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Welcome to Barb's Blog.

I will post weekly (or nearly) some of my opinions, insights, ideas, and adventures about art, travel, plein aire, pastel, and whatever's happening. Join me, feel free to add comments, follow along as I paint and write and explore

Summer in Cedaredge

August 08, 2022  •  Leave a Comment

Greetings:

Kyle and I are in the process of publishing our third children's book, Clementine the Rescue Dog Series. Beachcombers takes Clem and her boys to the ocean. We hope to share the adventures soon.

 

 

CLEM AT THE BEACHCLEM AT THE BEACH
BEACH HOUSE DENMARK _5732BEACH HOUSE DENMARK

After publishing The Missing Green Crayon and working on Beachcombers I have concentrated on some family paintings, i.e. for my daughter and her remodeled house. This was fun for me as I jumped back in history to my relatives in Denmark and their summer home. I used acrylic and textured canvases, and palette knife. I also did the grumpy sheep. It's 36" square and was a hoot to paint. I also did a lot of cartooning and other Covid retreat type painting. I needed a break. Now it's back to work. I hope you, too, have taken this time to reflect, breathe and pamper yourself. The world is not easy.


August is here

August 12, 2021  •  Leave a Comment

August 16th through September 27th, the Eighth Tribe, also know as Barbara Torke's friends and students; my tribe, will be showing at the Grand Mesa Arts and Entertainment Center in Cedaredge, Colorado. If you ar in the area I hope you come and visit, and maybe even join the opening August 19.  EIGHTH TRIBE, GMAEC SHOW 2021EIGHTH TRIBE, GMAEC SHOW 2021card from the eighth tribe show at the Grand Mesa Arts and Entertainment Center, Cedaredge Colorado Members clockwise from the top are  Amy Daniels, Kathy LeVeck, Laurae Fortner Welch, Barbara Torke, and Barbara Allen. We managed to do Zoom classes during the worst of the pandemic, and now are back in the studio. It has been a rather trying experience, of course, but we have managed to paint and love what we're doing. 

I have some new paintings in the Recents folder. Not all of them, but some. Enjoy and hope you are all well and surviving  with flair. 


Happy New Year

January 04, 2021  •  Leave a Comment

I'm afraid 2020 was driven out of town like no other year before. I don't remember ever having a year so soundly accused of being Horrible. Being that what it is, here's wishing you and yours a very profitable and healthy new year.

MILKWEED PODSMILKWEED PODSmy favorite weeds are the milkweed pods. They're also a good plant for the Monarch butterflies. Peaceful

pleasant

creative

a HAPPY NEW YEAR

ICE BREAKING: CLEM HELPED THE BOYS REACH THE SUMMITICE BREAKING: CLEM HELPED THE BOYS REACH THE SUMMITrom the book Ice Breaking, Clementine comes to the rescue.

 

HIKING THE GRAND MESA: CLEMENTINE FINDS A HORNY TOADHIKING THE GRAND MESA: CLEMENTINE FINDS A HORNY TOADfrom the children's book Hiking the Grand Mesa, a children's book by Kyle Torke and Barbara Torke. The children's adventures on the clay hills at the base of Grand Mesa, Delta County, Colorado.

Clementine is beginning a new adventure. It's just the beginning. Ice Breaking, and Hiking the Grand Mesa are the adventures already available for children on Amazon and LovingHealingPress. by Kyle Torke and illustrated by Barbara Torke.

 


2020 is almost Over

December 15, 2020  •  Leave a Comment

It has been an interesting year. I've learned a lot, and tried a lot of new things. I am teaching classes on Zoom, once a week, and accepting any challenge that presents itself. I was asked if I have goals for 2021, and indeed I do. One is to get finished some of the goals I set for 2020. There is a third children's book to complete. There is an art show to get ready. I always have a poem to write, a painting to complete, a plan to implement. 

Until 2021, have as pleasant and happy a Christmas as you can under the circumstances. Learn something new every day, and try something new every day. Even if it's a new recipe, or a new website. I suggest being thankful for what we have. And grateful for the good things coming. They will get here, even if it takes a while.

WHOSE JOB IS IT NOW?WHOSE JOB IS IT NOW?these horses look down on a dilapidated truck. Back to work for them, I guess. 13" x 17" watercolor telling a story about life in western Colorado


Lazy Days in July

July 09, 2020  •  Leave a Comment

Lazy Days in July is hardly happening. Being home is busier than ever. What was unusual is now an every day occurrence. A mask seems normal. This is, then, the new normal. If I look to a future, I realize it will be different than I ever believed possible. Setting priorities, and creating projects, all seems very important now. I have been making masks for friends and others. I teach over the internet, on Zoom. There is the new book, coming along slowly, and all kinds of personal quests. Too many, it sometimes seems. 

On July 24 the Book Launch for Don Benjamin is the happening at the Grand Mesa Arts and Entertainment Center. With concerns about social distancing it has been delayed until now. I will have copies of the second Clementine book for sale. Don has been very generous in sharing the experience with others. If you are in the area drop by. It will be a managed social gathering. Lots of good reads.

The following week the GMAEC is having a fundraiser on site as well as on line. I have three pieces for sale in their ReFind Gallery.  a Cats for Klimt Chair, an Aspen Seasons table/box, and a High Desert Shadowbox. Check all these activities out at the Grand Mesa Arts and Entertainment website, and on Facebook. There is a lot of amazing Art and Imagination to see and purchase.

Have a marvelous rest of the summer. Learn something new every day. Find new ways to live. Make art. CATS AFTER KLIMTCATS AFTER KLIMTThe Kiss is interpreted with the cats in mind. This is for the 2020 Refind show in June and July, until August for the GMAEC in Cedaredge Colorado TOP OF SEASONS OF ASPEN BOXTOP OF SEASONS OF ASPEN BOXShowing two sides of box and top. The other two sides are summer and spring.GMAEC Refine show and sale June through August , 2020 HIGH DESERT SHADOW BOXHIGH DESERT SHADOW BOXWooden shadowbox painted with acrylic paints. 13x17x4 is available online at the REFIND online art show for the Grand Mesa Arts and Entertainment Center. Find them on Facebook or on-line.