Good Bones

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Good Bones
oil on cradled wood panel
18 x 24 x 1.5 inches

​Life is short, though I keep this from my children.
Life is short, and I’ve shortened mine
in a thousand delicious, ill-advised ways,
a thousand deliciously ill-advised ways
I’ll keep from my children. The world is at least
fifty percent terrible, and that’s a conservative
estimate, though I keep this from my children.
For every bird there is a stone thrown at a bird.
For every loved child, a child broken, bagged,
sunk in a lake. Life is short and the world
is at least half terrible, and for every kind
stranger, there is one who would break you,
though I keep this from my children. I am trying
to sell them the world. Any decent realtor,
walking you through a real shithole, chirps on
about good bones: This place could be beautiful,
right? You could make this place beautiful.
- MAGGIE SMITH

​I am always moved by the kind stranger. By the bird, by the loved child. By poetry that hits me hard and paintings which cause me to catch my breath. 

But I am so very aware of the other fifty percent. Smith's words are, unfortunately, all too true.  Especially now, in these dire days.

And yet. (AND YET!)  When I turn my attention toward those who see the good bones in things - those who do something incredible with those good bones​, I have deep, resounding hope.

This week I want to tell you the story of someone who saw good bones and created a world out of them. A sanctuary of safety and love. A place for second chances, for hope, for joy and a long, happy life.  Ally Remington works tirelessly every day (sometimes 24 hours a day) for the lives of farm animals who need a rescue, a rehabilitation, a second chance. I had the opportunity to interview Remington recently and, honestly, her story moved me to tears. The struggles, the celebrations, the hard work and the continued need for more. Below is a link to this interview on YouTube. It is a long one, but worth every minute.

My husband and I take great joy in supporting this farm rescue, which is a permanent home for each animal taken in.
​If you are moved to support Wildlings Forest Sanctuary, thank you!  Here is the link to the website.

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About the art:  It is early in the year, but some murderous things are happening in the studio! This piece is a paint-over of a werewolf. The original painting was thick with texture, and that served this new abstract landscape extraordinarily well! Beginning with a rough sketch made with a medium sized brush laden with dark paint (basic composition - big shapes!) and then a thin layer of background and foreground paint to refine the shapes and the sketch.  After some drying time, I worked from the inside - out - creating rocks, highlights, reflections and layers upon layers of color. Many weeks of drying time followed. Another layer on the background and foreground, a rough celestial orb in the sky, some pink clouds. Then the pallette knife - and OH OH OH did that ever work spectacularly over all the texture! It added grit and rocky-ness to the rocks, soft earthy edges to the water. I hit a couple of places with bright highlights, then another month of drying before the varnish. 

I think the werewolf  is satisfied to be a part of this wild, rugged landscape. He feels at home in there. 

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​Watch and listen to the blog on YouTube

​An interview with Ally Remington of
Wildlings Forest Sanctuary

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Holy cats in a basket, batman!

The single copies of MonstroUS are now SOLD OUT! Thank you hugely!

You can still grab the full experience (book plus fairtale survival kit) here. 
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Get them while they last!

Big thanks to the amazing Thea Fiore Bloom at The Charmed Studio Podcast for featuring MonstroUS in her recently newsletter! I am so grateful and delighted!