Thursday, October 15, 2020

i guess i need to come clean...

 well peeps...this has been one long haul...one year ago today i noticed blood in my urine...when i got in to see my urologist, the first thing he asked was " did  you ever smoke?"  the answer is yes.. i started in 1963, my freshman year in college.. in fact, the way my parents found out..i had to have emergency appendectomy surgery near the end of the year.. my parents drove to pittsburgh from south bend and didn't make it in time but they were there in the recovery room.. as i was coming out of the anesthesia, the first thing i said was "does anyone have a cigarette?"  oops!...and i was a good smoker.. i loved to smoke.. in fact,, i would go home from parties if i was running out of cigarettes.. i smoked through pregnancies (we didn't know better back then..), illnesses, flus..back then we smoked in restaurants, air planes..you name it..

and then on october 23, 1983, almost 20 years from the day i started, God had another plan for me..i developed something called palatine neuritis..(i can still feel the sensation today)..i was visiting my mom in  south bend..the nerves in my palette got inflamed.. may have been staying up late the night before doing "elephant calls" with two of my best friends.. may have been the scotch, the cigs, or the chocolate donuts i had the next morning..but i, for the first time in 20 years, was actually physically incapable of smoking!  pretty sure God had other plans for my life..(my mom died in 1985 at age 62 from heart disease)..so here's the cautionary tale.. i smoked for 20 years but i quit almost 40 years ago...didn't matter...smoking is probably the main causative factor in bladder cancer!

i'm sorry... but this may get long...trying to make a long story short, then...i had a biopsy both in october and again in november..they showed carcnoma in situ in the wall of the bladder.. not having progressed to the muscle.. so i underwent 6 weeks of immunotherapy called BCG..they instilled  a TB bacterium into my bladder..i had to hold it there for three hours..rolling around so all sides of the bladder would get their fair share.. then every time i peed, i had to drop 2 cups of bleach in the potty and wait 15 minutes before flushing.(dangerous stuff, TB..)..then i had to wait another six weeks to let my bladder die down .things seemed to be looking good.. in the meantime i was consumed by my roving indiana project..(sort of life-saving actually..)painting sheep, sheep and more sheep.. and some alpacas, of course...many of which i posted here earlier this year..so i had a check up in april.. it actually was NOT good. they found the cancer had progressed to the muscle.. so i had meetings with my oncologist, had a port placed to facilite blood draws and chemo.. i started chemo in july.. was scheduled for four rounds but only made it through three because my kidneys' weren't tolerating the platinum-based chemo that worked best against this type of cancer..so my surgery was moved up by about a month..september 24th. we missed some of the best fall weather ever!!). i had what amounted to three radical surgeries in one seven hour surgery.  they removed all my lady parts that could conceivably cause me any trouble down the line..then they removed my cancerous bladder and 36 lymph nodes in the area.. THEN they fashioned a new (neobladder) out of a portion of my small intestine.  i was in the hospital for nine long days..some of them in excruciating pain due to the harvesting of all those lymph nodes.. i had two nerve blocks to try and ease that pain..and i still had a recurrence the day i got home on the 3rd of october..so i've been home since then.. very slow going i have to say..i nap a lot.. i'm supposed to be up and walking several times a day..i do stairs when i can..i'm down to using just my own leggers.. no cane or walker.. i DO use a walker at the airport where we take the girls..(our two goldies) every afternoon at three..(they seem to wear watches!).. i am quite the sight hobbling around for what started as one lap and now i'm up to two and yesterday two and a half..very windy yesterday.. i had visions of myself being blown up into the trees and trying to make my way down.. did i mention i've lost a good deal of weight?.. they warned me it could be 20 pounds..and my hubby is feeding me like a queen!!..

anyway..my surgery was three weeks ago today.. seems a lifetime ago.. and there were times, we've both admitted to each other, when we weren't sure we'd ever be back in our home together.. but here we are!..it's going to be a long road back..i have follow-up appointments scheduled with both my local oncologist and my surgeon at Simon cancer center in indianapolis.  hope to be getting my catheter out then but in the meantime we need to irrigate it 4 times a day,,.now that i've posted this..(and i will NOT post to facebook).. maybe i can keep you a bit more up on what's happening.. i also have a caring bridge site ..www.caringbridge.org/visit/susiegregory  i also am far away from getting back to my studio..and i have some projects i know i need to get done.. but my clients have been very understanding..i WILL be back and we will look back on this as just a really bad dream!! .love you all and thanks for listening!!

Thursday, June 18, 2020

one more doggie...this is ANNIE!!

6x6 oil on canvas panel

so this is Annie.. yet another doggy who's crossed over.. yet another belonging to Jody and Meg..i can't imagine the pain these gals have been through losing one after another of their precious babies!..as you can see, Annie loved the water!..i'm happy to announce that they have just rescued Izzy.. i think she's a white lab.. most of these guys have been one sort of lab or another...these gals are so wonderful to share their lives with these rescues!!  i hope Izzy hangs around for a long, long time!! don't you?

Sunday, June 14, 2020

"Major"...a golden smile!

7x5 oil on canvas board

so this is Major..he was the sire to our Ruby...and he has now passed over the rainbow bridge.. he must have been a peach since our Ruby surely is!!..good genes, for sure!!..still at the lake but heading home tomorrow..working on a few more projects..will post later this week.. so happy to be able to watch golf.. altho it IS a bit strange with no crowds..another beautiful day...

Saturday, June 13, 2020

here's another..."Muttley"

7x5 original oil on panel

so this is Muttley..another dog i've never met who's crossed over the rainbow bridge.  this fine fellow belonged to Steve and Catherine, my daughter's brother and sister in law..what a face!!

Thursday, June 11, 2020

"Toto"

6x6 oil on linen canvas

so this is Toto...for my friend Annette...he looks like a real sweetie..crossed over the rainbow bridge a few weeks ago..we are at the lake for a few days.. hopefully playing a bit of golf..watching a bit of golf..FINALLY!!...and doing a bit of eating, drinking and maybe a little painting thrown in for good measure!!

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

"Ellie"

6x6 original oil on canvas panel

so here's another for my friend's jody and meg..they have lost yet another doggie..very sad.. and i'm so happy to be able to paint this for them!

Monday, June 8, 2020

"Lacie"

5x7 original oil on panel

so this is for my friend Elaine..she's had lots of pets cross over the rainbow bridge.. she has adopted many over the years..such a caring person..a real friend to the animal kingdom!.. i have been forgetting to post these as i've gone along..hope to get better...

Sunday, June 7, 2020

Harper and Henry

12x9
original oil on canvas panel

so here are Harper and Henry.. twins..for my friend Mandy.. i saw this photo on facebook and knew i had to paint it!.. they are too adorable!!.. plus they have three older brothers who dote on them!.. looking forward to painting each of them in time!

Saturday, May 16, 2020

"Liesel"

6x6 oil on canvas panel

so this is for my friend Rosemary..Liesel is one of her grands..one of SEVEN!!..and i plan to paint all of them..i'm hoping Even Jeter Fauerbach will be pleased with this first one!!

Monday, April 27, 2020

"Max" for Mike and Judy

30x40 oil on stretched canvas

so this is Max..especially for my dear friends, Mike and Judy...Max crossed over the rainbow bridge a while ago..he's romping around up there with Eli and Alf and Nellie and Rufus and Rake and who knows how many others...and i'll bet they're having a high old time!..and this i do know:.. all their aches and pains are gone!..and we'll see them again one day.. when all OUR aches and pains are gone...RIP Max!!

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

"Gus"

7x5 oil on panel
so this is Gus.. another little guy who's crossed over the rainbow bridge..for my friend nancy!.. i have several commissions to finish but every now and again i like to do one of these little pieces...i'm about one third of the way through my studio but i just couldn't wait any longer.. if i wait til i get the whole thing organized.. i may never be able to paint again!!😉

Saturday, April 18, 2020

so i've been working really hard on my studio lately.. sorting, organizing, putting things in folders i  may never look at again.. you know the routine...and i hope to be able to get back to some serious painting next week!.. also working in my yard.. tearing out invasive ivy that we actually transplanted from kokomo over 40 years ago.. i love the look of an ivy-covered house but.. wow.. the damage it does!!.. so my back is killing me but i'll be able to plant zinnias there for the summer!!.. meanwhile.. it's freezing here in indiana and i hear snow is predicted for later..the best time of the day is relaxing in front of this fireplace after a long, hard day...maybe a scotch wouldn't hurt either!😊...ps..can you see nellie and ruby in that painting ?..

Saturday, April 4, 2020

"Shadow"

7x5 oil on panel

so this is Shadow.. my new friend susan's kitty..also passed over the rainbow bridge..i have been working on a very large piece..and every now and then i need to take a break and do one of these little guys..i am so lucky to have my painting to keep me going in this craziest of times!!

Friday, April 3, 2020

"Dorie"

6x6 oil on linen panel

so this is for my friends jodi and meg..another pooch who's crossed over the rainbow bridge.. and a black one, to boot!.. don't know how exactly i will deliver this.. we've met for lunch before but that's out!!  in case you didn't notice, this girl is in the pool!!.. what dog doesn't love the water??? stay safe, everyone!

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

"The Rest Stop"

18x24 oil on canvas

so this is a project i've been working on..secretly..as a special birthday present for my friend Matt.. commissioned by his wife Tobi..the lighting in my studio wasn't great so this is all i have to post..his birthday was yesterday so i can finally post this today.. i also have several black animals i'm working on..one cat, three or four dogs.. i'll get to those later...hope you're all staying safe!!

Sunday, March 15, 2020

"Piper"

6x6 oil on canvas panel

so this is Piper.. another little guy who's crossed over the rainbow bridge.  this is for my new friend nancy..and i hope it shows his wonderful smile!!.. she tells me he didn't relish wearing his tam but was always patient while he had it on to celebrate "scotland day" in florida!.. so now it's on to this secret project...i'll post it in a few weeks!

Friday, March 13, 2020

back to work...with "Bacon"

6-1/2x10-ish
original oil on panel

so i'm finally back to my studio!.. i've been gone for the last two weeks....wrapping up the paintings for Roving Indiana..cataloging, framing..then the crawl itself...i met some lovely people, visited some charming yarn shops, a weaving shop, sold lots of note cards and bookmarks and even a few originals...AND bought a great felted hat!!.. along the way i met a new friend who'd lost a beloved member of her family.."Bacon"..and, as is my wont, i needed to paint him for her. it was nice for Sandi but really nice for me to be able to re-enter with this!.. i have some serious large painting commissions coming up and this was a great way to get my painting muscles toned up a bit!!  i have one more small piece to post and then it's work, work, work!!..but i don't think i can post much here because there is much secrecy involved!!... i love me some intrigue!!!! so stay tuned!!

Friday, March 6, 2020

today's Roving...


so yesterday i was at village yarn in zionsville and chatted with some lovely people.. knitters all..they have super comfy chairs for the regulars to hang in..then i was with nomad yarns in plainfield at a fabulous coffee house..timber city coffee roasters.. then today i traveled to black sheep in noblesville where i left two sheep paintings on consignment.. then on to tabby tree weavers in fishers.. and this photo is of my new friend sandi and her "just have to have this" painting " white faced alpaca"!.. as i've always said.. i LOVE when a painting of mine finds a good home!!... and sandi is a delightful person.. and tabby tree is all about weaving.. they have real LOOMS there and she tried to help me understand the process..i think this is the only loom/weaver  shop in the mid-indiana area.. people come from all over to access her expertise!!!.. all in all it was a good day and i'm finishing up tomorrow at mass ave knitters in indy.. i'll be ready to rest for a bit and then get back to my regular commissions.... and you know who you are.... 😊

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

still Roving...


so this is my new friend margaret!!.. i went back to Shabby Sheep today and, wouldn't you know, they were having their regular tuesday lunch bunch!.. i glommed on and they graciously allowed me to join them.  margaret brought "Wayne" so i could take her picture and post it here..( totally with her permission!)..we ordered from a fabulous new find:  Olesya's kitchen.. she's ukrainian and a master chef.. you can find it on line AND they deliver!..not sure what the delivery fee is but there were several of us so it worked.. it's located at 1531 mckinley avenue.  i had probably the best veggie quinoa ever and the cabbage slaw.. the gals who are regulars say they've loved everything they've ordered so far!..so tomorrow is a day of rest for me.. and then on to indy for the next three days!

Sunday, March 1, 2020

"Wayne"

11x14 oil on canvas

so this is Wayne!..(named after the photographer who was nice enough to give me permission to paint this gorgeous hunk!!).. AND the crawl has officially begun.  i spent most of friday afternoon in nashville at the Clay Purl.  it's a very tiny shop but lots of personality! it was a dreadful day for the crawlers..cold and snowy and windy!.. yesterday i was at Shabby Sheep and Ewe here in Columbus.. a much prettier day and i really had fun!..my daughter jen brought me lunch and stayed for the duration!  she posted  such a nice piece on facebook about the shop... i'm sorry i forgot to post anything about where i'd be..and so i decided to head back there this tuesday afternoon.  for any local peeps who would like to stop by i would love to see you!  you don't have to be a knitter!..i thought i'd list my schedule for the rest of the week..tomorrow i'll be at Starstruck Cat Studio (3130 meridian parke dr. suite M in greenwood).. tuesday back at Shabby here (1113 16th st, across from the face place)...then i'm taking the day off wednesday.. thursday i'll be at Village Yarn (209 S. Mail st. Zionsville) from about 1-3 and then with the Nomad Yarn Truck at Timber City Coffee Roasters (2481 e. main st in Plainfield) from 4-6  ..luckily, i'll be spending the night with my daughter-in-law and then friday i'm at Black sheep (1355 S. 8th st in noblesville) probably in the morning-ish and then Tabby Tree (9832 North by Northwest blvd  in Fishers)... then i'll head home and then saturday back to Mass ave Knits (862 Virginia ave, in indy)..that's all i have so far.. and i'll no doubt be ready to crash when this is all over!!
    but one more fun thing!..yesterday, my new friend, margaret wandered all over the shop..doing her yarn thing..then decided that Wayne was speaking to her..she decided to "splurge" and she bought her very first ever original work of art!!  i couldn't have been more pleased for her!! and for me!.. i always love it when a painting i've toiled over finds a good home!!  that's all i got for today!! lyb (love ya bye!!)

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

"Leister Ram Yearling"

12x9 oil on canvas

here's another sheep painting for the crawl..this is 12x9 and i've placed it in a beautiful gold frame so the full size is around 20x16!.. many thanks to Shelly Liebler (Shellyliebler.smugmug.com) for permission to use her photograph.  this is a leister sheep who was born in 2019 so he's considered a yearling.  the crawl starts this friday and i will be at the ClayPurl in nashville in the afternoon.. after i've had lunch with some of my besties, of course!!😊.. then on saturday i'll check in with our local shop, Shabby Sheep and Ewe, the place this whole thing started! i'll be taking note cards and a few paintings.. and if i ever get them done..some watercolor bookmarks!

Saturday, February 22, 2020

"Attitude!!"

16x20 oil on canvas framed

so here's another sheep painting for Roving Indiana.. if these guys don't have "attitude", i don't know who would!!! it's hard to tell in this photo but this is framed in a brushed silvery, goldish frame..

Friday, February 21, 2020

Susan McCall's sheep

11x14 oil on canvas

here's another sheep image from colonial williamsburg.  this was photographed by Susan McCall and she was gracious enough to give me permission to use her reference!.  i am working on a couple more and then i can turn my focus to my bookmarks and the other commissions i have on the horizon..( are you listening judy and alex?)

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

"Growing up in Colonial Williamsburg"

12x12 oil on gallery wrap canvas

so this is another of the paintings ive done thanks to the generosity of others!.. this is from nancy saputo.  she is possibly the official photographer for the colonial williamsburg fan page.. not sure but she posts amazing photos every day!.. she's the same one who offered the sleeping lamb that i posted earlier..and i may have gotten her name wrong in that post.. i'll have to check and i can fix it if i need to!..time is running out..and i still have such great fodder i'd like to get to..not sure i'll have time!

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

another Roving Indiana painting: "Ram"

5x7 oil on panel

so this is another smallish original i've created for the crawl.. i'm ordering note cards and this will be one of them!.. i've also been working on more CW paintings and i'll post them here asap. i have to let them dry just a little before i can photograph them!

Monday, February 17, 2020

"Sleeping Lamb in Colonial Williamsburg"

5x7 oil on panel
so here's a small piece for the roving indiana crawl coming up.  i am so fortunate to have gotten permission from some photographers from Colonial Williamsburg
..(CW as they call it!).. check out their facebook page!..this particular one is from a photo by nancy saputo.  i'm working on a few others by her which i'll post as i go!.. thank you nancy!!

Saturday, February 15, 2020

delivery for a client "In the Pasture"

18x18 oil on canvas

so my new friend Janelle came down from carmel to pick up the commission i've been working on for some time!.. we finally connected and i was delighted to meet her after all this chatting back and forth by text....since i had so many Roving Indiana pieces lying around, she decided to browse a bit.. these guys, especially the alpacas, are so funny..she really fell in love with several.. then she thought of her brand new grandson and what would go well in his room..we found the perfect thing.. a painting i did several years ago that i cherish and i'm so glad she felt the same way!  it's called "Gang of Goldens"

this was framed in a darkish distressed frame and she loved it!!  i am a happy girl!!

"Silly Alpaca"

7x5 oil on panel

so this little fellow was fun to paint!.. those alpacas are ridiculous..they're so cute.. often found kissing...this is framed in a nice light blue wooden frame.. available..and will be on the yarn crawl!
still working on finishing a few things up so they can be drying while i work on bookmarks.. getting things organized as to where i will be visiting also..

Sunday, February 9, 2020

"Ole Blue Eyes"

 here's another note card possibility and an original for sale.. 12x12 on gallery wrap canvas.  i'm heading back to the studio..work, work, work...but so much fun!!

also.. here's a link to the participating shops with hours listed: http://www.rovingindiana.com/services/

Friday, February 7, 2020

"Kiss Me, You Fool!"


so here's another original for the yarn crawl.. this is 12x24 and framed..i'm not sure this can be turned into a note card but i sure like it as a stand-alone!!..here is a list of participating yarn shops..hope i'm not leaving anyone out!. i'm starting to figure out the days i will be at some, if not all, of them..i'll list that in coming days!

Always in Stitches  1808 conner st. noblesville,
The Black Sheep yarn and fiber 1355 s. 8th, noblesville,
Broad Ripple Knits 6510 n cornell ave, indy,
Clay Purl, 58 e. main suite 3, nashville,
Mass Ave Knit Shop 862 virginia, indy,
Nomad Yarns 218 e. Main st, Plainfield,
Shabby Sheep and Ewe 1113 16th st. columbus,
Star Struck Cat Studio 3130 meridian parke dr, greenwood,
Village Yarn 209 s. main st. zionsville,
Willowes Yarn Haus 226 w. main, greenfield,
Tabby Tree Weaver  9832 north by northwest blvd, fishers

Thursday, February 6, 2020

another Roving painting


so this is "Two Sheep".. it's 14x11 original oil on panel and will be framed.  i am in the process of finding out all the shops included in the yarn crawl and i'll post them here soon.. meanwhile.. you can check out the "roving indiana" facebook page.

Saturday, February 1, 2020

another "roving Indiana" painting


this fellow is 9x12... oil on panel.  he will be framed and available during the yarn crawl or before if someone wants to grab him up!!.  i've been working on my website all morning and i think it's finally ready to go!..  www.susiegregoryfineart.com  i've had so much fun working on this project the past several months and it's finally HERE!!!!

Friday, January 31, 2020

the big reveal!!!

"The Kiss"

So this is the secret project revealed!!.. last May, i was contacted by my new friend, luann, and asked to create a special piece for "Roving Indiana".. now "roving" is a yarn term.. it's not about roving around..it's something about the process of creating yarn.. anyway.. each year they pick an artist and use one of their pieces for this project.  they chose an image and the colors they wanted.. and i created "The Kiss" .  they dye yarn and several yarn shops in central indiana create projects using this yarn.  the yarn crawl is in about a month.. i am working on my website to get organized for this.. it doesn't help that my computer is down and i'm having to use davey's...in the meantime, check out "roving indiana" on facebook.. so perhaps tomorrow.. maybe sunday.. i'll be up and running..i've created lots of smaller pieces.. and i've had a lot of fun!!  stay tuned!!

Monday, January 27, 2020

another hint....


so here's another little piece..any ideas yet?..i have been busy..and having lots of fun..and soon, very soon now...

Sunday, January 19, 2020

super secret....



so i've been working on a secret project for a while now...only a handful of peeps know anything about this and even then..some don't know everything...this is a little teensey weensey tiny little piece of something for you to contemplate... if you want to.. or you could just wait..and wait..how long?..sometime soon all will be revealed!!...but it's been so nice to be occupied with this.. and i'm having great fun!!

Saturday, January 18, 2020

"Hogan"

20x16 original oil on gallery wrap

so this is a commission for my friend jeff...Hogan crossed over the rainbow bridge and i hope this painting of him coming in after a snow romp will help commemorate him and bring some joy ...he looked like a true peach!!