First Post!

Today I am launching both this blog and my etsy shop! I have been asked for years now to get this up and running by friends who live far away.  I am excited to begin posting my wares there for all to see, and for one lucky little pair of earrings to go live on some cute ears miles away from here!

But this blog is also going to be a place where I post my other projects of which there are toooooo MANY!!!

It came to me not long ago that I am not good at fullfilling commissions.  I have therefore spent the past year finishing off many old commissions and have learned a new word.

No.

No, I am sorry, I would love to paint your dog/ grandchild/ boat.  I would love to sculpt or create that thing you are envisioning.  I really would.  But I can't.  I can't because I need to create what is waiting in my heart to get out, and it's a LOG JAM in there, baby.

So, with great respect, and with deepest gratitude for your request to have me make something just for you, I must decline.  Commisssions drain me, they cool my creative fire, they steal my mojo, my juju, my umph.  I need my umph.

Instead, I am going to begin creating things you and I have never even imagined (you, because, well, you don't live in my head.  Lucky you.  It's chaos in here) and (me, because I have yet to see what I could possibly make!  Won't that be exciting for us both?)

So, to kick things off, I'd like to show you my studio.

Okay, that's the rather romanticized view.  Here is what it is looking like without the soft focus.

And here are a few of my current projects:

I'm also finishing my last commission-ish (but very heart felt) work.  My friend Ellen wrote an amazing book and invited me to illustrate it.  It's going very well and I am excited to see where this sweet little book will go once it is complete.  I have a few more paintings to go, but here is my favorite:

Then there is painting that I am doing "just for me", because, the more I think of it, it seems a real shame that I have almost grown to hate painting because of "needing" to finish paintings for other people.  If I can't enjoy it, what is the point?

Here is a painting I started a few nights ago with the sole purpose of putting it in this cool frame that I have had for YEARS!  And while I am working on the painting I am also modifying the frame (it was all light brown).

Also, I've been playing around with blending collage with images of my children.  This piece isn't done, but that will be the fun of this blog... pieces in progress!  For this piece I incorporated papers, paint, and a photo transfer.  That was a really cool process.  First, I painted Mod Podge on white cardstock.  When that was dry I printed a photo of Tessa on it, and then coated the image with Mod Podge.  Then, with that still wet, I placed it face down on the painting surface and smoothed it down and then let it dry.  Finally I wiped away the paper by soaking it in water with a sponge and then rubbing it with my fingers.   The image was left on the canvas!  I'll be trying more with this.

Last for today, a painting that I did using my friend's wedding announcement photo.  I cut her sweetie out (sorry!) and made her an angel.  I have been adding cloth and wooden elements. 

Can't wait to share more with you. Fun stuff, baby.