"What will be will be"

I attended an art retreat last week and learned so much. One of the techniques was how to make your paintings become something naturally. Not to plan out a scene so much or to copy something from a picture. But to start painting freely and see what will be. What comes and grows out of the shapes that are created.

I have done a few this week and am enjoying the process. It seems to transport me to a new area or time or place in my mind.

It is a little like life. Don't plan every step. Just do the next "right" thing in front of you in that very moment. And then as the song goes...."What will be will be"

Here is the beginnings of a new one. A little bird seems to be popping out....who knows what it will become.

Enjoy!

Gold

This was a painting I did a little while ago. I am very busy right now getting ready for the Monrovia Art Fest coming up May 9th.

http://www.artisticmindsgallery.com/Monrovia_Artfest.html

Thought you guys might be in need of a little art.

Enjoy!

Gold By Michele Lee

8 x 12 acrylic on canvas framed

copyright 2008

Mom's Birthday/She's Here

What a day!! It is my wonderful Mother's birthday today. But I can not tell you her age..that is not a question we ask a true southern woman. :)

Every year, we as a family always joke about who gives mom or day the "best" gift. I have two younger brothers...so I MUST be the winner every year. After all I am the only daughter. (keep in mind this is all done in fun)

So I talk to my Dad this morning and he has given her a lovely card. I think to myself..HA! Mine will definitely top that. I still hadn't heard from my brothers...so I was getting a little nervous. Then my gift shows up. A big ol flower arrangement. Mom loves them and takes a picture immediately and sends it to me. Ah ha! I have won....but wait...what's that..a call from my youngest brother..... (as many of you have seen for the past months to the right side of my blog. We have been waiting for the new little niece to be born) Well what do you know. He calls to say she is coming! ARGGGG foiled again, I think.

So, not only was she born today...but she was also named Elizabeth after my Mom

HE WINS.

Here are the pictures of Mom and her flowers, my sweet baby brother and his new daughter Miss Avery Elizabeth.

Two beautiful girls on their birthdays today.

Enjoy!

Time to say goodbye to the Retreat

The last day has come and gone. It was so hard saying goodbye to Ann and her beautiful retreat. I learned so much this past week about God, myself and my art. I was blessed to have spent this week with one of my very best friends. We will forever be change by this adventure. Ann, our host, was a truly amazing woman. I found in her a friend for life. She opened her home and her heart to us and I am so thankful. She taught s so many new techniques this week. I have taken classes in the past, but never had time to be alone with what I had learned and be able to play so freely with it.

I am going to miss the morning meditation time on her back porch. The great chats we all would have. Getting into the studio just before sunrise and watching it fall onto my canvas. Cooking together. The evenings when my back and feet hurt so bad but i really really didn't want to stop. The nurturing of Ann as she would sit and talk about the art and God. The most comfortable bed ever! The music. The laughing so hard I thought I was going to pee my pants.

Thank you Ann. You will forever be in my heart.

Here are some pics from the last day.

Enjoy!

Final Day @ the Art Retreat

Well the final day has come for the Art Retreat...(tear) It has been an amazing week. I will recap it all for you tomorrow..I have finally hit the wall with art!

I can now see how some of the famous artists lost the sanity being submerged in painting all the time. And of course, I do nothing in small little doses. I am an addict...I do it fast and furious and don't stop til my body tells me that it has had ENOUGH!!! Now, I know that I am tired and I know that my feet and back hurt so bad that I don't want to sit, for the fear of having to get up in pain...but have I really had enough? Probably not :-) Art is a passion and fire in me that I can't seem to let go of...and NEVER would. It is part of who I am. From the tight little paintings to the crazy abstracts. It is a craving in my soul that must come out. It is a meditation in quiet times and a frenzy of splattering paint in the throws of mania. I adore it. Through art I find my God and my path. I also find a strange little girl with some really weird ideas. But hey! That's the beauty of this journey right?

Here are some pis from the last day.

Enjoy!

Day 5 @ Retreat

Sorry that I forgot to post!! You know after so many days submerged in art one begins to be lost. I can feel myself becoming quiet and content and at peace with the rhythm of the painting. I think that it takes about 2-3 days to REALLY unwind to the pace of an art retreat. So if you decide to come here give yourself the time to settle in and slow down.

Yesterday we painted and painted and painted. Ann taught a class in pastels and then it was off to lunch. We went to a little cozy place at Desoto State Park. YUM!!! Driving back we stopped at a place called Miracle Pottery.http://www.miraclepottery.com/ WOW what a story this girl has.

God seems to be everywhere every minute here! I am so full that I feel as if I am going to pop!

Here are a couple of paintings that I played around with yesterday. I forgot to take pics of them all so here are 2. They still need a lot of work to do ...but hey its fun. Music seems to have such an effect on my paintings....the small landscape is classical music...the lips are Amy Winehouse (don't know if that is spelled right)

Gotta go for now....Painting time has begun!!!!

Enjoy!

Day 4 @ Retreat

Well I was wrong...Day 4 has topped day 3! Can't wait to see day 5!

Today we started our day at 5am with Sassy the house cat taking perch in her thrown. So I guess she was starting our day with a theme.

My husband sent a wonderful treat today that completely surprised me and brought me to tears. A little bouquet of flowers...the delivery girl was so tickled to know this was a treat and a surprise. She was laughing hysterically:) What a treat....I don't know exactly what I did to deserve this kind of love. But hey, I'll take it!

Angie and I went off to the falls this morning. Ann was teaching an art class, so we needed to get out for a bit. Oh My Goodness the falls were AMAZING!!!! Then it was off to lunch at a cute little place in Mentone called the Wildfower Cafe. How fun! And the food was...well....to die for.

Stuffed and ready to return to art we headed back. Our friend Becky drove down and has joined us for some art therapy for the next few days. She is as tickled to be here as us.

Our day ended with Ann http://artforartlovers.net/teaching us all kinds of new techniques...and a new painting came out!

I guess I will have to call it "Sassy"

Here are some pics of the day...Enjoy!

Day 3 @ Retreat

WOA!!!! I don't know if day four can top day three. Today we awoke at about 330 am to the sound of high winds and trees banging against the roof. But what a wonderful way to be charged head first into a day:) So, I said...what the heck..I'm up...I might as well paint! Isn't that the point? YEP!

I am not going to post the painting that I did today because it is a surprise for my sister in law and the new baby...but I will post it when it has been sent to California.

I'll post a few shots of our day. Ann took the time with us this evening and taught us a great mixed media process. All I can say is YUM!!! I will post shots of the actual work tomorrow.

The house is so very cozy and comfy. We eat and talk and share our lives with each other. All the while keeping God in the forefront of our thoughts.....you know he is the reason I am here in the first place. It is all such a wonderful recipe for good juicy creativity.

Off to dream of colors and paintings for tomorrow....

Enjoy!

Day 2 @ Retreat

Ahhh the painting begins....

These are a couple of quick paintings that I did today. It is nice to be able to paint and eat and paint and sit and paint and paint and paint! Today Angie and I swam in the music, the sunshine and colorful paints. Going to take a break for a bit and get off my feet....maybe :) I keep getting drawn to the studio as if there was no tomorrow....but it's nice.

Happy Easter!!!!

Enjoy

Day 1 @ Retreat

Day one at the retreat was interesting. It was the day to unpack, get groceries, unload the HUNDREDS of art supplies we brought, meet our host and start (as Angie calls it) "Romancing our Canvases":)

Here are a few shots from the day.....off to paint!

Enjoy!

Off to Art Retreat!!!

Today I am leaving for a week to go to an art retreat with a girlfriend of mine. Angie http://pickmybrainsart.blogspot.com/ and I will be heading out to Ft. Payne this morning!!! Ann Hamilton has a b&b/art retreat there.http://artforartlovers.net/

I am soo excited to be able to kick my shoes off and wade in the art waters for a whole WEEK! Business and life has been a tad bit busy around here and my body and soul are craving some time off. I will be posting pictures of the week and paintings as we go. I am sure we are going to have a fantastic time....

Here are a few first pics of the place

Enjoy!

Autism Fact #2

Fact: The most common sensory problems autistic people experience are their hyper- or hyposensitivities to sensory stimuli. Their senses seem to be too acute (in the case of hypersensitivity) or not working at all (in the case of hyposensitivity).

This is just a clip of the entire story today. I loved reading about this fact. Boy oh boy the things our brains can do!

Read the whole story @ http://fencepostings.wordpress.com/

Enjoy!

Art for the day...whew!

I have been working on a mural for our local minor league baseball stadium and the Autism Society of Alabama. Go to the AF Blog to read more. http://artisticfinishesblog.blogspot.com/

I am worn out so this is all I can do for today...whew!

Enjoy!

Ahhhh, painting again

For a while now it has been painting for clients or finishes on walls or murals. Tonight I sat down for a bit and picked up "my" paintbrush and got a little fun painting done on a girl I had started a while back. (can' see what kind of hair yet,but I am sure it will come)

I need to get little warmed up to the canvas again. Next week I am off to an art retreat with a friend of mine. I can't wait to paint, for the joy of it, for a whole week! I really miss the feeling of getting lost in the moment and the joy it brings to my soul. Ahhhhhh, painting again.

Enjoy!

Autism..Fact 1

I went over to Fencepostings this morning to read her new post and was blown away! Today was fact 1 on her autism journey. Click on the link below to read the full post.

The picture above is Rob and his daddy:) Robert has autism and they are all blessed to have him in their lives

http://fencepostings.wordpress.com/

Why Autism?

Why Autism is the question I ask. Searching for ,here and there, a charity or cause to give a little something back, I find myself being drawn to Autism. It seems in the past few months that my business keeps getting opportunities for this cause. I guess that it is God's way of finding something for me that I cannot find for myself.

My best friend has been the key in opening my eyes to this beautiful world. Her son has Autism and I have seen her, so strongly, be there for him and her family. She has given her life to make sure that he has every opportunity to grow. And boy has he grown! I am amazed when I see the interaction he has with others and how he has come so very far.

So since this month is Autism Awareness month, I thought you all might like to open your eyes to a world that so many suffer from, but we still don't know about fully. My friend Leigh will be posting different things about the real world of Autism behind the facts.

Here is her first post below...Enjoy!

Fence Postings

http://fencepostings.wordpress.com/

April - Autism Awareness Month
Posted on April 5, 2009 by Shiny Things
April is Autism Awareness Month
Rather than throw dry statistics at you, I thought since I have a part in this particular drama, I’d share some real experience from behind the statistics. The life experiences that make the facts maybe a bit more tangible, if you will. Maybe random posts throughout the month, each with its own “fact”?
But where to start?
How about putting a face on the statistic?

More Mural

Worked on the Mural yesterday again at the stadium. Outdoor mural work is slow going. I really don't like having to be on nature's schedule. It seems like the days I can go work it starts to rain:( And the days I can't, it is 70 and sunshine. Oh well...such is life. This may be one of those "slow Shelly down" kind of things..hmmmm.

Hopefully it will get done by Weds. seeing as Thursday is opening day!

Here are a few pictures from the day.

Enjoy!

The Muraling has begun!

As most of you know, I have a VERY small company called Artistic Finishes (Faux finishes, murals, art) And some of you know that April is Autism Awareness month....so you put the two together and what do you get??????? YOU GOT IT!!!! A free bee mural for Autism! Yeah!

Seriously, here is a picture of my bus. partner Ricky painting on the mural today. It is being painted at the Joe Davis Stadium as a part of the MPCA program.

P.s. I am the one behind the camera :)

Enjoy!

THE best birthday EVER!

Yep...I have to say...this has been one of the best birthdays EVER! I awoke this morning..went out on the back deck for my morning meditation..and there was a big white rocker with a bow on it waiting for me:) Now, I am NOT a country kinda stuff girl at all (you know, the ducks and such) But when it comes to a good rocking chair....count me IN! I love it! Thank you baby!

I went to check my e-mail and blog and this is what I found on my best friend LeLe's blog

http://fencepostings.wordpress.com/2009/04/01/celebrating-sally-sunshine/

I was brought to tears. You see almost 6 years ago I either gave up friends or the majority gave me up. Hard time in life, but you all know all that. Anyway, when I found myself sober and friendless I just assumed that it would always be that way....me and my kids...that's it. After reading this this morning I realized that my life has quietly changed:) Into more than I had hoped...ok..ok...not going to get mushy. Thanks LeLe!

Ok where are we...oh yeah..chair, blog, cake! Got to my business partner's house to pick him up for the full work day ahead and was given a cake make by him and his wife. Thanks Ricky! Now this really did "put the icing on the cake" for the day. Of course...I lost it again.

Got home, the kids made cards...Michael even gave me a dollar in his..how sweet:) And we are now off to eat Japanese......

Ooops...wait...just checked emails. My sweet father in law sent me a beautiful butterfly card. I love you too Fasha! Thank you!

I know, I know, your thinking.."boy oh boy she is talking a lot of me, me, me stuff"...but hey...It's my birthday I can "me, me" if I want to:) I think that there might be a song in that.

Enjoy!