A thank you gift...

Today I put together a gift for a friend as a thank you to her. An avid horsewoman, I thought she might appreciate a decorated horseshoe to hang on a wall or use as a paperweight or accent decoration for a small table or shelf. I used an old horseshoe (actually a small one meant for a pony) and a vintage rhinestone earring, which I thought reminded me of a horse show ribbon in shape. I calligraphed a quote from Shakespeare, "Your heart's desires be with you," and attached it to the horseshoe along with some vintage seam binding and the earring. A quick gift, but one that I hope is a blessing to my friend. I know that she cherishes her time spent riding her horses and the peace and pleasure she finds while doing so.

Christmas Projects

I've been busy working on special orders for Christmas. Just finished an invitation design and calligraphed envelopes for a customer holding a special holiday party. She wanted the recipients to be able to hang a portion of the invitation on their tree, so I used antique skeleton keys in the design knowing they would be lovely on a Christmas tree, especially with the deep red velvet ribbon. The antique sheet music holds the invite and the key, which slip out to be opened and read. A touch of real German glass glitter adds some sparkle along the edge of the invitation flap. This all went into a white outer envelope with addresses in calligraphy scripted in black McCaffery's Penman's ink with a Nikko G nib.

Hot Wax Workshop

Just a quick post about an online encaustic workshop which I am taking from artist and teacher Judy Wise beginning October 17. It is called "Hot Wax Workshop" and I am looking forward to learning some great new techniques and tips from Judy, as well as my fellow classmates. Encaustic is such a wonderful medium! This class should be a great excuse to allow myself to get back to my beeswax, oil pigment sticks and blowtorch.

Baby Steps

It has been a very busy spring and summer around here. My daughter got married on July 30th and much time went into preparation for that wonderful day. We are thrilled for her and love our new son-in-law immensely! I will share some pics of the wedding once we receive them from the photographer.

My big news and reason for posting today is that I opened an etsy shop for my artwork and the occasional vintage piece. I have considered it for quite a while, but never managed to get it done. Thanks to lots of computer help from that new son-in-law, and another friend (thank you Summer!), I have finally opened it. So, click on my link on the left sidebar to check out my shop and know that I hope to list more art for sale there soon.

Today, I am posting a picture of an encaustic painting/collage which I completed for my exhibit at Malone University this past spring. It is entitled, "Deeper Calm."

New art delivered...

Just touching base to report that I did manage to finish and deliver several new encaustic paintings to Malone University for my upcoming exhibit. I took a couple older pieces as well, to be certain that there would be enough work to make a nice full display. It was a bit rough finishing up the last couple of paintings because I was hit with a nasty upper respiratory virus which really took a toll on me. The gallery director there is doing the installation this week and the exhibit will run from March 14 through April 27. If anyone is interested in taking a peek, it will be in the vestibule of the Everett Cattell Library located on the campus of Malone University in Canton, Ohio. I am pleased and grateful for the opportunity to do this solo exhibit. Let me know what you think if you happen to check it out...

Mixing up my holidays...

I wanted to wish you a happy valentine's day... such a good day to think of all those we hold dear.
I decided to include this photo of one of the Christmas ornaments I make, filled with antique buttons and a calligraphed word or name and embellished with a tiny antique bulb. I know I am mixing my holidays together just a bit, but thought this "love" bulb was somewhat appropriate for today. I have made many of these ornaments as custom orders for baby's first Christmas with the child's name inside and the year included on a tag wired to the hanger at the top along with the tiny bulb or embellishment. They are adorable with just a few old blue or pink buttons added along with the white and cream.

Sunshine

We are back from our trip to sunny Arizona where we had a wonderful visit with my sister-in-law and brother-in-law. I very much appreciated their gracious hospitality during our stay with them.

As I worked on another encaustic collage/painting today for my upcoming exhibit, I was so glad to be able to enjoy a rare day of sunshine and slightly warmer temps here in Ohio. Nothing like a bit of sunshine to help your energy level...

I have included a picture of another wooden collage frame in which I incorporated bits of old text and vintage wallpaper. The wood is one and a half inches thick and all four sides are decorated, as well. It is meant to hold your own photograph, but I included an old photo of my father as a sample under the glass. Isn't it a fun photo?

Tea time...

It is miserable outside. I look out to see snow, ice, freezing rain, and grey skies, and predictions do not sound especially positive for the next day or so. We postponed a flight to warm and sunny Arizona because of this nasty storm that is blasting across much of the country. Not relishing the thought of being "stuck" in an airport, we rescheduled the flight for later in the week when weather is hopefully more conducive to air travel.

In the interim, I am working on some encaustic paintings for my upcoming exhibit and drinking lots of tea. Tea always seems to ease any difficult situation, don't you think? I leave you with a favorite quote about tea and the hope that you stay warm and can enjoy a nice cuppa...

"When the world is falling apart around you, drink tea." - Author unknown.

Edited heart...

Today I want to share a quote and a picture of another one of my encaustic paintings. The title of this painting is "edited heart," and it speaks to my propensity to try to edit, change, control, and contain my thoughts, words, actions... even my very heart -- the essence of who I am. When I read the following quote from Frederick Buechner, I think maybe I need to have a bit more grace with myself in this regard.

"Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is.... Touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace."

A Grateful Heart

I am writing today to tell you about a great new blog written by a friend. It is fresh and insightful and will speak to all you creative hearts out there. I am so excited and grateful to be her featured artist today. What a sweet "shout out" she gave me and I am soaking up all the encouragement she sent my way. Her blog is going to be a major success... I just know it. Check it out at:

http://nichecreative.tumblr.com

Just do it...

A new year is well underway and with it I have a new resolve to begin posting on a regular basis. So, in spite of busy schedules, computer illiteracy, health struggles... in spite of anything... I am just going to do it.

Therefore, here is post number one for 2011. Blessings to all in this new year! I hope you are filled with new hopes and new plans and a continuing sense of gratitude and wonderment about this life we live. I leave you with a picture of one of my encaustic paintings. This particular piece found a home with a dear friend and fellow creative soul. I hope she is enjoying it in her home!

Projects, Process, Promise

I've been busy with a variety of commissioned art and calligraphy projects, from customized gifts for graduates to encaustic paintings to confirmation and first communion certificates for a local church. I love that I feel I learn from the process of each job that I agree to do. Each project also always shows me how much more I need and desire to learn. In other words, each job helps me to know how much I do not know.

I am excited about the promise of a great learning experience through a new e-course I signed up to take from artist Kelly Rae Roberts, called Flying Lessons. The course is about growing your creative business and promises to provide lots of great information and lessons designed to equip artists, particularly in the areas of publicity and marketing of artwork. Click on the button on my sidebar to learn more about the course.

Still Here

It has been months since I last posted to this blog. I decided I better write to prove I am still here. Actually, it has been a very busy few months since my last post. I have been completing custom orders, creating art for retail accounts, and participated in Artissimo, an annual art show and sale. Last week I also took several pieces to 2nd April Galerie, a gallery in Canton, Ohio, which carries some of my work. I decided to include a photo of one of my recent encaustic paintings, which sold at Artissimo. I close with the intention of doing much better in my frequency of posts.

Seeking beauty...

I have not posted in several weeks due to busy summer schedules. Hope that everyone is enjoying a wonderful summer. I thought I would include a photo of an old project which was a shower gift I made for our nephew and his wife for their bridal shower last summer. It is a mixed-media collage piece incorporating my calligraphy along with a section of a responsive reading text from an old hymnal and a variety of papers. Also included is a bit of Biblical text from Corinthians, which was taken from an ancient Bible that is literally falling apart. It is an amazing treasure given to me by a friend, because I don't have to feel badly about using pieces in my artwork since it is already in pieces anyway.

In addition, I wanted to share with you an excerpt from an article I read by Christine Valters Paintner. She writes, "Every person has an aching need for beauty; in beauty we discover the face of God." She further develops this point:

An aesthetic spirituality is one that recognizes this longing as a response to a call already issued, to an invitation always present in the world through beauty's presence. We are called to awaken to beauty, to see more deeply, to cultivate practices of attentiveness. We are invited to let beauty penetrate the heart, and to respond to it by creating further beauty in our own lives.

I encourage you to answer the invitation with a resounding yes!

Waxing poetic...

A couple of days ago I had the pleasure of taking a workshop in encaustic painting from Clare Murray Adams of Blue Door Studio. I LOVED this medium! I feel that it works really well with my collage and calligraphy. Encaustic is a type of painting using hot beeswax with oil pigments and I love the colors, textures and especially, the translucence of the medium. I am excited to dive into this new technique and incorporate embedded pieces of text, my lettering, and other treasures.

Clare is a wonderful teacher and I adore her artwork. Everywhere I looked in her studio and home there was eye candy and inspiration. Check out her talent at www.claremurrayadams.com. It was nice working with the other students that day, too... interesting to see what they created.

My initial attempts at this new medium are pictured. Please keep in mind that I was concentrating on technique with these pieces and trying to get a feel for the encaustic medium, which is quite different than anything I've ever done. Obviously I have a long way to go, but I am really excited to learn more about encaustic painting.

Changes

It has been a while since I posted. My life has been extra busy lately. My daughter moved home early in May after completing her internship at the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia and we were busy as she prepared to move to Denver, Colorado. She left yesterday with her dad for the drive out in her vehicle to get moved in and settled. My husband flies home on Friday. Needless to say I have shed many a tear in the last few weeks. I am excited for her in this new season in her life, but it is sad to see her go so far away. Often in recent days it felt as though my heart would literally break apart. I know though, that this is part of motherhood, and so I pray through my tears and hope the very best for her in this exciting adventure.

Meanwhile, I have been busy with work and projects. I've completed a variety of orders for individuals and a retail account. I had the privilege of completing a special gift for a customer to give to her mom for Mother's Day. She ordered a prayer journal and an anointing oil bottle. I used an old hymnal for the covers of the journal with calligraphy and collage work throughout, as well as some pages from the hymnal, old maps, and other treasures. I loved the idea that the hymnal cover had already been used for years in worship and adoration of the Lord and now will continue in use by this mother in her devotional life. I have included some photos of the journal cover and oil bottle in this post.

Love and Wonder

With Easter fast approaching, I thought I would share a quote from the book Entirety: Love Gives All, by Dana Candler.

"In Jesus' giving of Himself, the hidden plan of God's heart was revealed in the midst of time and space, and Love was the message made manifest."

I am absolutely filled with awe, adoration and gratitude as I contemplate this beautiful truth! May you enjoy the rest of this Holy Week and may you have a blessed Easter.

"Loose" script

I was playing around last night with my ink and a Leonard EF Principal nib and did some "loose" style scripts. It was fun and a bit freeing to not worry about straight lines and exact ascender/descender heights, etc. Here are a couple samples of what I came up with rather quickly. They are envelopes for a couple friends who also happen to work with us at Paperworks and More. I think there will be more of this loose "unbuttoned" style coming from my pen in the future.

Lock & Key

I thought I would share a photo of a collage piece I recently completed incorporating a very old lock portion of a doorknob set and an antique skeleton key. These elements made me think of the passage from Matthew about your heart being where your treasure is found, so I included that verse in calligraphy on the piece. This is for sale at our little shop, Paperworks and More.

Wonderful Banner

Over this past weekend, my husband & I attended a conference in Fairlawn, Ohio to hear Dr. James Goll, an author and teacher from Tennessee who ministers across the U.S. and internationally. The conference was held at St. Luke's Church and the banner in this photo was hanging in their entrance foyer against a brick wall. I thought both the lettering and the graphic were gorgeous and I loved the message it presented, particularly in this Lenten season.