HALF WAY THROUGH FEBRUARY..TIME IS FLYING!!

Hello!! Wow..I hope you all had a wonderful, happy, romantic Valentine's Day! It is February the 15th.  I can't believe that winter is ALMOST over. It's what I am living for. I think my change in eating habits has been a good thing, since this year has not been as rough on me as the years before. I seem to be in a semi-cheerful mood these days...Usually, through the winter--I stay under the covers..but, I have actually been quite productive this year!

Here's THREE new paintings--they are all 12 x 24 inches (I LOVE THIS SIZE)..and they are all acrylics on wood.

We have been spring cleaning. The serious, scrub-everything-with-Pine-Sol kind of cleaning. I love the smell of Pine-Sol. Makes me think of my grandmother...We are emptying drawers, closets, boxes, and basically PURGING. Well..I am purging--Nature Boy is going behind me, and saying "Do we need this, won't you use this,..." I am of the mind-set that if I haven't used it in a year...I don't need it. It's so much easier to just throw everything away, and start fresh. I think it cleans out your mind to do this also. It's all material bullsh*t , anyway. I am not materialistic AT ALL. I see no reason to keep "things". Anyway, I love this time of year, and cleaning during this time. Spring always brings a new beginning.

Nature Boy is cutting dead tree limbs, and working on the yard. He's got a vision of cutting this one tree down..it's only about 30 feet tall...hahah. I think he better call a professional..we wouldn't want him flattened by a tree..not to mention that it's within 15 feet of my studio..and I would be mad if it landed in the middle of that. Of course, I would probably just push it aside, and keep working..hahah.

Well..that's about it...back to work..
Live Artfully!!

LATEST PAINTINGS!!

These two are 12 x 24 inches, acrylic on wood. The bottom one ("KING") is SOLD.

These two are 12 x 12..the girl is sold.

This is a collaboration that I did with Nature Boy. It's old, rusty tin on wood. He did the tin part, I did the background, and the eyes...

That's all...Live Artfully!!

ANOTHER DAY...ANOTHER PAINTING..

My brain is currently unable to process thought..hahaa.
Live Artfully.

A NOT SO SIMPLE PAINTING...and NO ART SHOW

Hello!! Well..we didn't get to go to the art show in Birmingham. We were waiting out the weather..which wasn't bad at our house, nor was it bad in Birmingham..but, all the roads between here and there got slaughtered on Thursday night, so I imagine that there were still some dangerous spots along the way. But, we set out to go anyway.  We packed the van..and then got in..and the battery went dead. We waited a little while..tried again..and still no battery. Our neighbor was at work..and the nearest store that sold batteries was about 20 miles. So, we saw it as a sign...NOT to go. Sometimes you HAVE to listen at what the universe is telling you. It just was not meant to be. On a positive note..1. I have a start on my inventory, which is always LOW..(not complaining--thanking God)..now, at least..I have a starting point!! and 2. Today was our 9th wedding anniversary. (Thank you God again!) Nine years married to my best friend, still the funniest man that I have ever met. I loves my "Nature Boy"...He is absolutely the best husband that a woman could have. I mean this from the bottom of my heart. 3. We took a nap after not being able to go to the show, went out to the van, and it cranked RIGHT up. It's a Toyota Sienna...so it isn't a shabby vehicle..and it's never gave us a bit of trouble..(knock on wood), so..I honestly think that someone was telling us not to go.

We basically just hung out today, and I collaged and painted this. It was going to be so different, but I got it to this point, and I love it..so here it is. A 12 x 12 acrylic/mixed media on wood.

Tomorrow is here..and I guess I need some sleep..considering it's almost time for the sun to come up.

Live Artfully!

A SIMPLE PAINTING..

Hello! I have played on Facebook, caught all my games up, talked to my daughter, snacked on anything that wasn't tied down in my kitchen, watched TV, read my pyschic reading, looked at all the horoscopes in the universe, took a nap, searched the internet, and now as a final attempt to PROCRASTINATE--I am blogging. It's cold..wintery..but the sunshine is beautiful..and I have today and tomorrow....to get ready for the Riverchase Loves Artist show in Birmingham. I feel like I don't have enough work. Of course, instead of hurriedly rushing about, I am procrastinating...why? Because I want to. The greatest thing about being an artist is that you can DO WHAT YOU WANT TO. WHEN you want to. I don' t have a boss..a time schedule..a watch, even..Most days, I don't know if it is Monday or Saturday..nor do I care to know..if I didn't have a favorite TV show that I watch each night..I might not EVER know what day it is...Just in case you are wondering..Monday's is the "Closer", Tuesday is "NCIS", Wednesday is "Criminal Minds", and Thursday is "Bones". That is my 4 hours of mindless TV a week. But, I digress..I love doing what I want to do, when I want to do it. It's an absolute blessing, and I thank GOD that he has granted me this privilege! I am always planning, and scheming in my down times though..and I have decided to do a few things in the upcoming months...

1. I think I am going to incorporate more Mixed Media in my work. For 3 years, I have done straight painting, for a year before that, I did ONLY collage (my "creative gluing" period), but, I am going to work on some more complex pieces in the near future.   
2. I am wanting to re-read the Bible. Yes! I said re-read..I have read it cover to cover, I think 4 times..but, maybe only 3. It's not as hard as it seems..it takes about a year..maybe a little more...
3. I am going to start working with clay. I think I've found a good air-dry clay to start with. I know that clay work has been calling me for a while..maybe most of my life. I have always loved it. I am not talking about making pottery..I am talking about an eclectic mix of clay, and other mediums to make figures and things.
4. (MAYBE THE MOST IMPORTANT)--I am going to go on a work schedule! One of the cool things about DOING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. I WANT to get on a schedule--or work on my self-displine..it's important to get anything actually DONE..By Monday morning, I am going to have a schedule..Example--6-7am--Coffee, computer..7-12 pm..Studio time. 12- 1--reading and lunch....etc..etc...I want 2011 to be PRODUCTIVE. I have messed around an ENTIRE month..and didn't get much done (only 20 paintings!)..I could have done 4 times that many if I weren't so LAZY...hahahah. Ok--I push myself..I know..you all do not have to tell me. So...

And #5. I am putting Nature Boy on a schedule. I am making a list, and checking it twice..and it's going to be a "Honey-DO" list...we need to GET THINGS DONE.

Well..that's about it...my ramblings for the day...Now, I am going to go heat up dinner for Nature Boy, and pretend that I have been slaving away at the hot stove for hours..hehehe...then, I am going back to procrastinating..because..after ALL..I have UNTIL MONDAY.
Live Artfully.

HAHAH...12 x 24 BUNNY PAINTING

A very quick, spontaneous..no thinking painting. It was fun, and I like it!
Today was a total waste of time...got nothing done except this...:)
Live Artfully!!

FIRST ART SHOW OF 2011!!! LET'S PRAY FOR GOOD WEATHER!!

This weekend, Nature Boy and I are off  to Birmingham, AL. The nerves and sleepless nights have BEGUN!!  LOL. I am very excited, and nervous...always nervous going where I haven't been before!! But, hopefully, we pick up some new friends, and get to see some old ones, and all will be good..:) To top that off --- It's also our 9th wedding anniversary! Wow! I cannot believe we've been married that long...Shocks me, every time I think about it!

I spent all day yesterday reading Dan Brown's book -- The Lost Symbol. It was FANTASTIC, and I didn't want to put it down. Not even to sleep or eat. What amazed me about it was that it 600+ pages, and the time-frame of the book was about a 14 hour span. So, if you like mystery, severed limbs, tattoos, and religion--this book is a GOOD one!!

I painted another painting. It started out as a bird, then became an overly busy abstract, then I finished it...LOL..It was a long (for me) process.

I am tired of painting this girl, but the painting was vacant..so, here she is again! This painting is 24 x 24..so it's big! I am ok with how it turned out. Not one of my favorites, but it'll do.

Then..I redid 3 paintings. Just added to, and took away from something that I had already painted..This one is 16 x 16 inches.....

this one is also 16 x 16:

Then this one (one of my favorites)..this one is 12 x 24 inches, and it was a bunch of those eyeball looking flowers that I did last year. I hated it, in it's former state..so I completely repainted over it..(the two above were just "changed", not completely painted over..)..

I don't know why I like this so well...only that it was completely spontaneous, and unsuspected....LOL..and it makes me smile...which is always a plus.

That's about it..I need to get to work. I spent an entire day reading, so I am behind.
LIVE ARTFULLY!!

24 x 24 PAINTING--FULL DESCRIPTION OF HOW IT WAS DONE-- WITH A LOT OF PICTURES!!!

Hello!! I painted a painting tonight. It is 24 x 24 inches, on cradled wood panel. Nature Boy asked me to put antlers on it..so, I did. I painted it on plaster, with acrylics (Golden's Fluid Acrylics). This is the finished painting:

First, after Nature Boy had made the cradled panel for me. I covered the entire piece (front and sides) with PLASTER. I used a large palette knife, and just went in one direction, then the other, (making an "X" motion) over the entire thing:

After it dried (it'll dry overnight)...I took some Indian Yellow Hue and Quin. Nickel Azo Gold, put it in a small plastic container, watered it down a bit...(not too much, because the plaster is very absorbent...), took a large house painting brush, and covered the entire front with it. I then put some white into my watery paint (just a drop or two), and made some areas lighter.

Next, I took my large palette knife, mixed some white with a little Naples Yellow Hue, and paletted it randomly over the entire surface. I did this quite messy, and very quickly.

Next, I took a stamp pad of Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress Ink (vintage photo colored), laid it flat on the panel and rubbed all over it.

After that..I took some Phthalo Blue (green shade), and watered some down in a clean container..took the large house painting brush, soaked it all up and drug it across the painting. I let it drip heavily. Then I let it all dry.

I had a letter stencil sitting nearby..so I thought that I would take some Yellow Ochre and white, and stencil it onto the painting...

At this point, I sat back and looked at what I thought might possibly be the ugliest pile of crud (being nice here), that I have ever painted..::laugh::: I hated it. I made gagging noises. I wanted to puke. Yes!! It was UGLY. So, I got out my trusty blue painter's tape, and taped off the area directly above the letters.

I mixed some Yellow Ochre and White, not mixing them really well..just swishing them around a bit, took my large brush, and painted everything lightly below the tape. Working my way around the letters. I dried that with a hair dryer, then pulled the tape off.

Then, I left a 1/2 inch gap, and put the painter's tape across the painting again. This time, I mixed Phthalo Blue (green shade), Naples Yellow Hue and white. I brushed the top part of the painting with this color. Dried it with the hair dryer, and then pulled the tape off.

This left a wonderful little strip of the original background right across the upper portion. I REALLY like the detail of it..and it's my favorite part of this whole painting.

I really liked the painting at this point. I almost stopped..but, decided it needed something more. So, I walked by the tulip painting that I did the other night, and thought that those would look cool on this painting..but I didn't want them purple, and decided to cut them out of  old magazine (1940's, I think) paper. I cut the stems, leaves and flowers out in parts. Just sort of free handed the whole thing, and I took tiny pieces of the blue tape and taped them to the painting, to get a feel of the composition and all...

I kept cutting and taping until I was happy with it...

When I got them like I wanted them, I used Golden's Matt Medium to glue them to the panel. I painted around the flowers with the Matt Medium, and it left a darker line, which I liked. But--since the whole thing had a plaster base, the plaster showed where I had put the medium (which was great)..just be careful if using plaster..and don't go hog-wild with the medium..because it will show up.

I covered the top of the paper flowers lightly with the matt medium, and dried it with the hair dryer..then I watered down a little green paint, and painted the stems and leaves, making sure it was watery enough to show the writing through the paint. I continued, and did the same with the flowers, Then took a tiny bit of white and painted highlights...

At this point..Nature Boy came in, proudly holding his drawing of a pair of deer antlers..and wanted me to put them in a painting somehow..so, I sat back and had to visualize how these "antlers" were going to work in this painting. I decided to figure out how big I needed them, and I drew one antler out on a piece of tar paper, and cut it out--so that I would have a pattern to use. I used the pattern of the girl's face with it, the one that I made a couple of weeks ago..and taped them on the painting. I had one antler, and just flipped it for the other side..outlining the whole deal with a pencil.

I then took an oil pastel crayon and did my heavy outlines, smeared them all with my finger (which I cleaned on my shirt--because that's what I do)..and painted the eyes...

Then I painted the antlers with a chocolate colored Golden's glaze, and highlighted some areas, and painted the lips...and POOF..a finished painting...

Live Artfully!!

SNOWED/ICED IN FOR ONE WEEK...A HORROR STORY..

Ok..Here's some more paintings that I did with the same outline. I can't seem to stop doing them, and feel like I may never paint another owl, tree, man, etc...again..They are so fun to do..and it's challenging  to make them different. But..I do have to paint other things for the show in Birmingham on Feb.5th. It's called Riverchase Loves Artist Art Show, and I am praying that we won't be snowed or iced in! I am excited to get out there with the public again.

We have officially been snowed in for one week. I am going a little bat crazy..and want to drive like a 1000 miles, and not stop.. just to get out of the house, and DO something. Thank God that I have painting and drawing that I can do--because I would be seriously bonkers. I am watching 3-6 episodes of Criminal Minds A DAY...Bones--2-3 times a day..The TV is turning my head into a vegetable of a rotten kind..

I have had several people recently ask me to teach an online class, and one lady that I know in real life (as opposed to online life), ask me to give private lessons. I really wish that I could do this for you all. I cannot. I am not here to teach (though, if you have any questions that I can answer--I am always glad to help you!) I am here to paint and create art. I am obsessive about it. It makes my blood pump. All of my life (starting as soon as I could talk), ALL I have said that I want to be is an ARTIST. I tried teaching....and I am not good at it. I just want to paint. So, I'm sorry..but, there are a lot of people out there teaching some good classes, I just don't have time to be one of them. :(

Pam Carikker's book, "ART AT THE SPEED OF LIFE", which I am one of the contributing artist--came in the mail on Friday!! It's awesome, and has lots of good writings from many great artist, with a lot of really good tutorials and "how-tos". You can order it HERE. 

That is about all for today..I am ready to get to work. I might paint some trees and flowers today...LOL..just for a change of pace.

Live Artfully!!

THREE WOMEN--ONE OUTLINE...SNOWED IN CRAZY!!!

Day 2 of being completely snowed in, and I am going CRAZY!!! But, I have been painting, and eating, and sleeping, and painting some more...Now, the temperature is dropping, and it's icing over..and I may never get to leave my house...sigh..Oh well..I shall just keep painting, and painting, and painting.

This is a really fun series that I am doing. I drew and painted one yellow lady last week with roses in her hair, and I really liked everything about her proportion, and the way she came out..so, I took some thick tar paper (the kind you roof your house with) and I cut her outline out. I have just been painting her over and over and over...and am having fun doing it. I am hoping to have the same face in about 9-12 different ways for the show in Birmingham on the 5th of February.  I think I am going to make stencils (for lack of  a better word) out of some more of my favorite pieces, and start using them. All I am doing is drawing the outline ..then freely painting the pieces..

Nature Boy has been out playing in the snow..yesterday, he built a snowman. It was hilarious! He took a pair of blue jeans and a jacket and filled them with snow...then, he put a head and a cowboy hat on it..this morning..the poor thing was just a pile of wet clothes...I don't know why it met such a rapid demise--as it's getting colder, and not warming a bit...sigh...

Thank Goodness that we made our monthly COSTCO trip before this snow hit. I am comforted in knowing that I have 60 packets of hot chocolate..over a hundred packets of Organic Oatmeal..and basically enough crackers, meat, veggies and cans of soup to last until June or so..hahahah! I LOVE COSTCO!

Well..off to paint some more! Live Artfully!!

HERE FISHY FISHY....

I finally got around to painting last night, and this 24 x 24 x 2 inch fish is what came to be. I really like him. He's so vibrant, and the colors just POP off of the piece! Nothing much is going on...I have been sleeping A LOT. I kicked the cold symptoms, but it has just left me life-less..this too shall pass..LOL.

That's all folks..I am boring winter mode..Live Artfully!

GOOD MORNING WORLD -- INVITATION ONLY SHOW -- 32 DAYS AWAY...

Good Morning!! Well..all I can say people is...BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU PRAY FOR. Yesterday, I was stressing out the 2011 Buckner Art Show Schedule. We want to do this one, not this one..these two are on the same day in two different states...we'll have to get hotel rooms for this one..I think we can drive home for this one..which one has more people...it REALLY stresses me out. I get overwhelmed...I get in a tizzy..like the magical, evil Art Show Fairy is going to come in my house, and banish me at that very moment, if I don't turn in an application--or Zapplication...complete with images on CD..sigh...THEN..I stopped. I took a deep breath. I prayed-- Nothing extravagant, nothing fancy. I just said.."Lord, you took care of us last year, so I will trust that you will take care of us this year." I went in my studio and painted a silly dog. Not so much to make a masterpiece--but, because when I pick up a brush--the harsher, reality-ridden world goes away for a few moments. It is where I find my happy place. It calms me. Then, as I got up to cook Nature Boy's dinner--I stopped by the computer room to check my email. POOF. An INVITATION. To an Art Show. A nice one. In Birmingham, Alabama (read as BIG CITY)...and they want US to show our art there. WOOOHOOOOO!! I began Happy Dancing...I am thinking April..May..June..One down..(all of this is running through my head) ..I continue to read the email...GULP..(eyes slightly bulging..)..in FEBRUARY??? OMG!!! That is unheard of in this area!!! It can't be!! That is in 32 days..OMG..I have, MAYBE 10 pieces of art in my inventory....ARRRRGGHHHHHHH....The good thing about this (besides having a show to do)??
I WORK WELL UNDER PRESSURE. Thank you Lord. Live Artfully!

DAY 2 of 2011--

Well..It's going on the 3rd day of the New Year..and I have done one painting. I had the flu last week, and even though, I kicked it out of my system in 4 DAYS, it left me tired, and very run down...so, I am mentally "limping" through the motions...I painted this today, and it took me nearly all day to complete it...but, at least I don't have flu symptoms any longer--so I really am not complaining.

I will post a post with my New Year's Resolutions as soon as I am not so tired...and other stuff. Live Artfully!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR--2011!!!