More Pictures - New "Studio"

Someday, I won't have to put quotes around the words "studio".

But for now, I will gladly trade having a whole room to myself, for this:

Little Britches, helping his PopPop set up Mimi's "studio"...

You tell me...is having a "room", quote unquote, better than having a "studio", quote unquote, AND getting to enjoy this sight, each and every day?  Nah.  I didn't think it was better, either.  Hey...when this season is over, it is over.  Justin and Hannah are very close to the moving out phase - they are house searching weekly.  And once they are gone, I am sure I will be plastering pictures of a whole, new, big, beautiful REAL studio, no quotes involved.  But for now I'm sloppy blessed.  Wouldn't trade this for a "room".

So we went from what you see up there, to this...

 I am the Queen of Making It Work.

This is my "studio", quotes gladly added...

one wall...in my room.

 Inspiration wall...

 ribbons and embroidery...

some of my paints...actually, a very few of my paints....

 Stuff n' things...

 ...more paints...

...more inspiration...not the least of which is a young friend of mine, Christina Damron, for whom I will be praying this summer, as she embarks on Amazing Adventures in the Gospel...as a photographer!
(You can follow her adventures via her blog, "Simplicity".  The link is to your right, under Harvest Blogs)

 ...what was accomplished today...

not done yet, but almost!

 I.  Am.  Loved.

...and so are you...

Thanks for coming over to my "studio".  I'm beyond excited about it, and I appreciate that you took the time to come and see!

My New Studio

Here is what I've been working on today.

Forgive the shadow-y picture, I just now (as in this minute) shot it with my phone, and it is nearly 11 PM.  There is no way I'm breaking out the Big Girl Camera at the moment.  I'm just too tired.

I'm in the process of moving my "studio" out of my dining room, and into my bedroom.  You are looking at my Mother's Day gift from The Preacher.  New desk and easel!  And I used a gift card from my youngest son to get the cool shelf that you see...with metal bins for paints and rod upon which I hung up all my ribbons and clipped up some of my fabric samples and embroidery.

To the left of that, you see my $6 find from today!  A metal thingey.  I put a wooden dowel through one part of it, to hang my burlap (used for a cool backing on my small 5x5 canvases) and also my kraft paper (backing for canvases larger than 5x5).  Then you see a really large canvas that scares me, so I haven't faced it yet.  Then you see some upholstery fabric.  Oh, and a small stool that will keep my tiny netbook (upon which I am now typing away) visible but safe from water and paint and matte medium - where I can access it while working.

I've even already started a new Inspiration Wall.  There are several pictures torn from various magazines and taped to the wall behind my easel.  That wall will fill up soon, I am sure.

More pictures tomorrow.  I am worn out, but happy!  My Inner Muse is producing and the mojo was full-on today!

"Never forget that the nurturing and preservation of your own muse is job one. Lose it and you may be losing a great deal."

-Robert Genn

My Muse and Keurig Coffee

I never found my mojo today.  After a late night, last night, and fitful sleep with vivid dreams, I woke up to the familiar aura or "halo" in the left eye.

Aw, heck no.  I have not had a migraine headache since the first week of August, 2009.

And I am happy to report that I still have not had a migraine headache since August of 2009.

But I could not find my mojo.  Not to save my life.  I tried so hard to power through this day without it.  You should see the disgusting befuddlement of purple and pink I put on a canvas today.  My very first unmitigated disaster.  I ended up gesso'ing over the whole convoluted hot mess.

Mojo matters in art, apparently. I blame my Inner Muse.

I think perhaps my Inner Muse is spoiled on Keurig Caribou coffee, and hid the mojo when I tried to fuel her with reheated leftover Eight O'Clock.  I'm out of Caribou.  Blasted Muse.   After realizing I'd gone the whole day on nothing but a whole wheat English muffin and microwaved Eight O'Clock coffee, I've plied her with a lovely spinach and grilled chicken salad, diet Coke, a nice bubble bath, and WhoNu cookies...still, she has remained unresponsive.

Yesterday was so full of mojo.  Yesterday was all art and all business and all prayer and all git 'er done with a side of mentoring a young college girlfriend of mine.  I felt powerful yesterday. I wanted a repeat of yesterday, and thought I could have it all and a bag of chips, with or without appropriate rest, self care, and Keurig coffee.

I ended up a pitiful shadow of my yesterday's self, smearing purple paint on canvas and wishing I could down a red Solo cup of Jack.  But I'm a Preacher's Wife, so I am limited to Diet Coke.

This being an artist thing is harder than it looks.  My muse is a brat.  Apparently she requires that I take better care of myself.

Stupid muse.

All Things Are Made New

From My Heart to Yours - For Women Everywhere

...here's what you do...
...click on the image above to enlarge it...
...let it fill your screen...
...let the music play...
...and go about your business.

Just look back here, every so often.

Be reminded.

The Father loves you,
and so do I.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to each woman out there who has nurtured a young one - whether from the womb or from the heart and soul.

I've been blessed this morning by a grandson, by each of my children, and by a heart-child...a note from a spiritual daughter...and it isn't even 9 o'clock yet!

My heart is full, and my wish for you is that your children rise up and call you blessed, both the ones you carried in the womb, and the ones you've carried in your heart.

There are many women out there who have never had biological children, who are truly mothers.

New Art For Missions - "Galatians" Canvas...and More

I have only a few weeks left to contribute to the June mission trip our youth group is taking - so please buy quickly, and visit my shop, if you are considering any of my paintings!

Brand new -

 This one is entitled "Galatians".  It is a 12x12 canvas, done in all gauche, and graphic style renderings done in General's Sketch and Wash, also inks.  The background is the usual antique book pages, but this time they are very visible.  Love this one!  See the bird standing outside her cage?  The text says, "For you are called to freedom!"


Next is a small 5x5 canvas.  I wish you could see how these come mounted!  I will take another picture of this one mounted, soon:

I've named this one "New Creation".  It comes mounted uniquely and beautifully on a cast iron, antiqued "door knob" type of feature.  Can't wait for you to see!  But for now, you can click on the picture, for an enlarged view of this canvas, done in ink and acrylics and watercolor pencil, and hand lettered with a Pitt pen.  Perfect for any woman you may know who has recently chosen to pursue a relationship with Christ.

Last, another 5x5 canvas, and it also comes mounted on antique hardware, but I don't yet have a picture of it actually mounted:

  All original photography...the cup is Depression era lustreware in peach.  The quote says, "He was my cream, and I was his coffee - And when you poured us together it was something."

Holla.  I bear witness to this quote, so much so, I had to put my interpretation of it on canvas.  My Preacher and I are like that...a sweet, hot mess, and when you put us together, we are so much more than the sum of our individual selves.

If you search carefully, you will find on each of my pieces of art a tiny, inked key. This is something I began to do about a month ago. On some pieces there is only one key hidden in the painting.  On others, it might be more, and on some pieces, the key isn't so hidden.  When I sign each piece, I put a number, indicating how many keys are tucked away in the painting, then my initials, then the year I painted the piece.

Why a key?

Because of the Gospel.  The Finished Work of Christ is the key to understanding all of Scripture, Old Testament and New.  The law and the prophets pointed to Jesus.  In the last days, God has spoken to us by His Son.

Once you choose to view all of life and Scripture through the lens of grace ("grace came"), through the lens of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, the veil is lifted, and you begin to walk free.