The rains have been good to SoCal this year and the garden is reaping the benefits of it now!  Everywhere I turn there are hits of color that harbor a glorious spring.  This morning I walked out to be greeted by tall heads of bright magenta and red ranunculus blossoms and clusters of deep purple primroses with their bright yellow throats beckoning a visit from a winged creature.  Its a bit like someone spilled my paints out into the garden and hoped someone would notice them!  Well, cant miss those colors:  Quin Magenta, Dioxazine Purple, Quin Red, Hansa Yellow and Diarylide Yellow.  Wow!  Welcome spring.  The palest pink blossoms are beginning to emerge from the apricot tree right outside my studio and the hummingbirds have taken note.  They were flitting from one branch to the next gathering fuel.  Each shade of green is making itself known and the rose bushes are filling out with their red-tinged new leaves teasing me.  In a month or less they will be all abloom.  My favorite time of the year is when the first bloom hits the roses.  Hundreds of flowers all at once!  Only once a year, but well worth it.

Speaking of colors, have you checked out the new class Julie Prichard and I have offered?  PRETTY PAPERS!  You get the whole thing at once!  PDF, Videos, step by step instructions on how to make your own decorative papers using Interference and Iridescent paints!  It is an awesome opportunity to capture color on paper in a unique and fun way. You'll never have to worry about not having the right piece of collage paper for your cards, artwork, or tags again!

I've had a busy few weeks and I'm home for a few days now.  I have had two arthroscopic knee surgeries in the last 3 months and I'm hoping for a full and complete recovery in time for the trip to Italy & France in early May.  I'm taking 12 pieces with me to hang in a 12 century chapel at the top of a remarkable hill city called Callian!  We will be there for the village Fete (feast day) where the entire village celebrates their Patron saint by having a festival with traditional dancing and food, drums, and music!  It is going to be awesome.  I've created a number of fabric wall hangings using new techniques using Acrylic Paints with fabric.  Check out my latest book Mixed Media & Color for the instructions.  I can't wait to see these bright contemporary wall hangings on the rustic stone walls of the Chapel where the exhibition will be!  It is exciting.

Time to go put the knee up for a rest.  I'll tell you more later.