Posts

May 2012 Newsletter

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Click here or scan the QR code to read my May 2012 newsletter.  :)

Creating a Kokopelli

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This month the Nibblefest theme is Elements. We are usually limited to three entries per theme, but since there are four elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water), we could enter up to four as long as each entry represented a different element. (Nibblefest is a monthly art contest on ebay. The participants each create artwork around a monthly theme. Each auction must start on or after the 20th of the month, and must end on the 27th of the month; and each auction must start at only $0.99. Search NFAC or ART NFAC each month to find the Nibblefest entries) I've been thinking about creating a series of Kokopelli paintings for a while, but hadn't formed in my mind exactly the path I wanted to take on that journey. (As you may already know, I love the Moab, UT and Arches National Park. If you ever go to Moab, you will see Kokopelli everywhere!) So, when this theme came up on the Nibblefest list, I decided it might be a good time to turn "thinking about it" into "doi...

Book Review: The $100 Startup

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This book was mailed to me recently with a request to read it and provide a review. Typically, I keep my blog posts related to my art pursuits and art-related topics. But, this book actually kind of qualifies in that arena. Since many full-time artists I know are trying to find ways to generate more income to support themselves and their families, and many part-timers are also looking to find additional revenue streams or to find a way to be able to work as a full-time artist, I thought the book might contain some useful information. So I decided to give it a read. Here are my thoughts on The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future . (This is the review I posted to Amazon.com) "This book was quick and easy to read. I found the information to be useful and I appreciated the personal examples of businesses in a variety of industries from mattress sales to map makers to consultants. I felt that there could have been a li...

Floral Photo Notecards

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I have just loved so many of these floral reference photos that I have taken in the past week! Beautiful spring flowers! I definitely intend to make some paintings from the shots, but I also decided to make some notecards with the photos themselves. Three different ssortment sets of cards are now available at my Etsy store . (Click the links below if you would like to see them). :) Pretty Poppies Ravishing Roses Lovely Lilacs Here is a pic of the set of Pretty Poppies notecards with envelopes. (Glossy print photo is approx 3.5" x 5" and the cards are approx 4.25" x 5"

Redwoods and Rhododendrons

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As you may already know, I love to travel. My husband and I especially love Moab, UT and Arches National Park. However, we also have a great love for Northern California and the Redwood National Park. Truthfully, we actually like Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park better, but the entire Northern California coastline is full of beautiful Redwood trees, from the Avenue of the Giants all the way up the coast to Crescent City, CA, where we stayed on our honeymoon. Actually, the "honeymoon" was a vacation we took seven months after we were married - but we still count it! :) Besides being an easy drive to Redwood trees, hiking trails, and beautiful, awe-inspiring scenery, Crescent City has lovely coastline and, during July, Crabbing from the docks. I found this such an interesting sight to observe - fishermen tossing colorful round nets and baskets off the dock to catch rock crabs. I got some great photo shots with my camera, as well as wonderful Redwoods pics. Unfortunately, it wa...

Mid Month ACEO challenge

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I participated in this month's mid-month ACEO "Interpretations" challenge on ebay. The mid month challenge is for each artist to create their interpretaion of the same photo reference. Here is my entry " Spirit Island Sunrise "  the auction starts at just $0.99 and ends on the 17th. :)

Spring Inspirations - Photo Safari

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Beautiful Saturday! We ran errands and gave the yard some much-needed love today. While running differrnt errands and taking care of tasks that needed to be done, I took my camera on a mini photo safari to capture some of the beautiful Spring blooms that are happening in my yard (roses) as well as around the town (Bountiful, UT). Roses, Iris, Poppies. My Peonies are also just starting to bloom! Spring in Utah brings such beautiful flowers! A trip to Lowes resulted in the purchase of a lovely Gardenia that I will be planting in my yard as well. Mmmmm....LOVE the smell of Gardenias! Here are some of my camera shots from today's photo safari. (Perhaps we will see some paintings from these shots soon!) Happy Mother's Day weekend to everyone! :) Purple Iris in my back yard Rose in my front yard - on a bush I started from a clipping off one of my grandmother's beautiful rose bushes Rose in my front yard Rose in my front yard Rose bud i...