I just finished a great weekend at the Fountain Square Art Festival in Evanston, IL! Next, we are headed for a little R&R, visiting with in laws and attending my husband’s high school reunion in upstate New York.

We’re even a part of the 4th of July parade festivities! July 10-12th, we’ll be back in Chicago participating in the Magnificent Mile art show downtown. Hope you can stop by and check out my latest paintings.

After a sweltering, humid weekend at Virginia Beach’s art show last week, I’ll be continuing the trend at the Fountain Square Art Fest in Evanston, Il this weekend. Luckily, a cool front is expected for Sun., so hope you can stop by, say hi and check out some talented artists!

We’re getting ready to hit the road for this weekend’s Wells Street Art Festival. 18 fun-filled hours in the truck – can’t wait! On a more upbeat note, I think Chicago is finally supposed to have a beautiful weekend. 73 degrees and no rain, so it should be a fantastic show. Hope you can stop by and see all of my new creations. I’ve got so many new pieces that I’m excited about, including this pastel inspired by the rich fall colors I miss in the midwest combined with the tranquility I am drawn to from water.

After Switzerland, we journeyed across the border to the Alsace region on France. It felt like we’d stepped back in time – from cross timbered houses, to gorgeous prolific flower boxes to traditional farming and grape growing. And, of course we had to sample a few of the wines just to make sure they lived up to their reputation. Delicious! I wish we could have fit more than four bottles in our suitcases.

Next, we took a long day to reach the Loire Valley and castle hop. The chateaus and gardens were amazing, but fitting 4 into one day may have been a bit too ambitious. Next, we traveled to Giverny to visit Monet’s garden. What can I say but wow! If my garden looked anything like his I’d never have to leave home. Lastly, we visited the Palace of Versailles and ended in Paris, which was truly inspirational but 5 days was only enough to scratch the surface.