International Artist Magazine runs a competition every two months. My painting “Rose Cup” is one of 10 finalists in the Still Life/Floral competition in the October/November issue. My friend/student Karen Baugh encouraged me to enter. Thanks Karen!
Well, our local Amador County Fair is over. Summer, the time of county and state fairs, is always a great time for friends and family. I love doing watercolor demos and visiting with the fair goers. 
The theme for the fair this year was County Fair Safari, It’s a Jungle Out There!
It’s always an interesting process to brain storm ideas for the theme. This year I used artist Henri Rousseau for inspiration. He painted marvelous jungle paintings. I remember seeing one at The Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco.
I also wanted to bring in the county fair animals that I’ve used in past years.
And, of course, probably most important, I wanted to bring in the Stars.
Here’s where my Stars friends, Rita Nunes, her daughter, Janet and granddaughter, Olivia, Nancy Swensen, Carol Woolsey, my mom, Lucille Morrison, come in. They all contribute to the window, either by helping with the set-up or by painting the wonderful imaginative stars used as flowers in the jungle.
My dad, Ken Morrison, helps me with the technical aspects, making it all come together.
We have all been touched by cancer in one way or another, so we have a special bond.
Last weekend my home studio was open as part of the Open Studios Tour in Amador County, put on by the Amador County Arts Council.
I had a lot of enthusiastic visitors and buyers. Some of my students and artist friends came by. It was so much fun having people drop by to see my studio and my artwork.
photos taken by Michele Jensen
I had a great time painting and meeting people at the Amador County Fair on Saturday. I enjoyed looking at the art and photos, as always. Some of my students and friends received well deserved awards. Congratulations to all!
