Welcome and an Update

Hello!

If you happen to be visiting for the first time, and you've seen my auction item for the Greek Open, please click here to browse some of my portrait work! Thanks for stopping by!

It's been a long time since I've updated this blog. Life has been busy. I spent the summer working on some sewing projects and even a few art projects, here and there. Mainly, though, I just enjoyed being with the kiddos. Now it's back to school, and I find myself with more opportunities to be diligent in housework... not to mention, getting back on the ball with ART. As a disclaimer, I will say that I thought I'd have "more" free-time with 2/3 of my children shuttled off to school. This isn't necessarily true. However, it is giving me a glimpse into the future, and I can't help but wonder how big of a part creating art will have in it. You see, even as a child, I always wanted to be a mom and an artist. I always envisioned having a studio and creating art once my kids were old enough and in school. Now that I'm actually, kind of, sort of, at that point, I want to take baby steps into making my old dream a reality.

I'm trying to make some goals to get myself motivated, even it I won't be able to work on those goals for another 2-5 years or so (then again, who knows? Maybe sooner).

Mainly, I'm eager to take a class or two on how to use the Linux-version of Illustrator and Photoshop programs. You see, I'm kicking myself in the head for not taking more graphic design courses in college! I just wanted to spend all of my time painting and drawing... But now, it seems there are so many hoops to jump through just to attain my goals. These "hoops" wouldn't be a problem if they didn't involve expensive technology applications or equipment or classes that take me out of the home.

So for now, I'll just keep drawing and painting and scanning and fidgeting with images in the compartively-primitive Paint program (or in my case, the Linux equivalent, KolourPaint). The main goal for now? To get pen to paper, and to just give myself permission to create. Even if it's just to beautify my home, or the lives of my children, or family and friends.

In the end, I just hope I can be responsible and a good steward of the gifts and talents that God has given me-- may His will be done.

Etsy news

Pascha cards, in the shop! Take a gander if you want :)

Cleopatra

This is also one of my favorites. This is a painting of a little girl that was like a younger sister to me. My mom babysat her for years and years. This was her Halloween costume one year, and a photo was taken of her in our backyard. The October lighting and shadows on the window, the polyester costume, the yellow siding that my dad put onto the addition of the house... all of these are elements that I really enjoyed capturing.

Now... as for my "model"... does she know I made this into a painting years later? Probably not! I hope she doesn't find this and hate me.

Steve and Gyme

This is probably one of my favorites. In college I did a big project and presentation on Regionalism. As part of the project, I had to create a piece of art in the style of one of the Regionalists. Can you guess who I modeled this painting after? Grant Wood, whose art I find fascinating (and not JUST 'American Gothic').

I used my then-fiance (now husband) and his grandmother as my models. I changed their hair and clothing, and I mimicked the Dutch-realist-type of landscape backgrounds the same way Wood did.

A friend commented the other day that I need to make another painting similar to this, only with my husband and I as the subjects. Maybe! :)

Untitled

This style was experimental, and heavily influenced by Ben Shahn, whose work I discovered in college, and who I admire as an artist. I tend to paint objects and portraits that are really big, and take up most of my canvas. This painting was a good exercise for me focus on setting an entire scene, and incorporating a lot of detail.

The theme of the painting is open-ended, though I was "going" for jealousy. Others' reactions have varied from "lonely" to "CUTE!" All right! :)

Forgotten?

I think I forgot to add this to my senior thesis collection back when I first started this blog. Oops! Here'tis another one!