Shari Beaubien

My Birthday (part two)

So here are my beloved African elephants
from the San Diego Wild Animal Park ...

As I mentioned yesterday, Steve and I spent the night in the park
by taking part in their "Roar 'n Snore" program.

This was our premium tent - complete with hardwood floors
and a queen-sized bed!

Just look how close we were to the elephant enclosure!
Enlarge this picture, and you'll see the elephants milling about to the left.

Here are two of the adolescents.
I was struck and surprised by their sense of playfulness.
All of elephants loved to have fun!

What a beautiful and regal face.

The baby elephant here kept weaving his trunk through the holes
in the ball.  He would pull back and release it, allowing it to
bounce off the tree.  He played this game over and over.
It was a joy to watch!

Another breathtaking shot.  I can't believe how close we were!

Is this not the CUTEST?!?!  He was the youngest of the herd
and was having a blast cooling off in the mud.

It was an experience I will remember for a lifetime.

After spending nearly two years painting these creatures, it was so supremely special to be able to see them in person.  It meant more to me than I can put into words...

This was one of my very best birthdays yet!

My Birthday (part one)

What a wonderful birthday I had this year!

Steve and I spent two days in Disneyland and California Adventure
(thanks again, Brian & Lori!)
and then the final two days at the San Diego Wild Animal Park.
All of these photos are from the latter.

The lorikeets will land all over you and drink nectar right from your hand.

This beautiful guy was HUGE and all soft pastel shades.

Can you see the heart spot on this giraffe's neck?

We took a photo caravan tour where we got to feed
the giraffes by hand as well.  They are so incredibly gentle.

One of the rhinos.  I think he's cute, too.

The adorable meerkats, standing guard over the others.

This area was part of the petting zoo and I made friends with a deer.

One of several baby cheetahs in the nursery wing.
Could he be any more precious?

One of the mommy cheetahs, waiting for breakfast.

Steve and I did the "Roar 'n Snore" at the Wild Animal Park, which meant we got to spend the night in tents with all of these beautiful creatures.  The primary draw for me though was, undeniably, the elephants.  Look for a few of the 200 photos I took of the elephants in tomorrow's post!

July: Week 5

I only have one picture to share with you of my painting progress last week because... well, it was my birthday and I was out celebrating! 

Here it is though in all it's glory...

(click on the image to enlarge)

I'll make a post later this week recapping all of my birthday adventures once I get those photographs sorted and organized.  Stay tuned!

July: Week 4

Boy, am I thankful that July has five weeks in it!

Here's where I stand now...

As you can see, I added the elephant to this canvas and blocked in some umbrellas to the left.

I painted the purple boxes as well as the elephant here.  This canvas is fairly large - 30" x 40".  It took me four hours to paint the elephant.  That's really pushing the boundaries of my fast-drying acrylic paint... especially in this 100-degree-plus weather!

Do you sense a theme?  I added the elephant to this piece, too.  It was a week of elephant-painting, for sure!  The canvases peeking out from behind my cabinet to the left are my August workload.  They're always within my sightlines, pushing me forward.

I'll Let You in on a Little Secret...

You may have noticed that the last two months of blog posts have highlighted a monumental push (for me, anyway) of artwork output.  Well, there's a reason for that...

I have some incredibly exciting news to share! 

I will be participating in the International Artexpo in Las Vegas this fall!!

It's official.  I signed the contract and my deposit has been received.  Once I have more information (such as booth number), I'll be sure to relay it.  While this event is designated "trade only", I do believe I have a select number of VIP passes to give out to my collectors and the general public.  So... if you're interested in attending, don't hesitate to let me know, okay? 

I plan to showcase my "Carnival of Dreams" series and will include all of the new works you have seen me create this summer as well as those still in progress.  The prospect of presenting my work for the first time on such a large stage is both scary and extremely exhilarating.  For me this experience isn't about selling my art (although don't get me wrong, that would be nice!), but it's about gaining exposure.  I am thrilled to have the opportunity to reach so many more people more immediately than I have been able to do by mailing out one portfolio at a time from here at home.  I strongly believe that when you dream BIG and put that energy out into The Universe, then a shift occurs and The Universe answers.  We shall see...

Thank you for all your support and the comments you leave me on a daily basis.  They urge me on and make me feel so validated.  It is a priviledge for me to be able to share this journey with all of you.

July: Week 3

Well, my progress from last week is woefully underwhelming due to my battle with a particularly nasty sinus infection compounded by laryngitis.  With some good antibiotics though, I'm finally starting to feel better.  Here is what I was able to accomplish in my brain fog...

On the above canvas, I repainted the earth which, believe it or not, is lighter now than it was before.  I also added the moon.

This canvas just got some earth.  I didn't even touch the large beige canvas, so I won't bother to show you that one again.

See???  I told you it was underwhelming.  Alas, this week is a new week and I will persevere!

July: Week 2

So here's where I'm at with my three July canvases...

This first one measures 30" x 40".  Usually, that's a large size for me but after completing my first 36" x 48" canvas last month, this one is feeling a lot more manageable.  It's difficult to see in this shot, but the background is a lovely, textured beige color which Steve calls my "adobe wall".  Here's a detail shot below so maybe you can get a better idea of the texture...

And these two are coming along.  The orange background is finished.  The blue background was finished, until I got carried away and painted the earth too dark.  Drat!  I plan to redo that portion this week in order to lighten it up a bit.

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July!