April 1st

"There You Are." (black tailed jackrabbit) Oil on canvas, 20 x 20 inches.

The online class has now ended, and I am gearing up for an outdoor art festival at the Oasis Visitor Center in 29 Palms this weekend. I will be setting up a booth with my desert animal paintings this weekend - Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 to 5 pm each day. I have never-shown-before paintings ready to go, along with cards and affordable giclee reproductions. The weather is supposed to be "delightful!" I hope to see you there! 

More desert flowers, because we never get tired of them. Ever.

Flowering

This is a favorite time of year in the desert. We had just enough rain so that in certain areas, spring flowers are making an appearance. M is so patient with me on walks, since every time I see a flower, I must stop, examine and often photograph it in eight different ways. Even the dog waits for me. He lies down beside me until I am done reveling in the wonder of a single flower.

I am getting excited for Monday, when my online class begins! It's not too late to sign up, if you haven't already. Click here if you would like to know more.

New desert animal paintings are emerging from the studio as the Art Festival near the Joshua Tree National Park Visitor's Center in 29 Palms approaches. I will be part of this outdoor art event April 4,5 & 6th, 2014. You can get more information here. Won't you come out and visit me and the other artists? We'd love to see you. There will be photography, basketry, sculpture and jewelry too!

"Reprise." (desert cottontail) oil on canvas, 8 x 8 inches. 

Here's hoping you all have a great weekend!

The Desert in Outrageous Bloom

I have been working so hard in the studio that I think I have finally hit a creative wall. I think I actually have to take a day off! (whoa.) I know, but there's nothing else that can be done. I tried to paint a cottontail rabbit today - nothing new, nothing I haven't tackled before - and I just couldn't make it work. There was frustration. There was a throwing of a brush. There were breaths drawn to calm down. More working...getting more awful by the brushstroke. I finally had to WALK AWAY. Sit down in a different room. Gather myself. And then, I went back and wiped the whole painting off. (oh yes I did!)

So I have decided to write you here, my dear blogger friends. Hi. I promised to share with you some photos of the Joshua Trees in bloom. I am going to do that, and I am also going to share some photos of the Mojave Yucca blooms. We've got one in front of our house that is exploding with flowers. Astonishing flowers. Here are the Joshua Tree blooms (and one bud):

Here are the Astonishing Mojave Yucca Blooms:

Taken in the last light of the day - so delicate

Don't you LOVE them?

Send me your encouraging words, as you have done before. Please. Since delivery for my April show is less than two weeks away. And I need to have at least two more (preferably three!) paintings. (And this is oil paint we're talking about here.)

The last vestiges of spring

As the desert heats up and things begin to dry out, I have been especially tuned in to the last of the flower season.

Shortly after the Cat's Claw Acacia (Acacia Greggii) turns green, it develops these fuzzy blossoms. This year, the green of the acacia was a particularly welcome sight, since things have been brown brown brown with the lack of moisture. Oddly enough, the acacia blooms have been abundant, despite the dry weather. They are fragrant and loaded with bees.

The Desert Willow has to be one of my favorite desert flowers. They remind me of tiny ball gowns, so pink and ruffled. I imagine tiny fairies adorning themselves at night while I sleep, dancing around until dawn. Oh yes. (They dance with the rabbits!)


Happy Solstice, all you crazy cats.

On the morning walk

One of the trails we like to hike with the fuzzy dog is rife with Parry's Nolina. It is one of my very favorite desert plants. They are in various stages of blossoming, and it is a sight to behold. Photos don't really do them justice, but I try for you. These were taken about a week and a half ago. Recent photos coming soon...

Not only were they covered in bees, but I also spotted a lizard in one, who ducked out of sight when the camera emerged.

Photos of new paintings will be forthcoming...

Spring in the desert

hello Dear Blog readers!
My studio sale on Saturday went well, and I was happy to see so many friendly faces. Thank you so much for all of the well wishes, and thank you to all of those who came and bought some art!!!!! I am so grateful for all of you.

My parents are visiting from Colorado, and we have been showing them around the desert. I just wanted to check in with you, and share with you some of the wonderful flowers I have been seeing in the desert. It has been a rather dry year, and I wasn't sure there would be any flowers at all. So any flower I see is now greeted with much excitement and attention.

Last week, Matthias and I also got a chance to say hello to this fellow:

Ah, yes. I love spring in the desert.

Air

I don't know what's wrong with me, but today I don't feel like doing much of anything.  Is it a belated spring fever?  Or is it because the two big paintings I have been struggling with all week have completely worn me out?  Or maybe it's because M is on the other side of the world and the other side of the clock, and in order to talk to him, I usually stay up late or get up early.  (Sometimes I do both.)  Perhaps it is a combination of all of those things.  Whatever the cause, I guess one day of little productivity won't be the end of me.

Our palo verde tree is in full bloom, and I have been finding excuses to go outside and sit near it, listening to the bees happily buzzing.  I can't decide if there are more bees or more blossoms.  It seems as though the entire tree is buzzing!  I love it.  Knowing it won't last means that I am more than justified for enjoying it.  Once the blossoms fall, it will be one more year before the glory happens once more.  The lobivinia cactus in our yard also bloomed again this week.  The giant pink bloom usually only lasts one day.  This year, the cactus set a record for itself, and bloomed four times!  The first time was when I was in Thailand, and so you can imagine my joy when it bloomed again and again when I got home.  A wonder.  A gift.

I finished (I think I finished) a 40 x 30 inch jackrabbit painting this week.  You have to wait to see it, though, until I am sure that I am satisfied with it.  It was touch and go for a while, because I very nearly painted over the whole thing at one point.  That is how it goes sometimes.  I also have been in the middle of a large 48 x 48 inch abstract, which is in a stage of wait and see.  In order to keep you all from mutiny, I will share a tiny (in comparison) cottontail painting.  This is the third in the series of "art journal experiments."

"air."  Acrylic and paper on canvas, 8x 8 inches.  ©Karine Swenson2011

To all of my fellow bloggers:  please forgive my lack of reading and commenting!  I will slowly try to catch up with all of you this weekend.  Thanks, always for reading and commenting, and have a fantastic weekend!  Love ya!

The Plight of a Lifelong Nerd

Ten Reasons why I will never be "cool":
1.  I grew up in South Dakota
2.  I have worn glasses since I was in oh, like 4th grade.  Despite the transition to contact lenses, I always have an image of myself: skinny & short, with braces and glasses.  Un-cool.
3.  I don't watch TV, but I have been known to spend hours watching the wild creatures outside our windows.  Jackrabbits, quail, cottontails, lizards, and even the occasional roadrunner or coyote.  That, for me, is entertainment.
4.  I don't like the city.  Traffic, noise, crowds...uck.
5.  If given the choice, I would take a night at home alone over a night out at a party, pretty much anytime.
6.  I don't really like the Beatles.
7.  Abstract Art.  My favorite.
8.  Hours of my time are spent with books.  Not Kindle.
9.  Apple, MacIntosh, IPhones, ITunes.  I don't really see the draw.  Is it some kind of cult?
10.  I am in love with the idea of dressing up to travel or go out in public, and I'm not talking about just putting on a clean t-shirt here.  Hats, gloves, heels, lipstick.  You see?  Decidedly un-cool.

Don't worry.  I am not upset about it.

Here I am, back in Joshua Tree, waiting for it to be 100 degrees.  I know of at least two other people who like the hot summers as much as I do.  (Pono is not one of the aforementioned people.  Even if he WAS a person, instead of a dog.)  Lovers of the heat, we must wait.  It's been cool and windy.  We'll get one day of hot weather, and then the wind comes and blows it all away.  I haven't even switched my bed out of flannel sheets yet!  But I am a notorious wimp, when it comes to the cold.  So don't mind me.  Much.


I swear, I am trying to be a better blogger. 

Blooming

Last night found me with Tina Bluefield, Mita Barter, Mary-Austin Klein, and Perry Hoffman at the Metro Galleries in Bakersfield, California.  It was the opening night for a group show called From the Desert to the Sea.  I was proud to have my work there, in this big, lovely gallery with the art of some of my artist colleagues from the high desert.  The opening was well attended, and we are always excited to see red dots go up next to our work.  It was a quick trip, up and back in one day, and I found myself crawling into bed at 1:30 am.  Needless to say, I am feeling more than a little zombie-like today.  A big thank you goes out to the owner of the gallery, Don Martin, and Sergio, the young man who helped get a red dot or two up on the wall.  Thanks, guys!

A few shots from the evening.

The crowd at Metro Galleries

My art, hanging upstairs in Metro Galleries.

Tina Bluefield and Don Martin in front of one of Tina's paintings.

I also have a few flower photos to share with you.  These flowers were discovered in a vacant lot in Palm Springs last week by my friend Nora and I.  We HAD to stop.

Desert Dandelion, sand verbena and Esteve's Pincushion.  Wow.

This week, Mr. Pono and I will be driving out to Denver, Colorado.  Pono will be staying with his Grandpa and Grandma while I get on a plane to fly to THAILAND.  Off to see the husband!!!  Stay tuned for adventures in Thailand, coming soon...

A quick flower fix

The van is loaded for Henderson's ArtFest, and we will leave in just a couple of hours.  So I must not tarry.  But I did think you needed some more flowers, to start the weekend out right.  Here.

Some of you may recall that the paper bag bush is a favorite of mine.  It smells a bit like grapes.  (Reflecting, there really isn't a flower I don't like, so perhaps it is more accurate to say that when I see this one, it is my favorite at the moment.)

Have a tremendous weekend, you dear blog readers!