Andy for Fasha

Here is a painting I did a while back but never got a picture of it. This one was done for my father in law, whom I call "Fasha", of his dog Andy. This dog is not just any dog...he is Fasha's pride and joy. His eyes carry an almost human like quality. He seems to know what you are talking about and has feelings. And smart! This dog is really intelligent. He is the kind of dog that people dream of having. You know the one that doesn't pee in the house or get out of control. The one who follows you on long walks and just loves to be in your presence....that's Andy.

So this one is for Fasha, who I love dearly :)

Enjoy!

Romancing the Canvas

I learned a lesson a while back from my good friend Angie over at Pick My Brains Art http://pickmybrainsart.blogspot.com/

She taught me to "romance the canvas". This is a time when I put my canvas on the easel, face it so that I pass by and see it every day, stop and look here and there, pray and wait for the vision to appear. I carry a sketch book with me where ever I go. So during the romancing stage, and whenever I get a still moment, I put my thoughts to pen and paper either doodling, drawing or writing down what I feel. This book is full of daily inspirations. When the time has come and I can feel that the time is right, I start to paint.

So here is a picture of a canvas I have on the easel now. It is the same size as the commission piece I am still working on. So while I paint on that one I take time to glance over my shoulder at the blank one and give it a little wink. :) I think I already have a vision for this one....but we will have to wait and see if it comes to fruition.

So take time to "romance YOUR canvas". It might be an actual canvas or it might be something in your life that you need to ponder, decide or just slowly take your time with. In the end, it always pays to take your time. There's really no rush.

Enjoy!

(Update: A vision is starting to come to life)

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

and a Blessed New Year

from,

my family to yours

Her Legacy

35 hours in and counting

ok...this one is one of the paintings I told you all about in the last blog entry. It is a commission piece for a beautifully spiritual woman! I am sorry that I can only show you a portion...but needs to stay somewhat a surprise. She knows I am doing it but has no idea what it will look like or become. Stay tuned to the progress and the big reveal!

One thing I can tell you about this work...it seems to be pulling me. This is one that I am not thinking about or plotting out. I have done lots of prayer and meditation and am letting God guide this one. What a feeling of joy and comfort it is bringing....ahhhhh

Still Painting

Here are two large canvases that I have started. One of them I can only show a small portion of because it is a commission piece. I really don't want her to see it until it is done ;)

So... enjoy the little glimpse into my Christmas break!

The Poet

I was at the Lowe Mill yesterday. Standing in line to get some hot chocolate, I noticed this beautiful woman. Her skin was glowing and her head wrap and jewelry just popped under the yummy cloudiness of the day. I knew right then that I had to paint her. So I asked if I could take her photo and paint her. She accepted graciously, and introduced herself. The is a poet...and I thought"how perfect".

So here is the beginning of "The Poet". It is nice to be painting again. The fun part is that we never know what will inspire us....but when it does.....it is a flood of color and emotion! The Poet has also helped to get me going on a large commission piece for another very spiritual woman. So I have them both on canvases, music going, and am painting from one to another in a cocoon of art today!

Thank you God for giving me the inspiration today...

I love you,

M

Finished The Lake and starting a new

Well the Lake is finally done. And I have now started a new commission piece. It is nice to jump into an abstract. I love the flow of color that they bring...YUM!

Dreams

My dreams are filled with joy and sorrow, fear and flying, anger and love, friends and people I don't know, achievement and loss, and all sorts of weird and strange places. But most of all they are filled with pictures. Pictures that get stuck sometimes for days after. Pictures I can only get out through art. I have a sketch book that I carry in my purse for just such an occasion. I might be waiting in the car line, waiting on a client or in a meeting and need to either let them go or just do something with my hands. Here is what I find with art....I always feel the urge to do something with my hands. Sometimes I even get the urge to play with a new texture and not use any brushes. My soul just needs to feel the color and texture of whatever it is. You know like when you go through a clothing or fabric store and you feel the need to hold your hand out just a little further than your hip and run along the fabric? That is the feeling I get from sketching. There is a little sound of "ahhhhhh" in me. I was thinking the other day....I know, dangerous huh? But never the less I was thinking, I always wait until a painting is started or completed before I post. But I don't ever share my sketch book with anyone. So here is one that came out the other day. This one is more of a need to scribble and has no real meaning. Some do, and I will share those too. But for today.......

Enjoy!

Progress NOT perfection

We strive to progress in this life...NOT to perfect it. When I find myself disappointed about the outcome it is usually because I had expectations of how it should have gone. But when I realize that this life is not my own, but yet an adventure in learning and growing.....THAT is when I can see the beauty in this world I call....... "Paradise".

Enjoy!

Michele

Finally I have started again!

Finally I started painting again. Granted it is just a little landscape. But hopefully it will get me back in the mood and the groove. Work has been so busy that I literally do not have any energy when I get home to do much more than drop onto the couch and fall asleep. Now, I am not complaining, mind you, but I do miss the painting time. My soul aches for the quiet, relaxing time that comes with painting.

I guess this would be a good time for a little serenity prayer.....

Enjoy!

My Julie

I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day,

a fresh try,

one more start,

with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning.

(J.B. Priestly (1894-1984) English Author)

I saw this picture of my daughter this morning and just had to share....I think it might be my next painting, if I ever get back into the studio!

Enjoy,

M

What are you reaching out for?

Sorry for not posting any art here lately. I have been so busy with my day job, that I haven't had the free time to get lost in the colors. Here is a quote for the day. Let me know what you are reaching out for!?

The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Pumkin Party

We (my hubby and I) got the opportunity to go to a pumkin/halloween party last night. Here are a few pics from the party to get you in the mood for halloween.

Enjoy!

The Lake again?

What is this obsession with the lake I am having? I had a solid black textured canvas in the studio. I decided to pull a painting out of the darkness....and guess what came out? Yep, you got it....The Lake! Again? I guess I must need to get this out for some reason. So, I will paint them (the lakes) while they are here ;) This one was done with metallics too. It makes for a great feel ...but is very hard to photograph because of the reflectivity.

Enjoy!

On The Lake

I had an old door out in the shop that is 6'x3'. It had a textured finish , was chipping and generally looking a little worn. So I thought...Why not take some of my faux products and do a painting on it! This is what came out. I used a lot of metallic glazes and viol la! The Lake. It reminds me of being at my cousin Becky's house. The fog would roll in and you could barely see across the lake. We would sit on the porch every morning before the sun came up and just watch how the light danced......I miss it there. We really need to go back. But until then, I guess I can see it here :-)

Enjoy!

Angels among us

Playing around with a pouring this morning....an angel appeared....hmmmm might have to finish her out.

I will post the finished piece when I'm done. But for now...

(update- a little more progress today)

Enjoy!

Artist of a different kind

It's a gloomy overcast day. But the bright light this morning is coming from within. I get on my comfy dress,throw on a fluffy sweater, slip my feet into a worn pair of flip flops and head out to the car. I have found a wonderfully gifted massage therapist recently and visit her every other Saturday morning. As I pull into the parking lot I can feel myself start to relax. By now I know what is coming and I just can't wait. I walk in through the front door and Sherrie greets me with her bright soft smile. I slip onto the warmed table as the soft sounds of meditation come from the speakers in the room. Sherrie enters with a quiet walk and begins this morning's hot stone massage. As my body starts to relax even more, my thoughts turn to pictures in my head. Drifting in and out of scenes I begin to doze. Not a deep sleep but a gentle meditational sleep. The feel of the hot stones and the scent of flavored oils is always enough for me to loose the world. At this moment there are no worries or cares....no aches or pains....just a rhythmic rest. I am always anticipating the end of the massage. That is the time that she holds my head gently in her hands and the glows of different colors wash through my mind. Soft pink...a hint of chartreuse...and a glow of purple this morning. Ahhhhhh another massage comes to an end and I think to myself.....God must love me so much....he has brought me to a place where my mind body and soul can heal. A place where there are no cares for one hour. A place to be gently cared for, so that I can go on ......

Thank you Sherrie for being a part of my healing. And thank you for jumping into this line of work so passionately....You are definitely in the right place.

Life is not about the money and the race, the doctors and the fears.....it's about another kind of connection that heals all.

What is your connection?

Where do you find that Mind ,Body and Soul healing?

Here is a picture of a little table in Sherrie's room. I gave her a painting a while back and she has kept it in there....I think it suits her well. It's called "The Path"

If you want to visit, you can go to

Natural Elements http://naturalelementsllc.com/

(ask for Sherrie Breckon)

She is an "Artist of a Different Kind"

Fun Painting for Marley

I got the opportunity to do a painting at work for one of our clients. She is getting ready to be a grandmother! She called the other day and wanted a painting that matched the new bedding and had the little girl's name on it. It was fun doing a painting that was so whimsical. I didn't think about it until after delivering the piece today....but, this will be the first piece of art this new little girl sees. THAT is what it is all about. (It almost brought me to tears) What a pleasure being a part of this little girl's arrival.

Thanks Yvonne :)

Enjoy!

Together we came up with a beautiful piece

There are many shows that I do and I always try to get the kids involved. There is nothing better than actually getting yours hands on a canvas and some paint, when you are young. Some of the kids come by and they just want to put a simple stroke and they're done. There are those who like to see how much they can cover with a glob of paint. There are the ones who are just not interested and the ones who dream of one day being an artist. You never know when that little taste of art could really inspire someone. So I throw it out there, not knowing where it will land.

This year, at the Madison Street Festival, there were many children grabbing the brush and taking part in "our" painting. There were swirls, flowers, ladders, hearts, mario m's, blobs and more. By the end of the day a basic shape had taken form and the painting started to emerge. I think I will call it...."Light".

Thanks to all of you who participated today. I hope you had fun!

I know I did :-)

Here is the final result

Enjoy!

What a day it was!

Yesterday was the Madison Street Festival. It was an absolutely perfect day! Sunshine, not too hot, and lots of art sold. I had an easel set up with a canvas for kids to add to as they went by. This is always fun because they get a mini art lesson and the parents can actually stop and enjoy without little feet running around them:) My friend Angie was right next to me. We had lots of our friends stop by throughout the day and really enjoyed ourselves. I forgot to take pictures of everyone who bought a painting but I did get one. This couple was so sweet. You know when you see someone get a painting and they just look like it was meant to be? That is what happened her. When they held the painting up to take the picture...my heart just knew they were going to have perfect home for it. Sometimes I get attached to my art. But I try to put on that brave face at shows and know that I am doing this for others and not to keep :) This painting was done at my good friend Ann's house. A while ago I went with Angie for a week long retreat. This painting I started on the first day of painting. The studio looked out over the mountains and had large tree branches hanging in front of the windows. It felt so right to paint....and now I know why. It was meant to go home with this great couple.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by yesterday. I enjoyed sharing with you what has been so freely given to me. I hope you all enjoy!

Hey kids, I will post the completed painting you all did in the next post:)

Here are some pictures from the day.

Proud of my Friend

Ok you all...I have to post another artis's work on here. I am so proud of my good friend Angie. She has come such a long way with her art in the past two years. She was featured on the cover of the GO section of a special issue of our local paper, the Huntsville Times.

If you would like to see more of her art you can click on this link http://pickmybrainsart.blogspot.com/

It is always a treat to see other artist's accomplishments. But this woman is very special to me:)

Enjoy!

Currently on the easle

Currently on the easel is this painting of "The Gift". My husband went out of town on business last week to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sometimes when he is gone he likes to shop at this huge store full of Mexican art and clothing. This time he brought me back a beautiful ring. It is a big chunky silver ring. The best part about it is that it reminds me of the saying, "you can't fit a square peg in a round hole" It is square on the outside with a circle cut into the middle. Every time I look down at my hand it makes me think that I "fit" now. I fit into this life and this world. I now know where I must be and what I must do. It is simple really, I am just to do the next thing that is put in my path. And do it to my best ability. That's it. Nothing more....nothing less. Having just celebrated my 6th year of sobriety, it was a real treat to get this ring:)

So....I decided to paint it for fun and share my thoughts with you. I will post the final piece when it is done. But for now......

Enjoy!

What a wonderful evening

Well the paint night at Artisan's Cove was a great success! This was our first one and I could not have been more pleased with the group of talented women that came out to paint. It is always a treat to be able to teach a group that is so close. They laughed and painted and drank and painted and ate and painted and did a wonderful job! I was amazed at the creativity. Each one put their own spin on their painting that represented them. Here are a few shots of the evening. (sorry for the picture quality...had to use the cell phone)

Here is the link to Artisan's Cove if you would like to book a night of fun and paint with YOUR friends.

http://reflectivesframe.com/classes_adultpage.html

Enjoy!

Painting tonight at Artisan's Cove

Tonight I will have the pleasure of painting with a group of women. They have booked a party at Artisan's Cove. http://reflectivesframe.com/

This is a new class I am offering and hope to continue. Each one is a different theme. This one is called "Enya". You can go onto their web link above and check them out.

We all have such busy lives....sometimes it's just nice to get together with your friends and escape for a while. So we will be listening to Enya, eating, painting and swimming in the color for a while...Ahhhhhh

I will post more from the night tomorrow:)

Enjoy!

Plein Air Day

Had a great time today despite the weather. It was nice to be able to paint outdoors with a wonderful friend of mine Angie, of Pick My Brains Art http://pickmybrainsart.blogspot.com/

We went out to my father in laws (aka Fasha) house in the woods :) All I can say is YUM!! The rain let up for a bit and we were able to find a nice spot full of flowers. So we got in the red dune buggie and Fasha followed us in the tractor. He carried all of our art supplies in the tractor's bucket/scoop that he covered with a large torn box. (wasn't that sweet, he didn't want to get our stuff dirty) What a sight. He's great! I bet they DON'T do plein air like that in Tuscany. LOL Angie had made the best scones for the day. So we ate and painted until we just couldn't anymore. At one point a large praying mantis crawled up on Angie's chair....he didn't seem to like me too well and tried to attack! By the end of the day we were both tired. But not to tired to take the dune buggie for a spin. We felt like little kids again. Isn't that how life should be? I think I will answer YES!

Here are a few pictures from the day. I don't know what to name the painting. Any suggestions?

Enjoy!