The Draw.

San Jacinto mountains at sunset.

My family and I just returned from a stay in Indian Wells, CA. I've visited there a few times before and I have to say, it is one of my most favorite places to travel to. The art community is alive and thriving in the desert...it's magical. Yes...magical. I can't explain it. You have to go there to see for yourself.

Have I been here before? I mean in another life? Crap photo taken at night..but I couldn't pass up that color.

Chris and I had a book signing out there last night... and low and behold, when I walked in to see Chris's show (which was fantastic...of course), there is another neighboring show. Christina Lange had a glorious display of photography from none other than the Salton Sea! I've mentioned the Salton Sea before on the blog here...my friends know I am mysteriously mesmerized and attracted to that place... I can't explain the draw.. and as I spoke to Christina at length regarding the attraction mystery, she said that I was not alone...many people she speaks to also have that draw..  so what is it? I don't know.. But it's one of those places that I feel I want to go to every day... It's true. What do you do there? I just stare into the nothingness...and I don't know why. Christina has published a book on the Sea....you can see it here.

Indian Wells Golf Resort

So the draw.. what is it? Does it happen to you? I get this feeling..the feeling like I have been there before and that I need to be there more in 3 places... The neighborhood where I live (I also grew up here...my parents and childhood home are within walking distance), Manhattan and the desert. I'm curious to know your thoughts...

Spring. Happy.

Outside my window...

This time last year I was in New York..... this time this year I am wishing I could go back for a visit. If only I could transport myself and eliminate the long plane ride...

Spring Break is coming up soon... I am enjoying my daily lunch break with my dog outside in the garden.. We eat a sandwich, drink Nespresso and play Words With Friends..

I'm filming a new class. That's right!  It will be out next month....I think you're going to like it.

I'm searching...for a new RSS subscription wrangler... Reader is leaving..I'm not going to socialize my RSS.. it bugs me so much. Everyone thinks everything you do needs to be broadcast somewhere. It's disgusting if you think about it.. I'm not joining Google+ or whatever they are trying to get us to convert to.. I left Linkedin months ago....but people still want to "connect" with me there. Heads up- I'm not there.

The book is doing so well....so grateful. it will be traveling to you soon if you already ordered a copy! They bumped up the shipping date! See you soon....hope you're enjoying the signs of Spring.

Yes. Sound City.

"Fragments"; 24x24" Mixed Media on stretched canvas. 

A couple of things to report from San Diego, CA...

First- stay tuned, I am beginning to post new art that I created for our book which is shipping soon! Hooray, Book! Click here to pre-order your copy. And thank you to everyone who has already ordered...it's a huge thrill to see the book hovering around  #1 and it isn't even released yet!

And now.....Sound City. Don't think this doesn't apply to you.. I am going to go out on a limb and say that since you are reading this blog, you're probably creative...and an artist..maybe even a photographer too... Oh yah? That's why I am going to mention this documentary.

I've said this before and it still rings true today. Dave Grohl's feelings about musicians and how he feels that they need to be able to read music and know their instruments inside and out....well....I feel that way too. 

Technology allows us to pretty much make a lot out of nothing...and pretty much, making a lot out of nothing to me means you are creating a whole lot of nothing. Make sense? 

See all those hip, cool, (cliche) photographs that look like they were taken in 1974..they all look the same...and know those consumers who pop over to the membership store, plop down X$ on a fancy-ish camera and then head home only to download free photoshop actions and call themselves photographers? They're booking clients... making money.. and I think ripping people off.

Why? Julie, don't be such a bitch... It's true. They don't know how to shoot outside of auto mode, they know nothing about the actions they are running...and god help them if they could run the same procedure manually in photoshop.. they see pictures on pinterest and pin them (don't get me started) and head outside to capture the same look that someone else created. Where is the creativity? Where is the TALENT in that?

It's fine for some people. Hear that? I said, it's FINE for some people. But I am not some people. I have drive..curiosity..and the urge to be BETTER every day.. So..that's what I am trying to say...if you want to be inspired....if you want to marvel in someone else's creativity...go watch the documentary. If you like music too..then that's a bonus.

Me? I'm cleaning my music library... APPRECIATING those artists who are unique...TALENTED and NOT putting junk into the mic and getting junk out.... the same way I want to shoot and paint as well. (That's shoot photos....not bullets... in case you were wondering.)

Sound City

How many times did Tom Petty say they played "Refugee" before they were happy with it?

How do you make art that comes from the soul?

What's your "click track"?

Does your art represent some sort of integrity or truth?

"Play arrangements over and over in a similar fashion....."

Vintage Picnic.

"Vintage Picnic" Acrylic and Graphite; 12x12" canvas

I'm on day 4 of a 7 day self-imposed juice fast.. The juice I have been making is delicious..combinations of carrot, strawberries, kiwi, apples, cucumber, ginger.. my family and I have been sucking them down. The juice, surprisingly, is very filling. Even though I have been embracing this new "lifestyle" since late August, I have not been juicing. The smoothies I make every morning are usually: Avocado, cucumber, ginger, bell pepper, cilantro, lemon and kale..a lot of kale. It's a thick shake that my friend affectionately calls, "my gazpacho"...also delicious. So, technically, I am not juicing exclusively I guess...there is that morning gazpacho. Either way, I'm feeling great. What's weird is that I am getting a lot of compliments on my "makeup"...which has not changed...I can only guess people are noticing my vegetable glow.

This is a new painting...it's cold and windy here...and I am looking forward to spring. A lot. What's up where you live?

Miss Manners, What?

A very small painting I sent to my friend for Christmas.

I deleted everyone except my family members off of my personal facebook account. I've been looking for a way to leave facebook for a long time. The problem is that I can't maintain my business page (the page most of you know) without owning a page for myself. Delete myself, and then the business goes with it. There is no way around it..well...with much searching there was but it wasn't the right choice for me. So, I trimmed away about 170 "friends".

Which gets me to wondering... how in the hell did I get 170 friends in the first place? I've never had that many "friends" in person. So then I think, "why feel compelled to share information with people other than my friends" in the first place? As I sat deleting all of the "friends", I was thinking if that "friend" could get in touch with me if there was an emergency. Right. Emergency. I am not sure what emergency someone who I have not spoken to since 8th grade could possibly have to share with me..but the answer was "yes". I didn't let that feeling of doubt stop me. Delete. Delete. Delete.

Facebook started to rub me the wrong way a long time ago.

So and so checked in here.

So and so ate this.

So and so bought this.

So and so went here.

So and so is friends with so and so.

So and so's kid looks cute.

So what.

The news has been reporting some pretty concerning facts about social media these days.. It's gross.

So I did it.

So a lot of you are probably thinking that you are maintaining your account, but will only limit yourself to the time you spend there each day. (Because the news says it's unhealthy, right?) And the rest of you say it doesn't bother you.. and then some of you probably think that things are so hectic in this day and age, that you need to share photos with your family and social media is the easiest way to do that. I say....well.. (Did you see that in the Manti dead girlfriend hoax, his buddy stole photos off one of his friends facebook pages to create the fake girl? Until facebook can lock those bad boys down.. I think everyone should be nervous.)

Who cares what I say.

I'm going back to using the telephone. Living. How about taking into consideration that so and so who is having a run of bad luck shouldn't have some luxury restaurant or 5-star vacation rubbed into their face? Or wait...every friend of yours is living the good life..

I pick the old way..

...and maybe some letter writing.

Hey- we can talk about art here. Do you like the last painting I posted? How about this one?

So about manners. People are talking about the old way of blogs. I've come to understand that I can't expect you to comment here. There are a gazillion blogs. Why should mine rate a comment? Sure.. good point..

But someone with manners might want to let someone know they are here.. it will help me think about the universe in a more positive light. Seems to me that people are just hanging around looking for things to "pin".. looking around to ask questions about how to paint a gold fish.. because... do they think that since I have a business and a website that I am obligated to give that information to everyone?

When I get those emails, I think to myself, "Who is this person? Where did they come from? They say (they always say) they are a long time reader...but they've never left a comment." I'm having deja vu... have I mentioned this on here before? I think so. But things have not changed.

So this is what I have for you today. I hesitate to write any of it.. and I don't expect anything different to happen here after this post. BUT I do know this... I'll keep blogging, and I will keep talking about art because there are a lot of exciting things up my sleeve in the art department... and I like talking about art... so next time, let's do just that. See you then!

(Oh yah....I can't email you a response to your comment if you care to leave one here...but I will respond in the comments, so check back if you want to.)

Settle The Score

All work and no play makes Julie a dull girl...

Friday I started this painting. I've had this 24x36" canvas hanging around and for a long time I couldn't think of anything to paint on it. Forget sketchbooks...plans...you know.. I make this stuff up as I go. I get an idea and let it percolate in my brain for a day, week, month and then I paint. No test painting...who has time for that? I'd rather torture myself.

So I started painting. It was a beautiful day, low 70's, sunny....fantastic.

Windows open.

Birds chirping.

Nespresso in hand...

And man....did this ever turn out to be a boring painting. With circles even.

Painting progression. Clockwise from left: Block in the initial idea.. tune the idea...draw in something I will hate in a few minutes....test on wall....test in potential hanging space....repeat. (Not pictured) toss and turn...lose sleep....imagine what is wrong....think of solution....change idea....complete.

I hate curves...

Angles. Squares. That's my M.O.

Someone pissed me off.. big argument...and then THAT'S when things started to get interesting with said artwork:

The Score 24x36", stretched canvas. 2013

So I guess it's true what they say about passion in artwork..

Get some.

My Seat's Been Taken By Some Sunglasses...

8x10 Mixed Media on Stretched Canvas.

I just had my teeth tightened.....here is some rambling:

Jodie Foster made me think a little the other night during the Golden Globes. I like her.. I think she is a good actress and I like something else about her: She is mysterious.

Jodie isn't at the Ivy having lunch...she's not caught up in publicized love triangles...she's not falling down drunk on TMZ. Sure, her speech was a little random, but I chalk that up to nerves.

I like how she hinted about privacy. I've been thinking about privacy a lot.

We blog to connect.

We facebook to connect.

I'm still trying to figure out why we instgram...

We harbor "friend" counts and connect with everyone.

I know more about people these days then I cared to know even back in the day when we were friends.

And what for?

I believe in the argument that if you are an artist it is important to have a blog and internet presence..especially for me...running an internet business. But when did having to share my every move and family life cross into that need? To me, it is the art that is important.

I stopped posting on my personal facebook page...

And if you "know" me, I'd like to speak to you on the telephone instead...

The truth is, that if you think you know me, you don't...although I have always portrayed myself in a true and honest manner, online and off..

But I'd like to retain my air of mystery.

You don't need to know where I am and what I am doing... I'm me.

I'll be here.. digging in to 2013.. I'm not giving up blogging. But another interesting point to consider is that I think the internet is doing more harm than good these days.. How much exposure is over exposure? Isn't everything starting to look the same?? 

Rock on...

Good read: We are raising a generation of deluded narcissists.....

Back to business.....Monkey Business of Course.

My daughter is back in school after a two week break.. that means I am getting back to work too. I am going to paint this week.... that is after I make sure all of the birthday party details are set for Friday. She's going to be 7! Can you believe it? That means I am entering into my 7th year of being a working artist. Happy anniversary to me.

( iPhone photos starting left: Kevin happy to see a Seahawks win yesterday, while I was happy to see some football again since I renounced my Chargership late last year. Now that Norv's tenure has ended, I will happily cheer for my team again in the fall. Who knew learning could be so fun? Kate playing "Words with Friends"...and all you guys thought you were playing me... ha. Pink sunset after some rain on Sunday. Gorg!)

Last year I completed a 365 photo project. After about 6 months, it turned out to be such a drag for me to know that I had to post a photo every day. Whereas the first few months of photos were creative and cool, I quickly lost steam and felt bored. No daily project for me this year.. just some photos every week here for you to see. I feel like a huge load was lifted off my shoulders on 12/31.

The book should be here. Any. Day. I can't stand it.....

Remember last February?

Man....that seems like eons ago. Last February, on 02.22.12 to be exact, I dug out my graphics tablet and proclaimed that I was going to be incorporating that medium into my artwork. That didn't happen.

From the days leading up until 02.22.12, til now, the thought of the tablet has been stuck in my brain. Bad. It is my signal. Someone is trying to tell me something...maybe the thing that I have felt has been missing this year was that tablet indeed.. So then comes the hours of self discussion leading up to this moment....well, "what the hell are you going to do with that tablet?"

I think I am weird... luckily, I have a support staff of AWESOME artists in place that are still taking my calls. Through all of the self-imposed psycho babble....the fits, tantrums and cursing, they are still taking my calls. I'm freaking lucky.

It's important to be able to talk to like minded (wait...did I just imply my friends are insane too?) people about art. Because those conversations, no matter how trivial.....spark imagination. They spark growth.

Growth hurts (so do my teeth..but that's another story).  But today is the turning point. I will torture myself to learn new mediums, I will curse some more...and figure things out...and put something together. My M.O. is to figure things out. That is what I am here to do.. so once I figure these things out, the process starts over for me.. but the discovery portion is what I live for. One time when I was a punk-assed kid selling jewelry at a department store, a wise-assed customer asked me a question, "How many facets on a round brilliant diamond?" I didn't know. They didn't tell us. I was 16. You know what happened next? I put myself through 4 years of gemological study. Ask me now, jackwagon....

Crimany....did you read all this?

See you soon...

Gifts From An Artist

I was at a craft fair a week or so ago and most of the items were being re-sold. That is, items purchased in China or some other far away land, and then called "crafts" and then re-sold at the church bazaar. I saw charms like these...with perfectly applied solder...that took 2-4 weeks to order...and cost $48 each. $48? That's when I went into "I can make THAT" mode.

I didn't do any black Friday shopping... on small business Saturday (TODAY) I am going to cruise ETSY and buy a couple of things from artisans who are also competing against big box stores...and that's it. Think of the little guy..

Click here to visit my ETSY shop if you like.

I'm proud of these. Proud that I spent a log time accumulating all of that art... proud of the imperfect solder...and proud I can offer them to you for $19. Thank you for your visit!

PS- did you see the Art Gallery Tour yesterday? LOTS of beautiful art from the online workshop, Act Natural!

The Ugly Truth About Facebook

If you like any "fan" pages or pages from your favorite vendors, you may have noticed a change over the last few months pertaining to your happy-fun-time-internet experience on Facebook...

Needle Felt Monster by Yours Truly

I noticed it too... I was subscribing to a number of pages and the other day I thought to myself, "What happened to the Blender Girl?" She stopped posting? Nope. She's posting away, but none of her posts are showing up in my feed...

Similarly, on my "fan" page, I notice that only a small handful (30-50) of my 800+ "fans" are reading my posts. That means...only 30-50 of them were seeing them in their feed.. What the?

At the same time I started to notice the drop, I noticed the heavy "promote" your post options on my fan page. Seems for the small fee of $5-20 per post (that's per POST), I can guarantee that anywhere from 2000-3000 people will see it. Well, that seems all fine and nice.

Not.

As a small business owner, particularly one that relies on the internets to make any income at all, I rely heavily on the use of social networking. But I can't pay anyone $5-20 per post.

By the way, these drop in posts are also showing up with your "friends" as well.. If Suzy likes a company, and that company pays to promote their post, Suzy is going to see the company's promoted updates rather than your pictures of the family picnic. Facebook is a huge, marketing machine....

What can you do?  This is a copy of a post that is circulating heavily around Facebook now, as we speak:

ATTENTION! Facebook now requires page administrators to pay to promote their updates if we want our content to be seen by our fans. If we do not pay to promote our posts, only about 10% of the fans receive the updates on the Facebook home page feed.

To keep RECEIVING ALL POSTS FROM US you have to hover the mouse on the "Like" button near our name. In the drop-down menu select "ADD TO INTEREST LISTS". Then create an interest list (and make a name for your favorite sites). When you select that interest list you will see ALL of our posts and you won't miss anything important!

We recommend that you follow the above instructions for ANY Facebook page you care about, so you can continue seeing all the posts from the pages you love.

Thanks for your help, and please share this with your friends! 

Sadly, only that super small percentage of your friends and "fans" will see that message... meh. I guess we should all do this anyway, so head over to facebook and check your settings. I've got all of my favorite pages grouped now and the "list" is on the left margin. Anytime I want to see that specific group of pages, I click on the list and a wall appears with only their posts...that part I like.

But wait..before you go, please also consider the newsletter. Ensure you sign up for your favorites so you can continue to support and help everyone out. The newsletter seems to be the only thing we have left.

Happy Halloween!

Yah..that's your art over there..

Last week I found one of my images on a foreign language blog. The blog author took the image and wrote positive things about it and linked to my website....without letting me know.

I'm not angry about this.

Because my image was watermarked, I feel confident that even if the article did not link to my site, readers would be able to find me if they cared to... but this brings two important things to discuss to mind:

1. Our community. This image was taken several months ago by someone I have never heard of. I wish (I can wish, right?) that the blog author would have been a regular visitor to my site, and that I would have recognized her from leaving some comments and opening dialogue with me. (Afterall, why am I writing this? It's to be a part of a community and spark dialogue, among other things.) So, without stopping to talk here, the author just felt entitled to be able to take that image and make herself a pretty blog post. Whatever...

2. Entitlement. I am not sure what's happening for sure, but it seems to me that this rampant problem is ok with a lot of people, blog authors in particular, who with the avenues of things like Tumblr and Pinterest, feel that it is acceptable to gain popularity and readership by posting images of things that are not their own. Right?

My framed originals getting ready for the show.

Your images are out there too. Even if you are not a member of Pinterest, you will probably find yourself there. And if you're blogging in hopes of sparking a comment or conversation with someone, well.... I don't know....seems it is much easier to click on something and add it to a board rather than stop by and exchange pleasantries with an artist or craftsperson.

I watermark everything with hopes that someone might make it back here so that I know that I am not alone....how about you?

Things in the art community are not all doughnuts and roses...and I am here to hopefully have a discussion about the topics that a lot of people (maybe everyone...) brush under the mat in HOPES of making a difference and resurrecting a culture that seems to be dying... talk to me...and better yet...if someone is in your reader, talk to them too!

The Walls Came Down..

As part of my book writing process, I taped a lot of the images we wanted to use on the door in my studio. Each image was marked with it's assigned page number.

A look inside my studio, leading out into the hallway of our home.

Yesterday I took the wall down. The book has been turned in to our editor and has already been presented to us in its edited format. With everything nice and neat, in one package, there is no need for me to study the arrangement on the wall. (A lot of the original art is on the wall facing the door.)

Colorful Artwork coming soon to, "Acrylic Solutions: Exploring Mixed Media Layer by Layer". 

The door is clean. What should I do now?

The Japanese Market and Julie

I love going to the Japanese markets. Visiting is even BETTER when you have a Japanese friend with you to translate and explain things. Lucky for me, my friend offered to take me on a pleasure cruise of some of the markets here in San Diego this week.

We were happily wondering from market to market and aisle to aisle, reading nutritional labels and learning about what foods she likes best when I stumbled across the most glorious site I had ever seen... Japanese wool felting supplies...a lot of them.

Sucker for packaging, this roving came home. That was a no-brainer.

I stopped in my tracks and said, "What is THIS?!" My friend said she didn't know, to which I quickly replied, "I know EXACTLY what this is." Needle felting is one of those things I am attracted to. Much like fabric, I buy all the needle felting supplies I run across and they sit. But have you EVER seen a book this cute?

Two Japanese Needle Felting books added to the collection. I can't read a word...but luckily they have great photos to follow. Cheers, Rio Fukuda- I love the book you wrote on desserts!

I've never seen a felting display as large as the one I saw at the market... the prices! They were less than what I have been paying at American felting supply stores (if you can ever find any). Any felting supply (wet and needle) you could need was there. I was beside myself.

These books are marked, "Heart warming life series" and they are full of the most magnificent needle felt objects I have ever seen.

A little charm I made for my friend.

As if the needle felt discovery wasn't enough, we found so many other delights. American advertisers should take a lesson from our Japanese friends...because I am sucked into their packaging like a bug to a night light...I'd buy everything if I could!

Clockwise from the left: Comic books, the mecca of needle felting, Japanese deli-wrap with hearts on it, my favorite cookie of all time.

Thank you for stopping by and coming on my tour. I am addicted to all things Sanrio and CUTE. It was so fun to market hop this week.

PS- I almost forgot: here is the website for the company that makes the roving. Talk about eye candy! Here is the first book I bought, and the second.

Dinner and a Show...

Last night, Kevin took Kate and I out to dinner. We went to a seafood restaurant on the harbor and it was fun to look out the window at the boats and wildlife..

The Navy was training a dolphin right outside the window...it was neat to see the dolphin respond to the commands.. there was a diver in the water about 100 yards away form the boat pictured above and the dolphin was swimming between the boat and the diver. The best part was when the exercise was over, the dolphin jumped up into the boat and drove off with the team.

After dinner, Kevin joked how lucky I was that he took me to a restaurant and paid for a dolphin to perform tricks outside the window. :)

Kevin and I. Photo credit, Kate- age 6.

Fitness is the new cool...

I'm going to talk about something that I normally don't talk about on my blog...get ready...

Self portrait. Look...a metallic gold top! I know....

I watched my brother die from cancer in 2009. The event took 3 years start to finish, and it made my already small family even smaller. No one can say what caused the cancer to overtake the body of my 35 year old brother, but you better believe that I am doing everything in my power to make sure that I decrease my chances of getting the disease.

In 2010, my father died right before my eyes, in the ICU. Flatlined. Just like on TV. As my mother and I stood there in the ICU, the doctor on call acted swiftly and made some pretty quick decisions that after a few moments, brought my father back to life.

During the commotion that night, my mother and I sat stunned in the waiting room. For hours into the night we waited. When that doctor came to talk to us, he was giving me the "speech".. my dad was not going to make it. My mom sat there. I stood up, looked the doctor in the eye and in my most serious and stern voice told him, "Now is not the time for my father." From that point onward, I like to think that the doctor and I had an understanding.

I was there every day. All day. Watching my dad recover took over a month...and it wasn't pretty. It was scary as hell. It scared the shit out of me. But I couldn't act scared. If I was scared, my dad would see it....happy thoughts speed recovery and that was my plan. No fear on my face. No frowns. Smiles everyone...smiles.

Dad is doing great...to everyone at the hospital's shock....and frankly, mine too after what we saw those first few days.. We got lucky.

Breakfast: Avocado, almonds, spinach, tomato, lemon juice, cucumber, water and hemp protein.

So rather than go on and on with the scientific reasons why I am doing this, I'll let you look for your own research if you are interested...but here are the updates:

Since August 27th, I have not had one lick of sugar. No cookies, chocolate, gumdrops.... I've also not had any meat. I've eaten salmon about 3 times...I think.. The majority of my diet is vegetables...and I have to tell you, they are freaking delicious. 99% of the greens I am eating are raw.

No I am not wasting away..and no I am not eating bread and chips all day. Since that day I am down 8 pounds which I attribute to no more snacking and the loss of the sugar. My weight is steady. I'm receiving all of the calories I need daily; I'm just making every calorie count. (Remember all that talk about empty calories? Seems it's true..they really are empty.)

Soft drinks, coffee, sport drinks... major cut backs in the household. Kate is drinking green smoothies too...and she LOVES them. Dessert for the family is cut to only a couple of times a week now (not me though..I don't want to break my streak).. This has been a huge change for my household and I, but it works. I feel great!

So what's all this? Braces on my teeth helped me snap into shape..but the seeds had already been planted before that day at the orthodontist. My goal- I want to help my body naturally. NOW. I am vowing to stay in shape and eat right for the rest of my life. There is too much research floating around to ignore.... chemicals are everywhere.... we have to do our parts NOW and not rely on the heath care system later...that's a copout. A crutch. The tools are right here... They are here now. Got an ailment? Google and see what vegetables can help you...and then find an open minded doctor to talk with. The meat? You need protein! No you don't. Not that much...and here is a shocker...some vegetables have the protein you need.

Just sharing my story and giving an update. I'm really excited about my diet (and I don't mean "diet" like weight loss plan...I mean "diet" as in what I eat every day) and I wanted to post another update for you.. The teeth are great...hopefully only 11 months to go. So when some people say they need some "me time"...I'm taking mine every day with my blender. The best "me time" ever.

Petite Marrakesh

I received the most awesome email from a teacher who I volunteer with every Thursday in Kate's art class:

"Dear Julie, I can’t thank you enough! I am sooo excited to do this with the kids. Also, I have to thank you. Just meeting you has inspired me to do my painting again. You are really something special! Thank you!!!!!"

No. Thank YOU. While speaking with the teacher about art journaling with the older children, I explained an idea for an "I Am" journal the kids could work on. instead of leaving it at that, I came home and whipped up a class sample for her to hopefully show the children. I guess she liked it. :) I'm sure I will have tears of happiness in my eyes when I see the journals start coming to life. What a thrill.

11x14 mixed media original art; a class sample from my new class, "Mucho Metallics", now OPEN.

Don't forget about Mucho Metallics! Metallics not your thing? You should re-think that one, my friend. Find out more information here. I hope to see you in class!

Mucho Catching Up...

Hello- welcome to the Land of Lost Luggage...where I was lost for a while, but now I am back. I've wrapped up my new online workshop that will be starting on October 1st. October 1st, already? Time flies. I am really happy with this workshop...I love the footage and the course materials. I hope you will come by on October 1st to read all about it. Mucho Metallics will have something for everyone.

Class sample from my new class, "Mucho Metallics", opening October 1st. This is going to be a fun one. 11x14 gallery wrapped canvas.

I'm celebrating my first month down wearing braces. Hopefully I only have 11 more months to go. I am seeing a lot of movement in my teeth and my jaw pain is gone. GONE. Eating with the braces on my teeth is sometimes challenging, specifically keeping everything clean if I am not at home, but it's worth it. I've adapted my diet (and even lost 8 pounds without trying) and am enjoying it. My diet? Oh..mostly green smoothies....yah...not the candy type. I CRAVE vegetables now. I can't believe it, the body is an amazing machine.

Thanks for stopping by today. I am going to take time to enjoy the holiday season and make art for myself (the book is done too...have you seen it on Amazon yet?) and get re-inspired. I love making online classes and especially talking with students in the network...but I feel like after all the creativity of writing and filming a class comes out, I am a little spent. It all comes back though...I wouldn't have it any other way. More frequent blog posts in October. Seriously. Hope to see you again.

Edit: New! Prints of this piece are available here.

edit: Hey- still no way for me to email you after you leave a comment.. If you leave a comment, please check back if you've asked a question, I will answer the comments in the comment thread.

Air.

The new online workshop looks like it will be ready on October 1st. I am moving right along and I can't wait to share it with you... Here is a sneak peak at the class logo..use your imagination. :)

This song is awesome. Turn it up!

Thursday's are fun days. I got myself a volunteer job at my daughter's school....wait for it..........IN THE ART CLASS. Gidy up!

Metallic Digits

My favorite part of making art with stencils is to add the pattern, but push it back so that it is barely there. I enjoy the HINT of a stencil almost always.

Michelle Ward has an excellent collection of stencils. I used her "Maltese" stencil in the art pictured below.

Thank you for your comments and visits here as well as on facebook. After such a long break, it is really nice to see my website come back to life. I am working on some exciting things that I can't wait to share.

New art- acrylic, graphite and collage on canvas.