The Final Blog Post

Near Livingston, 14x14

It was a gorgeous afternoon, and I wanted one more painting from Montana, so I stopped and made this one, outside of Livingston. A guy who looked at it said it's a famous part of the range, and that locals say you can see Jesus sleeping in the mountain peaks. I can't, but he pointed out what he saw, and that made me happy. 

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SPONSORS, THIS IS THE final blog post.

I will put more photos from the trip on our Facebook page, and you are all invited to go there, check them out, let me know what see and think.

The choosing will start in the next day or so, and here's how it will work. I'll send you an email, and you can go to the Big Skies Painting Trip page on the Jacobson Arts website  and pick from the available paintings. Right now, all the 10x10s are available, but as you choose them, I'll move them from "available" to "claimed." All I ask is that you make your decision as quickly as you can. I think some people are giving the paintings as holiday presents, so I'd like to wrap this all up by mid-December, if we could. 

I'm hoping that everyone gets the painting that they want, but if you someone takes the painting you were dying to have, I have many options for you. 

• I can remake the painting you wanted. It probably won't be exactly the same, but will have the same feel, same colors, same spirit. 

• I can make a new painting for you from one of the photographs I've posted in the newsletters, on the blog or on the Facebook page. 

• You can wait and choose any 10x10 that I make in 2017. 

• You can have $125 off any larger painting, including paintings from this trip, or a dog portrait, or whatever you choose. 

• You can hold off and have a sponsorship in my next trip. I already have my first sponsor for that trip, but you could be No. 2. 

• And finally, if you're totally in love with one of the paintings, please let me know which one ASAP - before I contact you about making your choice. Like, let me know now, today, this minute! If someone chooses that painting, the one you HAVE to have, I would be OK with letting that person know that someone else is crazy about it, and asking if they would be willing to let it go and choose another. Sponsors, if you get an email like this from me, please be honest. I will keep everything anonymous, and no feelings will be hurt. If you have chosen a painting and someone else wants it, and you don't want to give it up, just let me know. There's no harm or shame in it, and I promise that the other person will end up happy. That's what I want, folks, is for all of you to thoroughly enjoy the trip and the process, and the painting you receive. 

Questions? Ideas? Please let me know. My email is carrieBjacobson@gmail.com, and my phone is 860-442-0246.

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Scenes from the Road

I thought you all might like to see my set-up. Sometimes I sat in the open door on the side of the van, but mostly, I stood, painting at the back of the van like this. 

I think they had a few extra letters and just put them on the sign. 

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The Final Painting 

Nebraska Fields, 10x10

This was the last painting of the trip, and it might be the one I like the best. It's the one that shows me what I can do and hints at what is possible. I was excited when I finished it, and I sent it to Peter, and after I did, realized that I hadn't told him what it was - and he might not be able to figure it out. And then, much to my amazement, I realized that I didn't care - that even if he didn't know what it was, it still was a very cool, very beautiful painting. 

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Dog of the Day

It's Koko, above and, below, with Abby and Lulu. Doc and Woody are around somewhere, too, and they were just as happy to have me home as the girls were! 

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From Here to There and Back

With the West in the rearview mirror, I headed east, until I hit Wachapreague, 

below, with the Atlantic just beyond that beautiful salt marsh.