The Great Afterlife for Artists

glacier mountain painting top by Irene RowleyToday I will share my vision of what a great heaven would be like for an artist.  You see, ever since childhood, I have all these ideas about heaven. Sometimes, my friends hear me talking about what heaven will be like, and they indicate that they have never thought as much about it, as I have. In fact, they indicate I should write my description of heaven down, it is so fantastic and peculiar. Now, I never thought of myself as peculiar… but I get that response a lot as an artist. continue reading

On Painting Love and Death

20181211_131612_finalMy cat Giovanni died in my arms, one morning last fall, just as the sun was just rising and the first rays coming in through the window on us. He had been suffering kidney and heart failure and lost most his weight in just two weeks. He gasped three times then died an old kitty, almost 19 years old.

As an artist, it helped me to paint it out and work on a little cat alter. You paint out the love and the memories that you never want to forget.  continue reading

What I am really thinking… Lewy Body Disease

mom opens the door to gnomes

I know you are (each) looking at me as a blogger to say Pithy and interesting things, but let me tell you how I am really thinking tonight!  If this is offensive or strange to you, to hear real deep thoughts, you may skip this post.

I have been putting my mom’s illness in vague terms to save her reputation. The truth is, she has Lewy Bodies disease and there is little reputation, to save any more. The cat’s out of the bag…. continue reading

Sonoma Fires Part 2: Trees on Fire!

The Santa Rosa fires were of epic proportion. Here is a current page from my creative journal. I titled this drawing, My Memory of Trees on Fire!

drawing-2017-11-002a_web

It is a sketch of trees that I see along the 101 Freeway after the fire. You can see the handprint of the edge of the fire, where a green tree ends and black trees start. continue reading