Twisted Twin Strikes again...

You knew this one was bound to be coming with all the sweet
faces I've been doing. Too many sweet things are not good for a person.
I called this one "Moon's Reflection" but I think I got the model from a wrinkle
cream commercial- and I reallllly hate those. Hence, the evil eyebrows.

This one was fun and I like the hat. I call it: "Grateful". Because I took her
right down to Tinnie's and hung her on the wall. I'm feeling very inspired
knowing I have a public place to hang them and possibly sell them.

Sweet Farmer and I had a DRAW OFF the other night with a little wine and cheese.
It was our Monday night entertainment. We drew the fox off the cover of the National Geographic.
I was really proud of his because he rarely draws - and out popped a great fox.

Very different styles but close to the original.
It was a fun evening.
I'm headed to see my grandsons this weekend.
Happy Drawing.

OH and thanks for loving my twisted girl (last post). She's growing on me
with all her imperfections.

Inevitable Realities and ART

Sometimes.. do you paint a piece that just makes you want to scream?
Throw a fit and squeal like a little girl? Sometimes art can be terribly frustrating.
If I had a genie and 3 wishes, I would ask for world peace and a cure for cancer and then I
would ask for an art teacher to show up at my house AND HELP ME FIX THIS PAINTING!
Sometimes, one simple mark, several tiny adjustments can fix a portrait. But I can't see it.

BUT, I can SEE it which is so frustrating- my taste in art is ahead of my skill.
Art And Fear says: "Vision is always ahead of execution and it should be. Vision, Uncertainty,
and Knowledge of Materials are inevitabilities that all artist must acknowledge and learn from:
vision is always ahead of execution, knowledge of materials is your contact with reality, and uncertainty is a virtue." this didn't make me feel better but i did quit obsessing and inwardly stomping on my right brain's deficiencies

I remember that it is this frustration that is my art teacher- it teaches me about the next piece.It is the FEAR that I'm never going to get it that challenges me to stand up and defiantly paint another and another. "The artist's life is frustrating not because the passage is slow, but because he imagines it to be fast."

I want it fixed now. NOW, I tell you. When I asked Sweet Farmer to help me problem solve, he looked at her and said, "it looks like she's been in a bad farming accident".

He's buried, now, in the back orchard under a pile of rocks.

Not really, I'll let him live because he's the only one around who will provoke me enough to fix her. IT MAY TAKE awhile- but she will toss her pretty head at him(you) someday and say, "THERE, what do you think of me now BIG BOY!"

any suggestions will be taken under consideration and will not provoke an attack :)

Goodness Followed Her

Goodness Followed Her
I simply couldn't help myself. I have this adorable little niece who posted this picture
recently on her facebook and gave me permission to paint it.
I really like this one. For the life of me I couldn't
photograph the different shades in her face because
her skin is so glowey and youthful- which is great for the
painting but not the photograph.
I'm realizing that I'm happier with paintings I do
from good photographs -but that is somewhat
of a dilemma for me.
Tinnie's (the place that had my art show) called and said
a special little girl was having a birthday in May and WOULD
I MIND leaving the paintings there until then????
I said, "heck no! I need them back to put under the bed you silly
people!"
Not really, of course, I was thrilled. But now I need to check with those
that bought originals to see if they will also be
willing to leave them.
And I get to ADD more.
Is the universe lined up with me or what!!!
Actually, God gets all the credit if that is what
I am receiving at this time.
Gratefulness drips from each brush stroke these days.
Lots of my girlfriends are at Artful Journey.
It's been a year since my daughter and I made that awesome trip.
Little did I know what a great investment
that would be for the both of us.
My daughter now has her own website.
check out
www.crazyconsuela.com
GOODNESS FOLLOWED HER.
I hope it's following you too!

Etsy Store!

I have an Etsy Store! I promise not to make this blog about the store
but from time to time friends have asked me where to find
my paintings, prints, cards or lotions and now
I hope that this will make it easier for everyone.
I hope to have more posted soon and I will give you updates.
Anyway, I enjoy shopping on my friend's blogs and Etsy Stores- finding something
different and creative and one-of-a-kind items.
I think we all enjoy supporting each other and handmade items.
So check it out!
ETSY STORE

ART SHOW! A success- whew.....

one of the front doors
THE DAY of the BIG art SALE!
If you click on the above image you will see my name written on the door! I was so excited when I walked up and realized they had even decorated the windows.

The next thing I knew the girls were leading me over to counter to show me flowers that I had received from my Mom, my daughter and dearest friend! okay, I'm dropping tears by now.

But that was just the beginning of all the love and good things I would embrace for this special evening.

Friends came in from my church, my bookclub, my neighborhood, my yoga class, my art guild, all the way from ARizona, my HEART friends, little kids, older friends, new friends, lots of new faces, timid artists I could encourage, artists who had mentored me, artists who wanted to know, "what's next?". Even Sweet Farmer and his shop buddies (well my buddies too). I was so wired last night I could barely sleep.

 I SOLD 8 originals!!!

11 prints!!

25 card sets!!!

Many large single cards!!!

My art box!

ABOUT $1600.00 worth in one night as best I could tell.

THAT DOUBLED MY INVESTMENT PEOPLE!!

Yes, I was worried. I was a little naive about how much an artist really invested to show their paintings. I had not counted all the costs like framing, matting, printing, postcards, postage, staging, etc. That doesn't even count the time to create the art.

I learned so much!

But BOY I'm glad it paid off! WHEW! And these paintings will hang for another 2 weeks so I expect that I could sell a few more in that time. 

But the greatest gift- HONESTLY- was the time people took out of their busy lives to come out and support me and encourage me. It would have felt successful to me to just have had the guts to hang them and to know that lots of people liked them. BUT BUYING THEM IS SUCH A VALIDATION, I admit.

And those of you who have encouraged me from afar, THANK YOU and wow! dreams happen if you just dare to be brave and true to your calling deep within you.

Italy - HERE I COME!

Can you tell- I'm still running on a heavy dose of relief and unadulterated JOY!

One day the sky opened up and showed me God's heart.

Heart sightings. This one is for Chrissy- if you don't know Chrissy you must go visit.
She has one of the most freckled, darling, loving, thoughtful, cheery hearts of any one I know.
I met her at Artful Journey. EVERYONE loves her. Who can say that??
You'll love her too. And she'll introduce you to the most wonderful people.
And stuff. Beware. She's caused me to pull my credit card out several times.
She started heart sightings and she collects them from all over the world.
Who says I can't take a good picture?? This was with my old camera outside my front door (2008)
It made me cry.
I hope you feel the love.
Find your own heart sighting and send it on to Chrissy.

Did I mention that I like to paint faces? It's addicting I tell you. Sweet Farmer suggested I make a box of faces. His idea was more

complicated but I thought I would, at least, try it and see how well the paint would take and what a great little canvas(s)ss! I've seen others try this and I loved how you could have a three-dimensional art object upon completion. 

If you want to see some really fantastic altered boxes head on over to Diane's blog  She is like the queen of this technique and a very sharing artist. Check out her Etsy store while you're at it- her jewelry will blow you away too.

Whew- after that ride, it's a little daunting to show my first attempts but she has inspired me many times!

I added wooden beads for a stand and a wooden knob that I painted to match for interest.

This passion for faces just keeps on finding a new rabbit trail.

No poverty of spirit, no poor indifferent places

Mixed media 8x8 wrapped canvas

Journaling has helped me spend some time imagining. Daring myself to dance with myself and taking the muffs off my ears to hear what is planted in my heart. I'm really listening now, paying acute attention....What is that stirring in me? It's a low growl, or is it more like a muffled howl? Something is wanting to hunt, to find, to uncover, to excavate what is hidden, what is my own treasure map. I uncover silver coins now and then, but I know there are more, much more. But for the most part, it's a deep, broad place I must explore further with many rooms, deep crevices. It captures me in places. It's entices me deeper in. It's daunting. It's a thousand paintings away- minus some. Some days I can't get there fast enough and some days I just want to meander on the path and look around, and some days the fog covers my path, visionLESS. But it always lifts and leaves me standing there looking into the looking glass, wondering how far I will go this time before something calls me back from the exploring, the digging. The imagining....

If your everyday life seems poor, don't

blame it; blame yourself; admit to

yourself that you are not enough of a poet

to call forth its riches; because for the

creator there is no poverty and no poor

indifferent places.            

                    - Rainer Maria Rilke