5 x 5 in.
My thanks expressed in a painting :)
And the winner of the original "lion" is commenter #94 Amanda!!!!! Congratulations!!
Thank you to everyone who commented and just know that there will be more giveaways to come!
They say that when "you give, you receive". So very true.
4 x 4 in.
This polar bear is finding his way into all sorts of things, from claw foot tubs to pumpkins :)
Before I go on with this post ~ let me just say, I mean shout:
LOVE you people!!!!!!
I know I’m hosting a giveaway on the post below but I still have to say that you all have gone above and beyond in sharing what Creative Thursday creations you’d like to see next, even going so far as to coming up with some other great ideas that I am seriously taking to heart. And I had no idea that hearing back from so many of you would inspire me so profoundly!! I woke up this morning incredibly excited to get going on some new directions!!
First of which is a "happy halloween card" with today’s painting featured. You can find it as a single or a set of 5 in my Etsy shop. I’ve listened and I’ve heard a lot of cheers for "cards" and I am planning more to come. Until then I just wanted to get this one ready in time for sending Halloween greetings. I meant to say that if you do have ideas for what images you would like to see on cards, please let me know. Honestly that is part of the delay, just deciding what images would be best, especially since I plan on printing them off site and would need to order larger quantities. I want to choose images that you would like. A "bird" theme assortment was once suggested to me so I’ve been thinking about that one to start with.
Thank you again and I’ll see you tomorrow with the winner!!!!!!!!!!
6 x 6 in.
More good news on a Friday! I did step out of my bubble for a moment to watch a little watered down news this morning and first I thought my usual sentiment of late "Good Lord" and then I thought ~ today might just be an especially good day to do something nice for you. In case you’ve been wanting a Creative Thursday lion, here’s your chance. I’m giving away one of my original paintings! Created for a special project, this lion has never been released for sale.
I’ve been wanting to host a giveaway since I returned from vacation back in July, and even eluded to an upcoming "surprise" for you back then ~ and after a lot of thought I am finally ready to put this post forth. As you know if you’re a regular visitor here, I’m at a special place in the evolution in Creative Thursday ~ standing at the crossroads, so to speak, and deciding which road to take ~ mostly to focus my energy and resources for the next step and also to keep myself creatively challenged and fulfilled. So I thought I’d ask you, especially my loyal customers, where would you like to see me go? Of course, I have many ideas for what I’d like to do next, but thought that getting your feedback on some of those ideas might be fun ~ especially since one of the best parts of having a blog like this is the opportunity to communicate with you directly.
So here goes ~ ideas for expanding Creative Thursday:
*Edit* Saturday morning ~ 37 comments in ~ this is great! It is really fun to hear from you. What I realized when I woke up is that I completely forgot to include a different direction that I have been pondering which would be more in the advising category, taking the podcasts a bit further... (If you want to add anything about these directions but have already left a comment, please feel free to comment again and I will just leave one of your comments out of the drawing) Oh and I also explained the "sketchbook" idea above. Thank you for your thoughts so far!!
That should be enough to get you started ~ :)
To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment below (make sure you list the correct email so I can contact you if you are the winner). You can simply say hello and if you feel inspired, please share your thoughts as to where you’d like to see Creative Thursday evolve to, based upon my list of choices above and any other ideas that you might want to share with me!
This giveaway will be open until this Monday, September 29 at midnight PST. Once closed, a random winner will be selected and announced Tuesday morning. Good luck and I look forward to hearing from you!
have a great weekend!
You know I love my friend Outi! So I can’t let this Friday go by without letting you know that she has finally listed her gorgeous ceramics over at her Etsy shop. Not only is Outi an immensely talented painter, but she’s been painting ceramics for quite a long time, and they are beyond WONDERFUL. And I should know because almost all of our mugs in our kitchen cabinets are Outi’s ~ including both "I am a Great Artist" and "I am a Great Writer" (for Sean) ~ simply a must for anyone to be greeted with the best reminder, "I am Great!", first thing in the morning. Personally, I like to keep the reminder going all day, first coffee, then water, then tea...I haven’t tried it yet for wine :). And on a practical note, these are all dishwasher safe and they do not get hot in the microwave, a quality I love since I have burned myself one too many times heating tea in the wrong kind of cup.
As of this week, you too can purchase one of these mugs (and she has a few of her vase’s up to!) for you or someone you love. (I know it’s a little early, but these make the best holiday gifts.) Plus you should know that if you purchase any of Outi’s work ~ you are supporting one of the nicest people I know.
It’s true!! I wanted to surprise you on this Creative Thursday with a brand NEW podcast!!
And a substantial one at that, just over 1 hour. I invited my newest creative friend, Amber Dusick, aka Woodmouse, and also the person I shared lunch and our recent earthquake with. We had such a fun discussion over lunch that I thought you might enjoy being introduced to Amber via a podcast. The two of us also wanted to specifically touch on the subject of competition among crafters and artists.
Without further adieu here we are discussing everything from tips on being an Etsy seller, to what we think of competition to the non-joys of shipping to remembering to focus on what makes you happy. And in keeping with tradition, this is recorded in the usual guerilla podcasting style, as we are also joined by Lulu, my great dane, a person’s car alarm and the occasional paparazzi helicopter, who are of course circling to photograph us.
I think you’ll really enjoy Amber’s spirit ~her enthusiasm, sincerity and genuinely honest candor as she shares her thoughts on being a fellow creative entrepreneur.
click above to listen now
click here to download MP3
Download Instructions
Mac Users option click and Windows users right click on link above to download the file.
Links featured in today’s podcast ~
Amber’s websites:
do-it-yourself-weddings.com
make-baby-stuff.com
Amber’s Blog
Amber’s Etsy shop, Woodmouse
Also, the wonderful author I mentioned at the end of the recording
Tama Kieves
Tama’s Book: "This Time I Dance"
(I highly, highly recommend this book, especially if you are just now summoning the courage to start out on this journey)
6 x 6 in.
Speaking of bubbles, who wouldn’t love to be in a bubble in say Italy? Specifically Tuscany. You may or may not know that it’s a little dream of ours to live there one day, probably part time. Something about that landscape, architecture, food, wine, olive oil and overall way of life, in the country, not the city that really speaks to us.
Today, continuing on with more of the "realism" series, this time with a landscape, my characters, you may recognize them as Oscar and Olive of course, are in Italy. Laura left a comment last week about my new realism pieces reminding her of the traveling postcard gnome in the most beautiful movie Amelie...It could be fun to make my characters travel around the world...if only I could go with them! For now they are in Italy, which we hope to return to soon.
5 x 7 in.
Believe it or not, this is inspired by a real lamp that exists, sans the "real" owls of course. I found it featured in a beautiful living room in an old issue of House and Garden. And of course, continuing with my "realism" series ~ I thought it would be fun to paint, but then add "real" owls to it, as if this lamp actually came with them. Then I thought what would a cat do with a lamp that was holding real owls, well observe it, or spend a very long time staring at it.
Coffee with Sean. All this week we’ve been meeting here in the morning for lengthy discussions from everything to the economy to finding peace while shopping in Trader Joes to enjoying the feeling of fall in the morning air. I realize when Sean and I do take the time to linger over coffee, we’ve slowed down to a healthy pace in our lives. In fact today is the first day in quite a while where my schedule feels wide open in front of me and I am breathing a nice sigh of relief. I’m experimenting with not making any scheduled plans for the next few weeks, instead leaving socializing open to spontaneity and how I’m feeling on any given day. The fact that I feel a sense of relief is a sign that this is exactly the kind of space I need right now. Hey, the beauty of the life I’ve built for myself is having this kind of freedom in my schedule and I’m not going miss it any more either...!
In light of the present state of "things" in this country, I feel inspired to share some of our coffee time discussion here. Before coffee, I popped in on some blogs this morning and realized that there’s a reason I haven’t been visiting many blogs lately. And if my own blog seems a little me-centric, there’s a reason for that too. Along with leaving some space around me, being in my own bubble these days has been important for my sense of peace. And as you can see from the photo above, my own bubble is a pretty nice place to be.
I’m realizing that the more internet focused I become, the stronger I need to be in my sense of self, for a number of reasons, one of which is this ~ the more connected we are, the less genuinely "connected" we are, because we are overloaded with knowing too much about everyone and everything. It used to be that all we knew about was what was happening in our very own neighborhoods. In my opinion there’s TOO much information out there between television, radio, and now the internet, and that’s probably only going to increase. And if you’re not feeling strong in your sense of self it is just way too easy to be buffeted about by what’s happening outside of your own bubble. And while it can be good to be informed, and aware of what’s happening in the world, if it’s not in your control ~ or effecting you directly, it can be very upsetting to know too much. I was reminded of this yesterday, when I made the mistake of tuning into Suze Orman on Oprah. Good Lord, while this woman may be financially savvy, she really needs to be checked on how she talks to people. Not only did I leave that show feeling fearful of my financial well being, but concerned about how human beings, especially those with a false sense of power, treat each other. And then I came back to my own bubble, making dinner, planting some flowers and I felt better again. :)
I guess what I’m really trying to say here is this ~ it’s a good time to be more focused on your own every day life. Along with that, I want to say again how much I appreciate those of you who are willing to step out of your own bubble to come and visit me here ~ and if you ever need to take a blogging break from this blog, or go away all together because you think I’m rambling too much, I certainly understand. And now you know why, if I’m not visiting you as often as I used to, it’s because being here in my own bubble is what’s feeling best right now. In fact staying close to home, both virtually and physically, is what’s refueling my own creative juices as well as inspiring me to share more here at my blog. I promise to continue to make it a nice bubble to visit in this wide, wide world of the internet, especially during these times, because not only do we need to surround ourselves with more uplifiting ideas ~ But also if any of us are going to take the time to visit other blogs, or take in any more information, I think it should be worthwhile.
4 x 4 in.
We, well Simone and I, couldn’t let the first day of fall go by without celebrating it!
6 x 6 in.
So my "big" goal this week? To finish 5 daily paintings ~I can’t even remember the last time I did that...it’s been too long.
I mentioned that with the disappointment that came last week ~ I would be rethinking my direction and take a little time to revisit why I started all of this to begin with? I started this because I love creating, especially painting, and over time with this blog I’ve come to enjoy sharing it with all of you ~as well as expressing some of my thoughts here too. And doing this "work" is what makes me happy. At the end of the day I just want to do this for as long as I can. And that about sums it up.
Turning to my creativity so diligently this week was exactly what I needed to regain a sense of myself. I may have been slightly off personally but I have to say that I have been ON creatively. My mind is overflowing with ideas for paintings that I can’t wait to paint.
Before I head back to my weekend I wanted to add to my recent post on change. I received a comment suggesting that "we don’t always have to be at our best" during times of changes and I immediately agreed. Of course we probably won’t be, and I also agree that it can feel hard and acknowledging that is wise ~ but then over the last couple of days I thought more about what exactly it is was I was trying to say with my post and then I realized that the sentiment, while maybe not the social norm, was accurate, in what I’m wanting to convey and challenge within myself. The truth is that since change is constant, why can’t we just recognize it as so and be gracious anyway? I mean seriously what are we waiting for? For our life to be certain and have everything "in its place". This doesn’t mean you don’t take the time you need to care for yourself during challenging times but it does mean that you shouldn’t "miss" your life during times of change because you’re just holding out for things to settle back in (because they never really do ~ remember change is constant). Experiencing change, in my opinion, should no longer be an excuse for me to miss miss my life, simply waiting for "it", whatever it is this time, to pass. There’s one thing I’ll say about blogging, as this is the closest thing to a journal that I’ve kept so consistently ~ I am beginning to realize that there’s always "something going on". And this is when I’m reminded that the only constant to my life is how I perceive it and then how I choose to live it. I have to say that my experiment with acknowledging this recent time of change ~ by letting it be one of the best parts of my life, like all the other parts ~ has helped me move through it with more ease and even some fun. The intent to find grace in the transition has helped.
wishing you a lovely Sunday ~
5 x 5 in.
Sock monkey, Olive, Oscar, baby bird, all topped off with a peep ~ that’s what makes a sock monkey tree.
I know you are enjoying the recent realism pieces and I plan to explore more, but this morning I was working on a tiny sock monkey commission and they’re just so much fun, I had to include one in today’s painting. And if you read my earlier post below then you know why a little familiarity mixed in with the new creations is good for me :)
I realized as I was working on this one, that the process of painting is another good analogy for experiencing change. Inevitably there is a moment in every painting, right about midway through, where the I don’t like the painting at all, where I’m not sure that it will turn out the way I hope ~ this is when I keep going to the finish and every time I’m happy with the completed piece.
Also a quick thanks to the Editors over at Martha Stewart for including me in the additional favorites list of "Best of the Blogs" ~
and hey! happy creative thursday to you!!
*Edit* later today I decided to list a couple of the new "realism" series as prints over at Etsy.
photos from the last "girl’s night" before Melissa’s big move
The only thing constant in life is change ~ how many times have you heard that quoted? So that’s what "they" tell us and "we" know this to be true, right? I’m wondering if why we do know this, why change still manages to take us by surprise often unsettling us for quite a while. Or maybe it’s me, maybe I’m just speaking for me? Do you get unsettled too?
What amazes me, looking back on my life, is that change almost always seems to reveal itself as becoming something even better than before. That is when I go with it, not against it, when I appreciate that it’s trying to lead me forward.
My yoga teacher was recently commenting on change, saying that because it is constant it is always up to us to meet it with grace. I completely agree with her, and as I mentioned last week this is a way of being that I am trying to become more of. You know one other thing you should probably know about me, if you haven’t already figured it out by visiting this blog ~ I’m about as passionate about understanding life, and becoming a better person in my life as I am about my art and creating. Some of us are just born with questions and it becomes one of our life’s missions to get them answered. That would be me. Then add into the idea that once we figure things out we feel compelled to share them with others. That would also be me, this blog and especially my podcast.
I’m not wanting to make a big long post out of this, but I want to acknowledge that I’m going through some sort of a change at the moment. Normally it lasts about a day or so and it’s not worth mentioning, but this one has been going on for weeks ~ and while it’s not what I would normally consider the best part of myself that I would usually share here on my blog, I’m thinking that maybe I might try to look at it differently this time ~ that maybe by sharing it and pretending that it actually is one of best parts of myself right now, that might soften whatever this transition is. It might bring some grace into it?
You see not only did the last couple of months begin with a huge, unexpected loss, but more change was to follow as two of my closest friends here in LA moved across country literally in the exact same week. One of whom is one of my creative friends that I endearingly call "the girls". At least every month the girls of which I am one :), get together and chat over everything from art and business to relationships, parenting (a couple of babies have been born in the time we’ve been getting together) to love and life. I wanted to mention Melissa’s move earlier, because it’s just so exciting for her, and so inspiring to pick up and move to a brand new city where the possibilities seem endless. Melissa and her husband, Ian and son, Sam are moving to beautiful Asheville, North Carolina and you can follow her adventure over at her blog. I can’t wait to see how their new lives will unfold ~ but I have been stalling on sharing it here, because I just don’t think I want it to be real. But it is. And I miss her.
self-portrait of from our "girl’s" dinner later that same evening
On top of all of that, my yoga studio that I’ve been going to since I moved to LA almost 7 years ago now, also changed location. And it’s so funny that something as simple as a room that you do yoga in could feel so important ~ but almost all of us are completely out of sorts in the new space. That yoga studio was one of the only constants I’ve had in my 7 years here. It was the place where I could leave it all behind for an hour or so, and feel a sense of calm and well being ~ it was the place where I felt grounded.
And if that’s not enough, our country is in a huge state of flux as it is about to make a big leadership change ~which I won’t even go into in this post. Last but not least the season change is also upon us~ I always tend to feel a restlessness anyway at the beginning of a new season ~ ready for the weather and the fashion change. I suddenly long for sweaters and jeans in a completely different color palette. I put on a pink skirt today and it just didn’t feel right, so I changed.
Oh the symbolism of it all, especially the clothes...do you know what it’s like when you open your closet, you don’t know what to wear and you feel like none of your clothes are "you"? Very little is feeling like "me" at the moment. I’m somewhere in between these days, between the old me and the new me ~between boredom and excitement daily, even moving around in different rooms in my home because my studio feels unfamiliar, experimenting with new paintings, longing for old times and old friends, feeling grounded then completely in the air, all while trying to embrace the newness that I know will be good. Then it too will transition into yet another platform from which the next change will take place. So again, maybe it would be nice to view the transition times as the familiar ~ accepting them in their awkward uncertainty and appreciating them as is while they gently unfold into what’s next. Well, not sure if I can do that but I’ll give it a try ~ and in the meantime I’m curious and excited to see what will be next once again ~ Right at this moment it will be a new daily painting. I’ll be back shortly with a more familiar one :)
5 x 5 in.
Cuteness and comfort among pretty cushions.
More realism experimenting over here ~ :)
7 x 5 in.
I’ve been sorting through my "inspiration" files over the last couple of days. My inspiration files are a collection of tear sheets mostly from magazines that I’ve saved over the years. It’s basically like a big vision/inspiration board housed in a box with file folders separating out all the different categories. And whenever I’m looking for painting ideas or simply some inspiration, I open the box.
In today’s search I found this gorgeous red tub. Since I’m still experimenting with adding more realism to my daily paintings ~ I wondered just how could I use this red tub in a painting with my characters and this is what came to mind! When I renovate or build my next bathroom, I’m SO having a red claw foot tub like this one.
6 x 8 in.
Considering my recent experiences, the symbolism in this one should speak for itself :)
I also thought it would be fun, and challenging for me to experiment with inserting my characters into more "realistic" settings and see what happens...and so far, I really like this one.
So then! I’ve had a good few days of taking my moment combined with having some serious fun. Friday was a blast ~ or as I like to call it the "best Friday ever" an entire day that began with surfing, (also my best wave riding yet!) followed by fish and chips with beer at an Irish Pub, playing the WII at our new best friend’s house (I learned that I have an aptitude for the ski jump but not necessarily singing on American Idol), having my hair braided and styled by their daughter, and getting a chance to see her wonderful art, followed by a yummy dinner that was made for us (having dinner made for you is always sooo nice, and the older I get the more I realize just how nice it is when someone cooks for you!), accompanied by a lively conversation and ending with a whole day away from home and the computer. The change of scenery combined with a lot of new experiences...was especially good for me as I was completely lost in the day and it was GREAT! I think I would like more of those days and more days for painting which I hope to be doing a lot of this week, so stay tuned.
hope you had a fantastic weekend...there was and still is a tiny touch of fall in the air and that is also very exciting!
(on a quick side note, I almost forgot to mention that last week I was invited to share more of me via this interview at this inspiring blog called Indie Fixx. If you’ve made your way over from there, helloooo!!! and thank you again Jen!)
If you spend any time with me personally, then you may hear me say "I have a new theory". Sean hears this all the time. And a new theory always presents itself in a moment of clarity.
I’m so happy to say that clarity has returned. I’m already feeling better again and while I know in my heart of hearts that everything is always working out for the best, it was really nice to be reminded of that by so many of you who left comments ~ thanks for reminding me. The mental break I’ve given myself from figuring out what’s next has been especially nice and I’m honestly looking forward to the next "door that will open". I’m excited to see what it will be!
So my new theory is this ~ if you’re feeling disappointed the best way out and back to hopeful optimism is to throw a 4 course Italian dinner party for your friends! It’s true ~ Just the simple act of making your home beautiful, inviting and cozy for your guests is enough to appreciate how wonderful life already is. That and~ cooking and enjoying a delicious meal and sharing it with good company all accompanied by red wine of course and you will be well on your way to a brighter spirit. Oooh and I can’t forget having a delightful breakfast with a new friend also helps, as does cooking the Spaghetti Lunghi found at Trader Joes, I mean, excuse me Trader Giottos. Have you seen this crazy long spaghetti there? You can’t miss the bright yellow packaging. I’m sorry but eating super long spaghetti noodles is just good fun.
6 x 6 in.
This is the fourth in the Anthropologie series, inspired by the most recent catalog cover, and colors styled by me~ I’ve been working on this one off and on all day as it took multiple attempts to get the face "right", but I’m happy with her sentiment now.
I was hoping to share some really exciting news with you today about an opportunity that felt like a "big" one ~ but after months of waiting, and a fair bit of work to pull it together ~ I learned that this opportunity will not be happening, at least not next week as it might have. And to be honest I’m disappointed and I really do "need a moment". And in this moment I realize that this is also a different opportunity than I thought. This is actually an opportunity for me to walk the walk that I talk so much about on this blog and especially my podcasts. A chance for me to be gracious within disappointment ~ a chance for me to really take notice of everything that is going so well every day, and to let that continue to take priority over everything else.
This is also a chance for me to actually take a moment. I’ve felt a bit like on the work side of things, I’ve been pushing and I haven’t been giving myself quite enough time "in the space between", like I wrote about in my recent article. I’m at a certain point with Creative Thursday where I’ve taken everything as far as I can see and it’s time to let go a bit. There’s a little sense of relief in the idea of that and also some fear as to what will happen if I do let go, but I’m sensing it’s time. So this disappointment is actually becoming a moment of clarity for me to get back in touch with what I want this all to be ~ and I keep having to ask myself why it is so important that I take this to the next level? It’s not that I question wanting more for myself and my business, but I question my intent behind it. I think as a business owner and a human being in the world, it’s always good to check in with yourself. Sometimes it is all to easy to get caught up in life, only to realize that you’re pointed in the wrong direction. And spinning your wheels in the wrong direction can be a bit exhausting. It seems to require a lot less effort in the long run to take a moment ~ I’m learning. Now if only I can truly trust in the ebb and flow of expending effort instead of trying to "make" things happen all the time. Step by step, I’m figuring it out :)
Since I save this blog for times when I feel like I can share the best of myself, I will return when the best of myself returns, which could be tomorrow ~ but just in case it isn’t, and I need a few days, I wanted to let you know where I was.
I also wanted to say that one of the best parts about this opportunity that "didn’t happen", was the chance to "meet" some of the nicest new friends who really went the extra mile for me and I sincerely thank them for all their support and efforts in trying to pull this together :)
8 x 8 in.
I’m feeling particularly excited for FALL this year and with that the approach of cooler weather ~ and with that comes fuzzy hats, of course!
5 x 5 in. each
Last week over the holiday weekend ~ I did manage to do some studio re-organizing, and along with that I’ve also decided to release some art from my personal collection ~ "lewis" and "clyde". These are two of the first animals I painted that ultimately lead to my present style and characters. The lion is my first "lewis" ever. Looking back now, it is really fun for me to see the subtle evolution in my own work. While I usually list my originals over at my website, I’ve decided to list these two over at Etsy. Maybe they will go to a new home together, as they make a perfect pair.
We had an especially nice weekend ~ hope you did too! And thanks for all the stories you shared at the Riley and his love for chicken post ~ Honestly what would we do without our furry little friends?
Also I want to send out a few thank you’s to Jan, Erin and Holly for spreading the word about Olive ~ and to everyone who has purchased originals from the Enormous Tiny Art show ~ as of this morning there are 4 tiny friends left. As always I truly, truly appreciate all the support and enthusiasm you all send to me every day! thank you.
I have to be an honest and say that I woke up rather early today. 3:45 ish to be exact. Awoken by Lulu, my other co-worker aka a great dane, at this early hour, I tried going back to sleep and could not. What I like to call "Insomnia anxiety" kicked in in full force. Nothing major really, just the usual fearful thoughts that I like to torture myself with. My rule is if I’m lying there for more than an hour, I’m just going to get up and sleep later.
Once I’m up, this is also when I decide to work ~ I start to feel better right away just because I gave my mind something else to focus on, that ~ and I started doing the checklist of things to do that were listing themselves in my brain just moments earlier, racing around in circles like a hamster on a hamster wheel.
Then, as I was writing my first blog post of the day, I noticed the sun started to come up and the sky was the most beautiful soft rosy pink just for a moment. And then, I had some of the BEST, newly discovered, oatmeal raisin cookies , 2 to be exact (i believe they count as breakfast ~ the oatmeal + the raisin= breakfast) And, then I looked at this photo that I’ve been meaning to share with you because I find it HIGHLARIOUS (my phraseology for saying "hilarious"). Now a little slap~happy from a lack of sleep, a hot coffee latte in my hand, a morning visit with Sean, the anxiety is gone and the day is already better and brighter. Such a good thing, because you see anxiety moments like this used to go on quite a bit longer. It’s comforting for me to recognize that they just don’t last so much any more. This way I won’t take them too seriously in the future.
In case a moment of the anxieties happened to visit you too today and in case you might need a little humor to shake it loose ~ I’m sharing this photo with you. You see, to say that Riley likes chicken is an understatement ~ more like he’s "obsessed" with it would be a more accurate description. And the minute I got up from the table after having my roast chicken dinner the other day, I returned to find someone had taken my seat and was waiting for chicken, sea salt shaker and all.
10 Tiny Friends Series
I’m excited to announce my third time participating in one of my favorite group art shows ~ Yup, EVERY time I see the art in this show, I feel inspired.
Of course the tiny portraits that I’ve been having so much fun painting this year, I thought would be a perfect fit for this "tiny" art show. So 10 Tiny Portraits it is, and in this series they all have friends!
And the best part is that all the art at this show is now available for viewing and purchase online. The gallery will even ship overseas. So while it would be wonderful to be at the Nahcotta gallery in person ~ if you can’t make it, you can still enjoy and purchase the art from the comfort of wherever your computer resides.
However, if you can make it in person ~ the show is opening tomorrow September 5th from 5-8 pm at 110 Congress Street Portsmouth, NH 03801 and will run through September 29.
I’ve also turned this series into a colorful print that you can find over at the Etsy shop ~happy creative thursday!
5 x 5 in.
I was just about to fall asleep for a nap, and you know that moment just before you drift off? Well sometimes for me that is the exact moment when an image for a painting will pop into my head. This little fellow was one of those images that popped into my head ~ then over breakfast after surfing this past Sunday, I sketched it out in crayon on one of those white paper tablecloths ~ then after breakfast I bought some orange and pink flowers at the farmer’s market and I knew that this color combination would present itself in a painting and this one seemed perfect for it. Oooh, and I can’t forget my most favorite part of this painting ~ if you look real close, you can see the tiny white fuzzy feathers I painted on this chickadee.
Who knew naps were so productive?
hope you had a nice holiday weekend!
couldn’t resist sharing this one with you as a print over at Etsy
Sometimes I gush about people on this blog. And sometimes I even gush about people I’ve never met in person. But today it’s time to gush about someone I not only know in person, but am proud to call a friend ~ plus I really think you’re going to LOVE this book!
I met Christine, much like many of you know me here ~ through her blog. A series of links, and there I was reading a post that resonated with me so much, I thought how great it would be to meet this creative lady. And as luck would have it, she lived right here in L.A.
After a few email exchanges, a lunch it was. Hours of conversation later ~I couldn’t stop exclaiming ~ I have a NEW friend!
This is why if you have Christine as a friend that you are truly grateful ~ When we did meet for lunch three years ago now, it was at a particularly delicate time for me, a time when I really had no idea how my business was going to make it ~ how I was going to survive financially. But Christine was there to encourage me, to enthusiastically present and collaborate with me on ideas and opportunities that would help me move forward, to offer advice and help any way she could, to soothe my fears, to remind me that I would make it.
And how did she know? because she’d been there. A kindred creative spirit with a never ending sense of adventure, she is always willing to ask more of herself ~ She’s left behind opportunities including an entire business that she built, because she’s willing to listen to what her inner voice is calling her to do. If you do follow her blog, then you know that she is always exploring her life further, to honestly ask the questions about who she is, where she’s been, and where she’s headed and to try to be the best person she can be in all of those moments of reflection. She’s a person that you can always have a thoughtful, genuine discussion with, and you always leave a visit with her feeling inspired. She’s the kind of friend that not only lifts your spirits when your feeling blue, but she’s happy to celebrate with you when you succeed, and she’s always ready to dream the next dream with you. (Not to mention that Christine is so thoughtful, that even in today’s "busyness" she manages to send cards in the "actual" mail filled with nicest sentiments.) Oh, and she’ll be downright silly with you too.
So my friend Christine has written and illustrated a book. She’s self-published it too. I just got mine this past weekend and it’s as is everything that comes to mind when I think of Christine is neatly wrapped up in this gorgeous creation ~ beautiful art and writing filled with authentic heartfelt sentiment and the reminder that you too can do it, not only live a full creative life but also recognize your own "Ordinary Sparkling Moments" within it.
you can get your copy right here~
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