Brande Arno Art

Clouds vs. Tides, 6x 6 inches, $ 80. It's Memorial Day and I truly enjoy my freedom.  I'm blessed to be an American.  I'm more than blessed to live where I live.  I know that over the history of our nation and our battles both war and otherwise, many citizens have died for our flag, for our freedom. Clouds can be so beautiful and reside in the same sky all of earth enjoys.  The sound of tide waters soothes my soul.  I don't get to hear the tide nearly as much as I get to hear tractor lawnmowers.  In fact, Neill is riding on his right now. Tonight will be fireworks.  One or two families in earshot of where I live, travel over the NY boarder to PA and have access to some pretty good sized fireworks.   I'll have to put Cooper in his thundersuit tonight.  He is afraid of fireworks.  Cookie, on the other hand could care less.  

Green Diet, 6 x 6 inches, $ 80. Ok, I'm pretty much all better and nicely over the trauma of having one of my teeth extracted.  The oral surgeon was very skilled, but that didn't stop me from being scared.  I got as much happy gas as he could safely administer.  Two pulls and the bugger was out.  Now they don't let you out of the chair without getting a bone implant and this had to be sewed inside the gap.  I won't go on, but I have to say the IDEA bothers me more than the reality of the procedure. I started this painting before my husband, Neill & I left for the oral surgeon's office.  I finished it yesterday.  I think it is so peaceful. 

 Lipstick Llama with Gold Earrings Oil on Board, 5 x 5 inches, $75. Ok, this is really an Alpaca.  But if I have lipstick and gold earrings on this creature, I'm using my artistic license to tell a non truth anyway.  Actually, I look a lot like this Llama.  Tomorrow for sure as I have to make a visit to the Oral Surgeon.  So when I leave after the procedure, I'm going to look just like this Alpaca.  I wear gold earrings but never-ever will I wear hoops, big, small or in between.  I won't wear danglers, drops and chandeliers either, although I've come close to swinging from one!    I'm extremely phobic where pierced earrings are concerned.  I have the unforgettable memory of Jamie Lee Curtis having a hoop earring pulled out of her ear in the 1980 movie " Terror Train."  The way my mind works with this phobia is:  I'm wearing the hoop pierced earrings, minding my own business and not paying enough attention to what's going on around me.

Buster 6 x 6 inches $ 80. I'm in the process of changing computers from a desk-top to a lap-top.  I'm having problems...Of Course!  Mainly with getting the wifi to work on the printer.  My hubby is going to help me archive and transfer files. This painting of Buster really reflects how I feel right now.  Jaw clenched and eyes about to roll from sheer frustration of not knowing how to get computers to work properly.  I need a teenager in the house!   

Yellow Greens Oil on Board, 5 x 7 inches, $80.00 I snipped several cuttings from a very old variegated something that grows like crazy and also likes to climb around the house.  I have in mind to re-vamp my studio office, pot up the clippings after they sprout some roots and put them in my studio and studio office Right now, I'm ashamed of what both look like.  If I was to get ready for a visitor, I would have to gather all manner of papers, portable files and what ever has found a resting place in it's confines and put it all in about ten laundry baskets...probably more. Really the major problem is I don't have a enough space and too much stuff just hanging off the hips.  It's kind of like loosing weight.  You have to take in less calories, take in less "STUFF".  I've filled up all my closets, Neill has totally taken over the garage and cellar space.  The attic is accessed by a clumsy ladder.  So I'm kinda like painted into a corner.

Mother's Day Rose Oil on Paper, 5 x 10 inches $80. This beautiful red rose was one of many handed out by the men of my church.  Better yet, they gathered to cook a fantastic Mother's Day breakfast.  They could open a restaurant! I still have my mom and she lives with us in a studio apartment we made from our Master Bedroom Suite.  She is going to be 84 years old in a few weeks.  In the mail, she received a touching card from her granddaughter, my daughter.  I asked her after she read it to me, if when she was childless for the first seven years of her marriage to my dad, did she ever think she would receive a Mother's Day card.  I know those barren Mother's Days were painful, just as they are for couples with the same problem today.   My mom has a very special collection of cards, letters report cards and school drawings placed lovingly inside a special box.  I've opened that box several times for a trip back in time.  I remember many of the cards a

Stormy Skies Ahead 8 x 8 inches, Oil on Board, $150. I have very good childhood memories on a dairy farm.  An extended family member married a dairy farmer and I was invited to spend a few weeks over summer vacation on the farm.  I loved it!  It did take about an hour for my nose to get use to the pungent smell of the barn. I didn't know it then, but I was working for my keep.  I helped with milking, bailing hay and barn chores.  I didn't think of it as work, I had a blast.  I knew we were taking care of the cows that had the most beautiful eyes. My cousin Sue, sure could cook.  Everything was made from scratch; pies, cakes with 7 minute frosting, biscuits, cookies and bread.  Notice, I'm listing the sweets that she made.  I helped her in the kitchen and loved every minute of that also.  Sue and George, don't know the impact they had on my life letting me visit for the 5 summers that I did.  They were childless during this time and I felt loved by them.

Bloomfield Sheep Retouch I decided yesterday's painting needed more work, so I went back into the piece today.  I might go into this piece tomorrow also.  Anyone who paints knows that working and reworking a painting can be dangerous.  I started another painting today, this one features stormy skies.  The cow is really to far off the the right and also too low in the painting.  But I'm going to pull it off in spite of these boo-boos.  Stay tuned.

Bloomfield Sheep 8 x 8 inches, oil on Board, $ 150.00  On my way back home from the Chiropractor yesterday, I noticed a brand new flock of sheep.  There is about a dozen of these happy campers and they are well adjusted and very happy to be mowing the lawn.  These two were on a break.   Painting is inspired by my cell phone pictures.  I hope to go back and set up en plein air.  My back is better, but I'm not jumping rope yet.  Migraine is gone.  Thank you Lord!  

Cooper's Caper (Unfinished) Here is one of three entries for the Canine Art Guild's all member show entitled "Puppies!"    The inspiration for this piece is my very own Cooper when he was about 6 months old.  He latched onto a roll of toilet paper from my upstairs linen closet and instantly became a puppy paper shredder.  He toilet-papered my studio floor, raising the bar for Halloween night pranksters. My husband walked in on him and right away grabbed the camera.  I can't think of a better piece to enter into this show.  The painting is not finished, but worked enough to see how I plan on grabbing the viewer's heart.  I'll probably not post the finished piece until after the show goes live. Woke up with another migraine and thankful to have some productivity in spite of it.  Before you pull out your sheet music to play your finger violin,  know that I also have my lower back giving me trouble.  Going to see my Chiropractor today, so by tomor

Self Portrait Oil on Board, 6 x 6 inches Last night, I watched an excellent oil painting demo by Kevin Feary.  He painted a very strong piece, live, right in front of a group of artists.  He did everything right, from bringing his own additional lighting to capturing the model's likeness well before he even painted the eyes! Kevin inspired me. I've been wanting to do a self portrait for many years now.  But I just didn't think I could do it.  Well yippee!  Today I painted my portrait.  I'm ecstatic.  I need to fess up to say, that my real self doesn't look as colorful as my painting does, but hey, I've got the licence...artist licence.

Messerschmitt 2 Oil on Board, 5 x 7 inches $ 80.00 The sun is back after what seems like ages of overcast skies.  In appreciation, I selected a yellow Messerschmitt.  I love this car's bubble top.  This model of Messerschmitt car has so much personality,   making them a pleasure to capture with paint.