Everyone Wants to be a Mom Continued...

Remember my pictures of our chickens stuffed into a couple of nest boxes. They sat on them for weeks on end. Well we decided they had to be physically removed or they would end up dying in there. Most of the eggs had broken anyway. They weren't very happy about having to vacate the nest boxes. I had to keep the door shut so they wouldn't go back in to sit on them again. They puffed their feathers all up, looked just like mini-turkeys and stood right by the coop door. It took them days and days to get over it. In fact one is still trying to hatch some eggs. The only problem is we take the eggs out every day and usually she's sitting in an empty box. Funny girls!

Paintings - 'Back on the Farm'

I am working on a series for a solo show at Terrace Mill Gallery, Terrace, MN in July 2015. I just wanted to give you a sneak peek at what I am working on.

Two Person Show at MAFAC in Marshall, MN

The Power of Two

Janet Olney, Basket Weaver & Violet Dauk, Painter

December 2011 - January 2012

 MAFAC in Marshall, MN

Fish Gone Wild Update

My 'A Cup of Coffee in the Middle of Mae' fish was auctioned by the Spicer Beautification Committee. Two thirds of the proceeds went back to the committee and each artist received one third. It was pretty exciting, My fish went for the highest bid of the evening. $2,000. A number of people told me that she was their favorite fish sculpture. It's a good feeling to have your work appreciated.

Felted Wool Pins

I have created some new pins for spring and Easter. Hope you enjoy them!

Minneapolis Institute of Arts

David and I went to the Foot in the Door 4 reception last night. It was fun to see all the artwork. It was easier then I thought it would be to find our work. We went early before a lot of people got there. My firend, Kim, her daughters, Hannah and Emily went later and said that it took them a half hour to find a parking place. They also had to stand in line for 20 minutes to get in. She said the people watching was good - like looking at artwork! Here are some pictures I took:

Minneapolis Skyline

 

Foot in the Door 4

Walls of artwork!!!

 

My Tiger

Friday's Art Quote

All art requires courage.

~Anne Tucker~

David's Pet Goat

Watercolor
My husband, David (an only child), had a number of pet goats. His mom, (I could write a book!), thought he was allergic to just about everything in the world, including cow’s milk. She had Albert, his dad, buy goats and milk them so David could get his calcium. David says his goats were great pets. They would climb up on the fence and watch for him every day when he walked home from school. So, I painted this goat for David in memory of all his pet goats. Oh yea, he’s not allergic to cows milk either!

Our Delicious Rooster

Watercolor - Original Sold

I love having chickens and roosters around. Love to hear them crow and cluck outside my windows. Love farm fresh eggs. Many people have told stories of at least one ‘mean’ rooster from their growing up years. We also had a mean one that we called the ‘Left Winged Rooster’. He reminded me of an out-law starring in an old western movie. He sure was a mean old cuss! As kids, we were terrified of him. None of us ever wanted to be around when my mom would need us to fetch a vegetable or two out of the garden, or milk from the barn. We would spy out the windows and door to see if he was anywhere in sight. Then make a mad dash, hoping not to get trapped out there with him between us and the house. If we did get trapped, he would stare us down, put his left wing to the ground and charge. I do remember how revenge smelled sweet and tasted sweeter as the aroma of barbaque chicken wafted through the air while he was being grilled for supper one evening!

Visits to the St. Louis Zoo

Pencil Drawing - Original Not for Sale

 

Seems like forever ago that we lived in St. Louis. The kids were toddlers. The area we lived in was called Dog Town. Our 'flat', (was actually a second-story apartment with a flat roof and very hot in the summer!) was across the freeway from the St. Louis Zoo. Many times we would stroll the kids across to the zoo, I guess to get out of the hot and into the extremely hot. In spite of the heat, these excursion were always fun. This is my St. Louis Zoo Giraffe.

Penguin Dad

Pencil & ink Colored Pencil Drawing - Original Not for Sale

 

I try to name all the animals that I draw. My family sometimes gets in on some of the naming fun. This penguin was one of those animals where I just wasn't sure what name I should give to him. My family all thought he was pretty funny with his standing-up hair and all. Then, my daughter said that he looks just like dad does every morning when he gets out of bed. So he became 'Penguin Dad.' Her dad is always thrilled that one of his main purposes in life seems to be that he can give us a laugh. I guess when you have teenagers in the house it's a given that you just aren't as cool as you once thought you were!

Greener Grass - Our Cow Stub

Pencil Drawing - Original Not for Sale

I grew up on a small dairy farm with two sisters and a brother. All of our cows were named. They were very tame, and they were our pets. My dad would fence off different areas of the farm and pasture the cows out in them. Many times we would be sent out to bring the cows in for evening milking. One beautiful, warm summer afternoon my sister and I talked and played as we walked out to bring them in. Stub (named for her stubbed horn) had just calved. Her baby had gone under the electric fence and wandered into the cornfield. Stub was obviously distressed and trying to find her new baby. She took one look at us and decided that we must have taken him. If you have ever seen an angry bull, you have seen nothing compared to an angry, red-eyed mother cow whose baby is gone. She took off after us full speed, and we thought we were goners. We were under the fragile fence, into the cornfield, and out of there! We were so surprised that our pet would charge us, but . . . I haven't seen many 'moms' who wouldn't do the same for their children!

Ostie

Pencil Drawing - Original Not for Sale