Fulton County Living

Pattern with Ink

2012-02-09T21:46:00.001-05:00

For Christmas my children received a coloring book of patterns. They squealed in delight when when the gift was unwrapped. I myself couldn't wait to try out the new book. The book is called, Modern Patterns-Botanical Coloring Book. The first picture is the skeleton and the second is my addition of "skin."

2012 Calendar designed by the Mongin Girls

2011-12-29T10:02:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! The girls and I have designed a calendar for 2012 for you to download and color. We would love to see your finished work.

*Copyright Fulton County Living 2011. You may copy the content to individual third parties for their personal use, but only if you acknowledge the website as the source of the material .

2012 Calendar designed by the Mongin Girls

Poor Frosty

2011-12-22T22:09:00.000-05:00

Christmas Ornament Wreath

2011-12-22T21:51:00.000-05:00

Early in the year we had a sewer leak in the basement. This leak lead to me throwing away all of the artficial Christmas greenery that was stored there. The girls all had their own Christmas trees (the purple and pink variety) for their rooms. Instead of replacing the trees I decided to take the ornaments they have collected over the years and make a wreath. I started with a wire base I purchased at the craft store and then tied each ball on. It took more than I imagined. Before attaching the balls I glued the hooks in place with hot glue, because they kept popping off when I tried to secure them. Hanging them on their bedroom doors took more time than I wanted to spend, because they had to withstand the slamming of children on the move. Finally David tied them from four sides with fishing (50lbs). This project took a little time and patience, but over all it was very easy.

Green Onions

2011-12-15T19:16:00.000-05:00

Onions can be re-grown after cutting off the stems. This particular batch was left too long in the refrigerator and wilted. I cut the yucky green tops off, placed the roots in a glass jar with water, and placed them in the window. They started growing again immediately. This last photograph is about 1 and a half weeks growth (I changed out the water every few days). The things I have learned on Pinterest....I can't count.

Santa Advent Calendar

2011-12-12T22:29:00.000-05:00

Isabella made this from looking at the one from Pinterest. Great job!

Paper Doll by Vivianna Mongin

2011-10-22T22:00:00.000-04:00

A Poem for My Days

2011-10-11T12:39:00.002-04:00

Flight
……

I know women
who would lose their children
like throwing off a robe,
unbraiding a red ribbon
and discarding it, to let
their wild selves fly free.

I know women
who put aside their children
like cheap jewelry by the side of the bed.
I know women
who never seem to wear them at all.

My girls, I do not want
to be free of you.
You are like my wedding rings
which I could have easily slipped out of
but wear
every day that my heart beats.

I want you near me.
My girls, my husband,
when I see a sunset
I want these two eyes
to be part of the eight who see it.
I want our laughter and stories
to be so tangled
that our memories weave into one dream.

This is my time with you.

Soon enough, you will be off
swimming your own new seas.
Soon enough, we will step back and watch you
blooming and bursting in solitary ways
in your own fresh, separate skins.

How could I waste this?

Oh my darlings, you are not my cage.
You are my wings.

~Alicia Bayer

St. Patrick's Day Craft

2011-03-17T16:29:00.002-04:00

We put these little Leprechauns together in no time. Thanks, Last Minute Mel!

What should my name be?

2010-09-01T10:50:00.002-04:00

This is the main character in my sketchbook and she is a little dark. I don't know her story yet, but think a great name might help me understand her. Any suggestions?

Art With Humor

2010-08-18T17:30:00.002-04:00

I just love these giant pencils or them idea of them anyway. I admire the playful nature of the artist and sense of humor. The artist is Jonna Pohjalainen.

“I travelled to work in Pedvale with empty hands. I admired the lovely rural scene and the sunsets of Pedvale. I used local aspen in my work because of its lively forms and beautiful, grey colour. While you sharpen your pencils you can see time passing by. Colours bring joy and happiness in our everyday life. I chose a place of of my work because of the sunsets. You can sit and meditate near my work and look at the sunsets. Without sun there are no colours and life!”

Time On My Hands-I Think Not!

2010-08-17T12:26:00.002-04:00

Sketchbook Tour

2010-08-09T11:57:00.002-04:00

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I have signed up for a new project. Finally I am excited to have a deadline in my life. In the next couple of weeks I will receive my sketchbook in the mail. The plan will be to transform it into a visual utopia. Whatever that is...I have not defined that for myself yet.

Put Some New Shoes On!

2010-07-13T14:13:00.006-04:00

I tried working on a flat surface (the kitchen counter top)instead of my easel this time. I believe it gave me little more control of my strokes and of a certain 18 month old who like to draw on top of my work....

We have been enjoying a song called New Shoes ,by Paolo Nutini.

"Ominous Clouds"

2010-07-07T13:32:00.002-04:00

With no plan in mind I have been painting on canvas this moodiness I have been feeling. It is blends of skin and bone black. The works feel ominous and scary and yet intriguing. This exercise has been mainly about getting in front of my easel with a brush in hand. Just taking time to move paint around with my brush. Thinning the paint with water and other vehicles. I have stuck mainly to a muted color scheme, because of the conflict bright colors seem to create within me right now. Not having a plan is disconcerting. Exploration is difficult. I really like to know where I am going and what it is going to take to get there.

Quality Time

2010-06-16T16:23:00.004-04:00

Vivianna and I worked on these flowers this morning. She said, she enjoyed the watercolors the best. Then I got out the green pixie dust glitter...and her day was made! What is it about glitter? It can turn even the most conservative artist into a prom queen!

2010-06-02T14:13:00.003-04:00

I have wanted to finish this piece forever! Between procrastination and taking care of my girls two months have slipped away. I should have set a date to be completed by the end of school. The little painting sits on my easel tempting me every time I walk by. I cannot count the times I have prepared the paint only to put it on my scrap canvas (verses putting down the sink), because something comes up and distracts me.
The other part truth is I got stuck on the fingers and I got nervous. All this concentration to paint "what I see" and the fear that it will not turn out. Which is most ridiculous since I have never painted like this before. It is a first try and I have been hoping to peg it the first time.
The little girls are from a magazine article I tore out of Cookie. The photographer is Tamara Schlesinger and she has a website http://www.tamaraschlesinger.com. Her portfolio is filled with children caught in amazing shots. If I were in New York I would make an appointment immediately!

Easter Made Out of Legos

2010-04-01T13:08:00.000-04:00

The model was based on Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsens's 19th century work Christus, which depicts the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

No matter where you go or what you are doing. He can be with you. If you would only ask...

I'm Workin On It....Time Needed!

2010-03-25T21:12:00.002-04:00

Isabella's Self Portrait

2010-03-16T10:55:00.002-04:00

She is so much like me that it is scary. And yet so different. I know what she is thinking most of the time and understand her better than she does herself (for now). A sweet girl. Blessed with beauty, but most important a loving kind heart. Isabella skips instead of walking with a smile upon her face almost everywhere she goes. Anyone is a potential friend and she delights at the prospect of meeting new faces. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed every morning with excitement about the new day is her constant attitude. I love her more everyday.

Dreams of Peter Pan

2010-02-24T13:58:00.002-05:00

The girls and I have been reading the classic version of Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie. They really miss the pictures they imagine would go with such story. The Walt Disney version captured my heart as a child and now again as an adult. My painting here represents trying to get home.

Cutie Pie!

2010-02-17T19:19:00.003-05:00

Three done and one to go!

Paint by Number

2010-02-10T20:36:00.003-05:00

This paint by number piece is for the Montgomery School auction. After a day of working on it with the kids in class I realized the time involved. So I came up with the idea for it to "travel" from house to house. This way everyone got a turn and the piece would truly be done by the kids. I think Mrs. Russell's class did a great job! Thank you kids and parents for a beautiful painting to benefit our school!

I Need a Name....

2010-02-02T11:56:00.002-05:00

Any suggestions friends?

Change is Growth

2010-02-01T18:49:00.005-05:00

I know about keeping art interesting. It is having consistency and yet evolving at the same time. It takes courage and a risk. Now being able to do these things. We will see...

"I try to tell students to do the things that come the most naturally, but at the same time do the very thing that you don't know how to do and that you're afraid to do. You should do two things at once: what you do and what you don't do. I think what you do instinctively proceeds from your heart. And what you don't do is what you need to learn with your head. So you need to do both." ~ Amy Sullivan

Little One

2010-01-27T16:10:00.007-05:00

A mother's treasure is her daughter.
Catherine Pulsifer, Inspirational Words of Wisdom

I seemed to have turned the corner this week. Thanks for the encouragement!

Here We Go. AGAIN!

2010-01-25T10:34:00.003-05:00

I guess you could call it painters block. I have gotten stuck. I have started twice on this canvas and have sand it back down each time. It is very frustrating to want to do the thing that makes you somebody besides the housekeeper. I reserve the right not to be well rounded all the time! And if any of my five readers want to leave me note of encouragement...well this would be the time...

Sea Creatures

2010-01-15T15:23:00.007-05:00

This morning I drew out this piece on sea life. I am reading this book about Ernst Haekel (1834-1919). A German biologist and philosopher who kept a sketch book of the many organisms he discovered living in the deep parts of the ocean. His drawings of the specimens he observed are wonderful. They come to life on the page (if you can imagine wet and slimy). I am sure he would have enjoyed a digital camera, but then we might not have his beautiful drawings. His jellyfish are so beautifully detailed that people are using them as tattoos. If you Google Mr. Haekel's name a woman's thigh will come up in the images. It was fun to draw up my own imaginary sea creature, but it might drive me crazy to paint the piece.

Images may be subject to copyright.

A New Year!

2010-01-05T16:10:00.002-05:00

Time to jump back on the bus and go to work. While I only have to commute to my studio/living room it might as well be downtown. The process of all the things that need to be done before I can work is overwhelming at times. The new book in my life is Julie and Julia, by Julie Powell. This book's dialog is not rated G for you guys out there who like to keep it simple. I have only been able to read 3 chapters or so and the author has pulled me into her story. While reading I am thinking about what I should paint to go with the book. FooD! Ya'll I am NOT painting FooD!!! I don't think I can go there. I guess painting pears (or the backsides of naked women) for years had gotten to me. I really have been thinking about patterns in nature and how to paint them. This idea leads me back to my early roots of drawing wallpaper and gift wrap. So the next few weeks will be an experiment and a learning process as well.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T21:48:00.003-05:00

Sugarplums do not dance in my head.
I think of donuts and coffee instead.
There is much work to be done.
I need some caffeine to complete the perfect Christmas treats.
The presents are wrapped and the children are tucked in bed.
A ham has been precooked and will taste great with the homemade bread.
The lights twinkle on a Christmas tree that is half dead.
The fireplace is broke so there is no fire to stoke.
We are not short on Christmas cheer!
I can hear Maria Carey singing in my ear.
Up on the roof there are no deer, but an old raccoon with a black ring tail.
There is a scratch on the window and and a breeze in the air.
I shutter and pull down my hair.
Crawling into bed I nuzzle my honey as if I were a bear.
We sleep til dawn without a care.
Then I am woken to the sound of pitter patter on the stair.
Mommy! Daddy! HE HAS COME! HE HAS COME!
And I think: YES, He has come!
Yes, He has come to give the greatest gift of all!

Isabella's Stuffed Turkey

2009-11-30T22:16:00.003-05:00

Vivianna's Tom Journal

2009-11-30T22:09:00.006-05:00

The Musician and His Muse

2009-11-20T10:24:00.004-05:00

These two paintings are both about 12"x12". They are quick little paintings squeezed in between my busy home life. The girls have had Turkey Projects due at school and then a first birthday party planned for Adelaide. Until next week....

2009-11-10T12:22:00.002-05:00

Here is my version of Elizabeth I. The original painting is called The Rainbow, by Isaac Oliver. The portrait is one of her last. She is in her sixties, but looks young and beautiful. This painting has been a challenge for me to finish. I am looking forward to painting my next court character The Musician.

2009-11-06T11:13:00.003-05:00

Just a little something to look at while I am working on the next piece. This one is from February 2009. Thanks for looking!

Halloween 1957

2009-10-31T10:01:00.002-04:00

This painting is from 2007. It has been hanging in the gallery for almost two years. I can't imagine why no one has ever bought it. It one of the most heart warming paintings I have ever done.

2009-10-30T15:34:00.004-04:00

"A man who works with his hands is a laborer: a man who works with his hands and brain is a craftsman, but a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist." Louis Nizer

The photo above is our fireplace shoved full of books and butterflies. This is a decorative attempt to keep Adelaide out of it.

Leonardo Da Vinci

2009-10-21T10:21:00.007-04:00

We went to the High Museum of Art to experience Leonardo Da Vinci. The museum mainly focused on his drawings for sculptures and machines. I realized what a luxury it is to have a sketch book. Paper being in limited supply the fronts and backs of these sheets were filled with his images. I can't imagine having only one piece of paper to scribble on at a time. I would think it would cause me to consider my strokes more seriously. Making each one count, because there were no erasers.
The exhibit's entrance is a huge empty room with a video playing. At first you think there must be some mistake...the film seems to be playing backwards. Then I realize Leonardo wrote his notes backwards. A way of protecting one's ideas. He was amazing!
The display was a little disappointing for me. I don't know what I expected, but I did not expect a dated show. The walls were painted in a musty green that everyone went wild over in the late 90's and the drawings were in little dinky frames. What pushed me over the edge was the craftsmanship of the way some of the pieces where hung. Crudely hung with L brackets and screws. Some of the L brackets were painted over and some were not. It made no sense. Even if it was for security reasons.
My Bohemian soul longed for the walls to be painted rich colors of gold, orange, and deep black. I can imagine these colors enhancing the sketches. Making them "POP" if you will. But what do I know about the complicated tasks of putting on a priceless show?
In the end I am glad I was able to see these images, because who knows when I will see them again. If ever...

Images maybe subject to copyright.

The Process of Making Art

2009-10-16T11:01:00.005-04:00

Now that Stolen Heart is complete I will take a few days to recoup. I have started reading a new book about the painter Vermeer. The plot is centered around the famous painting Girl With A Pearl Earring.

While reading I will look through vintage illustrations for a subject I might like to paint. These images are typically very small and only drawings. Until I can get backstage at theater with my camera for a photo shoot the pictorial archives will have to suffice. I have even thought of throwing an Elizabethan costume party. Of course suggestions are welcome.

After the subject is decided upon I then redraw it to suit my style and the size canvas. I always make sure that the illustration is permission-free before committing to a piece. I also change it so there is no questions. I have really enjoyed the archives. They have been a lesson in the making and drawn many viewers.

Stolen Heart

2009-10-15T21:10:00.003-04:00

Miss Ima says no pointing! This little boy is in some trouble for playing a trick on his friends. No treats for him tonight! Painted with acrylics on board this piece measures 16"x20"x2". I used about 5 colors and worked back and forth adding black and white to create the depths. I decided while working on this piece that I like to paint one to three characters at a time. Anything over that number becomes distracting for me. This time of year my own children really get into dressing up and pretending so it seemed appropriate to depict little ones in costume.

A Little Peak

2009-10-13T21:04:00.004-04:00

Here is a little peak of what I am working on now. The piece is taking more time to complete, because it has so many characters. And I get all caught up in what colors their clothes should be...

What Path Should I Take?

2009-10-06T13:46:00.004-04:00

I turned my work into a gallery I like here in Atlanta. I was turned down, but received such nice complements that I still feel accepted. I really do not know what path to take. I want representation so that I feel that my career is real. It also helps to be accountable to someone besides yourself. On the flip side of things you have to play by the gallery rules and share commissions (which I believed are deserved). I know that I will not be part of a gallery that is not a comfortable place to visit. It causes me great anxiety to put letters, photographs and artist statements together. Then the wait is awful! After a while the rejection letter comes and I wonder why I put myself through all that in the first place. I really can not complain, because I have sold over a dozen paintings this year with no representation at all. Am I wrong to think that I need to be apart of the gallery scene to be successful/professional?

Trivial Pursuit Questions

2009-10-03T18:56:00.008-04:00

I went through the games cards looking for art related trivia and to my disappointment there were not many. I have selected photos of each artist that applies to the answers. I never really think about the face behind the painting. How many can you identify and answer?

A) What surrealist modestly titled his 1965 book Diary of a Genius?

B)What U.S. painter's works include Black Iris and a Cow's Skull?

C)What three-letter word did Pablo Picasso define as "a lie that makes us realize a truth?"

a) Salvador Dali, b) Georgia O'Keeffe's, c) Art

Images may be subject to copyright.

Leftovers???

2009-09-30T21:47:00.003-04:00

I was looking through Metropolitan Home today and thought I might share this article:Just click on the image to read about how paint will be recycled as early as next year. I will be interested to see how they will market this idea.

Living Art

2009-09-24T12:47:00.007-04:00

What would you consider beautiful if you had not been born in a high tech society. I won't call it civilized, because that is relative. If I had the courage I would go here to experience this way of life. I am ignoring the fact that this might be staged, because that would just kill all the fun in it. It could be explained as teenagers having fun. That is what I have read anyway. The video is 7 minutes, but worth the trip. There is some nudity, but it is not offensive in any way.

Grrreeeeen

2009-09-23T08:38:00.000-04:00

West Africa and other counties think in terms of shades of color rather than making a distiction between blue and green. I love it! Another view on how to interpret color. Not that I understand color thoery anymore now than I did twenty years ago. Still no matter what country your in this secondary color is achieved by mixing the primary colors of blue and yellow. Of course where would green be without it's complementary color red.
Green never goes out of fashion in my book. It defiantly has been over used during the decades. On top of women's eyelids for one. Nature surly depends on green for its decorating needs. The green door above is my ground zero for going lighter or darker. Shades and tints come under terms called lime, teal, veridian, phthalo, emerald, jade, frogger, and others.

Photo by:Palermo Mínimo

Artist Statement Beginnings

2009-09-22T19:55:00.002-04:00

Shakespeare and other Elizabethan literature are some of the resources for my art. They fill my mind with a world that is complex in characters and I am entertained. The visual is only words described by a writer. A Scottish Queen dressed in red before she was beheaded. The dress made before she even knew she would be charged with treason. Or the letter A embroidered in red and sewn to the front of a young girls dress. These things interest me. To satisfy my curiosity I looked to old costume patterns. They became inspiration. They are mostly nondescript illustrations from the turn of the century or earlier. I imagine them as the characters from the books I like to read. Europe’s throne rooms where jesters at court are the voice of the public. A cold ballroom, because of the black and white marbled herringbone patterned floor, where a ballerina takes the stage. She delights us with her graceful moves. I become fascinated with the scene that that author is creating for me and it spills over into the types of subjects I like to paint.

Ned

2009-09-15T11:51:00.003-04:00

Here is the Jester's friend Ned. He is older than the other little man and he has seen more than one king in his lifetime. Traveling from court to court he is tired and wants to get away from this monarchy. A portrait on board, painted in acrylic (12"x14"x2").

Acrylic vs Oils

2009-09-14T13:58:00.002-04:00

I have never painted with oils. Why, I have no idea. Maybe because of the clean up or the economics of my situation. Also it takes a little time to become familiar with the way the paint works. The longer you use the medium the more you understand it and how to manipulate it. Switching to oils now would require a small investment. As one tube runs out now I just replace it, but it would mean a whole range of colors to convert. I like the drying time of acrylics. Most of the time I need to work fast and it is not unusual for me to keep a hairdryer next to the easel. But then their are some glazing effects done in oil that I have seen in others' works that does not seem possible with acrylic.

The fact of the matter is I had not even considered changing until I realized some galleries do not except work done in acrylic. I am still trying to decide if this is snobbery. Does it really matter if one paints in one medium or another? Are you immature if you don't paint in oils? I bet if I painted in my infants poo I could make a million bucks.

2009-09-09T22:29:00.002-04:00

My smock is on Mommy and I'm ready to paint!

Painting Daily

2009-09-08T10:43:00.006-04:00

Painting daily is challenging when you work from home with little people running around. I dream of a studio drenched in sunlight and sky high walls. For now my space is about 3'x6' and is working out fine. But one day....

Here is a new one of four young girls. Dressed in black and accented in pink. I see them as they are waiting for directions to go on stage. They are not sure of themselves and their environment is unfamiliar. Tired and hungry orphans not knowing what will come next.

Recycle Reuse

2009-09-01T20:07:00.002-04:00

While hanging up my new painting series in the hallway I notice the hook on one of the other paintings I was taking down. I took a second look and then picked the piece up for an even closer look. I could'nt believe it....a beer tab! WOW! Who would have thunk it?

Balancing Act

2009-08-31T13:07:00.002-04:00

Today I completed this man balancing on balls. I again started the piece with layers upon layers of paint. Red and green are complementary colors I do not often use, but started into this relationship with the painting "The Jester." Claude is not a jester, but is an entertainer. He is in a unique position for,“…the clown is wise because he plays the fool for money, while others have to pay for the same privilege” (Leslie Hotson in Shakespeare’s Motley).

Your Opinion in Color

2009-08-29T09:53:00.007-04:00

Black is my favorite color(ebony, jet, sable, onyx, ink, lampblack, coal, soot, charcoal, raven, midnight, and obsidian). My children will tell you this. It is at least the color I depend on most in everything I select. Most often I stick to neutral colors, because I know they will work for me longer. I like color, but become sick of it in a season. I guess Marcia Cohen rubbed off on me more than I realized. Now I have told the children black is my favorite color because it is the presence of all the colors. Actually it is the hue less color.But this is not a lesson on color theory. This is me wondering why a person has a favorite color or gravitates to one. My Grandmother favored pink in everything. She never really spent her childhood being a child and I wonder if there is any correlation. Just like I have been labeled as serious minded. One of the symbolisms of black is seriousness. My subconscious spills out onto the physical image of myself. So step up to the mike and tell about your personal color.

The Jester

2009-08-26T11:53:00.006-04:00

How would you like to be the King's Fool? It would mean you could say whatever you want and get away with it. Of course everyone knows your crazy and that's what you say these things. So why paint these things? I love England and the stories of long ago that come from there. King Author is one of my favorites. I loose sleep reading late into the night, because I am captured by this literature. This my newest completed work. It is a small painting done in acrylic on board(12"x16"x3.5"). The little man is a dark piece for me. Normally my art is cheerful, but I realized while painting him that his life was on the line daily. Fools were at the kings side to be witty. It was an informal way of letting the king know how the crowd viewed him at the moment. Theses days we have CNN. Many washes of deep green, purple, brown, and black were used for the base to achieve the setting. I tried a little cross hatching in the last layer for a new technique. It helped break up the depths of the background. The Jester's livery colors are green and yellow. A combination of my own choosing and does not represent any given monarchy. For example, Queen Elizabeth II personal flag colors are blue and gold.

It is Finished

2009-08-24T10:58:00.004-04:00

The dimensions on this painting are 23"x72"x3.5". This piece has been an exercise in repetition. The pattern is original and I drew it over and over until the canvas was covered. My idea for the piece is not original although the lines of the artwork are all my own creation. I spotted a similar painting in an old Domino Magazine. Unfortunately I have no idea of the pieces origin and no one else seems to know who the artist either. Reading a column in Design Sponge I notice during a sneak peek that someone else had saved the magazine clipping and put it on their memo board. I have chosen to replicate this piece for my own gratification and have no plans of selling it on the open market. After today I will hang the kitty clown portrait in the stairwell and it will reside there for a long time.

The High

2009-08-23T22:04:00.003-04:00

We went to the High Museum of Art today for one last peak at Claude Monet's Waterlilies. He is quite impressive is an understatement. My personal favorite is Houses of Parliament, London, in breaking fog. The history, over a hundred years of it now, goes that Monet had suffered an injury to his eyes that blinded him temporarily. The irony of it all is just to much for me. He paints better blind than I ever will seeing fine. Possibly it was easier for him to paint in this afliction since he liked to base paintings off of light anyway (Impressionism). The riverview scene is framed with a piece of glass over the top of it and I wish it where not that way. I imagine the viewing to be a much richer one without the glare or reflections (not to mention the dozens of people breathing down your neck for a look for themselves). Also diappointing to me was that it shared a smaller wall with another painting. It was crowded and I think the currator underestimed the interest in this piece. Hey, but what do I know! All in all I have enjoyed our Sunday at the museum. Who knows when if ever I will lay eyes on this piece again. It is beautiful.

The Twelve Pears

2009-08-22T22:02:00.003-04:00

Tonight I am having fun dusting off old paintings. This is my own version of "The Last Supper." I did not paint twelve pairs on purpose sitting at/own the table, but if it gives the painting four legs to stand on....It makes for a fine story and we all love a good story. True or not.

Memory Lane

2009-08-22T19:38:00.007-04:00

This painting has a story. One I had forgotten until I found a photo of it. There are only two paintings of mine like this. Done more of as an exercise to keep painting when I have nothing else better in mind. It turned out strong and the colors worked into a vibrating song. Looking at the photo now I think I can actually hear this piece. Not talking but vibrating a tune of sorts. I never sold this piece. It disappeared. It wasn't magic. Displayed in a store front one day and gone the next. The owner of the shop never called to say: "I'm leaving town! Tonight!" Being new to the whole gallery scene I chalked it up to a novices fortune. Friends, here is some advice: take pictures of your work and check on it at the gallery. And if you have my painting hanging up on your wall somewhere send me a check.

Learning From Others

2009-08-21T09:07:00.002-04:00

I am working early this morning. While baby sleeps. I prefer late nights, but having 3 little kids is exhausting. This video is really neat. I am amazed at how it starts out with only three washes of color and the begins to bloom with each layer the artist adds. Portraits are not my thing and I am amazed by people who can see the necessary geometry involved to capture the reflection of another!

The New Painting

2009-07-05T16:56:00.006-04:00

The "New" Painting is taking forever! I had hoped to have more to share by now, but with summer vacation in full swing it seems impossible and someone is always hungry. I think it has been a month since I picked up a paintbrush, but only five minutes ago my frying pan was in my hand. I love to paint, but it turning more into a hobby than a career. When Cinderella gets all her chores done then she can come out and play! School starts August 10!

A New Painting

2009-05-15T22:23:00.003-04:00

Look Who's Back! Inspiration hit when a friend bought one of my favorite paintings. The big blank space in the stairwell cannot be tolerated. Here is a peek at what is to come. I am excited to blend historical literature with my love of pattern.

Looking for Inspiration

2009-01-13T13:15:00.018-05:00

I am out of creative juice. Maybe a little tired of the way I approach art. I do not attempt a new piece without planning the outcome to be beautiful. Why? Beauty sells and reaches more potential buyers. So I have stomped out my own creative ideas by trying to please potential buyers. What are the guidelines for creating, interpreting or evaluating works of art? Opinion. We all have one and some express those opinions through different types of art. Different types of art provoke all kinds of emotion: anger, love, moods, perception and so on. Today I tried to jump start my own brain with a little art history. Picasso there is a great place to start. I would not say his art is beautiful to me the way Renoir is, but it stirs an emotion in me. I can across this drawing that to me is scary. Something nightmarish to me. This piece is Head (study for Guernica)1937. It is ugly and demon like and it does the job of stirring my not so favorite emotions. As an exercise I tried to make my own "Head." I limited my time to just a few short minutes or I knew I would become bogged down and miss the point. Over thinking the exercise. Paper out of the printer and mechanical pencil in hand I gave it a go. As my own critic the image is ugly. That goal was easy to reach. But my other observations are that my drawing is still very planned out. Even with the short time I allotted my self. Also I find my drawing "Banjo" (as Vivi named him) weak. A sure sign that I need to spend more time drawing to loosen up my own head.

Big Canoe

2008-04-15T12:43:00.007-04:00

We took a little day trip to the North Georgia Mountains. Just an hour away. The view looked as if we had driven for hours. Southern Living hosted a show house and these are the lovely little paintings we saw there.

Back to Painting

2008-03-30T23:03:00.002-04:00

Here is my recent work not even dry yet. I have painted about ten tomatoes over the last few days. They are punchy and I hope they will find a festive home.

Table Toppings for Easter

2008-03-20T09:42:00.002-04:00

Owl Tea Towell

2008-03-12T11:01:00.006-04:00

Tea Towel

2008-02-28T10:43:00.004-05:00

These lovebirds share a stitchy nest among the spring flowers.
Isabella thinks that it is her and Daddy. I am a little sad that I am finished with this piece.
I think I will try the owl next!

Frugal, Cheap, or Broke?

2008-02-13T21:11:00.005-05:00

Frugal is for those who have no money, but plan on having some later. Cheap is for those who have money, but choose to horde it and leave it to relatives who will spend it and become broke. I have to wonder if painting these safety pins was worth the time vs the price it cost to buy them. The pins made interesting photos anyway.

Recycled Doll House

2008-02-07T22:31:00.000-05:00

Doll House owned by artist Kelly Ash
Created by Danielle Mongin

Blind Design

2008-02-05T20:45:00.002-05:00

The empty before space. This spot needed sprucing up. The Christmas tree had been in this spot last month. When it went away, I never filled the space up again. Until now. I decided to take a chance. Not that I haven't tried before. When we moved out of our last house I promised to spackle and paint the den walls for the new owners. One wall had 142 holes! I do try to plan a little before I nail now. Sewing pins make a great nails for smaller items. Lately have been pondering about a new wall display. This is what I came up with...
It is impossible for me not to move our things around in our home. Today I think I have stumbled across an arangement that I will be able to live with for a while. Wood wine crates make great storage on and off the wall. After a little paint and design they were ready to be screwed into studs on the wall. Creating they perfect little niche for books and what knots.

Decorating always starts out as a desired destination. First you make choices about color and style. Flooring, paint, window coverings, furniture, and accessories. All this to end up with what you will call home. And lets face it some of us are better at it than others. Whether you are good at it or not I feel the home should be the reflection of your family. This is why high style designers scare me and I know plenty of them. They put themselves in your home. They erase your style. So I encourage even those in dorm rooms to try their hand at decorating!

Painting

2008-02-01T10:34:00.000-05:00

I am painting, but it is uninspired. If I wait any longer to be inspired I am afraid my whole career could pass me by. I love to paint. Not because I am sooooo wonderfully skilled or because I have a political agenda. Painting gives me a place. The paintbrush for me is the cigarette for someone else. The paint sometime looks so brilliant that it must be more valuable than jewels. It spreads onto the canvas with my pallate knife like peanut butter to bread and I have no need to eat. I will make up the calories later (don't worry). This color goes here and the complement there. Will it turn out? I do not know. I do care for positive feedback and beg a complement from the kids. They are my fans and I know that they are biased towards me. These paintings may end up in their attics someday, but the history of my days will be their for them. Until then I am searching for the idea that will become success.

Facinating

2008-01-30T13:41:00.000-05:00

Spice World

photo and text by: Dave Schreier

View Dave Schreier's map

Taken in (See more photos here)

The spice shops in Morocco are a sight to see and the smells will keep you coming back for more. Moroccans have some of them most amazing spices and the most colorful ways of displaying them. Every shop was full of color and composition. They are a fantastic place to find a unique picture. I spent about an hour tasting and smelling spices from all over Africa. I also took a little time to eat some dried fruit and nuts. I ate like a king in Morocco and still lost 18 pounds! The food was fantastic!

Can you find the man sitting in this shot?

Future Artist at Work

2008-01-29T23:17:00.001-05:00

Riding down the road. Being good as can be. Why, I wonder.

Hey! Look what Mom left back here! Shush....ssss! Check it out. The camera. I've been trying to get my paws on this for days. Their's my feet. So in style these days to snap a shot of your Crocs.

Hey Vivi...Say Cheese. No! This is Mommy's camera! Not! Yours.....!!!! WHAT! Give me that! AND STay.....oUt of My PurSe......(car swerving)

OK! One last shot....Mom. ISABEllA!

For the Love of Painting

2008-01-28T21:12:00.000-05:00

One item I will never be with out is a paint brush. The more they are used the better they look to me. Of coarse new brushes are always welcome.

Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

2008-01-27T15:37:00.001-05:00

One of our resolutions for this year is to try some new recipes for dinner. I saw this on in Cookie Magazine and to be honest it was the picture that got me to try it. David and I cooked this delicious meal together and Isabella actually ate it and liked it. It was a good bit more prep than I usually do but it was well worth it after it was finished. A great meal too revive your spouse after an afternoon of shoveling mulch into the flower beds.....more about that later. So be sure to try this one soon, you will not be disappointed.

Do You Feel Like A Number?

2008-01-25T23:01:00.001-05:00

Today I found some house numbers in my tool box.....
ummm....What can we do with these???I did' nt take long. Might have been faster if Vivianna had not been sitting in my lap.

Measuring it out was the worst part. I could have eyeballed it just as well as my measuring..

Mom! I'm not a number! I'm a BIG GIRL!

An Average Day

2008-01-24T22:00:00.000-05:00

I did not make anything today but breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I did take some photos of the kitchen earlier this month. These pics were not intended to be shared in this manner, but actually taken as evidence that my kitchen has been spotless before. ..

Here are some close ups of the drawer pulls. Wow! I still love these knobs! Thanks to Anthropology these inexpensive cabinets look mighty good!

These little beauties are pinned on to the cornice board above the sink. I don't even remember how long they took to make! I think they turned out pretty fast, but I had know idea in the beginning if they would turn out the way I imagined them.

Circus Act

2008-01-23T19:25:00.001-05:00

Today and many other days as well I have been working on a project for an auction for school The Kindergarten class, Ms. Elizabeth (Mitchel's Mom), and I have been coloring,cutting,and pasting. I think it is cute and hope it will sell well for the school.

Art Today

2008-01-22T09:49:00.000-05:00

Today it is quiet. Both girls are at school and I am free to make art. I have started on a new tea towel. I found the pattern one, weekend while visiting Candace, and just loved the little birdies. It is so easy to iron on the image. Once the image is in place then it can be painted or turned into an embroidery piece. I will do a little of both. I am a little worried over the green pin stripe I choose for a background, but art is a risk every time one starts something new. I'll let you know how it turns out. I will work on it in the evenings before bed. This one might take me a few days.

Post Christmas Blues

2008-01-13T20:22:00.002-05:00

It's like coming down off a sugar high. Now the reality of life has kicked in and it is cold. No parties with friends, no secret gift exchanges, no reason to over eat.......The girls have more toys now than ever and I think I going to box most of them up and rotate. If it takes longer than hour with all 4 of us working!!!!! I can't take it! I won't! They will be checking toys out of the hall closet just like the library. I can't remember having all this stuff to play with. Certainly not a playroom and my own bedroom. They are cute and I love them but they too are missing the "tidy gene." Would you believe I am praying for organization in my life and a way to teach the girls to be neat? If you run into Mary Poppins or better yet know someone from one of those home improvement shows, send them over! Fast!

Make Mine Pink

2007-10-18T12:44:00.002-04:00

Friends always want to know how I can leave out breakable things and I tell them to just let the little ones grow up with accessories. They get used to the surroundings. I will admit some things do get broken, but its no big deal when most of my stuff comes from thrift stores. I have even glued or nailed things down (like IKEA) to keep tables tidy!
These birds were the compromise for pinks walls. The girls actually helped paint them. It took longer to draw the stencil than to paint them on the wall. Still better than painting stripes.

Doesn't everyone glue chalk to china bowls for decoration?

Make Mine Pink is not an original phrase, but I promise my Grandmother coined it first! I grew up in a home that boasted a pink kitchen (the appliances), bathroom (tub, sink, toilet, tile), and bedroom (walls, linens, carpet). Pepto was a staple in the medicine cabinet.

I swear Isabella has a pink gene passed on to her from Geedle. She thinks eats and breathes pink. Vivianna is not far behind. While I have been unable to paint their rooms pink I have tried to make their boudoir a place of girly divinity.