I made the commitment months ago to do the EBSQ "12 in '12" Challenge -- that is, to participate in 12 EBSQ shows, over the course of the 12 months, in 2012.  But despite the fact it is June already, I've been so busy with other projects this year that I haven't managed to enter any EBSQ shows.  Now I'm making up for lost time by entering all three of June's EBSQ themed shows this month ('Wildflowers', 'Butterflies and Moths', and 'Summer'). This is my entry for 'Wildflowers':  entitled "Susan's Black Eyes".....

I adore wildflowers in all their ilk, and among my favorites are those of the Rudbeckia family (including the sunny-colored blossoms known as "Black-Eyed Susans").  And so here we have a portrait of a lovely dark-eyed woman named 'Susan', having just plucked a Rudbeckia flower from her garden.....

I have recently begun painting almost exclusively on supports I create myself utilizing the old, salvaged wooden picture frames that cross my path from time to time (usually for free). I feel good about giving these unwanted homeless items a second life, not only because trees were cut down at some point to produce them, but also because by the time I get my hands on them they are usually destined for the landfill. The process of recycling these vintage frames into painting supports/canvases is a lengthy one, typically involving stabilizing the frames (which can be quite rickety), cutting thick paperboard to fit, securing it all and pasting and building up a painting surface with layers of overlapping scraps of paper. The end effect is a highly textured surface that contributes dimension and depth to my paintings, complete with a built-in frame (onto which I often extend my painted images, incorporating the frames into the overall piece) into one cohesive, ready-to-hang whole....