SELF PROTRAIT WEDNESDAY

IT IS LIKE CHRISTMAS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Sandy

Sandy makes fabulous beaded jewelry.

Her handmade quilts are to die for,
especially the one made from her dad's
vintage silk ties.

The other day she gifted me with
buttons and lace ! I'm still stunned
at the beauty of the items and the
generosity of this wonderful friend.

SELF PROTRAIT WEDNESDAY

LYRA COLOR GIANTS !!!!!!!!!

Back when I took the Jesse Reno workshop I discovered these colored pencils. So after the workshop I started looking around for the "sacred jesse pencils". None to be found. Jesse came to the rescue. He gets his pencils from Muse + Design in Portland. Call Peter up ~ he'll send them right out and your life will NEVER be the same again. BE SURE YOU GET THE COLOR GIANTS. I seriously love these pencils. They are BIG......kinda like being a kid again....you'll love them, I promise !!!!!

STILL WORKING ON THIS ONE !!!!

I'm still working on this one.....
below is Wednesday's version.....

Comments???????

MIXED MEDIA MANIA ENSUES

NEW THOUGHTS ON ART

I'M ON FIRE WITH A RENEWED
SENSE OF CREATIVITY....

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK

FURTHER ADVENTURES OF AUDREY THE STUDIO CAT

The further adventures of Audrey the Studio Assistant
AKA "stinker cat".

Check out the painting behind her....I made these to
use as portfolio covers.....

SOMETHING IS DIFFERENT

TOMORROW IS MY BIRTHDAY

introspection

shifts

movement

centered

as though I have finally
arrived in this world
after all this time
all these years...

I am.

SELF PORTRAIT WEDNESDAY

self portrait wednesday
well sort of,
a day late........crap

The Studio Assistant

Meet Audrey,
my studio assistant

She likes to chew on my
brushes, I wish she'd wash
them.

Monday And Mixed Media Withdrawl

Well, after a great weekend in the studio I'm back
to work as the mild mannered HR Manager....

Actually it is more like
MIXED MEDIA WITHDRAWAL!!!!!!!!
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!

It is hard to make that transition from creative mind,
moving with what flows from my
creative core back to
square . pegs . in . square . holes....

The Sisters ~ Mixed Media Primitive Dolls

Well, the sisters are complete.

Check out the skirts !
I made a trip to the local
thrift store and found a
skirt with this wonderful
beaded border......viola!

Ribbons and other do-das
also re-used.

Click to enlarge, you'll see lots of nice
detail, crackle glaze, aging, they
have totally cute little under garments
but they are too shy so you'll just have
to imagine !

Hope your weekend was as good as
mine was!

Day #2 - Spirit House Shrines

Spirit House Love

I have a thing for these treasures.

What about you?

Seems appropriate for this time of year.

Thanks to Deryn for the nest tutorial...
I think it looks nice here.

I'm never sure if these photos are any good
I have a terrible computer
screen so it never looks right.

Click on the images to
get an up close and personal
view of the art.

Day #1 = WIP Spirit House Shrines

Day # 1

This is what I've been up to.

Four days of studio time
is just wonderful.

I've been working on these
little "spirit house shrines".

I'm hoping the NM Museum Shop buyers
will like them enough to sell in
their shop.
They still need lots of
"stuff".

Not the best photo I've
ever taken. I think if
you click on the image
you'll see a larger version.

No wind yet
~soon though~

Audrey the studio cat is taking
a short break.....in the bathtub
bouncing around with one of
her mice.....ahhh the life!

Still working on the "Sisters".

I've got four full days away from the day job.
Woooo Hooooo !!!!

Lots of studio plans.

Spring time here in beautiful
New Mexico means
wind, wind, and more wind....
My tulips are looking
pretty sad at this point.

What is Spring like in your
neck of the woods???

WIP

A Lovely Bird's Nest....

Isn't this just the prettiest little bird's nest?

Audrey, my studio assistant seems to think
I made it just for her.....silly cat.

I bought this tutorial for a
mere $8 from the lovely
and talented,
Deryn Mentock !

Check her out at
her blog and her Etsy shop.

This woman makes some
really cool jewelry. I know
I need some, what about
you?

I also bought her tutorial for
wire wrapped links.

Seriously folks, this is not
rocket science but I would have
never figured it out on my own,
so Thank You Deryn !!!

My Art Filled Life

Sometimes things just happen.

So far 09 has been a good art year for me.

!.) Jane DesRosier ~ aka Gritty Jane. I learned some new techniques for doll making. I've always been attracted to dolls, have made a few. More than anything I was simply taken in by Jane's tender soul, infectious laugh and ability to help me feel I can do anything I set my mind to.

2.) More Jane only now with Maureen ~ Creative Textures....what a great experience this has been. Together these women have corralled the world of texture in art. It has been a blast and sometimes feels a bit like science class, but oh the pay off !!!

3.) Jesse Reno ~ OMG. Jesse is the man!!!!! Look this guy up. Do whatever you have to do to take a workshop with Jesse. You will never regret it. Life changing moments for me with this tender and humor filled soul.

4.) Mary Ann Moss ~ La Dispatch and the Stencilry group.....this one has yet to begin but I can feel the energy building and I know that combining this technique with Jesse Reno style and Gritty Jane soul will launch my creativity.....as if it wasn't already soaring.

5.) New Mexico Art and Craft Fair ~ June 26, 27, 28 ~ these folks invited me to join them in what is a wonderful juried venue for "New Mexico Artists". This is a first for me. Yikes.........I'll keep you posted ! I wonder if they realize they have a tiger by the tail.

6.) New Mexico Museum Shops ~ I wrangled an appointment (thanks to Paula Manning-Lewis and Chroma Studio and Gallery). I'm showing these folks some dolls, some shrines and some paintings......yippie! I just know they are going to love me. Paula M-L, you rock, girl. Thanks.

7.) Still have an association with Paula M-L over at Chroma Studio and Gallery....they are coming up on their one year anniversary. In this economic climate I say WAHOOOOOO !!!! I daresay Paula's infectious spirit must have rubbed off on me........she and I met out in blog land. Imagine two Paula's, both from the same town in the American Southwest bumping together via blogs from Vienna, France, Canada !!!! Paula has been a huge inspiration to me and I look forward to a long and fruitful association with her.

8.) Lizard Lounge Shops ~ Bernalillio New Mexico ~ Lynn has carried a few of my pieces over the past few years. I've not been a big seller, but she has stuck by me and I've truly appreciated having her little haven as a place to get my toes wet in the art world.

9.) Miz Katie ~ we bumped into one another in blog land many years ago. She was moving east and I west. Then one day just recently we bumped into one another again....some things are just meant to be. I don't miss a single day of MK and Lola and Big Red.

10.) And most recently, Misty Mawn, Nina Bagley, Leighanna Light and Deryn Mentock. I am so inspired by these wonderful, talented women. What a gift to have found them. You, ladies, ROCK !!!!!!

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ~ I'm sure there is something else I'm missing simply because it is late and I'm tired. But here's the thing. I was over at Corey's site the other day.....you really need to check her out.

And it occurs to me what a gift each day is and what a miracle every moment offers. Now this may be a recurring theme for some of you.......it is more frequent for me these days. Maybe that is because I'm getting older, but I'm here to tell you ALL. You can't un-ring the bell!!!! Once the day is gone you don't get to take it back for a do over. SO DO IT GOOD NOW !!!!

I'm sure this is the longest post I've ever made and with no pictures to boot !!!!!! I guess something just came over me and it just needed saying. I even surprise myself.

So if you are still here, reading along, then I applaud you for hanging in here with me. I'm a good person, you won't regret it!!!!!

I'm blessed. I look forward to passing it on. Love you madly.

Mixed Media Shrine ~ Love Will Find You

JESSE RENO - MAKING ART AND WOW !!!!!

Above is the piece I created at the Jesse Reno
workshop I attended this past weekend.

Holy cow !
I had a GREAT time !!!

If you ever get a chance to
learn from this guy, take advantage of
the opportunity......fun and challenging.

What a lovely person with a delightful sense
of humor and an artistic style that
is beyond comment, you just had to be there....

Visit Jesse here......

Feelin' The Love !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have you ever been over to Deryn Mentock's blog, Something Sublime????? I read her post about being positive, feeling happy and sharing that with others. Just makes me happy to think about it.

Today here in New Mexico we are enjoying really warm Spring weather. My garden is greening up. The birds are singing.

There isn't much in my life that I can label negative. Or I should say something "I am willing" to label negative. I tend to look for the silver lining......what about you?

What I think today ~

Spring is in the air here in New Mexico......

I'm eating those little tiny oranges.......

Gearing up to play Chutes and Ladders with Iris............

Gearing up for Jesse Reno workshop...............

Art marketing, art marketing, art marketing...........

I left one of my good paint brushes in water overnight.........crap............

I feel an abstract coming on..................

Thinking about making some more Gritty Jane style dolls....those babies rock..............

Checking for holes in my eyelids is a good thing...............

Later............

A Great Book ~ Mixed Media !!!!!

Go on over to Susan Tuttle's place and get on the list for a book giveaway.

On Mixed Media Art and the thin skin............

Thin skin?

Acrylic skin? Well, no.

Man, I tell you what, it is so difficult when I put it out there. Work hard. Produce something of meaning and quality only to hear "they think it is overpriced". I guess in this economy I should be grateful that they are even willing to look. But you know, I think at even a lower price they still would not buy.

It is difficult to not take it as rejection.

Makes me want to go to bed. Sometimes I think about quitting. I've got so much art piled up around the studio, I am running out of space. I'm tired of looking at it all. I'm just about willing to give it away.

What about you?????????????????????

blah blah mixed media blah blah more art

blah blah blah blah

blah blah blah blah

I'm amazed by some bloggers who post every single day and never seem to be at a loss for words, images and something to hold my attention.

I, on the other hand, not being a person of words often struggle to make this blog a happening thing. I'm an introvert by nature and just don't have a lot to say. Not that I'm not interesting, or smart or remiss in the relationship field.

I just don't know what to say !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is a bit like talking on the phone......I'm just not big on it. Recently I've embarked on repairing a horrible relationship with my mother. Years ago she banned me from communicating with her but recently she has fallen quite frail in her old age and I've decided that I'm going to be the adult in this thing and make an effort to be there for her.....like it or not. I call her and OMG, I don't know what to say, what to talk about. I'm thinking maybe I need to make a list of safe topics for those phone calls........maybe this will work.

Maybe I should do that with the blog.....make a list of possible topics. OR.......maybe some of the visitors (I'm not confident there are many) would like to suggest some topics that they would find interesting......how about that???????

So, until I can think up something interesting and catchy to write about..........

Later, dudes and dudettes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More on Faith ~ Mixed Media Art

The Sunday School Sisters
Sold

The Spring Nest
Sold

Something New ~ Mixed Media

Mixed Media On Wood 10 x 11
click on image to enlarge

This piece is wonderful and I've had a tough time
getting a photo that really shows the wonderful
texture.

I don't know for sure if this piece is really
complete yet. Guess I'll sit with it for
a few days and see what percolates.

Spring seems early here in New Mexico
this year.

The birds are everywhere and the
garden is full of green sprouting
announcements of days to come.

Watching the seasons pass by my
stuido window is such an inspiration.

I hope all is well in your world.

On Faith and Making Art

click on image to enlarge ~ lots if juicy details !


A friend asked me to create
art with this saying on it for her.

It says a lot about life.....
work, relationships,
raising children, taking a trip,
trying out a new recipe.........

the only way of life
is through it........

and faith in the process
makes all the difference

New Art ~ Finished Art For Sale

contact me

for purchase information

The birds are back !
It is Spring in my back yard,
and it seems as if we've put out
the open for business sign !

This painting was made on
12 x 24 birch
Lots of fun techniques,
including the picket fence....
can you see the detail if you
click to enlarge????

EMPTY

Do you ever just feel empty?

All done in. Nothing in there?

Well friends I've been feeling empty lately.

I've got some things on the horizon that
should help to turn this around.

An art workshop and some time with a coach.

Even with all this empty-ness I keep making art,
hoping some little bit of glimmer will float to the top.

All Of Life Is An Artful Creation

Daria ~ two days old

So my friends,
ART....

the art of love,

the art of life,

the art of death,

all of creation is a work of art

The choice is ours...

do we approach life awake?

Ready to step up to the table

and claim our right to the creation of

ART?

Ultimate Mixed Media !!!!!

Name These Two Girls !!!

Meet Marcella (left) and Valentina (right)


My special thanks to
Jane DesRosier
over at
Gritty Jane.

These dolls are made after
her example.

Life On The Rio Grande River

This is the scene in the field outside my office window.
Geese.....lots of them.
And beautiful soft grey sandhill cranes....pic to follow one day.
Within walking distance is the Rio Grande River,
home to the largest Cottonwood Tree forest in the world
and habitat for birds, so many birds it would take your breath away.
Many days they make their way over to this field where I and
my co-workers enjoy watching. Of course, they make the
walkways and the parking lot a bit of a mess, but I think
picking my way through their little droppings is well worth
the effort to enjoy them each and every day.

What is your local like? Post a photo of your neighborhood,
then leave a comment and a link back here......I would really
enjoy getting to know you better in this way.

I had a great weekend.

I'm making dolls.......
so far Marcella and Valentina are complete.
I'll post photos when their sisters are ready.

I hope life in your world is as good as mine is and if it
isn't, please accept my hug.

I love you all.

Throwing In The Towel

How often do you finally, after much effort, realize that what you are trying to create is just not happening? How long will you go before you finally "throw in the towel" ?????

After working on Ahab's Wife for nearly a week, I realized that it just wasn't going where I wanted and I wasn't able to see it coming to completion so I dumped it.

If you are an artist, do you experience frustration over not being able to create what you have envisioned? Do you even envision or do you just go with whatever comes out?

I often have the vision mentally and most times I am quite dissatisfied with the resulting product.

Maybe I'm going at this from the wrong angle. Am I trying to control the outcome too much? Should I even go into the project with an outcome in my mind????? Does that only set me up for failure (my own perceived failure that is) ??????

I've always held that "how you do anything is how you do everything"..................wow, what does that say about my art? my life? I have had a vision of what my life is going to be and most often feel failure and disappointment at what the reality is. High expectations? Over controlling?

I'm always the one to say "go with the flow", "it is what it is" but if how I do anything is how I do everything, then what I say and what I do are not in accord with one another.

So Ahab's Wife is now sanded down and ready for a new life......with some new found insight on my part.

Life 101 !!

More of Ahab's Wife

Ahab's Wife - Mixed Media On Birch

Well this was an interesting piece.

Mostly it provided me with a lot of time to think about life, our relationships, being far away from the ones we love.

My son and his family live in Denver. That is roughly a 6-7 hour drive from my front door. I miss my grand daughter, Iris a lot. She's just turned 4 and at an age that is so much fun. I'm hopeful that a trip can be arranged very soon.

What about you? Where is your family? Do you see one another often?

Ahab's Wife - WIP

This poor woman has been to the salon three times and I think this final hair-do is going to be the one !!!!!!

She keeps looking at me and asking, "does your heart break?", "have you ever yearned for your man to return?", "have you ever worried about the safety of your loved one?"......I can only imagine how life must be for those women in the world who have a loved one far away.

What about you? Do you have a story to tell?

YAY !!! JESSE RENO WORKSHOP IS A GO

The Jesse Reno workshop in March is officially a go.

I can't tell you how excited I am about this.

Man, this guy really rocks.

Above is an example of Jesse's work.

A Tale's Of The Captain's Wife

Have you read "Ahab's Wife"? I read this book several years ago and simply fell in love with the bold adventure of a woman. A woman who ventured where none had gone before.

I have this vision in my mind of Ahab's wife.
Probably quite different from the one imagined by the author.

Before me stands the blank piece of wood.
Edges smoothed.
A first layer of background paint,
lovingly applied.

I'm thinking of the wife, her beautiful hair
blowing in the sea breeze. Waiting for her
man to return.

A saint, really.
Any woman with a man out to
sea and no definite return date
is really a saint in my book !

These days the image in my mind often runs
quite contradictory to what flows from my
brush, but once again I am going to set out
with the vision before me and we'll see where
it goes.

Stay tuned, this could get interesting.

A Quiet Day........................

Abandoned by Audrey the Studio Cat !!!!
I think she is mad because I've shooed
her out of the way......she needs to be
in the middle of all the
goings-on.

Quiet day here.
Still working on those fun
paperclay girls.
Those little girls are really
hard to do !!!! But I'm
having a lot of fun and learning
a lot about facial features
and I think it will be a good
exercise in improving my
painting skills.

After such cold weather we are
having a bit of a heat wave here in
New Mexico and I'm lovin' it.
Outside my office window is a big field
where three Sandhill Cranes have been
hanging out. We've named them
Larry, Mo and Curly.
I wonder what they've named us !!!!
Those birds are beautiful and I'm
thinking that capturing their mystery
in a painting would be an
interesting challenge.

Tonight is the first night of "Lost" and
I'm not a huge tv junkie but I do get
caught up in this particular show.
The big question is, do I give up my
evening in the studio for Lost??????
I know some people can have the tv on
and make art as well, but not me.

What about you?

What is going on in your world?

What are you watching?

Do you challenge yourself?

Do you name the birds in your yard????

I'VE BEEN BUSY ~ MIXED MEDIA IS MY MIDDLE NAME !!!!

She started out a blonde.......

Then she got a cut and color, I've named her Patience
because I can't seem to decide what is next......

I'm learning to make these paperclay dolls from Jane

over at Gritty Jane Studio..........these are difficult !!!!
Jane is really quite talented, check her out, you won't be
disappointed !

And finally, this lovely girl is very
near complete.....I just love her.

I like to make sure the back side is nice so this is what
I've done to kind of finish off the entire piece. I don't have
a name for this one yet, any suggestions?????

Kittie Art, Life In My Pantry & Misc

This is one of my favortie mixed media pieces.
I love the kittie.....the heart....the halo..
goes without saying, but hey....
it is for sale $250
email or comment for details.
I'd love you to have it !!!!

My tribute to all of those kitties
who have passed on
to kittie heaven.

Many of us have had a treasured pet
who died and don't they just seem
to remain in our memories
as sweet angels?

I've got a real live one who is roaming
the house this morning just itching
to get into trouble.....

I'm busy today working on "Patience".
I don't know where she'll go just yet...
she's holding a kittie and the jury is
still out on that as well.

I'm also working on some dolls.
Very soon I'll put up images of
Cleo and Esther. I've been making
dolls by forming paperclay over
armatures of various things, paper cups,
huge masses of papertowels all taped
together, you name it. I'm learning from Jane
over at Gritty Jane's Studio today.....she's got
a fresh take on the paperclay thing and I
think I'm going to like it.

Yesterday was supposed to be all about art....
I got distracted by a dirty kitchen and the
next thing I knew I was scrubbing, cleaning
the pantry......yikes, so much for keeping a focus!
And to make matters worse, the toaster oven looked
like it had never been cleaned (trust me I'm a neat freak).
I've had that toaster oven for a long time so I don't
feel bad telling you that I dumped it in the trash bin.
(I think that was a menopause moment)
Got a great deal on a new toaster oven at Sam's.

So here we are, Sunday. It is a bright new day and
by hook or by crook (what does that MEAN anyway????),
I'm making ART !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a great day. Leave a comment, drop me a line,
it'll do your soul a world of good and my husband will
be thrilled that I'm back on focus and he's off the
hook helping clean the pantry !!!!!!!!!!!!

GOOD GIRL GONE BAD

She started out as something that I meant to be all "pretty".
Ha !!!!!!!

Finally I gave up and let her be what she wanted to be.

We're all like that I think,
on one level trying to be the good person we think everyone expects,
then somewhere along the way things get a bit twisted, or so it seems
and we end up just being ourselves.

So "GOOD GIRL GONE BAD"......hmmmmmmmmmmmm
NoT gone bad really, except in the eyes of those who place high
expectation on us.

And we buy into that, sometimes.

Here we are in the early stages of a new year.

I'd like to suggest that we not always buy into those expectations
and go with what is US, YOU, ME, WE..........................

Because I happen to think that is where the magic lives !!!!!

Have a great day, be BAD and let the magic happen !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Changing Lanes ~ well just a bit

I get so few visits it seems that this notice is probably more for me than anyone else........oh well, one never knows!!!!!

I'd abandoned this blog for the halls of a wordpress blog account. You know what, I'm comfortable here at blogger and want to keep posting here so this is what my plan is............

1.) I'm going to use this blog as a place to post my day to day stuff

2.) I'm going to keep the Second Studio wordpress site up and running as a place to put my art "for sale".

In "blog land" this probably isn't a wise thing to do if I want hits, but for right now, this is what I am going to do until I can get things sorted out over at Second Studio.

You can see my art "for sale" over at Second Studio.......I hope you'll visit both of my homes and leave comments, it is nice to know I'm not the only one here !!!!!