The last two Fridays I have done a 'Paint and Sip' for Geisinger's fifty-five and olders.  It's open to the public, and very well received.  These ladies didn't 'sip' much as they were painting away replicating Gustav Klimpt's  Apple Tree and the following week Van Gogh's Cypress Tree with Wheat Field.  It takes a lot of couraget to do something new.   Hats off the the participants!! 

Some recent works inspired by nature. 

                          'Whoosh'  Mixed Medium tripych each "36 x 18" 

   "LL Birch" mixed medium 36" x 18"

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             "Columbine 2016" mixed medium 40" x 30"

Forty Seven.  You Are Loved.  Rest in Peace L.M. 

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In 2005 I was asked by Sharon Cosgrove artist and professor at Wilkes University to participate in an extraordinary 'paint along' with Turkish artists who were coming to Wilkes-Barre to paint for the week.   We were sponsored by Linde Corporation who is business partners with Mete Bora who sponsors artist 'residencies' throughout the world.  He is a huge patron of the arts hence creating SummArt - a huge platform in Istanbul for performing and visual art.  Three years ago Scott flew Sharon and me to Moldova where we were hosted by Mete.  We painted along Turkish and Romanian artists for a week and treated like royalty.  

Recently Scott asked Mete for a smattering of Turkish art to display at his office in Pittston, Pa.  The work is hanging there as well as some works from the artists who participated in the 2005 paint-extravaganza.  As a tribute to Mete whose birthday is June 5 there will be an open house and viewing of the artwork from 2-pm. 

A beautifully renovated home in Kingston,Pa had this spot  'framed out' begging for a piece of artwork.  The square shape (I love squares!) on a panel 36" x 36" fits perfectly.   

There are reoccurring themes in my works - and the circle - oh my ! The almighty circle .... always charges me with tingling happiness.  So - I paint them - and as of late, I'm really attracted to orange.  

I have been working away on this mural for the Wilkes Barre Area Practical Nursing school.  The director of the school,  Mary Beth Pacuska, saw me working on the mural I did for Steve Taren's building Wet Paint in Wilkes Barre.  The school being newly spiffed up, had a long hallway which Mary Beth felt needed something.... a mural, perhaps?    We worked together coming up with the idea to depict the history of nursing visually.   Working in sections on cloth all winter in my studio, it was  adhered it to the wall on Thursday.  The students came out of class to a transformed hallway which they really apprecatied!  I really enjoyed learning about nursing - some strong woman - Florence  Nightingale and Clara Barton.... and meeting another one -  Mary Beth : ) 

I have been working away on this mural for the Wilkes Barre Area Practical Nursing school.  The director of the school,  Mary Beth Pacuska, saw me working on the mural I did last summer for Steve Tarens building Wet Paint in Wilkes Barre.  The school being newly spiffed up, had a long hallway which Mary Beth felt needed something.... a mural, perhaps?    We worked together coming up with the idea to depict the history of nursing visually.   I worked on it on cloth in my studio and we adhered it to the wall on Thursday.  The students came out of class astonished!  I really enjoyed learning about nursing - some stong woman - Florence  Nightengale and Clara Barton.... and meeting Mary Beth, the staff and great students.  

A couple of years ago I did five very large Eiffel Towers for a new French restaurant called the Manhattan Bistro that is in Wilkes-Barre.  A student of mine saw them and asked me to do one for her mom affectionately called LaLa.  She gave me a list of LaLa 'isms' - like "We are sisters by birth and friends thanks to Prozac'.   Lanie asked me to make it colorful, like her mom who being from Alabama is I'm sure just like her Mom... a beautiful, warm, colorful bundle of good energy and love.  

A couple of years ago I did five very large Eiffel Towers for a new French restaurant called the Manhattan Bistro that is in Wilkes-Barre.  A student of mine saw them and asked me to do one for her mom affectionately called LaLa.  She gave me a list of LaLa 'isms' - like "We are sisters by birth and friends thanks to Prozac'.   Lanie asked me to make it colorful, like her mom who being from Alabama is I'm sure just like her Mom... a beautiful, warm, colorful bundle of good energy and love.  

                                              From my molskine sketchbook - one a day ....!!!

Julia Cameron suggests going on artists date once a week by yourself.  Take yourself on a date!  It could be going to a movie, a museum or as simple as going to a rug store to look at colors and textures from another country, and art store or a coffee shop in one town over.

Matt Kahn says creativity is what we are all striving for - all spirituality is aimed towards one thing - and that is, creativity.

How do you manifest creativity?  By doing something different.  Go a different way to work, brush your teeth with your opposite hand, eat something you don't usually eat, pay more compliments, ask someone you don't really know to lunch, take a different class.  And then, congratulate yourself and get ready to create.  Create your own reality.  Create the life you want.  

MORE  has OM in it (backwards)!

 2016 - More consciousness, more connection, more clarity, more creating, more calm.

AHHHHHHHHMEN.

It's hard to believe 2015 is coming to an end.  So appreciate of clean air to breathe, woods to walk in, family and friends who care for me,  being able to do what I love to do everyday, for the teachers I have had and for the students who come to me, for Eloise who breathes life into my days just by being who she is, for the abiltiy to walk and run and skip and swim and bike through this thing called life.  Yes, I am blessed.  And so are you.  

Tomorrow there is a group show I am part of at Marquis art and Frame in WB.  It is artists response to the Back Mountain Bloomers event in the summer.  It will be a good night to be out and about - so please come and enjoy - colors, shapes, textures and or course there will be some gooooood foooood~!

Today I finished my first mural in Pittston - making it their SIXTH!  The amount of ART in a few blocks in this fast growing city is astonishing and refreshing.  Mike Lombardo and Rose Randazza have made a once depressed town into a destination point! 

The tree and figure were decided as a calming spot as the building is located in a grotto.

The eagle which symbolizing freedom, healing and wisdom flew about me last week.... asking to be included - of course.   

My friend Sean says this a lot ... Life is Easy Simple and Fun - it really kicks the 'Life is Good' out of the water!  So, I decided to do some fun pillows.  My student, Lola's grandma who brings her to art lessons saw them and thought to get one.  She couldn't make up her mind... and ended up with.... well, let's just say... more then one!  And after show and tell, Ms. Eloise was quite happy to have her couch back - and 'her' pillow given to her by Auntie Rame. 

Steve Taren came with an idea to have a peloton speeding down, along and up the wall constrasted with a woman on an everyday bike slowly going on her merry way with baguette, wine and flowers.  We worked to fine tune the design spanning over the 8' x 40' wall resulting to the final image. 

In his words: 'I painted a picture with words (that's all I got) and Leigh Pawling did the rest. Thank you, thank you, thank you...you listened to every word.

The appreciation from the passerbys on foot, car, bike, motorcycle was so positive.  Everyone was so glad to have some attention focused on ART! Thanks to Steve and all the employees at Wet Paint - it really was a group effort! 

The sun was off the building at around 12 last week which made painting the second mural at Wet Paint bearable with perhaps the last 'heat wave' of the summer.  Passersby seem delighted with the changes Steve Taren is making with the building which hereto before was run down, abandoned, and pilfered.  Now it is breathing life and vibrancy.  Here is what one described as "whimsical" - dog, cat, dove... doing what I like to do - PAINT!   And next week I start an 8' x 40' mural on the same building.  Stay tuned!

My oh my summer is zipping.  July was teaching at Marywood University for Arts Alive - the kids had a great exhibition after four weeks of painting, mixed media, pottery and jewelry.  The first photo is some of the instuctors and one talented teacher who took the class for continuing ed.  Second shot is a wall of the kids works - grades 5-11 .... so proud of them - they got all dressed up for their exhibiton - music, friends and family - they were thrilled.

Next is a commission piece--- do you know where this is??? I did - oh yes - Nepa is so wonderfully close to Philly and NYC. 

And now - to get up to speed, I'm working on a mural for Steve Taren who owns Wet Paint - a very busy place in South Wilkes-Barre specializing in life size cut outs as well as many other things.  Check out their site www.wetpaintprinting.com.  It's a FUN building that's transforming the block - I"m so thankful to be part of it's expansion.  And I get to paint my dog!  I mean, really, does it get any better then this?

"The Clearing" began yesterday .... in the closet ..... the question posed to each article of clothing "Does it Bring Me Joy?' If not - Get Rid of It.... then move to the kithen - do I really need two spatulas?  Do I really need five sets of salt and pepper shakers?  NO!  So, now Salvation Army has one big Element load of things that I don't need or want. 

Know what I did keep, what did bring me joy?  All the handmade things my nieces gave me and  the artworks from fellow artists friends.  The things that last are the the things that are made by hand. Period.