I’ve already been sifting through some of my reference material, sketching, and just jotting down some ideas for paintings.  I’m excited to start slinging some paint on a regular basis but also just a tad nervous about the time constraints.  It can be a bit stressful knowing that you HAVE to produce…..but hey, that’s part of the point of this exercise.  To practice, learn, get out of that comfort zone, and paint regularly!

Stay tuned, I will be posting the daily progress!

The girls taking the painting to meet it's new owner.

I’m way behind in my posts…..

I’ve been meaning to write this post since October..…..well, I got caught up in a camping trip in Colorado, soccer game in Kansas, whitetail deer season , Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s….and then here we are……  I still ask myself, “Where did the time go?” as if none of the above factor into my time consumption.

Once again, I attended and demonstrated at the Annual Horse, Mule, and Oxen Historic Farming Days.  I love this event!  I meet a lot of great people who appreciate my subject matter, get a lot of new material to work from, and manage to sell a bit of artwork—always a plus!  This year was a little different in that instead of selling prints, cards and small works, I found a new home for one of my original paintings.  It was such an awesome story and the new owner literally had tears when telling me the story…I had to share.

It so happens that the new owner of the painting, Hope and her husband, along with their daughter are very active in draft horse events.  Her daughter recently bought her own Clydesdale filly at auction.  They truly love the drafts and enjoy doing demonstrations and helping people enjoy these “gentle giants”.  As I was talking with Hope, I found that their daughter’s friend, who I’m going to call “Jane”, usually accompanies them while attending these “horse” events.  Hope’s daughter and Jane exercise the horses, feed and water them, groom them, and entertain visitors.  I might add that these girls are just teens!  It seems Jane couldn’t have horses of her own so, Hope sort of adopted her into the family when it came to doing anything “horsey”.  Sometimes this meant traveling hundreds of miles and being gone all weekend.

Each year, I try to paint one of the animals owned by one of the exhibitors from the prior year’s show.  I typically start the painting while at the event as part of my painting demonstration.  The year before, I had started painting a proud, black, Percheron gelding.  Hope’s daughter and Jane had spotted the painting and told Hope about it.  They all came up and watched as I painted and came back several times to check the progress.  At the time, I had no idea that Hope and her daughter were the owners of the beautiful horse I was painting.

Skip ahead a year, I brought the finished, framed painting back to the show.  Hope came to see the painting and told me she loved it because I had truly captured her horse’s personality in the pose and the look in his eye.  She said she had fell in love with it when I started painting it (I typically paint the eye as one of the first things on the painting) the year prior but she didn’t say anything because she just couldn’t afford to purchase it.  She mentioned that she really couldn’t afford it this year but that she’d talk to her husband.  In the meantime, Hope’s daughter and Jane were escorting Jane’s parents around the event, showing them various things that interested the girls.  It seems this was this was the first time that Jane’s parents were able to attend the event.  The girls brought the parents up to my space and immediately showed them the painting and talked about how Hope loved the painting.  Jane’s mom came to me and asked a couple of questions about the painting and then told me she’d like to purchase it.  My mind instantly went to Hope and how upset she was probably going to be.  As I was putting protective corners on the painting, Jane’s mom started telling me how often Hope took her daughter under her wing, allowing her to spend so much time with them and giving her the chance to learn about, help with, and ride her horses……never asking for or accepting anything in return.  She proceeded to tell me this purchase was for Hope as a “Thank you”.  The girls walked up beside me, smiling from ear to ear……they couldn’t wait to give the painting to Hope.  I asked if they wanted me to wrap it so they could give it to her later.  They both laughed and said they were giving it to her right away, they couldn’t wait.  What an amazing sign of gratitude!!  I knew Hope would cherish this painting for life.

As the event ended that weekend, Hope came to tell me how much she loved the painting and that she already had it hanging at home.  Tears started running down her cheeks as she told me how shocked she was that Jane’s family had done this for her.  She said they walked up and showed her the new painting they’d bought and as soon as she saw it, she was somewhat crushed because it was “her” painting.  She said kept that in and tried to show how excited she was for them…..that is when they asked her if she wanted to know the best part.  She figured they were going to tell her where they were hanging it or something but instead, told her the best part was that the painting was for her, for all that she had done.  She said she instantly started crying.  She never expected anything in return and felt that Jane’s appreciation and joy over getting to spend time with them and their horses was enough of a gift.  How could she not allow Jane to have the opportunity to enjoy something that she and her daughter enjoyed so much?

As Hope shared this with me, I couldn’t help but think that my painting had found the best possible home and that this is why I do what I do!

Horse, mule,
& ox farming &

Historical
crafts days

Saturday,
October 1, 10am to 5PM

Sunday, October
2 10am to 3pm

Gerald, Missouri

15 years of celebrating our heritage!!

Admission:  Ages 5 to adult
– $6.00

Under 5 free

Bringing a team?  Call for
info.

Old
skills like sorghum pressing & molasses cooking, corn grinding, handtool
working, spinning, ropemaking, natural dyeing, natural fiber baskets, honey
& bee keeping, dry-laid stone, vintage clothing, soap making, gourd
crafting, cider pressing & more!  (Note:
Exhibitors may change).

Area
artists & photographer on site capturing scenes of rural life!

Field
work demonstrations & log loading (weather
permitting) by
skilled teamsters and their working animals.

Author
& teamster walter schlemper signing his books “harvest for life”, “tales of
the woods”, & “patience & repetition”

The
rural Missouri spinners showing the fine art of handspinning!

Kids—have
fun with children’s primitive games & toys!

Wildflower
walks & native plant display!  Rare
livestock, poultry, & rabbits!

Come
visit carl heth & his hitches of oxen and sheep!

Straight
from the grill—pulled pork and jerky!

Genuine
chuckwagon dutch oven cooking!!  Kettle
corn!!

Live
music with bluegrass musicians!

NO ALCOHOL—this is a family event!
NO PETS, even on a leash!  NO
MOTORS—this includes ATVs.  Power
wheelchairs are OK.

Directions:  From St Louis
take I-44 West to Hwy 50, exit right, go about 25 miles to Gerald.  From Jefferson City, take Hwy 50 East to
Gerald.  From Rolla, take I-44 East to
Hwy 19 North to Owensville, then Hwy 28 East to Hwy 50 East to Gerald.  Once in Gerald, turn onto Hwy Y and follow
signs!

Need more Info?  Call Gail
at 573-764-2629  Ask questions early
because no replies will be made during the event.

Sponsored by Missouri Draft Horse & Mule Association, Inc.

I’ve been meaning to share this latest example for a couple
of months but it seems those months have been somewhat of a whirlwind of summer
activities, kids coming home and leaving again for college, helping out with fundraisers,
reunions, etc.  I just haven’t taken the time to sit down and write…until today, when I was sent another reminder that I needed to share this story.

Anyway, back to fundraisers….that’s where my latest example sprung up from.    I donated a couple of items to a fundraiser because I thought the cause was a great idea and was touched by what it was trying to accomplish.  Let’s just say, the results were many fold.  The fundraiser was a success, the recipients of the fundraising efforts did great things, the recipients of the donated artwork loved them (which always makes an
artist feel appreciated), and I received a much needed reminder.  One artwork recipient in particular was so touched by their winnings that they took the time to sit down and write me an email telling me just how much and what it meant to her.  An email that brought tears to my eyes as I
read it and made me stop and realize that this “rut” I thought I was in, was just me coming up with excuses.  It made me also stop and remember “why I do what I do” so to speak.  Sure, it’d be a dream come true to be able to “create” for a living and to be able to do what I love every day and enjoy some of the perks that come with “making a name in the art world”, however, right now, I’m pretty content with the idea that I’m able to use a “hobby” that I enjoy to also bring some enjoyment to others.

With this person’s permission, I’m going to share parts of that email with the hopes that it makes others stop and remind themselves that
we all have gifts and it is up to us to find a way to use them to make a difference.  I also hope it reminds us that something we think is trivial and that maybe we took for granted may just be the one thing needed to make a difference in someone else’s day….week…month….year…..or life…..

To give you a little preface, one of the items I commonly donate to local fundraisers is a shadowbox-framed turkey feather with a
painting on it.  With all of the outdoorsmen and women in the area, they’ve become pretty popular.  This was the item “Jane” won.  Jane had been having a very stressful time at work, to the point she was ready to quit because she felt she was to her breaking point.  She was driving home from work, trying to clear her head and all of a sudden she started thinking about “feathers from heaven”.  There is a reason that “feathers
from heaven” had meaning to her.  Several years ago, she’d lost her young daughter and during those last several years since, including the night she died in the hospital, Jane had been finding feathers in odd places.  These feathers turned out to be constant reminders of her daughter.
The night her daughter had passed away, someone made the comment to her that her daughter was, “going to be ok because she is ornery enough to keep the angels busy.  She was probably up in heaven plucking the feathers from the angel’s wings.”  Jane said, “That night completely defeated I was walking to the truck in a daze, got to my door and looked down.  There was a huge turkey feather (which I
still carry in my truck).  I picked it up and made the correlation to her sending me an angel feather.  Odd I know but oddly comforting also.”  That same night, a friend of Jane’s was driving home from the hospital and broke down along the side of the highway.  Jane stopped to help and when
she opened her door, right there at her feet was another feather.  Over the next few months Jane found feathers everywhere, some in really odd places like, sitting on her mail box, stuck by the dew on her screen door, and on her vehicle.  Logically Jane kept telling herself that birds shed their feathers and the wind will carry them for miles, but in the back of her mind she hoped it was her daughter reminding her that everything will be ok and that she is good.  This year it was the 6^th anniversary of Jane’s daughter’s death and Jane says she’s still finding feathers in odd places.  She’s found them inside of her truck, sitting on her desk at work, in storage areas at work, sitting on top of her dresser, and stuck to her clothing/hair.  At first, Jane thought it was her husband messing with her, but she hadn’t said anything to him about her mysterious findings or
her thoughts behind them.  Finally, on a day that Jane said she needed to renew her faith the most, the anniversary of the day that the doctors had told her that her daughter was probably not going to come back to her and was placed on complete life support….a new feather from
heaven was delivered to her in the form of a framed, painted turkey feather.  It was meant to be.

When Jane shared this story with me, as I read it, first my eyes welled up but then I smiled and thought the same thing she did….it was
meant to be….that feather was meant for her and wow, what a blessing to me it was to be able to bring a little happiness to her life and to make a small difference.

Mid Missouri Fine Art Society invites you to our 2011

Hee Haw—Down on the Farm

Art Competition/Exhibit

Sunday, Sept. 11^th through Nov. 12^th

Opening reception, Sunday, Sept. 11^th, 2-4 PM

Washington Train Depot Gallery, Washington, MO

Located on Front Street in downtown Washington

Come and see the beautiful art created by talented, award
winning regional artists, inspired by life on a farm.

1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place
monetary prizes to be awarded

To submit work, please follow these guidelines closely:

Drop off work:  Sat,
Sept. 10 between 9 & 11 AM

Judging between 12 & 1 PM, pick up of non-accepted work at 1PM

Entry fees:

$10 for MMFAS members/up to 3 pieces

$20 for non-members/up to 3 pieces

Artwork must have been created within the last 3 years

(must not have previously won an MMFAS award)

2D & 3D work accepted—photography is accepted

2D-Size requirements:
image size no smaller than 8×10” & no larger than 18×24”

3D Size requirements:
no larger than 2’ square

VERY IMPORTANT:

All 2D work must be ready to hang and must have wire hangers with d-rings or
eye-hooks attached to the frame or the piece will be rejected.

Pick up accepted works at show ending, Sat., Nov. 12^th, between  9-11AM

Questions, contact:

Veronica Brown–  veronica@veronicabrownart.com , 573-627-4444

Gina Brune – ginab@fidmail.com  or Gaile Harms gaileharms@sbcglobal.net

My Equine Bud

I’ve had several people ask me about the 365 Project, so, I thought I would blog about it and explain what it is and why I’ve decided to participate.  This is something relatively new that I’ve started participating in, I’m about 20 days into it now (I know, I’m a bit behind on posting this).  However, there are a lot of people that have been participating in it for a while and have already started their second round and maybe more of the 365 project.  The concept isn’t new, it is meant to help an artist grow both in technical abilities as well as creativity.  There are other sites or groups out there doing a photo a day, painting a day, etc.  As a matter of fact, I’ve participated in the painting a day concept before….actually, I did that for the month of February 2010 and painted a little 6” by 6” canvas each day along with several members of the Mid-Missouri Fine Arts Society (MMFAS).  Anyway, I met a new friend at one of the MMFAS meetings and while discussing photography, she suggested I check the 365 project out (Thank you Slava J ).  Well, several months down the road, I’ve finally done that!  The idea of the project is to take a photo a day and post it at the 365 website.  Sounds simple enough, right?  Well….. I will admit, I was still just a bit worried and thought this would just be something else in my life to cause stress, not help relieve it.  I was worried I would stress about not having enough time, 365 days is a long time, I would run out of ideas, you get the picture and I’m sure you can come up with the rest of the excuses I had.  Finally, in aggravation over some other things in my life and in an effort to fuel my constant need for a creative outlet, I decided to sign up.  It’s no charge and can hopefully only better my skillz (that spelling is for my children…they’ll appreciate that), so, what did I have to lose? 

The website is meant to be used to store, display, and share your photos as you learn to improve your skills, track your progress, share tips and tricks, and just continue to learn.  After posting a few images, I’ve also learned that it is an excellent source for affirmation.  It is nice to hear not only that someone likes or appreciates your creativity but also what they like about it or what you’ve gotten right.  This definitely helps you to grow!  The project also has a way of helping to improve your “artistic” eye….and for some of us…..learning how to use your camera to the fullest potential….actually taking out the manual and figuring some of this out. (I won’t mention any names but, I do need to dig out my manual…again…LOL).   One interesting byproduct of this project has been that I’m not only learning more about my equipment but I’m also learning more about some of my subjects as well.  One case in point, I took a few shots of an odd little, duck-like bird at the city lake.  This prompted me to do a little research and figure out exactly what it was since I’d never noticed it at the lake before and I’ve had some personal introductions with other  lake inhabitants (remind me to tell you about the time I was walking the track with a goose attached to my pant leg).  Anyway, the new “critter” was small and black, had a white, pointed bill and had individually webbed toes.  Did I mention it also had blood-red eyes!  Creepy but looked harmless enough….at least to me…now, if you ask my friend Theresa, I’m sure she’ll tell you otherwise!  I started telling a few people about it and it became evident that we had to know what had inhabited the city lake.  After a very brief bit of searching…turns out if you Google images of “black red-eyed duck” you can find this thing pretty quickly.  Who knew?  It turned out to be an American Coot (and no, I still can’t call it a Coot without cracking at least a smile and a chuckle)….what can I say, the oddest things amuse me and unfortunately, I think my daughter has inherited this trait.  As of this morning, my latest research involved trying to find out the incubation period of a Killdeer.  Which is 24 to 28 days, I might add.  Check out Day 19 or the April 12^th post to see why….

So, if I haven’t lost you through all of this rambling, pop on over to www.365project.org to follow my progress, view the project or even sign up for yourself.  You can also see my daily posts on Facebook as the project does integrate with the social media quite well.  Hopefully by the end of the 365 days, we’ll all see a positive progression in my work or at the very least, see a few cool pictures, and maybe hear a an interesting story or two!  I look forward to everyone’s feedback, good and bad…..I need both in order to continue improving and believe, me, I can take it…..I have my big-girl panties on! J

Illustrator Class project

I have gone back to school this fall!  I’m currently taking Intro to Multi-media and Graphic Design as well as Illustrator I at our local, community college.  I will definitely admit, it has been a bit stressful keeping up with everything but some of the stress involved has turned out to be a “good” kind of stress!  Yes, I do believe there is such a thing as “good” stress.  I truly think this is just what I needed.  I will say it has somewhat given me a creative jumpstart!  I have started painting again….after a rather lengthy hiatus.  I just finished a commission a couple of weeks ago (will post that a bit later) and have started sketching out my next painting idea as well as a new commission.  I have also started a new photography project called 365 Project.  Check it out at www.365project.org  ….I will post about that a little later as well…..  Anyway, back to the original topic… attached is a photo of my latest endeavor in Adobe Illustrator.  The assignment was to recreate a metallic/chrome object with illustrator…make it look like the metal you are portraying….get the highlights and reflections….layer by layer/piece by piece…then add that object to a CD Cover.  Create a band name and album name then put everything together for a visual concept to critique with the class.  The object I chose was a chrome hood ornament from some old car.  It was amazing the amount of time it took to create this but, I’m particularly proud of it….hence my post   I will say I also have a new found respect for graphic designers and illustrators J  I am amazed at how time flies in front of a computer, doing image editing or, in this case, graphic design. 

Funny how the creative mind works….some things can spur it into working and cause a landslide of ideas and yet other things that you’d think would help initiate creativity just don’t.  I’ve said many times that I have to be in the “mood” to paint.  Well, that “mood” has been absent lately and I just did not have the initiation to try and find that mood….  I know, shame on me.  Well, this project was very labor intensive and stressful at times, however, I have to admit the process has gotten me jazzed about other new and upcoming projects…gotten my mind thinking on the creative level again….the mood has found me instead!  I was not expecting this….I mean, after all….when you got right down to it….this was homework.  Homework isn’t supposed to be “fun”, right??    ….at least that’s what my children, nieces, and nephews tell me J  I think last night’s class critique session also helped with that.  I have to admit, I don’t always look forward to those sessions but I think they’re very necessary.  It just so happened, last night’s critique was a definite positive.  I received positives overall and was joking told everyone in class hated me now…thanks everyone!   ….I can’t help but think, “Would I still feel as jazzed and creative if the critique wasn’t as positive and there were things that I lacked and suggestions for change?”  I hope I would….even though suggestions and criticism aren’t always easy to take.

Anyway, what do you think??  Does it look chrome??

Who:  open to the public

What:   Both 2-D and 3-D artwork, including photography.  The theme of the show must be reflected in the work and in the title of the work.  Only original work, no prints except for those in photography. Sizes; max: 18 X 24”, min: 8 X 10”.  Work must be wired and ready for hanging.  Attach 2 notecards on the back of the work with name, title of work, price, and media.  Please include a paragraph about the inspiration from literature.

When:  Drop-off Saturday, March 5th, from 9 – 11AM.  Work will be juried from 11 – 1PM.  Please check back at 1PM to see if your work has been accepted.  Reception will be held on Sunday, March 6, from 1 – 3PM.  Ribbons and cash prizes to be awarded.  Show will hang until May 7^th, work may not be removed until that date.

Where:  Drop-off and exhibition at the Washington Depot Gallery in Downtown Washington, 301 W. Front St.

Contact Info.:  Annie Green  573-484-9815 or Robert Payne 636-586-3993

Buglin'

So, I’ve been in a slump lately….a lot of things going on in my life….  moved one kid off to college, sent another back to the area junior college, my day job stresses, and just a total lack of creative thinking.  I’m slowly trying to dig my way out of this pit.  I’m trying to make some changes in my life to help.  I’m planning on signing up for some college classes myself for the spring semester (yikes!), I’ve started to try and do at least one creative thing a day (sketching at lunch), trying to make it a point to spend more time with family and friends, and trying to spend more time outside!  Seems like being outside gets the creative juices flowing.

Well, I got a new Art of the West magazine in the mail and as usual, it had some amazing artwork in it.  That started me thinking about just how long it had been since I’d been painting….way too long.  Well, for the first time in months, I picked up my brushes yesterday.  I had a painting that I’d sorta dabbed at last year and then tossed aside.  For some reason, it was calling my name.  I decided to wrestle with it and see if I could still make it work………did I?  Not sure if I’m totally in love with it but, hey, it got the brushes back in my hands and paint to canvas so, I guess it’s a beautiful thing

Anyway, what am I saying??….I really don’t sleep much….regardless of my age.  It seems like my mind never shuts off.  I especially have a problem with it when I’m not getting enough time to release my creativity or I’m really involved in a new painting.  I literally wake up with ideas for a painting or layouts for a scrapbook page….anything.  I’ve read about artists, musicians, and authors who’ve kept notebooks and sketch pads on a nightstand just for times when they wake up with an idea.  Me….I just get out of bed and start working on that idea.  I think if I were to sketch or jot down the idea, I still wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep…I would lie there thinking more and more about how to incorporate the idea, color choices, media, canvas size, you name it.

I’ve found that I am naturally more creative in the early morning hours anyway.  The paint tends to flow much more easily in the wee hours of the morning…maybe it is because that is when my mind is the clearest, free from all of the necessities of life…”Did I pay that bill?  How can I work the new soccer schedule into my schedule?  When can we visit that college?  Ugh…work…”  Regardless, that is my ideal time to paint so, I’ve quit fighting it and when I wake up to a painting idea….I no longer try to push it out, I usually just get out of bed and try to fit a couple of hours in, in front of the easel.

Anyway, Saturday, was just such a day….I woke up with yet another horse eye painting in mind.  I’ve never really painted a gray horse, let alone, a flea bitten gray horse (flea bit just means they have little flecks of other colors sorta peppered over their otherwise gray/white coat).  I had a Percheron in mind and knew I wanted to paint him.  I crawled out of bed around 4:30 and began sketching ideas.  In about an hour and a half, I had a new little 6″x6″ painting which is now on display at the Framin’ Place in Chesterfield…filling a gap left by a sold painting.  I will be painting a few others to fill the void of other sold paintings as well, stay tuned for those.  This past weekend was pretty successful for all artists involved….what a great weekend!

The Gray