ART by Wyanne

I wish I had made this!!!
Wyanne Thompson made this wonderful painting. Last weekend I had the pleasure of visiting her studio at blue door artists studio in downtown Fernandina Beach, FL on Centre street on Amelia Island. I also got to visit with Casey Matthews who has very beautiful and inspiring artwork as well. Please visit all the links in this post!!
I live in Yulee, not too far from there. Wyanne'spaintings are so charming in person!! Anyway, I bought a pack of 8 postcards with 4 designs for 12.00 and I bought a 28.00 print of this "Good Mess" because it helps me comfort myself when I get self-critical about my messy art room/office....it's all spilling together right now. IT IS a GOOD mess!!!!!! and a happy one I might add..

Hunting around for beauty.......

Here are some photos of last Sunday morning at my house...I love being home and I love roses...

The Cardinal

What can I say about the lovely cardinal? I was living in Albany, GA and was dating and thought I found the man of my dreams....this would be my second marriage...........was this the real thing???? I'm parked in front of my work place, waiting to go inside, we had been dating 18 months and were thinking about getting married, Lord, THIS time please let me know if this is right, I want this to be the right one.....suddenly, right in front of my car, flitting around in a flirting frenzy are two cardinals, the lovely red male and the less flambouyant female...so sweet....so joyful.....so loving....my (now husband of 10 yrs) had been so sweetly pursuing me...this was the sign...the cardinals....and before we bought our first home...driving there for a second look, there in front of our car as we approached the home we would spend 4 happy years in, were 2 flirting cardinals....flying around right in front of our car....oblivious of traffic...
I love the cardinal......at that home, most mornings, a cardinal would wake us even before the alarm clock and we came to learn the distinct chirp of the cardinal.....

this ACEO says in my own humble cursive, hello little birdie, hello little birdie, sing for joy, sing for joy, goodnight little birdie.....isnt this the cycle of love in life????

sharing art

Yesterday, I made some decoupage items with some of my artwork. I had watched some youtube and ehow videos on decoupage so I was itching to try it. I just printed my artwork and decoupaged. How do you like them? A tiny journal, a treasure box and a small candle or ring dish.
Today I shared some mixed media art techniques with one of my students in speech therapy. She came up with this...isnt it great?

Mixed Media Monday - Heroes

My Hero is my cardiac electrophysiologist, Dr. Sagi. I have suffered with tachycardia, an abnormal and racing heartbeat, since age 13. Last year I made 3 trips to the ER for treatment, because nothing would bring it down from over 200 bpm.
This was so scary and was, frankly, degrading my quality of life, since I never knew when it would hit. I decided to have this cardiac catheter ablation procedure and it appears that so far, the procedure is successful. I am 100% better and enjoying my coffee for the first time in 2 years. Most of all, my hero is God, who is the father of all healing and sent me to this great doctor. Thanks to both of you....check out mixed media monday..

Still a work in progress

this is my entry for mixed media monday's theme...heroes....my hero is my cardiac electrophysiologist Dr. Sagi ...I'm looking for the right quote to add to this painting...but here is step 2 of the painting.... i was so sick with horrible tachycardia that could hit at any time...I had it since age 13 and last year went to the ER 3 times...anyway, last october 17, dr. Sagi performed a procedure that has greatly improved my quality of life...he is my hero....

Work in Progress

This is a work in progress for mixed media monday theme "heroes" coming up on Feb. 23I won't give it away yet but this is the background. Martha inspires me to make more intesting backgrounds as well as show things in steps...I love seeing how another artist's work progresses. Thanks so much Martha for your blog....finding your card in the bread at Walmart was a divine appointment and finding you and your shop on ETSY a few years later was another divine appointment...your blog has inspired me to make art part of my daily life and it's brought me so much joy!!! In 2009 I refuse to let dirty socks, dishes and paper piles rule my life!!!! (my husband would die laughing if he read that and say..."as if they ever did!!" ) Well, anyway, they will no longer rule my list of things to worry about that are not getting done...now I worry about not doing my next piece of art for my blog....which is really a much more exciting and motivating thing to worry about!! Anyway, thank you if you took the time to read my ramblings and God bless you..more to come on the "Heroes" piece, it is really quite inspiring to me as I think of my latest hero...

My latest Bird ACEO - The Flamingo!!

IN January, I went on a cruise to the Bahamas with the girls from work and saw these fantastic flamingos at this zoo in Nassau. They were my inspiration for this aceo...

Mixed Media Monday - Hearts with Wings

This is my entry for mixed media monday. It is acrylic on watercolor paper with paper collage and colored pencil.
This one of my first pieces like this and I really like it...

I learned how to make my own blog banner and background!!!

I spent the afternoon figuring out how to make my own blog banner and background..
it was fun but very frustrating because of my programs....anyway I finally did it and here's my banner...
Here's the link with instructions if you want to dare to try it yourself....maybe you'll figure it out quicker than I did...
Nicole Young Designs

Illustration Friday - Celebrate

This is an illustration from an alphabet book, The South Sea Alphabet Song, that I completed about 4 years ago. I thought it was appropriate for the "celebrate" topic... Check out Illustration Friday.... Turn on your speakers and listen to Gloria Estefan's "Party Time"
Hey IT's Friday!!!!! YAY...I imagine this little band of characters playing something like this on their little island....My dad was cuban, as is Gloria Estefan and everyone knows that latins LOVE to dance, especially Islanders and that includes me!!

Time for Art

I am making time for art in 2009. I have been so inspired by so many of you. This also my entry for Illustration Friday's topic - "Time". Those of you on my blog list are just some of the artists that have encouraged me. I am a full time pediatric speech-language pathologist but I am going to try to just do art for fun this year whenever I can. I made this ACEO of a rooster. The inspiration was actually a photo on some speech flashcards I was using for teaching the "R" sound. I think I will do an ACEO bird series...next in line are a flamingo, seagull and a cardinal. I LOVE all kinds of birds!!

Here is also a poem I found inspiring:

Time for Everything

Take time to work-
It is the price of success

Take time to think-
It is the source of power

Take time to play-
It is the secret of perpetual youth

Take time to read-
It is the fountain of wisdom

Take time to be friendly-
It is the road to happiness

Take time to pray-
It is the greatest power on earth

Take time to dream-
It is hitching your wagon to a star

Take time to love and be loved-
It is the privelege of God's children

Take time for others-
It is too short a day to be selfish

Take time to laugh-
It is the music of the soul

Take time for beauty-
It is a banquet for the heart

Mixed Media Monday - Romance

This is my mixed media Monday entry for Romance....markers, colored pencils, acrylic paint, collage, stamps, stencils and sponging...truly mixed media I'd say!! This was great fun...Click on the photo to see a close up of the detail...thanks for looking and commenting!!!

My mom, Lucy

She's Got A Way....

She's got a way about her
I don't know what it is
But I know that I can't live without her

She's got a way of pleasin'
I don't know what it is
But there doesn't have to be a reason
Anyway

She's got a smile that heals me
I don't know why it is
But I have to laugh when she reveals me

She's got a way of talkin'
I don't know what it is
But it lifts me up when we are walkin'
Anywhere

She comes to me when I'm feelin' down
Inspires me without a sound
She touches me and I get turned around

She's got a way of showin'
How I make her feel
And I find the strength to keep on goin'

She's got a light around her
And everywhere she goes
A million dreams of love surround her
Everywhere

She comes to me when I'm feelin' down
Inspires me without a sound
She touches me and I get turned around

She's got a smile that heals me
I don't know why it is
But I have to laugh when she reveals me

She's got a way about her
I don't know what it is
But I know that I can't live without her

This is a fun card I did of my mom - a sort of caricature...she is using the notecards and loves it.... HER name is Lucy, in her 70's and she loves fashion and wearing hats. She is so sweet and wonderful. Please pray for her as she is very sick with bronchitis for the 2nd time this winter. She is really down and discouraged...
She's got a way about her....

Mixed Media Monday Challenge - Fruit

I found Mixed Media Monday blog and I love it!! This week's challenge is Fruit and
next week is romance. This is an original watercolor I did a few years ago. I made it into a digital collage for some notecards which are on www.giftsofcreation.etsy.com for sale.

I was tagged - Thanks Martha!!

In my 4th folder under My pictures, the 4th picture was by Tom Brown, plein air artist of California. (I believe...I couldn't find it again but I'm 95% sure) This folder has artwork I admire and that inspires me. I love his style and I have added him to my favorite links list. I would love to learn to paint in this impressionistic style.
SO now you are tagged and must post your 4th picture from your 4th folder on your pictures on your computer and choose 4 other blogs to tag:

http://denimnotes.blogspot.com/
http://dodadidit.blogspot.com/
http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/
http://blogdelanine.blogspot.com/

Mini Heart journals

I found these tiny journals at Office Max and decided to alter the covers...
They turned out cute!! I made them with one of my speech students at school today..She is a selective mute but she talks to me when we are alone doing art..
It was fun!!

More Valentine's Day Cute Cards....

Can you tell I love Valentine's Day? I'm a true romantic...
Here are some more designs up on www.giftsofcreation.etsy.com for sale today, some are card sets and some are individual cards.