Christmas Week

Boy, it seems that Christmas comes quicker every year. We did manage to get the tree and lights up the middle of last week. Hubby dear is a light freak so we look like a calmer version of a disco! LOL
Just a note to remember that this time of year, many desperate people do stupid things and innocents are affected. Watch yourself out in public and at home, too. A dear friend of ours who lives in our condos was robbed at her doorway yesterday at gun point. Mind you, we are the quietest of communities with the most excitement usually being a car towed from a private parking spot. It truly frightened her and she readily gave up her purse. Smart gal!
On a happier note, I finished a portrait last evening of a dear friend's little girl, Alex. Alex is a happy go lucky cutie pie who recently decided to devour a bright blue permanent marker! Wonder if her lips are still blue? Oh My!!! So here is my version of Sweet Alex.
May all your hopes and dreams come true in the coming New Year. Peace to all.

Wonderful Holiday Giveaway

Greets,
As the holidays approach I am so grateful for all the friends, support and familiy I enjoy in my life. Thank you all!

In my Etsy shop, I am offering FREE U.S. shipping on any item purchased by 12/19/08.
My little way of giving back for all the kindness given to me this year.

On the Giveaway note, talented artist and very sweet lady, Lani Kent, is doing a giveaway on her blog. Here is the web address for her giveaway where you can get the details.
Http://artistlanikent.blogspot.com

Enjoy your Holidays!

Greetings all!
I got my Thanksgiving Swap ATC in the mail today from Deb Bohm. Oh my, it is SO me!
I truly got a grand laugh out of this. Many thanks, Deb. Patti K. had hosted a swap and I had never done an ATC swap before. What a wonderful experience. I hope Deb likes the ATC I made for her as much as I love mine!

Remember to tell those you love that you do! Peace.

Thanksgiving Wishes

With the Holiday season upon us, I just want to take a moment to thank all my friends, family and colleagues who has truly inspired me to reach for the stars this year. It is a wonderful feeling to know I have so many kind and talented people in my corner.
My Thanksgiving prayer for all of you is that you find your happy spot in life.

I am so thrilled with the opening of my FineArtAmerica shop. I have personally ordered two prints of different types to insure that the printing is of a quality that is what I want to sell. Will keep you updated on that.

Finally on a more personal note....To Stacey, Gordon, Bernice, Barbara and Mollye...
Your emails, encouragement and just plain friendship mean so much to me. Where would I be without all of you making me laugh, sharing your worlds and just being yourselves>
Thank you all for being such a grand part of my life.

Remember during this Holiday season, kindness is free....give it away!
Peace

New Site for Me

I have jumped out again and added a new website to my selling links. Anyone wanting to find local artists who are selling in their area, this is the site to go to. It features a biography as well as items for sale.

I have included a link to my page at the right. Now off to upload more images.

Monday's Musings

Okay, it is Monday and my pea brain is whirling as usual. I belong to an art book club where we create pieces to coincide with the book we are using that month. So this is one of my pieces. My thought process in this respect is how is it determined whether a piece is an assemblage or a sculpture? This is made with 100% recycled items excluding the paint. So is it an assemblage or a sculpture?

I will be interested to see the vote on this! Have a creative day filled with love.
Peace.....

I have been tagged!!!

All righty now, the blog tagger has struck again. Time to play! I am supposed to tell 6 things about myself. Hmmm......

1. I wanted to be a ballerina, but alas, too bow-legged ( Yikes!)
2. I actually like brussel sprouts.
3. I collect angel art and Asian antiques.
4. I am a Taurus and can be fiercely loyal when cornered. (Don't make me angry!)
5. I have a commercial drivers license and can drive the big buses!
6. I can still do complicated math in my head. The calculator baffles me. LOL

So now off to tag the next 6 victims! Watch out. Have a glorious day!
Peace....

Grand Entrance

I have been playing around with different mediums lately and this piece kind of evolved from that. She is painted but with the additions of handmade paper hair, feathers ( gluing feathers is NOT fun!), button baubles, ribbon and fabric. Mixed media is a lot of fun to tackle. Deciding what to use, where it will go, etc. If you have not tried this type of creating, give it a go.
Have a grand weekend. I am off to my little studio to play.
Peace.

Finding the "lost" time

My sweet buddy, Stacey (ArtSnark) brought up a very valid point in this busy day and time. Where does the time go each day? How do people with large families find time to get everything done? In this techno oriented world, it seems I sign on to my computer and 4 hours later I am still there catching up on emails, answering questions regarding my art, paying bills, networking, marketing and it never ends!
So that "lost" time takes away from creative projects. I am curious if any of you have a tried and true tip to find that time. Any time saver would be appreciated.
I know personally we are blessed to be old enough to be empty nesters but other things take the place of daily caring for children.....ill friends, keeping up with the kids and older relatives by phone, the dog (who is mortally spoiled!), dentist visits, doctor visits, housework, keeping up with finances, bills, etc. Granted, some of these things are joyful but they still take a chunk of time out of the day.
I am so thankful that we have our health....even though it seems I move a little slower than 10 years ago. LOL
So any of you go-getters who would like to respond, I am all ears!
Have a peaceful weekend.

Wow!

Well, here it is Monday again. Guess that is always a good thing as it means time is marching on. I received two wonderful emails today requesting more link exchanges. One from a dear sweet friend with a new site and one out of the blue from an unknown now new friend! WOW!
Check out their links to the right of this post. I think you will enjoy perusing their sites.
Peace, Cath

Before you know it!

Greetings all! Fall is definitely here in GA. Cool, crisp mornings followed by breezy sunny days. I adore fall. A time for reflection as we watch the leaves change and before you know it, here come the Holidays. I am already planning my Thanksgiving menu! Dear Hubby and I have decided to take a cruise. Never really had a honeymoon when we married and after 5 blissful years, we are going to have one. I am totally excited. Good reason to get back on my eating plan and lose a few pounds. The idea of packing into a swimsuit will do that to us girls!
What is so special about this cruise is that it revolves around music. Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Marshall Tucker Band, .38 Special and Molly Hatchet. All grand southern rock bands who will be cruising with us and also most importantly, playing concerts on board!!!!
Wow!

As you can see from the widget on the side, I have finally started stocking my Etsy shop. I will probably be listing some small pieces on Ebay this weekend. All of the items I will be stocking will be ready to hang pieces with no need for framing.

Time to go finish my Genie. She is a real eye popper. Will post her pic soon.
Peace to all....remember those you love!

Good News to Share!

Hope this day finds you all well. The United Kingdom ZNE artist's group auctioned off our mermaid box this week. It sold for $40 GPB which is about $72. Woohoo! It was such an honor to be included in this project. My contribution is shown at left called mermaid musings.
October is Cancer Awareness month and this project just helped to make me feel more a part of the solution desperately needed for cancer. Losing my dear friend this year to breast cancer really hits home hard.
Tell your loved ones to have their regular exams...mammograms, pap smears, psa tests for men.....all are important!
Have a grand weekend. Peace to all.

A quiet Day

Greetings all,
Boy, it has been a while since I have visited here except to post new paintings. This summer has sped by quickly.
Hubby and I will celebrate our fifth anniversary this week so we are heading off for a bit of a retreat. I am looking forward to a nice quiet couple of days. Yeah!
As always, I have been experimenting with new techniques, adding some mixed media to my paintings and just having fun.
I hope you like the results!
Remember those you love... Peace!

July 4th Musings

Seems I don't get here often enough these days.......but that is a good thing as it means I am painting and creating more than ever.
It is a beautiful sunny day and I must take the time to re pot some of my indoor babies with new soil.
I am doing something a little different for me and painting a series called Fear. Personally, I am not fond of spiders and they are fun critters to paint. So, be prepared! I don't know where this series is going but it is definitely different than most pieces I had done recently.
Have a glorious Fourth. We are so blessed as a nation to live in the USA. Take the time to hug those you love. Peace!

Tuesday Afternoon

I feel I should be singing a really grand Moody Blues song. NOT! Well, things here are status quo. Guess that is a good thing.
The creative processes have been kind to me lately. I seem to be ever evolving into I don't know what. Hope that is a good thing!
Seems like when the phone rings these days it is not good news. A dear friend of ours has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I will never understand why terrible things happen to good people. But the world seems to keep turning, regardless.
All my life, I have been the undying optimist but it seems some of the ooomph has gone out of me lately which probably shows in my latest art works. Maybe life is telling me that a blend of pessimism in with that eternal optimist is the way it is.....who knows?
Remember those each day in your life that matter......tomorrow is a new day! And thankfully, we all wake up anew. xoxoxo

Friday's Frolics

It is hot here in Georgia, guess summer has arrived. Things are blooming like crazy and I am sneezing my pea brains out! LOL
The art workshop in Detroit was a huge success. I met so many talented, kind fellow artists. It was over entirely too quickly.
I wait with baited breath on the gallery call. Should hear something by Monday. Waiting is the hardest part! To be selected for a juried call would be quite an honor at my early stage of selling my art.
So I am off to the studio to finish my abstract (very abstract) blueberries for an Artist and Poets project. Having never met a blueberry bush in person, I kinda winged it! LOL Hey, that is why there is artistic license!!!
Have a grand weekend.

Memorial Day Thanks!

To all of you courageous men and women, past and present, who believe in fighting for our country and our freedom, my heartfelt thanks to you all. I had two Uncles who both served in the Korean War. I still remember after almost 50 years the tears in my Grandfather's eyes as he sent his two sons off to war so far away. My father's Father was a Navy diver in the old bell style diving suit during World War I. My father-in-law and his brother both served in World War II. The bravery of our troops should be something we think of every day, not just on their special day.
So as we all prepare to enjoy an extra day off from our workweek and our barbecues, take time to remember the real reason you are having a holiday. God Bless our Troops!

Grand Photographer!

Greetings all, I want to take an opportunity to introduce you to a very wonderful nature photographer, Kelley Swinney. His patience in getting the perfect shot as well as his wonderful eye for the unusual really sets his work a cut above.
Check him out if you get a chance. I am providing a link to his cool site with my other links at left.
Things are quiet in Georgia for the moment. My art conference is coming up soon and I am thrilled to be attending.
Life is good! Hug those you love....

Sunday's Musings

This has been an interesting week. I entered 7 pieces in an open art call for a gallery in California. It will be juried by July 1st, so I am trying to wait patiently.
(NOT!!)
I have discovered a new technique thanks to my dear friend, Joyce. Tissue paper, glue and paint are right up my alley. More fun than making mud pies!
Things here have been quiet lately which makes me think the other shoe is gonna drop soon. Things never seem to stay quiet for long but Hubby dear and I are enjoying the hockey playoffs and that is never silent in this house. My Dallas Stars are hanging in and I am glued to the tube when they play.
I pray that you are all enjoying the springtime flowers and fun. Peace to all.

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all you fabulous ladies out there. I must tell a funny story on my granddaughter, Jesseka. She is 3 1/2 and quit a pip. I was talking to her Mom the other night and she was cutting up in the background and my son told her to behave and be a little quieter. She asked her Mom if it was Jesse's Mom on the phone still. (Jesse is my son) She gets back on the phone and says, My MiMi, your son is being mean to me. Tell him to stop it now! She then hands the phone to Jesse and says YOUR Mom wants to talk to you. I almost choked laughing. Guess she thought he was gonna be in big trouble!
I am posting a piece of a portrait that I did for them recently of Jesseka and Cece.
Also, a new painting I finished last night. For now I am calling it Smokey Eyes. I tried a new process courtesy of the supplies from my ZNE friend, Stacey. This is done with D'Uva litho coal. It is a charcoal based product that is cured with heat. It is a blast to work with on a textured canvas. Thank you, Stacey!
So enjoy your special day all you grand Mothers out there. I hope this day brings you much love. Peace to all....

Tribute to Terri

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post. A very dear friend passed away earlier this month after a 6 year battle with breast cancer. She was only 54. Ladies, please, please do your self exams and all you can to learn the signs to watch for to stop this dread disease. I am sure most of you know someone who have been affected by cancer. Terri was a vivacious, lovely woman who raised her natural children to adulthood, then adopted another child later in life. Her courage will be remembered by all those who knew her. Her laugh was melodic and her steel blue eyes piercing when she thought you were off track. I will miss her dearly.
I painted a very angry painting of her at the end. She may have lost her hair, but not her dignity nor those beautiful eyes. I will be painting a tribute picture of her for her family when some of the anger dies down.
Here also is my newest piece which was an experiment. I am pleased with the results.
As always, my work is for sale. Leave me a comment and I will get back to you.
Peace to all....tell those you love what they mean to you!

The Lizard King Poet!

Here is my next in a seeming series of some of my music heroes. I didn't start out to do this but seem to be on a roll! There are so many talented musicians,some passed on and many still playing strong that I think it would take a lifetime to paint them all! Yahooo!!
So here is my small tribute to Morrison who seemed to live a life on the edge and just could not find his happiness. You cannot see them in this small thumbnail but there are 8 hidden faces in this painting.
Morrison had many visions in his life he felt were real and they revolved around Indians and dreams. May he rest in peace.
Hope you enjoy my piece. It was more difficult than I had imagined to complete.
Peace to all, Cath

Steve Vai Tribute

Hope this beautiful Sunday finds you all well and enjoying your weekend. I recently did a piece in tribute to my guitar hero, Steve Vai. I have admired his talents, ability to entertain and his focus on making the world a better place for many years.
So I pulled out some cd photos and went to town painting him. He has a wonderful angular face with very expressive eyes. I did my best to capture his aloof look here.
Hope you enjoy seeing it.
Ebay seems to have become more fickle than ever so I am musing with loading my paintings into my Etsy shop. More on that later.
Have a grand day and remember those who make you laugh!
Peace, Cath

Reflections on friends

I must say to all that I have been so blessed with the most incredible bunch of friends. To all of you, many thanks for your support, kindness and listening ear when I am bouncing off my ideas. I realize now that I paint with so much inspiration from my friendships. To Mindy, you make my day always. Stacey, who shares my artistic intuition more than I could ever know. And Shirley, my art mentor who always listens to my rantings....to Laura who loves me no matter what. Doreen, who can make me laugh when I need it most. Barbara, who keeps gently reminding me that the beauty in art is in the eye of the beholder when I think I am off the planet. And Carol, who views my art, offers encouragement and gives me new art mediums to try.(I still poke my fingers when I needle felt. LOL) Bernice, who encourages my strange explorations, laughs with me and still loves me. And to Mamma Joyce who was my model for Kiss the Rain....my muse, my friend and my role model who encourages me to constantly kiss the rain.... I owe you all more than words can say. And my glorious family who supports and encourages me....I am humbly honored to be able to share my work. I thank the Good Lord above each night for you all and look forward to a new day dawning.
Thank you all for sharing your hearts and your time with me.
xoxoxo

Kiss the Rain!

Well, as you can tell I have been painting up a storm lately....mostly due to our rainy days so I don't feel guilty. And as always, all my work is for sale. Contact me by leaving a comment and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
I am truly enjoying getting back to painting. Now that sweet hubby doesn't walk into my little studio and ask if a bomb went off in there (yes, I did get semi-organized!)
So I am off to paint land again.
Have a glorious weekend. Give some one a hug. It feels good! xoxo

Awesome Site! Vintage ART!

If you ever wished to own truly high resolution vintage art, check out the banner here for some fabulous pieces at very reasonable prices. Many kudos to my dear friend, Mindy for putting these available to us!
Also, most of the art displayed on my blog is for sale. If you see something you like, leave me a comment with an email addy and I will get back to you. I am working on a poetry anthology right now and will leave details at a later date.
Have a wonderfully creative day and enjoy Mindy's new site!
xoxo

PIF!

Bet you are wondering what PIF is....Well, Pay It Forward. Random acts of kindness have a way of making our days complete. We have a group on ZNE where items are listed that are free to the taker but with the deal that you will PIF. It has been wonderful and actually helped me clear out a few items I didnt need to be storing in my already cluttered studio. I even took the concept with me to the grocery store in Friday and had my stuff all out of the basket ready to check out. I glanced behind me and saw two women with few items. I encouraged them to go ahead of me as I had a ton. They looked at me like I had 3 heads at first. The first one turned to me and said, You totally made my day. I replied, No, you made MINE!
It just goes to show that kindness is contagious!!!! PIF to all. Peace, Cath
p.s. The new pic is my latest work while hubby dear was a bit under the weather yesterday. I seem to fly high with no interruptions! LOL Enjoy.

Fabulous Friday in Georgia

It is a truly beautiful day. Makes me wish I had my easel set up outside and was inspired to paint, but I am on a mission to create some dolls. Always wanted to try my hand at dolls. Now, I do use the term loosely. My dolls so far DO have heads. LOL
Limbs seem to be escaping me. I am working on a totally natural piece using outdoor finds and a clay cab. Another is a pixie-ish creature with a clay face and pine cone nuts for her hair, fabulous fabric torso and then I am stumped.
I am posting another painting from earlier in the week. It is my tribute to Helen. I call it Eternal Sleep. It is a mermaid who has found her place to quietly pass into the beyond. There is a tiny face in the ocean above her as if her spirit is looking down on her to comfort and guide her on her journey. I miss Helen very much and this is my way to remember her.
Enjoy your weekend! I pray your lives are as filled with happiness and contentment as mine is. xoxo

ZNE Part 2 The Hot Flash Troll

Yikes.....I outdid myself. I still remember that Pixie kinda gal vaguely. Now I look in the mirror and see tri-focals, fire shooting out everywhere and prayers for ice cubes in the bed in the middle of the night. And no matter what, always A Touch of Gray. ( a little Grateful Dead, there for all you DeadHeads) Also, if you do it right, those fire snorts become grand moustaches which are gonna happen, too. The billy goat hairs on your chin get fun when you can paint them neon pink!
All you youngsters out there....pray hard, then pray harder cause the Hot Flash Troll is in all women. You have to out think that bugger!!!! How, I don't know, I am too busy snorting fire! But I will win, always do somehow. Not always the prize I wanted, but winning is a process.
At least I didn't lose my sense of humor in all this heat. Thank you Lord!
Have fun with life, it is NOT a rehearsal! Go dance Naked! Just cuz...........
xoxoxoxoxoxox
p.s. I have come to actually enjoy the Troll for what it is worth?

ZNE Project for March

Okay, in like a lion...out like a lamb or vice versa. Me, I go with the groundhog Phil! Gotta love a guy who looks out, turns around and goes back to bed!
So our project was to create a self portrait. Thank goodness no rules as I would have a had time recreating all my "laugh lines".
So I chose a FAR away time when I was young and a pixie kinda gal, believed in fairy tales and was still sure they did come true. I owned the keys to the world, as you can see...
So here is the then me......tomorrow if I finish tonight, you will see the premiere of the Now ME! Oh My.....The Hot Flash TROLL!!!! Yahooo!
Take good care, my friends. Know that I love you all. You make me what I am.
(that's scary) :)~

Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Okay, So Mr. Rogers I am not....but it is a gloriously springy day here in Georgia.
I must say I have had a wonderful time with the Pay It Forward. One of mine is in the form of a journal for a dear ZNE member who gives so much of herself, I don't know how she has anything left for the fabulous creations she makes!
And Doreen, you are a jewel with an unrivaled humor with words. Thank you!
So, my journal....it seems these things take on a life of their own. I chose a linen paper to start and it just kept growing. One more page, one little piece here and there and wow, I had a nifty keepsake book. I am understanding more and more why most artists are "starving". We birth these creations and they are so much a piece of us.
But the joy is in the giving and/or selling of our "babies" for the enjoyment of others.
So my goal now is to stock my Etsy shop with all the notions that come out of my pea brain and hands to turn into my minervas madness creations. I hope you visit my shop soon and enjoy what you see. At present, it is a tad sparse, but that will change!
Enjoy your day and smile at a stranger. It is amazing what happens!

Recovering!

Greetings all,
Seems I have been under the radar for a few days....Hope that is done! I have been working on a couple of new journals. One for a dear friend. Our ZNE group has a new very cool idea of Pay It Forward. When someone does a kindness for you, pay it forward to someone else. Makes you think of all those opportunities to help someone in a large or a small way. Make someone smile! Each person performing a kindness has the potential to truly make a difference in our world.
Anyway, back to my art for now. Will post some pics of the new journals soon.
Hugs to all.

Oh My!!!!!!!

Greetings All,
I received my journal from the ZNE swap a few days ago. It was so beyond my comprehension how Hope could do this without knowing me. It is so ME. Even down to the puzzle pieces. Just goes to show you that there is a link amongst artists. Wow! I have it set out on an antique table and when I walk past, I MUST touch it, open it, feel it, drink it in with my eyes. Now I must fill it with words that matter.
Here is a link to her blog....there you can view my beautiful gift.

Http://harveststorm.blogspot.com

Please go see it. You will realize that many out there truly care about others and take the time to show it. Thank you, Hope with all my heart.
Peace to all.....

Catching Up!

Greetings All!
Seems I have been in no man's land lately. It is nice to be back to the blog and some art.
I am posting a few pages from my latest journal creation. It was for a ZNE Artists and Poets swap. My first swap and I must say I really put a lot of time into this to make it just right for my swap buddy!
Things are moving along here rather well. Still working on my new studio which should be ready to organize in a week or so. Then back to the art! YAHOOOOOO!
May all of you have a wonderfully creative day.
Cath

Exciting News!

Greetings Faithful Readers,
Some of you may know that I belong to a wonderful artist group called ZNE. Website is www.variazone.com. Any of you interested in joining this group, their dues are very affordable with several types of membership available. I have met so many talented, kind and special artists here in the last few months. We worked on a group poetry project which you can see if you click the link to the right that says ZNEpoetry.
I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I know I was proud to be a part of the project.
Check it out when you get time.....Remember those who love you daily, they are a blessing that never goes away.
Hugs to all,
Cath

Winter Greetings!

Greetings Faithful Readers!
Seems like forever since I have been here. So much has happened, we actually had snow twice in once week! It was lovely and I did take some photos.
Life has been busy with cleaning closets, reorganizing and such. Seems the chores never end but there is a method to my madness. If I can accomplish all of that, then my art gets pushed to the front!
I still haven't had an Etsy sale but am hopeful that the New Year brings new lookers.
Ebay is slower than watching barbed wire rust, but it should pick up soon, too I hope.
Not much else for now. Know that I so appreciate all your prayers during this time of loss for my family.
Tell someone today how much you love them!
xoxo,
cath