Shari Beaubien

New Paintings for the New Year

Well, truth be told I actually finished these near the end of last year, but it took me a while to get them photographed and onto the computer.  So I think they count as new this year, don't you?

The Outing
28" x 22"

Saturday Night
28" x 22"

I'm so excited to share them with you.  I hope you enjoy them!

Am I Alone?...

So, I seem to have this problem.  It's a recurring issue and it happens every year at this time. 

I have this fantasy that I will greet the new year feeling refreshed and energized.  Everything will be checked off my to do list, files will be purged and organized, and the previous year's photos will be categorized and archived.  I'll effortlessly calculate and pay the state the sales tax I've collected (never mind the fact that they keep changing the tax rates AND the forms).  I will have spent generous amounts of time during the holidays working in my art journal, making sculptures out of paperclay, knitting scarves, and crocheting blankets.  I will have furthered my vegan meal repertoire tenfold and will have dreamed up unique ways to surprise my husband with romantic dates.  I will have volunteered my time to local animal rights groups and become fluent in French (don't ask).  And oh yes, and I will have my new fitness regime firmly in hand.

Am I alone?...  Please tell me I'm not alone.  I don't know where this fantasy comes from.  I do recognize that it is, in fact, a fantasy.  Yet every single year I persist in believing that if I only work hard enough and organize my time better, it can't help but come to pass.

But here I sit, feeling overwhelmed and a bit like I've been run over by a convoy of tractor trailers.  Alas, I have my lists (five at last count) and I'm making headway.  Thank heaven for whomever invented the list.  At least I feel like if I can check one thing off a day, I'm making progress, however small.

Enough lamenting though.  Here's what I want to share with you...

My 2012 Carnival of Dreams calendar is here!  (Actually, it has been for quite some time... I just couldn't find it in a store.)  My girlfriend Jennifer snapped this photo at The Booksellers at Laurelwood.  I'm not sure where else they might turn up but if you see them, please leave me a comment.  I love hearing that they're out in the world and better yet, that you might be enjoying one.

Happy New Year!

Greetings for 2012!

I'd like to share one of my three new paintings with you...

The Caravan
30" x 40"

I hope you like it.  I'm quite proud of it.

So how are things?  It feels like it's been forever since I've blogged.  I don't know about you, but I'm so happy to have the holidays behind me.  Don't get me wrong - I love this time of year and I relish having the time off.  But by the time the Rose Parade floats have rolled by, I find myself itching to return to my regular routine.

And here I am today, happy as a clam.  Where did that expression come from, anyway?  Are clams really that elated?  Perhaps they are... but how in the world can we tell?  But I digress...

I've been working on the first page of my book here and there, as holiday schedules have allowed.  After an initially large battle with the paper and its absorbency (never mind the fact that I primed it THREE times), I decided to abandon paper altogether and switch to canvas.  I'm open to learning and growing, but not where this project is concerned.  I quickly reached the conclusion that this book deserves the BEST of the skill set that I currently possess and nothing less, so canvas it is!

Today Is a Red Letter Day!

Yes it is!  And do you know why?...

Today is a RED LETTER DAY because
it's the day that I officially began painting my children's book!

If you've been following my blog for any length of time, you know that I've struggled with this for over two years now.  The book is meant to be a tribute to my beloved Montgomery and the relationship we shared.  While I completed the text not long after he left us, it took me quite a while to get to the point of actually putting paintbrush to paper.  But now I have and I feel such joy I wanted to shout it from the rooftops!  I hope you'll share in my excitement.

I wish I could show the pages to you as I complete them, but because I hope to have this work published in the future, I'll have to regale you with my other adventures - art and otherwise - for the time being.

Here is an example...

Remember our house renovation project?  Well, I've moved on to baseboard removal.  It's not such an easy feat because all of the baseboards are sealed in behind the grout.  But I'm making progress.  Just like the book... one step at a time!

And as the year winds down,
I'd like to thank all of you for taking the time to follow my journey here on this blog.
The fact that you care enough to check in
from time to time means more than I can say.
Thank you.
I wish you all a very happy Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa,
plus a warm and safe New Year.
See you in 2012!

Changes Outside and In

I took these pictures about a month ago when the leaves on our tree began to turn...

I was mesmerized by the golden ochre set against the brilliant blue sky.

I don't have a lot of art to share at the moment because
Steve and I have been busy destroying our house.

Here's an old photo that gives you an idea of the "before"...

Now here's what it looks like today (gasp!)...

Tres beau, non?

I have firmly ABHORRED this peach tile since the day we moved in and I've lived with it for eight years now.  No more!  We decided to finally redo the floors which led to my compulsive need to first paint literally everything that wasn't nailed down.  We finished all the ceilings and as you can see, the green and brown on the walls has been primed.  Next up is removing the base boards in preparation for a hard wood floor.  I can't wait!  But I don't want to chose a wall color until the floor is in, so we're in messy primer-land.

My main motivation for changing the wall colors is that they just don't feel like "me" anymore.  If you've been following my career for any length of time, they really reflect my old palette from my "Folk Art" series.  I find myself yearning for something more cheerful and saturated... more like my "Carnival of Dreams" paintings.  I also wanted to lighten up the walls because I really struggle on wintry grey days in my studio.  The light is abysmal.  Even with just the primer, I've noticed a HUGE difference so I know I'm on the right track.

I'll be sure to keep you updated as things progress...