Brushes, Books, and Beatitudes

Cosmo Top Spin Flat Da Vinci #20 MM brush

The Book that is gluing together my spring and summer.

First off...top photo.  That is the beautiful little 6" brush that Brenda Swenson uses.  We all know that all we have to do is BUY the brush an artist uses and we'll instantly start painting just like them.  Right?  Of course.  :-)

This is a real dandy brush though, seriously, and it is the  lightest brush I've ever touched...weighs next to nothing.  Perfect size for outdoor painting for sure.  I got mine at Dick Blick (about $17) but I hear some other art stores carry it.  First thing you do is take clear nail polish and paint all around the top edge of the ferrule.  (You should do that will all your good brushes.)  Keeps the water out of that area.  Another tip is to always dry your brushes laying flat. 

Second off, click here to see what I am doing this summer (among other things).  Scroll down through the "arts" section to find me.  Cool, huh?  

Third off, the other photo is of the book I have been raving about the last week or so. (Laying on those old fall leaves my husband is busy raking up!)  For so many reasons this summer has had a quality of "distraction" about it.  A friend's illness, the weather, another friend sliding into dementia, lots of broken things, etc etc.  This book seemed to appear by magic with simple words and thoughts...like walking a labyrinth in your head.  

Thought for today: "The aspects of things that are most important for us are hidden because of their simplicity and familiarity." 

Ludwig Wittgenstein