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Just a silly collage after a week long heat wave and a bit of gin and tonics. Have a great weekend!

Anita tries to be polite as Gail doles out some more unsolicited advice.

This is a piece where the image came first and the title evolved as I worked. Another one I'm sure almost anyone could relate to! When was the last time someone offered unwanted and unsolicited advice to you?

Josephine Baker portrait

After a recent large commission piece I decided to do a few more large paintings, here is my latest Josephine Baker portrait to show at Finn in the Pearl, Portland, OR. The guys there are huge Josephine fans so they will enjoy her until she sells :) This one is really big (24" x 48").

Life in Paris, the early fall of 1926

This painting is actually part of a much larger one I started and then decided to cut down into several paintings. It was way too overwhelming in the original size and it never would have been finished! When I get ambitious, I'll finish up another section of it.

Tammy, already a cynic at the age of five and a half

Already a cynic at the age of five and a half, Tammy was thoroughly disappointed to find that Cindarella's castle was nothing more than a glorified mall, winter of 1974. Wow, it's been a while since I'd had a title too long to fit in the box :) Watercolor and ink on paper.

This is a very thinly veiled self portrait. I hope you enjoy!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

When I read my horoscope this morning: (It is quite possible that lately you have relied on your vivid imagination to pull you out of tough situations, Vivienne. When the real world begins to get you down, you always have your world of dreams and fantasies to turn to. On this day, however, there is a stubborn blast of realism that might be bringing you down and keeping you there. Unless you have prepared for this grounding force, you could have trouble lifting off again.) I really started to worry. I admit, my sense of humor feels like it has been lagging a bit these days and wasn't sure how to pull myself out of the funk I've been in. I don't even know what jarred my brain today and made me think about the days when I was desperately seeking ways of emulating Madonna and or Cyndi. Then I thought about all those hours at the mall, Merry Go Round, Orange Julius, Chik-fil-A waffle fries, buying the latest Duran Duran album or Wham! records... anyway, I've already rambled on entirely too long... I just hope this makes others laugh, we can all use it from time to time :D


Oh, the title to this painting is Debi and Marla waiting outside the mall for Marla's mom to pick them up, fall of 1985.

Dora, Donna, and Diana Davenport of Dover, Delaware 1957

I haven't figured out why I like paintings with three people in them so much... Watercolor and ink on paper.

Felicia tries to get some work done while Pickles plays possum and Newman prepares himself for any unexpected guests.

This was a commissioned piece I just finished last weekend, one of the most fun one's I've done so far. I loved getting to know the subjects through photos and emails and capturing their personalities in paint.

Carlotta Satterfield worries that she might or might not be a hypochondriac.

Carlotta Satterfield worries that she might or might not be a hypochondriac.
Originally uploaded by vivienne_strauss

watercolor and ink on paper

Brunettes Traversing Blonde Waves

for this week's Scrapiteria

Blah blah blah and a few more collages

At least I was productive yesterday during my painting break.

Tan Gloriously

I took a break from painting today (I'm working on a rather large commission) and decided to do a few new collage pieces. This one is for Scrapiteria's theme this week, Bathing Beauty.

Stella Starling makes her singing debut at Cabaret El Morocco, 1933.

Stella Starling makes her singing debut at Cabaret El Morocco, 1933.
Originally uploaded by vivienne_strauss

Watercolor and ink on paper.

Three Simones

'm in the midst of working on a large commissioned painting (it is set in Paris) so I've been re-watching lots of French films and thinking about France in general for inspiration. I have always loved the name Simone, here are my three favorite Simones, Simone Simon, Simone Signoret, and Simone de Beauvoir. This image of Simone Simon (bottom) is actually a still from her first American film, "Girls' Dormitory" and the still of Simone Signoret (middle) is from the film "Casque D'Or". The third Simone (de Beauvoir) (top) is of course the famous French philosopher.

Despite all personal resolve to lead an organized life, Ann de Treville Lawrence found that each passing day was in fact becoming less so.

This painting is the story of my life. I am constantly trying to organize closets, drawers, art supplies etc. and it never seems to get any better. The original has already sold but I have also made this one into a print :)

Wave Rider

collage for Scrapiteria's theme this week, heat wave.

Enchanted Garden

This is the largest watercolor painting I've done so far, 15.5 x 22.5 and it was a lot of fun. I kept thinking of one of my favorite poems of all time by Amy Lowell called Patterns. The lines that kept running through my head were "I too am a rare Pattern. As I wander down the Garden paths."

Marcella Schaus with her daughter, Eda

watercolor and ink on paper; I think Eda worries that she won't be the great beauty that her mother is.