Happy Anniversary Again

Greetings Dear Reader –

In a desperate attempt to find a nugget of inspiration for this post I spent some time scrolling back into my own archives.  Post after post, year after year until the list ran out. The date was May 6^th, 2008.

Wha-?

Four years?? Four years ago next week!! How did that happen? 

One post at a time my dear. One post at a time.

More importantly, why?

February, 2007. I had stepped away from an 8-to-5 job that I often enjoyed, but also left me frustrated and empty.  You may know that feeling, that gnawing, low hum in the back of your heart.  It couldn't be ignored any longer. With Handsome Husband’s complete support I created a small studio space in our home and whispered, “I’m ready.  I want – I need – to give this painting thing a shot. ”

I had no reason for blogging other than the fact that Alyson Stanfield, art business consultant, suggested that it was an important component of an artist’s public presence (pg. 104 of her excellent book “I’d Rather Be InThe Studio”). Since I actually paid her for that advice (one of the smartest things I’ve ever done, by the way) it occurred to me to actually follow it, so I set up my password, my template and my color scheme and started thumping away at the keyboard.  I started it because she said so.

But what has kept me coming back week after week for all these years?

Simply put:  you, Dear Reader; Handsome Husband; and me.

Many of you have shared my exploits since the beginning. You know how I operate, what gets me going and keeps me at my easel day after day. You’ve allowed me to pull back the gauzy veil that hides the inner workings of the artist’s sanctum sanctorum and laughed (or rolled your eyes) with me. Sorry if I popped your illusion of the artist’s groovy life. (Who knew that an artist painting a charming landscape in a field nearby may have just crawled out of a hole they stepped into that swallowed them to their elbows?   Did Monet ever do that?) 

A few of you have been kind enough to comment, and let me know that somehow we found common ground; maybe not in exactly the same way, but in spirit or in ideal, or maybe in the way I turned a phrase.  Thank you for that.

Handsome Husband has kept track of me as well. His patience and support means the world to me.  I often write for him as a way of sharing what has gone on in my heart and mind while wrestling with the profound as well as inane elements of this business.

And I keep at this weekly blog for me. Like learning states and capitols in 3^rd grade, quite simply this is good for me.  Working alone deep in the right side of my brain it becomes entirely too easy to let logic, linear thought and formal sentence structure slide deeper into one more pile of Stuff I Used to Know. 

It’s been a journey of discovery and you’ve been kind enough to come along for the ride.

How to celebrate this momentous occasion?  Prizes!  Gifts for all!  Well, maybe not all. How about just  one of you.  But who? (To whom? Another addition to Stuff I Used to Know.)

Leave a comment before 4 pm on Sunday, May 6^th.    I’ll put your name into Handsome Husband’s Magic Hat.  With his help – as usual – a name will be drawn, and a winner declared.  To that dear commenter (is that a real word? Another thing I for the pile…), I will give this painting:

©2012 Patricia Scarborough  Flowering Crab 6 x 8 Oil on Panelli Telati canvas covered board

No strings attached.  Give, like a sweet present. Just because.

HH and I were enjoying our usual walk by the Fillmore County Fairgrounds. Several years ago a grove of flowering fruit trees was planted to help tame that corner of town. When the late afternoon sun recently swept across this little orchard…gorgeousness.  It’s a distinct possibility that this painting will be the first of a series of paintings of this lovely grove of trees. 

I have learned abundance in the last four years.  I would love to share that abundance with you.

Help me celebrate my blogging achievement. You don’t have to say anything grand, a sweet ‘hey’ will do. 

Thank you for coming along all these years. Let’s celebrate, shall we?

The Winnah Is...

As you recall today’s post is number 200. Woo hoo!  I have posted nearly every Sunday for 4 years.  To be honest, I’m pretty impressed with myself. 

As you know from last week’s post, to celebrate this momentous occasion, I’m giving away a 6x6 oil painting. According to the rules,  the names of those who commented this past week were deposited into a hat, from which Handsome Husband has agreed to pluck one lucky name.

I'm just plain giving it away! You didn’t have to sign up for new windows and siding, car Insurance, or lower mortgage fees.  All you had to do was poke the comment button. How easy was that?

Handsome Husband draws a name from his hat. Notice the lovely pastel painting behind him? It will be part of an exhibit titled "Land Marks" which will show at Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, Ne. from Feb 17 through April 1st. More on that coming soon...

Without further ado, clamor or tumult, the winnah is…

Vickie!! Vickie, email me at patricia@pscarborougharts.com and tell me how to deliver your brand new painting!!

(And by the way, thank you all so much for commenting in such delightful and kind ways)

Many of you have been very supportive and complimentary of this accomplishment.  I appreciate your kindness and interest.  Several readers have asked how I have managed to pile up so many thoughts and ideas.  As my friend Sheila said to me recently, “Inch by inch is a cinch. Yard by yard is hard”.  That pretty well sums up how I managed to write 200 blog posts. 

That is the secret to my accomplishment. I wrote them one at a time.  That may sound like a Big Duh; try it though. Imagine sitting down to write 200 posts.  Kind of make you shaky, doesn't it?

Now imagine sitting down to write just one. Its doable. In fact, its doable 200 times.

 And here’s another secret:  I don’t worry about how good my post will be.  (You may have noticed that already.)  If I burdened myself with the specter of my high school English teachers grading my blog posts I’d never get beyond the first word. My hands would turn to ice, sweat would trickle from my brow and my brain would cease to function.  I write because I enjoy it.  Putting thoughts into words has helped me figure out a few things.  I write about what I know, or what I think I know and hope you'll be forgiving. You are invited to read what I’ve shared, or go wash your car. Either way, my goal is to poke the publish button by 9 pm Sunday evening. 

The 9pm Sunday limitation comes from the fear that if I didn’t corral myself with a time frame, I would never  actually get the job done. Oh sure, I’d think about it a lot, and probably even get a good start on a post, but my experience tells me I’d be distracted by important issues like birds outside my window, or looking for that sock I lost last week.

Another secret? I’ve got Handsome Husband in my camp. When I’m tempted to skip a week, or re-post an oldie, or simply run away from home, HH offers ideas, support, and patience. Thank you, sweetie.

Books and essays have been written about how to accomplish a task or reach a goal, and most of them come down to this essential nugget:  Take a breath and just do it. 

And I did.

200 times

Lucky 200

Greetings All-

It’s hard to believe, but next week I will file my 200^th post. 

Every Sunday for nearly 4 years I have written a blog post for your perusal.  To be honest, when I started this endeavor it never occurred to me that I would write 50 posts, let alone 200.  I’m pretty impressed with myself if the truth be known.

I believe a little celebration is in order.  With gifts - for you! 

Here’s the deal:  If you leave a sweet little comment, or any comment at all, I’ll put your name into my lucky plein air painting hat. On Sunday January 29^th , 4 years from the date of my first post, at 9am in the bright shiny morning, Handsome Husband will pick out a name, and before you know it a lovely little oil painting will be in the mail addressed to the winner. 

6x6 Elms at Dusk by Patricia Scarborough could be yours!

I‘m getting chills just thinking about it. 

Quick!  Comment!!

(Btw, what a time to not be able to publish comments immediately!  Hang in there, and do comment, and I'll get this computer situation taken care of asap.)

Sweets for My Sweeties

Greetings Dear Readers

Thanks for the great emails and comments about last week's post, "A Day in the Life". Seems more than a few of you could sympathize.

It's Valentine's Day Eve, and I had planned on buying you all roses, but honestly, I'm too cheap.  Candy was my second thought, but I know you're still on your New Year's diet and I'd hate to derail that. I guess you could come over for dinner, but really, can't you do better than that?

Yes!

©2011 Patricia Scarborough, Mill Road, September  11x14 pastel

Email me a sweet hello and I'll add you to my newsletter list.  This once-a-month missive lets you in on the inside workings at Scarborough Studios.  To sweeten the pot, I'll also send you a very cool magnet created using "Mill Road, September" (which, if you've been paying attention, was juried into the Norfolk Arts Center 4th Annual Juried Exhibit to be held this March in Norfolk, Ne.) 

At 2" x 3-1/2" it's perfect for your fridge, filing cabinet, or to slip inside your friend's wallet to erase their credit cards.  If, after reading a few of them you decide you never want to see another, simply unsubscribe.  We'll still be friends.

If you already receive my newsletter, I'll send you a magnet for being so smart.

The Fine Print:  I will never, ever share your email with anyone, and I promise not to stuff your email inbox with anything but my cleverly worded once-a-month newsletter. You'll have to give me a snail mail address for the magnet. I swear on all my oil brushes I will never use it again without your permission.  E v e r. 

Yes, that's my name printed subtly across the bottom.

My supply of magnets is limited, so don't fiddle around too long.  When they're gone, they're gone.  Zip  me an email here.
Happy Valentines Day folks.

I

YOU!

Free Art

No I'm not talking about the guy who got in trouble last year and ended up in the penitentiary.

I'm talking about winning a piece of really fine artwork. Here's how, in 4 easy steps:

Number 1. Read all of the instructions. (Yeah, I know. I've watched you put stuff together before.)

Number 2. After you've read all the directions, click on this link - Off The Highway. Remember, read all the directions first.

Number 3. Look around the Off The Highway blog. There's some pretty cool stuff there.

Number 4. Leave a comment. In order to do this, you'll notice that at the bottom of each post there's a comment link. Click on this link and a box will pop up. Here's where you get to say "hello", or "wow, you two artists are really good!" or "I wanna Free Art" or something clever like that.

That's it. Honest.

Here's the deal: Canadian artist Mavis Penney and I have been painting every week day for the last 40 days. We agreed to paint for 100 days, so we're very nearly half-way through. We're learning tons, and having a blast. We've reached our terror barrier and blown right past it. A blog has been created called Off The Highway to chronicle our journey, and we've shared our successes - and not-so-successes with you. We're pretty excited about what's been happening, and are ready to celebrate. Here's where you come in.

Follow the directions above. We'll put the names of everyone who comments from Day 1 to Day 49 into a very stylish hat. On Day 50, May 8th, 2009, our half-way mark, we'll draw 2 names out of the hat. Those two very lucky people will receive one of the Day 50 paintings. How cool - and easy - is that? We'll even pay shipping to mail them out. All the winner has to do is provide a frame and a wall. Then stand back and be happy.

Even if you don't win anything, you'll still get to hang out with the cool kids. Don't worry, we won't swamp you with junk email and stuff. We just want to share in our delight in this project.

So join us, won't you, on our journey to paint 100 paintings in 100 daze, er, days. Come along and see what we see just Off The Highway.

Free Gimme

On December 24th it was 40 below zero wind chill here in the wind swept plains of Nebraska.

Highway 6, 2008 14 x 11 Oil

On December 26th it was 62 degrees above zero. I'm no rocket surgeon, but that's alot of degrees in just a few days. No wonder I'm feeling a little schizophrenic.


It's also very nearly a New Year. I'm celebrating with a Free Gimme.



I'm giving away warm weather. Green grass. Cool water. Reflections of warm sun.

Platte River, Late Afternoon, 2008 11 x 14 Oil

I'll send you a free (yes ma'am, that's no cost to you!) postcard-sized reproduction of "Platte River, Late Afternoon". I'll sign it, too. It'll bring back memories of summer, a late afternoon by the river. Dip your toes in and listen to the bugs buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

It's yours for the asking. Tell me where to send it and it's there. I'm not looking for anything from you. It's my little gift to those of us who have a hard time getting through the winter months. Zip me an email at patricia@pscarborougharts.com and ask for a warm breeze in your mailbox.

Here's hoping your holidays were lovely, and your New Year is full of warm friendships.