On way out the door the light on the geranium caught my eye. Truly a geranium in the spotlight! I grabbed my phone and snapped a photo and off we went. Later I saw that the background was black. Cool! It really makes the geranium stand out!
Whew, time flies… can you believe it’s already the second week in June? That’s crazy! I hope you find some time to enjoy your summer!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
William McLure. Designer, artist, and creative genius with #hashtags on Instagram! His work is (mostly) large abstracts that make a bold statement. William’s Instagram is stunning with images of his loft space, designed so beautifully! You will quickly notice his sense of humor, especially with his hashtags! #️⃣ #williamisthekingofhashtags #goseeforyourself – You will also notice the newest addition to his life… Rankin Bayne McLure, also known as “Ran”, a beautiful Weimaraner puppy that is quickly teaching William the ways of the world…
I love how everyone sees/feels something different in regard to abstract paintings. William’s abstracts are quite wonderful and fit so well into his designs, which I also adore!
I love the look and feel of this room, and this abstract, while simple, makes a grand statement that just pulls the room together!
Check out more of William’s paintings – Wow!
Read a bit about William, from his website:
William Rankin McLure IV was born an artist. William was creative since he was a very young child thru his God-given talent of art and design. Born in Louisiana, he and his family soon moved back to Alabama to be close to a large and loving family and to live on a family farm. William’s kindergarten teacher recognized his talent and wrote his mother a note when William was 4 years old for her to recognize, support, encourage and nurture William in his creativity and said that one day he would be a famous artist. His talents have grown from there, to him now being a self-employed artist and interior designer. William graduated from The Southern Institute of Design, where he was active in the American Society of Interior Designers as a student. His artwork can evolve from realism, to drawings, to sketches, to abstract at any given moment, and many times being created in literal hours during long evenings at home. His design work and art were highlighted in the 2013 Cathedral Antique’s Show House in Atlanta. His latest exhibit was a literal one-day sell out, and his work has been featured on many design and art blogs, including Lonny Magazine, La Dolce Vita, Southern Living, Mark D. Sikes, and Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles Magazine. Continue reading HERE…
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Yesterday was a sunset, nice and serene. Today is a sunrise – a wild and wonderful sunrise! When I visit my parents in Michigan, the morning typically goes like this: I wake up, pour a cup of coffee and wander into the living room – I see a sunset that is unlike any I have ever seen before which sends me scrambling for my camera or phone – I run outside and start snapping away – doesn’t matter if it’s freezing outside, I have a high tolerance to weather if I’m taking photos, I don’t even notice!
Sunrise/Sunset – you have to be quick. It’s amazing how quickly it changes and then *poof* it’s gone! THE COLORS! I love it!
Happy Sunday to you, may you see a sunrise or sunset that inspires you to to grab your camera or to just enjoy it!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
I am crazy about a sunrise or sunset. This is a Michigan sunset, near my parents house. They have such wonderful skies. Seems like it’s so dramatic a good bit of the time.
Enjoy your Saturday, take time to soak in the beautiful views wherever you may be!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Pine Island by Holly Lombardo 48×30″ Acrylic
Holly Lombardo. She paint trees in such a distinct way. To me, this is a quintessential Maine scene. Holly’s trees are fabulous and those reflections in the water – WOOHOO! Be sure to check out Holly’s other paintings!
I first saw Holly’s work on the cover of the L.L. Bean catalog – pretty cool, eh?
Check out more of Holly’s work from these links:
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Read a bit about Holly, from her website:
I guess you could say I’ve been a painter my whole life…. I just didn’t know it. I am a self-taught artist. I painted primarily with watercolors for almost 15 years. I now paint exclusively with acrylics and continue to be surprised with the vibrancy and effects I can create with mixing colors and their juxtaposition on the canvas. Because I attended an engineering school and did not take art after middle school, I paint with purposeful urgency, putting onto canvas the colors and textures I’ve noticed since I was a child.
When I am in the woods or near the ocean, I not only hear the sounds and smell the air, but I see colors. Growing up as a child in Brunswick, Maine, I have always noticed the colors in nature: the greens and greys in the rocks and ocean, the dappled sunlight on the trunks of the great pines, and the blues and purples in the shadows of the snow. It is this color palette that inspires my work. With each brush stroke I try to capture light and movement between colors, and I let my eyes dance over the canvas as I record nature’s artwork in my own way. Because I am self-taught, I have no constraints and paint freely with a freedom of expression and a curiosity for the colors I mix. When I look out the window during any season, I not only appreciate the majestic colors that mother nature has chosen for that day, I am also thinking about which colors to mix on my own palette to best capture the mood. I am driven by this freedom to express light and color and I eagerly await the outcome for every new canvas that I unwrap.
I am a mother of two beautiful daughters and I have worked both as a research scientist in the biotechnology industry and as a middle and high school math/science teacher. I enjoy sharing my passions with my students and colleagues. Painting is not only a means of creative expression for me, but also a way to share the colors and textures of nature that I have always loved.
Catch you back here tomorrow!
This is the Carolina Island House, a Southern Living Plan by Our Town Plans. This house plan is 2,738 square feet with 3-4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Just look at the beautiful front and side porch! So many areas to enjoy!
You enter off the porch into a large entry area and an open living and dining area. There is also a wonderful keeping room off of the kitchen, as well as a breakfast room. Notice the two fireplaces! How grand! How nice that the downstairs study has access to the side porch and the bathroom. What a wonderful reading room or office! This study does double duty in case you need a downstairs/extra bedroom – it’s nice that there is a bathroom right there. Take a peek at the photos -I have yet to see a stairway so beautiful! The elegance is unmistakable! Click HERE to see an overview of the plan and a few interior images including the beautiful stairway!
The upstairs of this fine home includes the master, separated by the washer/dryer and two more bedrooms each with their own bathrooms. Nice! Check out more real life images of this plan… wow, wow, WOW!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Early Morning Marsh by David Williams 24 x 24″ Oil
David Williams. So many beautiful paintings – David’s landscape paintings show his love of the outdoors. His still life’s… ooooh! Fabulous! I think David’s use of color and his brush strokes really stand out. Early Morning Marsh has such a sense of peace – that wonderful violet color in the background really shows the distance and plays beautifully with the green in the marsh grass. Those little bits of light are perfection!
For those of you looking for weekly art instruction (Still Life) David teaches near The Plains and Stone Ridge, VA – what an amazing opportunity!
Read a bit about David, from his website:
David was born in Washington, DC and grew up in the Virginia countryside. His love for the outdoors was instilled early on, growing from childhood explorations of field and forest, river and bay. Influences collected during youth color his work to this day, forming the foundation of a lifetime interest in nature and art.
David began art classes around the age of ten, which led to art foundation at VCU and classical figure drawing at the Los Angeles Academy as well as portrait and landscape painting with Jove Wang, Sunny Apinchapong-Yang, Sherrie McGraw, Gay Faulkenberry and Camille Przewodek.
David’s paintings have been awarded numerous prizes, including artist’s choice, collector’s choice and best of show. His paintings have been featured in newspaper and magazine articles and are included in collections throughout the United States. Continue reading HERE…
Catch you back here tomorrow!
I had a handful of Campari tomatoes leftover and didn’t want them to go bad. A red sauce sounded good. Something simple and fresh. I didn’t have enough Campari tomatoes to make enough for two servings, so I added a large can of tomatoes. I also added minced onion, because I like it and a wee bit of minced garlic towards the end. The last few minutes I threw in some fresh basil. What resulted was heavenly. I always thought you had to simmer sauce for a long time for it to be wonderful. NOT TRUE. I simmered this 25-30 minutes, until the tomatoes broke up and looked “saucy”. Topped with some parmesan atop penne pasta it was AH-MAZING!
I will make this with all fresh tomatoes soon, while they’re so good. Sometimes I will toss the tomatoes in boiling water for a minute then into an ice bath so that they peel easily, but usually I leave the skin on.
Click HERE to print the recipe!
Olive oil
Slice of onion, minced
1-2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 – 28 oz. can tomatoes (I use petite diced or whole, peeled – then break up)
(OPTIONAL): Handful of fresh tomatoes (or more) – I used Campari
Small pinch of sugar (⅛ teaspoon)
S & P
Fresh basil, chopped
Heat olive oil in medium – large saucepan on medium high heat.
Saute minced onion, after a minute or so, add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
Add the can of tomatoes and fresh tomatoes (and their juice!).
Sprinkle in the pinch of sugar, S&P.
Simmer for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until tomatoes are broken up.
You can add the chopped basil right before the sauce is done cooking, or you can add it and remove it if you just want a little taste. Another option is to use dried basil, but if you can use fresh, that’s the best!
Cook your desired pasta and drain, top with the red sauce and top with a sprinkle (or two!) of parmesan.
Freezes well.
This makes enough for 2 servings + a little left over for a lunch the next day (or freeze for a lunch later on).
Enjoy!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Patrick Lee. His paintings are captivating. What grabs me are the abstract qualities. Cruisers is a striking painting that won BEST IN SHOW recently at Wayne Plein Air, in Pennsylvania, well deserved! Just look at the scale of those ships – the colors in this painting are stunning.
Another one of my favorites (also sold) is The Blue Side – a stunning side of a house in the shadows. WOW! (Check Patrick’s Facebook or Instagram to see what I mean, links below).
Beautiful paintings!
Read a bit about Patrick, (from his website):
I grew up in Western Pennsylvania and attended Edinboro University, where I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Painting with an Art History minor. I’m the youngest of seven children raised by a single mom. My mother, who was an artist herself, gave me my first drawing book at the age of 10. It was an original copy of Figure Drawing for All It’s Worth by Andrew Loomis. The bulk, and greatest part, of my artistic education has come from interacting with and learning from fellow artists and from studying works of art of all kinds. I work primarily in oils, charcoal, and watercolor (gouache). My chosen subject matter generally ranges from figurative works and landscapes, to still-life and interiors.
I’ve participated in many group and solo exhibitions, including Plein Air painting events like Plein Air Easton and Wayne Plein Air and have been an adjunct professor of art at Allegheny Community College for the past several years. I like to look for the design and form possibilities in art which sometimes leads to strong elements of abstraction and suggestion in my work, rather than explicit detail. I love plein air painting because of its immediacy and freshness. Because you must work quickly in most cases, intuition and feeling take over and force you to simplify and look for the essence of what it is that you’re trying to accomplish. There is no better way to develop real skill in painting.
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Truly! What is better than a geranium full of buds? They’re so pretty and illuminate the table that they are now sitting on in the yard. It seems every time I look in the backyard it is glowing. This geranium is also pretty with the wild ferns in this photo… I love the shadows in the backyard – beautiful!
📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED…
Catch you back here tomorrow!
I have always loved daisies. They have a simple beauty about them. They aren’t bright or flashy, they’re just pretty and fresh. Hence the saying “fresh as a daisy” – full of energy and enthusiasm!
Wishing you a fresh-as-a-daisy day!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Melanie Thompson – Sunset on Hurricane Ridge. Stars will get me every time. There is something magical about a painting with stars in it, and those trees! They’re fabulous! Especially with the dark color around that stunning orange of the sunset. The purples are get-outta-here wonderful, especially with the orange!
The cherry on top? The signature – love it in red! It’s not overwhelming, it’s perfect, but in red stands out a wee bit, in a very classy way! Check out more of Melanie’s paintings via these links:
Read a bit about Melanie (from her website):
Trained as a graphic designer but always an artist at heart, I was first inspired to paint the landscape after working three seasons as a wildland firefighter. Never having spent much time outdoors, I worked weeks at a time with my crew digging fireline, monitoring fire behavior, hiking, and sleeping under the stars. I was deeply moved by the stunning vistas and by the fierce beauty of nature. In each painting I use my training as a designer to intuitively construct simple yet powerful designs reflecting the pure wonder I feel when outdoors.
The most important practice in my development as an artist has been extensively painting on location, or en plein air. Through direct observation I capture the effects of light that often are lost in photographs and use the studies to create a more beautiful and compelling work in the studio. In my mind a painting is not complete, whether created in the studio or on location, until it conveys both the appearance of a place and the feel of a specific moment: the smell of dust, the hot sun, or the cooling shade of a passing cloud.
Recently I have been exploring my homeland, the landscapes of Eastern Washington and Oregon, painting iconic locations such as Hells Canyon and Dry Falls. When confronted with the unique geology of these areas I am reminded of the overwhelming sense of awe I felt as a wildland firefighter. When people see my work depicting these often overlooked landscapes I’d like them to taste the desert air, feel the sun on their skin, and see the splendor of the wild places around all of us. Continue reading HERE…
Catch you back here tomorrow!
This is the Falcon Retreat house plan by Lake and Land Studio. This plan is 1,236 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. As always, Lake and Land can customize the plan to fit your needs, just contact them!
This is the view from the back, which makes this home perfect if you live on the water. The front of this home is just as adorable!
This stunning porch is where I would be a good bit of the time. How wonderful! It’s quite nice to have a back porch off the bedroom as well! You have options, screened or open.
Master suite on one side of the house and guest rooms on the other. That’s good planning that gives everyone their own space. The open living, kitchen area is so wonderful with views out the front window and the back porch!
Thank you Lake & Land Studio for supplying some real life images… included are a few… beautiful!
Can you imagine cooking in this beautiful light-filled kitchen?
Complete with a GORGEOUS bathroom…
What a dream to have such a beautiful house with an amazing view!
All images via LakeAndLandStudio.com, used with permission…
Catch you back here tomorrow!
This blog post is written by a friend, Penelope Spurr Marshall who writes a brilliant blog “Nearly Ninety | Recollections & Ruminations of a Quirky Old Dame” – be sure to check it out!!
Note: Click “View original post” to read in its entirety, and trust me, you want to do that! Happy Wednesday!
Penny surrounded by younger friends.
When I think of this group of friends to prize as you age, it’s as a “Support of friends” as in a “pride of lions”. I believe that our friends pick up where family leaves off, that they provide the continuum of love, support and joy that makes life livable. These may be in addition to family or in place of family that is far away or even just gone. Everyone as they age, if they are truly lucky, will have at least one good friend from each of the following categories. These are the kind of friend who, when they see something amiss – spinach between your front teeth. peanut butter or a whisker on your chin, something unzipped – will immediately warn you or fix it. When you tell them a secret, it remains one.
Someone younger to help you stay “with it”and…
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I remember the first time I had Caprese salad… it was at Carmine’s Italian restaurant in NYC. I couldn’t believe how fabulous. I wanted to eat there every single meal.
This chicken dish has the fabulous freshness from the tomatoes and basil and the added deliciousness of the mozzarella. I used fresh mozzarella, a favorite of mine. This is good served with pasta or rice, or a good salad. I’m thinking that’s what we had with it, a salad.
The recipe is from DELISH.com, click HERE to print the recipe (or save to Pinterest, etc.)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
S & P (I used Himalayan Sea Salt)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
4 slices of mozzarella (or shredded, whatever you’ve got)
In large skillet over medium high heat, heat the oil.
Then season the chicken with S&P and cook until golden and cooked through, about 6 minutes per side – transfer to a plate.
Add balsamic vinegar to skillet to deglaze, then add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add tomatoes and season with salt. Let simmer until soft, 5-7 minutes.
Stir in fresh basil.
Return chicken to skillet and nestle in the tomatoes. Top with mozzarella and cover with a lid until the cheese melts.
Spoon tomatoes over chicken and serve.
Catch you back here tomorrow!
ARTFOODHOME.COM 