My Beautiful Mom...

My mother, Peg Howard, is now at peace and out of pain.  I imagine her up in Heaven with Dad, in her 24 year old body, surrounding herself with family members that passed before, happy as a lark. 

She is responsible for all my artistic endeavors, singing, piano, my art passion.  She made sure I had voice and piano lessons and NEVER pushed me into going for dance or swim team (ohmygawdthankgoodness!).  I also appreciate that she understood that I wasn't and would never be a scholar.  Reading all day long?  Now that's a horse of a different color.  She and I loved to read, bio's, histories, and some fantasy's, always willing to share with me what she had just read.  Thank you for my passion for books, Mom.

Rodella (Peg) at 6 years old in 1933

Mom was a West Coast girl, had been a child actress, went to school alongside some celebrities such as Shirley Temple, played jazz piano like nobody's business, could substitute on a church organ, was a sewing, knitting and needlepoint workhorse.

 Dad & Mom after getting married in 1951

She loved her husband of nearly 60 years deeply, and raised 4 kids while moving twice every 3 years.  She was the perfect Marine Corp. wife, never complaining about his work but was thrilled when he retired.

The Marine Corp Ball with Uncle Dick & Aunt Jo at El Toro, California in 1972-3

Thank you, Mom, for always having a sympathetic ear when I needed one.  You listened and gave advice when asked, never pushing your views on anyone.  Well, okay, that's not completely true... you had your opinions but never vocalized them if it would hurt the other person.

I will miss the hours we spent talking old movie trivia... who was Major Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan in the M*A*S*H movie, not the tv series?  *cue 'Jeopardy' music*  Sally Kellerman!  Nope, we never got that right and always had to look it up.  Who is going to sit beside me on the piano now?  Who is going to look through all the old scrapbooks with me?  I guess I will have to pass these activities on to my kids, hopefully they will be as willing as I was to spend the time talking and remembering stuff like this when I get old(er).

 

Dad & Mom in Oklahoma City in 2008

Thank you for showing me what true love is, to stand by your man through thick and thin, always in it for the long haul.  You loved Dad so much and were an excellent example for me and my children.

Thank  you for all the hugs, the sympathy tears, for letting me be an only child for 4 years, for encouraging me in all walks of life, and for letting me think I was your favorite out of us 4 kids (a family joke).

I love you and will miss you.

P.S.  Say hi and give big hugs to Dad, Grandma, Gmom, Aunt Carolyn, Aunt Jo and the rest of the family for me, 'k?!

Summer - July Update

Life is good, fun, and hard at the same time...
- I am working on several paintings at the same time, trying to decide which painting to enter in each of the shows I'm entering in the Fall.
- I am happy dating someone special, it feels good to be with someone that appreciates and cares for me.  It's been 4 long years so I think it's finally my time to be happy again.  Yay!
- I have traveled a little this Summer, no where exotic, but it felt good to be back in Oklahoma City again and the trips to New Orleans were a blast!  Looking forward to seeing a new grand-baby in Houston next month and Oklahoma City in September around my Dad's passing anniversary with my Mom and sister.
- Family is hard work but I know it will be worth it in the end.
Soon enough Fall will bring cooler temperatures, more rain, and a busier life.  I think I'll just enjoy the Summer for what it is... hot, humid, and long.  That's okay, change will be a-coming!

"Saint Hermenegildo" by Corrado Giaquinto

I am working on a large (to me) painting trying to improve my skills.  I decided to copy a piece I saw when my museum had an exhibit called "Heart of Spain" several years ago.  I fell in love with "Saint Hermenegildo" by Corrado Giaquinto.  I have been studying the works of the old masters and when I read that all of them would copy other artists' works when they were starting out, I decided to do the same.  If it's good enough for the masters then I should follow in their footsteps, relatively speaking, of course.  There is someone that has been giving me inspiration, I am having so much fun!

Stage 1 - Roughed in the major areas, always checking placement

Stage 2 - Start filling in major blocks of color

Stage 3 - Adding more blocks of color

Stage 3 - Close up

Playing In The Studio

It's the day after Christmas and I needed a project to do that would be simple and quick.  I thought I had found the perfect item.  I had been looking at how other folks had been organizing their jewelry and found a way to use materials I already have.  I started with a wooden printer's tray with multi-sized compartments, painted it with two colors that appealed to me, then played with my staple-gun as a way to hang earrings.  This idea isn't new, just new to me.  I don't like the staples showing but didn't have any cup screws and my way was fast.  I will end up covering the staple ends with something, just don't know what yet to use.  I just wanted to get it done so I would feel like I accomplished something today, and I have!  Yay!

The pictures are different colors due to my camera being close or further away.  I don't pretend to be a professional photographer,  far from it, but you get the idea.

My Dad:

Col. Robert (Bob) E. Howard, Jr. USMC (Ret.)
15 June 1928 - 21 September 2011
(picture: 'Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame Award Ceremony' Nov 2010)

A memorial service for Oklahoma City resident, Col. Robert E. Howard Jr., USMC (Ret.), is scheduled Saturday, Oct. 22, at 11 a.m., at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Oklahoma City. Col. Howard died Sept. 21 at the VA Medical Center, Oklahoma City. He was 83. Interment at Arlington National Cemetery at a date yet to be determined.

Col. Howard was born in Tulsa in 1928 and later moved to Oklahoma City, where he graduated from Central High School.  He enlisted into the U.S. Navy, was selected for Aviation Navy ROTC and chose to attend Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State University.  In 1949 he became a midshipman in the Navy and commenced flight training.  He received his wings and commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps and began his 29 years of military service.

During the Korean War, he flew 105 combat missions with VMF-122, Marine Air Group-13; and during the Vietnam War as Commanding Officer, VMFA-122, Marine Corps Air Group-13, he flew 330 combat missions.  His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with Combat V, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, seven Air Medals, 24 Strike/Flight Air Medals and the Navy Commendation Medal.  He participated in the technological revolution in flight operations that followed World War II.  He was a test pilot at Naval Ordnance Test Station, China Lake, California, from 1957 to 1960 as part of the development of the Sidewinder missile.  He earned master's degrees from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Ft. McNair and National War College in Washington, D.C.  After retirement he served as President of the Board of Directors of Meals-on-Wheels in Vista, California.  He was selected for membership in the elite Early & Pioneer Naval Aviators Association (the "Golden Eagles") and in 2010 was inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame.

He was active in the Episcopal Church and served in a variety of capacities and held several offices including Senior and Junior Warden, Treasurer, L.E.M. (Lay Eucharistic Minister), and Lay Reader.

Survivors include his wife, Rodella (Peg) Howard, of the home; a brother, Monty Howard and wife, June, of Oklahoma City; three daughters, Lisa Buchanan, Carolyn Coombs and Mary Hollas; a son, Monty Howard; his aunt, Helen Helt of Stillwater; grandchildren, Shannon Vaughn, Nick Vaughn and wife April, Dallas Coombs, Calin Hollas, and Carly Hollas; and great-grandchildren, Samantha Mills, Wyatt Harlan, Maegan Vaughn, and Cassidy Vaughn.

The family suggests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, 13112 N. Rockwell Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73142;
or to the Disabled American Veterans, PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH, 45250-0301.

He was a terrific father, a friend to all that met him, he will be sorely missed.  I love you, Dad.

3 Years Later...

August is here already which is shocking to me. I feel like it is still June somehow. When August rolls around my heart sinks because the 5th is AC's death anniversary and this month it will be 3 years. I can feel myself getting down and sad, but that's okay. I still think it is better to let it take over knowing that life will interrupt my sadness and this week will pass. I miss him so much and wish I could have had him longer than our 16 years together. I think I will call his son David and reminisce over the funny times we shared when he was growing up. He is now godfather to my daughter Shannon's son Wyatt. People tell me that they can see AC in him and certain expressions sound like him, too. That's cool to me. (Below: David, Shannon, Brandon)




My granddaughter Sam is still in the process of moving out into her own apartment which will leave me alone for the first time... ever? Hm... I have never had a place of my own, geez louise. Really? Never lived alone? I guess this year will be the year of firsts: bought a car by myself, started a new job, and will officially be living alone. Wow. That sounds really weird to me.


I was just informed yesterday that I sold my painting entitled "Peace I Leave With You" (the gold angel below), so that is music to my ears! Woot!


I am having a blast being "MiMi" to Wyatt and Maegan, my grandchildren. Spoiling toddlers rocks! There is nothing better than hearing "where's MiMi?" or an excited "MiMi!" when they see me. Ah... babies. I love them.


Maybe this three year anniversary will be okay.

An Art Epiphany

I attended a three-day workshop last week for oil painting by a painter I have followed online for quite some time now - Pat Walker's homepage.
She is a wonderful teacher in many ways. She taught techniques along with words of wisdom during her painting demonstration, she is a little dynamo that has a great sense of humor and doesn't take herself too seriously.  A breath of fresh air!  Then it was our turn. The class was comprised of beginners and established artists, so the finished pieces were all interesting and it was fun to learn about the artists themselves and get to know each other.

During the class, I had an art epiphany. I have idolized the Dutch Masters my whole life and always wanted to know how they painted so beautifully in rich, warm colors with a point of interest that always 'popped' out of the canvas. Pat taught me their technique - chiaroscuro - which means the piece is characterized by strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition . Needless to say, it is also 'representational' art. There are rich darks and a bright color reserved for the point of interest or center of attention, and voila! That was what I needed! She pointed out that most paintings out there are nothing but middle values and we don't understand why some pieces don't hold our interest. Ah, now I understand.

We all set right to work on our still life's, we each had a black box setup with a light and whatever props we brought with us. This was mine:

"Still Life With a Lemon #1" on canvas 8x10in

I was so stoked the rest of the workshop that I didn't even attempt a landscape along with the class, I started on a portrait and finished it in THREE days, which is incredible for me considering my "God" painting took me six months!

Here is my grandson:

"Wyatt at 18 Months" on canvas board 11x14in

Here is a close up of his face:

Here is the photo I based the painting on:

I have been so excited using what I learned with Pat that I couldn't stop painting once I came home, so I painted my granddaughter:

"Maegan at 2 Years Old"

Here is the photo I based the painting on:

I know it looks like my colors are pretty "out there" but they seem to be exaggerated on the computer monitor.  I wasn't going for realistic skin color, though, I was looking for what the skin colors look like to ME in my head, hence the term 'representational" art.  I still have a lot to learn that can only be learned through practice, practice, practice, just like a musical instrument (I play piano).  My pieces aren't perfect but I wouldn't expect them to be at this point.

I love this new technique.  I have started another portrait and a still life.  I love art epiphany's!  Go create something, we don't have much time!  Run and set up your paints, I'll wait...

Art Show - 30 June 2011 at Gallery House, Alexandria, Louisiana

Glenda from the gallery just called:  I'm in a show she's having THIS Thursday night so I have what, 5 days?  I haven't touched a brush since I started working 6 weeks ago... sigh.  She also told me that Frances is doing 5 television commercials and to keep a lookout because I will be one of the featured artists.  I don't even remember which local cable station she works on but I can look it up easily enough.  All that keeps running through my head is panic-I-can-do-this-panic-don't-sweat-the-small-stuff-panic-panic-this-might-end-up-being-okay-yeah-right-panic-panic...   

I think I will quit biting my nails worrying about it... and just do it!  Smaller pieces should be okay.  I can't wait to see what the other artists will be producing.  Hot diggity dog, another show!

Art Show 11 November 2010 at Gallery House, Alexandria, Louisiana

Gallery House is having their Fall "Louisiana Artists Show" on 11 November 2010.  I finished these two angels and am submitting them along with the queen series I completed.  The one in red/green is "Seek Ye First" and the white/gold is "Peace I Leave With You".

They are both done in acrylics, pens, 16x20 inches.  I wrote out my feelings and experiences with angels on the wings of the "Peace..." and a favorite song on "Seek...".  Therapeutic and fun at the same time, what a concept!

I have a couple more angels to finish and will upload them when they are completed.   I love deadlines!

Painting - Elizabeth I, Younger

This is the third in my women series of mixed media paintings - 
This is "Elizabeth I, Younger" done in mixed media - acrylics, assorted papers, Prismacolors.  My favorite part of this painting was adding the beaded crown.  I love to throw people off guard...

Altered Cribs for the Grandchildren

This is a port-a-crib I painted for my own home so the kids could sleep over.  It is an assortment of pastel colors done in a wavy pattern that is very bright and cheerful.  What fun!

Wyatt's crib - I painted stars on one end and moons on the other end.  It is totally different than anything I have seen before but it turned out beautifully!  I am really pleased.

Painting - Elizabeth I

This is the second in my women series of mixed media paintings - This is "Elizabeth I" done in mixed media - acrylics, assorted papers, Prismacolor pencils, pens, inks, on 16x20in canvas.

Painting - Eleanor of Aquitaine

I decided to start a series of paintings on women with different styles than I am used to.  This is "Eleanor of Aquitaine" done in mixed media - acrylics, assorted papers, Prismacolor pencils, pens, inks, on 16x20in canvas.

Hands Swap at iATCs

I joined a "Talk To The Hand" Swap at iATC's and decided to go ahead and use that as my theme.  I have completed four of them and am still trying to find the time to make some more... the more you send in, the more you receive!

I cut out the hand shape, using my hand as a stencil, from watercolor paper, then added royalty-free clipart, acrylic paints, german scrap, oriental text from an old book and medium.  I then covered the back with scrapbook paper so I can add my backside labels with all my personal information for the swap.  I thoroughly enjoyed making these.  I don't work in collage very often and find it pretty intimidating, but this was fun for me.  Yay!

Exciting News!

I am so excited - 'Delicious Art' (a new artsy gift shop next to The Cottage) is going to be the exclusive seller of my altered necklaces! They also asked for my canvas work to sell in the shop and to show at The Cottage AND they asked me to teach two classes - acrylics and mixed media painting.  I am going to work hard at making more mixed media canvas paintings and altered necklaces.  I am not sure what days to teach knowing my daughter Shannon is due to have her baby the first week in October, but I am already working out a teaching plan.  This is so much fun!
Here are more necklaces I have made:

"Bug Lady" - Necklace
Made with a metal disc, royalty free clip art, 
ladybug charm, bee charm, star charm, beads, 
Diamond Glaze












"MardiGras" - Necklace
Brass label holder, royalty-free clip art,
beads, wire, pens, acrylics,
Diamond Glaze, silk cord.












"Pink Lady" - Necklace
Hand painted with acrylics on watercolor paper,
pens, metal disc, mini domino, beads, wire,
silk cord, Diamond Glaze

My Muse Is Back!

I am so happy to be creating again. I joined a pendant swap at IllustratedATCs.com, so I played around with different ideas. I am very pleased with the results and had a blast making them.

"Zetti Lady" - Pendant
Mini domino, metal disc, charms, beads, Diamond Glaze, royalty-free clipart, packaged for trade/sale

Always Expect the Unexpected!

A strange thing happened on the way to the grave site...

Fr. Fred told me several times that I would have to go through some "firsts" for the 12 months following AC's death - his birthday, Christmas, Easter, and other church holy days, my birthday, our anniversary, his work anniversary, your birthdays, anything that he and I would make a point of celebrating together and thought was special to us. The first few months I can look back on and say I must have still been in shock. Yes, I cried every day, but melancholy/feelings of doom didn't really settle in until most of the probate paperwork had been done and I didn't have a "project" to keep me occupied and busy every minute of every day.

I have always had a working calendar with every birthday or important date written in black marker to remind me to send a card or remember a special time in our married lives. After he died, I got out my hospital journal and transferred milestones of his death and funeral to this calendar, along with all the "special" dates. After I developed the neurological tremors and balance problems recently, the doctor put me on meds and told me to "stop keeping track of the 'dark dates' and put that shit away!" I was not very happy with THAT suggestion as you can imagine, but I can see his point now. Every time I turned the page to a new month, I looked for something written down to be sad and melancholy about. Not good medicine! Did my using the calendar help me grieve? You bet. Did it help bring the memories of that day back in vivid color? Very much so. Did it help me gain a sense of hope for the future? No way, and that was the doc's point. Yes, grieving is important and learning to deal with it is something I have to do, every day. But after December 2009, I won't be transferring AC's "sad" moments to the new calendar.

I had been hoping to spend part of today, the one-year anniversary of his death, with Shannon at his grave site. I really looked forward to being sad, crying, moaning out loud, and giving him hell for putting off going to Trevor and dying on me. What happened instead has turned out to be a blessing, I think. Shannon's kidneys became badly infected and she was in enough pain that her boyfriend took her to the ER on Monday night and she was admitted to RRMC Women's hospital Tuesday morning on a drip of Morphine, Demerol, and antibiotics. After a couple of nights in the hospital, she was quickly on the road to recovery and was slotted to be discharged this morning. Her doctor had to deliver a baby and we just got home at 6:30 PM tonight, so the day was shot and my plans never saw fruition.

Why was my not going to the grave site a blessing? I was able to spend the last 2 days at AC's hospital and visit with his staff in administration, cry together, laugh over silly stories of things he had said or done, hear how much they missed him, see for myself that his death had seriously affected other people and not just me. Instead of mourning by myself, I was surrounded at different times of the day by people that cared for him nearly as much as I did and were willing to grieve his loss with me. Wouldn't you consider that a blessing, too?

God is awesome!

Allied Health Building & Conference Room at LSUA Dedicated to A.C. Buchanan, III

My daughter Shannon and I are in the front of the plaque on the Allied Health Education building on Jackson Street downtown Alexandria, Louisiana.  I have to say, it was exciting and felt a little strange to drive down the street and see the signage with AC's name on it for the first time!   It is very humbling to realize that I was married to a man who was loved and respected by so many people in the community and that they wanted him to be remembered for his work in the healthcare field.


ALLIED HEALTH CONFERENCE ROOM AT LSU-A NAMED AFTER A.C. BUCHANAN, III

I received a letter from Chancellor David P. Manuel PhD. of LSU-A that said in part:
"At the July 16, 2009 meeting of the LSU Board of Supervisors, a special request was made by LSU-A and approved unanimously; the Conference Room (Room 101) of Coughlin Hall on the LSUA campus was renamed the A.C. Buchanan, III Conference Room.  Coughlin Hall is the primary home for the Department of Nursing and the Department of Allied Health.  Thus, it is particularly fitting that we mark A.C.'s legacy on campus by naming a meeting space in this building after him.  This will remind us of his desire that we always pursue high quality healthcare education in Central Louisiana and of his care for the success of LSUA students and faculty."
I am so humbled by their generosity.

Houston Marathon 2009 - Scott Made #2!

Scott Made #2!!!!!
Scott notified me that he was honored at a luncheon held by the Houston Marathon folks and he walked away with the #2 prize Individual Fundraising Award for the whole marathon fundraising initiative!

WooHoo! Way to go, Scott! All your hard work and perseverance paid off in a big way. I am so proud of you and know that AC would have been so pleased with your accomplishment.

Back In The Studio...

Even with all the ups and downs lately, it is time to get back into the studio. I had some trades that were due and some friends had been waiting forever on me, so I got to work.

"Graveyard Crow" ATC

LSUA Allied Health Center Building Dedicated to A.C. Buchanan, III

I am so proud!

The Article in The TownTalk newspaper:

A bronze plaque was placed at the LSU-A Allied Health Center building, 807 Jackson Street, today dedicating the building to A.C. Buchanan, III. Buchanan died August 5, 2008 at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston from complications due to leukemia.  Buchanan was involved in creating many of the Allied Health programs before his death.
Buchanan was the Rapides Healthcare System's president and chief executive officer when he lost his battle with cancer. Buchanan had been president and chief executive officer at Rapides Regional since March 1999.  In 2002, he was named president and chief executive officer for the Rapides Healthcare System, which is composed of RRMC, Alexandria; Avoyelles Hospital, Marksville; Oakdale Community Hospital, Oakdale; Savoy Medical Center, Mamou; and Winn Parish Medical Center, Winnfield.
Buchanan moved to Alexandria from Arlington, Texas, in 1999, where he was executive director/administrator of Vencor Hospitals, Tarrant County, a 260-bed facility.
Shortly after accepting the helm of RRMC, Buchanan told The TownTalk that the Central Louisiana community helped sell him on the job. "I love the community, and the hospital is exciting," Buchanan said. "I've heard of Rapides Regional for a number of years, even over in Texas, so it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up." While in Cenla, Buchanan did much to further the Rapides Healthcare System hospitals' standing and became an intricate, involved part of his adopted community.

The plaque on the A.C. Buchanan, III LSU-A Allied Health Center building reads: "In memory of our visionary friend who understood the importance of healthcare and healthcare education. Though greatly missed, his vision lives on."

The plaque unveiled at the LSUA Allied Health Center building dedicating it to A.C. Buchanan stands next to a picture of the former C.E.O. of Rapides Regional Medical Center.

Lisa Buchanan (left) and LSUA Chair of the Department of Allied Health Haywood Joiner along with LSUA Chancellor Dave Manuel applaud after unveiling the plaque dedicating the LSUA Allied Health building to A.C. Buchanan on Tuesday, February 10, 2009. Buchanan was involved in creating many of the Allied Health programs before his death last year.

Lisa Buchanan smiles as Dr. Tom Armstrong talks about working with her husband A.C. Buchanan who died last year. The LSUA Allied Health building was dedicated to him on Tuesday, February 10, 2009.

There were several speakers, men that were the chairs of the different boards, Cheryl the COO at RRMC and yours truly. I wasn't nervous, but was very excited that a building was being dedicated to my husband, what an honor! It is a wonderful feeling to know that others in the community thought enough of him to dedicate a building to him. Thank you to everyone involved!

Houston Marathon January 2009

What a great day! The 1st picture is of Scott seconds before he crossed the finish line, he stopped to kiss his wife and my niece, Mimi, and those are my hands applauding his valiant efforts. There was loud music and great crowds to cheer

Ah... Back In The Studio At Last...

I am back in the studio painting and it feels like old home week. I am working on stuff without a real purpose but it feels good to get back into splashing paint around again.

There are a couple of folks that have helped me get my but-tocks back to painting:

My daughter, Shannon, has been part of my inspiration.

Her blog: http://foodbankbarbie.blogspot.com/ is about her working at a food bank in Georgia and how good it feels to serve/help people every day that really need the help. How does that inspire one in their art? She has been through an awful lot in her thirty-something years, much more than I could ever imagine in my own life. I talk to her nearly every day and each conversation has joking and laughing about her day or mine. Her sense of humor is a treasure and her attitude is inspiring. She is good at helping me see that I can get through the day if I maintain a sense of humor.

My son, Nick, has been helpful, resourceful, and also helps me laugh at the silly or aggravating things that happen in our daily lives.

When I bitched and moaned about how hard it is to cook

4 Month Anniversary

Today I am trying to cope with the fact that AC died 4 months ago. Should this be called an anniversary? I certainly don't feel celebratory, but I am finally at the point where I can see it for what it is - a date that has meaning to me however dismal. I guess the 5th will always make me go back to when he died, but that is probably normal. Now if I could exchange that for the 20th, our wedding anniversary, that should mean I would make some progress...

I started the day as any other where I am alone in the house with MacGregor, my dog. He still needs to be fed and let out, he will never stop barking at cats and squirrels, the phone still rings, doors have to be answered, the usual run of the mill day. Except that my thoughts keep returning to AC's last days in the hospital, trying to rack my memory for one more picture of him that maybe I had forgotten, one more conversation we might have had, anything to fill my heart with some kind of peace. I have not been successful, but that is okay. Pictures of him in my head continue to flash like a slide show, happy times, sad times, you name it, the pictures keep coming. I had taken down all pictures of him in the house, but I am slowly returning them to their usual places. Healing must be taking place because I want to see him besides just on my nightstand where I can kiss him goodnight.

I have been so depressed and forlorn that I decided this morning to be like Cher in the movie "Moonstruck" and slap myself with a "Snap out of it!" conversation. I can choose to be sad, or get on with my life. I can't keep

Hurrican Gustav

Hurricane Gustav hit Alexandria, LA with a vengeance, with the eye of the storm going right over us. Luckily, my sister agreed to stay an extra week in anticipation of the hurricane and was a huge help, not only with getting the aftermath cleaned up outside, but keeping me company and it was a lot more fun than had I been alone.

We were without power for 48 hours straight which could have been worse, some neighborhoods and the outlying