"Amaryllis" -- oil on canvas -- 24x12" -- Margie Guyot

A couple weeks ago I splurged on this amaryllis bulb. It'd been years since I'd gotten one, and I'd never tried the bi-color variety. Wow! I really love it! Because I'm not very familiar with amaryllis -- like, how long will it stay like this? -- I quickly painted this view to have for future reference, if nothing else. I'd love to use this flower in a larger still life.

Picasso, one of my little kitties, found it fascinating as well. He batted the leaves down with one swat of his little paw. Whenever I left the studio I had to set this poor plant up high on a shelf. Picasso and Miss America would have the entire plant in tatters, left to their own devices.

Amaryllis has such an odd shape to try to paint! I mean, it's basically very long and skinny. I happened to have this 24x12" canvas, thank goodness. But it was kind of a challenge to figure out how to make it an interesting painting, composition-wise. I look forward to painting this lovely plant again very soon, in a more complex setup. Love the bright red blooms!

"Lemon Pie #2" -- oil on canvas panel -- 5x7" -- Margie Guyot

"Lemon Pie #1" -- oil on canvas panel -- 5x7" -- Margie Guyot

Had quite a busy day today! I had baked a pie shell (from scratch, of course!) yesterday so it would be ready to use. This morning I used my grandmother's recipe for lemon meringue pie. It's been years since I made this pie, so I was really watching every step. So easy to foul up, especially with the meringue. I almost DID foul-up. When I stuck this into the oven to brown the meringue, I considered taking some scraps out to the chickens. Good thing I stopped. I know I would have gotten side-tracked and the whole thing would have been burnt to hell.

It was very dark and dreary here today, so I used a studio light. And I set a box on my table and set up my still life on top, so it would be a bit higher. Was just in the mood to show the pie a bit closer, maybe the way a child would see it, looking more head-on, rather than looking down from above (like an adult). Pie #1 has a pose rather reminiscent of a big shark, ready to leap out at you.

I picked up a tiny kitty in the middle of the road a few days ago and since nobody would take it, I decided to make it my studio cat. Named him Picasso. Picasso kept wanting attention, so I'd say about 50% of both paintings were done while holding little Picasso. He doesn't like being ignored! He tries clawing his way up my jeans, as if they were trees.

Guess I'm going to be one popular person in this neighborhood! I gave away the rest of the pie to the neighbors. Gave away the apple pie I baked the other day to the neighbors. I'm TRYING to be on a diet! If I don't give the pies away, I'll be a blimp.