The Ultimate in Industrial Chic Decor!

Exciting news... November 8th my work will be in 2 galleries! I will have 4 paintings at the Marco Fuoco Gallery and the Pink Angel at Tangent Gallery. I will have to divide my time between both openings that night. It's going to be crazy fun! I'm so excited!


A stairway to heaven? No. It's a section of the original Eiffel tower that is going to be sold by Sotheby's on November 26th as part of their 20th Century Decorative Arts & Design sale in Paris. So here's your chance, a rare opportunity to own a piece of Paris and a piece of history! For more info about the Eiffel tower and this sale you can visit www.artdaily.org. I wonder what the shipping cost would be...

If I were to go to Paris you wouldn't catch me going up the Eiffel Tower. I am terrified of heights and not too fond of elevators either. This video even makes me woozie. I don't think I'd be able to walk up either. I think the iron work is amazing and would be happy just to gaze up at it in awe. It is truly a large piece of art.

Reflection & Vision

Today I went to see a financial planner and put some things in order. When he wrote down that my profession was an Artist the reality of it hit me. That was the first time I have legally been identified as an Artist. My identity for the past 25 years has been Sr. Mortgage Underwriter. That's who I was. Oh sure people have told me that I'm an artist for years when they saw my work, or gifts that I gave them, etc... but it wasn't my profession, my job, my livelyhood, not really who I was or how I made my living. That simple little action made me feel strange and uneasy. After I left I began to reflect on my journey this past year. How much I have changed. How much my life has changed. How much I have learned. One year ago I had no idea what a widget or html was. How much I have grown as an artist finding my own technique and style. How many wonderful new people I have in my life as a result of my art and putting myself out there, and how rewarding life outside the cubicle can be. I'm actually living my passion which is something I never imagined I would be able to do or had the guts to do. I make only a fraction of what I am accustom to, but I am rich. I am blessed.

I will share one thing that I did this past year that I thought was wacky and didn't really think it would work, but maybe it does. I saw a portion of an Ophra show about making a Vision Board. Wish I had seen the entire show. The gist of it was to create a Vision Board, which is based on the Laws of Attraction, that is full of things you would like or like to acheive. Well I had to make one! Honestly when I set out to make it, it really was because it looked like fun and I love to cut up magazines and collage. It may have worked for the people on her show or maybe it was coincidence, I didn't think that it could really work for me but what could it hurt? I set the board on the wall to the right of me where I paint. I see it out of the corner of my eye when painting. I look at it every day. I don't always read everything I have on it but it's there and not easily ignored. Mine is mostly words and quotes. God in large letters is in the center of my board. I do have a few pictures, for instance I have a picture of Florence, Italy, somewhere I would really like to visit one day. Sorry I won't post a picture of my board because it is personal and that would feel a little bit like I was showing you a picture of my underwear. But as I reflected today on this past year, I have to say that it may have helped. I know for a fact it certainly didn't hurt. Try making your own Vision board. It's fun. Check out eHow for directions or google Vision Boards. I plan on making another one soon. God will be in the center of that one too. I guess when all is said and done, Vision Board or not, you can become who you want to be. You are who you want to be.

I Have Plans!

My Pink Angel will be in the exhibit in the Pink Week Show at Tangent Gallery Nov 8th! I am also taking a painting to The Marco Fuoco Gallery tomorrow. I'm so excited & honored to be chosen!

My husband and I had planned to leave for Long Beach on Sunday but will have to postpone until Monday afternoon. I have to take the painting over to the Gallery on Monday. I am truly a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl. If I had some vacation, I wouldn't have to plan anything out. I could get in the car and where ever I end up I'm fine with that. I'll have fun where ever I am. I don't like big planning. It's hard enough for me to plan out my day! I like a general idea of a plan. Nothing ever goes as planned anyway. Ever notice that? You plan, you create fantastic scenarios in your head of how something is going to be... does it ever turn out that way? Nope. My husband on the other hand inherited his fine planning abilities from his mother. She was a planner and he's the planner in this house. He doesn't get as disappointed and upset as his mother did when things don't go as planned, but he does get a bit agitated, then he makes new plans. I don't. It's all an adventure. I do hate being late for anything though, so if something is planned at a certain time I don't like to be late, however, if I'm there on time and the plans fall to pieces, I don't care. I must say that when our children were little it was nice having him be the planner and they are better for it too. He's planned lots of adventures for us, not all went as planned but were fun anyway. Are you a planner? or do your fly like me?

A Little More OCD Wouldn't Hurt

If I could pick OCD for more things I don't think that would be a bad thing for me. I have a touch of OCD when it comes to my alarm clock. I have to check it at least 3 times before I can relax. Once to set it, next to make sure I set it, and next to make sure I didn't bump it and unset it when I checked the last time. haha But that's about it for me. I don't read horoscopes but I do know that I am a Gemini/Cancer right smack dab on the cusp. So what they say about both really does apply to me. My husband says I really do have almost 3 personalities at times. What that adds up to is a little bit of chaos and oh yes I can be moody. I make a list of things I want to get done for the day and it is so hard sticking to it. I typically run off task and do other things instead of sticking to the list. I do accomplish at least some of it per day, just wish I wouldn't get sidetracked as much. I'd like to have OCD when it comes to sticking to my list and working out. Jackie Warner and I haven't been friends lately. LOL If I mention that to my mother she might tell me the story that I have heard nearly all my life about how she lost a ton of weight by eating just popcorn one summer living at the beach, which reminds me....

I happen to catch an episode of Alton Brown's Good Eats show last week. I don't normally watch his show because frankly he's just too goofy & corny for my taste, *little pun* however, I was really glad I saw this one. I have lots of stainless steel bowls so I went straight out and bought some regular popcorn to try making it his way. (Not on the list of things to do, went anyway) Not only was it fantastic, it is much more economical that microwaved popcorn. My family loves it and it's time for a new bag already. What is really cool is that if you eat it straight out of the bowl you popped it in, the bowl stays warm and so does your popcorn. So get out your stainless steel bowls, run to the store and pick up a big bag of popcorn, then click on the link and watch the video! Maybe stop & get a movie too it's Friday night....wait! Better make a list...haha
(Please pause my playlist below to listen to video)

One Trick Pony...Not My Bubba!

Hitting a blog blank today, I asked my youngest son what should I blog about. He said me! Then showed me this video that I had no idea he had made and put on the internet. Not only is he an awesome drummer & guitarist, he's also pretty awesome with a deck of cards. When he wants to learn something he hits it with a determination that few ever have. He practices and practices, it becomes almost an obsession, until he perfects it. Growing up I never had to tell him to practice, more often I had to tell him to stop! Now I've seen almost all of his tricks, so what do I notice while watching this? My antique tablecloths nicely scrunched over to the side of course! hahaha Gotta love the baby! Bubba Mom thinks you're amazing! This is an art!



*Please mute the playlist below to listen to the video*

Brainstorm or Storm in Brain?!

Wow it's been almost a week since I've blogged! Time is flying by so quickly! I've been busy painting, loving on my kids and dealing with horrible headaches the last few days.

I've painted a totally of 2 ACEOs in the past for a Swell Sister trade and so I decided to do some more to possibly sell. Well it's hard for me to hold the little card in hand and paint so I thought I had a brainstorm. I traced the card onto canvas paper 6 times, painted them and then cut them out. The dilemma is that I can't color within the lines! I cut them a little larger for framing but I think they look a little messy. I then decided I'd put the card over the painting and paint black around it. Well that didn't work out well either. So I will end up cutting them out exactly to the ACEO size with no border. I don't collect these and really don't know what people do with them but I do know people seem to buy & love these little paintings. Here are a couple...

I liked the yellow so much I decided to do a yellow on wood and started one on a large canvas too. Since my brainstorm didn't work out as well as I thought it would (I did have a headache) I will have to go back to holding the little card in hand or attaching it to paper or canvas so I can paint them. I will be listing for sale the following paintings on 5 x 5 recycled wood tomorrow. Haven't decided on Etsy or

Ebay. These are different than my normal Aura Angels. I decided to challenge myself, have a little fun and use no more than 3 colors in each not counting black & white instead of every color in the rainbow.

I also finally finished the funky little farm paintings for my adorable little JJ's room. I still have to do a horse of course!

I have also been doing more work on my gallery pieces for the December show and started painting a fun winery painting. It's not finished but I'll share a picture anyway. This painting reminds me of a wonderful Port Release Party at Madrona Winery in Apple Hill a few years ago. The weather was beautiful and the tables were elegantly set up in the middle of the vineyard around a big oak tree. The port that we bought had that oak tree done in 23 carat gold on the bottle. The food was fabulous and wine was flowing all night long. They had a great band and we met a lot of really fun people. It was a little uncomfortable at first sitting with people you don't know but after a bottle or 2 they were like best friends! hahaha A couple actually followed us home and we drank even more wine sitting on the patio listening to music until the wee hours of the morning. The next day wasn't as much fun that's all I'm saying.

**Update Wednesday...Paintings now listed on Ebay

"Wash Me" I Don't Think So!

The next time my husband complains about my car I'll tell him I'm starting a new project!


Please mute my Playlist below to Listen

A big shout out goes to Fervent Butterfly on Etsy for featuring one of my prints in her lovely Treasury called Flight of the Angels. Her shop on Etsy is full of beautiful photography. Thanks Fervent Butterfly!

Made Your Christmas List Yet?

I finished up a painting I was working on this morning called "Prayer Meeting" and it is now listed on Ebay for sale. I incorporated fine sand for lots of texture in this one and painted it "rustically", not over painting it and letting some of the background show through. I also relisted 2 that did not sell. I was surprised that the blue roman looking one didn't sell, she's one of my favorites and so pretty in person, however, now with Ebay's best match thing, unless you pay $16 or more to list, your paintings don't get any views & are buried in the back, and she had very little views. I may be listing some prints, however, they will be in my store. I've been a little blue lately over sales. I have some wonderful regular customers/collectors, however, if things don't pick up a little I may have to start seriously thinking about hitting the pavement and go back to life in a cubicle. I browsed through some of the art on Ebay last night and it's not just me. Sales on Ebay aren't what they were last year at this time. Maybe it is the economy, maybe it's all of Ebay's changes...or my art...

I am submitting my "Pink" Angel to Tangent Gallery for a show in November tomorrow. I have been agonizing over my artist statement. We'll see what happens. I have pretty much completed my paintings for the Coffee Garden show December 13th and will be starting some small paintings for charity donation at that show. I am also going to be starting some new mermaid angel paintings. I haven't painted a mermaid angel for a while and miss them a bit. I plan to be listing a couple of mermaid angel greeting cards on Etsy today or tomorrow as well.

My Joyful Dream Beach Angel with beautiful autumn colors was featured in another Etsy Treasury this weekend by EllieLee. Her shop is full of beautiful flower photography and lovely ACEOs, definitely worth a moment to check out. Thank you EllieLee!

What?! Only 70 something days to Christmas! Don't hate me for saying that! Start shopping, original art is always great gift and there are definitely some great deals on original art on Ebay!

Lucky in Atlanta

The High Museum of Art in Atlanta is presently exhibiting The Louvre and the Masterpiece. The exhibition features 91 pieces of art spanning over 4000 years! If you are close to Atlanta or live in Atlanta go! Then send me pictures of all of it! I'd love to see this painting in person. I could probably stare at it for hours. Love it!

Georges de La Tour, “The Card-Sharp (with Ace of Diamonds)” 17th century. Oil on canvas, 41 3/4 x 57 1/2 inches.

Indie Collaborative Piece by the Swell Sisters

I went to a SS meeting last night and brought home another collaborative project. I wasn't planning on taking another but several women insisted I take it. Everyone has been calling it the "Rasta Girl". The Rasta Girl actually started out as a "Bongo Guy"! I worked on it most of the day. I stared at her for a few hours last night and had an idea of what I would do today. The canvas is huge. 30 x 40. I'm not much taller than that! I have only done one painting that large. This is my last "Indie" until next year. It's been a lot of fun doing these projects. I've promised some pictures of a collaborative piece so here goes! I will share the whole progression with you, first to last. The last picture with the greenery is what I added to the piece. I may add a couple Bird of Paradise flowers to it but I'm not sure if someone else is going to work on her after me, if not then I may add it. You can click on a picture for a larger view. Honestly, it was so tempting to turn her into an Angel *hehe* Now I want to do an Angel on a super large canvas just for fun!

Ut Oh I'm Hooked

Again! I have a million things to do and I did nothing but a little housework and lots of crochet today. Last night my son & his fiancee came over and she laid down her things, turned to me holding out her purse & said "Remember this?" It was a cute black crocheted purse with a big crocheted sunflower on the front flap & lined with tiny black & white striped fabric. It took me a minute to realize I had made that! I had made it & gave it to her when she was in high school with my son about 4 yrs ago! I had forgotten it. Then she said that she wants 4 more of them! (hum...maybe Christmas) I have to admit they are really "in" now. I am touched that she still had it! I had made the sunflower with vintage yarn and had forgotten just how cute it was. So I pulled out my big bucket of yarn scrapes and started another one, maybe for myself or maybe for my Etsy store. I have the front done... I don't see anything like them on Etsy. Time is a factor so maybe I'll just write the pattern down & sell that and let those who are also "hooked" make their own. She also asked me if I could make her a scarf with pockets. Personally I thought those were sort of granny garb but what do I know, I am fashion challenged. I had planned to make a cool scarf with a hoodie attached for myself (I love hoodies) & possibly for christmas presents but now that she mentioned pockets...hum... I may have to add those to it. Might be interesting!

I love going into Thrift Stores and finding yarn from days gone by that is in good condition. I usually have to sneak it in the house to avoid my husband's eyes rolling to the back of his head and hearing about how much yarn I already have! Actually with my huge collection of craft things obtained over the years he really hasn't complained much in the scheme of things. When I pull it out to use it I always wonder what plans the person had for it, if they ever finished it, etc... I call my vintage scrap bucket my "Lost Lots". Yarn is dyed in lots and it's very disturbing to be making something, run out of yarn, go get more that says it's the same color only to get it home and realize it doesn't really match. It wasn't dyed in the same lot. I learned my lesson the hard way & now always buy a bit extra just in case. So when buying yarn make sure the "lot" number is the same on all skeins that you buy.

Working on my artist statement for the upcoming gallery shows is driving me crazy. Writing and re-writing. I am not a writer! I don't want it to read too artsy fartsy or too simple either. I am under the gun to get it done too and I sit on the computer, or have a hook or paint brush in my hand. It's the big elephant in my room or a big dark looming cloud over my head. Answering questions like why I paint what I do is hard! What compels me? What does it all mean? Ugh! I wish someone could just write it for me!

Finally!

Rain! It happened on Friday. It was wonderful but didn't last long enough for me. I didn't go walking in it or dancing in it but I opened all the windows & turned on the whole house fan and breathed it all in.


I listed some new paintings on Ebay and have been working on my large piece. I have changed their faces several times almost repainting the whole thing at times. The background has changed 3 times. I finally got them the way I want them. I think their faces now are intriguing and whimsical. Both have their own personality & their eyes follow you, all 4 of them! I did a black & white angel that is really haunting. It was a piece that I almost threw out but instead I completed it devoid of color.

Getting Out of Town

Sunday was a big road trip to Anderson, CA to have a little visit with my brother-in-law and his family. His step-daughter just had her first baby, a little girl. So cute and I came home without a picture! I did come home with a photo that he took with his digital camera looking out his front door. I think it's beautiful. They live out in the country not far from the Sacramento River (which was so beautiful that day I daydreamed for a split second of being on it in a boat & wondered how long the trip would be from our house to his on the river) He has a beautiful view of Mt Lassen. Volcano's freak me out. Regardless I still watch anything on tv about Mt Vesuvius or volcano's. When we went to Kauai a couple of years ago, was I worried about flying on top of thousands of gallons of fuel over hundreds of miles of open ocean? No. *enter Steward with Bloody Mary* Was I afraid a volcano might go off? Yes. *enter hula girl with Mai Tai* So I would have a hard time being comfortable living where they do, with a volcano staring at me everyday, but it's nice to visit them. I laughed & laughed all day. He also showed me 3 original pencil drawings done by a Dutch artist in 1939 that he bought at a flea market. He asked that I do some research on the artist Johannes Garardus Den Hengst. The only thing I could find were some of his water colors that had sold at big auction houses such as Christi's & Sotheby's. He might just have stumbled on to something fantastic! Good for him! He is going to do more research on his own now and I hope they are worth some good money as he plans to sell them. I wish I had a picture of them. They were unusual as they were of the inside of a cabin type home or a very modest home of that period and almost comical with old shoes sprawled on the floor. We made our usual stop on the way to The Olive Pit, in Corning, CA, one of my favorite places. Besides having lots of different kinds of olives, they have a great little gift shop & deli. The Martini olives are my favorite. They are the size of walnuts and so delicious. We bought so much the last time we were there that we only bought one little jar of Sweet lime, Pepper & Cilantro jelly this time. No olives. You can buy the jelly & olives online. I haven't had a drink for a long while. All the references to yummy drinks in this post it's making me want a cocktail or 2!

I have been working since. Getting new things painted and new listings online. I mailed out 2 commissions today and got more sales ready to mail. Yesterday I posted some new print listings, some are copies of a few in these 2 commissions. I used a photo program to create a picture as if they were matted & framed, then framed in a grouping in a contemporary room, however, I am selling these unframed. Sometimes it helps to visualize it all. These I listed on Etsy.

They are saying on the news today that we may have rain this weekend! Rain would be music to my ears & soul. I think if it does rain, (not getting my hopes up), I may have to get out in it and dance like Gene Kelly. My husband's band, Spotted Dog, has 2 shows and they are both outside, so maybe they will be canceled and he'll be staying home, dancing with me!