of only one year, may hibernate
as larvae or pupae for up to 7 years waiting for adequate rainfall to ensure growth
of the host plant. On the other hand, southern species may have numerous fast-developing
but short-lived generations each year. Finally, among the many species that are
distributed over a wide latitudinal zone, it is not uncommon for northern populations
to have one or two flights annually while more southerly populations have many flights
annually. In some cases, the number of flights is considered taxonomically significant;

for example, the Eastern and Canadian tiger swallowtails are now recognized as separate
species, partially based on the fact that the Canadian Species has only one flight
per year vs 2-3 for the Eastern Species.

Average Life Span


Often people want to know the "average" life span of a butterfly or some other species.
This is a very different question than the one answered above, as it requires knowledge
of age-specific death rates. These are not known for free ranging Lepidoptera(or
indeed for most wild animals). About all that can be said is that only a minute
fraction of larvae survive to adulthood, and the average butterfly life span or
life expectancy is correspondingly much shorter than the figures given above would
indicate.

So, start hanging around the yard watching these beautiful and graceful friends
before they are gone!!

http://www.butterflyhouse.org/butterflies/butterflygardening.aspx
http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef006.asp
http://www.thebutterflysite.com/gardening.shtml
http://www.ehow.com/how_2074105_mount-butterfly.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art
http://www.butterflywebsite.com/faq.cfm
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/butterflies/

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The Painting Process

I tend to work on series of paintings about a theme or subject. I've always done
that, since I can remember. As an eight year old painter, I loved horses and everything
about them. Of course all little girls do. I remember learning all the parts and
pieces of the anatomy, pouring over horse books and copying the paintings and photos
I saw in the books. As an adolescent I became enamored with the still life because
I had discovered Cezanne. I read all the books about the Impressionists and the
Post Impressionists. I became one in my own mind, doing endless still life paintings.

Then I discovered the Walter T Foster books and branched out to his entire How To
subjects. To this day I love those books. They are just terrific!!
By the time I landed in college as an art major, I had tackled just about every
subject I could think of. In art school I was introduced to figurative and abstract
expressionist work, which I never really took to. It's not that I don't like it
because I do, I just don't really like doing it. I really need a recognizable subject
of some kind to be happy.

After I wandered around for about 20 years, drawing, doing lots of different mediums
and subjects, I finally found myself in the landscape genre'. I have felt securely
at home there for the last 15 years. That was just about the time I decided that
I didn't have any interest in going to the Southwest to be a western painter like
everyone else wanted to do. I discovered Florida for the first time. I like painting
in Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina too, but in the last couple of years my focus
has narrowed considerably, mostly to North Florida. Isn't it funny that it took
me about 30 years to discover home as the best place to paint?

My themes approach to painting has continued through all of it. I have two ongoing
themes that I revisit occasionally. The first is my "night palms" theme. I have
always been fascinated by nocturnal painting. There is something about those tall
palms against the indigo night sky that fascinates me. The second theme is the "Red
Tree" series. I don't know where that came from, but I've always loved doing the
red trees. I revisit these two themes haphazardly, never knowing when I will want
to do one and then suddenly there they are!!

About three years ago my theme was Florida Rivers. Now I am progressing through
Florida farms and ranches and this one has really pulled my heart strings, particularly
the Evinston series. I am determined to do a book about my adventures in Evinston,
with the paintings I do there.

I think working in themes keeps me focused and helps me to have a cohesive body
of work. I can have a broad theme like "North Florida" and multiple sub themes
under that like Evinston and Lake Alice.

The important thing to me for a painter is to be organized in their focus rather
than wandering around helter skelter in their approach to painting. The more I
know and love my subject, the better my paintings will be. That's my philosophy
and I'm sticking with it!
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How About a Recipe?



I had a few requests from Facebook friends to re post my Crock Pot BBQ recipe.

1 large beef or pork roast, trimmed of fat

1 small onion diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp garlic powder
dash of cayenne pepper or more if you like it spicy
dash of good paprika
1 tsp salt(I like coarse ground sea salt)
1 /2 tsp fresh ground black cracked pepper
BBQ sauce- I like to use Sonnys or KC Masterpiece

Mix up spices and rub them into the meat.

Place meat in crock pot and add diced onion. Set on low heat and forget about it
for about 6-7 hours.

Open the lid and use a fork to shred up the meat. Pour 1-2 bottles of good sauce
over the meat and mix in thoroughly. Serve on buns with sweet potato fries and
a salad.

Yummy!!

Cooks Tip:
If you really want to find the best recipes in the south, go to the church, band
booster, Jr League and Womens Club, college, local and regional cookbooks. These
are the books that have the old, passed down from generations recipes.

Left over rice can be re-made into a nice casserole by adding a can of cream soup,
a dash of wine, 1/2 cup of sour cream, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and a half
portion of mixed vegetables from the freezer.
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Spreading the Good Around


Kiva is really cool. If you are not familiar with it go to http://www.kiva.org to
read all about it. It is a lending organization that helps the working poor around
the world.
I just love this because these people are not looking for a hand out. They are working hard to support their families in often terrible conditions. Most all of them pay
back the loans in a short time. I like to help women in these countries and I have
focused on Central America, the Middle East and Mongolia. I just made my fourth
loan in about 4 years. The great thing is that you can simply re-loan out the same
money over and over. I made my initial investment in a woman who was a clothing
designer in Guatemala. That led to the next loan to a woman in Egypt for a hair
salon. I did that in honor of my daughter Sara, who is a hair stylist. It made
her happy. The third loan was to a group of women who worked together as cooperative
farmers in Nicaragua. Today, I made the latest loan to a woman in Nicaragua who
is a grocer. She needs to be able to buy more stock to expand her store. So my
little loan has traveled around the world helping women to grow and prosper. It
is such a feel good to do this. They take tiny amounts of money too, as low as 25.00
You can make a small donation to Kiva for their own maintenance and staff as an
extra each time or skip that. The entirety for the loan you make goes to the recipient,so there is no waste.


I sure wish there was a Kiva for artists in this country. I have long thought that
there should be a cooperative in each city for artists to belong to. A resource
pool in which others could make loans to artists with low interest to buy art supplies,pay for promotional materials, or emergency funds to pay for car repair or rent and support for elderly artists who are past their income stage. I know that there are many attorneys who offer pro bono work for artists and bless them for that.


It seems to me that we could solve a lot of problems in our communities by banding
together in these kinds of groups, giving just a little of our time and ourselves
to give assistance in a casual, informal way. There is so much that can be done
easily. Problem solving in groups if you will. A friend and I, Mary Jane Volkmann,
fabulous artist http://www.maryjanevolkmann.com talk about this idea a lot. We have
a "circle of influence" theory about how to improve life for many. We decided that
we can't do much for others in places far away, but we can work within our own circle
of influence to do what we can. Our circle overlaps someone else's and theirs, and
theirs, so you see how it can continue along. When you look at the overwhelming
need for decency and generosity in the huge world, it begins to overwhelm you. But
if you look within your circle of influence, you know that you can do something
for others.

Here are some things I and others have done and I know you have many examples too:


Buy a cup of coffee for someone who is feeling low or take them out to lunch or
to a movie.

Bring a take out dinner to someone's home as a surprise. ( When my old dog died,
two of my friends brought meals and desserts to my house. You can't imagine how
much it meant to me)

Contribute to someone's business needs with equipment, office supplies or a gift
card to a store where they purchase.

If you are good at computers, give someone else a hand who isn't.

Send business to a friend who needs customers. Though you may not need what your
friend sells, you surely know someone else who might.

Do business with your friends if you can.
Shop locally!!

Offer to help a friend do yard work or send someone to do it for them.


Offer to do paper work, answer emails and office tasks for someone who may be overwhelmed
with work.
Give good advice on household management or finances to someone who is struggling.

Offer to take their car in for a tune up.

Offer to be a business mentor to someone who needs good business advice.

If you are good at home improvement, offer to fix up around their house.

Send a card or letter of encouragement with a nice tea bag or dried flowers enclosed.

Offer to help a friend move, especially if they are losing their home.

If you see someone in line that doesn't have quite enough for their purchase, pay
for it.

If you know someone at work is in trouble, take up an anonymous collection and leave
it on their desk. (WE once took up a collection at an art show to pay for an artist's
rent one month, so he would not be evicted)

Get together as a group and create a money tree party for someone who is in trouble.
A church group I knew at one time did this regularly for members who were having
financial difficulty. It was really cool. They made a tree out of wire and glued
tiny clips to the branches where they rolled up bills and attached them all over
the tree. They had a party and invited the recipient and surprised them with the
tree gift. Way Cool!!


So many people volunteer at hospitals, nursing homes and libraries, but how many
ever think that they could volunteer to help their friend with their business a
few hours a week? Helping your friend to run their coffee shop, ,clothing shop,
printing business or other business might actually turn the tide and help them
stay afloat in these hard times. Sending them a new customer might make a difference.

Use your circle of influence in a positive way. Little things can mean so much.
I am so grateful to the many people in my life who have stepped forward so many
times to lend me a helping hand. You all know how much I adore you!!

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Out Painting



I'll be painting out in front of my gallery in Gainesville; Paddiwhack Gallery next
to Fresh Market on 16th Avenue. I'll be there on Fridays, unless I'm traveling,
from 11 AM-1 PM for the summer. In the fall, I may extend the time. It's a great
way for me to make new friends and show my paintings to others. Come by on a Friday
and chat with me.


Paddiwhack Gallery next to Fresh Market
On Fridays
11 AM- 1PM
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This Week's Ebay Paintings

HERE
Opening Bid:$3.99
Retail Price:55.00
S & H: Free
No Reserve
Type Blondheim Art into the Ebay search window.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~