The Gina Sigman Gallery

It was eventual that I would paint Dolly. She is America's singing sweetheart. My inspiration to do it came after we finally made it to Dollywood. I added the dragon fly and butterfly because...well...those are her faves. So here she is: lookin better than a body has a right to. 

You can pick out his voice even in the most muddled, indistinct background vocals of any song: that smooth, warbling soulful sound emanating from a man with piercing blue eyes and a thick mane of white hair. Whether it's "Sweet Freedom", "What A Fool Believes" or one of his Motown covers, that voice of his wraps up that song with a giant blue bow and says, here ya go: signed sealed delivered, I'm yours. I'm proud to add to my gallery,  Mr. Michael McDonald.

If the Skunk can do "Do It Again", so can I! This is my second painting of Jeff Skunk Baxter. Why did I revisit this celebrated legend of guitar and top secret defense advisor? Well, because I've always had an affinity for dichotomic, well-rounded individuals with artistic talent. Apparently every, journalist, radio and tv host agrees. Flip through any online publication or popular tv talk show and who do you see? JSB!  So I ask myself this question again. Why the repaint? Well because he's just fun to draw! That dashing set of white whiskers and the aviator glasses just ask to be painted. I'm painting this while listening to his latest album, Speed of Heat, which is a mosaic of country, jazz, blues and everything in between. I fell into this trance from start to finish, taking breaths between brush strokes. On August 2nd, I'll be attending his concert at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, with my husband, Barry Sigman; photographer and editor of All Access Mus...

Don't ask me why but I've always had an affinity for the underdog rock bands. Mot the Hoople stands out in my memory. Everybody knows "All the Young Dudes". Classic.  Their cover of, "Sweet Jane", some strawberry wine and potpourri scented candles always put me in a groovy mood.  Of course Ian Hunter begged to be added to my collection of hot rock stars with curly manes: Robert Plant, Barry Sigman and so on...So i painted him. Hoople fans: here he is...Mr. Ian Hunter.

I watch a lot of crime TV. I guess with my background in medical forensics, I'm drawn to it, even though I'm retired. I happened to tune in to 48 hours and watched the story of Katrina Brownlee unfold. She grew up  in disadvantaged conditions. She married a law enforcement officer, hoping to escape her past and live in security. Sadly, that was not what happened.  Her husband abused her.  He ended up shooting her in the abdomen a total of 10 TIMES. 10 TIMES...and she survived it all. In spite of nearly losing her life, she blossomed and became a correction officer herself. She is now retired but continues to serve her community through an organization she founded called Young Ladies of Our Future. She's written her memoirs in a book called "And Then Came the Blues".   She had beautiful roses tattooed on her tummy and transformed the pain of her wounds into something beautiful.  Isn't that what God does for us?  He takes sin and inequities a...

Everyone draws them. Even people with no propensity for drawing think they can draw an eye. Just a few circles and arcs, and a white dot here and there and...voila!!! I just couldn't help myself in trying to one-up all the eye-drawers out there, plus, I needed to one-up myself. It's a constant challenge to improve my drawing skills. So here it is...the Proverbial Eye. See it and weep.  

My mom made the most delicious eggplant parmesan. Painting these beauties reminded me of her and that savory smell of breadcrumbs, oregano and garlic frying up and filling the kitchen air. It all starts with those long pear-shaped deep plum nightshades. They seem to be floating in the green darkness of memories. Don't they kinda sorta look like boobs?? Ok, maybe not. In any case, bon apetit everyone and thanks for visiting.