DECEMBER 15, 2011
Here she is! Our Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale Graduate!! I'm doubly proud of her talent and her choice of schools as AI is my alma mater! She has so much talent and I know better than anyone else that she's facing a challenging journey. But I also know SHE CAN DO IT!!!
(this photo credit goes to her roomie... Kayla)
We Love you Leann and we're so proud of you!!!
I would like to take just a moment to thank a really nice guy... and a really talented artist! We're talking both sides of the brain working here! So THANK YOU DAVID DARROW - first, for creating a PayPal button that works so well and second, for helping me work out the kinks within my own system. You stuck by me until we got it working and I couldn't be more grateful.
S E R I O U S L Y... this thing is ingenious. It allows you to input all the information about your painting or piece of art, gives you code to copy and paste in your blog and best of all, when the button is clicked by a shopper, they are taken right to your paypal account where they pay and voile'!! It all works fabulously perfectly! My favorite feature is that since we are dealing with one-of-a-kind art, once it's purchased, if someone else tries to buy it, they are told the item has been sold so no worries-only one person can purchase your one-of-a-kind piece. You can check it out HERE and watch his quick, easy to follow tutorial. Again, my thanks to David. Nice guy, talented artist, and he's a jazz fan too!
Don't forget to shop for one-of-a-kind gifts now through December 21st. Buy American, By Handmade!
Oops...you may have noticed I've been MIA since last May! No sense droaning on about the specifics. Suffice it to say life happens.
Back on track and channeling my creative powers once again, I have decided to focus on more than one of my artistic passions. A new blog is in the works which will feature a painting a day, but for now, I have decided to make use of the thousands of beads upstairs in the bead room and focus my attention on the gift-giving season.
From now until December 21st, every day I will be posting a new creation available for sale on my jewelry blog
So, check it out!
Think I can make some fabulous baubles out of this mess?
Okay. Since my last post was soooo many moons ago, I feel it's necessary to say a few quick words about the two main exciting events this summer. First the birth of my great nephew, Evan Joseph Smith. Here he is at 3 months old... is he the cutest little man or what?
Equally exciting, and pretty darn cute, themselves, the adoption of our own little darlings, Dot and Tess. These two are plenty busy and have given our home it's silent soul once again. We are totally smitten with all our new babies!
So,once again, take a peek...
Please remember to shop small AMERICAN businesses this holiday season...and handmade, is best!
May 13, 2011
Months in the making! I learned so much about creating these panels digitally on my little 24” computer monitor. Here they are, all blown up to 8’ X 10’. I am amazed and so grateful!
More thanks than I can even express to my dear friend, BJ and her wonderful husband, Jamey for all their help!
Set up day! A few glitches getting it to fit. Nothing that couldn’t be solved with a trusty exact o knife.
I took a big chance this year by plastering large, splashy art on my walls instead of the usual bits and pieces of patterns and art examples. This art was fun and created purely from my heart - not totally dismissing the fact that they needed to be licensable, of course. Thankfully the response great!. My goal of increasing my client list was achieved... we’ll see where it goes from here, but so far, I am sure it was the right choice and I am on the right path!
Bj's stunning booth! Went up without a hitch.
Okay.... we're ready... so where is everyone??!!!
Miss Liberty lighting up the misty river. So beautiful!
Kick off cocktail party at Battery Park between the raindrops. Ahhn the camaraderie of fellow artist friends.
The BIG WINNER!! "Who me?" Cograts Amy Biggers - Louie Award Winner Extrordinaire!
Alas, the teardown is done and all our remnants have been dragged back to the hotel through the soggy, NY city streets. Wet, tired, bags under the eyes - ahhh... it sure feels good to have it all behind us. Great Italian dinner, a little whining, some real wine-ing... most of all, Joyce and Bj celebrating our treasured friendship!
Next year? Uh, maybe ... Too soon to tell!
Alas! Spring is bursting with new growth, and after a long, dormant season, so am I.
I knew the day would come... the day I would have to poke my head out of my cozy winter den and face this forgotten blog. Okay, so it’s not such a bad winter here in Florida. We pretty much continue to see the sun every day and there’s no snow to shovel, but have pity... after all, my winter uniform changes drastically... from tank tops and sweats to the dreaded polar fleece! A girl tends to get a little testy when she has to trade her flip-flops for wool socks and slippers... month after endless month! Who wouldn’t?
Where to begin? Where have I been and what have I been doing? Well, to be honest, I’ve been in a FUNK! My family and friends are feeling deserted (sorry) but my poor husband, being a creative soul himself (thank God), has not deserted me! He nurtures, waters and feeds me as I once again go through yet another soul searching phase. Yep, it’s time. Just about every 8-10 years I find myself at the re-inventing stage. What will I be next? Always an artist, of course... but what kind? What medium? What venue?
It’s a never-ending story. The ageless question. “The Journey”. For now, I’ll be happy to make my own unreasonable deadlines and have something new and exciting to show at Surtex in May. After that, well, who knows?
New growth can be just so... well, so.....
Well it's been a long time coming... this upstairs guest bathroom re-model. We have pretty much been remodeling and updating our home on a steady basis for over 7 years now. One major project after another including the stuff that's not fun, just expensive... like re-plumbing and replacing the air conditioner. Suffice it to say, my demolition man has learned more than he ever wanted to about ripping rooms apart, so if you have any questions, just ask him!
I can't believe we lived with this ugliness for so long!
And worse... inflicted it on our guests!
The man can do some ripping apart, I tell you!
Then he made his first mistake. He left the country for three weeks and left me in charge.
Poor guy never knows what he's coming home to!
Well, you can't give an artist a blank white wall and expect anything less.
New white tile, new tub, fabulous black cabinet with black granite top, roomy cabinet above the toilet (coming soon) and...
VOILE!
Welcome to our new bathroom!
(In case anyone was wondering what I've been up to!)
My friend and fellow artist, Loreen Leedy found Elizabeth's stunning work in a St. Augustine gallery during a recent trip with her hubby. She did some research and found out Elizabeth lives right here in our own back yard! We were both so taken with her colorful collage work and eager to get some pointers from the pro herself, so we signed up for a short 4 hour workshop which we attended on Saturday at the home studio of Judy Segall, another talented artist who makes the most beautiful hand made papers.
Our assignment was to arrive with an apple loosely painted on a wooden panel and a variety of painted papers in the colors of the apple. Turns out that leaving this assignment til the last minute (some things never change) was not so bad. On Friday, I found myself frantically painting papers with no time for much thought. Before you know it I was stamping and splashing and spattering with reckless abandon and having a blast! WHY? Because I did not have a set plan or any expectations of a masterpiece! I was having so much fun making a mess with these papers, time was running out and I had not yet painted my apple on the board! By 10:30 Friday night I was finally packed and ready to go with the painted apple, lots of painted paper and all my supplies needed for the Saturday morning workshop.
Elizabeth's demo apple painted on a wooden panel board with acrylics.
Here she is applying bits of torn colored papers, carefully matching the hues and tones as closely as she can to her apple painting.
(Not to obsess but... is that a KILLER SKIRT or what?!!!!!)
How quickly time flies when you are having fun. Our time is up and although this is not finished, you can get an idea of how nicely her apple is progressing.
So much fun! Thanks, Elizabeth, for sharing your process. You are as lovely a person as is your art and I so enjoyed meeting you and having fun creating - just for the sake of creating! And thank you Judy for hosting the workshop in your studio!
To see some of Elizabeth's amazing work visit her blog and just for fun, sign up for a workshop in your hometown - do it for the sake of pure enjoyment!
Yet another summer Atlanta market has come and gone. Always fun, exciting and inspiring, not to mention exhausting. It's good to be home again and I'm feeling refreshed and excited... anxious to dig into the next project!
Three new collections made their debut in the Giftcraft showroom. I had not yet seen samples of them and I must admit, I was pretty excited to see how well they turned out! It's always fun to see my art come to life- from drawing board to finished product and it's especially nice to visit with all the wonderful people I don't get to see in person often enough. I am very blessed, indeed!
Here are a few photos I snapped in the showroom of the newest collections.
Easter Party, Girl's Night In and the Accessory Collection ... all coming soon!
The added bonus of meeting up with good friends... tired good friends! Sorry Beej - you had to know this would end up on the blog! Good wine, good friends...the reward at the end of the day.
Me, Carol Eldridge and BJ Lantz
Jane Maday, Terri Conrad, Martha Collins, me, BJ Lantz, Phyllis Dobbs, Sue Zipkin and Carol Eldridge
And now... back to work!
Kelly Rae Robert's e-course is over and thankfully I took the time to print each post as I went along because I often fell behind. Also, something about reading on the computer screen does not compute with me... know what I mean? No comprendo. Printing and organizing in a notebook so I could go at my own pace and highlight points of interest was definitely the way to go for me.
I thought I'd try to sum up what spoke to me most as sort of a little review for myself and anyone else who might be interested. If you took the class and are interested in sharing your high points, by all means, feel free to leave a comment below. If you didn't take the class and wish you had, I know she is offering PDF's for sale, although I'm not sure if that is only for people that signed up for the class or not. You can head over to her site and ask her about that. If you are like me and you just need a good kick in the seat of your pants, I highly recommend you read her book. I find her enthusiastic writing style uplifting and soulful, which is why I signed up for the class in the first place. That - and the girl's got the whole marketing thing going on! Which brings me to my review list. Of course there is much more, but these are the stand up and take notice ones for me, personally:
Of course, there were many other points of interest along the way. Lots of reinforcement for the wavering soul and many links and suggestions for marketing, selling your work, managing your time, etc. All in all, I am very happy to have had the opportunity to learn from someone whom I greatly admire.
Thank you, Kelly Rae Roberts!
More on my self discovery journey later!
I got up this morning and promised myself I'd do a new post. If I got nothing else done all day, I was going to do some blog posting, by God! So while putzing around all day, wondering what subject of interest - if anything - I could blab about, I remembered an article that Eddie pointed out to me in this morning's Orlando Sentinel about a wonderful place, near and dear to my heart, right here in our quaint little town of Maitland, Florida. There was my topic and I could even illustrate it!
It's hard to believe that it was 18 years ago when I met Carole and Joe Ballard who turned a sad, old, dilapidated, historical house into this beautiful bed and breakfast Inn. When I tell you they had "vision" I do not exaggerate! I remember walking through the rubble of this run down mess thinking , "No way!" When Joe got transferred to Florida, Carole, who is an amazing and talented visionary, decided that it was time to leave her Fortune 5oo corporate job and make her dream of becoming an innkeeper come true. They both worked tirelessly, with great stamina and conviction, to bring this beautiful home to life. Lucky for me, they hired me to create their brochure. Not only did we become friends, but Eddie and I had the privilege of being married right there in their front parlor 10 years later!
So CONGRATULATIONS Carole and Joe on the 125th anniversary of your home!
Next time you are considering a visit to Central Florida, check in for a quiet, relaxing stay with Carole and Joe at Thurston House. I promise warmth and hospitality beyond compare... and a really great home cooked breakfast to get your day started!
This is a little watercolor I did several years ago. The calico in the bottom left corner is Mollie who moved on to kitty heaven four years ago. The chubby one on the chair, is Wheezie. Since Mollie left, she has been "The Queen". Although I loved them both, I must admit Wheezie was always my special baby...my favorite. If you are a cat lover, you understand. We love them all, but every so often one grabs that special corner of your heart... that none other will ever occupy...and claims it for her own. Friday I had to let her go. It was one of the most painful things I have ever had to do. I miss her so much my heart just hurts.
Are there worse things happening in the world? Of course. I know this. I also know I will get through it. I'll have to. But for now I must allow myself time to maneuver through the loud, sad reminders that she is not here. I will no longer wake up to her little song and dance in the morning as she waits impatiently for me to fill her bowl. I will sit on the couch with my morning coffee and experience what was once our special quiet time together - alone. Her food, water bowls and litter box are all gone. My whole house feels so empty. I just went out to my studio to try to do some work and could not stay there. She is not draped across my work space, drinking my dirty paint water, or lying on my palette. How can I ever again be creative out there?
I promised I was not going to do a blog post about this. It would be too painful. I will be strong. I will keep this little heartbreak private. But today, as I tried to sit at my drawing table I realized, it's not all about me and my feelings. For 16 blessed years she has given me unconditional love. She knew when I was sad and needed comforting. She knew when I needed to slow down, take a break and have a cat in my lap to pet. She listened as I babbled when she was the only one here to talk to and she kept Eddie's side of the bed warm and cozy, nuzzling up close to me when he was away on a trip. She was always just a few feet from me no matter where I was in my house- just in case I needed her company. I can not let her go without shouting to the world how much she meant to me and how much I am going to miss her. She deserves at least that much.
Maybe my words will help wash my sadness away with my tears. Maybe soon the hole in my heart will get a little smaller. But you can rest assured, that one little corner she claimed there will always belong just to her.
Now I am reminded, how really lucky I am. My loving, thoughtful husband, who not only has a huge heart but also occupies the biggest part of mine, has just come home from the store with not only dinner ingredients, but this beautiful flower arrangement to cheer me up. Where in the world did this man come from? And how did I get so lucky to land him?! Love you, baby!! Thanks for always being there to share my sorrows, my joys... my life.
Safe and happy 4th of July celebrations everyone!
Back soon with cheery posts, I promise.
Well, this would be me these days. I've been to-ing and fro-ing a bit too much lately. Travels have made me weary and unfocused. Time to settle down, get out to the studio and zero in on creating something - anything - for more than a minute!
I have been following along on Kelly Rae Robert's e-course hoping to pick up a few pointers and so far, I'm re-learning everything I already know. But I'm not disappointed. Review is always a good thing. Her positive reinforcement is nudging me to explore new techniques, mediums and colors. I am encouraged by her lively spirit to make sense of it all with a collection of works that "look like me"... and feel like something I want to do more than one of. Where is that one style and medium that makes me anxious to get up and get painting in the morning?!
I'll be heading to Atlanta in mid-July for market and the goal is to re-organize my portfolio for a meeting or two. It's just a few weeks away, but I'm nothing without a looming deadline. Anyway, for the time being, I've decided to go within, limit the outside distractions and focus on the tasks at hand.
I will be keeping the shop closed for a bit longer - until after I return again to a multi-tasking environment.
Here's a great quote - and I really don't know who to give the credit to, so if anyone out there does, please let me know.
"Be yourself. Everyone else is taken."
Remember me?
1630 Etching by Rembrand tvan Rijn "Self-portrait in a cap, with eyes wide open"
Eddie and I love this! We got it at Rembrandt's house in Amsterdam - you've got to applaud his sense of humor! The expression just seems to say it... no matter what "it" is! Think of the many captions that go with this look! What?! Who? Huh? You're kidding! No,.... really? I didn't do it! Yes,... I did. You ate what? Holy S***! and my personal favorite...You want it when? Well, you get the idea. Somehow, his expression seemed an appropriate way to begin this long, overdue post.
Whoo boy. This won't be easy... getting back to work mode. It's taken a week just to get back to USA time. What a trip... what a glorious once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! My photos are still on the laptop or I'd post a few of the highlights, but they can be viewed here on our travel blog.
I'm refreshed, relaxed... the house is clean, groceries are in the fridge, the piles of laundry are done, the book-keeping is caught up...so, what now? Good question. I've signed up for Kelly Rae Robert's e-course, Flying Lessons. I feel like I need a kick in the butt. Still trying to catch up on all the great info this young, successful artist is sharing. I read her book and so admire her spirit. There's always something new to learn.
Yesterday I actually got out to the studio! Happy to be working on something new and exciting... keep you posted on that too!
Dorothy was right... there's no place like home!
Have a marvelous Sunday!
I have no idea where half of March and all of April went, but I have been a very bad blogger, indeed! Today I am off to meet my honey in Amsterdam for a fabulous trip mixing work with a lot of pleasure. Well, I won't be working and really if Eddie tells you he's working, don't buy it. I can't call beating on the drums work! I will be painting and sketching, though and I really can't wait to being this adventure. We are so very, very fortunate and ever so grateful!
Anyway, we are going to keep in touch via our travel blog so feel free to check in now and then to see what we are up to!
Take Good Care,
Now this is why we live here! What gorgeous weather we had on Friday! And boy did I need an outing. I've been stuck inside for days on end working on a project with a tight deadline. Felt so good to get out with Eddie and walk through the Winter Park Art Festival. Met up with some wonderful people I have not seen in a while, old friends and artists I know - and saw a lot of great, inspiring art. We even had a sausage and pepper sandwich in honor of my dad, who's birthday it is today. I miss you Daddy. Now... back to the real world. Chubby Easter bunnies and Chicks all over my drawing board!
Hope you enjoyed a little sunshine in your life today!
.... when the UPS man comes?
I got some new pastels... Wheezie got the box! aahhhh... life is good. :~))
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