Christmas is approaching

As Christmas approaches we are all getting ready for the festivities. I decorate my house with two big trees and two small ones. It does take me quite a while to do it but I enjoy looking at them. I used to do lots of baking but I find it harder to make the time now that I work. Also I like to eat the cookies and that I can't afford to do! Finding creative ways to decorate your house can be fun. I like to wrap my trees with ribbon some years. I also add candy canes and silk poinsettias to fill in the holes where there aren't any ornaments. I am collecting hand blown glass ornaments that I have purchased from local artists. In what creative way do you express yourself during the holidays? I would love to hear some stories.

Loss of a Friend

It seems that life isn't always fair. Someone that I have great respect for passed away last week. Susan Kell has been a teacher and mentor of mine for around 10 years. When I first got back into painting again I took my first class from her and boy did I hit paydirt! She had a vast knowledge of art to draw from and she shared it with her class. I didn't know what to expect taking a class at a local art center after taking classes in college. I learned more from Susan than any college course I took. I started entering art competitions not long after I started taking classes with her and I would get accepted. Not every time but a surprising number of times I would get in! She would challenge us and push us much further than we wanted to be pushed! While I was taking classes from her, she lost her son, her mother (who had Alzheimers) and also Susan herself had several health problems to deal with. She always seemed to bounce back and she had her art students to keep her going. Her cancer diagnosis came shortly after the birth of her grandson. She only lived a few weeks after that.

Autumn

I just love the colors this time of year! I have been quite busy with my other job and haven't painted much. Yesterday, however, I did manage to get a few good hours in of painting. I was inspired by the colors of autumn. I just wish the wind wouldn't blow all the pretty leaves out of the trees.

"Why Should I Look at Art?"

I had a friend say to me recently "why should I look at Art?" Why should I go to art openings or go to museums? I don't know anything about art. I don't really appreciate art. If I see something that is pretty I might say that is pretty but beyond that I can't make any comments. I was a bit shocked by this response! This is an intelligent woman! I said once you become educated in art you learn to appreciated art. If she were to take an art class she might see more of the effort that goes into art. If she were to learn about Art History that would help. The more art you are exposed to the more interesting it becomes. I live in an area where sports are king! For someone to miss watching a U of M game on TV would be terrible! But to miss a friend's art show opening is no big deal! What do you think?

Why create art?

Why does anyone create art? Is Art really important? I think that if you have that creative urge you know it. If you deny that need to create something then you are denying a part of yourself. You might create art just for own eyes and no one else and that is fine. Most people I think, once they have painted for years, feel a need for others to see what they have created. You might not want to hear what other people think of your art. That can be scarey. But if no one sees what you have created and you have a voice in your art, then no one hears your voice!

Opening night at Lawrence Street

This is a photo of all of the Sisters of the Brush by the window of Lawrence Street Gallery. The gallery always paints the groups name on the front window and I get a big kick out of that! We had a lovely reception on Thursday with lots of snacks and wine. The show is all new art work by our members and it will be up for the month of September.

Publicity about the Sisters of the Brush Show at Lawrence Street Gallery

The Sisters of the Brush will be at Lawrence Street Gallery for the month of September. Opening night is September 6th from 6 - 9pm. We have gotten lots of publicity about the show. Here is one article about the sisters and upcoming show. http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20120902/LIFE/209020323

Our Town 2012

I am happy to announce that I have had three paintings accepted into the "Our Town" show at the Birmingham Community House in Birmingham Michigan. The show is a fund-raiser for programs at the Community House. Opening night is the "Art in Vogue" Party October 10th. The Art Show and Sale runs October 11- 13. I have included a photo of one of the pieces that has been accepted that is called "Bubblicious".

Happiness

I am reading a book called "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin. The author talks about finding your happiness triggers. Not everyone even knows what makes them happy! All of you fellow artists have found something that makes you happy and that is art! Creating, looking for ideas, learning about art, and meeting great fellow artists are all happiness triggers. Aren't we lucky to have something in our lives that makes us happy? OK sometimes frustrated but happy none the less!

Show at Fieldstone Winery

The Sisters of the Brush had our opening party at Fieldstone Winery in Rochester, Michigan on Friday, July 20th. We had a nice turnout with lots of wine sampling and appetizers. We are now looking forward to our next show which will be at Lawrence Street Gallery. Now if I only had time to paint!

Some of the Sisters

Here is a photo from when the Sisters of the Brush got together before Tari left for Californina. We will miss her dearly!

We are losing our Pearl

One of the members of the "Sisters of the Brush" Tari Kahrs, also known as the Pearl in Pearl and Pebble, (her etsy shop)is leaving us! She and her family are moving to the Los Angelos area. Tonight we are having a get together at my house. I don't know when we will be seeing her again.:( Hopefully her husbands job will send them back to Michigan soon.

New Show at Fieldstone Winery

After seeing the Sisters work at the Bean & Leaf we were invited, by the owner of Firebrick Gallery to have a show at Fieldstone Winery! We will have a show at Fieldstone for the month of July. We are quickly getting work together and the opening will be Friday, July 20th. The downtown streets of Rochester should be completed by then so getting around will be much easier.

Opening night at the Bean & Leaf

The Sisters of the Brush enjoyed an opening night at the Bean & Leaf in downtown Rochester on June 1st. The show has at least two pieces by each of the sisters that we mixed though out the coffee shop. The Sisters numbers have dropped to 7 as Tari Kahrs is moving to California and has been busy with her one year old twins boys.

Art at the Bean & Leaf

My art group, Sisters of the Brush, will be having an art show at the Bean & Leaf. It is a tea and coffee house in Rochester Michigan. It is at the corner of Rochester Rd/Main and University. There used to be a Starbucks in this location. We will each have several paintings for sale there along with a painting by the deceased Mary McCarthy Anderson. Any proceeds from this painting will go to the Paint Creek Center for the Arts scholarship fund. The show will run for the month of June and our opening will be June 1st. The time is yet to be determined. I hope to see you there!

Art delivery and job change

I drove to Lansing yesterday along with fellow artist Barbara Markham to deliver our paintings for the Michigan Watercolor Association Exhibition. It was a fairly uneventful drive and drop-off. The parking was a challenge but we eventually got a good spot. I will post photos after the opening which is May 4th. My other news is that despite my best efforts my artwork is not a big income producer. I have decided to go back to my roots and sell clothing. I am now an independent CAbi fashion consultant. I will sell their line of clothes through home shows and individual appointments. Their line of clothing is well made and on trend. Their clothes are designed to enhance the female figure in a non hoochie mama way! I like that! I am excited for the new adventure to start! I will still paint of course. I can never give that up!

Blue Square Pegs

This is the painting I had accepted into the Michigan Watercolor Show. It is called Blue Square Pegs. I was trying to depict how I don't feel like I fit in. I am a square peg in a round hole world. My colors are brighter than other people's around me. I see the world at a different perspective.

Acceptance

I had a painting accepted into the Michigan Watercolor Society 2012 Annual Exhibit! It will be held at the Lansing Art Gallery, 119 N. Washington Square, Lansing Michigan. The show opens on May 4th and runs until June 29th. This is the first time I have had a painting accepted into the show so I am thrilled!

Michigan Watercolor Society Annual Show

Two weeks ago I went to the Bloomfield Township Library to view the entries for the Michigan Watercolor Society Art show. Every year they get 200 plus entries from across Michigan for this show and they accept around 60. This year was no exception to the depth of talent of the Michigan watercolorists. I am glad I am not the juror for the show. It would be extremely difficult to decide who to include! However, if I were the juror, and was allowed to do this, I would include my own paintings!

Buying Art Doesn't Have to be Scarey

The majority of people find buying original art a frightening prospect. They don't trust their own judgement to make a purchase if the artist is not "established" or it doesn't look like something you might see at the doctors office. Original art does not have to be expensive and it can come in many different forms. But it can create a statement and can bring back memories of a favorite trip, a fun day out, or it can be a piece that someone that you know has created. The secret is to purchase something that makes you happy.

Spring cleaning

While dusting the blinds in my family room I noticed that my mantle needed a new look. It didn't look bad but I was tired of it. The mantle is really long so that makes it more challenging to fill the space. I walked around the house and collected some art, old books, candle holders and put a scene together. I am not sure it is done yet but it is interesting. All the paintings are pieces I have done.

Circular Groove 2 and Hip to be Square 2

Circular Groove 2 was recently listed on etsy. I have been on a graphic shape groove. I made this starting with tea stained watercolor paper. I let that dry then I drew the circles and painted it with watercolor paint. Once this dried I glued it to claybord and then layered encaustic paint over that. I love how the yellow glows through the encaustic.

Snakes in Squares art card #46

I am adding more of my art cards to my etsy site. I have been doing some more graphic type paintings influenced by a local artist Peter Crowe. I like working out my compositions ahead of time on small cards and hope for a winner.

VAST emails

I am part of an online forum on etsy called VAST. It stands for Visual Artists Street Team. They have lots of useful discussions about art business. I got way way behind on reading the emails when I worked part-time plus all of the other things I do. I have spent and hour and a half reading old emails so far today and I have about 300 more to go! I am wondering if I will ever catch up!

A Card a Day

I have decided to revive my card a day. I have listed two of my cards on etsy and more will follow. I think it is an inexpensive way to get a unique card that you could frame and hang on your wall.

Happy Valentines Day

The store Catching Fireflies collects Valentines Day cards to give out to the kids in the hospital at Childrens Hospital. I heard about this and decided I should participate. I made 5 cards to donate to the cause. I planned on taking the cards on February 12th, which was their last day of collection. The store in Rochester, which is the closest one to me , is closed on Sundays so it wasn't open that day! So my husband and I drove out to Berkley to take the cards to their other store. My bag fell open when I got out of the card and one fell in the snow! It was fine but a little soggy. Since we drove all that way I wanted to stop at their other store Yellow Door. It is an artists market. I was really impressed with how well displayed the merchandise was and how bright and clean it was. They rent out space to artists by three, six and twelve month slots. It could be a great opportunity to sell artwork, jewelery, purses, clothes, and other handmade items. Check it out if you are in the area.

Oops!

Saturday after working out at the gym, lunch, cleaning house and running the boys to a friends house I realized I had forgotten to deliver some paintings to be juried for a show. I had sent in my money and paperwork but not delivered the paintings on their one day to do it! The art center got yet another donation from me! Too bad they aren't open more hours to be able to deliver paintings on more than one day. They need more funding!

Artwork for Sale

I now have artwork and cards for sale at Starkweather Center for the Arts in Romeo, Michigan and Paint Creek Center for the Arts in Rochester, Michigan. I appreciate that the local art centers support local artists.

The End of the Christmas Season

I am always sad to take my Christmas tree down. This year I especially enjoyed sitting by the tree, reading and having some quiet time. I live in a household of boys so quiet time is very much appreciated. I decided when we bought our house that I would like to have a tree of my own. I have collected several handmade ornaments, along with whatever that has caught my eye on trips or ornaments that sparkle. My tree brings me lots of enjoyment and now it is time to take it down. I don't enjoy that part so much!