MY DAUGHTER GOT MARRIED LAST NIGHT!

Well..we are into August, and I am moving along on getting ready for fall shows. I have painted 3 new paintings, and sold TWO of those..so, I am one ahead!

Last night was rather exciting. My daughter and her boyfriend, went to Las Vegas, and got married in the Doo Wop Wedding Chapel. It was a wedding chapel decorated like a 1950's diner..in turquoise. It was so adorable. My daughter had a beautiful green dress with a black jacket, leopard print shoes, and she looked BEAUTIFUL! She married her best friend from high school. He's been a rock for her as she was growing up, and I cannot believe that he is now my SON-IN-LAW.  Nature Boy and I got to watch the entire ceremony on web cam...::::Smile::: Leave it to my child to have a cool wedding!! So..that's my excitement for this week..
Live Artfully!

TODAY..

Ok..This is today's work--ALL day..repainted so many times that I felt like throwing it in the garbage. It was a still life, a dog (which Nature Boy said looked like a rabbit), then two different women. I was in the process of covering the last woman when this emerged. I like it ok. Geesh..I hate days like this...where nothing works!!

Other than that..I played with the dog. He is SO FUNNY. He'll go running after something or nothing, then I whistle and he runs back as fast as he can. Then he'd run after his imaginary friend, running as hard as his little short legs would take him, then I would whistle...this went on for a while...hahahah..He's so pooped out--that he's been sound asleep on the porch for HOURS.


Well..I think it's time for bed. Live Artfully!!

MANY MANY PAINTINGS TO SHOW...I NEED TO GET BACK TO BLOGGING!!

I just realized that I have not been posting my art on the blog. What is up with that? Everything goes on Facebook, Facebook, Facebook. Facebook is EVIL! It's a brain-sucker, a time stealer...I have to get off of there!!!

Well..let's see..In July, we did a show in Mentone, AL., and it was the hottest day that I have ever spent outside in my life (and I am from FLORIDA, so I KNOW hot weather!)..but, we got to hang out with friends and that made it worthwhile. From July until last night, Nature Boy and I have been hanging out at home, working and working. Only a couple of things have happened lately. ONE WAS THIS:

You all know that ever since Petey died, I have been waiting for another dog to come into my life. I held off going out and finding one, because I knew that one day, another one would find me, and need me. Well..this little beagle showed up about a week and a half ago, and he was in sad, sad shape. He was afraid, wouldn't come near us, and starving to death (literally). He was so thin that you could count his ribs...and his head was like solid bone, no fat on it at all. I started feeding him, then began feeding him every four hours, and he's so fat. I cannot believe that he gained weight THAT FAST!! He's not afraid of us now, and follows us around. He's basically a good dog, except he HOWLS...and when he howls, he chases...I am bewildered that SO MUCH NOISE can come out of such a little dog!! He's still timid..unless he's chasing something...hahahhaha...but, he'll probably outgrow that in time. I named him DOBBY, after the elf in Harry Potter, because when I first got him to look at me, his head was so thin that he looked exactly like Dobby..but, anyway..he's become "ours".

The only other thing that has happened is that we did the Huntsville Gallery Tour. It was fun, and got us out in the public again. Met some wonderful new customers, and saw some old friends!!

Well..that's it...soon the fall season will be here! We can't wait!! Looking forward to doing some really good shows!!! Live Artfully!!

FINALLY ANOTHER PAINTING!!

Whew! I finally finished another painting! I was beginning to worry that my art muse had been eaten alive by my diet muse...hahahha. I HAVE to get ready for upcoming shows!! You all need to nag me, until I produce something!!

Has everyone ran out and watched the new Harry Potter yet? I was going to go the other night, but thought that I wanted to watch PART 1 beforehand, so I rented it tonight through Pay-per-view, and watched it. It amazes me how different the actors are from where they started!

I haven't been doing much art--I've been working on me. I have a new diet blog-- suzanbuckner2.blogspot.com, if any of you would like to follow that too. As of today--the end of week 6--I have lost 25 pounds. I feel as if it is a million. But, I am keeping them totally separate--so this is the last you'll hear on this blog about dieting...unless it is in the form of Art.

Well..that's about it. I have to get back to painting..it might be an all-nighter.LIVE ARTFULLY!!!

OH GOODNESS!! DID I FORGET THAT I HAD A BLOG?

Hello! I haven't been here in a long time. Summer, this year is my down time, and my regrouping time..so..I don't really have much to say. We did a show in Mentone since the Whofest Show, and that was fun. It was so extremely HOT though. I think that kept a lot of people away...but, we hung out with great friends, and got to see everyone...so it was all good.

Six weeks ago, I joined Weight Watchers online. As of today, I have lost approximately 20 pounds!! I have given up sugar almost completely, and am eating as many raw foods as possible. I feel calmer, thinner, happier...and after struggling through the first few weeks, I no longer think about eating junk, and what I gave up...(white rice, white potatoes, white pasta,sugar, processed food, anything with high fructose corn syrup..and other stuff--including CHOCOLATE..hahahaha). Now it's whole grains, nuts, healthy fats, lean protein, fruits and vegetables...Nature Boy has lost about 4 pounds..and is excercising on the glider machine much more than I am.

I should be painting more. I have had something of an artist block lately..just can't seem to get back in the groove of things..but, I will. I have some big shows coming up in September and October, and HAVE to get busy. Well..that's about all! Live Artfully!!

ARTFUL HANDS ON FACEBOOK!!

I have started a new page on Facebook called Artful Hands. You can "LIKE" or join it HERE. I think I'll be showing other artist, sharing links and tips for Living Artfully!! Hope you enjoy!!

THEN AND NOW..TWO YEARS OF WHOFEST ART SHOW--A FANTASTIC GREAT WEEKEND!!!!

The Year is 2010--This is our first time setting up at an actual "SHOW"..we had done the Chattanooga Market several times, and a small art market  called "ART UNTIL DARK" at Winder Binder Folk Art Gallery. We were NERVOUS. Our booth had so much stuff in it. The day went great. We sold a majority of the things we brought. It was a crazy weekend. Hot, and busy.....I remember not knowing how to react when people started talking about our art...we were SO GREEN, and uncomfortable.

Fast forward to this past weekend--WHOFEST 2011--

This year, we got two tents..Nature Boy had his own..We had a minimal amount of inventory..we didn't sell much, but made good money..(only $100 or so under last year). We knew a great deal of the artist that showed with us, we were actually responsible for a couple of them coming to the show. We were kicked back, and had a blast. We bought art (pictures following below.)

It was like the difference of being a child and being an adult. Our first time out--our "FIRST" real show..it was very scary, and we were naive about everything (especially pricing)..hahaha..I think my most expensive thing the first year was $125, (and I felt guilty about that). We were young, and stupid..we met many, many people at that show. Many of them are now great friends that I hope I have for life. This year, we were adults. We have grown. We weren't scared or nervous..We've done what feels like hundreds of shows between the two shows. (It is probably more like 30 or so).

The art that we purchased this weekend was AMAZING! One day a long time ago, I was in Chattanooga, and walked into a coffee shop--they had this artist named MARK LEAMON exhibiting his work for sale. I remember clearly walking in, and seeing it, and it stopped my breath. By that I mean that I felt as if I had walked into a world famous art gallery, and there sat the most empowering group of paintings that I ever seen. I was in there for almost an hour. I know the people in there thought that I was crazy, or something. I walked to each painting, and studied each line, each brush stroke. I KNOW good art, ( I was partially raised in an art gallery that my aunt was part owner in)..I KNOW good art--I knew what I was looking at was GREAT art. Not good. GREAT. Yesterday..I purchased 4 pieces of this artists' work. Yesterday, it once again made my breath stop in my chest. I would have mortgaged my house to buy a piece. I purchased one large piece, and 3 smaller pieces...

 This is the large piece. It's GORGEOUS!! So intense and saturated with life!!! This picture does not do it justice! I had seen it on Saturday, and loved it..but, I was hot, and tired, and wanted to go home. I could not stop thinking about it...all night I thought about it...I woke up on Sunday morning, thinking about it..when we got to the show on Sunday morning...I walked up to the tent, and saw this piece:

 This piece is amazing. It is done on the back of one of his sketchbooks, and has so much depth and layering to it. It's so beautiful! I cannot show you these painting in high resolution (the reason is obvious), and when I saw this it was hanging from a chain on a tree branch. OMG! I HAD to have it! (I later decided that I will find a tree branch, bolt it onto my wall, and hang it in my home that way. To remember it as I FIRST saw it.)...So...

....I positioned my chair to face Mark's tent...and I waited..and I waited..(Nature Boy and I tend to arrive very early..hahah)..I saw Mark unzipping his tent..and away I WENT.

I also purchase two smaller pieces. I will have to show these later..because they are carefully packed away with my own art.

I spent the majority of the last two days hanging out with my friend and fellow artist Brenda Davis. The strangest thing happened. On Sunday morning at 4:30am, Brenda and I BOTH had a serious leg cramp on the right leg wake us up from a dead sleep. We were not in the same place. She was in Chattanooga..I was at home in Alabama...weird..huh..(insert music from the Twilight Zone)..But, we had great fun!!

Ok..there will have to be a Part 2 to this post. I will show the rest of the art that I bought, or recieved and the jewelry (need the artist's permission to post a picture of it)..and I will tell of some more things that happened, etc..but, I have lost my wind...hahaha. Live Artfully!!

A PAINTING.

Live Artfully!!

VERY VERY PRODUCTIVE DAY!! ELEVEN PAINTINGS (ALL 16 x 16)!!

OK..I think that getting up early, and having coffee while scanning pictures of PICASSO really, really helps one free themselves and just paint with reckless abandon. That is what I did today! I just took a deep breath, decided that imperfection is sometimes perfect..and PAINTED....and PAINTED...and PAINTED...Before 6pm--I had done 8 good sized paintings. EIGHT!! Goodness...They just poured out...I went crazy!! I think if I can get Nature Boy to make me a couple of large cups of coffee--I THINK..I can do more. So far--to date--My record for "paintings in a day" has been 13..I may be able to break that...Nothing like purging demons and painting!!

Yesterday, we set up our tent in Mentone, Alabama..It was a beautiful day, and everyone seem to have sells..I got to see a lot of friends!! Thank you to all that purchased from us! I also got to see a very special friend--Stacy--Stacy is young, maybe in her late teens, and is in a wheelchair. She does the most amazing art using her mouth as a tool to operate her computer. She makes pictures on the computer, then prints them out. I have several of her pieces that she traded me last year. I was so sad to hear that Stacy has not felt good for about 3 months now, so I gave her a painting with her favorite color (PURPLE!) in it...in hopes that it would brighten her day, even if just for a few minutes. Please take a moment and say a prayer for Stacy. She's a wonderful spirit..

Nature Boy and I have ONE more show--coming up this next weekend!! We will be in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Saturday and Sunday for WHOFEST. It's to be held in Renaissance Park, and it'll be FULL of wonderful folk artist and ART!!!!

This is our last show until July 2nd and 3rd, and the ONLY time that we will be in Chattanooga this year (that we know of), so PLEASE come and see us!! I miss SO MANY of you that are in Chattanooga!!!

Well..that's about it..time to eat..and then PAINT AGAIN!

 Ok..added 3 more after dinner...I feel like a cross between eating a pound of chocolate and not gaining an ounce (very happy!!)..and being hit by an 18 wheeler (very tired!)..hahhaha.
LIVE ARTFULLY!!