JANUARY IS OVER AND GONE!!

 Well...Tomorrow is FEBRUARY...My anniversary of being married to Nature Boy is in 4 days..cannot believe that I have been married for ELEVEN years!! It's been a happy journey, and I hope we spend many, many more years together, driving each other insane...LOL...

I've been busy this month...I ended up painting 30 new paintings this month, PLUS getting many of the children's book illustrations done!!  I have to really step it up in February..I have exactly 39 days until our first show in Fairhope, Alabama!! It's a wonderful 3 day event, and I am so excited!! We have friends there that have loaned (gifted) us a condo on the beach for 5 days, and it will also be a mini-vacation for us!! We loved staying there when we did the Pensacola show, and are excited about staying there again!! We are SO BLESSED with such wonderful friends!! I thank the good Lord above every day for the people that he has put into our lives!!

The children's book is coming to a close. I will be happy to have it finished, and am so proud of how it is turning out. It has stretched my skills to their limit this year, and I think that it REALLY pushed me to do better...I had to depend a lot on DRAWING..and it was such good excercise for that side of my art. You all are going to LOVE IT!!!

I seemed to have gotten rid of a lot of negative crap and people in 2012..and am happy to be starting out the new year without the weight of certain people hanging around my neck. It's sad when a friendship ends, but  it was dragging me down, and making it where I had to "dumb down" to sustain it, so, it is better off to put in the wind. I do not have time in my life for ignorance and pure stupidity in a  relationship. Also, she was an artist who COPIES other people's work, and that drove me insane..so, I am glad that I am done with it!!

Also, on the negative front--Let's just get it ALL out in the open..I have gained FIVE POUNDS. After a 58 pound loss since May 2012. It ALWAYS happens in the winter...I fatten up like a hibernating bear..LOL..Luckily, it is ONLY 5 pounds, and LUCKILY I am going to get a grip on it before it gets out of hand...Whew..I am NOT throwing all that hard work away!!

So..that is my life so far in 2013...Long and boring...hahahah. Live Artfully!!

THE START OF 2013!!! WOOHOOO..TWO NEW PAINTINGS!

Live Artfully!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

I MISS BLOGGING..CATCHING UP

Well..Show season is over, and it had it's good and bad points. Five shows in 6 weeks. The first 3 shows went great, but I was not prepared (not enough work) for the last two, so they were a bit of a disappointment...but, it was my own fault.

We had a great time at Bluff Park in Birmingham, and a greater time at Kentuck in Tuscaloosa...Then on to Memphis, Pensacola, and then Covington, Louisiana.

So, we have been home a few weeks. Some strange things have happened...(boring, but still strange)...First, I have lost all of my urge to create. I haven't painted in over a month...I think I "should" be painting, but I am just burnt out. So..you all will have to be patient with me. I am sure it will return. Right now, I am working on the children's book, getting that finished, then I HAVE to paint a couple more things that people have already ordered..then, I am going to clear this brain..and go to work for next year.

I was thinking about blogging today. I MISS IT! The coming on here daily, and thinking of substantial things to "say", or type..then hopping around to other blogs, and reading what is going on,,it seems that social media such as FACEBOOK, and TWITTER..has made us just readily put out there what we are thinking or doing at any given time of the day or night. Without the substance that we USE to take time and write about things. So..I am thinking of a BLOGGING REVITALIZATION!!! Get people back to blogs, and away from FB...hahha.

Well..that is all for today...just touching base again. I am going to TRY and start posting again daily...Live Artfully!!

GETTING READY FOR FIVE FALL SHOWS!!

BLUFF PARK Event Dates: 10/6/2012 - 10/6/2012 Location: BLUFF PARK BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA http://www.bluffparkartassociation.org/ The first show was held in Bluff Park to benefit the Bluff Park Elementary School library and has grown into a prestigious annual event. The top award is a purchase award, and the winning work is added to the permanent collection. These works are displayed in local schools, colleges and other public buildings. Proceeds from the Annual Show go to support the Arts in the greater Birmingham community. Over the years we have undertaken many projects, both large and small. These have varied from buying art books for school libraries to commissioning public sculpture and paintings.

KENTUCK Event Dates: 10/20/2012 - 10/21/2012 Location: NORTHPORT NORTHPORT ALABAMA kentuck.org 41st Annual Kentuck Festival of the Arts Kentuck Park, 3501 5th Street, Northport, AL Saturday, October 20 & Sunday October 21, 2012 9 am- 5pm each day nationally and internationally acclaimed folk artists 270+ folk, visionary, and contemporary artists and expert craftspeople presenting their work to you free hands-on art-making for children in Kentuck for Kids and throughout the park interactive live demonstrations by expert craftspeople—basketmakers, blacksmiths, woodworkers, traditional potters, fiber and fabric artists, quilters, jewelers, and a glassblower live music and story-telling, food and fellowship one of the USA’s Top Ten Art Fairs and Festivals. Tickets go on sale August 1, 2012 Tickets are $10 per day, or advance-only weekend pass $15. Children 12 and under admitted free. NO PETS/NO ALCOHOL/NO SMOKING ALLOWED PER CITY OF NORTHPORT AND TUSCALOOSA PARKS AND RECREATION AUTHORITY.

RIVER ARTS FEST Event Dates: 10/26/2012 - 10/28/2012 Location: MEMPHIS MEMPHIS TENNESSEE http://riverartsmemphis.org/ RiverArtsFest 2012 will host a 170+ Juried Artist Market, along with Artist in Motion, Hands on Art and other festival offerings including community art events, great live music and tasty Southern food, Friday-Sunday, October 26, 27 & 28. A successor to Arts-in-the-Park, RiverArtsFest is in its sixth year located in the heart of the Historic South Main Arts District in Downtown Memphis, TN. This area is an ideal location since it is easily accessible from major streets and expressways and is home to many of the city’s finest galleries and restaurants with lots of free parking to be found.

GREAT GULFCOAST ARTS FESTIVAL Event Dates: 11/2/2012 - 11/4/2012 Location: SEVILLE SQUARE- PENSACOLA, FLORIDA PENSACOLA FLORIDA GGAF.ORG The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival is one of the best-regarded, most popular arts festivals in the United States. The three-day, juried art show draws more than 200 of the nation’s best painters, potters, sculptors, jewelers, graphic artists, craftsmen and other artists.

THREE RIVERS ART FESTIVAL Event Dates: 11/10/2012 - 11/11/2012 Location: COVINGTON, LA COVINGTON LOUISIANA http://www.threeriversartfestival.com/ With 200 artists from more than 20 states. A juried show of original works. Tent after colorful tent ranged along the streets of historic downtown Covington, Louisiana. Arts and fine crafts demonstrations. Music. Food. Three Rivers Run. And lots of activities just for kids. It's the Covington Three Rivers Art Festival. Where the fun starts with art and goes on for two wonderful days. No pets allowed at the festival. Live Artfully!!

MY FIRST CD COVER--KALE NOEL--"SMILE"

A NICE young man emailed me the other day, and politely asked if he could use my artwork for his CD cover..It is called SMILE. So..HERE'S MY FIRST CD COVER!! His name is Kale Noel!

Live Artfully!!

WHERE HAVE I BEEN ?? WHERE AM I GOING??

I did not realize that it had been since April since I posted on my blog! Goodness. I need to get with the program!

I have been to several shows since I last posted..and then summer came, and we don't have so many to do..I have been working on a children's book illustration that I was contracted to do, and just randomly painting..not so much..

This next weekend we are doing Julyfest in Mentone, AL..then we will be done until the first of September. Then, it's a full time thing again until December! WE GOT ACCEPTED into KENTUCK--This will be our second year, and we are EXCITED!! If you have never been to Kentuck Arts Festival--it's an experience!! We also got accepted into a new show for us--RIVER ARTS FEST in Memphis, Tennessee. Another new, exciting show!! We are waiting on 2 more important shows, then we'll be booked!

Remember that I lost weight last year? Well, as life would have it, I ended up gaining 30 pounds out of the 45 that I lost back. So..About 7 weeks ago, I went back to eating right, and am almost (3 pounds away) to being at what I got down to last year. Then --hopefully, I will continue to lose weight.(Cross your fingers for me).

I did something last week that I thought I would NEVER do--TWO things actually--I went to the hairdressers, and let them cut my hair all the way off..very short..and I LOVE IT! It is so liberating and freeing, and not nearly as hot!

That's about it. I'm caught up with you now..Live artfully!!

APRIL 28th and 29th TROYFEST -- TROY ALABAMA!!!

Oh HAPPY DAY!!! Four more days until we get to set up for the Troy, Alabama TROYFEST!! It's one of my favorite shows of the season!! I am so excited, and am working furiously to get everything ready!! I am out of my dark cloud, and ready to PAINT again. I will tell you what I did!! Yesterday, I started to clean my  studio..I have been in a funk for months, struggling through every brush stroke..not even doing a painting a day...etc..so, I decided to CLEAN THE PIGSTY!! I paint at a table. On my left-hand side is a large counter from an old store. On top of this counter, I had another table..and stuff piled on both pieces...It created a deep dark hole, which just happens to be where I sit and paint...In this dark hole also sits my TV, and my computer....So yesterday, I have Chuck come in, and remove the table piled on the table..(after I had removed all the crap that was piled to the ceiling)..and POOF..LIGHT!! I no longer feel trapped..I guess it was creating a CAVE EFFECT..because once it was all gone (except the computer and TV)....it was like a glorious light at the end of the tunnel. I felt as if a boulder was lifted off of me!!! So, I am happy, and after a long, long winter ...am ready to kick some a.....Live Artfully!!

NEW WORK!!

Live Artfully!!

HAPPY HAPPY EASTER!!!

Live Artfully.