It's winter break and I have so much time on my hands I do not know what to do with myself! I just completed my third semester of grad school along with teaching and Artrails. I am so used to the crazy nonstop every second filled schedule that when vacation comes, I am at a loss. Grad School continues to be the most amazing experience. I did not have any expectations about it and have learned more in the last year then all my art years combined. This growth is both painful and exciting as I try to undo some of my old habits and replace them with better skills. This last semester I was introduced to portrait painting. A skill that I never knew I would posses and enjoyed learning.

I also painted one of my most favorite landscape/cow paintings this semester. It was done in a much more subtle color scheme then I usually paint and I tried to focus on atmosphere.

Last weekend, I went to the de Young Museum with my mother to see the Birth of Impressionism Exhibit. This was my third time to see these works of art. My first experience spans back to when I was seventeen and had traveled to France to stay with cousins.

At that time, my own passion for art was just emerging and I had not been introduced to any art history. It was a cold winter day when I entered through the doors of Musee d'Orsay and fell instantly and passionately in love with impressionism. I remember standing in awe in front of a Degas pastel of dancers. It glowed and was magical.

Five years ago, I traveled back and found it fascinating that after so many years of being an artist, how I viewed art differently. I no longer reacted just with an emotion but found myself searching the works for understanding of how the artists created that emotion. I now looked at composition, colors, hues and balance.

Last year I began Grad School and wondered how all this new information I was learning was going to change my perspective once again.

That first room with Bouguereau's "Birth of Venus" was breathtaking. That room alone brought back that same sense of wonder and awe that I first felt at seventeen. I found that I was more fascinated by the pre-impressionism work where draftsmanship and subtle paint application was impeccable.

Tomorrow I am heading off to a fundraiser for Sonoma County Farm Bureau called "Love of the Land". It is located at Richard's Grove and Saralee Vineyards. There will be twenty five artists, live music and great food. So I am bringing my tractor paintings which seem like a perfect fit for such an event.

It is official. The "Great Petaluma Paint Out" is returning. After a few dozen phone calls, emails... I have a date for the event, September 11, 2010.

In 2008, I launched the first one and ended up with 42 artists signing up to participate. It turned out to be a great event where all the artists gathered in the Petaluma Theater District Courtyard to display their masterpieces. There was judging by both artists and the public along with live music by Dgiin (a French Gypsy Funk Band) and awards.

This year we are combining forces with Art in the Park and the Artwalk to create a larger fun art event.

It is Friday and I am still trying to catch my breath as I hurdle through the end of May into June. I have lots of new paintings thanks to my last semester at grad school where I painted nonstop. Last weekend was the first of two weekends of Art at the Source. I am happy to report a positive shift in sales.

It's Saturday and I am celebrating the completion of my first year of grad school by still wearing my pajamas, drinking Earl Grey tea and allowing myself the luxury of a lazy day off.What a roller coaster last week was! I spent over 40 hours in my studio not counting teaching and attending school in SF twice. How did I do it? Very little sleep. It was a very good year. I am so glad I am attending the Academy. Much of my work was self taught since I graduated with a degree in sculpture then turned to painting. I felt that I had reached a level where it was important to build a stronger foundation in my understanding of painting and drawing methods. It is very exciting to be learning so much more. I do have to say I am a little scared. It is a strange place to be in where my concepts of art is changing and I do not know how my own style will be affected.

I spent a glorious day painting at the Petaluma River in front of the Greek restaurant Papa Taverna . I finished up last weekend in my studio.

This church sits on the corner of a street near my son's school. I am in love with the shadow pattern of the palm trees on the church in the early morning light. For the last year I would exclaim "how beautiful it was!" to the annoyance of my teenage son. Finally I took a photo and painted it.

I started this painting outside my school in SF and worked for a couple of hours at a time over a three day period. There are so many tourists that I ended up with at least fifty photos taken of me while painting.

My cityscape class has officially started. I arrive in the city before seven and get to watch the sunrise and early cable cars begin their routes. I have not rode one since I was a kid and keep thinking I should catch one before my class.

I have started my second semester of grad school. The above painting was done for my online landscape painting class. The assignment was to create atmosphere so I had to pale down and soften the background behind the cow. I realize that I tend to keep my backgrounds just as strong as the foreground which results in less depth. I found this to be a very mushy way to paint.