"Art Friends are the Best" Day!

Of all the places I've been and all the people I've met...it amazes me how "art friends" are so special. What I find very interesting is that friends that I had growing up that I lost contact with for periods of time and then reconnected with...somehow seemed awkward, but losing contact with an art friend and then regaining that contact later on always felt like time was never lost. I don't know if that was very clear, but I wonder if art has anything to do with it? I guess art is one of those things that crosses most barriers. So today I declared as my personal "Art Friends are the BEST" day! To all my wonderful art friends...you are SO appreciated!























This art piece was created for a very special art friend...
Cris Cunningham.

Time to get creative!

I just love the time after all the holidays are over and things start to quiet down. Combine that with the enthusiasm of starting out the new year with resolutions and goals and you come up with some pent up creativity just itching to come out. All of the creative ideas and juices that are put on hold during the busy holiday season can finally start to bubble forth.

My husband gave me a very inspirational present this year for Christmas...concert tickets to see Trans Siberian Orchestra on Dec. 27. It was phenomenal! The music and light show was so inspiring. I am now trying to find some of their cd's so that I can listen while I create art. If you ever get the opportunity to see them on tour, it is well worth it!

I have posted a new "free" image for this week. This photograph is of an older couple that are ancestors of mine. Unfortunately, there is not any labeling on the back of the photo so I do not know very much about the couple or when it was taken. I think the expressions on their faces really are great. You can tell a whole story about what they may be thinking or what their life is like by their hard expressions. If you use this image in your artwork, I would love to see what you have done with it!

The below art piece, titled "Faithful Daughter" will be on loan for a gallery show for the Washington University Art Gallery that will be on display Jan. 19 through February 26, 2007. This piece is a 9 x 12 mixed media collage on stretched canvas that features a vintage photograph of my great-aunt. The piece is also available for purchase after the art gallery showing through the Art Pub Studio web site (see link on the side column of my blog). I think it is so cool that my great-aunt is being remembered by being seen by so many others. That is one reason why I really love using vintage images of people in my art work...it is a way for them to carry on in our hearts and minds and not be forgotten.

OMG...it's January!!

Happy New year!! Gee, where did December go? I can already see that I am going to have to really try to stick to my guns about posting more often...life just gets in the way. Unfortunately I haven't been arting much with all the holiday festivities going on, but it's a new year...right?!

I spent some time lately scanning a whole bunch of pictures of my family ancestors. I love to use vintage images of my relatives in my artwork. I believe my art keeps their spirits alive and never far from mind. It dawned on me that I would love to see my relatives in other artist's work also, so I have decided to post a photo image each week that you can use in your art!! Here is this week's photo image.....