For A Good Cause

There are a lot of things I hate about social media, but the one thing I do love is that outlets like FB, Twitter, and blogs sometime allow us the ability to stick together, or reach out and help someone we've never even met.  We see that time and time again in the blog world, where we bolster one another in times of joy, sorrow, and especially need.  So it was no surprise when I visited Cindy at Fat Cow Studio and saw a post about one of her FB friends who is in need.

Now I don't know Cindy's friend Amy from Junk Love & Co., but I really don't need to.  The important thing is that Amy's father in law and son were in a terrible accident and her son is in a PICU (pediatric intensive care unit) in Vegas.  Scary times as you can imagine for any parent.  And as you can also imagine, the bills will be mounting.

Being the clever and industrious community that we are through our blogs and FB, another friend of Amy and her family jumped in to action and has organized an online FB auction to try and raise funds to help this family out in their time of need.

Her name is Barbara, and she is known as the Shabby Cowgirl .  Through her efforts, she has gathered a whole host of great auction items that will be up for grabs today between 12 pm PST until 7 pm PST.

I've donated a 12 x 12 wrapped canvas to the auction.  You can pick the artwork, one of the ones you see featured in this post, one from my last post, or anything from my website HERE. 

The choice is yours, but no matter what you pick, the money will be for a good cause and that always makes buying something even more fun.  And please spread the word, the more we can get this out there the more money we can raise for this family!

My thoughts go out to Amy and her family, and I wish both her father in law and her sweet son a very speedy recovery from their accident!

To preview the items and place your bids, click HERE.   Remember the auction is today only starting at 12:00 noon PST until 7:00 pm PST...so don't wait!   

           

The Dream You Never Knew You Had

Last June I wrote a post about how I would soon be selling my artwork online.  I thought by the end of June that would be a reality, but the reality is that these things take time.

The truth is that what I've been doing since over a year ago has finally brought me to the place where I'm supposed to be.  The road I've traveled has been bumpy, winding, and sometimes downright depressing, but in the end I have learned something at each turn.  I won't bore you with the long winded version, but what I thought would be a dream come true back in January turned out not to be.  And although I was horribly disappointed at the time, it turns out that everything really does happen for a reason.

Back then I was flying solo, talking to big name stores, and within a hair's width of selling in some of them.  After a deal with Home Goods fell apart due to the fact that I couldn't compete with the low cost of imported merchandise and I couldn't find a good framer here in the US that wanted me to also make some money on the deal, I was completely bummed!  But thanks to one amazing Home Goods buyer, the one who believed in my stuff from the very get go, I was motivated to keep going.  She and I even agreed when the deal fell through that we were sure that our paths would one day cross again, and I truly hope they do.  She had a dream to design jewelry, and I hope that she is doing just that....following her dream the same way I am!

All the while, my good friend Mary Beth was also on a path of her own...and often feeling the same sense of frustration I was.  We both knew we had good saleable artwork...or at least we hoped like heck we did, but how could we get it out there, find a way to sell it?!

After traveling parallel paths for over a year, it finally dawned on us that what we both needed was each other.  She felt like some of her artwork, created using traditional painting methods, was lacking something, and I felt like my images and graphics needed something to make them more well rounded too.  So on a lark we decided to see what we could create together.  She would paint certain elements, and I would add my touches to create artwork we felt was lacking in the marketplace.

So far we've come up with some wonderful collections...several of which may be licensed by companies for things like wall decor, dishware, and who knows what else.  That's all in the very beginning stages though, so we are taking it day by day and learning to not sweat the small stuff.

Did I mention how stinking talented Mary Beth is!!!  I swear, all I have to do is ask her to paint something, like the butterflies above, and poof, she creates something beyond my expectations!

So once we had decided to start working together, we needed to settle on a name...and Bay Studios was born.  Add to the mix an amazing online art company I had found while searching around, and we were off and running...so to speak!  Well if running at a snail's pace can be considered running.

The company we have teamed up with has been in business for years, so their guidance has proved invaluable in so many ways!  It's because of them that we've been taking our time, making sure we get this right and that we are offering customers artwork they can't get any place else, and hopefully filling a niche that hasn't been filled before.

Very soon, we will be offering some of our artwork for sale, and I have my fingers crossed that you all will love it as much as we have loved creating it for you!  It truly has been a labor of love for the two of us!

In addition to the Bay Studios pieces, I will also have some of my own images for sale on the site, like the floral above.  Because the paint is not dry on the walls so to speak, I won't put a link to the website quite yet.

But I did want to share with you why it's taken so long to get from point A to point B...or maybe point Z in this case!  And in the not too distant future I will be letting you know about some artwork you can pre-order and I will give you a coupon code as well.  It's a gift from Mary Beth, the gallery, and me, to say thank you for your patience and for your support, even when it seemed like the dream might never become a reality!

I think the biggest lesson I've learned is that even when you think you are following your dream, sometimes it is the dream that has to find you.  And when that happens, it's bigger than any dream you could have ever imagined!  Now get going and start your dream so that it can find you too!

I would like to give a special shout out to Kim, Kate, Michelle, Connie, and Linda for keeping me going when I was ready to throw in the towel.  Your friendship, support, and great taste has all been invaluable...thank you!!!

                                                             

The Old Post Road and A Giveaway

My last giveaway got such a great response, (thanks so much everyone!), that I thought I would follow it up with another amazing giveaway this week.  This one is for an original painting by Trish Jones, and I'm so excited to tell you more about Trish and her beautiful artwork!

If you have never had the pleasure of seeing the beautiful artwork created by Trish from The Old Post Road blog then you really have been missing something.

Trish, who sells her colorful, fun, and inspirational artwork on Etsy, is as kind as she is talented!  She was one of the first bloggers I met here in Blogland, and she has been so supportive of both me and my blog from the very beginning!

Not only is Trish kind, but she is also a generous soul with an abiding faith, and even though I'm a very private person when it comes to my own spirituality, I have great admiration for how Trish uses some of her art to express herself and her beliefs.  I think you'll agree after seeing some of her wonderful paintings that with or without the addition of scripture, her artwork is truly inspiring!

So when Trish offered to let me use one of her gorgeous original paintings as a Giveaway I was thrilled!  I also had a chance to ask her a few questions about her work and how she came to develop such a love for her craft!

How long have you been painting and how did you get started?

I started painting about 2 or 3 years ago.  I've always been artistic, and I offered to paint some backdrops for a play my daughter was in.  It was fun and easy for me, so I then began painting canvases and placing  them on Ebay to see if anyone else (besides my family) would like my art.  Ebay items sold fairly quickly, but at a low price.  I opened an Etsy shop, but was "chicken" to list any of my art.  One day on the way to school, my daughter said "why do you keep buying so many canvases?  You aren't selling any art."  I went home that morning and placed my first paintings on Etsy.  I sold a painting within the first five minutes of opening my Etsy shop!

Your artwork is so cheerful, colorful, and upbeat...where do you draw your inspiration from, and are there certain artists or pieces of art that have inspired you over the years?

I love color and I love flowers.  Also, I have always been drawn to folk art and to still life paintings and landscapes.  I think almost any painting can be beautiful if the colors are right.  I cannot think of a particular artist  -other than maybe Norman Rockwell (wasn't he wonderful!?).  Yet, my style is certainly not reflective of his.  I have been dragging my family into art galleries for years and have a wide range of tastes, but I am always attracted to nice color.

 

You sell both original pieces of art as well as prints in your Etsy store, can you explain what a Giclee Print actually is?

A giclee print actually is a method used to make a print.  Giclee (pronounced "zhee-clay") uses digital images to print with archival quality ink on archival quality paper.  I order all of my prints from a professional art printer.  I love the heavy Somerset Velvet paper they use for my prints.  It is a sturdy watercolor-like paper with some "depth" to it.  I considered investing in a quality color printer (I have a fairly decent one, already) and just printing from home, but realized that I simply could not duplicate the quality of the Giclee prints that I purchase from the professionals.   

As a busy wife and mother, when do you find time to paint, and do you have a studio in your house where you work?

I actually began painting when my consulting business declined.  Art is my "recession career!"  It is difficult to find time to paint when the kids are extra-busy, but the entire family has actually been supportive of my new hobby.  Their only complaint is when I sell my art.  They do not like to part with anything I paint.  My art studio is a separate room in my home with two large windows that provide lots of natural light.  Some friends have been encouraging my artistic ability and gave me their drafting table last year. 

Are you able to do custom artwork for someone and do you also do commercial work, such as logos and signage for businesses?

I have produced several custom scripture art pieces for new babies, nieces, mothers, mothers-in-law, etc.  Custom work is difficult if there are too many constraints - like "can you paint these two very long verses with lots of orange and purple and brown and I would like some birds and flowers on the 12x12 canvas- but nothing too busy."  I am slowly learning how to say "I don't think you will like how that will look."
 
I have not done any commercial work, other than backdrops for various community theater plays.  I painted three very large Santas for a local toy store last Christmas.  We drive past the store daily and just last week my 11-year-old son said "Their best window display was last Christmas."   Like I said - my family is very supportive of my art!
 

Do you ship internationally or only in North America?

I've only been shipping to the U.S. and Canada.  If someone overseas contacted me and offered to pay the additional shipping costs, I would probably oblige.

How do you think you've grown as an artist and do you see yourself venturing in other directions with your art, such as new subject matter or media?

I am slowly growing as an artist and actually think that my art is a way that God is working on my insecurities.  At first, I was embarrassed to let anyone know that I painted.  And, even  now, I will have an occasional day where I wonder if I should just throw my brushes away.  During those times, God either sends someone to compliment my work or purchase a piece - or I just have an urge to paint for fun.  

I am realizing that in every aspect of my life, I care less and less about what "the world" thinks of me (and my abilities), and am aiming to please God.  I know that my artistic abilities are a "work in progress" and hope to one day produce beautiful landscape paintings.  Still life and landscapes are my favorites!   I just need more practice.  I also want to venture into oils, but have not yet attempted to use oil paints.  (I've purchased the paints and paint thinner.  I just haven't opened them, yet!)

Now for the Giveaway!!!  Trish has offered this beautiful original piece of art "Pail of Zinnias" as a giveaway and I'm so excited about it...and just a tad bit jealous that it won't be coming to my house!  Thank you Trish for this wonderful and beautiful painting, and for letting me share your amazing art with everyone!!!

For a chance to Win...

1.  All you have to do is visit Trish's Etsy Store by clicking HERE and have a look around, then come back here and leave a comment about your favorite painting or print!

2.  Become a follower, or let me know that you already are and you'll be entered TWICE! *Be sure to leave a separate comment*

3.  Tweet, Facebook, or Blog about the giveaway, come back and leave a 3rd comment, and you'll be entered for 3 chances to win!

The Giveaway will be open until Monday, June 28th at Midnight PST!  Good Luck! 

*Sorry this is only open to Residents of the US and Canada!*

Pretty As A Picture

Thank you everyone for your encouraging words and heartfelt congratulations to our son, Bugs, for his recent graduation!  Now begins the whirlwind of parties, he has 1 tonight and 4 tomorrow!  I'm glad I'm not 18 anymore, I don't think I could handle the social schedule!

My in-laws left this morning to start the long drive back to Indiana.  We had a wonderful visit with them and they brought several photo albums to share with us while they were here.  Seeing pictures of Mr. Tide's side of the family is always fun and interesting.  My mother-in-law has been researching their family's genealogy for years now, so she is quite knowledgeable and can tell you a little bit about each of the photographs and how they relate to our immediate family. 

While looking at old family photographs, you have to wonder what happened to some of the furnishings, jewelry, and artwork that are pictured in each one.  Some of the items get passed down from generation to generation, but clearly a lot of the items pictured have disappeared from the families who once cherished them.

Recently, while cleaning out my parent's attic, we came across two paintings that had once belonged to my maternal grandparents.

Both paintings hung in their bedroom for as long as I can remember.

And although they are unsigned, they appear to be by the same artist.

Each one has a distinctive frame but they both relate to one another, just as each print compliments the other.

The wood frames almost appear to be hand carved and have a simple folk art quality to them!

These pictures are full of all sorts of interesting birds!

The level of detail and sense of motion is quite beautiful.

And the wide variety of colors used by the artist allows them to go with almost every color scheme!

My favorite is this beautiful peacock with it's subtle shades of green!

And this little fellow, although a little worse for wear, is still vibrant and jumps right off of the canvas at you.

There are so many interesting things to look at in these pictures, like the little dragonfly above who is touching down on what I assume is a lotus blossom.

Or this delicate little butterfly in muted shades of tan, red, gray, and blue!

And not to be outdone by the wildlife, the flowers also make a statement!  These lilies are just some of the pretty flowers found in both pictures.

When we first found these pictures, we were all drawn to this...a chewed hole in the upper right hand corner of one of the paintings.  It is the hallmark of those dreaded little creatures known as silverfish!  

And because these pictures had some damage, and were clearly showing their age (whatever that may be) all of us put them in a stack of giveaway/donate items.  But something about them kept drawing me back, and I couldn't get them out of my mind.  So a week or so ago I went back over to the house and retrieved them from their castaway fate.

I will clean them up, maybe have non-glare glass cut to fit the frames, and hang them in my own bedroom.  I'm not sure we have any photos of these hanging in my grandparent's home, but perhaps in the future there will be some photos of them hanging in my home.  And when generations long after I'm gone look at those photos, I wonder if they too will wonder what ever happened to these paintings, or if they will smile and think about them hanging on their own walls!

I hope you all have family treasures which surround you and bring you comfort and joy!  And I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Driftwood Interiors

I'm lucky enough to have met people from all around the world, both through my "real" job and also through blogging, who are not only wonderful people but also hugely talented in a variety of subjects.  Kerri, from Driftwood Interiors, is one of those people.  Not only does she create beautiful pieces of art, but she is also a talented designer and stylist!

I met Kerri several months ago and when I first visited her lovely blog I was immediately struck by some of the artwork she had featured.  I didn't realize at first that the artwork was actually done by Kerri, and as soon as I put two and two together, I knew I wanted to do an artist profile on her gorgeous paintings!

Located in Brisbane, Australia, Kerri has clients who call upon her for all of her talents, from renovations to commissioned works of art.  I had a chance recently to ask Kerri a few questions about her varied talents, and she was kind enough to share not only her answers, but some of her artwork and design projects as well.

How long have you been painting, and did you study to be a painter or are you self taught?

I’ve been painting for around seventeen years now, when my eldest child was young.  Although I always loved art and design, I followed a more ‘sensible’ path after school and went on to a career in financial planning.  But I always dreamed of finding a way to make a living from doing what I loved. After being retrenched I decided to take the plunge and started selling my paintings and teaching art classes. I had studied privately with many different tutors over the years, but from there I went on to develop my own style and techniques so I guess for the most part I’m self-taught.

I know you are busy renovating a house, do you have plans to incorporate an art studio into your home?

When we bought our house, there was already a separate office/studio. It was one of the reasons we knew it was the house for us!

Along with being an artist, you are also a designer, what sort of design work do you do, and do you feel that the two are inter-related?  Does your artwork often lead to design ideas and vice versa?

I love the fact that I can incorporate both of my passions - art and design  - and for me the two work hand in hand.  Colour has a huge influence on how we live and how we feel in our homes, and to be able to combine the two is a real bonus.  I’ve worked on renovations, from whole houses to just a few rooms, and often I’m asked to paint artwork to suit the new design scheme.  I also stage homes for sale, including hiring my artwork for the duration of the sales program.  Of course, I also take commissions for paintings to suit existing schemes.

Your paintings are lovely, and I love the large graphic style of them.  Along with your beautiful floral paintings, do you also paint other subject matter?

Oh thanks Kat!  Along with my floral paintings, I’ve done everything from my current Chinoiserie series, to modern abstracts, and heavily textured multi-media works.  I really enjoy a wide range of styles, and depending on whatever my inspiration is at the time, my work will reflect that.  Client commissions dictate the style and colour of many paintings, and this will often send me in an entirely new direction.

I know you are located in Brisbane, are you able to ship internationally for those interested in purchasing one of your paintings?

Most definitely!  I’d be only too happy to quote on prices and shipping costs for international clients.

How do you feel you've evolved as both a painter and a designer over the years, and is there a signature style or artistic medium that really defines who you are as both an artist and a designer?

I think that, with every new client, new design scheme and new painting, my work is constantly evolving and changing.  Trends come and go, but true style never goes out of fashion.  As far as signature styles and mediums is concerned, my favourite painting is always the one I’m working on at the time, and I enjoy variety so I’ll paint a series of works of the same style, before moving on to something new. 

With my design work, I really want to create relaxed, liveable spaces, which are both functional and beautiful.  And I firmly believe no room is complete without at least one vintage or unique piece.  I like to design rooms that feel as though they’ve evolved over time, rather than perfectly designed spaces full of the latest fashions. 

What do you think is the most important part of your job as a designer, and how do you help your clients define their own sense of style?

My most important role is to give the client a room they love to spend time in, which is a true reflection of who they are.  The best way is to ask the client to collect pictures of rooms that appeal, and by doing this, a definite pattern will emerge.  Many people can’t articulate what they like in words, so visual clues are a huge help in defining personal style.

Can you give others advice on how to choose artwork for their own homes?

Go with what you love.  Artwork should make your heart sing every time you look at it, and if you follow your heart you’ll find a piece that is a true reflection of your personality.  Oh, and my biggest piece of advice is not to hang your artwork too high!  A good rule of thumb is that the middle of your artwork should sit right at eye level.

I love Kerri's work and I'm so happy that she agreed to let me share it with all of you!  I hope you enjoyed seeing her wonderful paintings, and the bathroom and kitchen remodel pictured above are wonderful examples of Kerri's design skills.  Like her paintings, Kerri's designs are the perfect juxtaposition between making a bold statement and creating a calm and serene feeling that draws you in!

To see more of Kerri's wonderful designs and artwork, be sure to visit her blog by clicking HERE!  I'd like to thank Kerri for providing me with all of the pictures above and for allowing me to interview her!

Artistically Speaking

Photo:  Flickr Davewatts' Photostream

I don't claim to be a connoisseur of fine art, in fact some art which is highly valued would be pieces I would walk right by and maybe even think were downright ugly!   I took an art history course my freshman year of college and I really did enjoy it and can still identify a flying buttress or Corinthian column as well as the next person, but I just never got into visiting museums, watching foreign films, or being able to spot a certain designer from across a crowded room.  I'm the kind of girl...ok woman...who visited Paris for 4 days and never once set foot in the Louvre, but I did venture out of my way to eat Berthillon sorbet at their "original" ice cream store, and knew just were to go to munch on delicious macaroons... Laduree...c'est magnifique!

Don't get me wrong, I love certain designers and I'm fairly adept at recognizing beautiful antique furniture or a particular wood species.  I can also rattle off quite a few names of silver, china, and crystal without the benefit of reference materials.  But my daughter put it quite succinctly, (after I accompanied her to the ballet at the Kennedy center a few year ago as part of her birthday gift), when she declared that "the arts are lost on you"!!!

Now, I could have been horribly offended by her comment, but when someone tells you something that you know has a grain of truth to it, you can't really be offended can you?  I mean she was right in saying that "some" of the arts are lost on me.  After all, I'm the person watching the ballet who loses the beauty of the art form while fixating on the length of a particular dancer's legs and neck, or which pirouette wasn't "quite" up to snuff.  Or even how many bulbs are burned out in the beautiful chandelier hanging from the ceiling.  So see...I do have some taste, I noticed the chandy right?!

What I lack in artistic knowledge I make up for with boatloads personal preferences.  I know what I like and I rarely waffle on a decision to buy something.  I can see something and then years later come across that same item or even one similar, and I will be drawn to it again and again.  Mr. Tide likes to say that my tastes are very consistent.  He also likes to add that if there are two identical things sitting side by side I WILL pick the most expensive one.  I like to think of this as both a blessing and a curse!

Over the years I've mentally cataloged certain artists who's work I covet and hope to own one day.  To the true art lover, their prices may seem inexpensive, a bargain in the world of fine art, but for me with college tuition bills from one child and more looming on the horizon for our son who starts college next Fall, they might as well be Picasso's or Monet's.  Still, I hope to one day own one of these beautiful works knowing that it will be an investment , if not monetarily then certainly mentally, as I would get great enjoyment out of passing by it each and every day, and something like that can't be measured in money, it's simply invaluable.

I hope you enjoy seeing two of my favorite artists and their works.  And if you happen to be lucky enough to own artwork by one of them...just don't tell me!...NO, I'm joking... I would love to hear about it and live vicariously through your art!

Artist Scott Kelley has beautiful paintings of wildlife.  His blue herons are beyond beautiful!

Photo:  Scott Kelley Studio

Isn't this blue heron painting beautiful?  And look at the punch of color that vibrant green backdrop provides...stunning!

Photo:  Scott Kelley Studio 

Here is another one of his lovely heron paintings.  The level of detail is incredible and so lifelike.

Photo:  Scott Kelley Studio  

He has such an eye for detail and his use of vibrant rich colors, makes his artwork "jump" off the page.

Photo:  Scott Kelley Studio

Paintings of birds are not the only thing that Scott creates.  The painting above, from his archives, appears to be a study in "found" objects from the along the beach.


This next artist is near and dear to my heart.  John Matthew Moore is a Georgia native who now calls northern Virginia home.  His creates astonishingly beautiful botanicals that are so realistic you want to lean in to smell their sweet fragrance!  But as beautiful as his botanical, egg, and shell paintings are, it's his sheep paintings that make me want to mortgage the farm to own one!  As "mom" to two herding dogs, and a sheep farm less than a mile from my home, I can't think of anything more appropriate to hang on my walls.

Photo:  Martin Trowbridge

This exquisite orchid is just one example of his masterful artistry.

Photo:  Martin Trowbridge 

Tulips are one of his trademark series and he clearly has a passion for these delicate and beautiful flowers.

Photo:  Martin Trowbridge   

He makes something even as simple as this bird's egg into a thing of beauty!

You may have seen some of his artwork featured in one of the rooms in the DC Design Show House.

Photo:  Small and Chic in Cville Blog 

I had  some serious art envy when I saw that fellow blogger, Jeannine over at Small and Chic in Cville had one of his prints hanging in her own home!  Aptly named Olivia, John Matthew Moore's gorgeous ewe print looks smashing on her walls I must say!

Photo:  Small and Chic in Cville Blog 

Don't you just want to reach out and pet that adorable woolly head?

I hope my little trip through a few of my favorite artists has inspired you to find your own special artwork. 

For more on how Jeannine became the proud owner of Olivia, visit her blog by clicking HERE and then on the posts about Olivia.  She's also hosting a Giveaway right now where you can win the cool antler bottle opener pictured below, so mosey on over and tell her I sent you!  Don't forget to say hi to Olivia while you're there!