Catching Up....

This post has been saved as a draft since last May. Originally I, very cleverly, entitled it "Lilacs". I love this picture of the lilacs from my yard so the photo stays, lol. Lilacs fill my house with a fragrance that always reminds me of sunny spring mornings that are filled with anticipation of a lovely day. Unfortunately they don't last long once cut, but their beauty is stunning.

What a year since these lilacs graced my dining room table, many happy days, many sad days. My family and I have had a most devastating loss of my husband last October, preceded by a very rough summer. So that is why I haven't been contributing to any posts here, it's been difficult to share anything creative since my mind has been shattered into many parts.

 

 

Having the seclusion of a very cold winter and a pandemic lock down has given me time to reflect, to remember the good and to release the bad. 

I have been in the loving embrace of my family and friends who have been my saving graces, each and every one contributing to helping me heal. For this I am eternally grateful, how did I get so blessed to have the family and friends that I have? 

 

 

Very slowly I am coming back to what gives me peace and calmness, working at my drawing table and easel. The canvas and boards have been prepped for months now, it's time to get busy!

Thank you for stopping by.

 

 

Busy Day in the Studio

 I spent the afternoon sewing the pieces together for this years batch of 'Bones Sisters'

There are two left over from last year which was the first year that I designed them. 

This year I will have a limited edition of 12.

 I want to have them ready for the Country Living Fair in Rhinebeck, NY in June.

New art is also being created so new prints and some other ideas that are in the works.

And this guy, my sweetie, Rocky is so tired from supervising lawn mowing by Lou

and sewing by Sue. He is having a little nap time....

Art Show

 On Friday evening my son and I went to the closing night of the

Mid-Hudson Arts Council 50 Years Celebration Show.

I had two pieces in the show, a poster design that I did for them way back in 1988. 

I didn't get a picture of that.... I forgot to.

I also had a painting of blackbirds coming to roost for the evening in a tree.

 We looked all through the show and couldn't find the painting, we found the print very nicely displayed with other memorabilia in a glass case. It looked great. But the painting was no where to be found. As I was looking behind a wall for it, a friend said..."aren't you thrilled to be featured in the front window?"

We walked right by it on our way in.

Not very observant are we?

 

I Am Having Too Much Fun Building Inventory!

 

 

Last year I started playing around with collage work. I used prints of my art that just weren't good enough on their own, but added in with vintage papers and embellishments, additional painting and some quotes from very clever people unique artwork is born.

 

Each one of these canvases are different works of art that

 

although seemingly mass produced,

 

are thoughtfully and delightfully created.

Bits of ephemera, fabric, prints of artwork all join together with acrylic paint.

Finished off with varnish and all set to hang!

Newest Collage Work

A bit of a mess going on here, but what fun!

I have been working my way through a wonderful book entitled "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron. It is a 12 week process that will probably take me longer because I do want to get the most out of it and not have it turn into another time stresser.

I have been finding myself to be less afraid of making messes. After all I am from the 'old school' Commercial Art trained, nothing messy, no ink blots, smudges, etc. This experiment of mine is to give myself the freedom to make a mistake and turn that into art that is pleasing to me.

In the process of printing up my water color and ink paintings, there are a lot of prints that cannot be sold until I get the setting right on the printer. So using the seconds and some vintage papers and ephemera, acrylics, stamps and other found items I had a good old time!

Mixed Media Paintings That Are in the Show at Cornell Street Gallery

I entitled this one "Umbrella Love" for the show but I really wanted to call it
"The Early Promise". That's what I will call it after the show.

"Love is Color Blind"

"I Love You From Afar"

Three new mixed media paintings thatare currently showing at Cornell Street Gallery's "Art and Music Show". The opening is this weekend, February 11th. The musician David Temple will be there for the opening festivities. If you are in the Kinston, NY area it promises to be a lovely evening.
I will have prints posted on my etsy site sometime this week.

Arts and Craft Show Booth

My display booth is different at every show I go to. It has been a work in progress and I like the way it went together at this show the best so far. I do like the look of the swirls on this carpeting, very whimsical and sort of goes with my whole whimsical theme :) Unfortunately the lighting was bad in this part of the room and I only brought one light. (Note to self; buy more clip on lights!) Lisa the show organizer was kind enough to lend me another lamp. The shelf unit on the center table I found at an estate sale and nailed a decoupaged board to the back of it. It worked very well for my new birds and small paintings.

Butterfly Prints

This weekend I am working on listing prints of my new butterfly paintings.
The originals will be in a show at the Cornell Street Gallery in Kingston, NY opening on the 8th of October.
I love the colors in this painting! The original is on a vintage ledger book page.

New Collaged Painting on ETSY

I just listed this painting on ETSY tonight.

And I must admit to liking the way the bird in this one came out the best. The colors on the bird did just what I wanted them to and the momopoly money leaves came out just right! I have been busy getting a Zazzle Shop up and running this week, so keep checking back, I will have a link posted very soon.
Have a good week!

Tom's One Day Without Shoes

Tom's shoes is having a special fundraiser this April 8th. It's a day for us to go without shoes, to feel what it is like for so many children on this planet of ours who have no shoes.

ML Gifts in Nyack, NY is taking this fundraiser a step further and they have asked artists to customize a pair of shoes that they will auction off sometime that evening.

Here are my customized Tom's that will be on display at ML Gifts.

And here is more info from the Tom's website:

http://onedaywithoutshoes.com

Snowy Day #3

Well three days into my Painting A Day experience I messed up! We went to DC to visit our son and I brought my watercolors and pens and paper with all good intentions of doing some quick little paintings in our down time but it didn't happen. Just too much to catch up with and enjoy our visit and it went so quickly. His new home is lovely and we had a great time.
However my husbands back started to bother him a little last thursday after the latest snowstorm he was in a bit of pain over the weekend. But after the six hour drive, he couldn't get out of bed on monday morning and has been in pain all week. A trip to the doctor and some meds but he is still hurting.
So I am hoping to start up again tomorrow, we'll see how it goes..........

Estate Sale Table Project

This little table came out so cute. I painted it and even lined the drawers with a purple wool felt and it is going to be perfect in the new dining room.

I Love Estate Sales!

I am in the process now of redoing my dining room since the art studio and office are moved. So the dining room will be relocated to that old studio/office area. It is a larger room and brighter with windows all around.
So last week I went to an estate sale and came home with this sweet little sewing table for $10 and an old sugar bowl for $1. My idea is to paint it and use it to hold a few small serving spoons and the silver chest.