"Cowgirl Gets Her Wings" 12" x 24" on gallery wrapped canvas

I've started a new series of angel paintings I'm calling "Earth Angels". I think "angels" come in many forms and I want to paint them in their earthly clothing. My grand daughters wear boots often as do I. These happen to be a pair I bought for Tori but she wanted a different color for which I'm now greatful as I love them. They have lovely little turquise stones insterted around the top of them. I love the way this young angel is lifting her skirt so she can get a good view of her new boots.

3 paintings sold~!~! wooo hoooo~!

Just got a text that 3 of my paintings have sold~! yea~! Great way to start the day~!

A Heart For My Valentine~! Classes in Pulaski, TN

Location:
Cardin Distributing Company
1219 West College St.
Pulaski, TN

Class Times:
Jan. 24,2012 6:pm to 9:pm
Jan. 24,2012 1:pm to 4:pm
Jan, 31,2010 6:pm to 9:pm

Don't forget to call or e-mail me if you haven't already reserved a spot.
All three classes are filling quickly.

You are welcome to come a few minutes early to register.
You'll have three different paintings to choose from. This is to be a night oftapping into your creative juices. We won't be competing for a Monet award...just having fun~!

It's a new year and going to be a great one`!

It's also a new beginning for me. Most of you know that my precious husband suffered a fatal heart attack 7 months ago as he was leaving a local golf driving range. I'll always be greatful his brother he loved so much was with him. I don't know how I would have entered this new year without your prayer, love, phone calls, notes and concern...oh, did I leave out great food? definately good food`! Please forgive me if I haven't thanked each of you personally. Many weeks all I could do was soak up your love and feel so lifted by your attention to me. If you look back and see the void in my posting the last year I hope you'll understand why I couldn't. Actually, I've done very little creating in any form. Last month I heard a speaker (who was about to turn 80) say she knew that her 8th decade was going to be her best`! Well, I turned 60 about a month ago and have joined her in deciding that this will be my best decade ever~! Since making that decision a couple of weeks ago, my attitude has taken a huge up swing. I'm painting again and for the pure joy of it, not just because I have a dead line. Big difference~! I'm also creating vintage jewelry with my sista' Mona and loving that also. What I'm not doing is keeping a super clean home. Notice I didn't say I've quit worrying about a clean home.. hopefully that will come next. winky I'm also learning to say no to things and places that aren't a priority to me thanks to Karen Moran (an amazing therapist) who was a co-worker and friend to me for several years.
My Brandy (daugher in law married to my son Rodney) took me to Destin Fl the week after Shelton went to heaven. I still don't know how she got me to go up in a para-sail. It was something I've always wanted to do but was too afraid. Well move over~! I'm now ready to try lots of new things drawing the line at jumping from a plane`! woa~! nope~! not even with a shute~!
I recieved a call this weekend from An Apartment In Paris telling me the t-shirt I painted the graphics for is a huge success. WOW~! won't my sons be proud that I have a t-shirt on the market...which is all they wore as teenagers. (no...not mine with an angel painted on it~! ha) Sylvia (owner of the shop) told me that so many people are buying these to give to people who are struggling with something in their life, be it illness or life changes that are painful. You can see the shirt under my blog "I've Got You Covered" and I'll have them available shortly for you to purchase here. If you're in a hurry, you can go to Sylvia's website and she will mail you one immediately. http://www.anapartmentinparis.net/
I also want to thank Karen Spivey who has been an angel in my life with her relentless energy for bringing art to Pulaski, TN. WOW~! Karen, your amazing~! She does this not only to bring women together and in touch with their creativity, but also to raise funds for the upgrading of the Pulaski Library. By the way, I went to a tea there last month`! If you haven't been, you absolutley need never miss one of these teas! Awesome~!

I've been so slack in scheduling classes these few months but am now back in full swing. If you're a past student watch for upcoming classes as I'll be scheduling them soon. And yes~! I am going to be doing some plein air classes again~! If you go to my site you can sign up to receive those schedules when they are available by "following" me.
Sorry for the lengthy post..I have been quiet for such a long time and I guess I'm trying to make up for it~! Love for all of you, Laine

"Rufus The Snowman" 16 x 20 NFS

Brought back by demand again this year~!  This is a precious little snowman we'll be painting at classes starting right after Thanksgiving~!
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Still Holding Hands 16" x 20"

My Mom and Dad were walking in the woods when my sister in law Charlotte sneaked a photo of them holding hands.  I started this for their 60th Wedding Anniversary but wasn't able to finish it in time.  When I thought I was through with it, my Mother told me I didn't have my Dad "chubby" enough so I had to go back and work on it a bit.  He was so thin most of my life I guess I still see him that way.  I'm posting the photo and then then painting I took from it.  Thanks so much Charlotte for capturing what you saw through the lens of your camera.

'Angel Running Free on the Water" 8" x 8" with 1 & 1/2" Gallery Wrapped sides $150

I Love the freedom of running in the water this little angel shows.

"I'd Rather Be Wading" 16" x 12" gallery wrapped canvas unframed $150.

I can just see my grand daughters sneaking out of a party to go wading in the water. While they love to dress up, they thought nothing of getting their dress wet ....after all they can think about laundry when they have their own little ones.  Childhood is meant to be lived in the moment.

This Lil' Art of Mine "A Walk Through Time" 8"x10" oil on canvas $95 includes U.S. shipping SOLD

Recently I painted with Susan (one of my painting buddies) at the Carnton Plantation in Franklin Tennessee.  The arbors are beautiful in the formal garden.  I could only imagine the comfort it must have brought to the wounded Confederate soldiers who were brought there for aide.  Today it feels like a place of peace.  If you haven't been there, it's well worth the short drive into Franklin.

This Lil' Art of Mine "Girl Talk" 10"x8" oil on canvas $95. includes shipping

This was so much fun to paint.  I love how the poppies remind me of girls chatting.  These poppies come from seeds like Rachael Jackson planted at the Hermitage  they come back each year showing off their awesome color.  You can still see them at the Hermitage during their season which is early spring.  I'm hoping to see them again this coming spring in my own yard as I'm planting lots of them thanks to a gift from local Nashville artist Diane May.

"The River Flows" 20" x 16" on canvas

I love how the water flows over the little dam a couple of blocks from my home.  This was the inspriation for this painting for a class next week at Hobby Lobby in Hermitage.  I did another that was more true to this particular dam in that it had a a lot of stone on the right.  The class in Hermitage wanted to paint a landscape but don't enjoy working with the palate knife as I had done the rocks.

"This Lil' Art of Mine" A Wave of Pink 8"x8" $95. including shipping

I painted this rose from one my Mom gave to me.  She was given a start of it about 30 years ago and has no idea what kind it might be.  I love the deep rose smell of it and I especially love that it came from her.

"This Lil' Art of Mine"

I'm starting a new series I'm calling "This Lil' Art of Mine".  None of the paintings will be over 8"x10" and many will be 8"x8".  All will be for sale for $95. to the first person to contact me.  That will include shipping within the United States.  Many will be painted from my little Riverside garden here in Columbia, Tennessee.  I have loved to garden most of my life which leaves me torn in the summer between gardening and painting.  I try to incorporate both into my days as it leaves me feeling unsatisfied if either are left out.

Plein Air Workshop in our garden

Okay you ladies know we had fun Saturday~!   I loved painting with you....it was just plain fun~!  You give me so much energy~!  I loved a note Debbie sent later telling me that she knew the colors had to be that bright because she had painted them herself.  As promised, these ladies saw amazing colors in nature.  When we are little and told that a tree is green and the sky is blue, we accept it and our brain fights us everytime we think we see other colors in those things.  We have to retrain our brain to accept that there is a multitude of colors in this beautiful home we call earth.  You ladies were amazing.  I couldn't get over your willingness to jump right in and put paint on the canvas....especially those of you who had never painted before.  I hope you're all believers now that painting is good for the soul.  To see more photos log into my facebook and you'll find lots.

"I've Got You Covered" 24" x 12" $225

I painted this at a time when I knew God was telling me no matter how deep my questions were... "He had me covered".  It seemed like it was my angel standing ready to protect.  It's available at "Merging of the Arts" in downtown Franklin, Tennessee.  You can get more information from Kandi or Autumn at artconsultant@mergingoftherarts.com  

Plein Air Workshop

I haven't been posting as much the last couple of weeks, but don't think I've not been painting.  I'm working hard getting a lot of small paintings done of my yard to use as examples for a workshop coming up the last weekend of May.  I've also been working on a painting of my Mom and Dad.  It's really hard to paint someone you love.  Ms. Hazel told me when I was painting my Grandmother that she could tell I loved her much because I was flattering her shape.  When my Mom saw the painting I'm working on of herself and my Dad...she immediately told me I didn't have my Dad "chubby" enough.  Ha~!   She said her's was right.   toooo funny,   Back to the brushes.  Hope you have a great day~!

"Wading in the Surf" 20" x 16" convas wrapped $275.

I've been aching to be on the beach.  Maybe after Shelton sees this painting he'll get the hint.  Truthfully, I'm equally torn between my love of the beach and the mountains.  This has a lot of palette knife strokes.  I love the texture gained this way.  Available at Merging of the Arts in Franklin, Tn  artconsultant@mergingofthearts.com

A Bird In My Flowers 24" x 12" $300.

This was so much fun to paint.  It's been raining here off and on all day.  We went to Summer Town early this morning to pick up some plants to finish adding color to our yard only to get home and not be able to work outside.  Soooo out come the paints.  This is taken from a photo I took in our yard last summer.  It would look good anywhere you choose.

Paintings for Papa Boudreaux's in Franklin, TN

Recently the designer of the restaurant Papa Boudreaux's contacted me about hanging some paintings for sale in their new location set to open this week.  This is an awesome place~!  The food is the best this side of New Orleans...and maybe even there.  They have a 2 & 1/2 hour waiting line on the weekends in  Santa Fe, Tn.  I'm so excited to be a part of this.  I'm posting 6 of the paintings that will be available there.  They'd look great in a family or music room, or anywhere else you'd like to hang them.

Sold. "My Three Angels" 16" x 8" on artist board. $95 each or the group is $275

Today I've finished 3 small paintings as a proto of a larger painting I need to have complete by Friday.  The final will be on 3 panels  of aprox. 70" tall by 20" wide.  It's an antique padded canvas screen I found about a year ago in the basement of an antique shop.  I had to beg the owner to sell it to me.  Can't wait to work on it now that I have this part finished and love it.  I call it "My Three Angels".  I'd love to paint these for you and put names or initials of your favorite angels on the necklaces.  They could also be hinged together to use on a table under a lamp.