Madly crashing the palace

I have never been to the Brown Palace. I've never stayed there and I've never been there for tea.
I know this is shocking to some, as I drink tea by the pot fulls, and live within walking distance, but I've just never gone. It is on my list of one of the Denver things I need to go do.

Tea at the Brown Palace has been going on for over a century. Now, that's not long by London standards, but by Denver standards, that's MAD!

For the third painting in my Wonderland Denver series, I love the thought of the Mad Hatter and March Hare crashing the Brown Palace for a tea party. This thought brings me endless joy. The Mad Hatter and March Hare themselves, are quite interesting characters, and not too different from patrons of The Brown Palace or your local bar. The March Hare wants time to stand still, living only in the escape....forever....at tea time. He does not move forward or backwards, or even in the moment. He remains still, wanting time to stop. The Mad Hatter seems to be waiting patiently for his friend/partner/loved one to "snap out of it", all the while trying to keep his own sanity, but somewhat already going mad.

Crashing the Palace (Brown Palace) 2015

Acrylic on canvas panel 6x6

"Have I gone mad?" -Mad Hatter
 "I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. -Alice

But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are.” (Tim Burton add-on from the remake, which is brilliant)

-Cheree

Buying vs. Renting

The White Rabbit. The second in my Wonderland Denver series.
I have to be honest, this painting was difficult for me. The white rabbit stresses me out. All the rushing and anxiety.....it gives me chest pain. He's getting squeezed for time, money, housing, you name it. He's doing his best to keep his job, his house, raise his family all within the shrinking moment of time; that he can't enjoy and that he has no control over. His commute to work is long and stressful. Each day he loses more and more time in his life. He looks at his life and asks: F*@k, where did my 20's go?...."No wonder you're late, you're watch is exactly 2 days slow."(-Mad Hatter) F*@k, now I have to find some time and money to buy a new watch... . He works a job to pay the bills and his student loans, for a crazy nut who at any moment might chop off his head, his feet or his balls....who knows? His boss is crazy. He has no time for ANYONE, let alone himself. He is a very depressing character. At the rate he is going he will most likely become bankrupt from medical bills due to stress related illnesses (especially if the GOP gets into office and begins to screw with Obamacare...yes, I support Obamacare, in fact I think we should have a healthcare system like Europe! Seriously, let's get with it already)
Many of us have played the part of the Rabbit at some point in our lives.

He doesn't own his time......everyone else does. His time is rented.

If only we could buy him some time......
More time for his classes,
More time for his children,
More time for his vacation
More time for his wife's maternity leave,
More time for himself!
More Time...........
But quite possibly maybe it's not about buying time, but slowing down to DEMAND it! Make it! OWN it!

"Mr. Rabbit, WAIT, Please!" (Union Station Denver) (2015) 

Acrylic on canvas panel 6x6

"The hurrier I go, the behinder I get." -Rabbit
-Cheree

"Not blue, not green, not aquamarine."

We are officially into summer! YeeeeHaaaawwww! The last day of first grade was on Wednesday and now it's time to stay up late, sleep in, and watch TV All Day!
Uh no, THAT is not happening! You get 2 vacation TV days, then it's off to camp for you boy!
This year "the boy" is going to attend the YMCA camp and a Lego Jedi engineering camp. I'm going to keep him active and busy. He has a love of the TV (The Simpsons particularly) and I really want him to be outside and also keeping up with his reading.

We are fortunate to be able to walk to the Central Public library, which is the most beautiful building in Denver! We sign up for summer reading every year and they really have a great program.

Now, about painting. Summer reading has excited me to start my first painting series.
"Wonderland Denver" (guess what I'm reading right now)

This painting is the first in this series and I have at least 3 more planned. I'm going to see where it takes me. Isn't that what summer is all about? No rules, being free, trying out new things? I can't promise anything other than I have an idea and I'm going to run with it (or bridge run with it, as I'm not a runner) See Bridge Running and Base Jumping Blog post.

Yipppeeee  Summer!

Painting the Roses (Denver Public Library)

Acrylic on canvas panel 6x6

"What is the use of a book, without pictures or conversations?" (Alice)

-Cheree 

8 year old girls hate Clayton Kershaw

I am truly an 8 year old girl in my heart. This is the age I revert to when I am tired, hungry, sad, angry.....and having an artist block, which is currently occurring. I must be honest, I have not been painting every day. This past week I have only been sleeping in the early mornings. I'm not sure why, but I have been both tired and uninspired (not because there is not inspirational things or moments around, but because that feeling for me has been taken over by other feelings I guess).

But.......a break in the weather & thus my mood last week, I stumbled upon a beautiful scene of the city when looking for a place to get  my kids dinner before our son's baseball practice.

"Mom, what street are we on?"
I don't know, look at the city, I need to pull over and take a picture.
"Mom, I think we are close to a Subway."
Yeah! I eat suway too. (goldfish) I wuv suway! 
No, subway! They put yoga mats in their bread.
yoya mats? 
"No, they don't do that anymore, they said so on the commercial."
No, subway!
I wan suway!!! I wan suway!!!
I can't believe I've never seen this view of the city before.
"Mom, Clayton Kershaw eats subway all the time and he's one of the best pitchers in major league."
Oh My God! you know what else Clayton Kershaw eats?
"What?"
Yoga mats. We're not getting subway.
"Mom! They don't put yoga mats in the bread anymore!!!!"
I wan suway. I!   WAN! SUNWAYYYYY! 
"Okay fine, how about a morning bun from Starbucks?"

I must interject.....please don't judge. My children 90% of the time do eat really good foods, but we also are very active and  sometimes snacks and meals are on the road and done in a hurry. They also know when to catch me at my moment of traffic irritated weakness (this is when Starbucks and Subway first emeged)

No! I'm getting some chicken and veggies from Sprouts.
Uhhhhhhh I wan suway uhhhhhhh

I now revert to my 8 year old self and imagine a time with no Subway, no Starbucks & No Kershaw! Only bright rainbows and lots of glittery clouds above a quiet colorful city. A Quiet, Quiet, city.

Ahhh.........Peaceful thoughts.
Bright rainbows, quiet times.
Lots of glitter!
No Kershaw........

Rainbow Bright (2015)

Acrylic on panel 9x12

Buy Now

"Mom, if you get chicken I will not eat it, I'm just going to starve for my practice!"

uuuuuuhhhhhh, I wan suway uhhhhhhhhhh!!! 

Damn you Clayton Kershaw!

-Cheree 

A Grand Texas, Funk you up, send off.

On my last day in Texas, within the Alamo, we stumbled upon pure Texas magic.

The Mariachi Band. 

These guys.......I have no words. 

Don't believe me? Just watch:

(Video is not the greatest, I'm still figuring that out with the blogging, but just listen!)

Grand Funk Mariachi (2015)

Acrylic on canvas panel 8x6

Thank You Texas, you have funked me up! 

-Cheree 

Is this Crane for real

While walking to my conference in San Antonio I ran across this guy on my first day on my way in (it was early in the morning....6-something Denver time).
I was quite tired heading into the conference, as I slept like crap in the hotel and had just flown in the night before (and like I mentioned, I don't enjoy flying).

I really wasn't sure he was real to be honest. I thought he might be a statue placed on the river walk for decoration. I snapped some pictures of him, watched him closely for a bit and then realized that the conference was starting and I was now late (this is a common occurance, I'm easily distracted and often late because of it). I'm pretty sure he was real....I just was so tired.

Then, a few nights later, I was walking back with my friend, Megan, after throwing a few back....we stumbled upon this piano bar and then the night got long. It was about 1am when we headed back to our hotel and while walking back, there he was!
The Craniac!

"Look there he is, we should be really quiet and sneaky (you know because quiet is always accomplished after a few drinks) I think he's real."

Now, I was a bit frightened, as I now thought he was real and going to attack us, plus, he was really close (really really close) and my sense of reality was more impaired than it is at baseline. We sneakily walked past him and he immediately flew off across the way.......

He's a Craniac (2015)

Acrylic on canvas panel 6x6
SOLD

OMG! HE'S REAL!

That crane is REAL! 

-Cheree 

The Alamo vs. a coffee machine

When you are visiting another city, you ask the locals what they do for fun, but a lot of times you really just want to do the touristy things. This was the case with San Antonio for me. This trip was not a vacation, it was for work, so my touristing was limited to dinners and a half day on a Thursday before I had to be at the airport.

We had asked a local about the Alamo. Now, I was bound and determined to go see the Alamo, I grew up on old Westerns and I'm pretty sure my dad sung the Bonanza theme to my brother and I when we were babies. It's an important historical site and it was walking distance from our hotel.
Despite this, we still asked a local what he recommends.

"The local" (or so he claims) said that the Alamo wasn't worth it and that we should just walk by it.
He of course gave us a different recommendation of some coffee shop with this coffee machine that is only in San Antonio (we would have to take a cab to get there and most likely wait in a line) and the way it's brewed makes the coffee unbelievable.....it's a one and only machine....old....best in the world.....blah blah blah.
Coffee machine or Alamo....hmmmmm, that's a tough one.....

I'm sorry, but seriously, a coffee machine!?  This is the Alamo! There's no competition when it comes to the Alamo vs a coffee machine. Do you know how many guns are inside the Alamo? Cases of Guns! Cases and cases of old one of a kind, historical guns.
I grew up with a Dad obsessed with John Wayne, he would disown me if I went to a coffee shop over the Alamo.

We did not go to the coffee shop.

By the way, the Alamo was amazing and completely worth it. The inside gardens are a site to behold. I really wasn't into the guns, but I appreciated them for their historic value. I really enjoyed seeing this site and I would go back again (if I was ever on a work trip or layover, because like I said before, I would not willingly vacation in Texas).

Alamo Insider (2015)

Acrylic on canvas panel 5x7

Bottom line: Just be a tourist. 

You can be cool in your own city. 

-Cheree