Wow, it's been a while since I've blogged.  Winter shows ended with a great show in Covington, LA, in November and then spent most of the rest of November and up until Christmas painting commissions.  I happily took the rest of December off and now I'm back to painting getting ready for the start of Spring shows.  My first is Rio Grande in Albuquerque, NM., and I'm excited!  I love New Mexico and am looking forward to the show - the two day drive getting there not so much.  The upside is it is a drive I've never made before so it'll be fun.  Jewelry artist friend Darlene Santopolo is going to meet me there to help, then we're planning a short trip to Santa Fe and Taos where Darlene shows in Walden Fine Arts.  Then back home to see my boys, Chipper(Golden) and Rocky(Chow). 
I'm working to get a newsletter set up to go out monthly so if you would like to receive one, please register for it on this site.

I met Nancy Pinkerton at the Arts Festival Oklahoma in OK City earlier this month.  As with many of my new collectors, Nancy also loves trees.  We visited and she confided in me that she wrote a poem for herself and trees.  She agreed to share that personal poem with me and with all of you and I am grateful.

I Wish to Rest Within the Arms of a Tree
When I am worn and tired
no longer a physical being
taking up space,
Please place what is left of me in the arms of a tree
so that I might feel the sun and the rain,
dance naked without disapproving eyes.
I can think of no other place to rest my soul,
only that I am worthy of such a peaceful eternity.

As of this posting, I'm in Oklahoma City taking part in their 31st annual art festival on the campus of Oklahoma City Community College.  My first sale yesterday was to the College for art to hang in their new building.  I was truly honored to have one of my works be a part of their permanent collection.
The festival continues today and tomorrow.  On Tuesday I plan to visit the Murrah Building Memorial and the Oklahoma City Art Museum before heading over to Arkansas for a two day visit with precious relatives I haven't seen in a while.  After that it's back home to start painting again for next shows.

   South Padre Island is gorgeous!!  If you've never visited, please put it on your list of places to vacation.  When I drove across the causeway connecting South Padre to Port Isabel, the water was a gorgeous opalescent green.  Leaving last night, the sunset had turned the waters into molten silver. The beaches are clean and easily accessible from both the gulf side and bay side.  The small tourist town is clean with lovely homes, condos, great restaurants and a huge love of the arts.  This photo was taken from my parked car at the show.  Just to show you how close the gorgeous beach is to everything on SPI.
The Beachcomber Art Show was huge fun!  Lots of fine artists all around me, new friends and nice seeing other artists that follow much the same cirquit  that I do.  It's always exciting introducing my art to a new market so I have many new collectors in the valley.  Even some vacationers from Kansas and Indiana will be taking Jo Edwards Originals home with them.
A huge thanks to the great people who put on this show.  Hope to be back next year.

The Cherry Blossoms I paint have been a popular part of my shows.  I have only offered them for purchase at the shows and never in one of the galleries or on this site.  I just completed a tryptic which consists of three 10x20 paintings meant to be hung together with a branch of blossoms running thru the three canvases.  I am posting here a closeup of the brushstrokes and texture of the paintings.  For more information, click on Works and take a look.
Hope you like them.

I don't often have an opportunity to offer a new painting online before it is sold or placed in one of my galleries.  I just finished one that I love and have it posted available and for sale at this time for my online collectors only.  Quadrille is a 20x16 painting of creamy trees on a soft horizon between crimson fields and a crimson sky.  It is framed in an ebony wood floater frame which gives it a dramatic presence.  For pricing information, take a look at it in the Works Category on this site.  Hope you like it.   

The "Gallery Run " was great fun but I'm glad to be home - back with Chipper,Rocky and Crystal.
My friend BJ and I left early Tuesday and headed to Austin and Positive Images Gallery on 6th St.  Deborah stocks some of the most incredible glass art there along with some of the most beautiful decorative art I've seen.  Then, instead of Thyme & Dough in Dripping Springs for lunch, we opted for a visit to The Oasis.  The food matched the incredible scenery.
After that it was on to Wimberly and The Gallery on the Square.  Rhett has added Bill Meeks to his list of artists selling works there as well as some other new contemporary artists whose work I really enjoyed.  Then it was dinner with a long-time friend Donna for us.  Outside on the water again.
Wednesday off to San Antonio.  Jerry at Artistic Endeavors keeps a great selection of contemporary art along with some amazing watercolors in the small house in La Villita that is packed full of colorful pieces.  Lunch on the Riverwalk and then back home.  If you are getting the impression that I love to eat and that I especially love to eat outside on the water, you're right. 
All three of my galleries are now well stocked with my work.  If you missed a chance to purchase a piece at one of my shows, please stop by and take a look at what is now in inventory and waiting for a happy home.

This is the Official Texas Arts and Crafts Exhibition.  Drove here yesterday, thru San Antonio and set up with the help of my good friends, Lewis and Debbie Williams.  Long time friends, Debbie is an amazing wire jewelry designer.  She has studied with masters across the nation and her jewelry designs are mostly finely woven masterpieces with a few beaded pieces using semiprecious stones and wired pendants. 
Also renewed acquaintances with several other artists who showed here last year so it was a nice reunion.  Today's weather brought a heavy thunderstorm with some winds that uprooted a few of the outdoor tents along with heavy rain and some hail.  Typical of Texas weather, the sun was shining by the time the show closed for the day.  Crowds accepted the bad weather with good humor but most decided to wait out the rest of the day at home.  Hopefully they'll decide to come back out tomorrow or Monday. 
I am staying at a Sunday House Best Western this time.  An older establishment, my room opens to a tree lined pool with an umbrella table and chairs.  Everyone right now is gathered outside enjoying the gentle weather that followed the storm.  Good place to stay if you decide to travel the Hill Country.

   I am back home and, after four days on the couch to recuperate, back to painting.  The Lubbock Art Festival brought huge crowds and I made many new friends.  God is so good.  He placed the only artist I knew in the entire place right across the aisle from me.  Suzanne Maxwell is an incredibly talented jewelry designer and I was so pleased to see her. 
Lubbock is a unique city with a home town feel that has been lost to those communities in and around Houston where I live.  It's citizens take great pride in their home town, in the education system, Texas Tech and the great musical heritage that Lubbock shares with the rest of the world.  A huge part of this art festival was devoted to the children of Lubbock as they are introduced to visual and performing arts at early ages.  I commend the school district, the arts community and the supporters who keep these activities funded and active.
As I was leaving Lubbock early Monday morning, I was reminded of the uniqueness of Texas.  The sun wasn't fully up yet and there was a slight mist on the fields.  To the left of the highway I was driving lay flat fields of farmland and all over the fields were horse head pumps pulling oil out of the ground to supply us with gas and electricity.  To the right of the highway, the flat fields turned into hills and mountains with evenly spaced wind turbines slowly turning to generate electricity from the wind.  How absolutely "Texas" is that?!  Still relying on oil while taking a lead in the production of a new clean energy.
I don't know if I'll make the long trip back to Lubbock next year or not but I can say that it is now one of my favorite big little towns.

   Drove today from Denton to Lubbock.  Gorgeous drive and I loved watching the terrain change from lush green to flat rock mesas of red rock and sage green shrubs.  It reminded me of art trips to Sedona and Santa Fe.  Getting to the convention center in Lubbock, I crossed Buddy Holly Avenue to get to Mac Davis Drive.  What a great musical heritage this community has.  That and, of course, the famous Red Raiders of Texas Tech. 
Tomorrow morning I unload at the convention center and set up.  There will be a Preview Party tomorrow night and then show on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  Looking forward to introducing my art to an entirely new market.  I'm sure this will be a great show.