Portrait in Purple: Innocence

Sometimes I complete portraits that are gifts, or otherwise personally inspired and non-commissioned works. This piece is one of them. Begun around 2018 or 2019 while still in Alabama, I was inspired by some old photos I saw either online, or possibly by email…old photos of my cousin, Laura, that I had never seen before. I recently learned that her oldest brother, Dennis Slifer, had taken these old black-and-white treasures…I do have them in my computer files labeled “Laura…and 1963…”...

Guest Writing: Losing the Land, by Dennis Slifer

Preface by Eileen: A few weeks ago I contacted my first cousin, Dennis, oldest son of my Uncle Bill, because a line he had written for a family project assembled in 1998 was coming into my mind. Of all that he wrote, that line has sometimes come back easily into my memory. The sentences (woven into a more recent, more extensive piece Dennis did for a wonderful collection of family history, genealogy and old photos) appear later in his writing...

Hand-Painted Wedding Invitation for Virginia and Guy

I recently finished this watercolor/guache hand-painted portrait of Bride and Groom on a matted and framed invitation from their wedding. This piece also featured some metallic gold highlighting which worked well with the decorative gold frame. My client, Christen, has ordered a number of these personal wedding keepsakes – seem to be her go-to gift in recent years and I so appreciate the repeat business! After some views here of my most recent piece, I will also include those she...

Can I Do This?

Like most every morning for quite awhile now, upon waking I think of what is ahead not only this day, but in future days… This morning, before putting my feet on the floor, I formed this sentence:I CAN’T do this. I WILL put my feet to the floor. THESE are the terms. For the rest of my life. At 9:20 am on this Sunday morning, I am still loosely organizing in my mind what I will tackle today and in...