Okay. The NYC review.

Ok - I'm trying to take a deep breath and get over it, and move on, and vote with my brain in November. There's not much more to be done, and I will acquire ridiculously high blood pressure if I don't just let it go. Fwooosh.

In the meantime, here are some photos from last weekend's brief time in NYC:

Me and John in the subway: Christopher Street station.

Face on building. East Village.

Evolution in Soho: a store that manages to be cool and creepy and cool and sad and fascinating and terrifying and gross and great and borderline unethical and utterly awesome - all at the same time.

Awesome cat in Bleecker Street Records. Mmmmmm, cat.

Mmmm nice! Bleecker Street Records.

Love the subway tilework. Plus, seeing this always puts the Simon & Garfunkel song in my head. Mmmm.

S.'s awesome hat...

After 9 years in California, NYC looks deliciously old. Mmmmmm, old.

Here's us on the way back to the Philadelphia airport, on SEPTA. Beware "Slippery Rail Season," by the way. Beware!!

Unpleasant intermission.

I had intended to continue a photo recap of our vacation... but the hideousness of the RNC got in the way. I have been rendered cranky beyond my own belief. Two things that haven't helped this crankiness situation:

1. I was nearly run over by a crappy Raleigh driver on the way home.

2. Some certain cat peed on my side of the bed today.

Repeat: I am cranky beyond my own belief. I will return to make another post when my mood improves. Stay tuned.

P.S. And Hanna will probably hurricane all over First Friday tomorrow night. *%#@!!!#

Trip on the Day of Labor.

Okay, we're back from a tragically brief, whirlwind-y trip up to Philadelphia/NYC. If you live in the area and we didn't get to look you up, our apologies - it was a quick and ill-planned venture... and we'll catch you the next time around.

Here's some photo recap on the Philadelphia leg of the journey:

chez P., with G., E. and L., qui bouge beaucoup...

On Walnut Street: the old and the new, mingling.

In Society Hill, the historic area: perhafs you would like fome molaffes?

Would a trip to Philly be complete without a photo of Rocky? Probably not. Yo.

Would a trip to Philly be complete without a visit to La Colombe? Probably. Sorry y'all - it's pretty, but their hot chocolate is sub-par. Meh.

Would a trip to Philly be complete without a visit to see wee Milo? Decidedly not.

Last but not least: the front gate at the Barnes Foundation - pretty much the only place you can photograph anything as they practically confiscate all belongings upon entry to the grounds. They're... a tad protective of their collection, it would be fair to say.

More soon from NYC... stay tuned.

All things political.

So - despite my raging cynicism, I think I was actually wooed by Michelle Obama's speech last night. Truly wooed. Moved. I was listening to it on NPR so it wasn't even that I was mesmerized by her beauty or anything... the words, they swayed me.

I can't decide if her ridiculously cute kids and the exchange with their father was overkill, though. Hmm.

In other political notes, please inform anyone and everyone you may know in Utah that my sister, the lovely and talented Katherine Lofft, is running as a Democrat for her district's (53) seat in the Utah state legislature. Here's her campaign website: Vote Lofft! (www.votelofft.com).

Still hunkered.

I'm camped out most of the time in front of paintings these days, so not a lot to report... though I was wishing I had my camera with me while I was doing some errands around Raleigh on Saturday. Things were lookin' good - cool mural by the Amtrak station, passed through a nice park - Edna Metz Wells park, I believe - near Cameron Village. Anyway, more photos soon, especially after we go away for Labor Day weekend (yesssss!!!!) In the meantime, here's a painting that's on my most recent postcard:

and now it is time to party, oil on printed fabric, 10"x10", by Diane Feissel

Beaucoup de travail.

Long time no post... I've been hunkered down in front of the easel with some portrait projects, and trying to slip in some other work on the side. Like painting polar bears.

Here's a portrait from back in early 2007, which I still need to post on the "commissions" part of my webpage. One of these days, man. I'll get there.

oil on canvas, 2007, Diane Feissel

MacGregor's garden.

Yay, just found out the painting "MacGregor's garden" (see below) got into a juried show here in Raleigh. Hip hip!

MacGregor's garden, 2008, oil on printed fabric, 10"x10".

You can see more info on the show at this link.

Naturally, I remembered my Beatrix Potter incorrectly, and spelled the guy's name wrong; I could have sworn it was "MacGregor," but now it's looking like it might have been "McGregor." Drat, foiled again.