Two Stroke of the Brush awards!

I feel honored to have received not one, but two, Stroke of the Brush awards almost simultaneously. These awards came from from Marge Bennett over at Art Alive whose paintings have echoes of Matisse for me, and from Laure Ferlita whose Painted Thoughts blog features her inspiring watercolors as well as many great ideas for artists. Thank you Marge and Laure!

The award comes with two duties: share seven things my fellow bloggers don't know about me and then pass the award to seven worthy artists. So here goes.

Seven (random) things about me:

1. I speak fluent French after spending a year at an engineering school in France.
2. I love gardening and plants. I am really proud that I have eaten eggplant and peppers from my own garden thus year.
3. I used to live in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, where I could never have grown eggplant outside!
4. A few weeks ago I became an Aunt and as I write I am waiting to meet my niece for the first time.
5. I have run two marathons, both very slowly.
6. Keeping two children occupied this summer has been easier than I thought. I feel saddened that school restarts in a little over three weeks.
7. In a bizarre twist Houston, the allergy capital of the world, is the first place I have lived where I do not suffer from allergies!

And now to nominate seven artists from my regular reading...

Rose Welty who draws flowers like an angel

Yellow at A Roker artist with beautiful charcoal and pastel drawings

Tony Moffit's art world where I find lots of useful advice on the art world and galleries

Annie Heckman - got to love someone who gets excited upon finding her roll of duct tape!

OddVenus whose rings I aspire to wear

Robin Maria Pedrero whose pastels of skies draw me in to drool over my computer screen.

Lisa Call who just completed her 100th quilt in the Structures series - an amazing achievement.