Inspiration

Every morning I wake up to coffee, e-mail and Facebook. It's a ritual that I enjoy for about 30 minutes before I have to start getting ready for my day.  This morning there was a video with an article about a 100 year old woman that runs. Her daughter talked her into running at the age of 67. She had lost two sons in drug violence and I found her story very inspirational this morning. Per 100 year old Ida Keeling: "Get up and do something, even if you don't feel like it. Sometimes you don't feel like doing this, that or the other. Do the things you don't like to do first  and get rid of it".

Her story is truly inspirational. you can read all about her here.

New project

I worked in my sketchbook at lunch today creating a "design",  and tonight I just finished painting it with my limited watercolor pallet. Right now this design is 5"x7" and I will recreate it on a 36" x 24" canvas. I'm not sure what the final colors will be, I'll figure that out later.

Good morning sunshine!

Late in the Texas summer last year, I really felt the heat, so I created this painting........

  
My oldest son liked it so I gave it to him, but since he forgot to take it with him when he left the other day, I decided to snap a pic & post it.

Stormy day at the beach

Last year, before Christmas a friend of mine took a picture of the beach, Rockaway Beach, which is basically her front yard.  I loved the picture so much I asked for her permission to reference it. I am not a realist by any means and I really do enjoy uneven and colorful brushstrokes. When I was working on this painting time just flew by.  Today I finally feel that the painting is complete. I like the way the colors came out. Can you tell it's a sormy day?

                                                          Stormy day 32"x40"

So which one is better? top or bottom?

Lists

Always searching for something more. As far back as I can remember I always wrote lists. Lists of things I need to do, lists of things I want to do. Lists of things I want in life. Sometimes I would even sketch out things that I want, like my art studio. I would imagine it, draw it out and in the end it would be reality. It took time, lots of time and effort, but it did become real.  

I just finished reading "Into the Magic Shop" by James R. Doty, MD. I couldn't read it fast enough. I wanted to read it all, now. I may re-read it, which is unusual for me. I want to share it, but not my copy, its staying with me. I'm telling my friends about it, and I will be buying a copy for each of my kids. I thought it was that good.

I have been searching for a quiet mind through Kundalini yoga. Now I can apply my meditation, and Ruth's "trick's" from Doty's book to help me along. What is it that I really want right now? I want to create beautiful art.

A gem hidden in plain sight - 1100 Broadway

After leaving the book festival yesterday afternoon, I made my way to 1100 Broadway to go see a solo exhibit at ArtistsWithAMission gallery by a very beautiful and talented painter, Caroline Adam. Her work is absolutely beautiful!!! It amazed me how much change occurred in the gallery over the last couple of weeks. The gallery was double in size, maybe even tripled with natural light following though, and the walls were bright white showing off Caroline's artwork. Great show!!!.

The building at 1100 Broadway is made up of all different types of art studios, and is truly a gem hidden in plain sight. I had the pleasure of meeting Katherine Gambs Warmack when she posted a call for artists through Facebook about a month ago for her gallery, ArtistsWithAMission. Katherine's art studio/gallery is located on the 2nd floor walk-up and she did give me the opportunity to show my work in mid March and am very thankful to her. Katherine is a sweetheart! I believe that in the very near future she will be inundated with talented artist begging for some wall space in her gallery!!!

Caroline and Katherine- ArtistsWithAMission

After viewing the artwork in Katherine's gallery, we were all invited to see Dan Suttin's studio space on the 3rd Floor. Dan's space is actually The Octa-Tetra Museum. It blew me away!!!!! He was nice enough to let me take pictures to post here. You can find more about The Octa-Tetra Museum if you search it on Facebook.

The Octa-Tetra Museum

The Octa-Tetra Museum-

This piece took Dan a year and a half to create

The Octa-Tetra Museum

The Octa-Tetra Museum

The Octa-Tetra Museum

Adventure and books!

Today was the most adventurous day I have had in a VERY long time. Before I get into my adventure I want to mention that I am the type of person that forgets where I parked my car in the parking lot of a super market.

The 4th annual book festival was today, with over 90 authors scheduled to speak throughout the day. I had my marked schedule in hand with all the authors I wanted to see and listen too. The first one, scheduled at 10am, was Austin Kleon "Steal like an artist". I was pretty excited, leaving the house a few minutes early to allow time to park and wander around for a bit. Well, half way there, on the highway, construction.....0-5 miles per hour.....for what seemed forever!!!!! Four lanes down to ONE!

 After getting through the construction zone and finally arriving to my destination,  I needed to find parking. Okay, so I figured I would be a few minutes late for the 10 am Author..... not so, as I circled to find parking, I went deeper into downtown, with their notorious one way streets........  I finally found a lot with a space for $6 for the day, not bad..... However, they only take cash, in a slot, without an attendant, and I only had a twenty..... So I asked a couple of construction workers if they could break a 20, and they couldn't but they directed me to a bar across the street. The bartender graciously broke my 20 as couple of older, intoxicated patrons invited me for a beer, by poking my shoulder and pointing to the table with the beer on it (LOL!), I declined holding up my coffee.

By this time, I missed the first author, was late for the second author, and had to take pictures to landmark the streets along the way to the festival so I could find my car at the end of the day! SO, Now I need to find my way to the library where the festival was at from where I parked. I see a young man walking towards me, with his head phones on, I stop him and ask"can you tell me how to get to the library", in turn  he holds out his hand with change and tells me tells me he has no other money to give me. to which I said to him "I do NOT want your money. I want to find the library." He smiled and apologized and told me he couldn't hear me over his music and directed me the way to go. As I walked away I wondered if I looked that bad or desperate that he thought I wanted his money.......

Overall I was a bit frazzled, and felt lost but I wanted to enjoy my day, and I was not disappointed.

The third author on my list, Dr. James R. Doty spoke eloquently and had my full attention, as he spoke of mediation, living in the moment, compassion, heart break and how certain foods can affect our emotions. I was so glad that I had the opportunity to listen to him and I look forward to reading his book, "Into the Magic Shop" a neurosurgeons quest to discover the mysteries of the brain and the secrets of the heart. 

After purchasing my books and getting them autographed, I got myself roasted corn on the cob, fresh squeezed lemonade and a picture with Moonpie!!!! Moonpie reminds me of my friend Skeeter!!

I also had the opportunity to go to 1100 Broadway, a hidden gem in plain sight...... I will post about that later...

I think Gloria was the bartender

two blocks from my car

4 blocks from my car

Me & MoonPie 

Hello there Mr. what are you doing to my wall?

This year's Say Si event was great, minus a few hiccups with their new silent auction bidding system through the phone.  I am not a techy type of person, and I use my phone for phone calls, a few texts and photographs, that's it. To input CC information and any other info on that tiny little screen of my android is not what I do. Anyway, the great news is that by the end of the night I ended up winning the artwork that I bid on.  Yay for me!!!  I love art and a variety of it.  This particular piece of art was done by a student of Say Si. The way I interpret the artwork is that it is a picture of the artist creating a self portrait, and yes, I do like good street art, better known as graffiti. I would list the artist name, but since he is underage I don't want to cause any problems for myself or for him.

"Hello there Mr. what are you doing to my wall?"

As far as the piece of art that I donated, I am pleased to announce that it sold pre auction night, above the retail price!  I hope whomever bought it enjoys it! (this picture of my art is not the best).

"Peaceful Day"

On another note, I mentioned in a previous post that I planted a new rose garden in my front yard. The roses are starting to bloom and my husband picked the first one for me this morning. 

It's so beautiful!!!!!