6 Quiet Years

Miss Athena has been gone 6 years this week. STILL we miss her, still we remember her. Long live the queen.

Reflection 24x24" oil on panel ©2015

You can visit this painting at the upcoming show 50/50 at Sullivan Goss opening January 7th, 2016. 11 East Anapamu, Santa Barbara.

Dog Folly

Worktable Wednesday part Deux: 

On the easel today, more pet worship, is that so wrong....

Molly Swims 12x12"©

Summer Swim 12x12"©

la joie de chien 12x12"©

Molly & Skye redux

Meadow Romp 12x12" oil on panel ©N Strasburg

Thank you Atkinson Gallery and Tif Sigfrids, Molly and Skye will make yet another local appearance in their favorite meadow. Skye takes center stage for this event in a larger painting in oil. Both girls are ecstatic about the exposure but have been booked at another gig, so will sadly miss the reception in October. They will be sending a representative to make sure they keep in good standing with all their fans.

Small Images 

Atkinson Gallery

Santa Barbara City College

Opening Reception Friday, October 3, 5-7pm

Show runs October 3 thru 3, 2014

Juror Tif Sigfrids will give a brief lecture 

from 4-5 on the day of the reception.

Tonight 4-6pm WESTMONT

The Westmont Museum invitational 5x5 show opens this evening!

Tuesday, September 2 from 4-6pm

"Meadow Light" drypoint with Gouache 

Bidding started August 28th and will end sharply at 5pm September 11.

Come get your bid on.

Visit the auction page HERE

May 3rd Pop Up SHOP

A smorgasbord of visual treats from art to stationery, jewelry and purses, prints, stamps and stickers all housed in the lovely home of Liz Brady on a Saturday! Mark your calendars, one week from this Saturday. Hope to see you there!

Cousin Cleo, the kind hearted

We had the pleasure of hosting Ms. Cleo for an extended stay while her people were off to South America . Cousin {once or twice removed, I can't remember} to Molly & Skye. We had a blast in the mountains roaming the meadows and were lucky enough to have a few early spring snow days.

two gingers in the meadow

always a nose for trouble

vying for the stick

showing her airborne abilities

and taste for snow

Afternoon Easel

Athena

I've been working on this portrait of our beloved departed Border Collie Athena, on and off, for a couple years. For some reason I just haven't finished it. So today while feeling more quiet than usual I work on the small details that need work... namely, that darn Mexican blanket she is sleeping on. I'm reaching for the place where there is detail enough to define pattern but not so much that it is photo realism, not that I think I would have the stamina for that any more, it truly doesn't suit me.

Athena herself is looking pretty good, more work to be done in her black fur and small nuances with her freckles. It's that darn rug! It may very well be another 2 years before I call it finished. It is a nice diversion from the landscape images which makes me wonder... is a figure far behind?

Lapse and play

There has been too much on the plate and loads of fun in the California fair, winter weather. Doggies have been busy playing and living it up, wishing for snow but accepting the sun.

Rain arrived this month, thank goodness, and we are all back in the studio for some long overdue work. We'll post more as things take off. Until then, woof and happy spring... which is nipping at our heels.

New Year - new stock

A merry start to the new year: 2014. Wishing everyone a health-filled joyous year from me and the doggies. The year started with a long walk on the beach, painting and printing. It's not a terrible way to begin; exercise, laughing, loving up fur balls with a bit of work on the side.

"all in the family" holiday 2014

New in the SHOP are greeting cards pulled off the pages of my sketchbooks. Yes, yes, I know... more images of the furry muses. What can I say?! perhaps I was a wolf in a former life or just a pup that never got to grow up.

5x7" original etching greeting card

4.5x6" original etching greeting card

Did I mention that there are cool stickers in the shop too?! Stamps and cards and stickers wahoo!

Best to all for a raucous 2014. xo

Wednesday Winter Worktable

It's beginning to look a lot like ...... snow! Winter! The season of white is here and there are high hopes for plenty of snow and rain this winter here on the dry coast of California. The animals are calling for it, the trees are desperate for it and the lakes are too low for comfort. Not to mention that the winter is such a delicious time of year, playing, cozying up to the fire and a good book, and doing indoor projects... like painting or making stamps.

First big snow in the Los Padres Forest

The dogs are in heaven.

So much fun to be had with plenty of powder.

 
News in the shop? .... The stickers have arrived and are now available in my Etsy shop. I'm smitten and I want to put them on EVERYTHING! Great for envelopes, packages, stationery, ummmm clothing. HA.

The elves are all bustling packing up stamps to get into the hands of holiday makers and gift givers. Two Dog gratitude and happy stamping.

 

New to you!

Just in time for the bustle of the holiday, nothing that will make your life easier, your planning more efficient or your commitments less demanding but may make you smile or happier wrapping gifts.

New stickers is what I'm talkin' about! I've taken the best sellers from my rubber stamp collections and jazzed them up with retro colors and squeezed them on to 2" round stickers. They will be in the shop by the end of the month.

Here is a preview:

Border Collies and cats, there will also be vintage campers, camping and birds. More to come.

Who's that doggie?

New to the shop!

Baying Beagle

That's Mr. Bulldog to you

wee chiquita chihuahua

Ms. Lassie Collie

Glorious Greyhound

Proud Poodle

Puggie Pugster

See them HERE

Island Dreaming

I'm finally at my desk sorting through the newest collection of images AND getting everything entered into the shop. Today was about critters from the sea. Your local characters right off our Santa Barbara coast, the very playful and abundant Common Dolphin, the adorable harbor seal, the majestic Grey Whale and the dogs of the sea the California Sea Lion.

Our local Channel Islands is the theme of this collection. More soon....

New Items added to the shoppee daily!

We are heading fast into holiday season! Wow! I had a hard time typing that. I'm just not quite there yet and we've only just had our summer here in Santa Barbara. Alas, the year marches on and I am getting slowly to all the goodies I have to post in my Etsy shop.

First things first, I have a new shipment of ink pads, just arrived. I like the dye inks but the NEW Colorbox CHALK ink pads looked too good to pass up. As Colorbox states themselves, "these inks have the dense, matte luster of chalk pastels in a fast drying, archival ink!" AND they are waterproof if heat set.

They have coool colors, like Guacamole, Candied Yam and Lipstick Red. I ordered 16 of the 55 colors just to get started. Here are four of them {left to right, top to bottom} Prussian Blue, Pumpkin Spice, Sour Apple and Red Barn. The image is Vintage Camper No. 4 ... all available now in the SHOP.

Items will continue to pop up in the shop. Stop in and have a peek at what's new. Island stamps should be loaded by the end of this month.

May your slide into the fall be full of color, peace, joy and a healthy dose of laughter.

Someone is having a birthday tomorrow!

Beach Day, Molly ©2013

Molly turns 7 tomorrow! A good run on the beach to celebrate another year. We have now had Molly as long as her former owners. We hope that she is happy with her life with us as much as we adore her furry spirit in our atmosphere. Happy day you came to live with us Red. xo

New Show with pooches on the side

Willow Path, Molly  12x12" ©2013 N Strasburg

New Terrain

Opening First Thursday September 5th

Show runs September 5th through November 30th, 2013

Sullivan Goss

Santa Barbara

Guess who's having a birthday?!

Sweet Skye baby turns 8 today! 

I think a frisbee is in her near future.

We love that sweet pooch.

Put up the flag and fire up the BBQ

The holiday approaches and summer vacations are in full swing. Hiking up into the higher elevations under a canopy of pine trees that cool and calm the spirit is a great way to celebrate independence. Have a safe 4th of July!

California and the Los Padress National Forest ©

My favorite place to watch the fireworks

nostalgia at it's finest

old friends

These stamps and more in ye oldee etsy shoppee!