EXCITING CHANGES TO COME!!!

Dick and I have made some big changes for the year to come!! We are downsizing to free us up to do the things we have always wanted to do ..... that is.... free to travel, spend more time together, follow His lead for new adventures, no more retail store after 27 years, more time with kids, but still MORE ART and probably some sewing classes for girls ..... that is a dream right now ..... but the ART won't stop, it will be here on the blog as soon as we finish remodeling our NEW/OLD smaller home about 20 miles away. SO STAY TUNED ... we'll be having a big sale and beautiful house and property SALE in the SUMMER!! MORE FREEDOM ON IT'S WAY!!! WooHoo!!! And THANKS for all your support the last twenty seven years in my shop!!!

Saturday, October 31, 2009

A FULL LIFE...

OK, I DID get this picture up, our mermaid Peyton! That's my girl! She loved her dress..... 16x20 in progress collage... like my house... unfinished! A woman on a mission!! That's how I feel .... but with the children in tow! That is a wicked little purse ... but it has some money in it .... YAY! My art studio mess .... I love the metal letters in the window ...A R T Mushed paint, rolled a pointed roller thing over it and wallah.... I saw a jar with a flower.....this was fun. Used oil pastels over acrylic ... new for me. Loving those colors from the pastels.... gotta have more! Finished page for the GUT ART JOURNAL.... An idea coming from one of the field trips .... these were old photos (copies) of us when young and more shapely!....or I guess I should say LESS shapely! My Mother sewed my "Vogue" pattern dress...my whole wedding with cake, reception and four bridesmaids cost $500.00! Yes, the dot is in the right place! Collaged tissue around him in his flight suit (1967).... this is NOT Michael Jackson, (with the great lips and black glove, chuckle) but it is my honey ....I want to pursue doing something with these..... it will come to me. A quick line drawing with color pencil wash from a woman on the TV.... quickly done. Good practice.... These two (of five) beautiful children (after church) are awaiting the finished home they will have .... little by little they work on it ....it was a condemned house that got to be saved and done for a family! All their saved money and efforts and prayer! Many of you know or remember Elizama, my sort of adopted child.... known her since she was nine (now 21) .... this is her precious baby girl, a happy child, and Mom and Dad are so proud of her! She laughs a lot! Here, she has on a dress that MY MOTHER made me from feed sacks in 1947!! I still have it.... my Mother embroidered little flowers on it. We had to try it out for a photo! These are some of Pilar's ART (age 6 to 7) she would do this all day long!! We need to loosen up like the kids do with their art! And YES, SHE is a WINNER! I tried to post a picture of my grand daughter in the Mermaid dress I made her and couldn't get it off the email...will try another way later.... she is my heart! Hello to all .... I know I have not posted in a while. Here are photos and art projects ( unfinished) of what is going on in my life at the moment. Just too much to write about. However the art of mine is from some of the reflections of field trips taken on the GUT ART CLASS.... I'm very behind ....but I have taken a ton of notes and have drawings that will go in my GUT ART JOURNAL......behind?..... well, because I was blessed with an opportunity to do nine pieces of work with a deadline of three weeks, which is ending tomorrow. I can't show them and will tell about it when it all comes together ..... since it is only my work for another group. So with that I have had my head swirling in the studio ....painting nights and sleeping days.... as there are no interruptions at night. And it is probably my body clock anyway! Sleeping from 7AM to 3PM, then doing regular life...and then painting from 7PM to 7AM in heaven ... I must say. This project came as a result of much prayer and soul searching and direction that the Lord wanted me to go in my life, plus a few other things. WELL, He is MAKING it happen .... WHY am I surprised!!? Also, you will see little precious children in my life, one of the Mom's lived with me for four months when she was fifteen (now 21).... the other children are from church and a favorite family.... and then Pilar's Art.... my little artist! I keep her in sketch pads and markers...and she will draw or paint all day long! We have four full note books (sketch pads ...9x12 thick from Wal-Mart) that she has filled. Some day when she is grown I will give them to her.... so they won't get thrown away. Any who..... as you can see, I am behind in my class, but live a FULL life! And thank goodness the Lord motivated my hubby to take care of me with food during all this!! ENJOY HIS BLESSINGS!!! I AM.....

Monday, October 12, 2009

JUST A LIST OF PRACTICE FROM GUT ART CLASSES

Some things look better upside down.... I will try to keep you posted on the practice art and new expressions in art after seeing videos or going on a field trip with Mystele in the GUT ART Classes.....I have realized two things....ONE: I DO love the freedom to create and play freely (not perform!) with the art....and TWO: I'm way too busy to be able to do all I need to do....especially in my art. It is something I have to do and will begin to dedicate more time to it. I'm working on some commissions and also trying to find my authentic voice in my soul of who I am through my art expression..... I have loved the play...I already said that!! Anyway, here are a few drawings done quickly after seeing a video on the Omo people....although my girl has way more hair than they do.....she was fun and want to continue to strike out in new directions, stretching myself and using different mediums...etc...etc....enjoy! I feel blessed to get to do this class with Mystele!!! Thank you girl!!!

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

I HAVE BEGUN!!

Every joy in my life is a Gift! The COVER for MY Gut Art Book.... The figure is from previous pulled art I did..... One of my favorite scriptures...He started the ART in me....from a depression... A dedication page to our teacher Mystele..... you think I'll get an "A"? ha... This one gives me a giggle....yes, it is US...... having been addicted to "approval"...and trying to find my authentic self could be frightening! He is wrapped in gold..a favorite T-shirt the color of his Cub ...and the words for this was... two eyes, one mouth...the rest is art! A Dr Pepper box with handle opening.... See the texture? Delicate like the silk threads seen on a video in class... The back of the Dr Pepper box ..... Then what I saw and developed it , but it told the story.... I'm playing catch up with my Gut Art Class by Mystele. I have totally enjoyed it even though I start late at night when I have no interruptions ....I was up til 5AM last night in heaven! So shorter sleeping hours for now....thanks to a good husband I got to sleep really late! SOOO here are some pages we have done after seeing a video of other artist's work or story of fine silk woven by hand on an ancient loom and putting down quickly what we felt or something.....? Becoming our authentic self ... could be scary! I'm going to get the hang of it hopefully by just doing it even if I don't totally get it yet.... I AM GOING TO FOLLOW THROUGH NO MATTER WHAT! It is kind of like playing in the mud .....so soothing to just let go and have fun....let it squish through your toes so to speak! It is fun to go through your trash and pull paper boxes bits of scraps to use for the pages for this book .... I am determined not to buy a thing! The cover pages which are folded to make the cover are from my Epson Art paper box, just cut down. Then the paper used for the "AH HA!" and portrait of Dick and I is a Dr Pepper box with the handle opening..... the more delicate piece was plain thin cardboard with gesso and when I pulled the wet side up off the surface I was laying it...it created this texture (hard to see) that resembled leaves and flowers .... so I went with it and used derwent inktense water based pencils and graphite pencil then washed the dark with water..... ANYWAY ..... not fabulous but sure was fun! The perplexed girl came out of the background but sure describes how I felt..... but in total fun. I get a kick out of what developed into Dick and I .... it says... "I love him even if he loves airplanes more than me!" Notice the big mouth, big hair.... can you see a strong personality? It bites me every once in a while .... and sweet little hubby, consistently there, maybe silent... but there! We are both studying Revelation at CBS on Mondays and boy the descriptive visuals that John described when he saw heaven. He only had earthly things to describe in comparison to..... like precious jewels, earthly animals but with six wings and eyes all around.... anyway ... it paints a picture in your mind! We can't even imagine.... well, enough said....Blessings to you all! Enjoy!

Friday, October 2, 2009

GUT ART IS HERE!!!

I opened the first videos on Mystele's GUT ART classes..... and she is a natural at teaching. She can really get you inspired to strike out and try new things in a free way.... We are going to make a book to remember all the classes and learning by.....and as I was preparing and cleaning my art space in the studio, I came across a pile of papers, some art notes from last year and a magazine I had torn collage material out of. Well, I was flipping through the magazine and came across this ad of a child eating her food.... and I got the idea to just paint on top of it and make it what "I" saw! It is a "Thank You" to Mystele for giving these classes to help us find or discover... "Ourselves" and our true style ....I think I said that right!? So here is my first FUN to just PLAY....oil pastels on top of magazine ad.....and a HEARTY THANK YOU MYSTELE.....!! Enjoy... and Blessings! ..... to be continued!! Click on picture to enlarge.