A New Year Approaches and I am doing WHAT????

Creatively, this has been a fantastic year!  I have explored several new mediums, had a few shows, sold more work and honed in on some of my new directions.  Oh, and I lost a dog to cancer and added two more.

Beginning last year being part of a 30 Day Challange hosted by Leslie Saeta was the best way for me to start the new year!  I am doing it again this year and my focus this month may be just feathers!

I invite all of you to check out Leslie's blog and give it a try.

http://www.lesliesaeta.blogspot.com/2013/12/get-ready-for-january-2014-30-painintgs.html?m=1

And watch here and in some other spots for two new business's I am starting this year! Why can I never just do one thing at a time?

The Hard Work Begins

I have a little less than two months to get everything ready for my solo show 

The Egg Project.

Recently I saw some truly magical work done by a woman in Florida and she has inspired me to go an whole new direction in my felted egg creations.  But first I must complete what I have in mind for the June 19, 2013 exhibit at Art Mob Studios & Marketplace

Expectations Are Premeditated Resentments and Thoughts To Ponder on Crowd Source Funding.

Years ago, when I met the man in my life, I happened to mention a quote I had read on a wall in a meeting room.  It said “Expectations are premeditation resentments.”  It struck me as profound and unrealistic, however it changed my thinking and helped me be more accountable for what I expect, why and when and how I can help or hinder the situation.  Telling Doug guaranteed I would always be reminded!

I have had myriads of opportunity to work on this which has since become my mantra.  Often I am successful and able to move through sticky situations when I see where my accountability lies.  I can see where I have failed to communicate or be reasonable with myself or others.  In fact, I am nearly perfect.  But not totally!  And when I find myself stuck in the muck and mire of resentments, after fighting to prove I am right and I will never, ever be nice again or be whatever it is I feel I am not getting in return, I have to return to the roots of my expectation and “fix” my attitude.

For the past several years I have been a big fan of KickStarter.com and Indiegogo.com  Both sites, and others like them operate on the simple premise that a lot of people giving a little bit to a project they want to support helps wildly creative and inventive projects to succeed.  Gone are the days of peer review grants and other types of exclusive funding for the few.  Of course, what one of us sees as a worthy project, others may think they are ridiculous.  And it doesn't matter, because a well written and thought out project will attract an audience that supports it totally.  Or, for some reason, it may not.

In the past I have supported:  

•  a water sourcing device in a third world country
•  an artist building a community studio with the skeleton of a barn on his property
•  a board game developer 
• several authors of unique children’s book 
• at least ten artists 
• a Mexican sidewalk café trying to pay legal fees to keep their doors  open in Boston in an increasingly gentrified neighborhood  
• a sweater designer who was doing well and having her limited edition products created in China but they raised her minimum quantity order to such a volume it took away her entire ability to do business (she succeeded and now teaches women in her neighborhood how to use the few looms her grant bought her so not only can she stay in business but she can employ locally)
• a few musical groups looking to create their first CD 
• an election day advent calendar 
• some comic book artists (in honor of my talented nephew)
• and several projects that did not get funding but were great ideas

I have also donated countless dollars to various animal rescues and limit myself to just one or two right now.

I am totally cognizant of how overwhelmed we all can become with all these requests for help and money.  So when I designed my own crowd source funding project and launched it I assumed a few things. 

1.  My first assumption was that most people understand what crowd source funding is and why it works.  
2. My second assumption was that everyone I donated money to would jump in glee to donate money to my project.  
3. My third assumption was that all my friends would be so supportive they would share my information several times a week and get all of their friends to donate at least $5. 
4. My fourth assumption was that everyone has been dying to see my collection of wet felted eggs and egg paintings.  Ok – I wasn’t that unrealistic!

As I near the end of my fund raising drive and I have only 1/5^th of the amount I was asking for (yes I get to keep that money too), I found myself getting resentful and discouraged.  And then pissy angry and saying stupid things (to myself of course – I am too polite to say this out loud) about how I will never share another penny or ounce of my time to ever help anyone again in my whole entire life.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I can be a whiny beeouch at times too.

My resentment pot of stew was boiling over.  And suddenly, resentments of things I thought I had let go of started to get added to this swampy, putrid pot.  And the pot grew bigger and hotter and I was burning myself.  My head hurt, my body ached.  I was getting crabby and even told the dogs it was cheap dog food for them the rest of their hairy little lives!  And I asked Doug if it wasn't about time he bought toilet paper for a change.  Ah, the joys of cooking resentment stew were filling my life rapidly.

So I had a little talk with myself and the first thing I did was nicely ask one person if she meant what I perceived to be a snarly comment about me begging for money.  She was mortified.  Much like myself, she just says what’s on her mind and that wasn't what she meant.  The one thing she did say to me in our conversation was that she really did not know what crowd source funding was.  It is a relatively new concept and artist, being somewhat ego fragile at times, are afraid to ask for feedback, in case it is bad.  Well, not all artist, but I can be like that.

So putting myself out there and asking for support for what may be perceived as a frivolous project is daunting.  I am very fortunate that I have been able to make a change in my life and go for broke.  And no one is financing my lifestyle except for me.  And Doug when he buys the damn toilet paper!  I am not wealthy in terms of money (right now) because I gave up a life where I worked hard to make money to pay for my mortgage (and all that owning a house entails – heck I HAD a house); to pay vet and dental bills and health care insurance.  What I am wealthy in is the courage to pursue my dreams, accept that money may be slow in coming but I will not give up and share my art and my creative efforts as much and for as long as I can.

I believe in crowd sourcing and will still support some projects, once I am more financially successful with my own.  I believe we all have the creative spirit and talent in us in one form or another.  I believe creativity is one way to heal and make one’s life whole.  And the real intent of my project, undoubtedly not expressed very well, is that I want to share that option with everyone.  I feel by having a show and developing a program that supports creativity I would be able to make a positive impact in the world.  Trust me, this is a far cry from the days when I wanted to rule the world and have everyone get along!

The funny thing is, I am already doing so much of what I wanted to do by having the show.  Regardless of less funding, I am still having the show and I want people to buy my work.  And the part of me that loves to share and encourage people and bring out their creativity will always be part of who I am, so funding or not, that aspect of the project, while not as well documented right now, will always be part of who I am and what I do.

I am writing this because I was surprised by my resentments, my expectations and the downward spiral it took me on.  I am happy to report I am back to my normal self and am grateful to those who have donated.  I realized and received feedback that I was over reaching in my scope, but it doesn't mean I will give it up.  I will just pace it differently.

And, of course, there are still nine more days……

I never saw this book before - it's a cute story!

Yes - I am still creating away!  Busy enough that I realized I have not cleaned the house (other than dishes and bathrooms) or done any laundry in over a week plus.

Granted this place is small and with four dogs and Doug it gets messy, but I just forgot to be compulsive   In stead I gardened, taught, painted and even took a full day to hike.  I had not even realized that I was so errant in my homemaker ways until I found that Doug (who hates vacuuming AND vacuums) had stuffed the vacuum in a corner in our laundry room.  And I wasn't even looking for it!

Today is some cleaning so I can paint all day!  And finish planting a few more flowers.

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/04/15/eggs-of-things-anne-sexton-childrens-book/

Fish That You Can't Eat!

Rasta Fish

Just thought I would share a few of my fish. 

And my inspiration for them.

They are needle felted and hand sewn with embellishments.

They have no purpose but to cheer you up!  

Green Eyed Lady

Silver Lips

Brown Eyed Puppy Fish Inspiration
- No Embellishments

Egg Art - Not Mine

http://www.sweetpaulmag-digital.com/sweetpaulmag/spring2012/?pg=94&pm=0&u1=friend#pg98

Did You Know?

Interesting Odds & Ends About Eggs Howard Helmer, Senior National Representative for the American Egg Board, is the Omelet King. Helmer holds three Guinness World Records for omelet making – fastest omelet-maker (427 omelets in 30 minutes); fastest single omelet (42 seconds from whole egg to omelet); and omelet flipping (30 flips in 34 seconds). The name meringue came from a pastry chef named Gasparini in the Swiss town of Merhrinyghen. In 1720, Gasparini created a small pastry of dried egg foam and sugar from which the simplified meringue evolved. Its fame spread and Marie Antoinette is said to have prepared the sweet with her own hands at the Trianon in France. To tell if an egg is raw or hard-boiled, spin it. Because the liquids have set into a solid, a hard-boiled egg will easily spin. The moving liquids in a raw egg will cause it to wobble. Double-yolked eggs are often produced by young hens whose egg production cycles are not yet completely synchronized. They’re often produced too, by hens which are old enough to produce Extra Large-sized eggs. Genetics is also a factor. Occasionally a hen will produce double-yolked eggs throughout her egg-laying career. It’s rare, but not unusual, for a young hen to produce an egg with no yolk at all. An egg roll can be any one of three very different things: 1) an Asian specialty, usually served as an appetizer, in which a savory filling is wrapped in an egg-rich dough and then deep-fat fried, 2) an annual Easter eventheld in many places, including the White House lawn and 3) an elongated hard-boiled egg made for the foodservice industry. When the long egg roll is sliced with a special slicer, every piece is a pretty center cut. It is said that an egg will stand on its end during the spring (vernal) equinox (about March 21), one of the two times of the year when the sun crosses the equator and day and night are of equal length everywhere. Depending on the shape of the egg, you may be able to stand it on its end other days of the year as well. Long before the days of refrigeration, the ancient Chinese stored eggs up to several years by immersing them in a variety of such imaginative mixtures as salt and wet clay; cooked rice, salt and lime; or salt and wood ashes mixed with a tea infusion. The treated eggs bore little similarity to fresh eggs, some exhibiting greenish-gray yolks and albumen resembling brown jelly. Today, eggs preserved in this manner are enjoyed in China as a delicacy. You really can have egg on your face. As egg white tends to be drying, it has long been used as a facial. Egg yolks are used in shampoos and conditioners and, sometimes, soaps. Cholesterol, lecithin and some of the egg’s fatty acids are used in skin care products, such as revitalizers, make-up foundations and even lipstick. http://www.incredibleegg.org/

What Came First - The Egg or Creativity?

Good Morning!  It has been a week since I last posted and I missed me writing.  Funny, the past sentence reminded me of Friday confessions when we had to spend our morning school sessions thinking up really appropriate sins for afternoon confession. I wouldn't dare confess to stealing a ball point pen from Sears with my Irish twin brother on a dare, or contemplating "touching myself", but I would admit to not watching my baby brother as he crawled to the garbage can in the kitchen.  I even admitted saying "shit" once.

But no confessions today.  Today I want to tell you about my first felted egg and how they came to be.  Moving here over a year and a half ago (North Carolina), I started going to an open studio evening at M's School of Art (http://www.msartschool.com/) where for $5. plus supply cost I could learn how to do anything "M" knew how to do.  I love fiber, sewing, quilting and beading, but never really followed through on any of those mediums as a life long passion (except hand sewing - I'll even mend strangers clothes if they let me).

My first project was a wet felted dog bone.  It is so durable we still have it around, and in the process I gained a new puppy who has yet to destroy it.  Then I made a few boxes.  They are nice, kind of cool and yet not quite, for me, a good use of the medium.  During the year I was planning the move here, I felt like I was incubating and I had collected a handful of rocks and gems and stones and called them my creativity mojos.  I kept them under my pillow, and whenever my plan started to look too overwhelming or bleak, I would pull them out and remember what each one was supposed to mean and why I chose it.  Sometimes I would throw a few in my pocket to carry me through the day.

This is what the gems and stones look like....each one has meaning, and I have added more.  My first egg, looking back I can see it is a bit clumsy and flawed.  Making it I thought to myself, this egg will be a creativity container to hold all my creative goals and ambitions. And the floodgates opened and I remembered all the drawings, sketches and fun things I had done with eggs since I was a child.  Not including the normal Easter Egg traditions. Eggs have always been calming to me.  Mysterious in their potential and elegant in their design - such simplicity creates such complex creatures.

I knew I had to make more...to be continued..................

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-egg-project-a-solo-show

Getting Ready for Company?

More Egg Tricks!https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151416481173411

YES YES, I am still painting my daily eggs!

I realize I have not posted for a bit here, and I have a good (or several) reasons.

1. I am spending an inordinate amount of time on Facebook - not really.  OK maybe really.
2. I am writing a grant proposal for a The Egg Project, a solo show I am doing in June and will need a bit of funding for it to be awesome.
3. In order to do the grant I have to do a video slide show, so I am learning how to do that in under 90 seconds.  It could be longer, but I know better.
4. I am painting eggs, but not posting them because I am using the computer that has a hard drive ready to commit suicide and until I put the new hard drive in I am only doing what is important, besides Facebook.
5. I am worrying about how to transfer programs over once I put in my new hard drive.  Especially since I don't have all the original programs.  I think they were lost in the move. Or I just never thought it was important to hold unto them more likely.
6. I am preparing some classes for a friend who wants me to teach 2 hour fun, wine and paint classes at her studio. They should be a blast with me teaching!
7. I am catering to Sunny's very urgent demands to have five meals a day.  Or she will bark at me more than usual.
8. I am writing press releases, artist statements, artist bios, entering some shows, writing my "Great American Memoir", and writing this blog!
9. I have been performing ritualistic spring hygiene activities - coloring hair, plucking eye brows, shaving legs, and washing the winter grit out of my eyes!
10. I am walking a bit more every day (ok - I know how to walk, but now I have a purpose - to lose my bigger half) and meditating.  Which makes me relaxed and happy so I play with the dogs and Doug.

In the meanwhile I have a great recipe for you:  http://gardenercommunity.blogspot.com/2013/03/hard-boiled-eggs.html

Why a Painting a Day.

Actually, I was not taking a few days off, but rather, painting like crazy and doing a fair amount of socializing which both feeds my spirit and distracts me.

A friend sent me the article I have enclosed here, and many of my artist friends know of this man.  Those of you who do not, take time to read the article as he talks about the importance a painting a day has had for him.  Not just in terms of sales, mastering his craft and opening doors to a new audience, but how it is a way of life.

I have attempted doing paintings a day for several years now, and until last month, I just never "got it".  I was trying to do a good, or great and complete painting a day.  Something I would be proud to show the world. I started keeping sketchbooks and do those almost daily, but the painting a day was too much for my ego to handle.  "If I can't be great, then I can't show people my work." was my mantra.  I judged myself before I let others jump in and even say' "hey, not so bad!"

I paint other things besides my daily paintings.  I also work in a few other mediums at a time and am working hard to prepare for a show that incorporates all of them with a cohesive flow.  Daily painting for me, as others have discovered long before I have, is the only way I seem to learn well.  Thinking, dreaming and doodling my way up to painting just does not make for good paintings.  Taking a brush to canvas and diving in finally has allowed my ego to step aside and just paint.  I know when something is not good, or doesn't work.  Sometimes I let it go and move on.  Other times I paint over it, but mostly I just try to see what I am not seeing and keep learning.  My only concern is I will die before I will learn everything I know I need to learn.

And no, I am not sick or old enough to die (I hope), but I am so excited about opening myself up to learning that I feel I have wasted years pretending to be a good artist.  Pretending time is over, I am an artist, good or bad and best of all, I can only get better.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-seed/duane-keiser-a-painting-a_b_2776043.html

The 30 Day Art Mob Challenge Day, 2,3 and Part of 4

Did you know the pleats of a chefs hat originally indicated how many ways they knew how to prepare an egg?  Just an interesting bit of information.  

I was running a bit behind and will be painting a lot today, after shipping off some commissions.  Take my advice - don't stay up all night.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 4 - in process

Day 3

30 More Days of Eggs – Day 1

The first day of my challenges always seem so weird.  I think – what – an egg, so what?  It’s easy.  And tonight it was easy.  Sort of. The shadow got me and I had to rush out to warm up, so here it is!  I also did a few other paintings today and I will post the dog one on Facebook.  I really like her.  Quick, using oil and acrylic (by accident), she came out pretty sweet.

Another 30 Day Challenge!

JOIN ME IN THIS CHALLENGE!
ALL MEDIUMS ACCEPTED

Here are my 30 day challenge canvases waiting to be attacked by crazy eggs!

This month, starting today until the first day of spring I am doing another 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.  I will be working again on small canvases for the most part.    I am trying something new.  Actually a few things.

WHAT:

• All of my work for the challenge will be on 3"x 3" black gallery wrapped canvas. 
• I will be using, for the most part, Golden Open Acrylics.
• I will still be working with eggs as my subject matter.
• I am working with Art Mob Studios and Marketplace to host this challenge so that in the end all of those who participate can show their work at a special show. 

WHY:

• Small canvases give me the time to participate in a challenge and not feel overwhelmed.
• Black canvases - who knows why - it looked interesting.
• Eggs because in my first challenge I wanted to really see what I was looking at and paint it. I did that about half the time.  I want to see if I can do it more than half the time now!  And I love eggs as a subject in all my art forms (dogs too).
• I love sharing and learning from other artists and Art Mob is giving us a space to do just that.  Even if you join a little late, as long as you have 30 pieces we will include you in the show.  Just remember to keep them small enough to have space.

For those who are not local we are working on several ways for your work to be part of the show and publicity   Contact me if you have questions  and I will be posting some ideas over the next few days.

Stay committed, motivate, join us and have fun!

Join Me - 30 Artistic Creations in 30 Days! Challenge!

A New Take on 30 Paintings in 30 Days – 30 Artistic Creations in 30 Days!

During the month of January I committed to doing 30 paintings in 30 days with 200 other artists and Leslie Saeta (http://www.lesliesaeta.blogspot.com/).  I had tried so many times before but never got beyond a week.  This time I decided to do the 30 paintings of one subject only and keep the size to 4”x4” using Golden Open Acrylics – a medium I am just learning how to use.  

My goals were to learn more about the paint I was using, color mixings, logistics of proper brushes and, most importantly, to really look at what I saw. I had a blast and when the challenge was over, I felt lost – what next, where do I go now?

The artwork that the other artists shared was wonderful.  Some was astonishing, some very good and all of it inspiring.  I loved being part of a group that committed to doing something they wanted every day and then sharing about it every night (or the next morning).

In talking with Michelle Sparks, proprietor of Art Mob Studios and Marketplace in Hendersonville and where I have some of my work displayed, (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Art-Mob-Studios), we decided to “host” another 30 Day Challenge.  And everyone is invited!  So far we have painters, illustrators, pastel artists, potters, fabric artists and more joining us in the next challenge which begins Wednesday, Feb 20, 2013.

Here are the suggested guidelines:

• ·        Create in your chosen medium
• ·        Keep it to a size that is not going to overwhelm you – it is part of your day, not all of your day.
• ·        Photograph it and post it to Art Mob Studios/Photos/Album/30 Day Challenge.
• ·        Make sure you identify it with your name and say anything else you’d like in your description.
• ·        Put it on your FB page also (or share the Album from Art MoB)
• ·        Create – only if you want – a blog and share it there also.  At the end of this I will share several bloggers who have done this.

·       At the end of the thirty days Art MoB will be having a show at their location displaying all the work.  Directions on how to get your work ready for this will follow in a week.

·      If you are not local, we plan on creating posters with the 30 Day Artwork on it and would love to have you be included.  More on that in a few weeks.

·       HAVE FUN, share with others, talk art and learn!  Think of it as your vital artistic vitamin to keep your creativity joints moving. There will be no judging of anyone elses art – just learning and enjoying the process.  Oh – and selling it too if you’d like!

How To’s:

1. 1.      Go to Art Mob Studios FB page and “Friend” them.  It is critical that you go to the exact page spelled Art Mob Studios (Michelle is moving pages for easier management).
2. 2.      Look around and introduce yourself as part of the challenge.
3. 3.      Get familiar with posting on the Photo Album 30 Day Challenge – even post a pic of yourself or your dog (cat, rabbit or chicken)
4. 4.      Get your camera and your "tools of the trade" art and GET STARTED!

HINT – some days you may not be able to do your challenge, so occasionally do a few at one time so you won’t feel like you are getting behind or dropping art.

THE BIG OTHER QUESTION!  Why do this?  Aside from everything I mentioned above, this will give all of us exposure and the ability to sell your work (one of my goals – someone has to pay for food around here).  Artists tend to love to buy other artists work, and/or refer other artist to a client who may be looking for a new style.  My art continues to get better and better ( I hope) only because of all the other artist’s I learn from and talk to either on FB, in open studios, on blogs or websites.

My life feels fulfilled when I share my work, sell my work and inspire or an inspired by others.

Any questions, just IM me on Facebook; email me or call!  Now get those swords swishing!

·        http://www.lesliesaeta.blogspot.com/ - Look at Leslie’s archives for challenges and also read her website – great radio programs for artists!

·        http://sheilawedegis.blogspot.com/ - I did eggs, Sheila (my mentor) did dog noses and they sell like crazy!

·        http://feathersandeggs.blogspot.com/ - My blog – I do more than eggs!

·        http://paintingadogaday.blogspot.com/ - Another one of my mentors and great artist – daily and otherwise

·        https://www.facebook.com/nancy.d.handler - Nancy motivated me to Join Leslie’s challenge!  I love Nancy’s work too.

There are hundreds more – give yourself a day to just explore – go to Pinterest and enter daily artists. Have fun. Fun! FUN!

A Little Gratitude Before Bedtime

Our intentions for the day started out well.  Knowing it was to be a nice day I asked Doug if he would like to go to the beach for the day.  A four hour drive. At the last minute we changed plans and decided to go to Augusta (a two and a half hour drive).

Dogs packed, Doug looked up some areas to hike and found Augusta has a growing River Walk Arts Area. Long story short, it was a four hour drive, the River Arts Area looked like a stunningly, well rehabbed ghost town and they had three galleries. After spending a beautiful morning in the car (getting lost - odd for Doug) we were both pretty crabby and even looking for a parking place (in a city full of hundreds of empty parking spaces) became a source of argument.  Parked, the dogs and I went one direction along the river and Doug went looking at historic buildings in another. Stormy thoughts clouded my head, two of the leashed dogs were very ill behaved (they are better off leash) and I was starving.

There was NO ONE wandering the streets or River Walk in this very pretty area, except a lot of homeless guys.  All of them were very polite, only one asked for money and the dogs enjoyed playing with them.  After walking along the river and frustrating the dogs by not letting them swim down the Savannah, I went back to the car.  Aside from a few bars nothing was open and the dogs looking for water went into a tattoo shop.  I have never been in a tattoo shop before and it looked like an upscale beauty salon.  The guys were wonderful, all very decorated and polite and they gave the dogs water and biscuits.

Still crabby with Doug by the time we met at the car, he had found some galleries (three) and off we went....once again getting in an argument over parking - ridiculous since there was parking all over the place!

Much to my crabby and biased surprise all three of these galleries were wonderful. I even bought a small painting in one.

So why am I boring you with all these details?  The day, for the most part was spent in the car, but we did get to a nice lake for the dogs before heading home. And like the river, I met the nicest men and their dogs - all homeless.  The dogs were better behaved and better groomed than my own cherished pack.  The last man that I talked too, with his dog, also named Hootie (but spelled Houdi), was intelligent and congenial he told me the story of how he got Houdi.  And a dog, Isabelle before Houdi.  He gave Isabelle up (a few years ago) shortly after finding her as a dumped in the canal puppy, freezing.  But the first night he had her he said he gathered up all the wood in the park, built a good fire and snuggled with her the whole night to warm her up.  There is a weird small casino near this park, so he went and got all the chicken leftovers behind the kitchen for his new puppy.  And on the way back from the casino trash, he found a thrown away Burger King burger with only one bite.  They huddled and shared dinner that night.

The next day he went to the factory, down over there (he pointed) and asked if he could use the phone to call a buddy, so he and the dog could stay a few days while the cold weather was settling in.  After the phone call, the man who let him used the phone said he'd take the puppy, but my friend was reluctant.  I don't want her put down or abused he told the fellow.  After a long conversation, and realizing he was not in the best state to take care of a new puppy, he let her go, but made the new owner promise to keep in touch.  They have and Isabella is a thriving, rambunctious four year old who loves her new family with two daughters and a father who keeps his promises.

My homeless companion's current dog, also about four or five, was found living in deplorable conditions in a neighborhood over there (another point).  The dog's owner was insulted by the suggestion he should be kinder to this young dog and said if you can do better, take him.  So this fellow did.  He and Houdi are a happy pair, on their way home, taking a few minutes to play with us and talk.  I had not realized he was still homeless until he told me how Augusta is a pretty good place to be homeless.  He has a nice place down (pointing again) by the canal.  Plenty of wood and lots of places to get really decent left over food.  And during those short cold spells, he calls his friend to put them up for a few days.

After talking dogs, life and the history of his dog genetics, Houdi's dad saidgood bye and continued on home (down by the canal under the bridge with a really good view and some nice trees).  "if you are ever homeless", he said to me "consider Augusta - it's actually pretty safe here too!"

And I was the crab because the day was not going as planned!  

Another 30 Day Challenge Starting Next Week!

It is hard to believe that less than a year ago this was my studio.  I had a hard time working in it, mostly because it was dark, chilly and not mine. It was mostly a place to put my stuff.  Wandering bears infringing upon my space didn't help either.

Regardless, it was a good year and I am beyond happy that we took a year to figure out where we wanted to live.  

After settling into our new cottage I finally began to work a lot.  And this past January I participated in a 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge and learned how I need daily painting.  Like a vitamin.  If you read some of my past blog postings here you can see my paintings.

Now I am ready to start another 30 Paintings in 30 Days, and it will be more eggs!  This time all my paintings will be done on 3"x3" black wrapped canvas.  I might stick to three colors only but that is still undecided.  Those who join me can use any sort of medium, any size, but I will say, having a focus really helped me a lot!

So if anyone is interested in joining me, starting next Wednesday, Feb 20th until March 20th, please jump in.  I am going to figure out how we can post them in one spot.  Sharing the work was a major part of the fun and progress.

More information will be forthcoming.  Contact me at artdog@miriamhughes or on Facebook (Miriam M Hughes) if you are interested.

Do I Draw Things Besides Eggs?

Shouldn't Artist Stick to One Thing To Get "Good"?

My front yard bench in Valley Forge, PA.
My first non-canine pastel drawing.

Someone asked me the other day if I did anything besides pastel portraits of dogs? Another person asked if I ever do landscapes.  And my "live-in-love" (or whatever he is) asked why I loved painting only eggs?   At one time I only did pen and ink or watercolor and was primarily an illustrator - mostly medical and scientific things, but I have illustrationed a complete dissection book on frogs, a text book on cockroaches; and have spent more than my fair share of time in the morgue, learning anatomy.

Lorimer Nature Preserve, Paoli, PA Fall
My secret garden where I walked daily
and still miss dearly.
I miss my walking buddies too!

Funny thing is I can't draw stick figures and gave myself a sketching assignment drawing stick figures only for a whole month.  It was extremely hard and frustrating. 

So, yes, I create all sorts of work and will eventually share it all on my soon to be updated website (www.miriamhughes.com) and in my Etsy store.

I love trying new mediums and learning new techniques.  I spent so many years being an illustrator and living the fine line of being a productive artist who made money (and my friends said I was a sell out ) and wanting to create for the fun of it.  Now I am doing both.

And no, I don't think you should stick to one medium to get good.  I think you should not ever give up if you feel like you are not getting anywhere and try new things, but "good" is such a subjective word.  Being creative and making a living is as good as I can aspire to. 

A mini challenge that requires a bit of research and insight!

I propose a new sort of challenge! All of us see other artists we like and we either comment or like. I propose that we go one step further and not only like the artist, but say why we like them, what about their work appeals to us. Then share where their work can be seen (webpage, blog, FB page). This is more than a simple share.

We can share all of that information here however I would love to see us take it even one more step further and share it on own own pages and with our friends. A little background would be cool too. For example, until very recently I had no idea Karen Hendrickson made such amazing felted animals. I would share her work after I asked why she got started. I learn so much form all of you and my other artist friends and I just think this would be a great challenge. Maybe share one new artist a week.

As I ponder the rest of the month...

My friend Sarah Murphy posted this article.  I have known Sarah for years (at least as long as her sweet dog Marco is old) and we met when I was hired to train her Boston Terrier puppy.  I knew the situation was not Marco, but having too many guys in the home rough housing with him.  My challenge was to communicate the best way to change the behavior and get everyone on the same page.  No big deal at all.  Until I noticed Sarah's business card on her kitchen counter and saw she was a therapist.  "Oh shoot (actually oh sheet was my actual thought) I thought to myself.  How am I going to do better  than this?  Will I be judged?  Will some weird quirk of my own be revealed and will I be booted out the door as a fraud?

All went extremely well I am glad to say and Sarah and I became friends!  Sarah is not a regualr let's talk until you drop and are sick of yourself and your problems kind of therapist.  She guides you in learning tools for transformation.  in fact, if it were not for Sarah and some sessions I decided to treat myself too, I would not have jumped off  the "I can't do this anymore pity wagon!" to making huge life changes and moving to North Carolina to become everything I wanted to be.  I am still a work in progress, but the tools and insights I received from Sarah are like my vitamins.  This article came at a great time as I have just finished one challenge and am on the the next step (see tomorrows blog).

It is a long read so I suggest your skim through it first.  Digest and then go back.  It is too valuable to not read.

http://wakeup-world.com/2011/07/12/scientist-prove-dna-can-be-reprogrammed-by-words-frequencies/

PS - if you want to learn more about Sarah go to:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Transformative-Therapy/352207318180