Friday, January 30, 2009

What Tarot Card am I?

While I am not a true believer, after taking this quiz, it was kind of cool that it fit so well... I'm not so sure I'm as beautiful as the Empress on the card ;), but It was fun, none-the-less... (I also usually appreciate the art on Tarot cards!)

You are The Empress

Beauty, happiness, pleasure, success, luxury, dissipation.
The Empress is associated with Venus, the feminine planet, so it represents, beauty, charm, pleasure, luxury, and delight. You may be good at home decorating, art or anything to do with making things beautiful.

The Empress is a creator, be it creation of life, of romance, of art or business. While the Magician is the primal spark, the idea made real, and the High Priestess is the one who gives the idea a form, the Empress is the womb where it gestates and grows till it is ready to be born. This is why her symbol is Venus, goddess of beautiful things as well as love. Even so, the Empress is more Demeter, goddess of abundance, then sensual Venus. She is the giver of Earthly gifts, yet at the same time, she can, in anger withhold, as Demeter did when her daughter, Persephone, was kidnapped. In fury and grief, she kept the Earth barren till her child was returned to her.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Going, Going, Going, Going....

I haven't stopped today! It's 11PM and I'm finally settling in to watch Dark Shadows with my honey. It's a nightly ritual. I was too scared to watch when it was actually on TV, so I've become a fan!

I went to painting tonight after Subway with Lobo. I took the chicken painting I've started... I still have trouble adding yellows. I did a little and then went on to the chicken wire. Sometimes I feel like I'm doing so good, and I'm pleased with my work, then I get to painting and I find myself feeling very inadequate. It could be that I haven't been to painting in a month or so, and it could also be the lack of time I've spent with brush in hand.

...and while this isn't painting related, I'm selling my bike. I'd been painting so often and trying to get the co-op off the ground, and physical ickiness - I hadn't been riding. ...it's a 2002 Ridley Speedster. I'm going to miss having her around, but she deserves to be ridden!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

2 weeks without paint...

I hadn't picked up a paintbrush in two weeks, but last night I started painting a commission of Red Aseel/Asil chickens (a rooster and a hen). I had felt a little afraid that I may have lost something in the way of "how to" ...but it this case it wasn't like I preach... "You don't use it you lose it!' It was still fun and alot seemed to come a little easier than usual. I'll chick - no, I mean click a picture of it as I progress and share results when I get there. I didn't get to paint tonight. Had to come home from work a little early - fought a migraine all day. It got the better of me around 2. Slept until a few minutes ago. I hope I can make it to painting tonight.

Oh, had a nice surprise at work today. A guy that works for the state in Voc Rehab services stopped by for business and round aboutly we discovered we were at same Guild meeting last month. His photo gallery is: http://www.myphotographsonline.com/ I really like the MIssion photos... remind me of National Geographic works. There are also pics of the Guild. His name is Alan. I look forward to him working with some of our students, and enjoying his photography. You go do the same if you'd like. (at least until I can add another one or two photos here!)

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Me-ow in Oil


"Look into My Eyes!"

I've been working on my nieces portraits from a photo. I took it to art class the other day and my instructor brought out the oils. I had never used them before. It was fun, the frustrating, the fun, then frustrating. (One day I'll finish the painting for all to see. I decided to pull them out at home and see what I could come up with. Without committing myself to a looney bin while trying to get techniques down. The ACEO size was perfect to practice with. This is what I came up with... The photo doesn't give the eyes their due, but they do look pretty good if I do say so myself! I still don't have the hang of it, but I see a bit better how it's done. Acrylic will probably be my dru - er, I mean medium of choice.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

ACEO Heaven

What is an ACEO, you may ask? Well, for me, it's been heaven. When I have a little time, and want to get creative, but not enough time to do an 8" X 10" or bigger, I pull out the standard size 2.5 x 3.5 size card stock, watercolor paper, or canvas, pull out the baby paint tubes and fine tip pens and markers, watercolor pencils, and what ever else I want to and get down to it.

The first ACEOs I created were the first art pieces that sold. They were the ones that gave me my permission to call myself an artist! These buyers, really probably have no idea how important their purchase was to me. They were not people I know, or people that are related to me, or even friends of a friend. For this reason, I knew someone appreciated my art, based on the art itself... not just because they feel obligated because I am who I am.

The two pictured above here were those two that first sold. (The top one I original had considered throwing away.) They both are living in NYC somewhere, and I have several more! They are my fledglings. I just pray my artists wings will work well and soar as well! The one on the left is in Calhoun County!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

No longer a comment virgin!


A special thanks to Sandy Sandy, a fellow SmARTist, who posted the first comment! I'm hoping she will be the first of many, from many. I also just added a "myspace" space. I just realized just how extensive the on-line networking can be. I LOVE looking for and at the artists' blogs. (I've also found quite a few of my former students! ...so they'd better behave! lol) I'll be looking at facebook and twitter in the next few days.


Hmmmm - so what to post tonight. I think you'll get my "Boats fer Rent" - I know it's an odd perspective, but I remember 4th of July at the Dead Lakes - Uncle James & Aunt Pearl's place. If I remember right, to get to the lake, you had to go down the hill, and there were several small docks. I also found a Dead Lakes picture or two from the Florida Memory Project . It has a large archive of photos from the state with a pretty good search tool. Great site!
This painting all started with the cricket cage I purchased at an estate auction. It caught my eye and reminded me of one of those childhood memories that gets massaged occasionally. It's hard to see detail, but there are crickets in the cage, worms in the boat, a turtle on the bank and fish shadows in the water.... and a bug here and there.... hope you like.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Here, have a new one...


A little difficult to grab all the detail and hidden animals, but the old-fashioned climbing roses and the cone flowers reminds me a little of my grandmother's garden.

The bird houses boast old tags from Calhoun County and the pathway leads to a cozy little spot to "set a spell" , read a little and play fetch with the pup. All that's missing is you!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

A Horse of Many Colors.


I had been looking at a couple of Southwest Art magazines and was inspired to do this one. I like to do bold unexpected colors. (I have a bookcase I painted for the co-op that has a large funky colored tree on it that is in the same style.) These kinds of paintings seem to come quickly and flow once they get started.... and they are fun without a lot of thinking. I think doing things in unexpected colors helps me exercise my skill of seeing light and dark and shades in between. I'm hoping it will lead me to better ability to do more realistic looking paintings. I'd like the ability to do realism if/when I wanted to - but I'm not sure realism will be my "niche".
Painting to me is therapy, and when the real doesn't look real combined with my sick desire for perfection - it may not be the best idea for me to think realism will be my voice. BUT, I do love a good challenge. Guess I need to listen to my mood and let it dictate what the painting will be. Hey maybe that's why I seem to have 5 paintings started at one time! lol Anyway - I present my Horse of Many Colors and hope you enjoy! The original is an 8" x 10" acrylic.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

SmArtist Artist ...in training...

A few weeks ago I took a leap of faith and have invested in myself and my art by registering and committing to a telesummit. If you click on the title you'll go to their registration web page to find out all they are offering. You know some of us education types.... suckin up all the information we can about what we do. I actually enjoy those meetings and inservices I go to when it applies to something I'm interested in. Things like brain research and how it applies to learning. Treatment of ADHD, (now all known as ADD I understand), etc. Now I will admit I CONSTANTLY doodle during most, but I have ADD so I can multi-task... no I NEED to multi-task in order to pay attention! ...but I digress.

I'm really excited about getting the information. Self-supporting artists - portfolios - how to find corporate buyers , tax and law information and more... all in the next 7 days. All from what appears to be credible qualified people. It's all going to be completed via an on-line format and I'll get a CD and a link if I can't catch it as it is taking place. (Which is a GREAT thing because in spite of my registering for the pre-summit sessions, I wasn't able to get to any of them as they were taking place!)

...soooo I'll be pretty busy these next few days and I may not post anything (also trying hard to do regularly) for a little bit. I am adding two photos... one of a tractor a former student now an adult and friend (Thanks Tonya!!!) took a picture of and then the painting I created from it.
As someone with strong roots in a rural farming area this was "home" and easy to invision the what the inside of the barn might look a little like (which was fabricated from a shallower region of the brain ;). I seem to have a "cartoony" (to me) edge to most of my attempts toward realism - but to me pleasing to my eye. I like the monochromatic color scheme here and learning the white/black color mixing to create the difference in shade was a little challenging. Definitely a learning experience! Hope you enjoy too!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Putting it in Order...


I just have finished painting the tops of my paint and putting them in my new organizer. I'm forever moving from home to school to class and it's been abnormally challenging to find the right color when ever the tubes were just dumped into a traveling bag. I'm hoping the craft tote I purchased will make the flow of paint go easier.

Newsworthy, our co-op didn't make it. ...not enough people to commit to their part in order to pay rent for this month. I'm glad we didn't have a lease. I feel with a little bit more planning initially would have helped us make it a little longer. I've not given up on the thought, and talks of another building has already emerged.

Also, I'd like to thank the members of the Northwest Florida Artist Guild for making me feel at home at my first meeting. I paid my dues, and look forward to our monthly meeting and workshop. The visiting artist was Joan Matey who does "miniature assemblages; mixed media art oddities, puppets and stage props" (got that straight from the site.) She spoke about art and emotional expression. She was featured in a documentary about her Bye, Bye, Bi-Polar Bears assembly, which is now in the appreciative hands of Patch Adams. It was quite a piece! Who would have thought I would start my first Art Guild meeting with tears. The piece was in honor/homage to a brother-in-law who had struggled with mental illness. Very moving, and hits close to home. Joan's creativity pours from her pores. I was inspired.

The painting added tonight I'm calling "Calling on Eagle Ancestors" and it's a 16" X 20" acrylic that started as finger painting. "I love playing in paint!" It is to honor the Native American woman's strength, power, humble & internal pride which can be paralleled with the characteristics of an Eagle. I love the colors and contrast. ...I'm learning and loving!

Friday, January 2, 2009


An abstract for fun... Entitled "Entwined". The original is still for sell, but I've sold note cards created in its honor.

This was one of those that just happened... (Same size as "Lobo's Boots")

One of the most difficult things I've found initially has been pricing my work. I have been told, the going rate for original paintings is $1 per square inch. So, that being the case, this one should have around a $600 price tag. I'll take it - but at this point in figuring out the importance of my art in my financial flow, all is negotiable!!!

Lobo's Boots and Realized Dreams...


It's been so long since I've been here, I had forgotten I had already posted this print photo. But - I'm leaving the post as I posted today. (Just illustrates my brain hiccups!) ...and so it goes:


This is the one that started it all...sorta. Many, many years ago I painted a picture of a washtub of roses. It was probably over 15 years ago. ...and it didn't produce many internal oooo's and ahs. There were a couple others in-between then and this one, with a lot of nibbles of creativity here and there. ...and then I got the bug.

This is a 32" x 40" acrylic (or some measurement like that - I'm in bed and don't feel like getting up... kidney stone #6 I'm afraid - and the memory capacity for numbers continuously diminishes!) It is entitled "Lobo's Boots" and I started with the real boots in front of me. I took the liberty of adding the background with a little biker consultation. I was tickled with the results. While I'm usually pretty content with self-satisfaction, the people in Lobo's life KNEW they were his boots. This external validation fueled the fire.

Since Lobo's Boots my art career has gradually moved upward. A charter member of Big River Valley Art Co-op, I'm getting expert instruction from a local professional, I've finished SEVERAL more paintings and feel I can legitimately call myself an artist. Someone besides family and friends have purchased originals and prints, with their new homes from New York City to Tallahassee. I'm stoked and realize I don't have enough time in the day to do what I love!

My plan is to use this blog as a means to share my work, the fun, the frustrations, the lessons and learning that happen as this part of my life develops. In the next few days I will be adding the collection and hope you come back soon!