Strawberry Carré

My brushes screamed for color. They ached for brilliant blue. Don't dilute the yellow and give us, give us green. Very demanding brushes. Luckily I spied this square. Grabbed it up real quick. It seemed to keep them happy. They danced around the walls of it. Played in the pointy shadows. The red it was this brilliant. It shouted out to me, this New Year is going to be succulent, you'll see. Art will feed your soul.

At auction now. Own it for yourself. Click To Bid.

Chocolate Cupcake Surprise

A commissioned treat. I don't always give a glimpse behind the curtain, but sometimes the fun needs to be shared. I am still working on several commissions in the studio, gearing up for a rather large project coming up. I thought you might enjoy one little chocolate surprise, one little fanciful piece that another thoughtful friend commissioned for another.

I wanted the light of friendship to show through. I also added just a smidge of green in the skirt so it would be site specific. Part of my reward is hearing how delighted the recipient was...receiving her first commissioned painting. To my artist friends who know my large work and how lovely those huge important commissions are...well this one too was truly a delightful pleasure. Art will feed your soul.

A Gift For Noie

Now that I have heard from her, I can share a little fun...part of my job is being a bit of an elf...and being able to keep a few secrets. Don't you love the little things that make your friends happy? Well here is just a little friendly conspiracy by two friends for another. We love you Noie all year long. And the treat you are to us.

Nope not for sale. You would have to wrestle her for it. That is if you could get past her Barkalottamusses, Milo ( my god dog , an aussie), and Emmy, (a very young and precocious, corgi.) Hats off to the brilliant and lovely hearted Isolde who came to me with the commission. My thanks. Art will feed your soul.

Merry Christmas

Warmest of wishes for all of you. Some of you have one of my holiday cards...a little pen and ink practice... Some of you will get one. But for all of the visitors here, thank you....for making this a wonderfully delicious year. All best wishes for a truly sweet season.
Jan

Cherry Panna Cotta

Color reverberates, if you set it in motion. It can sing. It can dance. It can enhance what you're saying. Form can speak, if you know the vocabulary. It can push. It can pull. It can say this is full of the most delightful flavors. Line can lead, if you choose it wisely. It can take us on a merry romp. Guide us to the point. Which for me is to say, without my words...you would still get the picture. Visual literacy. A little riff. All on a panna cotta.

At auction for your creamy delight. Click over on the right.

Epiphany Croquembouche

Une pièce monteé. An assembled piece, a "crunch-in-the-mouth", usually served at weddings. My first really real mountain of choux was a glistening caramel tower upon a banquet table. A masterful piece built by Chef Michele Marcais at the Royal Sonesta, just made Chef of the Year. So it was a party and a haul-out-his-artillery-show-off-feast...never EVER miss that kind of invitation. I had spent the day before with him and Paul Prudhomme in a cook off. ( them not me) Again. Do not fail to show up for this kind of thing either.Boys playing with food...in the best kind of way. I was seated next to Chef Michele at their lunch. Little did I know he was cooking up the grand pièce for the next day's dinner. No wonder his eyes were sparkly.You see chefs at play, are like artists at play. Something to behold. And these chefs that day were like children again, laughing, joking and egging each other on...building treats one by one, much to my delight.

At auction. Click over on the right and it is yours.

Razzle Et Chocolate

Painting with scent. My jawed dropped at the ooh and ahh of a project I heard about yesterday done with two year olds. Take cinnamon stick scrapings, vanilla and peppermint flavors, mix one each into a little bit of paint, green, white and red. Let the child paint a picture and when it dries, it smells like the holidays...are we impressed? Do we want to do it? Oh YES! Imagine the rapture if paintings had scents.If the fragrance of razzleberries , chocolate and cream were faintly embedded within the paint...hmm...there's a dream. What flavors would you paint?

At auction. For your pleasure. Click over on the right.