Tempest

'Tempest'

8" x 10" watercolor on watercolor board

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Lately I've been feeling just on the verge of an artistic block (don't even get me started on my writer's block which I've been suffering from for the last ten months. Argh. Double argh.). Which always makes me anxious. I don't know what's worse the actual artistic block, or the fear of an approaching block.

So, with the help of my Facebook buddies and the DPW weekly challenge (paint a sky), I decided to do something totally different that I've been wanting to do for a long time. A drippy, wet into wet, watercolor sky painting. And I did this with no drawing which is a first for me. :) I get a little panicky if I don't have an exact plan mapped out ahead of time. Which is great for accuracy, but at times feels a little stifling.

I'm really happy with how this painting turned out, and I feel so excited to paint again. I think I want to paint lots more skies from now on. It was so much fun.

Now my faithful blog family, what do you do when you start to feel blocked? Any advice?

Thanks for stopping by everyvbody, I hope you are all having a rockin' good Monday. :)

Hugs,

Crystal

listening to: Passion Pit 
watching: BBC's Sherlock (which is AWESOME)
reading: The Carrier of the Mark
snacking on: mini peppermint patties

Looking Up

'Looking Up'

6" x 6" acrylic on masonite

I painted this little portrait of my youngest son a couple of weeks ago. The photo is from when he was a baby, about seven months old, and he's sitting down in that little frog-legged way that babies do when they're just learning how to sit up on their own. My mom stands behind him, leaning over with her arms on either side of him, ready to catch him if he wobbles too much and topples to the ground.

I love that photo. I plan to do a large watercolor of the whole image one day because I love the look of my mom's hands protecting him and his trusting expression as he looks up at her.

But I just felt like painting an acrylic portrait and I loved the lighting on his sweet, chubby face. :) I think it will be interesting to see what the watercolor looks like in comparison to this acrylic study. When I get around to it, which might not be for a while. Always too many ideas and too little time.  I wonder if that will ever change? I sure hope not. About having too many ideas I mean. :)

Huzzah my friends! Until Saturday!

An Interview With The Artist: Taryn Day

 'Daydreaming at the Cafe' by Taryn Day
7" x 7" oil on panel

"For many years my habit was to spend two or even three months on one painting, trying to create an image without flaws. I've begun to realize that painting is not about the absence of flaws- painting is about being fully awake, and fully aware of a larger world outside yourself. At best it is an act of spiritual renewal."   - Taryn Day

This is Taryn. She is awesome. :) I first discovered Taryn through browsing the Daily Paintworks site and instantly fell in love with her very thoughtful and poetic figure paintings and portraits. Her still life, landscape, and animal paintings all have this same quality too. Everything that she paints seems to tell a story about what it is to be human. Even if it's a portrait of a sheep. And to top it all of she is so nice and genuine. You'll love her. :) To see more of Taryn's work you can follow her blog Awake and Painting by clicking here. And visit her website by clicking here.

Welcome Taryn! I’m so excited to have you on my blog today. I’m a big fan of your work. I’d love to get to know you a little better. Could you tell us a little about your path to becoming the artist you are today?

Thank you Crystal, I’m a fan of your work too! I’m pleased that you’ve chosen me for an interview, because I get to spend some time navel gazing, something I love to do. My path has been somewhat long, as I started painting in oils at the age of 16, thirty six years ago. I started out loose and painterly, feeling excited and inspired just about all the time. In my mid-twenties I started to slow way down, using tiny brushes and spending two or three months on a small painting. I was after the way light caressed surfaces, and usually painted interiors and the way light from a window would create beauty in an ordinary room. This worked well for a few years, but then for some reason my drive and excitement over painting turned slowly to dread. I would often begin a painting with enthusiasm, only to eventually paint the thing to death, losing my initial feeling.

Then I married and had two kids, and began to work a series of part time jobs and desperately tried to fit painting in when I could. Sometimes it would work out, but too often I would overwork a piece, probably out of a lack of confidence. A few years ago I began to be aware of the Daily Painting Movement, and thought that trying to paint small pieces in one day might help me to get out of my perfectionist bog. Many small and quick paintings later, I found that my work was improving, but most interestingly, was usually not as bad as I thought. I mean, I used to think that my work was not fit for anyone’s eyes but my own until I’d worked on them for a long, long time, but having to finish in one day and put it aside, then come back to see it the next day was a real eye-opener.  It dawned on me that while my first impression of a subject was full of small inaccuracies as compared with a camera’s, it was often an interesting and valid statement.

I do find that my most current work has slowed down a bit, where I spend 2-4 days on a small piece. By painting so many one day pieces, I’ve learned a lot about getting the most important elements down quickly, and to focus on what I am most moved by.

'November' by Taryn Day

7" x 6.5" oil on panel

You post new work regularly to your blog, which I think is very impressive. It’s not easy to be consistent about your work. What inspires you to create your art and how do you keep motivated when things get tough?

I love blogging. It is so great to finish a piece and get feedback within a couple hours. As far as being inspired, usually an idea will smack me in the face, so to speak. When I try too hard to find the perfect subject I come up with nothing. When I relax and become more open to my environment, often I feel that a great subject just hands itself to me. Case in point, recently I went to the Philadelphia Mummers Parade to take pictures to use in paintings. For the first hour I felt frustrated and impatient that people were not getting into poses that I thought they should, but finally relaxed and sat down on a curb and just waited. That’s when things started to come together. Once I spent two hours trying to pose a half a watermelon, gave up and sliced it into many small wedges for my family to eat and put them in a bowl, then realized I had exactly the composition I wanted.  So I think inspiration is kind of accidental.

The times that I feel I need a kick in the pants to get going on a painting is first thing in the morning, when I have a big cup of coffee at the computer and am sifting through my favorite websites, or sending emails. I’ll say to myself that I must start painting by a certain time, and then I’ll stick to it. It’s easier for me to work than to not work and have to call myself bad names. Lol. :)

If I paint a painting I’m not happy with, I do get a little down and am not the best company, (me too! Just ask my husband :) but that makes it especially great to be able to start something new the next day. I love that positive spin. No use crying over painting disasters.

'Leah at Sea' by Taryn Day

6" x 6" oil on panel

Some of my favorite pieces of yours are your figure paintings and portraits. I think you have a real strength for conveying emotion through gesture and expression, something that isn’t easy to do in my opinion. What is it about figures and portraits that inspire you to paint them so frequently? And what is it that draws you to paint a specific scene?

Thank you Crystal, that is just what I want to try and achieve- to say something about what goes on inside a person by their face or gesture. I’ve spent much of my painting life concentrating on still life, interiors and landscape, but I’ve always wanted to paint the kinds of scenes I’m painting now. I did spend seven years working exclusively on portrait commissions of children, but usually from photographs. I didn’t enjoy working from photos, and thought the end result was stiff and unpainterly. Just this past year I began to paint from my computer monitor, and although at first I hated it as compared with painting from life, I have started to absolutely love it. The subject matter possibilities have just expanded for me to an amazing degree.  I can avoid the stilted, photographic look by standing ten feet back from my monitor, as a way to focus on the essentials, and I can turn the image upside down and sideways to get a fresh view. I can lighten the shadow areas if I need to see what’s going on with the structure, then darken the image again for a highlighted area.  I’m really having fun.

I grew up in a family with seven children. There was a certain amount of necessary discipline just to keep the crowd under control, and my parents, being mid-Westerners, preferred understatement to letting it all hang out. There was lots of stimulating talk, and my brothers were quite witty, but I would feel a little cut off from real feelings. I developed a habit of studying people closely to try and figure out what they were really thinking and feeling.

As for how I choose a specific scene, I like introspection and even a certain healthy amount of melancholy in a person or scene.  Simple happiness doesn’t do it for me. I like to show a person with more ambiguous feelings, or if they are happy, it should be a deep sort of peaceful happiness, as if they were contemplating something outside of time. At least that’s my goal- not sure I’m there yet. Well I certainly get that feeling from viewing your work. I'd call that a success. :)

 

'Patience' by Taryn Day

6" x 6" oil on panel

I also love the way you are able to simplify the detail in your paintings, to focus on the essence of the subject. You really make every expressive brushstroke count! What tips do you have for other artists who may find themselves getting ‘lost in the details’ and forsaking the big picture?

I’d say to paint one painting a day for a few months. Use only large brushes, at least ½ an inch across. Think of the subject in the simplest possible way. If you are painting something that is round, just keep thinking about the roundness. Squinting can be good, but even better, as you paint a brushstroke, look at the entire subject. Never focus on just one thing. How a detail fits into the whole is what matters, not that detail by itself. Love your subject and know why you love it, and aim to get that into the painting. If you can trick yourself into seeing the subject as something, anything, other than itself, it will help. In other words, always look for the abstract pattern. Try and forget you are painting a face, a flower, a tree. Just see shapes, and see big shapes. The little shapes can be added later, they’ll have a lot more power if the big shapes are correct.

You often quote poetry on your blog, which I love, is poetry something that inspires your paintings? And is there a favorite poem that you turn to again and again?

I’m not sure why I’ve added poems to my blog. It just seemed a natural thing to do. Painting is about the meaning behind surfaces, isn’t it? And poetry is about meaning hiding behind this daily life we live, isn’t it? I go through phases of reading poetry, usually first thing in the morning. Finding out about a good and exciting poet can be quite inspiring for me. I don’t have one poem that is a favorite, but I sure do like Galway Kinnell, Robert Lowell and Robert Frost. I’m no poetry expert, but I like a poem where emotion and meaning trumps beauty.   I love poets with deep originality and a sense of humor, like Billy Collins and Kenneth Koch.

Life as an artist is pretty awesome. But it’s not all glitter and rainbows. What do you think is the best part of being an artist? And the worst part?

The best part for me is loving what I do, to think I have something to say and to be sometimes be able to say it. The worst part? I think I get a little too intense sometimes, too focused on this one thing I do.  And of course money is always an issue.

'Protected' by Taryn Day

6" x 6" oil on panel

What has been your biggest challenge as an artist so far?

Having to work full time for a while and still consider myself a painter. That drove me mad. My biggest challenge as a painter? Getting rejected by many galleries over the years really shook up my self-confidence. Starting a blog was a way to have people see and then buy my work, and now finally some galleries are expressing interest. I’m happy to have the independence to sell online, so I’m not sure what will happen.

What is one thing you want viewers of your paintings to walk away with?

Oh, to remember a time when they felt the same way as a person I’ve painted, and to realize the ordinary can have something to say. Beautifully said. I love that. :)

Let’s talk about artistic influences. Who has been your biggest source of inspiration? Dead or alive.

Oh, this is such a hard question.  I tend to get personally inspired by female painters of my generation, but it would be too hard to choose one.  I love Diana Horowitz’s work. She has a wonderful lofty way of seeing the world, with such great color and light, but there are so many others.

'Watermelon Bowl'

6" x 6" oil on panel

What do you like to do when you’re not painting?

I like all the normal things; I like to take long walks, read, watch movies, practice yoga. Of course I like spending time with friends and my large extended family. I like to travel, but money is usually too tight. I work part time at the library, where I enjoy staying in touch with people in my local community. I like to cook and I like being organized. I like to be organized too. . . I'm just not very good at it. Can you teach me? ;)

What are some of your goals for the future?

I’d like to continue in the direction I’m headed, meaning to gradually increase the size of my panels and paint more complex, involved subjects while keeping my brushwork loose. I’d love to eventually teach art more seriously. I’ve taught one or two classes at a time for years in small art centers, but it would be great to teach in a college.

Let’s say life as we know it is about to end and you’re in charge of creating an artistic time capsule for the aliens who recolonize Earth to find. What art - both classic and contemporary – would you insist on including?

Winslow Homer, Van Gogh, Vilhelm Hammershøi, Howard Hodgkins, Antonio López García, Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans, Robert Capa, Josef Sudek, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Pieter Jansz. Saenredam,  Giotto, Michelangelo, Titian, Catherine Murphy, Alice Neel, Edwin Dickinson, Paul Matthews, Diana Horowitz,  - it’s hard to know where to stop.  You might mean music and literature too, but I think I’ll stop here.

And finally what tips or words of advice do you have for beginning artists?

Don’t look to others for validation. If you feel you have something to say, work on saying it, and look at lots of good art. I absolutely love that. Words of wisdome for sure. :)))

SPEED ROUND!

(Off the top of my head, and sometimes I couldn’t just pick one)

Dawn or dusk? Dawn.

Sweet or salty? Salty.

Winter or Summer? Summer

Zombies or Unicorns? Why yes this is an important question. Answer please. :) Unicorns.

Dine in or eat out? Dine in. 

All-time favorite book? Huckleberry Finn or Pride and Prejudice.

All-time favorite movie? On the Waterfront, The Verdict or The Year of Living Dangerously.

All-time favorite food? Popcorn. Oh my mom would love you! That's her favorite too. :) It would be mine but only if the popcorn was chocolate covered and in the shape of a cupcake.

All-time favorite song? “I was made for you” by Rivers Cuomo or Beethoven’s 32^nd piano sonata.

Thank you SO much Taryn! It was such a treat to have you on my blog today. I loved reading all of your answers and you've inspired me (and so many others I'm sure) so much. I wish you the best of luck with your art career and can't wait to see your next painting! Once again you can visit Taryn's blog Awake and Painting by clicking here.

And just in case you all were wondering what the score is for the Zombies vs. Unicorns in these artist interviews it is: Zombies: 2 and Unicorns: 3. Sparkly white horses FTW!

 

Trust SOLD

'Trust' SOLD

5" x 7" gouache on aquabord

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Synonyms for trust: confidence, hope, faith, belief, conviction, expectation, dependence, reliance.

Definition of trust: 1. assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something 2. one in which confidence is placed 3. hope for the future

Every time I lock eyes with my dog I see this trust there that I don't see with anyone else. Her trust is absolute, with a very childlike faith. She believes that I will always be there for her, that I will do my best by her. And when I see her watching me with those soulful eyes, or feel her soft muzzle rest on my feet while I paint, I think of how lucky I am to have someone who believes in me so much with a faith that is never failing.

Trust is a powerful thing.  

It's something every artist must have. Not the trust of someone else in what you can do, or who you are, like my sweet dog, but trust in yourself. The belief that what you are doing, whatever you're doing, matters. That it will have an impact with someone. That it will bring you whatever it is you're looking for that made you want to become an artist in the first place.

That you can succeed. However it may be that you define that word for yourself.

That's where true confidence begins. Inside you, not from the approval, or acclaim of anyone else. It all begins with you.

Huzzah. :)

Until Tuesday my friends.

An Interview With The Artist: Brenda Thebeau (and blogoversary winner announced!)

Thanks so much to all of you for your sweet and thoughtful comments on my blogoversary post (and really ALL of your comments on each of my posts). You all are just plain awesome. I wish I could give each of you something. I have the winner (randomly chosen by my son) but I'm not going to announce it until the end of this blog post so you can focus on this amazing artist interview I have today. Seriously, I have been so excited to share her with you! Her paintings and posts leave me feeling inspired, empowered and motivated. And I know you will feel the same. You can visit her blog by clicking here. Let's begin.  :)

This is Bren. She is a mixed media abstract artist and she is made of awesome. :)

Bren, you truly are an amazing artist. Your abstract pieces always evoke an emotional reaction when I see one, I can only imagine how it really feels to see one in real life! I’d love to get to know you a little better. Could you tell us a little about your path to becoming the artist you are today?

You're too kind, but I appreciate knowing that my art communicates, it's a thrilling and humbling feeling. About three years ago, I began to toy with the idea of making my life practice of journaling more visual in nature. As I searched the internet for some inspiration I found a whole community of Art Journaling bloggers! I began to pick up on techniques and found that working with acrylics and ink in my journal was just my fit. After exploring all manner of ideas through my journal, I began to wonder if what I was doing on paper would translate onto canvas. It was liberating and before I knew it I was off and running into the world of abstractions and mixed-media.  Liberating is a word that always comes to mind when I look at your art. :)

'Expanse'

3-panel 12 x 16" = 16 x 36"

acrylic and mixed media on canvas by Bren Thebeau 

You post new work regularly to your blog, which I think is very impressive. It’s not easy to be consistent about your work. What inspires you to create your art and how do you keep motivated when things get tough?

Maybe it's because I've only been at this for a couple of years, but I don't worry about trying to be consistent, I just follow my inner rhythm. Mind you life and health issues can really mess with my rhythm! I struggle with rather debilitating fibromyalgia so to set a goal of painting daily would just lead to defeat. Instead I've learned to hold loosely to plans and make the most of the moments and times I have. While I'm working on a piece, the process is working on me. It's a mystery to me but at the darkest of times the process of creating somehow holds and releases the things I have no words for, or way of understanding. Working on my art connects me to myself and my world in all its layers and that keeps me motivated. Well said Bren. I just love that. :)

Like I said before, you create some absolutely, stunning, jaw-dropping abstract pieces. What is it that draws you to paint abstractly? What is your thought process before you create each piece?

All too often there is little conscious though that goes into a piece to begin with, but as I work I begin to realize that something has been bubbling away on a subconscious level and out it comes. I have learned so much about myself, gained insight and I hope some wisdom as the process exposes and helps me explore in ways that other wise would have taken longer to see or realize. Rather than having a visual of what I want a piece to look like, I will have a desire to work with certain mediums, play with some new idea or colour palette. Exploratory! However, when working with the Gorilla Glue, I do take some time to consider a basic design, only because once you get that glue down it doesn't come back up again! As for choosing to paint abstractly, I love the wide open feeling I have when creating abstracts, I can play and explore without a worry of ruining what came before. Layer upon layer of explorations. And I confess, abstract choose me, because I have little talent when it comes to painting realistically! I leave that in the talented hands of people like yourself. You have loads of talent my friend! I could never create what you do. But you are too kind Bren. Thank you. :) 

'Unbroken'

24 x 24" acrylic and mixed media on gallery wrap canvas

by Bren Thebeau

Life as an artist is pretty awesome. But it’s not all glitter and rainbows. What do you think is the best part of being an artist? And the worst part?

I'm not sure I've been at this long enough to qualify in answering these, give me a few years and maybe I'll have something worth saying! :)

What has been your biggest challenge as an artist so far?

Personally, it has been getting my art out there, taking the plunge and putting my art on display. That didn't and doesn't come easily. I'm not an outgoing person and frankly it's still a wonder to me that others have liked what I've created! It has been the biggest personal challenge and the most amazingly, positive one all at the same time!

What is one thing you want viewers of your paintings to walk away with?

Do you know, it is such a humbling experience to have someone view your work and to be moved by it. I hope they feel the power of the colours, sense the movement of the design and find some part of themselves being expressed there on the canvas.

'Joyous Struggle'

acrylic and mixed media on canvas by Bren Thebeau

Let’s talk about artistic influences. Who has been your biggest source of inspiration? Dead or alive.

I love the ladies of 'Experimental Abstract' like Maxine Masterfield, Pat Dews, Virginia Cobb, Jan Sitts, Suzy Andron & Mary Todd Beam. Their work inspires me endlessly.

What do you like to do when you’re not painting?

I love being with my family. Hanging out with my Grand-daughters, maybe playing in paint, enjoying my adult children, talking up a storm with my sisters and Mum. And any time spent with my husband of 35 years, is a great day in my books.   :)


What are some of your goals for the future?

I'm not a goal oriented person, although I've tried. I tend to work from a big picture perspective. I do keep my To Do List handy though, couldn't get along without it. There is a phrase that I have adapted, something I learned from working on one of my abstracts of a Joshua Tree. 'Bloom then branch.' According to the Wikipedia the Joshua tree usually doesn't branch until after it blooms. I knew right then, I was to just focus on letting my art fully bloom, and the branching would come naturally. I'm finding it to be so. If I can continue to grow as an artist, improving, expanding, exploring and remain mindful and open to opportunities to branch I figure I'm doing pretty well. 

And finally what tips or words of advice do you have for beginning artists?

Begin! Let the process take you, on an inner journey that leads to a profoundly, powerful experience in artistic expression. Trust your own creative voice, you have one, never doubt it. Nothing will derail you quicker than substituting 'other' voices for your own. Be you, you are an original! Those are some wonderful and wise words. And so true!

 

Acrylic and mixed media on canvas by Bren Thebeau

SPEED ROUND!

  Dawn or dusk?  Dusk by nature

  Sweet or salty? Mmm, salty.

  Winter or Summer? Cool is better :-)

  Zombies or Unicorns? Why yes this is an important question. Answer please :)  Unicorns if you please. :))))

  Dine in or eat out? Eat Out, cause then I don't have to cook! Huzzah! :)

  All-time favorite book? One! Just not possible.

  All-time favorite movie? Brave Heart, Dances With Wolves

  All-time favorite food? Lays Potato chips Yum!

  All-time favorite song? Again, only one! I'm afraid I like a random and varied music selection

Acrylic and mixed media on canvas by Bren Thebeau

Thank you so, SO much Bren! This has been such an inspiring interview, I now feel like rushing to my studio! And it's one I know I will be back to read over and over again. :) Once again you can visit Bren's blog esynergy to follow along with her on her art journey.  

And now to announce the winner. . . Last night I wrote all your names on little slips of paper and put them in a hat (because we're high tech like that around here) and had my son draw one of them out. And this is who it is. . .

Sandra Busby you are the winner of my print!! I'll be sending you an email shortly with the details. Thanks again to everybody for entering, I wish I could give each one of you something. *hugs to all* and Huzzah!! This is not going to be the only giveaway for this year, I have a few more tricks up my sleeve so be on the lookout for them!

See you Thursday everybody! :)

Art Books That Rock

It's no secret that I love books. Add in some beautiful art and I am in heaven. Seriously. (Me + books = 4ever!) And lately I have found some awesome ones that deserve to be talked about.

'Small Works'

by Kim Rempel

'A colourful collection of some of the artist's favourite small paintings from 2009-20011. Enjoy!'

Kim is awesome. Her work is equally awesome. Her blog is one that I stalk daily because there is always something fun and happy that I find when I look at her paintings. This book just bursts with Kim's personality and vision. It's obvious that Kim loves what she does and her joy for painting is contagious. The thing I liked most about this book was that I was able to get a closer look at Kim's work. Brush strokes, texture and color are more visible. It felt almost like I was looking at the real thing. :)

Click here for ordering information for Kim's book.

'Varmints' 

a picture book for children published in 2008

by Helen Ward

Illustrations by Marc Craste

Once, the only sounds to be heard were the buzzing of bees in the grass, the murmuring of moles in the earth, and the song of birds in the sky. These warmed the hearts of those who cared to listen —- until the others came to fill the sky with buildings and the air with a cacophony of noise. With dramatically lit artwork and a spare, intriguing text, Varmints tells of a pastoral world in need of protection and of the souls who love it enough to ensure its regeneration. blurb taken from Goodreads.com

While browsing the shelves of the book sale at my kids' school last week I spotted this amazingly gorgeous and epic picture book. I took one look at it (and the half off price tag, which, let's face it, sealed the deal right there!) snagged it off the shelves and had to restrain myself from petting it in front of the other parents. It is SO beautiful!

The illustrations in this book are more beautiful than any I've ever seen before. Seriously. It has an edgy, urban feel to it that I adore, and I love the huge scope of some of the page spreads; the huge skyscrapers and tiny creatures, great grassy fields and little bees. The characters are cute, without being overly so, and there's this whole conflict of dark versus light in the story and the illustrations so that there is this big, undeniable message of hope that is simply incredible.

If you don't collect picture books (like a squirrel hoarding nuts for the winter like I do) then see if you can find a copy of this at your library. You won't be disappointed I promise.  

'Working South'

by Mary Whyte

In Working South, renowned watercolorist Mary Whyte captures in exquisite detail the essence of vanishing blue-collar professions from across ten states in the American South with sensitivity and reverence for her subjects.

"When a person works with little audience and few accolades, a truer portrait of character is revealed." Mary Whyte

For a watercolor portrait artist this book should be required reading. Page after page of gorgeous reproductions of Mary's paintings featured in her Working South exhibit along with pages out of her own journal that chronicles who these people are and why she felt so drawn to tell their story in paint.

This is my desert island art book. If I could only take one it would be this one, because it reminds me of why I want to paint portraits. To showcase what makes each of us human and remarkable no matter who we are, how much money we have, or what we look like.

Mary is a master. Her work deserves every bit of acclaim she's received and more. I dare you to look at this book and not feel inspired to run for your brushes. No, wait, I take that back. I double dare you. :)))

And if you are lucky enough to live in the area of one of Mary's exhibits you should run and see it. Like right now. Check out this link for more details about this exhibit.

So, tell me what art books are your faves? Any undiscovered finds you simply must share? ;)

Huzzah my friends!

P.S. I am working on a Halloween painting that is SO fun. I'll be back on Thursday with a post about it. See you then!

Bundled Up

Bundled Up

7" x 9" watercolor

Last year my local hospital bought my painting "Timeless Remedy" to become a part of their permanent collection. I still have very mixed feelings about this because it is one of my favorite paintings and I was very sad to see it go.

I often wonder about the people who might see it when they're walking through that hospital and what circumstances of their life brings them there. Are they there for a happy reason, like a birth, or for some other much sadder reason.

In any case, I hope that whoever sees it feels something when they look at it. I hope they are reminded of what it feels like to hold your new baby for the first time, or maybe they're anticipating what that might feel like one day, or maybe they're just looking at it and it makes them smile when they're passing through a very dark spot in their life.

Then the other day I received an email from someone I've never met before who had seen my painting. She said, "this week walking through one the halls of the McKay Dee Hospital, I saw one of your paintings that is called Timeless Remedy and I want you to know that I was moved to tears. It's so cute and it reminded me of my little boy when he was a baby."

I know that my work has value for my family and for myself. And if that's all that the world ever sees of it I'm completely okay with that. I want it to be a legacy left to my children, so that they will always know how much they were loved.

But hearing things like this from complete strangers reminds me that what I'm doing, living this artist's life, painting this body of work I feel so compelled to create, might have a greater reach than I think it does.

Thank you Vivian, so much, for the email.

Have a great week everyone. :)

Just in case you're wondering what painting I'm talking about, here it is:

Timeless Remedy

Choosing to See SOLD

Sunlight SOLD

5" x 7" watercolor

click here to bid

This stallion's name is 'Golden Sunlight of Hermits' owned by Sandra Butterfield of Hermits Cobs. I saw a photo of him on Facebook and fell in love with him. He has such a kind eye and expression. And just look at his coloring, and gorgeous feathered feet! *sigh* I HAD to paint him. Sandra says he is as friendly and kind as he is gorgeous. :)

One of the great things about being an artist is that your eyes are opened to everything around you.

You see things that most people miss, like the intense purplish blue mixed in with all the sparkling green on a dragonfly's body, or the way a baby's soft cheek turns a rosy orange when he's sitting in the sun stacking towers of rainbow colored blocks with chubby hands.

Life as an artist is good.

And yet. . . Sometimes I find myself just going through the motions. Living my life, but not really seeing it.

So this morning I tried to change that. When I went running I breathed in deep when I passed a field of fresh cut alfalfa hay, I listened to the rushing sound of my breath burning in and out of my lungs, felt the tension of my muscles pushing for just a little more speed.

When I came home I watched my husband's face when he was getting ready for work, taking in every handsome curve and angle (for those of you that don't know, that's him in the banner above), that I know so well, like it was the first time I'd ever seen him.

I marveled at the relative silence in the car when I took my two older boys to school. No arguing, no teasing, just the sound of the audiobook "A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book The Ninth" playing in the background.

I opened the lid on my watercolor palette and watched the sun glint off of each color well, shining and sparkling and calling my name.

I heard my son, just three years old, tell me "you're my best friend Mom," saw the way his hair that's always just a little too long curled over his ears. The downward cast of soft lashes against soft cheeks.

And I knew then that seeing, really seeing, the way an artist sees is a gift.

But it's also a choice.

I choose to see, as often as I can.

Your turn. :) What unexpected beauty have you seen lately?

Daily Escape SOLD

'Daily Escape' SOLD

6" x 6" watercolor

click here to bid

Almost two years ago I read a book that changed the way I thought about a lot of things. It was "Shiver" by Maggie Stiefvater (the book in my painting above). I fell in love with the story of Sam and Grace and couldn't stop thinking about it.

A few days later I was looking Maggie up online. I love to read about the lives of authors I admire, how they started writing, their inspiration and influences, their path towards publication, and it was then that I found out that Maggie and I are the same age.

This kind of stunned me for a couple of reasons: 1. Her writing was so beautiful and poetic it amazed me that someone so young (ahem, that's right, I said young, 28 is young right?) had written something so powerful. And 2.  She had written a book that I LOVED and was published at MY age! If she could do it, maybe I could too.

After a little more online stalkage research I found out that Maggie also was a mother to two young children, and an amazing colored pencil artist to boot! This seemed strangely coincidental to me.

Now I'm not one who believes in 'signs' but I do believe that things happen for a reason, and that at certain times in our life God puts people or ideas there that we need at that exact time. 

I started taking my writing more seriously after that, giving myself permission to believe that I could be a writer.

I've since written two novels and am now working on my third. I'm not published yet, but I believe that if I work hard enough one day I will be.

This painting was inspired by one Maggie had done (click here to see it). That's one of my own wolf sketches that I painted to look like a sketch, and that's apple cider in my mug instead of tea because I love cinnamon, apples, and sugar. :) Lots and lots of sugar.

Until next week my friends! Huzzah!

Sketchbook Saturday and Link Love

I've been neglecting my sketchbook lately. I've kept with my goal to draw from life once a week (this week it was my dog's bone, last week the guy speaking in church), but haven't been doing much else, so I thought it was time to dive in and sharpen up my skills a little.

This sketch is of my middle child from a photo I took about two years ago. I really love to look through older pictures of my kids and see how much they've grown. But then it makes me sad to see that they've left certain stages behind and the only thing I have to remind me of that time is a photo and a memory that grows fainter every day.

But then when I draw or paint them I feel all those same emotions again and the memory is a little more fresh in my mind. I love that. :) That's one of the main reasons I paint, to celebrate my beautiful life with my family. Especially when I'm experiencing one of those not so beautiful moments. Like trying to get permanent marker off the wall.

Don't even ask. Seriously.

This week I have some really awesome links to share with you guys. Some beautiful, inspiring work and some great posts too.

Dave Malan posted this amazing sketch of his daughter and this was actually what inspired me to sketch my son this morning. All of his work is incredible, prepare to spend some time at his site. Wowee!

Ali Cavanaugh is an artist that I go completely fan girl for. Her work (and her story of how she became an artist) is SO inspiring. I never fail to leave her site without being completely in awe. Double wowee.

Ann Buckner posted this amazing watercolor of an older man that I just completely love. Ann's work is always loose and fresh but also gives the feeling that a lot of thought went into the planning behind the finished work.

Vinayak Deshmuk paints some beautiful work. I especially love his boats. There's an old-world-masterish feeling too them that I really, really like.

Karen Martin Sampson is a figure artist that I really admire. Her work is full of sensitivity and insanely good technical skill. I've linked to her full blog so you can look through all her posts of the current painting she's working on. I love to see her work in progress.

Enjoy! If you need inspiration I've just given you a ton of places to go and look for it. :) Next week there will be more link love! It could be you. . .

In which I go fangirl for Harley Brown

Headed In

10" x 14" watercolor (with just a smidge of pastel)

I know.

You're probably thinking what has happened to all the watercolor portraits? And what about that landscape we were promised? Hmmmm???

They're next in line folks, promise. Or, at least close to next in line. :)

So. Changes. My first two paintings of the new year are verrrry different from what I did last year. And both of them are a little more expressive.

That's one of my goals for the year. To paint with more expression. More freedom. More joy.

And I'm blaming Harley Brown for this.

I've been reading his book 'Eternal Truths for Every Artist' (which I think should be required reading for every artist) for the second time (okay, okay if you want to get picky about it I guess this is the first time, since I just skimmed it before) and I'm feeling SO inspired.

Seriously, if you haven't read it you must go find it. The man is a genius. And he's pretty hilarious too.

This book is all about being confident with your work and painting with passion. And he places a big emphasis on drawing from life. Which is another of my goals for the year. To draw at least once a week from life. 

So, instead of having a list of goals to check off one by one throughout the year, my focus is going to be on stretching my artistic skills. Drawing from life. Painting with lively brushwork and colors. Believing in myself. 

Now.

Dear friends.

What say you???

Are you with me? 

This is our year.

Let's challenge ourselves.

2011 has just begun. Anything can happen.

Huzzah!!

I leave you with these inspired words from dear Mr. Harley Brown:

"The art world is littered with the spirits of people who gave up, just didn't see the fun and the inspiration of being part of the artist's wonderful world.

But you, dear friend, are made of sterner stuff. Right?

So I say to you:

Never, never, never, under any circumstances, give up faith in your ability!

On paper or on canvas, you really do have something to say. Trust whatever is inside of you.

Stick with it!" Harley Brown

I said it before but I gotta say it again.

Huzzah!

Now. Go paint. :)

Sketchbook Tuesday

Yellow Lab sketch

graphite on bristol

I'm starting to feel a little restless with my artwork again. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I have too many halfway finished projects. Maybe I just need a change of pace, some new subject matter, different color combos, different medium.


So, I'm asking for your help. On the side of my blog there is a poll asking which subject you'd like to see me paint or draw next. Go ahead and vote and tell me what you'd like to see, it's all up to you. Or at least, those four or five choices are.

Of course, if you'd like to see something different, feel free to leave your suggestion in the comments. I'd love to hear it! Thanks guys. :)

And here's a great little quote that lifts me up on those days when I'm just feeling blah.

"To grow as an artist, to go past your present limits, you have to take chances that aren't always productive. But with every chance you take, you learn something whether you succeed or fail. If you play it safe you learn nothing but fear of the unknown."

Arne Westerman (Grand master awesome in the awesome artist club. And yes, I did just invent that club. Pretty sweet huh?)

Mysteries Everywhere

"Far Away"

10 x 14 watercolor

(forgive me for reposting this painting, it's one of my favorites)

      Do you ever wonder why you do what you do? Do you ever wonder if the painting you created, that one you poured your whole heart into, will make anyone else feel something that's a little bit like the way you felt when you painted it?

     I do. It's actually been on my mind a lot.

     Something that I ask myself over and over again is, why do I paint? I know I talk about this a lot, just bear with me. :) Sometimes I feel like I know why I paint, other times it's nothing that I can define, just a feeling I have that compels me day after day to pick up my brush and create something.

     And. . . sometimes I almost wish I didn't feel like that.

     Because it's not easy to balance your real life, your family, and all your other obligations with this strange beast of a creature that rises up in you and demands that you paint. That beast that only purrs quietly once you've fed it it's daily ration of creativity.

     When life gets hectic, and I absolutely can't squeeze in any time to paint I feel adrift. Lost. Almost like I've forgotten who I am. I feel disquiet in the hidden corners of my heart.

     The longer I paint the more I realize that I connect my identity with my art. And I've yet to decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Because it makes any discouragement, rejection, or just plain indifference that much more difficult to bear. Because it feels like it's not just pointed at your art, but pointed at you.

     I read a blog post by Kate DiCamillo (one of my favorite writer's and the author of The Tale of Despereaux). It was the story of a little girl, Laura Ann, who saw an airplane in the sky and whooped and hollered and smacked Kate (who at the time was in the fourth grade) with her little green plastic purse in her excitement about that plane. 

     Kate looked in the sky, saw the plane, and failed to see what all the fuss was about. I think she even said, "So what?" 

     Ouch. 

     Years later, when Kate was an adult she happened to see a bald eagle flying in the sky. She stood there and marveled at that, amazed at her luck to see something so beautiful. Then another eagle joined the first. She said:

"I stood and looked and looked at them, amazed; and then I lowered my head and looked around. I thought about Laura Ann, because what I wanted to do was whack somebody on the arm with a shiny, green purse. I wanted to tell someone. I wanted somebody to marvel with me."

     I love that.  

    I guess I don't really want to wish those feelings away, that need that I have to paint. Even if it seems to make balancing my life that much harder, if not downright impossible at times.

    Because when I paint I want what Kate wanted when she saw those eagles. I want someone to marvel with me.