For me, blogging has become a bit like the Christmas letters we receive that begin "Where has the time gone?" I do spend more time communicating on Facebook than here, primarily because those posts are so short and more interactive. But Skywriting becomes a good place to share my thoughts, just in case anyone wants to read my mind.

Fact is, I've been working in the studio a LOT!!! My painting of two Navy A4s refueling entitled "Rendezvous" was accepted and exhibited at the American Society of Aviation Artists annual Forum exhibition, held this year at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. The exhibition ran all through the summer and we were so fortunate to have our work there for many visitors to enjoy.

At the Forum, Canadian artist Cher Pruys gave a wonderful presentation on how she produces her work, including advice on  Dr Martin's liquid watercolors. So of course I had to buy some. Not just some- a whole set! I love working with them, and have been creating work with a combination of M Graham pigments and the Dr Martin's- not by mixing them on the palette, but just by deciding which pigment would work for certain effects. From a series of car/truck/motorcycle watercolors, "Mellow Yellow" won a ribbon at the Clallam County Fair last month.

Since I'm in the "Help! I'm painting with Dr Martin's Watercolors and can't stop" mode, I decided to take on some of the challenges that appear on the Daily Paintworks website (http://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/priscilla-patterson-3421/artwork) . Two of the three pieces I've entered, "Triple Scoop Balance" and "On the Rocks" have been selected as DWP Auction Picks. Both are available for sale through the www.dailypaintworks.com site.

Through all this, I'm still working on launching the cow, from my last post, and picked up my oil painting brushes to do a demo at the county fair, just to get something on the canvas. It's easier for me to do a demo in public using oil since people come by to chat, and of course, I want to talk with them, too. If you're in the middle of a watercolor wash and stop to talk, the timing can be lost and dreadful things happen that don't happen when painting in oil. Pix to come soon......

So through all this, every time I wonder what's it all for, something really cool happens to keep me going. Life is good.........