ARt Finds from Arts in Harmony

So I told you a couple posts ago I'd share my purchases at the last art show I went to called Arts in Harmony, which is local to me. So here they are! I didn't have much money to spend so I had to keep it economical but I'm pleased with everything just the same.


First buy was this sweet little poem printed on watercolor by a creative artist who attends a rehab service. All proceeds went to help out the programs they have there. I loved her lively colors and the poem is great inspiration

Artist Ashley from Posey Co. Rehab Services Day Program

This next piece is a hair clip made from drinking aluminum cans! How creative is that?! I love to wear flowers in my hair and didn't have a metal one. Mine shown here is a V8 juice can and I was drawn to it the second I saw it. She had all kinds of color combinations. They are surprisingly not sharp.

Artists mother and daughter team of Green Wear Designs

Then I found these cute earrings which have been hand painted with alcohol inks the artist told me. Again, I was drawn to this pair immediately. Don't you love it how just gravitate towards certain things. I guess our taste's are just ingrained in us. She had a beautiful assortment of colors and different shapes.

Stillwater Creations by Kathy Gibson (find her on Facebook)

And my last buy of the day that I couldn't resist was this super cute copper ring. Copper is my metal (besides gold) and I love the design of this one by Nancy Pace of Wild Wire Art. Nancy had a lot of different items at her booth and was so nice to meet. Her and I hit it off right away. I love connecting with other artists. Nancy has exhibits showing in Illinois. Try to ignore my chubby little hand ;)

Wild Wire Art by Nancy Pace

I met so many friendly artists at this art show. I plan to have a booth there myself one day. It's a two day show, which are not my favorite, but I'd love to get my work out to local eyes. I wish I had all the money I needed to buy something from each artist as they were all talented and I'd like to be able to support their efforts, but you know how it is.


Some of my friends and their sites that were there include:


Tom Wintczak of Bee Tree Pottery - gorgeous Redware, Stonewear and Folk Art pottery by this super nice guy whom I'm proud to call my friend. Tom had these two pieces that were new to me that I really wanted to take home with me, they were of fish and they were calling out my name! Maybe next time if he still has them.


Kay Wiggins - Handmade baskets that puts Longaberger to shame. Kay is witty and fun to be around not to mention a talented artist. We met at the Farmer's Market here in New Harmony. I'm not sure if the link will work but her Facebook is here.


Katherine Sands - Fiber artist and good friend that I also met at the New Harmony Farmer's Market. I've shown you a beautifully dyed scarf she so graciously gave me as a gift one year. She just recently ended her solo show where she showcased her fabulous fiber art. Her art is expanding all the time. Her blog is Art Journal - A Creative Journey.


If you have time visit these artists, it's great to look and be inspired by other artists :) Let me know if the links don't work. Thanks,

It's FAT Tuesday! Also Art Exhibit pictures

The art exhibit came and went in a flash. I didn't actually make it to the show until Saturday, it had started on Friday, and I should've went sooner. They had one of my paintings upside down! Jeesh. I can't believe they couldn't figure it out since I signed the back and put an address sticker on the bottom and I wouldn't sign it upside down! Oh well. 


Above is Asher with his Self Portrait. If you've read my blog much, you know he is a real pistol and these pictures of him show a little of that. So dramatic, I would swear I have a teenage girl... haha I kept trying to take a decent picture and he kept posing. Again with the dramatics. I finally gave up and just took what he gave me. This is truly him, so I think it's better than a fake reserved photo. Cause if there is one thing Asher is not, that would be reserved. I guess the nut doesn't fall too far from the tree is all I can say.


Here's the other painting of Asher's called "Caterpillar on Table" which you've already seen. The one he got the 2nd place red ribbon on. Shown with him doing different "tricks" for poses. haha

Next, we've got mine. Ugh... nothing like seeing yourself in a photo to make you put away the Girl Scout cookies your happily munching on faster than the speed of light.


There is something to be said about getting a good angle. And this ain't it.

Asher and myself with "Sinister Feline", the one they had upside down

Below is the "My Three Sons", by this time Asher was tired of posing and just wanted to leave.

Asher wasn't quite as proud as I was of his paintings. In fact, I was more excited about the show than he was but of course he doesn't quite understand what it's all about.

I didn't sell my paintings but it was still fun. 4 items sold in the show and one of them was a little purse in the shape of an owl face. Jewelry also sold (2 different jewelry artists) and then an oil painting of a lighthouse with a religious theme.


This was really my first exhibit. While I've done art shows before, it was a manned booth that I attended and was showing and trying to sell my art for either a day or perhaps a weekend. I think in the future, I will work a little larger and I will definitely take any opportunity to show my work. I'm ready to get more serious with my art and getting it seen in exhibits sound like a good way to keep me creating more things on a regular basis. To stay motivated.


I'm not sure if motivated is the right term, because I get great satisfaction in creating art and I cannot imagine me not doing it because I simply need to create, just... just because I am and because I exist and because I breathe. I think most artists are that way. Even if we were the only ones to ever see our own art we would still create it, right? I would and have up until I started blogging. 


How do you stay "motivated" for lack of a better word? 


On another note... Happy "Mardi Gras Day"! I know my post isn't about Mardi Gras, but I'd love to be down in New Orleans (with someone who knew their way around!) celebrating with all the fun and action.


I cannot believe that the television networks and movie channels are not playing one of my most favorite scary movies today, "Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh". It has a Mardi Gras theme through out. If you haven't seen it, run and go get it! It is fabulous!!


HAPPY MARDI GRAS

Dreamscapes Treasury

Happy Sunday everyone! I hope everyone is having a good start to their December. I have been included in a great new treasury on Etsy called Dreamscapes! I am excited and honored to ever have my art included in what someone thinks is worthy. The curator, Jade Pond Crafts, included my Celestial Tulip Orange Dream note card in her collection. She herself does art and nature photography as well as a slew of other arts and crafty things! Thank you Jade Pond Crafts!

In other news, today I went to an art fair in my neck of the woods called Christmas in New Harmony. It has arts and crafts and some very fine ones at that. I got to see friends happily selling their handmade goodies. I have attended this show in years past, in fact it was my very first show ever and it gave me the bug, for a while. But as some of you may know, I've been disillusioned by the show circuit for a while. I just have a bad taste in my mouth, hopefully that taste will go away. Maybe with the new year a fresh start. I felt a certain sigh of relief almost knowing that I did not have to pack up all my stuff to attend, but also a teensy bit of yearning to be included in the festivities. It is a two day show, so it's a bit exhausting. I am always on the look out though for inspiration. I found (and bought!) the cutest little snowmen made from gourds that you can set a battery powered tea light under. I'll share a picture tomorrow when the light is better to photograph it. I always meet the neatest people at these shows.

Don't forget to enter my 1st Giveaway celebrating my 200th post here! Deadline is 6 days away!!

The day after Funk in the City ARt Show

We had just a beautiful day yesterday in downtown Evansville, Indiana at Funk in the City. Traffic was great and people were having a great time. Good food down one side and fantastic art all around a beautiful rustic rock formation fountain that is in a tree lined historic neighborhood with beautiful old homes that celebrates the arts. I didn't take my camera and now I wish I had to share with you what I was seeing.

There were many different styles and creations and I was proud to be a part of it. I didn't notice a lot of people carrying around purchases, but there were some. We (GeeJayCreations) sold a few items and lots of people took business cards. Not the best show for us, but I had a great time and met some really nice and friendly people. I also offer a few of the things that I alone create (ArtsyFartsyMe), like my painted pots and I sold my poppies pot to a very nice lady who was crazy for poppies. I plan to paint another soon, since I was quite fond of that pot in my kitchen! ha ha

SOLD!

One person I noticed was an abstract painter, Don Clark, that I met there who was selling a lot of his paintings. What I noticed was the amount of men that carried them around. He had brilliant colors in them and most were framed but his prices were surprisingly low. His style must appeal to men because I have found that it is usually women that I see walk around with purchases. Don was a super nice guy and helped me unload my display and tent. I'm glad for him. That is just about the best thing about these shows, meeting other artists that are so interesting and nice people.

Thanks for reading and have a beautiful Sunday.

Time flies

Wow, I can't believe it's been a week since I've posted last. Time sure flies as the saying goes and it does. I made it through Mother's Day with a few tears. This was my first Mother's Day without my mom and I sure miss her.

The new kittens are still here but now they are showing signs of extreme unfriendliess. I'm not happy about that at all. Today, Banshee found them and as I scolded her and made noise for her to get away from them I went to check on them to make sure nobody got stepped on or worse. As I picked them up to check them they were growling and spitting and carrying on like I was the enemy! I was insulted. If they only knew what an animal person I am. I am afraid they are gonna be wild and may not be tamed. They have spit at me before the other day, but I didn't exactly know that's what they were doing until it was more pronounced today. I can't have a bunch of wild cats around the house that I have to feed while they breed as their heart desires. What to do... I've been feeding Mama Cat but she still runs from me.

Tomorrow I have another art show at Audubon State Park in Henderson, KY. I hope the rain stays away, it's an outside show. There is Bluegrass for the entertainment. I hope we do well. I need to pack the truck now, so I'm off and I'll post about how it was asap.

Have a great weekend!

Butterflies and snow

Hi everyone, it's been a week since I posted. I've been busy getting ready for an arts and craft show that I'll be in next Saturday. My friend and creative partner, Gale have been cranking out our work. (The butterflies are one example of what we've got going on). One thing we're having trouble with is pricing. We don't want to price ourselves out of the show, but we need to make it worth while, too. I'm sure everyone that sells their stuff asks the same questions. This will be our first show together as a team and it is exciting and also scary to think our stuff may be rejected. You really put your heart out in the open for people to tramp all over with art or anything that you create. Oh and by the way, I've created these digital designs with her poetry (please respect our copyright) and I'm trying to come up with some different ways to actually mount them to sell. So far, I've come up with framing them (not so different) and decoupage them to wooden plaques. Anyone have any great ideas that they would be willing to share with me? I'd love hear your thoughts.

We've had I don't know how many days with snow and I am sick of it. I'm ready to get outside and I am more of a fair weather kinda gal. I don't like to get out when it's cold. Now we are looking for another possible winter storm this Sunday. Yuck. I long for the days of late spring and summer. It's days like this that I wish I lived in Hawaii or Fuji or some fantastic place like that.

My fellow blogger friend, Kathryn of SassmowthDesigns mentioned today the One World One Heart being over and all the giveaways that was going on. (I didn't win any either, Kat) I know that I enjoyed the One World One Heart as a spectator and ended up following a whole new bunch of great blogs. I now have so many that I keep up with that I find I am not getting as much done as I want to! Oh well, they are usually such great inspiration that it will pay off. And who can have too many friends, right?

Also, if I have any Florida friends that are in the area of Wolfy's Waterfront Bar n Grill in Sanford, please email me and I'll mail you a gift certificate for there that will expire before I get back down to Florida. I only have one, so if there happens to more than one, I'll put your name in a hat. You've got til this Saturday the 20th to contact me.

today sucked

today was kinda a disaster. art exhibit wasn't very eventful other than the wind swept 5 of my montages off the display and they came crashing down shattering into pieces. 

note to self: conjure up a spell to slow the wind during shows (i wish i could!)

so this show ended up costing me big time. so today sucks so far. 

night before the art exhibit

I'm getting ready for the Brinker's Art Exhibit tomorrow. I have never been prepared for a show this fast, I must be getting better at these shows. yay :)  !! Just need to make up a gift certificate to offer for the auction and a couple of new signs and I'm done. already got the car packed.