Starving Artist

Fiorella posted a painting of her younger son on Facebook and her heart warmed when she was asked if she still takes commissions.
Art was Fio's first talent, from when she was two years old and drew a identifiable picture of her mother's vacuum cleaner, but art is not big business these days. Photography is not only cheaper, but more accessible. Besides, Fio is of the old school--Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Wyeth, and the like--and realism is so old hat. And then there's the fact that Fiorella, aside from being in an after-school oil-painting class class for about five years, was self-taught. Still, she's convinced that about a hundred years from now, her paintings and drawings will be valued at millions so if you find anything signed by Fio's real name, save it and hand it down to your grandchildren.

In A Bad Mood

Facebook  is driving Fiorella crazy. After a couple of months of allowing Fio's photos to be easily transferred onto Blogspot, it is now refusing to do so, and that is why you are NOT seeing a portrait Fio did of her Uncle Al years ago. Fio is angry because she had posted the painting on FB specificably in order to copy it over to Blogspot, the only pathway she has found. Fio is also angry because she's on a cedar-cutting binge, but is having problems with her chainsaw, the chain of which, despite Husband's valiant efforts, is always too tight or too loose. And she's also angry because she's not over her stupid cold yet.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DARLING!

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OFF THE ROAD

This is an oil Fiorella painted years ago when she was in an outdoorsy phase. The little house was off Dessau Roadand the road was wet from the rain. Husband parked the car off to the side and Fio unloaded her easel, paint, and brushes, then prayed no one came out of the house with a rifle in hand.

Fivesome Update

Sonia perra tripped nimbly down la escalera at 4:15 a.m.and gave mamacita a sharp bark of demand. Porque ella es una mamacita buena, ella struggled awake and turned off the alarm system, then opened the back puerta so Sonia could usar el sevicio. Si, la perrita es la reina de casa.
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The whirlwind is spinning faster and faster. Trump is going down. Doesn't he see the signs? They're the same as when his multiple businesses went down.
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Fiorella posted one of her paintings on FB and got a really nice response, which made her hungry to start painting again, something she hasn't done in years, but she needs to invest her time in her family and projects that have the possibility of paying off big, like the writing. The almighty dollar wins out over art every time.
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Speaking of writing, Fiorella is engaged in the third revision and the story is really fleshing out. For instance, she now knows that Bram is a nickname for Abram, which explains why a guy who's half Czech has a Dutch-sounding name.
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Fiorella plays the piano every morning to keep her hands, fingers, and brain-eye coordination working, but she sings for the pure joy of it. Yes, the botox shots to her false vocal chords are finally working.

Taking on All Comers

Fiorella doesn't understand.  After she and her brother left the family nest, her mother had a hard time finding ways to occupy herself and actually went through a period of depression. Fio herself has wrestled with depression from time to time, but never from lack of things to do. There are always pictures to paint, languages to learn at, stories to write, a house to whip into shape, and now, five and one-third acres to tame. Fio's often feels overwhelmed, but she's never at loose ends.

Austin Memory

When Fiorella visited Minnesota Son and his wife this summer, she helped them frame her painting of the Seaholm electric plant on Town Lake (now called Lady Bird Lake) in Austin.  Anyone remember the scene?

Crowded Life

Fio is making a list of the things she wants to do once she turns the book in.  Like walking the dog again, like getting a photofacial, a perm, and highlighting.  Like working a jigsaw puzzle, fixing up her so-called office, shopping for new shoes.  Like painting a little.

Like starting on a new book.