DJ Geribo

At this time of year I sit down and look, first, at what I was grateful for this year. And my list is always long! 

It is also time for me to look at the coming year and think about my goals and what I want to accomplish this coming year. Although I've spent more time on my writing and completing novels the last few years, I still have art goals that I want to accomplish. Most of them are focused on illustrations for other children's books that I've written. They aren't the same as my commissioned animal portraits or my regular fine art, but they still count, in my mind, as making art. 

We knew it was time. So on July 28, my husband Jim made the decision to bring his little Miniature Pinscher, Jacquay to the vets. We got her when she was 5 months old - she needed a home. She was just 2 weeks shy of being 16 and 1/2 years old.

My first separate newsletter highlighting my work as an artist is due out this week. Several years ago when I was pursuing art as a career I wrote a newsletter, first monthly and then bi-monthly and then I stopped for awhile. I think it was when one of my dogs was very sick and needed a lot of care.

After working on my websites for a couple of months now (in his 'spare' time), my Internet Architect husband finished separating my books and writing from my painting. My two websites are: www.DJGeribo.com for everything related to writing, book reviews, my thoughts on writing, and www.DJGeribofineart.com which is all of my painting and tips on what I've learned about painting over the years. 

I was recently asked to judge a "Paint a Puppy" Contest, an event that was part of my town's Old Home Days. It is a fun event, sponsored by Rotary, and includes free cake and ice cream for all the residents who come to see the paintings.