"Meet Me By the Bridge Tonight" - A Work in Progress and

"Meet Me By the Bridge Tonight"     9" x 12"      Acrylic on Canvas

Oh my goodness, you have no idea how much I have missed you all! I've missed writing, blogging, painting, reading up on all of your own blogs and updates and all the other things that we bloggers have to do to maintain any sort of readership (of which I'm sure my own is practically gone by now!) and that any of us bloggers or non-bloggers alike have to do to just keep ourselves entertained if we aren't incredibly overwhelmed with stuff to do. Anyways, I truly do greatly apologize for my absence and hope there aren't any hurt feelings out there - I know I need to send out some prints and paintings and that I am more than just a bit behind in all this -  but unfortunately such is the life of one in my condition, with Myofascial Pain Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, SRI Joint Problems and more (the list is steadily growing - uh-oh!) - and it's already hard enough to even get out of bed each day let alone try to order and mail out all my free little prizes. But I will get them done one by one, because I'm a girl of my word, even if it may take more time than I had originally hoped for.  But hey, at least they're free, right?! That's gotta help count for something! ;0)

I've been thinking lately about whether or not I can really do this considering my condition, and for now at least I just really want to focus on getting as much caught up as I can on all my projects this year so that I can get myself and this sweet little business of mine off to a good clean start this year with a nice clean slate! I'd love to not "owe" any prizes to anyone anymore, and I hate having that feeling hanging over my head constantly, especially the guilt. So for those of you who are waiting on prints if you don't mind waiting a little longer that would be absolutely wonderful to me - and don't worry - I have in no way forgotten about you! In fact it's quite the opposite, I think of you all the time, and I feel so bad that I haven't been able to get your prints to you sooner. I'm so sorry if I've frustrating anyone with the wait, but things have been just a bit hectic around here if you can imagine it. Please just try to be patient - or rather, I should say please just try to continue to be patient - you already have been spectacularly patient as it is, and I feel awful asking you to wait even longer, but this is my life and I'm getting hit hard with the realities of my weaknesses and my disabilities left and right right now and it's just not pretty. In fact, it downright hurts. But just so you know, I'm trying to add in a little extra something to anyone who's gifts or prizes are late right now just to try to make it up to you - I know it's not much but it's the best I can do at the moment. I just want everyone to be happy and pleased in the end and at the very least when all's said and done the one thing I need to remind myself of is that I truly AM very sick and these really ARE free prizes, so as long as I get them to you as soon as I possibly can we should be good in the end. But the sooner the better, right?!  =D

And once they're all done, I'll hold my FINAL CONTEST, the one that was supposed to be held in December but had to be postponed for personal reasons. Since I didn't do it in the 12 months time that I had aimed for (oh man, I was sooo, sooo close!), I figured I'd like to do it once all the others were accounted for first, so as not to add extra stress so that it could be perhaps a bigger or better prize in the end that way. Who knows - we'll have to see what happens, but I can't wait for the day to come up with and then announce that one!!!

Speaking on the subject of contests and prizes, the painting above is one of the paintings that was a prize a long while back in February - it was back in the beginning before people other than just my friends read my blog, so of course one of my friends won the prize (go figure, right?! Haha!). =D  Anyways, I had sooo hoped to finish it much earlier in the year for them, but was really surprised by the difficulty of certain aspects of it, especially when it came down to laying down the bridge. I hadn't anticipated the architecture of it to get the better of me, or at least not to that degree, but oh how wrong I had been! It literally took me weeks, perhaps even months, for me to realize that I had painted in the base columns incorrectly, putting them in at an angle exactly similar to the shadows that follow alongside them, which was ALL wrong. You see, in real life they would run parallel to the horizon, not diagonal to it, which was a shocker to me for some reason though it makes perfect sense logically speaking once you really think about it.

Already I feel like I've spent so much time on this piece and yet I still have what feels like so far to go on it -  I mean, if you look, you can see I've only just begun to lay in the cherry blossoms, and they're all floating in mid-air as of yet, so pretty soon they'll be getting some branches to hang from but even then they still have more layers they need to make them look full and complete like a true flower in bloom. This painting has definitely been an adventure for me, and a great learning experience as well - now here's to hoping my friends like my interpretation of what they were wanting and that they can see it with eyes wide open as it still has a ways to go before she'll be done. Haha, I guess it's a "she" after all - funny, I didn't realize I thought of my paintings in that way before but I guess I really do!  =0)

I really have been dying to get back to the easel on this one but I haven't quite been able to get back into painting yet - I don't know if it's purely emotional or if it's because my body just doesn't quite feel good enough yet to really get the job done - I mostly need to lay around and do simple exercises during the day and after seeing my Physical Therapist he reassured me that it wasn't just in my head, which did me a world of good! Apparently, my body is so weak that it can't even truly support the weight of my own head coming even a fraction of an inch off of my pillow (that's how truly bad it is), at least, not without causing itself intense and agonizing pain. That explains A LOT!!! It's always nice to know that you aren't imagining things, that's for sure!  =0)  But I'm so happy to be working with him and I hope and know that in time if I follow his advice he'll get me back on track - he's done it before and he can do it again. As for right now though, even just getting this post up on here feels like a such a huge victory - one that I can hardly describe, but it's just absolutely fulfilling to say the least!

Well, I hope you are all doing well and I can't wait to go visit you on your own sites and see what you all have been up to while I've been away. Hopefully there will be more posts on my end and much more frequently too - going that long without a post was sooo not cool and I deeply apologize again, and I mean it. I always hate it when I would follow someone and they would just drop off the grid for months and months at a time, with no explanation ever given. I would check back and they'd put up a single post or maybe two and then off they'd go again, not to be seen for almost a year if at all. That's not what I want for this blog and not what I want you to feel when you come here. So I will try my hardest to work harder for you. It might mean more photography and less painting, or perhaps just more works in progress than paintings completed in a day, especially since we've yet to see any rain and rain is my absolute arch nemesis and my best friend at the same time since we so desperately need it to not go into a drought. I just wish I could find somewhere more permanent that I could stay during the rainy season over here that would be perfect - unfortunately living somewhere outside of the rainy season to stay warm during the storms with my boys is a bit unrealistic - but, oh how awesome that would be! Oh well, I got some really awesome days this winter with all three of my boys that I'll treasure forever, and I'll just have to try harder to be up on here on my blog more often, as much as I can, but in the meantime, I hope and pray you have a wonderful day. Take care and God bless, my friend!

"Where the Red Ferns Grow" - A Landscape Painting of Fall in Detroit

Finally, I'm getting back into my groove with these Virtual Paintouts! I've missed doing them so very much, and so this month I made sure to do something for it, even if I couldn't post it til the end of the challenge. Here's what I found on my trip to Detroit, which as usual for these challenges, was surprisingly gorgeous! I came upon this pristine meadow of red ferns with the most stunningly red tree I've ever ventured upon and I was just stopped speechless in my tracks. It was a no-brainer for me - this shot was screaming to be painted, don't you agree?

"Where the Red Ferns Grow"     5" x 7"     Acrylic on Archival Canvas Board 

This was one of those rare jewels to work on, where each stroke made me more and more excited to see it as a finished work. It's always such a treat when you stumble upon scenes like this. Definitely makes me feel all the more ready for the beauty of fall! I hope your weekend has been a good one - mine's been rather... Interesting, I suppose. Haha, oh man, does interesting ever mean good anymore? Oh well. Such is the life of a fibromyalgic.  =/ We could use prayer - we could ALWAYS use prayer, because the pain is mounting along with my fear of another horrible winter ahead of us. I don't mean to sound melodramatic, but trying to stay positive is so much easier said than done... At least I know that with the grace of God we can get through whatever is sent our way, even if that means He has to carry us all the way through. Quite literally in my case, too! Hahaha! Oh, it feels good to laugh when you're scared, doesn't it? Makes things feel a bit less serious and puts you a bit more at ease. Laughing is really quite good for the soul. Plus, it helps you burn calories too, so that's an added plus!  =0)

"Straight Up Falling" - An Expressionist Painting of the Falls in Yosemite

"Straight Up Falling"     2.5" x 3.5"     Acrylic on Canvas Paper (ACEO)

Here's another one of my expressionistic paintings of the falls in Yosemite. I think I could paint hundreds upon thousands of works based on that amazing place, that is if I ever had that much time... And if there were any way at all that our family could swing living there and that I could land a job being their Artist in Residence, oh man, would I ever be all over that!!! Man, how amazing would that be?! To live in that gorgeous park, or almost ANY State Park for that matter, and to get paid to paint on location, do demos, and sit in the lobby and paint in front of visitors - WOW! What a dream come true that would be! Shoot, I would love even just living CLOSE to a place like that! There's something just so special and inspiring about the fresh alpine air, full of pine and dew and wildflowers, that makes an artist's blood boil with excitement. I'm getting excited just thinking about it! =0)

"Purple Falls" - An Expressionistic Painting of the Falls in Yosemite

"Purple Falls"     2.5" x 3.5"     Acrylic on Canvas Paper (ACEO)

SOLD

Well hello there! Today's painting has an interesting little story to it. It is the second attempt at an expressionistic painting that was commissioned by my winner of one of my contests, Sea. I don't know if you remember it, but the first one ended up rather pink, and it wasn't until it had sat on my shelf for awhile that I realized what I created, while lovely in my own opinion, wasn't exactly what she had asked for. The color pallette ended up more along the green and pink scale rather than purple, blue and green.

Luckily I realized all that before sending it out, and even though it was a bit embarrassing, I had to make sure she truly liked it first before I sent it overseas. I was right - the painting wasn't quite what she was hoping for, so I gladly offered to try my hand at it again, wanting to make sure that what she ended up with would be something she would truly treasure. So here it is, my second and very joyous attempt to get things right.  =0)

And you know, even though it was humbling to admit my own error, I'm glad I brought it up to her and not the other way around. It's never fun finding out you didn't please your clients, so if you have the opportunity to make sure they like it beforehand, I strongly recommend it. And now because of all this I  have an extra little painting to sell. If you're interested, here it is:

"Path to Power"     2.5" x 3.5"     Acrylic on Canvas Paper (ACEO)

As for the pretty little purple one at the top of this post, well it will shortly make it's way across the ocean and to her door. How cool is that?! I'm super excited, more than you can imagine, at knowing that my work will be owned internationally. That's AMAZING!!! It's just about one of the coolest things you can hope for with your art, or at least that's how I feel about it. =D

And as for the process behind this work, well, I challenged myself to be more free and loose with both my strokes and my use of color than I was in the first one, and honestly I was really surprised at how difficult that was. I guess working small does come with some restraints after all! No using big brushes here... Hahaha! No, no, no... And the teeny-tiny ones didn't work either, which was even more shocking. What ended up working best was a size 3 round. It allowed me to make small yet overstated brushstrokes and to create a feeling that was more expressionistic in nature than my first attempt.

And now I'm off to work on one of my other commissioned pieces by one of my first winners. Thank God she's a good friend of mine and is being rather patient, because I would be in a mess of trouble if not. It's just taking a bit longer than normal. But luckily I found my sweet spot with it and am on a roll. I can't wait to post it when it's done - her idea was awesome and while it's a difficult painting for me, it's turning out beautifully. Well, I suppose I should let you be the judge of that, but hey, a girl can like her own work, right? Oh I sure hope so...! =0)  Well, take care my friends. As for me, I'm off to paint! =D

"Path to Power" - A Landscape Painting of Yosemite

"Path to Power"     2.5" x 3.5"     Acrylic on Canvas Paper

SOLD/Not For Sale

Today's painting was made for Sea Dean, one of my three winners from last month's contest. She chose as her prize for me to create an ACEO painting made in the colors and style of my painting "El Capitan." I figured if she liked that particular painting so much then I ought to try creating a painting from a different part of Yosemite for her, to give her almost a painted tour of the park. That probably sounds silly, but she lives overseas as it is, and I don't know if she's ever had the chance to come visit the states. That's why I thought it'd be fun to give her another glimpse of one of the most beautiful parks in the world over. Sea's a painter too, and hosts a rather entertaining page on Facebook for both artists and art lovers alike called "Get Your Art Out There." I would have provided the link to it but it's a closed group so I don't think I can. But if you look it up and want to join, all you have to do is type the name into the search bar on Facebook and let Sea know you want it. It's that easy!  =)

I wanted to shout out a quick reminder that today is the last day to enter to win a painting for this month. All you have to do is comment on this or any other post from the month of July, 2013. I have to say it's my easiest contest yet! So go ahead, you never do know if you might be one of the lucky ones! And congratulations again Sea. This pretty little piece will be on it's way over the oceans and to your door as soon as possible. I so love giving my works a new home - and to send one over-seas is absolutely thrilling!

Well, take care of yourselves my friends! And stay tuned - there are still more new paintings to come this week. I'm finally back in my groove, trying to get all the works out that were promised before my rather unexpected surgery. But it's starting to come together, thank the LORD, and with each new work I finish the more excited I get over being able to eventually jump into one of my own art projects that's been brewing in my mind for some weeks now! I can't wait to begin! Lucky for me though, I've loved all the commissions too and sadly I think I'll miss them once I get over this wave of them. But still, it's a win-win for me, no matter how you look at it.

I hope you are having a great day out there and I hope that in some way you might be able to carve out some time for yourself to spend creating something yourself - that it would be a time of refreshing both your body and your soul, and that in the end whatever you create is absolutely beautiful, even if only to you. Hey, I have plenty of those! Haha. But yeah, it just feels so wonderful to pour your heart into something real and at the end be able to hold something you've made in your hands. There are few things better than that! Well, have a wonderful day and God bless!

"Sweet Sunday Morning" - A Landscape Painting

"Sweet Sunday Morning"     5" x 7"     Acrylic on Museum Quality Gessoboard

Oh man, I'm not kidding, this is like the third time this year I've missed the deadline for posting on the Virtual Paintout by only a few hours. Not a big deal - as I'm only doing this for myself, otherwise it would have been done earlier - but still frustrating none-the-less. So I guess I'm an unofficial wanderer for last month, where we traveled to The Azores. It seems that last months location was quite popular, for this is the first time I've ever seen so many paintings before for one location. But I'm still pretty new to this, so perhaps that's why. I imagine it can't hurt that summer is officially in full bloom. If you want to see some of the other works for this month, visit The Virtual Paintout - there are many beautiful submissions that will just blow you away. And even though mines not up there, I sure hope you like it too!  =)

ALSO, before I forget, do you remember this little guy?

"Henry and His Nectarine"    4" x 4"    Acrylic on Museum Quality Claybord

Well, he now belongs to our new winner, BEKAH, from Bekah's Photography!!! Congratulations Bekah, on your new painting! Go ahead and contact me to let me know what your address is so I can work on shipping this sweet little piece out to you. And thank you for answering all my questions and doing my contests - I truly do appreciate it. =)

CONTEST INFORMATION for JULY 2013
And now on to this months CONTEST! All you have to do is simply comment on my Facebook Fan Page on any of my paintings or posts that I will be posting from today up to the very last day of the July. You can write whatever you want, give gentle critique or just say hello, but to enter to win you HAVE TO WRITE A COMMENT on any of my FACEBOOK FAN PAGE Posts or Paintings from the month of JULY ONLY! The more paintings or posts that you comment on for the month of July, the more chances you have to win. And just so you know, you can only get credit ONCE for each of my posts or paintings, so there's no need to blow up my wall with multiple comments on the same one. So head on over and start commenting away! Oh, and as always, you get extra credit for "Liking" my Facebook Page, so if you haven't done so already, go ahead and do so now. The winner for this month will get to choose ONE painting from a marvelous selection of my works that I will be putting together at the end of this month. So get to it and write away, my friends!  Click here to visit my Facebook Fan Page and get started on earning your entries RIGHT NOW!!!    =D

"The Marshlands of Italy" - A Landscape Painting In Oils for the Virtual Paintout

"The Marshlands of Italy"     4" x 5"     Oils and Acrylic on Archival Canvas Board

Important info regarding this work:

My signature on this piece will soon be glazed over with a darker

 green once the paint dries a bit so that it doesn't stand out quite so 

much. Also, the original underpainting of this piece was done in 

acrylics, though it is completely covered over now with oil paints.

With so little going on in my life that I can control in the last few years, I've been searching and searching for anything, no matter how small, that I CAN control. Things have been harder than I want to admit lately. My pain and ability to move and function improved so dramatically at first that I felt like everything should be clear and normal by May, but it's not. I'm still in shock a little, thinking that I still have yet to watch the boys two weeks in a row, and by that I really only mean 2-3 days a week, as I still can't handle a full week yet. I can only really handle one single full day and a half day on my own with the boys without causing a massive flare, and even with that ridiculously light schedule, I'm still not able to do it two weeks in a row, which is beyond frustrating! I honestly thought I'd be almost weaned down completely from the Morphine to Norco, but my pain is still far too intense to make the adjustments in the way I wanted to. It's taking way too long in my book, and I am left feeling hopeless and helpless, not to mention weak and disheartened as well. All of this is one of the major reason's I haven't been able to paint very much lately, why it's so hard for me to get up the energy to pick up a paintbrush, let alone publish a post. It's extremely difficult to set your mind to a matter only to have your hopes and expectations dashed to the wind, and to be stuck in a sort of limbo in regards to healing, where you plateau and no matter how hard you try you just can't seem to get any better past that certain point.

Please don't get me wrong - I praise God for how far He's gotten me and taken me in regards to this all. I praise Him for what He has and is teaching me, and I am trying my hardest to realize that this is all still a matter of grace and trust and patience. After all, this may be as healed as God ever wants me to be. I can only do so much - it is by God's grace that I am as capable as I am in the first place, and I thank Him mightily for every little moment where I can play with my boys, and love on them and cuddle them pain free. I treasure every single moment! But my desire is and has always been to be like the Proverbs 31 woman - a goal far too lofty for me to ever attain now, which causes such deep pain and loss for me as I am unable to be the wife and mother and friend and well, anything, that I know God would want me to be. Trying to find joy and focus on what I do have has been rough for me, and I won't deny that at times it's been all but impossible, but still I will journey on in this new adventure God has set for me, trying to make the most of it and be Holy and Blameless and Beautiful in all I say and do.

And so it is with great joy that I bring you this painting today, a completed work for the Virtual Paintout this month (which was hosted in Lido di Jesolo) created by me in OILS for the first time in so many years that I am actually embarrassed to say how long, though no matter how long it took, it's an enormous obstacle overcome by me none-the-less! I am soooo beyond thrilled to be working in oils again!!! I've been aching to try them out again and to overcome this fear deep within me that I feel whenever I think about using them. I get so upset about it that when I first decided to actually try them out for real yesterday, I had to overcome my own fear and trembling just to get the paints out of their tubes and onto the palette. For the last few years I have been so afraid that if I tried to use my oils that I would mess everything up, so afraid of doing things wrong for so many years that I was almost positive that my paints were all dried up and spoiled by now. But they weren't, which was a huge relief, that was not only amazing but thrilling as well as I started to loosen up and realize that the worst thing that really CAN happen is that my painting doesn't turn out, which of course IS what happened. But you know what - it was NO BIG DEAL! Seriously! No big deal what so ever!!! What on earth was I afraid of?! I can't believe I waited so long to get up the courage to play with these again, though at least I finally did it. Why are we as artists so afraid to try something new or different when the only thing that really can happen is a lost canvas and some wasted paint, while we have so much more to gain from it like freedom and wisdom and both knowledge of our own capabilities and of our craft.

As for my painting, I realized far too late that you really don't need to add so much Linseed Oil (or whatever Oil you may choose to paint with - I've heard Walnut Oil is fantastic as well) to the paints, unless you want it to be a very slick and oily mess that takes forever to dry. So, a few Kleenex's full of paint later, and I was ready to paint on the same board as before, only with not so much oil this time around. Oh man, it was like riding on a bicycle after years and years of it being in the shed. At first, things were very rough, painful even, and extraordinarily uncomfortable, but it didn't take too long before I started remembering some of the old tricks, like using thick, less oily paints for the bottom layers, so that I can use lighter and more liquidy paints on top, as you need contrasting thicknesses for your paints in order for them to stick to one another.

I am so glad I tried to conquer this silly little demon yesterday, so glad that I was able to find joy and peace in something I had been afraid of for far too long. This lie had been telling me for years that I wasn't capable of creating beauty with this medium - it tore me down and said I wasn't good enough, not good enough to paint this way, not good enough to be successful with it. That anything I tried to make would be a hideous flop. BUT IT'S JUST NOT TRUE!!! Like I said before, it was simply a lie, and a silly one at that! After all, I was actually taught how to paint using oils in the first place, so why did I believe the lie that said I couldn't use them?

I think that part of the reason why it's so easy for us artists to listen to the lies about ourselves and our work and give in to our fears is because of the fact that when we do listen to them we aren't required to try, since we think we "know" what will happen. We seem to find solace in knowing that at least if I don't try I won't have the risk of failing, which means I really might be able to do it after all. But if I DO try, I'll know for certain that I can't do it, or at least that's how the logic goes. Well, it's just NOT TRUE! We need to be done with these lies, these stupid, silly little lies that hold us back and keep us from becoming all that we can truly can be! They are wrong! You can do this, and even if the first time you don't succeed, you at least have gained some knowledge as to how to do whatever you were struggling with before. After all, practice truly does make perfect.

It's not like the Great Masters of painting actually got where they were by chance - they had to work for their skills, and work HARD. Success doesn't just fall in your lap - you have to take risks, to recognize the lies and fight back against them so that you can conquer them. Do you have any lies that you are dealing with right now? Perhaps one that you've been battling with for some time now, that you know in your heart of hearts that it just isn't true? If you do, please feel free to open up and let me know what lies you struggle with, and if you've conquered any of them before, let us know what they were and how you did it. For me, yesterday was all about giving up my worries to the Lord and ask Him for His help. I also had to ask Him for HIS confidence, since I was so lacking in mine and always have been. He helped me. Immensely. And He can help you too. All you need to do is ask.

"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:11)

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." (1 John 5:14)

Now this is not meant to be a name it and claim it type of thing. I don't believe that it is God's plan for us to do that, and I don't believe we should treat God like a genie in a bottle. But for those things that God wants us to have, the things that He wants to use in you to bring Him praise and Glory, and that help us to draw closer to Him and bring others closer to Him as well, well it's those things that I believe He will give us if we simply look up to Him and ask. Right now, my greatest prayer for myself is for wisdom. Wisdom affects every single area of your life: your relationships, your money, how you handle your time and resources, how you speak to others and how you respond to every singe situation, no matter how big or how small, that happens in your life.

But I digress. If there are any lies you know you have bought "hook, line and sinker" about yourself or your art, or really about any other aspect of your life, please feel free to let me know in the comment section below. You'd be surprised how easy it is to accept as truth lies about yourself that if you had ever thought of towards another person you'd be repulsed, and yet they are okay to believe in regards to you. It's quite sad, honestly. And it's unnecessary! You can throw off the chains today, my friends, and enter into the truth about who you truly are. Like I've said before and I will say over and over again until I die, all you need to do is ASK!

 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:7-12)

I am learning just how important in my own life my own personal "self-talk" is. I would never even dream of saying half of the awful things I say to myself to others, or of calling others half the things I call myself. They are awful! And this lie was just one more brick on the pile, which made my conquering of it rather exhilarating, leaving me with the feeling of empowerment to tackle more and more of the lies and issues that lay deep within my soul. How I hope and pray that you, too, will take this journey with me by telling me in the comments below what lies you suffer from, and which one's you want to work your hardest on to overcome! Perhaps we can do it together, my friends! =) God bless!

Announcing The Contest for May 2013 : My Funnest Contest Yet!!!

So I'm doing Leslie Saeta's "30 Marketing Ideas in 30 Days" and one of the things she wanted us to do was to post a link to one of our favorite available paintings. I immediately knew which one to choose - "Montana Sunset." This is one of my favorites of all time, and it's only $90 with a double matted frame. It's quite exquisite as a whole, and since it's an original work of art, it's truly a fantastic deal. So if you are interested in purchasing this one of a kind work of art, follow the link below. Trust me, you won't regret it!

"Montana Sunset"     5" x 7"     Acrylic on Museum Quality Claybord

Here is another one of my favorite smaller works. It's an ACEO called "Mint, Anyone?" Oh how I loved painting the packaging - trying to capture the glint and the glimmer of the wrapper as it shone in the light. Such a delightful experience. If you're interested in purchasing this original piece for only $25, you can follow the link below as well. It's sweet and delicate, and sure to charm your guests. =)

"Mint, Anyone?"     2.5" x 3.5"    Acrylic on Canvas Paper (ACEO)

Yesterday's challenge was to add 20 people to your mailing list. Haha, ummm... hmmm... I don't HAVE a mailing list. "So," I thought to myself, "perhaps I should start there..." =P   Considering the fact that it's already a new month again, that means we're due for another contest right about now. I'm pretty sure you can see where I going with this. Well, here goes nothing...


INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CONTEST FOR MAY 2013

I'm not gonna lie. I don't like signing up for mailing lists. In fact, I rather hate it. Most of them are super annoying and hound my email with something nearly EVERY DAY of the week, which makes me feel like half my time is taken up deleting email's that I neither want nor need. I don't want that - it drives me nuts. Who want's that!?! HOWEVER, I do like keeping in touch with people, and I like places that send out only the good stuff - great coupons, great ideas, great incentives and fun news - and that don't send it out too often. You know, like telling me about fun events they have planned or explaining how certain things went, or warning me of amazing deals so I don't miss out. I like that. I like that when I sign up for something, and I like that as a rule for myself.

So that's how I'm gonna do this. No worries - I'm not going to hound anyone. I don't have the time to - remember? I have two boys. TWO. BOYS!!! Two boys who are 3 and 1. Both in diapers. Both very social and energetic and fun and cuddly and needy. And even though they both walk, one of them still likes to be carried ALL THE TIME! Cough, cough.... Owen... Yeah, I'm a busy girl. And I know you are busy too. Plus, when you throw in all that I still have to deal with because of my fibro, such as weekly appointments, exhaustion and ridiculous amounts of pain and forgetfullness, well, frankly I don't have much time to waste. I can promise you that! =)

I will only be sending out updates every couple months, and at the very most, monthly, though it will be a while before I do them monthly, if I ever do. I imagine some months will be busier and easier to fill up than others. BUT no matter what, I will make them worth your while. They will be fun, and interesting and sometimes there will be AMAZING deals in them that only people who sign up for them will be eligible for. I hope to include things like blasts from the past - looking back at my older works of art, interviews, poems, photos, and upcoming events, as well as news about my business, upcoming workshops, classes and more. These newsletters will go out via email, though I will occasionally want to send out an actual physical mailer every once in a while with either a coupon, a flier, a business card or even a postcard that you can put up on display. And to top it off, every once and a while I will pick someone from my contact list to send a gift to in the mail, as a way of expressing my gratitude for following my are. But I sure won't be filling up your mailboxes with a ton of wasted paper or wasted time, so don't worry about that! I know how busy everyone is these days, and I don't want to waste your time any more than I want to waste mine.

So if you are interested in hearing fun and exciting updates on the weird and creative life of Melissa Adams, then join along with me and show your support: EMAIL ME HERE or send me a PRIVATE MESSAGE ON FACEBOOK HERE, my friends! What I would love at the very least is for you to include a link to your email address so I can put it down in my contact log, which will grant you two tickets towards winning this months prize. And like I said before, if you're interested in occasionally receiving additional coupons or even possibly a free, unexpected gift through the mail, not to mention frameable postcards of my work, then you can include your mailing address as well, which will buy you two extra tickets as well. Any other forms of communication would be great, like your blogs and phone number, personal FACEBOOK page or fanpage, even letting me know whether you are an artist or not, and if so, what you do - well,  each one of these will earn you one more chance to win! HOWEVER, in order for you to earn any points you have to send me your email, and in order for you to win more than 2 points, you have to include BOTH your email and your mailing address, as those are the two most important means (and perhaps the only means) of communication I will use. PLUS... If you publicly follow my blog (whether you've been doing it all along or just signed up today by filling out the form when you click the term "Join this Site" on the righthand sidebar of this page), and if you've "Liked" my Facebook Fan Page (again, no matter when you do or have), then you will earn 2 more points for each one. So the more contact info you give, the more ticket's you'll earn towards winning a prize!

I would love to see and hear more about your life as well, so including your own blogs, Facebook pages, and more will be icing on the cake. With so many chances. I hope all my friends will do this with me so I can keep in better touch with you and can let you in to see a little more about what's going on in my life and my career, and the places I hope to go with it. And don't forget, you CAN win more than once! So go ahead, what are you waiting for? Sign up to get great deals, fun news and a deeper look into what's going on over here in a more comprehensive and exciting way than ever before! This is going to be GREAT!!!  =D

"Ahhhh, wait a second..." you may be asking. "We've only talked about what we have to do and what we can expect from you in regards to your newsletters and mailers. What about the contest? What do we GET if we win this month's contest?"  Hmmm.... Well, I think this time I'll make it a little more interesting. With all these points to earn, why not have a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner? And to mix it up a bit more, I'm going to let the winners choose their gift from the options. There are two categories:  "1st Place Options," and "2nd and 3rd Place Options." As the winners, you will have the wonderful opportunity to be able to choose whichever prize you wish from your category. It's YOU who gets the choice. This is going to be a VERY Fun Contest!!! =)

If you win FIRST place, YOU may choose ANY single ONE of these "1st Place Options:"

1. Any available original painting that is 5" x 7" or smaller, unframed
2. A print of any of my original paintings or fine art photographs, in any of these sizes: 5" x 7",  8" x 10" or 11" x 14", unframed
3. A miniature painting, 2" x 2", complete with easel. You may choose from any of these subjects: natural landscape (no buildings), animal (fictional or not, as long as it's not copyrighted), abstract or still life. All the details, including color choices and lighting, will be up to you as well.
4.  An ACEO complete with frame card and frame. You may choose from any of these subjects: natural landscape (no buildings), animal (fictional or not, as long as it's not copyrighted), abstract or still life. All the details, including color choices and lighting, will be up to you as well. 
5. Two sets of 5 notecards, with the phrase (ie. Thank you!, I Miss You, In Deepest Sympathy, On Your Birthday..., Happy Birthday!) on the front as well as any image of my paintings (you can pick two different images or keep them all the same) chosen by you. The insides are blank.
6. A calendar for either 2013 or 2014 with all of your favorite paintings in it.
7. A mug with your favorite painting printed upon it. 
8. A hand painted round ornament with an optional phrase written upon it and either a natural landscape (no buildings) or an animal (fictional or not, as long as it's not copyrighted) for the subject. The ornament itself will be plastic, so that if you have pets or little ones, you won't have to worry about it breaking, though if you really prefer glass I can see what I can do. =)

If you've won 2nd or 3rd place, you may choose any ONE of these "2nd and 3rd Place Options:"

1. A 5" x 7" print of any of my original paintings or fine art photographs, unframed.
2. Two notecards with any of the phrases above of any one or two paintings. The insides are blank
3. An ACEO with frame card, unframed. You may choose from any of these subjects: natural landscape (no buildings), animal, abstract or still life. All the details, including color choices and lighting, will be up to you as well. 

So good luck my friends! I hope to hear from you soon! =D

"Lingering Snow" and the Results for April's Contest

"Lingering Snow"     Acrylic on Claybord     8" x 10"

Oh man, I meant to post this much earlier but I got caught up in a few things I'm working on right now. But now...

DRUM ROLL please....... And the winner for our Contest for April of 2013 IS.....

RENE MICHAELS!!! 

AGAIN! You are quite the lucky one, my dear!  I was super shocked when I saw your name come up as the winner, thinking "Wow, what are the chances!?!" And then I realized that you've pretty much played along with me every month so far so you're bound to win something at least once, and now twice. Congratulations! A beautiful print of Lavendar Fields, your favorite painting of mine, will be on it's way soon. And I already have your address from when you were one of the winners back in February, so no need to email me. =D

"Lavender Fields"     Acrylic on Archival Canvas Board     5" x 7"

As for my new painting at the top of this post, well, it's my April submission for The Virtual Paintout, though I didn't quite get it in on time so I can't formally post it to the blog. Aghh - I missed it by only two hours. Gahh! Hahaa, oh well. =P I know I did it so that's all I really care about, well, that and the fact that I like how it turned out. =) You should have seen it before - it was a salvage piece, that's for sure. But I stuck with it, and it sure was worth it. Here's how it looked before the major overhaul where I stopped looking at the photo and just decided to go with my instincts and look to other artist's work and see how they do it:

 I really enjoyed our location this month, which was Bulgaria. It was absolutely beautiful, with lovely forests and so many beautiful places to stroll around and paint from. But I fell in love with this little creek full of rocks all mounded over with snow, lined with beautiful pines up and down it's shores. It was such a sweet and serene scene, and I found myself feeling as if I had stumbled upon something no one had ever seen before, like it was some untouched beauty made by God that was being discovered for the first time. Perhaps it was the crisp whiteness of the snow, or the way the trees are all huddled around the stones, protecting them and guarding them from any unkind visitors. It was just... Serene. And I loved it.

"Lavender Fields" - A Whimsical Painting by Melissa Adams

"Lavendar Fields"     4" x 5"     Acrylic on Archival Canvas Board

I started this painting last month, as an abstract, but it never quite sat right with me, even after I signed it. Now I know why. =)  I had always seen the potential for this amidst the brushstrokes and after asking a dear friend, Kaylee, if I should keep it as it is or make it something more, she said more. And boy am I so glad she did!

I painted freely, not quite knowing where this painting was going to take me, other than knowing that it was a night scene with a mountain and a glowing waterfall, with trees acting like curtains opening up the scene to a magical landscape. I really love how it turned out, as I was surprised by what my brush led me too as much as if I were watching someone else paint. I think perhaps what I loved the most was the act of losing myself within my painting. =)

Here's the original abstract version:

"Lavender Fields Abstract"     4" x 5"     Acrylic on Canvas

You know, I still really like this abstract though, so in the future I may decide to sell prints of it as well, for those who like a more abstract approach to their art.

"In the Presence of Greatness" - A Landscape Painting by Melissa Adams

"In the Presence of Greatness"     18" x 24"     Acrylic on Canvas

 SOLD

So here's the piece that's had me in hiding the last few days. It was created in order to be sold at auction for the Royal Family Kids Camps, which is a program that helps foster children to understand how incredibly wonderful and special they truly are. If you've been following my blog for awhile now, you might remember last years piece as well, called "Hope on the Horizon," as well as my Starfish Cake and Henna Cake. The painting was only an 8" x 10", and this year I just really wanted to step things up and go bigger - and boy am I glad I did! I have so many friends who help so abundantly to make those kids feel incredibly special, giving up their time, vacations, earnings, and love in order to help make the Camp a success, and it's such an honor to me to be able to help out in any way possible, even in such a small way as this. I just feel so lucky to be able to use these gifts for something that matters beyond myself and I feel so spoiled that I am able to serve in this way since I get so much joy out of painting, especially when it's used for God's work, though I wish I could have done more.

As for the painting itself, my hope for this piece was to depict a dramatic sense of scale, with towering mountains, a raging waterfall, lush clouds and fields of grass where sheep roam free to graze. I wanted it to cross the line between realistic and impressionistic, and to have an air of dreaminess to it. Not sure if I accomplished all that, but I am happy with how it turned out in the end and can't wait to start on my next big piece. After all, considering how small I've been painting this year, this one is huge in comparison! Haha, well, it was a fun change of pace, and I am sure glad for that! I needed something like that for me to help break up the block I was in, and it really did help a ton! So now I guess the debate for me is whether to keep going small for awhile, to pick up the two larger works I have in process, or to start something huge and epic, like I've always wanted to do. Hmmmm... Decisions, decisions... How fun! =D

Oh, and I know this is kinda silly, but here's a little close-up shot of the sheep. They are absolutely tiny on the painting, and were a bit harder to paint than I anticipated, but I still think they're pretty cute... =0)

Detail of the sheep in the meadow from "In the Presence of Greatness"

Have a good one my friends!

"Pure Power" - A Landscape Painting of a Waterfall in Yosemite

"Pure Power"     8" x 10"      Acrylic on Canvas with Painted Wrapped Edges

I painted this a few days ago and meant to get it up on the blog yesterday but just never got the chance to do so. Such is life. =) But here it is and it's one of my new favorites, and my hubby's too! It's from our trip to Yosemite in 2011, and is one of the many gorgeous waterfalls we were blessed to see on that trip. They were so full that year - sometimes you don't get so lucky and the falls are pretty weak if the rainy season didn't go very well that year. Ahhh, but in 2011 it had rained like crazy and the raw power behind the falls was so incredibly majestic and awe-inspiring to behold. We just stared at them forever!

Today I'm feeling pretty lucky to have the wonderful chance to be able to paint today, though that doesn't mean I'm free from having any appointments. My pain just isn't very well managed right now, if you haven't been able to tell from the fact that I've barely even been capable of painting much lately. But I'm really hoping that after today my doctor and I will make some big strides in the right direction with managing all this raging pain. One exciting thing I've found in this process is a wonderful video on Amazon prime on using Tai-Chi as meditation for healing, where you simply clear your mind and do breathing exercises, much like the Bradley method for childbirth. It's incredible so far! Knocked this girl right here out cold twice, and considering how hard it is for me to find sleep, it was a wonderful thing for me to experience. This is going to be on my daily watchlist for sure!

FEBRUARY CONTEST
Oh man, I seriously cannot believe that this month is over in two days! Where have I been...? Oh yeah, curled up on the couch in pain. Whatever. =P Anyways, have you made sure to like my page and tell me on my Facebook wall that you want to enter my contest to win one of three ACEOS complete with a frame card? Because if you don't tell me you want to enter this month's contest then I don't have you down for it. And there are going to be three winners this month, which is even more awesome because that means you have an even greater chance of winning!

But you know what the very best part is, one that is quite unexpected for me? Because I had been planning to paint so many more ACEO's this month than I was able to because of my fibro, if you win and there isn't one I've made that you really like for your home, then you get to commission your very own one from me, which means it will match your house PERFECTLY!!! There are a few restrictions of course as to the subject matter, but not to worry, I'll let you know what they are when you win. SO GO ON, CLICK HERE, LIKE MY PAGE AND THEN TELL ME THAT YOU WANT TO ENTER THIS MONTH'S CONTEST!!! It's so easy even my mom can do it! Lol! =D Sorry mom... =P Anyways, good luck to all of you! I hope you're having a great day out there! =D

"Chilean Palms" - A Landscape Painting from February's Virtual Paintout

"Chilean Palms"     6" x 6"     Acrylic on Museum Quality Claybord

This is my second submission for February's Virtual Paintout in Valparaiso, Chile. I just loved the way the sun was bursting forth over the hillside, lighting these palms in such a glorious manner - it was one of those images that as soon as I saw it I knew it was just begging to be painted!

I thought it was cute that when Tyler came home and saw this for the first time he thought it'd be the perfect habitat for some dinosaurs, and Levi agreed. So maybe someday I'll have to add some dinosaurs into it, for their sakes, though for now I'll just keep it as it is. =)

"On the Rocks - Valparaiso, Chile" (ACEO) - A Landscape Painting for the Virtual Paintout

"On the Rocks - Valparaiso, Chile" (ACEO)     2.5" x 3.5"     Acrylic on Acrylic Paper

Not For Sale

So for this month's Virtual Paintout we are traveling to Valparaiso Chile and I have to be quite honest, it's a bit sad driving through the streets there. There is just sooo much intense poverty everywhere that it's completely overwhelming, like when we went (in real life, mind you) to the dumps in Mexico where people had literally built their houses not only on the dump, but purely from materials from the dump as well. It's so... Well, there are no words really to describe it. It's just beyond sad. How can we all want and want and get and get and yet never get enough even though we have so, so much, when there are people living like that who are truly and honestly grateful for EVERY SINGLE THING they have. It's disturbing really. And I'm as guilty as the next, if not more so, because I have one of those "Never Quite Satisfied" personalities, and I hate it with all my heart. It makes me wonder if maybe God wants to teach me more about contentment this year, because it seems that everything He's been pushing me towards has at least a little to do with that. I suppose I'll find out soon, that's for sure!

So I'm not sure if I can quite suck it up and do an honest portrayal of the poverty in Valparaiso, though I wish I could. I just don't think I'm quite good enough to get the message across yet. Perhaps I shall try later in the month or some other time in my life, but for now I searched for beauty amidst all the wreckage I saw, and I found this beautiful little sunlit cliff, all rocky and jagged and covered with trees and brush. It was quite tranquil and gorgeous really, and so I decided that it would be my little refuge from the rest of what I saw there. I'm sure there are some quite beautiful places in Valparaiso if you know where to look, and perhaps I had only ventured through the poorest part of town, but I did find this and a few other natural beauties that I will probably attempt to paint later this month as I continue to embark upon this challenge of daily painting, or as close to daily as I can get. =)

I do hope that you are having a good one today, that you are able to truly see each and every thing that you have to be grateful for (as I myself am working on!), and I hope to talk to you soon! God bless!

"Montana Sunset" - A Landscape Painting

"Montana Sunset"     5" x 7"     Acrylic on Canvas

I can't believe today is Day 30 already!!! =D I'm feeling quite the mix of emotions over this, and am actually quite sad to see this challenge come to an end, especially when I post my last painting later today - it's going to be very bitter sweet. It will feel so wonderful to know I've done it, and actually gotten each one posted on Leslie's wall, but I really wish I could keep this amount of accountability up because I have never painted this much in my life! The constant feeling of a deadline was actually surprisingly good for me, and I am quite a bit scared that without one, painting will become less and less of a priority over the next few weeks. But I shall try to look beyond that, and as Leslie said, just look at all I've accomplished in just this last month instead and really take in the fact that I did it and I have something real to show for it. It's incredible really, to see so many paintings up on my wall (both on my blog and in my house - lol!), and I will be trying my hardest to not lose all of this incredible momentum I've gained from doing this challenge, though the reality is I won't be able to complete a separate painting absolutely every single day from now I. My goal however is to come as close as I possibly can to that for this year, though there will be times that I am working larger and will have to post what I worked on that day instead.

Learning-wise, this Challenge has been quite incredible for me! I have learned sooo, so many things, one of which is that I really have to cut out ALL of my distractions or my work just won't get done, and that even includes things as simple as having my tab open for Facebook up on my Browser, because every time it dings I get distracted and easily lose so much time that way. It's such a time-sucker! And I've learned that I truly do have a great passion for painting small, but I'm pretty sure that many of these landscapes will be making their debut's someday as much larger paintings, though they will probably have some changes in them and all. I really do like this process though of trying a work out small before making a larger version, almost as a study for it while still being a completed painting in and of itself.

Now, as for this painting, it's the second one from the same sunset I posted yesterday of the beautiful cloud filled sky on our drive from Washington to Montana in 2012. The colors were breathtaking, the clouds were all ablaze, and it was simply gorgeous. One couldn't ask for a better night to get to our destination!

CONTESTS for FREE ART

Rules for January 2013
Before I forget, TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO ENTER MY CONTEST FOR JANUARY 2013!!! So if you haven't already entered and you want the chance to win your choice of any of my available paintings from my "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Collection shipped and framed (or complete with easel if applicable) COMPLETELY free of charge, then you will want to sign up today to follow my blog by 11:59pm, Pacific Standard Time. This is a prize that may value at up to nearly $200, depending upon which you pick if you should win!!! So if you're interested, go ahead and click the blue button on the right side bar that says "Join this site" and become a member. You will know you did it right if you see your name in one of the little square boxes under the word "Members" (it makes sense, right?). If all goes well I will be announcing my winner sometime tomorrow as well as a visual list of  which paintings are still available for you to choose from. So good luck out there!

Rules for February 2013
And if you don't win, there's no need to worry - there will be 11 other contests this year that you will have the chance to enter into if you want to, and already the one for February is up, in which all you have to do to earn a chance to win one of three ACEO's (a miniature painting that is 2.5" x 3.5," complete with frame card so it is ready to frame if you'd like) is to LIKE my FACEBOOK FAN PAGE and let me know on it that you're interested in this contest. How easy can it get?! And the link to my page is up on my right sidebar (it has been fixed since the first time I posted it thanks to Jean - thank you again!) so you can click on the link there and sign right up just like that! There will be 3 winners this month, which is exciting for me and hopefully for you as well!

Well, it's past my bedtime, and so I better be off now, but I hope you're all doing well out there. God bless!

"Streams of Sunlight" - A Landscape Painting

"Streams of Sunlight"     5" x 7"     Acrylic on Museum Quality Claybord

This is my first of two paintings of this late summer sunset that we were blessed enough to see while on the very last stretch from Washington to Montana in 2011. We had just eaten a delicious dinner at Cracker Barrel, and were about to arrive at our destination, only to be greeted by this great and glorious sunset from up above. It was one of the most beautiful I've ever seen, and I imagine that's why they call Montana, "Big Sky Country." Makes sense to me. The clouds and sky stretched all around us, beyond logical explanation in my opinion, and it was so, so wondrous to behold. Hopefully my condition will allow us to go back again someday - we're going to plan it as if it will and hope and pray that God allows the cards to fall in our favor. Best wishes to you tonight (or this morning, depending upon where you live I suppose), and I'm sorry this one was so late, as I had really hoped to post this way earlier. Anyways, have a good one! =)

"Sunburst on the Isle" - A Landscape Painting

"Sunburst on the Isle"     5" x 7"     Acrylic on Museum Quality Claybord

Here's my second submission for the month of January for the Virtual Paintout. You can see my first one for this month here. We went to the Isle of Man, and as I said earlier, it is one of the most beautiful places on this planet, and I didn't even know it existed. Granted, I always say let's go up to LA and down to San Francisco, so I clearly don't have the best geographical sense or knowledge, but still... =P

I have loved painting along the coast of this Isle, and when I stumbled upon this particular spot I just knew I had to put it down in paint! I can't take all the credit though! I had one of my dearest friends over, Megan, who's son was in the NICU both at Walnut Creek and at Antioch with Levi, and who Tyler actually drove home from their high school graduation (what are the odds we would both have our sons two months early in the same place, especially considering she lived in Sacramento at the time?), and she played the PERFECT art critic today. She was amazing! Helping me to see what should go here, what shouldn't go there, and where to make highlights stronger or less obtrusive, and this painting is all the better for her incredible feedback. Thank you SOOO much Megan, you were an incredible helper and my work is so much better because you were here! You're totally gonna have to come over while I paint more often because I think I've honestly tapped Tyler's patience out with asking him constantly what he thinks. Poor guy!

So, I have some majorly good news today! One of my paintings got selected today for the DPW Facebook picks of the day!!! (You can see it as it is on their page for Jan. 29th if you click here - they picked "Misty Mountains Majesty and it seems to be right next to a painting of little nakie kiddos running through the water, if that helps you find it. Hahaha, so great...) Anyways, I am so thrilled I could just explode! I mean, little ole me has one of my paintings up there with FAMOUS artists - I just can't believe it. And I know some people probably think it's silly for me to be so excited, but I am just thrilled with the fact that other people actually thought my work was good. MY WORK! Woo-hoo!!! I couldn't be happier for this little step in the right direction, as it confirms for me in my heart that I'm going the right direction with my art, and I'm just hoping and praying this leads someday to even more paintings up there on that special little wall. How cool would that be? But even if I only get this one, I don't care, I'm just happy for my name being up there with all those fabulous artists!

Here's the screen shot of my painting as it appeared on their blog page. Sorry, just wanted this on here for my own personal records. =)

MY TIP FOR THE DAY:
I can't tell you just how important it can be to find someone who you can show your work to that will GENTLY tell you the truth about it, without causing you to get hurt. Sometimes those closest to you are the best people to go to, and sometimes they're not, but it should be someone who knows at least a little bit about art, even if they don't make any themselves. And it can sometimes be best to not have it be someone you are personally competitive with, because that can cause problems in and of itself. So, do you have a muse or a critic that helps make your work better than it would be without their help? Do you have someone you can turn to that will lovingly help you see where you can grow? I know I have more than one, and I love each and every one of them for being so honest and helpful, even when it hurts. So, as Levi says, "If you don't have one, get one!" (Lol, sorry, he just watches WAY too much Toy Story - it's his all time favorite!)

"High in the Treetops" (ACEO) - An Expressionist Landscape Painting

"High in the Treetops"     2.5" x 3.5"     Acrylic on Acrylic Paper (ACEO)

This one started out as an abstract painting of pinks, yellow and purple, and then turned into this after my Ty told me that it looked more like just a background for another painting. So, here's the "other" painting then. =)

He was right though. It definitely looks better this way. Thanks babe!

"Misty Mountains Majesty" - An Expressionist Painting

"Misty Mountains Majesty"     5" x 7"      Acrylic on Museum Quality Claybord

Not For Sale

PRINTS will be available soon from Fine Art America

Only 4 more days left for this challenge, meaning only 4 more days for you to follow my blog as a member and enter yourself to win one of my paintings from my "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Collection. Time is going way too fast for me right now!!!


Oh man, this is the third painting in a row that I've gotten in by the skin of my teeth, where as soon as it published the submission link for Leslie's Blog Post for Day 25 closed. This is craziness!!! But here it is, and I rather like how this one turned out. Actually, to be quite honest, I like it A LOT - it's one of my very favorites from this month! =) It's from our trip to Montana back in 2011, from which I have an extensive wealth of gorgeous photographs that not only need to be made into prints, but also that are just begging for me to paint them. I seriously can't wait to spend more and more time delving deeper and deeper into the possibilities of all the works I can create from just that trip alone. It's a bit overwhelming, but in a good way. =)

MY TIP FOR THE DAY
So this is actually a rather silly tip, but I'll put it up here none-the-less. It's the exact opposite of my last tip, in which I explained that you can indeed use a brush to blend pastels into beautifully soft gradations of color, and keep yourself clean in the process. So, for today, I would love to encourage you to do the opposite with your paints. Put your brush down, scoop up some paint on your finger, and revert back to your childhood for a moment and finger paint with me - trust me, you won't regret it! Your finger is a fantastic blending tool for just about anything, and you can use it to achieve beautiful, painterly strokes in both acrylic and oils, as well as lovely gradients where the foreground fades into the background in an almost seamless manner. And the very best part about it - it makes you feel like a kid again!!! =D I love the feeling I get when I blend with my fingers, for it's a feeling of continuous youth, where the possibilities are endless and where your imagination soars as it did when you were young. It's a wonderful feeling! So, if you're feeling bold and don't mind getting a little (or a lot!) of paint on your hands, I say you should give this a shot. =0)

I have found it especially useful to actually pick up a little extra paint with your fingertip and start your blending from there, so that you don't just pull up the existing paint from the surface you are working on. Then you softly blend it in, swirling your finger around gently on the surface, picking up colors from here and there and adding more paint with your fingertip as you start to run dry, which you will know is happening by the amount of friction created. Try to make sure that your paint is running smoothly, and not dragging and catching or you'll get what I call "skips" where the paint not only pulls up but also jumps around without adhering to certain places where you want it to. Or if you want that to happen, just go for it. That's the joy of creating isn't it - that the sky's the limit?!

Well, I wish you the best of luck with this and hope that if you try it, you would find the little kid inside of you, just waiting around hoping and hopping impatiently to be set free. Because when your inner-child has been set free and you can look at the world from a child's perspective, you will see things completely differently, with great joy and wonder, and you might even be able to find joy in situations you never could have possibly imagined before.

Even the Lord prompts us to be more like little children, to have faith like them for the kingdom of heaven belongs to those like them. It makes perfect sense if you think about it - children are so pure and unspoiled (though they are definitely not without sin just like we aren't, let me tell ya! I definitely have a two year old running wildly about my house every day... =/ Lol!). But the way that they see the world and how they can trust with great abundance and unwavering faith makes it so obvious why God would want us to be more like them. How great would it be to trust without holding anything back? To jump blindly into our Father's arms, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that He WILL catch us and protect us from harm. To be completely devoted to Him and love Him and others without reservation. Oh how I wish I could be like that! Someday when I see Him face to face I know that I won't be able to do anything but that, but oh how I wish that I could be that way now...

"Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.' " (Matthew 19:13-14)
 "He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:2-4)

"Glimpses" - A Miniature Landscape Painting

"Glimpses"     2" x 2"     Acrylic on Canvas

SOLD

I caught this glimpse of a beautiful sunset as we were driving home one day along the old winding river road that leads to 12. It was stunning and just begged to be painted. But don't be fooled. This is on a really tiny canvas! Here it is in my hand...

See! I told you so... Lol! Hope you have a great day today! It's off to bed for me (YAY - It's only 1:30am - WAY more normal than some of these nights lately!). Haha, God bless!