I'm dreaming of my Flight to Florence

"Take Flight to Florence" mixed media on watercolor paper

I am dreaming of my flight to Italy. It's less than 3 weeks away!! Did I raise all the money with my paintings???? (for those of you who are new here that was my goal)

No. But a little more than half. About $2600.  Which is more than I would have raised had I not tried at all.

But if you count the clothes, and the spending money I'm taking with me, I think my farming actually paid for my trip. But YAH! anyway.  Every year I want to raise a little more money with my art. And I did that this year ...again.

Of course, I started out the first year with like- hmmm...$85.00.

I've never told this story but one of the first paintings I sold was actually a painting I did after reading an article on Kelly Rae Robert's art  in Cloth, Paper Scissors magazine. Once someone said they wanted to purchase it (exciting day)... I wrote Kelly and asked permission to sell it as it was practically a copy of her original (a bad copy) and she graciously said "yes". Since then, I've learned that a lot of artist start out that way , I mean, copying other people's stuff. I've always been glad that I asked permission and I also gave her credit on the back of the painting and told the girl that purchased it about Kelly and her art in case she wanted other things.

I am really enjoying my Layered Impressions class with Katie Kendrick . She is the QUEEN of creative texture and artistic play. If you want more of that in your art take her on-line class, or order her DVD or buy her book. It has been very freeing for me and I am exploring new paths and loving my paints again.

Big woop that Nourish Your Mind was entered in the Eastern New Mexico State fair by a friend who purchased the original and it won a section (mixed-media) prize ($25.00) and so has a chance at Best of Show. 

I hope you're finding ways to enjoy your art and enhance your life.

Treasure The Everyday

In honor of the new season, i wanted to do a fall painting. Plus, i had a small box from Golden of sample gels and paste and a new bottle of Gac 200.
(These are all polymers that mix with acrylic paint for different textures and different results.)
All these, and some new acrylics and a museum profile canvas box (10X10)made for a very sweet day yesterday. For the life of me, i wasn't smart enough to photograph it to show you all the fun textures and molded stamps hidden throughout the painting.

So many of you have followed this journey with me of learning to draw and paint. You've seen me

make lots of studies of popular artist and try to re-create, in a more humble version, something of what I saw in theirs. But now, I'm trying to create without looking at anything - painting intuitively, they say... and it's a lot scarier but so rewarding, when after much effort you begin to see something that would actually attract you if someone else painted it. All the studies and all the practice have helped me to begin to make my own stuff. I'll always be a student, but I feel like i'm looking over my safe nest, getting strong enough to take flight. Your encouragement has meant everything....without it, i'm certain i wouldn't have had the courage to keep pushing myself out of the nest.

But if this isn't something that makes you smile, maybe you will enjoy what is playing on my front porch as we speak.

It truly amazes when I look around and see the many faces of Eve.

Today, I had two girlfriends drop by and one bought a piece of art from me after the other friend had practically sold it to her before she got here. I really appreciated her purchase but I mostly appreciated their encouragement and affirmation that what I was doing had value.

Both of these women are working out of their homes. One has become a very talented photographer and is soaring with her craft. The other is creating beautiful wooden crosses and wooden art plaques that are way beyond classy!

They both understand the need to network and encourage each other. When you work at home there are no peers within your four walls to motivate you, push you higher, or to educate you further. You must do that all for yourself. It was so nice to have real-life girlfriends show up and share their own struggles, joys and interest at building their business at home. And I love selling paintings so that I can keep doing what I truly love.

I wonder how others stay motivated to create their best work whether its done in or outside their homes.