Oliver-grey is grey is gray?

My latest commission- Oliver is an african domestic cat and really kewl. Most of his stripes are shadows of gray. He was very challenging to paint.


For more information on about the art of L.L.Martin go to www.llmartin.com

Framed!!! Finally

check this out!! This was my christmas card in 1996. Its one of my favorite paintings and I still sell it as a print. I keep it at the end of my hall but it never had a frame. My friend's husband had been collecting all these old frames. They were mostly 16" by 20" plus a few 18" by 24" both are standard sizes for canvases that I use. The fox is actually a 16" by 20" Betty from Culpeper Antiques suggested that I paint the frames to match the colors in the paintings like Maxfield Parish used to do. I had a totally duh moment.. I knew all about Maxfield Parish. My buddy in art school was seriously wowed by him and shared alot of the work about him. Talk about things you learned but forgot. Well here is my first attempt since my reawakening. It looks totally awsome. The only thing that would look better would be maybe some gold filigree????

For more information about the art of L.L.Martin go to www.llmartin.com

Fox Den- Open House for Christmas

Ok its a small booth only 3' by 5 feet but I make the rent and sell continiously every month. Its all bread and butter and the other dealers there are wonderful people. The only thing we need is more traffic then I can expand to a full size booth and a perminant place to paint each month when we have show case weekends the first of the month.
For more information about the art of L.L.Martin go to www.llmartin.com

Another View of Fox Den

Another view of my Fox Den booth on Open House weekend Dec 3 and 4th 2005

For more information on about the art of L.L.Martin go to www.llmartin.com

Grandma's Card Tree:Decorations

Grandma's Christmas Card holder from the 1960's makes a great way to display hand painted ornaments. This is the display for the open house at Fox Den Antiques.
For more information on about the art of L.L.Martin go to www.llmartin.com

Betty's booth at Culpeper Antiques. She how she has the paintings hanging so that when you approach the booth you can see the reflection of the paintings on the oppsitewalls. Very Kewl I think! Betty has a lot of really good ideas! 

My new profile pic!

me and nika


Sometimes Nika has the cutest face; other times she looks like she is barely submitting to the degradation... hahaha! I think she would rather be playing ball here. This picture was taken last week so it's recent. Like how come my gray hair never shows in these... the camera is kind!!!!!! Favor Favor Favor!!!

For more information on about the art of L.L.Martin go to www.llmartin.com or Linda's Art News

Nika at 9 months

Nika 9 months
Nika remains such a wonderful blessing Cat. brought to me at a time when God was not only teaching about his generosity and amazing grace but he was and still is begining to restore everything I lost through time, rebellion and theft. Nika has opal eyes, very light blue with flecks of gold that nearly appear white but arent. She is very indepent but needs a cuddle at least once a day. And I do mean a cuddle. I have to pick her up and hold her like a little baby and she wraps her paws around my arm as i stroke her face and murmmer about how wonderful she is. She purrs and purrs and unless Nikki comes into the room she would allow me to hold her like that for a continuing lenght of time.
Dont we all need that? To at least once a day hear how wonderful we are. Its refuge, encouragement, intimacy, helps in positive growth. My time with God is like that each day. I go before him; I am awed by his perfection his love of me; his grace and his power over life and death; and I kneel before him and he takes my hand and lifts me into his lap and holds me, wipes away my tears, listens to everything as if I was the most important person in the entire word and when I am comforted and reassured and affirmed by him he lets me get from his lap and allows me to play and sing and dance at his feet and he laughs with me and enjoys my company. this is a blessing of those who are servents of God. We go to him anytime. Daily, many times daily, all day long.. repentent and fully his and he never rejects us. And we know our importance and that he delights in us.
Nika has a game.. its one only a few special cats have that there must be an apptitude for. Nikki doesnt understand it and thinks its weird. And he trys to stay out of the way when its being played. Nika likes to play fetch. She is passionate about it but not obcessed. And once a day she brings me a crumpled piece of paper and tosses it at my feet repeatedly until i throw it for her. And I laugh and throw it and challenge her and delight in the game.

I looked up her name when I decided to call her Nika. It means belonging to God. She is the first animal I've ever had that I have decidated back to God. I love her with a special foundness .. unique from NIkki but she is for God's purposes and what he decides for her I will do.

I love this photo and how the light makes her look so romantic. Someday I might actually paint it.
For more information on about the art of L.L.Martin go to www.llmartin.com or Linda's Art News

Close up of the garden chicken at Lackawanna B&B in Riverton, Virginia

After two weeks of painting bread and butter paintings this 9 by 12 watercolor of a jack russel terrier and a white pony immerged.  

Nika helping me work. 

IM IN!!!!!!!!! My space at Fox Den Antiques

My Space at Fox Den Antiques


Well after trying to find a place for me for 5 years several of the vendors finally decided to strike out on their own and open businesses so there was suddenly space available for me in the Fox Den. Right now Im the only artist in there. We shall see if any others wise up to the idea. I really love the people that stop in and I shall be continuing my monthly demonstrations in watercolor there on the first of every month. So far the response has been great now to make some sales!!!!


To read more about Linda L. Martin the web and up coming events look at Linda's site www.llmartin.com or check out Linda's Art News

Nika, She IS growing up

Nika does have her most beautiful and ellagant moments. Here she is almost 3 months old. Her great great grandfather was Nikki's dad Koddiak. I really love this baby but to tell you the truth I havent been able to keep my house clean since she got here.The other night I walked into my bedroom and turned on my light and she had stalked, killed and shredded an entirely new roll of toilet paper all over my clean carpet. Hahaha there wasnt a place on that floor that wasnt covered in shredded tissue! She was sooooo pleased with her self and completely exhasted

For more information about L.L.Martin and her art, check out her website at http://www.llmartin.com/ or her other blog at Linda's Latest Art News

YEAH! ITS ALL about my cat!(?)

Here's Nikki's portrait. He is even more famous now! The prints are available through my online Gallery or just contact me at contact@llmartin.com. They sell for $25 ea unframed.


For more information about L.L.Martin and her art, check out her website at http://www.llmartin.com/ or her other blog at http://sunnymondays.blogspot.com/

Birth.. er.. um...adoption??....well look and see she IS cute!

This is Nika my newest family member. She was about 6 weeks old in this picture.Nikki really loves her...most of the time.hahaha.


For more information about L.L.Martin and her art, check out her website at http://www.llmartin.com/ or her other blog at http://sunnymondays.blogspot.com/

I really love the way this Chocolate lab turned out. It was a recent commission. Its watercolor on 140lb cold pressed paper. Its about 16" by 20" 

The display at Fox Den Antiques. Yeah its a real Persian Rug! 

Just when you think things cant get worse and other blessings from God!

Im stunned.. well i was yesterday. Last week was an amazing blessing. Kim the owner of Pennsylviania Landscape Gallery in Wellsboro PA bought 13 of my paintings. Including "The Buck" Kim and I met through E-bay the fall before my father died. She bought up nearly everything I put on ebay. She's a Christian and former Art teacher. We lost touch a couple of years ago but she finally found my e-mail and contacted me a few weeks ago. So thats an amazing blessing to hear from her again and have her purchase some of my work.

Last weekend Was the monthly antiques, collectables and art weekend at Fox Den Antiques. It was the weekend that almost didnt happen for me. We had lots and lots of rain. and I wasnt sure I would be able to exhibit and demonstraite my work because there wasnt a place for me inside. But when I arrived back in town on Saturday morning I went streight to The "DEN" and Lori greeted me at the door with "did you get my message" She then proceeded to tell me that at the last minute they had a vendor move out so there was a prime space for me to set up for the entire weekend. I was so grateful. I didnt know how on earth I was going to lug all my stuff in and out of the building by my self two days in a row. Every person that bought a painting this weekend wanted a real origional not a reproduction. That was amazing. I doubled my best sale day even with such a messy weekend. Thanks to Lori who suggested I add jack russel terriers to the subject matter. All the mini foxes sold, one barn and a number of those terrier paintings. ...hey it pays to take advice from some one who knows the market!

WEll that brings me to the last thing... that thing that has me stunned. For the last 10 weeks I have been really struggling. I mean Ive been trying to get my mom taken care of, to drs appointments, taking physical therapy twice a week ( aqua therapy) recover from the pain and the strain of it, and hit prayer meetings at two churches.. load and unload the car (80 ft walk to my car one way... and paint and teach... and.. yesterday I found out why it was so hard...*long sigh*...

On march 10th during my intake exam for physical therapy I rebroke my unstable ankle. Now I could be really discouraged about this cause its like really messed up. I can have a cast for 6 months, or an op to reattach the tendon or just walk around with it in a splint for the rest of my life. Geeze no wonder I couldnt dance at the Powwow two weeks ago. .. well i might do the last one... the splint thing for a while... I mean this is really crummy you know... then I suddenly realized

LOOK AT ALL I'VE ACCOMPLISHED in spite of it!!!

Am I not just the most amaz..... geeze...... no im not all that amazing.

The realitiy of it is that God is so merciful and kind that through his HOLY SPIRIT during all that weakness.. all that pain.. all that struggle to do what was required, he was my complete strenght. I didnt really accomplish anything.. he just showed my his great favor in the midst of something I didnt even know about that was wrong. I never had time to even go to the doctor until yesterday. So I could just sit here and fuss and grumble and be angry about this turn of events when Im trying so hard to loose weight and get fit, but I am sitting here trusting that all of this is just part of the bigger plan that I havent seen yet. Im not going to change a thing except that now I dont have to feel guilty about sitting down when the pain gets too bad. whoohoo.. AMAZING GRACE!

Art on the Radio! Kewl Beans!

This morning I was on the radio promoting The Monthly event at Fox Den Antiques. This painting(Golden Moment) was dontated to WPRZ Praise Radio to use in their fund raising. Its one of my favorite Landscapes from the Fenton Farm Series I did last summer. Pictured with me is Radio Show Personality John Etcher the morning DJ on 1250am in Warrenton.

*******

For more information about L.L.Martin and her art,

check out her website at http://www.llmartin.com/

or her other blog at http://sunnymondays.blogspot.com/

My biggests problem, as always, is having enough framed work. I also try to have a lot of bread and butter stuff. These things are between $3 and $25. Little water color paintings of cats, rabbits, foxes and maybe horses are just studies that can sell quickly with no frills. After I paint a number of these, gradually I begin putting in more and more detail, until this little fox I'm holding was so good that I framed it. A study might sell for $15 or $20 but as a detailed watercolor, framed, it will go for between $75 and $80 

Ive been working hard to get ready for the first art event of the spring. Fox den antiques in Warrenton, Va is hosting a Spring Fling for Artists, Craftsmen, and Antique Dealers. They invivted me to set up inside and demostraite painting. I've been working on finishing a number of paintings. Some like this one of the Orange County Hounds I started years ago. At the moment lots of high humidity days is stopping me from finishing it. I may not have it done by this friday. 

Late Start to 2005

I cant believe that nearly 4 months have passed since my last post on this blog! Believe me it wasn't on purpose. First I got caught up in Christmas, then right after finishing a rushed commissioned portrait for a dear friend's birthday my mom enters the hospital for "DOUBLE" knee replacement. This was January 13th.

After the operation I spent every day with mom until January 18th when I caught the flu. I cant believe I caught the flu. I was still taking antibiotics for the secondary infection as late as last week. My cough is finally gone. But I missed the entire month some place. I finally was able to visit mom in the Hospital Rehab two weeks before she was able to go home.

It was really tough for mom. She lost her ability to see, to write, to stand. The drs say most of it was due to the medication. She is one brave and feisty lady! She fell once in the hospital and twice at Rehab. I found out about it once my fever was gone and I could visit her again. Needless to say I didn't get much painting done over the winter. And here it is only a week before my first selling exhibit of the year and Im rushing around trying to get the paintings done, framed and take mom to the Dr and pick up medical equipment.

Its kind of exciting though. I will never forget my amazement when mom stood up straight for the first time in maybe 8 years. And When she walked down the ramp to the car for the first time! True she was using a walker. But she did it and fast too!

She is doing strength exercises now. She just needs to increase her stamina and get stronger and she will be ready to boogie back to work! She is graduating to two canes this coming week .. Well as soon as I pick them up after the holiday. She is pretty excited about it.

Thanks everyone who prayed for us during this time. Please keep on praying for us too.

******

For more information about L.L.Martin and her art, check out her website at http://www.llmartin.com/ or her other blog at http://sunnymondays.blogspot.com/