creative fits

Decatur Art Walk

2012-01-17T04:32:00.010-05:00

The perfect antidote to a chilly, gray Saturday: a stroll through one of the most walkable neighborhoods in Atlanta

Recently nominated as "The Tastiest Town in the South," Decatur is known for its coffee shops and restaurants. Our first stop was Dancing Goats Coffee Bar

where I had a delicious Chai tea latte.

As you can see, some of my large pieces are hanging out here too.

We strolled down Ponce de Leon Avenue, past my favorite music store

and took a right on Church Street

where we popped into Mingei World Arts to browse

before heading on to see some of the outdoor murals located throughout Decatur.

We ended up back at The Decatur Market and Gallery, where you can find the most unique collection of paintings, pottery, textiles, photograhy, and jewelry created by emerging Atlanta artists and where you can see my art in the front window this month!

Bayou at Buccatuna

2012-01-13T08:44:00.003-05:00

5" X 12" acrylic, oil pastel, ink, charcoal, and marker on panel for Paint Party Friday

This little one is the very last from the series of paintings I created this summer after a visit to my childhood stomping grounds in south Mississippi. I still cannot get enough of this gold, magenta, red viloet, and black color combination, although I'm pretty sure I never saw a sunset like this even on Buccatunna Creek. The mystery of those forested wetlands and the dark shallows of the swamps inspired this painting, just the same. Bayou at Buccatunnna is currrently available at Lucas Road Fine Art and Jewelry, and, if you're interested in purchasing it, you can just give my friend Neubern a call (601) 483-0028.

Scenes From the Show

2012-01-09T19:55:00.007-05:00

Lucas Road Fine Art and Jewelry, 2211 5th Street, Meridian, MS (601)483-0028

It Is My Nature

2012-01-09T05:23:00.004-05:00

.... to change! Just when I think I'm gonna focus on abstract paintings, I take a notion (as my mother would say) to do something entirely different. So, here's a great big landscape I finished during the Christmas holidays.

Lowlands 30 X 40 acrylic, ink, oil crayon, and charcoal for Take a Word

You can see it hanging in my kitchen here:

I might just have to keep this one!

New Year: New Work

2011-12-31T13:51:00.004-05:00

Nightshade 36" X 36" acrylic, ink, oil crayon, and charcoal for Paint Party Friday

Available at the Decatur Market and Gallery (404)377-0755

Word to Your Mother

2011-12-26T09:54:00.005-05:00

or, to be more precise, MY mother...

Mother's Garden Club 20" X 24" mixed media for Take a Word

You can see some of the papers covered with words in this detail:

This is what I painted for my mother's Christmas present. I photocopied memorabilia from her desk, remnants of programs and bulletins from her mother's garden club days, ticket stubs, invitations, newspaper clippings and collaged those onto the canvas as the base for the background. I then brushed on shades of parchment and linen acrylic paint which I layered with ink, oil pastel, and charcoal. Between the layers I used an acrylic sealer, so I could mix oil and water based media. The vase of flowers came next, and, finally, the lemon. This will hang over the fireplace that she just had built in her newly renovated den. I was still working on it at 11:30 Christmas Eve, but it was dry and ready to gift wrap the next morning. She was really excited about it when she opened it and I was thrilled to have created something that made my mother so happy because she was the one, after all, who bought me my first set of paints when I was five. And I have to hand it to her, she was a pretty good sport about the masterpiece I created on the living room wall with that paint.

You Are Invited

2011-12-16T08:40:00.003-05:00

Sky Blue and Lacecap 36" X 36" mixed media

Twenty two pieces ready for the opening of The Art of Memory opening tonight at Lucas Road Gallery -located in my hometown Meridian, MS

for Paint Party Friday

A Season of Light

2011-12-14T10:36:00.005-05:00

Luminescence 12" X 12" mixed media for Three Muses

Whether you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah, the holiday season should be a time of light and love. I'm not sure how the holidays became such a bone of contention in our country. I grew up in a Christian family, but most Friday nights I went to Temple with my best friend who was Jewish. The vision of her family lighting candles is etched just indelibly on my mind as the memory of walking across the street every year to see the Christmas tree glow from our front window. I was fascinated with the idea of getting a gift every night for eight nights, and she was fascinated with the idea of going Christmas caroling. So I took her with me, and her mother taught me to make latkes. I remember the excitement of being an angel in our school Christmas pageant, and I also remember spinning a dreidel in my own Sunday School class.

When I first became a teacher, I taught my class about different cultural celebrations. We sang the dreidel song and filled shoes with candy; we decorated a Christmas tree, and we made menorahs. We sang Christmas carols, and we danced folk dances, and we lit candles. We celebrated together.

Somehow, it seems that some of the joy and magic of this time of year was lost when we began calling it the "Holiday Pageant" or the "Winter Break." Wouldn't it be wonderful, if children could still celebrate their differences together, if we could remember that this is the very reason our country exists, and we could fill the dark of winter with the light of love and unity that might bring a brighter tomorrow?

New Work for Holiday Happenings

2011-12-08T19:41:00.005-05:00

Adagio 12" X 12" mixed media for Paint Party Friday

This is one of my new paintings. Like I told you, this elf has been busy getting ready for these holiday openings.

Lucas Road Arts
"The Art of Memory"
December 16
6-10:00 p.m.
2211 5th Street
Meridian, Mississippi

Decatur Market and Gallery
"Ornate"
December 10
6-10:00 p.m.
4240 Rickenbacker Road
Atlanta, Georgia

I hope you'll join us if you can, but if I don't get to see you in person,
HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2011-12-02T05:18:00.004-05:00

Santana Lantana acrylic, paper, oil crayon, and charcoal on panel

You already know how much I love Christmas! Usually, this time of year, I'm dragging out the Santa Clauses and decorating everything that doesn't move with holly and pinecones, but this year I'm getting ready for two shows. So my decorating is strictly limited to what I can put on canvas, or, in this case, wood panel. This little gem is going to a gallery in my hometown in Mississippi, where I will have my first opening with a very talented fellow and friend, Robert Hale. His work is unlike anyone else's I've ever seen and absolutely gorgeous. His current work, which you can see here is painted entirely over layers of a collection of letters from a dear friend.

I'm hoping to find an evening next week to put up a tree, but, in the meantime, the only packages this this old elf is wrapping are crates of paintings marked "Fragile" for UPS, and the only garlands festooning this house are made of picture wire and packing tape!

for Paint Party Friday

The Art of Memory

2011-11-25T13:53:00.004-05:00

In preparation for our December show, The Art of Memory, fellow artist and friend Robert Hale and I were each asked to shed a little light on the origins of our work. I thought I would share what I had to say here on Creative Fits, since it pretty much explains what's behind all my work.

"Growing up in Mississippi, in a family of story tellers and writers, I dig deep into my Southern roots and memories for inspiration for my art. I remember, as a very young child, being so driven to create, that I went to the street and collected broken bits of colored glass, constructing my first piece of mixed media art on a scrap of old cardboard. Anything I could find became fodder for my creative fits. Dried flowers, torn tickets stubs, tattered lace, scavenged letters, and maps ripped from an old atlas all found their way into the layers of my collages and paintings.
I began teaching children's art classes at seventeen, and realized in college that I wanted to work with students with emotional and learning difficulties. As a special educator, I've used art as a therapeutic tool, helping my students to understand that each of us is responsible for our own healing, and that we are all capable of creating the reality we've imagined. Through artistic expression we can touch the creative awareness within us, allowing us to perceive our connectedness to all things and to direct our energy toward a deeper level of consciousness and constructive channels of purpose.
In these paintings are the souvenirs of my memories: images from my childhood, glimpses and traces of the places I’ve been and the people I’ve known, layered and marked with the symbolic calligraphy of a secret language. The art of memory."

This is one of the new pieces for the show. It's based on memories of a recurring dream of the ocean and seashells washed in by the tide. I'll be spending the rest of my Thanksgiving holiday finishing up a few more paintings which I'll share with you here. In the meantime, I hope that you had a lovely Thanksgiving and made many happy memories of your own!

Water Music I 16" X 16" acrylic, ink, and oil crayon for Paint Party Friday

Rain, Rain Go Away

2011-11-19T06:13:00.002-05:00

Mary Grace and Elle want to play. These girls don't let a little rain get in their way,though, I'll bet. Here's the finished piece I was working on a couple of weeks ago. I am currently accepting commissions, and I would love to create a painting especially for you. There is a waiting list, so call or email me today to reserve your spot!

for Crazy Amigo and Paint Party Friday

A Lighter Shade of Pale

2011-11-11T05:37:00.000-05:00

This week I tried something a little different.

Thinking in Pictures 30 X 40 acrylic, ink, oil crayon, graphite, marker and charcoal for Paint Party Friday

I know I usually work in a much more intense palette, but lately I've been drawn to lighter colors, While I was working on the marine life collages for the elementary school, I covered a great big canvas in different papers: maps, handmade papers, letters, a number from a road race I ran a couple of years ago; there's even an unfinished painting underneath there somewhere. Then, I layered on acrylic paint with a large palette knife. I let that dry overnight and took it to school with me to work on at lunch. While I was dry-brushing on some white paint, one of my eleventh grade students, Emily, got interested in what I was doing. (Emily's quite a gifted artist herself, but she prefers to draws dragons. She's got sketchbook after sketchbook filled with gorgeous, intricate dragons rendered in brilliant Prismacolor pencils). I borrowed one of her pencils and began to put the marks and symbols I always put on my abstracts, and, before I knew it, Emily had joined me! So I just let her take over the marking, and I began on the scratching-through-the- layers-of-paint-with-something-sharp-to-let-the layers-show-through-part. We began to see pictures in the layers then, and Emily enhanced some of these with her pencil. Can you see them? There are hearts, a figure of a person, and even a dragon's head. If you look very closely, you might see her name or what Ilike to call her: "M."

This was so much fun that I'm going to take lots more canvases in for us to collaborate on, and maybe someday Emily will even let me post one of drawings here for you. Keep your fingers crossed!

Lights, Camera, Auction!

2011-11-08T10:01:00.015-05:00

Last year, at the Buckhead Arts & Crafts Festival, I met Mikki Hawkins, a parent of two children who attend Warren T. Jackson Elementary School, and she asked me if I might be interested in assisting a class with their projects for the biannual fundraising auction, Jacksonwood. Being a teacher and a strong proponent of the arts in school, I was thrilled to be able to help.

I got to help the second grade class assemble their block prints of sea creatures into mixed media paintings

Here's a sample of the sixteen 12"X 12" paintings we completed. Wouldn't they be great in a beach house?

They look fabulous hung in a mass display or individually.

And here are some from the blue series.

The auction and gala will be this Friday night. You can get your tickets here, if you'd like to attend. Or you can take a peek at their online catalog. There are going to be so many great things to bid on. My painting Rose Glow , which you can see here is also going to be on the auction block!

So join me Friday for an exciting evening at the Park Tavern overlooking beautiful Piedmont Park in Atlanta. Hope to see you there!

Paint Party Friday: Carol Christie

2011-11-03T16:59:00.009-04:00

Last year, while browsing in a gallery in Blue Ridge, I came across the art of Carol Christie and was immediately smitten. Her work bursts off the canvas in spontaneous swaths of color and has, she says, a strong rhythmic base, due to her love of music and early training as a pianist. Since that time, we've struck up an online friendship, and I've discovered that Carol is just as warm, energetic, and joyous as her work. Recently Chef Art Smith, former personal chef of Oprah, opened a new restaurant called Southern Art at the Intercontinental Hotel located in Buckhead. Carol's painting Down the Road a Ways was commissioned for the space. It hangs from the ceiling, suspended by cables, and it is amazing. I made a trip to Atlanta last weekend to see Carol's gorgeous new painting, but you can see it here!

What emotions drive the creation of your art? SINCE I PAINT DAILY MY EMOTIONS ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING SO THIS IS PRETTY HARD TO ANSWER. MY MOST PASSIONATE AND ALIVE PIECES ARE USUALLY CREATED WHEN I'M FRUSTRATED OR ANGRY. IT ALWAYS RESOLVES WHATEVER IS BOTHERING ME AND IS MUCH CHEAPER THAN A THERAPIST!

What experiences led you to become an artist? AS A YOUNG CHILD I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ALONE. I ENVIED MY OLDER BROTHER AND HIS ABILITY TO DRAW. FROM THE TIME I WAS 6 OR 7. I DAYDREAMED ABOUT BEING AN ARTIST. I LOVED TO SKETCH AS A KID. WHEN I WAS OLDER I STARTED DOING SMALL WATERCOLORS FOR GIFTS AND EVENTUALLY EXHIBITED IN LOCAL OUTDOOR SHOWS TO EARN EXTRA MONEY.

When did you make the decision to be an artist? PROBABLY AT 6 OR SO. I KNOW I WAS VERY YOUNG.

Is your art goal-oriented? FINANCIALLY IT IS GOAL ORIENTED SINCE IT'S HOW I MAKE A LIVING. I TRY VERY HARD NOT TO COMPROMISE MYSELF OR FOLLOW TRENDS. MY BEST WORK IS DONE WHEN I HAVE NO PLAN AND NO DIRECTION AND JUST LET THE PAINTING EVOLVE.

What are you passionate about? PAINTING AND THE PIANO. I STUDIED CLASSICAL PIANO FOR 12 YEARS. I AM ALSO A PROLIFIC KNITTER WHEN I HAVE THE TIME.

How would you describe yourself? KIND AND SENSITIVE TO A FAULT AND VERY DRIVEN PROFESSIONALLY TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I ADORE MY KIDS, GRANDKIDS AND MY FRIENDS.
What artistic challenges do you face? OH MY WORD. I FACE THEM EVERY DAY. EVERY PAINTING IS A NEW BEGINNING AND A NEW CHALLENGE. HOW TO BALANCE THE COLOR, THE VALUES, AND HOW TO CREATE A FEELING OF SPACE.

What's the most important lesson you've learned as an artist? LISTEN TO YOUR INNER VOICE AND STAY TRUE TO YOUR OWN VISION AND PASSION. IT'S SO HARD TO FIND YOURSELF AND ONCE YOU DO, YOU HAVE TO NOT LOSE YOURSELF.

What’s your proudest artistic achievement?. MY LAST SOLO SHOW, IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, AT the TAYLOR KINZEL Gallery.

What artists have influenced you most and why? JOHN MARIN, RAOUL DUFY, DEKOONING, JOAN MITCHELL....THEY WERE ALL SUCH POWERFUL PAINTERS. NOT AFRAID TO EXPRESS WHAT THEY FELT. THEY ALL HAD SUCH PASSION, INCREDIBLE USE OF COLOR AND SUCH AMAZING ENERGY. I'VE SEEN WORKS BY ALL OF THESE ARTISTS IN MUSEUMS AND RETROSPECTIVE SHOWS. I HAVE BEEN MOVED TO TEARS BY ALL OF THEM. YOU NOT ONLY SEE THEIR WORK BUT YOU FEEL IT ON A VISCERAL AND VERY EMOTIONAL LEVEL.

What’s been your best decision? NOT GIVING UP.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? JOAN MITCHELL OR WILLEM DEKOONING.

What are you currently reading? I JUST FINISHED READING THE NEW BIOGRAPHY OF JOAN MITCHELL'S LIFE... RACING IN THE RAIN... AND LITTLE BEE.

Who would you like to trade places with for one day? Why? PROBABLY OPRAH! WOULD BE AMAZING TO EXPERIENCE HER ENERGY, HER CONFIDENCE, HER POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND TO BE ABLE TO BE IN A POSITION TO HELP SO MANY PEOPLE.

What dream do you still want to fulfill? OH MY WORD, THERE ARE SO MANY. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MY WORK IN A NY AND A LA GALLERY...I'D LIKE TO DO SOME UNIVERSITY SHOWS....THE ULTIMATE WOULD BE A MUSEUM SHOW. I'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE MY WORK IN MORE CORPORATE COLLECTIONS. SEEMS NO MATTER HOW MUCH I ACCOMPLISH, THE DESIRE TO DO MORE IS ALWAYS THERE. I'M NOT SURE I'LL EVER FEEL I'VE DONE ENOUGH. I DON'T THINK ARTISTS EVER STOP. IT'S WHO YOU ARE AND EVERY PROJECT PRESENTS A NEW AND EXCITING CHALLENGE.

What subject would you like to portray in your art that you have not yet attempted? I DON'T REALLY THINK ABOUT IT. I PAINT WHAT I FEEL, WHEN I FEEL IT. I'M VERY CONTENTED RIGHT WHERE I AM. FOR INSTANCE, I USUALLY ONLY PAINT LANDSCAPES IN THE FALL. I'M VERY INSPIRED BY THE BRIGHT COLORS. I PAINT MORE FLORALS IN THE SUMMER AND ABSTRACTS AND FIGURES IN THE WINTER. WHAT EVER ENERGY I'M EXPERIENCING IN A GIVEN TIME IS USUALLY WHAT I'M PAINTING! RIGHT NOW I'M VERY CONTENT. I JUST WISH THERE WERE MORE HOURS IN THE DAY!

Thank you so much, Carol.

Rainy Day Girls

2011-10-26T18:14:00.009-04:00

Meet Mary Grace and Elle.

I've been having so much fun working on this painting!

I met their mother last spring, at the Buckhead Arts Festival. She saw La Parapluie and fell in love, so we put our heads together and and started planning. If you are interested in a commission, I would love to work with you too. Just drop me a line and I'll get back to you.

Soon these precious girls will go to live in their new house in Atlanta. I'm really going to miss them!

(for Paint Party Friday; just discovered this wonderful group. Check it out by clicking the button on my sidebar!)

Illustration Friday

2011-10-07T08:59:00.002-04:00

Please join me for an evening of art, musc, wine, and hors d'oeuvres at the fall reception at The Decatur Gallery & Market

October 8

5:00-8:00 p.m.

Origin Myth 12" X 12" acrylic, ink, oil crayon, and charcoal

Everyone is welcome.

Hope to see you there!

Going Once, Going Twice...

2011-09-19T18:17:00.003-04:00

Rose Glow 18" X 24" acrylic, ink, oil crayon, and charcoal

The Park Tavern Presents Jacksonwood Auction and Gala!

Friday, November 11

7:00 p.m.

500 10th St. NE

Atlanta, Georgia

Jacksonwood is the signature fundraising event for Warren T. Jackson Elementary School. Proceeds benefit the school's classroom activities, and this little painting will be among the many amazing items to be auctioned. So be sure to mark your calendar for a night of GLITZ, GLAMOUR, AND GOODWILL!

Blustery Days

2011-09-06T05:21:00.006-04:00

Glissade 12" X 12" acrylic, ink, oil crayon, and charcoal for Created By Hand

I love storms. The gray. gathering clouds, the whisper of the wind in the trees, the rich, mineral smell of the air. It always surprises me when people are afraid of stormy weather. Thunderstorms remind me of the night my father sat on the front porch with me and explained what causes lightning. The weather has been beautifully stormy in Georgia, so I moved my easel out on the porch to work on a big commission and this little painting. I hope you have a happy windy day today!

Got My Orange Crush

2011-08-31T05:14:00.010-04:00
Pam did, that is!

See how great it looks in her gorgeous home

And this sweet little thing also found a home with Pam

In this sunny breezeway

It would have been so hard to say goodbye, had they not been going to such a lovely home, which you can see more of here.

Arts in Atlanta: Mali Harrell

2011-08-27T11:15:00.022-04:00

"Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts.” So said Thich Nhat Hanh when he described breathing as a miraculous tool. And the breath of Mali Harrell, Atlanta artist, is exactly that. Using molten glass and fire Mali literally breathes life into her extraordinary work. Mali is an artist whose work is elementally miraculous because, with each piece she achieves exactly what Thich Nhat Hanh is referring to--the link of consciousness to the miracle of breathing.

What emotions drive the creation of your art?
HMMMM…depends on the day. Most of the time it is joy and happiness. Bad days are always better with a little touch of glass. I do find that the emotion of the moment is translated into the work. If I cannot let go of what is stressing me out, the work will be affected and often ends up on the floor instead of the annealer…that is a BAD glass day.

My Mother supported all of my artistic whims. I started dancing at the age of 5 and continued thru college and beyond. Mom also enrolled me in numerous art classes through the years. . I always had an affinity for glass. I tried stained glass in college, but did not pursue it. Much later, I discovered ‘kiln formed glass’ aka ‘fusing and slumping’. In late 2002, I had the opportunity to take a paperweight class…I had always wanted to know how those beautiful glass balls were created. The first time I touched the punty rod to that molten glass I was instantly hooked (like a drug), bitten by the glass bug…I had found my muse.

Is your art goal-oriented?
I wouldn’t say my art is goal-oriented…my art is journey and process oriented. It is the process of creation that fuels my passion.

What are you passionate about?
I am, of course, VERY passionate about glass, which consumes most of my musings. I am also passionate about Tai Chi. Glass blowing and martial arts both require a certain focus that keeps me balanced emotionally, physically and mentally.

How would you describe yourself?
I am diligent, loyal, and trustworthy. Actually, I think I am an upbeat person. I try to live in harmony with my environment. I love to help people. To make someone happy or just to brighten his or her day…that makes me happy. I am also a good teacher.

What artistic challenges do you face?
The top most challenges are time and money. Glass is an expensive craft. I still must have a real job to support my glass habit, which makes it difficult to find time to create. The second challenge is also time related in that I will never live long enough to learn all that I want to know about glass.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned as an artist?
”Push the limit, but know when to stop.”
I discovered that I am not cut out for mass production, or for work that is ‘trendy’. I have to create for myself and if someone else loves it, then I am happy. Each piece is personal to me, even to the smallest paperweight (still one of my favorite things to blow). I like James Loftus’ quote…”I make a piece for 2 people; myself and someone I have not yet met”... I hope to meet many people.

What’s your proudest artistic achievement?
To date, I would say that my dress series is my highest achievement. It takes me back to the days when I would fashion clothes for my Barbie dolls from my Mother’s silk scarves. Still working on that series.

What artists have influenced you most and why?
My mentor and teacher Tadashi Torii is first on that list. Not only because of his skill, but his ability and willingness to share his knowledge as well as encouragement to challenge myself.

What’s been your best decision?
First was the decision to take the paperweight class that started it all. Second was years later when I decided that I needed to start selling…my house was beginning to sink from the weight of all the glass.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet?
Again, this probably depends on the day. The first person that comes to mind is The Dalai Lama. I would also like to have met Madame Wu Ying Hua, the daughter of the founder of Wu Style Tai Chi. I am surprised that no great artists leap to mind…maybe tomorrow…again, depends on the day.

What are you currently reading or listening to?
I have to admit that I am not a reader…other than instructional books and periodicals related to glass and Martial Arts. I listen to classical and jazz music for the most part, although I will listen to just about anything…as long as it is good. I also listen to audio books…great for long drives.

Who would you like to trade places with for one day? Why?
My cat Miss Sophia Lily Grey…if you met her you wouldn’t ask why.

What dream do you still want to fulfil?
I would love to have my own ‘fully equipped’ hot shop. Barring that, at least a studio with a place for everything and everything in its place. (Currently, my preparation happens in the attic, the assembly and firing happens on the back porch and blowing happens offsite. This leaves a trail of glass through the house and out to the car.)

What subject would you like to portray in your art that you have not yet attempted?
Dragons. I have created several dragon pieces, but want to explore them in more detail. Dragons are elusive.

How perfect that such a primal, mythical creature as the dragon would be born of breath and fire. We look forward to your dragons, Mali.

The Lotus Eaters

2011-08-19T11:04:00.002-04:00

11" X 11" acrylic, ink, oil crayon, and charcoal on board for Illustration Friday

"All 'round the coast the languid air did swoon,
Breathing like one that hath a weary dream
Full-faced above the valley stood the moon
And like a downward smoke, the slender stream
Along the cliff to fall and pause and fall did seem."

Alfred Lord Tennyson

Summer Lovin'

2011-08-12T05:10:00.002-04:00
Happened so fast...

Mon Coeur 32" X 32" acrylic, ink, oil crayon, and charcoal for Illustration Friday

The big fella is one of the 18 (count'em) paintings I finished this summer. And in the words of the song "had me a blast"!

Memories of Vacations Past

2011-07-20T04:41:00.007-04:00

This little one is The Sailor's Daughter. That's my father's green sailboat there on the horizon. Can you see it? I love this painting because my father's first boat had a wooden hull and emerald green sails. He taught me to sail on that boat on the Gulf Coast. I remember that he used to throw my sister and me off the back of the boat and time himself to see how quickly he could come about and rescue us. I also remember that he also used to time us while we rigged the boat, but I'm pretty sure this was just his way of having us put the sails up. Good times, though. Soon this sweet painting will be making its way to MIssissippi to Lucas Road, a gallery in the town where I grew up. This one's for you WA5UYW, Daddy!

for Crazy Amigos

Lazy Days At the Beach

2011-07-05T07:59:00.003-04:00

Saluting the Sun 11" X 11" acrylic, ink, and charcoal on board

Moontide and Dream 11" X 11" acrylic, ink, and charcoal on board

Big Love 11" X 11" acrylic, ink, and charcoal on board

These paintings come straight from the spirit. I believe deeply in the dream world, that the soul dwells, heals, and grows here and that our dreams are an extension of our lives. My art is almost always an attempt to depict the realm between fantasy and reality, and this series is the result of my meditations and dreams from the time I recently spent at the beach.

for Crazy Amigo

Undercurrents

2011-06-28T07:26:00.006-04:00

To the Lighthouse 30" X 30" acrylic, ink, oil crayon, and charcoal

Okay, I told you you were going to more of these colors, so here we go. Another beach-inspired painting, very different from Early Bird Special, I know, but they come from exactly the same place. I'm also posting a photograph so you can see what I mean about the title. This is us enjoying the sunset from the beach overlooking Morris Island Lighthouse in South Carolina.

I really feel like I had a breakthrough with this painting. I've been studying abstract painting for a long time but have only felt truly inspired working on an abstract once or twice before. This time, however, something clicked, and I think I expressed something intuitively, in a style that evolved from many long hours of trial and error. I actually began this painting in a much more primitive style, but I wasn't feeling it. So I just did my new favorite thing: painted over almost the whole canvas with white and began again. Somehow the translucence of the inks and the delicacy of the glazes, in this version, translated the calming effect of the rushing waves and salty mist of ocean air.

for Take a Word

Good Morning Merry Sunshine

2011-06-27T08:22:00.004-04:00

Early Bird Special 20" X 24" acrylic, ink, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas

The painting that started out as some sort of four legged creature became a bird, or rather several birds, including, in the words of my niece, "the camouflage bird" in the upper right corner. I don't know why I can't get away from birds. Someone once toldme that I was in danger of becoming known as The Crazy Bird Lady. Birds are, apparently, "a means of expressing (my) identity using symbols from the language of a personal mythology". Or maybe I just think they're fun. This painting is really more about morning than birds anyway. While I was at the beach, I took a long walk every morning, and my head was flooded each day with color and images, but mostly colors, beach colors: driftwood, sand, ocean, and sunshine. I think you're going to see a lot of these colors from me for a while.

for Inspiration Avenue and Created By Hand Challenge

Things With Feathers

2011-06-22T10:56:00.009-04:00
Stop by Donna Van Gogh's Artist Market, McClendon Avenue in Atlanta to see my newest series of small works.

Cock-A-Doodle-Do 12" X 12" mixed media on wood

Waiting on a Friend 14" X 9" mixed media on wood

Doodlebug 12" X 12" mixded media on Wood

Bad Hare Day 12" X 12" mixed media on wood

for Three Muses

For My Father

2011-06-16T09:45:00.010-04:00

Thunder Dragon 12" X 12" mixed media on wood, for Illustration Friday
This morning I had an experience that I have been striving for as an artist as long as I have been painting. While I was on vacation last week, I worked on a series of light-hearted pieces on small wood panels, just for fun. I had one panel left over, and I was struck by the urge to paint an abstract and started troweling on reds, greens, and white. I was pleased with the colors but stuck on what to do next. After I got home and finished my small "Things With Feathers" series, I worked on the abstract some more. I added turquoise and orange; then I got rid of the orange because it seemed discordant. Next I added yellow, which I liked, but I still wasn't making progress with the composition. The strength of the red and the idea of source or origin had been, from the beginning, what the piece was about, but the shapes seemed unrelated to the idea, and I was frustrated.

Last night, we had a huge rainstorm and high winds which knocked out the power for several hours, so I was forced to stop painting. I spent the rest of the evening on my porch overlooking the pond, listening to the storm, which my father taught me to love as a child, one night, when I was crying in fear of the lightening and the thunder.

I started painting again as soon as I woke up this morning, and the shape of a dragon suddenly emerged on the canvas. I was so excited because, for as long as I can remember, I've tried to depict the realm between the abstract and the figurative. The idea of the dragon completely captured my imagination and the rest of the work just flowed from me. I finished the painting very quickly, after that, adding charcoal, oil pastels, and inks, and immediately had a name for it (or, rather, three names). While researching dragons, I came upon a the Shinto word for "essence," which is "kami". This not only fit my original inspiration but the circumstances under which I was able to finish the painting. According to legend, the Japanese dragon as an object of faith was called kami. Prayers for rain to kami were performed at rivers, swamps, and ponds, which were thought to be the home of the dragon. In the Shinto religion, there is also the kami of thunder, who brings forth rain and lightning, and it is believed that the dragon kami ascends to heaven when a tornado or storm occurs. Perfect! I have always felt a deep cosmic connection to water and the sound of rain is my favorite sound in the world. The name of my painting is "Thunder Dragon" or "Kami," or "Essence," whichever you like. I think my father would prefer "Thunder Dragon," so that's what I'll call it. I suppose that, in the future, I will have to pray for rain and hope, once again, to be swept away! Thanks, Daddy.

Life's a Beach

2011-06-03T16:12:00.008-04:00

Sandman 12" X 12" (for Take a Word and Illustration Friday)

I've missed my little creatures, so I decided to start a new series of smalls called "Things With Feathers." Here's the first piece. It's mixed media on board, with deep(1 5/8" sides), and it's wired and ready to hang, so let me know if you're interested in this liitle guy. I'm off to Folly Beach tomorrow, and I've packed a trunkful of boards, all primed and ready for painting. Here's hoping my muse loves sun and sand and seafoood as much as I do. I'm not too worried about her, though; Charleston always gets my creative juices flowing!

Layers and Texture

2011-05-27T16:19:00.007-04:00

The Recital 12" X 12" mixed media for Theme Thursday

This little painting was the last piece I completed for the Buckhead Arts Festival, and it's all about the color and texture. I started this one by slathering on thick- bodied acrylic paint with a big palette knife, and I kept building layers until I was pleased with the basic composition. Then, I added some shading with oil pastels and inks and, at the very last minute, I added some charcoal lines, which seemed to pull the whole thing together, for some reason. There's something edgy about black charcoal that just does it for me.

Got My Orange Crush

2011-05-21T19:10:00.010-04:00
My sister told me to paint something orange and, since orange paraded down the runways of New York during Fashion Week this spring, I thought she might be onto something.

And, since my personal color philisophy is that one bright color is never enough, I decided to add some pink to the mix. Here's a peek of what I'm working on outside today
:
I'm loving these colors.

Van Gogh had it right, "There is no blue without yellow and without orange."

IF: Soaked

2011-05-18T10:36:00.015-04:00

La Parapluie 30 X 38 mixed media

This past weekend I participated in the Buckhead Spring Arts and Craft Festival which was a great venue for me. It was the second time I've had a booth at Chastain Park, and the residents of this neighborhood are so friendly that I will definitely return for the fall festival.

The gorgeous pink ribbon you see was given to me because I was lucky enough to have one of my my paintings chosen to be the image on this year's festival poster.

Several of my paintings, including 'La Parapluie" (pictured above) went to new homes, and I also accepted commissions for two large figurative pieces similar to this one. I've really enjoyed the three paintings of children that I've done recently, so I'm very excited that school will be out in two weeks, and I'll be able to paint full time!

Away Beyond the Blue

2011-05-05T10:02:00.006-04:00

for Inspiration Avenue, Crazy Amigo, and Sunday Postcard Art

"This is love to fly to Heaven...." Rumi

New Work

2011-05-01T04:46:00.005-04:00
So sorry for my long absence, but I've been spending every free minute getting ready for the Buckhead Spring Arts and Crafts Festival. Only 2 weeks to go! Here's one of my new paintings.

Lemon in a Green Room 12" X 16" mixed media

for Collage Obsession

I Need Your Help

2011-04-01T10:08:00.002-04:00
I found out yesterday that I was chosen as a finalist in an ad space giveaway in The Beacham Series, a beautiful Atlanta real estate magazine. It would mean so much to me if you would follow the link below to their Facebook page, "like' the page and then write your vote for me on their wall. And then tell EVERYONE you know to do the same! While you're on the blog (This Photographer's Life), take the time to check out Blayne's amazing photography.

Link:
Ad Space Giveaway in “The Beacham Series” worth $750

Ever In Bloom

2011-03-29T10:35:00.012-04:00

Echoing Green 18" X 19" mixed media on board

In winter say the snow-bound, "She shall come with the spring leaping upon the hills."
And in the summer heat the reapers say,
"We have seen her dancing with the autumn leaves,
and we saw a drift of snow in her hair."
All these things have you said of beauty,
Yet in truth you spoke not of her but of needs unsatisfied,
And beauty is not a need but an ecstasy.
It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth,
But rather a heart enflamed and a soul enchanted.

It is not the image you would see nor the song you would hear,
But rather an image you see though you close your eyes and a song you hear though you shut your ears.
It is not the sap within the furrowed bark, nor a wing attached to a claw,
But rather a garden for ever in bloom and a flock of angels for ever in flight.

Kahil Gibran

for Inspiration Avenue's Self Portrait Challenge and Take A Word's Bloom Challenge

Poster Child

2011-03-23T09:48:00.014-04:00
Hello to all my Blog BFF's! The second annual Buckhead Spring Arts and Crafts Festival has been tentatively scheduled for the weekend of May 16, and I'm especially excited to be a part of this awesome event because my painting was selected to be on the festival poster this year. Huge thanks to Randall and Patrick at Atlanta's Foundation for Public Spaces, for giving me such an amazing opportunity! The date for the festival will be finalized after the Chastain Park summer concert series has been announced on April 2. Last year's event included 200 fine art and fine craft artists and artisans, an "antiques alley," a professional children's play area, live music, and delicious foods and beverages. Over 15,000 visitors enjoyed the beautiful Atlanta weather, as they viewed the works on display, and more than 90% of the artist participants were from Georgia. Since the same folks that organized the Chastain Arts Festival in October are coordinating this one, it's sure to be a great venue. Artists' applications are still being accepted, so, if you're in the area, I hope you'll come join me in the park.

Here's the original painting:

for Inspiration Avenue

Arts in Atlanta: Blayne Beacham

2011-03-13T08:05:00.019-04:00

What emotions drive the creation of your art?
For some reason, right now I am obsessed with older teenage girls and the emotions that go with that time in life. It's such an amazing time. Part of you life is over, high school and living at home, and there is a whole world of possibilities in front of you. Every decision impacts the rest of your life. And, there are so many firsts… First kiss, first car, first boyfriend…. It's all no new and exciting. That idea has prevailed my work for a while. It was the basis of the "Dress Up" series. The idea of shedding your old life and moving forward. I am working on a project right now where I am reading 52 young adult novels. I am picking out the most poignant scenes in those books and creating a photograph to capture that feeling. I am so excited about the project.

When did you make the decision to be an artist?
I must have been about 5… That's the age I had my first memory and got my first camera. An artist is the ONLY thing I've ever wanted to be… Of course the type has varied… I've gone from wanting to be a photographer, to a painter, to a writer (a type of art). I have circled back to photography, but still live writing, which is why I write my blog This Photographer's Life.

Is your art goal-oriented?
Yes! I have a ten year plan, and work diligently to fulfill those goals. If it all works out, by the end of the ten years I will be in a museum and get to curate shows! Lofty, I know, but I'm working on it!

What are you passionate about?
Telling stories through images. Period. End of statement.

How would you describe yourself?
I love things that are beautiful. I'm passionate, goal-oriented, outgoing, and social. If you look up the definition of Libra it describes me perfectly :)

What artistic challenges do you face?
I feel as if I am climbing an uphill battle with photography. People are happy to pay for paintings or drawings, but hesitate when it comes to photography. It is not collected by as wide a variety of people. I want people to see photography as art. If they view it that way, then I don't have to try to reinvent the wheel by putting resin or paint on the photography. I want it to stand as art on its own, but that is hard right now for many consumers to grasp.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned as an artist?
Ask advice from experts, but in the end you have to do what you feel most strongly about. It's important to have relationships with other artists. Its better to sell a piece because you want to than because you have to.

What’s your proudest artistic achievement?
I finished the "Ghost Series" last year, and I am so proud of it. Not because it is necessarily the best series of photographs I've ever seen, but because of how much I learned. I learned how to envision a series, gather the necessary pieces, execute it, and get critiques that were not necessarily shining, but grow from them.

What artists have influenced you most and why?
Todd Murphy because he is a great friend and an exceptional artist. He also give genuine and thoughtful advice. And he is truly talented.
Angela Bacon-Kidwell. I love the depth of her photographs. She has an amazing vision, and she took the time to help me when I asked for it. I appreciate it so much.
Dorothy O'Connor for her vision and the beauty she creates.

What’s been your best decision?
To wait on the gallery representation thing until I find one that loves my work and will represent it well. I feel fantastic about not being represented right now. It will come when the time is right.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet?
I know it's cliched, but I would like to meet Annie Leibovitz. Who wouldn't.

What are you currently reading or listening to?
I just finished "Anna and the French Kiss" by Stephanie Perkins for my book project. It is a great Young Adult novel. I am actually so sad that it's over I haven't started anything else yet.
http://www.thisphotographerslife.com/2011/01/funday-monday-new-years-resolution-and.html

Who would you like to trade places with for one day? Why? I am going to go with Annie Leibovitz, but on her day off. I would hate to mess up her work!

What dream do you still want to fulfill?
I want to be in a museum and sell a photograph to Elton John.

What subject would you like to portray in your art that you have not yet attempted?
Regret… But it is too big for me to tackle at this point in my life.

Thank you so much, Blayne.

An accomplished architectural photographer for The Beacham Series, an Atlanta real estate magazine, Blayne received a warm welcome to the Atlanta art scene with her first show last July at Artist Trifecta in Castleberry Hills. In addition to her photography, Blayne also takes time to for painting classes, which is, in fact, how I met her. After spending two days painting together, in a mixed media class at the Art School of Sandy Springs, we exchanged blog addresses, and I've been a huge fan of her work ever since. Blayne's artsy bungalow appeared in a recent issue Simply Buckhead, and, if you take a peek at the photos, here, you'll see that interior design is also one of her many talents.
.. To see more of Blayne's work and follow her artistic journey, be sure to pay her a visit at This Photographer's Life. You can be sure we'll be seeing a lot more from this up and coming young artist!

for Crazy Amigos

If I Paint Them, They Will Grow

2011-03-07T18:48:00.004-05:00

Rose Glow 18" X 24" If you are interested in purchasing this painting, e-mail me at kathymccullen@aol.com

for Created Byhand and Three Muses

Studio Sunday

2011-03-06T08:31:00.004-05:00

Don't know why I felt so compelled to hole up in the studio and make art journal pages this weekend. Maybe it's the weather. It hasn't stopped raining for three days.

"Someday, the light will shine like a sun through my skin & they will say, What have you done with your life?"

"And though there are many moments I think I will remember, in the end, I will be proud to say, I was one of us."

Brian Andreas

Take Time To Smell the Roses

2011-02-20T19:55:00.010-05:00

Be conscious

Wake up to the present moment

Things are just as they are

Lama Surya Das

for the Three Muses

Michigan Seems Like a Dream to Me Now

2011-02-18T16:08:00.006-05:00
This is one of my favorite paintings for three reasons. It's of my favorite people, at my favorite place, for my other favorite person's birthday. Now, to fill in the blanks, my sons Andrew and Wesley at ages 9 and 2, on the shore of Lake Huron, for my husband's birthday. Like all of my work, this piece has a layer of paper underneath the paint, and this time, it's map of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where we have a cabin that we visit for two weeks every other year.

Scottie's Bay 11" X 14" mixed media

My husband's great grandfather homesteaded this land, and it's the most idyllic place I can imagine. The cabin is located in a very remote area on Beavertail Point, about an hour south of Sault Saint Marie, Canada, where there is virtually nothing to do but relax. We spend the days reading on the beach,looking for lucky stones swimming, canoeing, and hiking in the woods. At night we walk to Chet's Island across Scottie's Bay to watch the sun go down, and then we build a fire and make S'mores on the beach. Here the air in the forest smells like sugar; here the constellations stand out in perfect relief against the black night sky; here we can forget all our cares and responsibilities; here we are happier than anywhere else in the whole world.

for Inspiration Avenue and Illustration Friday

Valentine Shrines

2011-02-14T05:26:00.012-05:00

Someday My Prince Will Come

In our family, because we believe that silliness is a sublime state, we like to inject a little of the ridiculous into every situation, especially our celebrations. My husband is prone to writing absurd poetry for all manner of holidays, and my sons have been known to pay musical or film tribute to commemorate those special family occasions. They know they can count on me for the visual arts, and, since, they have always accused me of being a bag lady and junk collector of the highest order, I decided to use some of my junk to show my love this Valentine's Day by making shrines for my three precious men. I made the one you see above for my husband by starting with a wooden cigar box and an upside down wall bracket. I rummaged through my supply closet and found the Prince Albert can, and suddenly the piece had a name. I used a magnet to attach this piece, so it could be removed from the construction. Inside the tin, I put a message made from magnetic word poetry, a silver key and a heart from an old necklace. Arms were gadgets pilfered from my husband's tool box; the background was cut from a vintage tin Chinese checker set, and the head is a metal candleholder with a stamped paper face. My sister, another scavenge artist, supplied a Budweiser Clamato (!) can that she gleaned on her walk over to my house, and my prince was complete with a crown.

A Knight's Tale
This assemblage was made for my youngest son using his old chess board as a base. We found it together when I used to drag him around on my junking expeditions almost every weekend. I made the sacred heart and rose out of clay, and the frame is another flea market find. Turquoise beads were left over from a Dia de los Muertos project, and the silver outer frame is made from an old belt.

I didn't have the chance to photograph my oldest son's shrine before he took it home, but I hope to get a shot of that one up soon, He shares my love of red and skulls, so you can imagine his shrine.

I hope your day is filled with love and sweetness and, above all, laughter. Remember the words of Mike Myers,“Silly is you in a natural state, and serious is something you have to do until you can get silly again.” Happy Valentine's Day!

for Created ByHand, Take a Word, 100 Themes, and Alter It Monthly

Love Letter

2011-02-06T17:33:00.011-05:00

To Charlotte 20" X 20" mixed media

Tender words we spoke
to one another
are sealed
in the secret vaults of heaven.
One day like rain,
they will fall to earth
and grow green
all over the world.

Rumi

I like to work on square canvases the best, for some reason. This painting started with a very old letter to Miss Charlotte Byrd. My sister found the letter an a flea market and gave it to me for Christmas, to use in my art. Color inspiration for the painting came from the envelope, which was a lovely shade of faded blue. I actually wanted the letter to show through the paint a bit more, but, if you look very closely you can barely make Charlotte's name in the lower third of the painting. I took the letter apart and used it separately from the envelope for more texture. Inside the envelope I placed a handwritten copy of this poem by Rumi. Along with the letter, I layered on some sheet music and scraps of pink and blue decorative papers. The painting evolved very easily from there; the dove came first and then the lily. My partner at school, Patricia, saw the painting while I was working on it and proclaimed it a love story, and she was absolutely right. You can see this painting on exhibit later this month in the group show New Beginnings: Expressions of Love at The Decatur Market & Gallery. On February 12, from 5-10:00 pm., you can join the gallery artists for an evening of cocktails and live music and see one-of-a-kind romantic works of art in each artist's chosen medium.

for Mixed Media Monday, the Three Muses,Crazy Amigos and Theme Thursday.

Arts in Atlanta: Greg Holliday

2011-01-26T12:50:00.027-05:00

What emotions drive the creation of your art?
Daily life inspires me most - a sunny day, the seasons, a shadow cast upon a sidewalk. I get excited by love of life. Meeting someone new. Experiencing a new adventure. The anticipation of trying something new. Even a down moment, while challenging, can be inspiring. I have had my share of those but I dive into the paints and the result on canvas is always something spectacular. Bright and bold rather than dark.

What experiences led you to become an artist?
I carry a lot of “stuff” around in my head. I am very visual and appreciate beautiful things and like to capture that. I have always felt like I can accomplish anything but I may not always be in a place to do everything I would like to do. So, that energy has to come out somewhere. The bigger the canvas the better and the energy flows.

When did you make the decision to be an artist?
I guess I have always been an artist. A talent I inherited from my father and grandmother. I have always been creative. Drawing houses and floor plans for my friends when I was a kid. Building things. Creating always. I finally put all of that on canvas about 15 years ago.

Is your art goal-oriented?
Sometimes yes. I do not always have an end result in mind because my work progresses as I get more involved with the brush. Many times I am happily surprised by the outcome and when it turns out better than I expected well, that is amazing! I work well under pressure though and if I have a project I need to complete my best work comes right before the deadline.

What are you passionate about?
Life. Love. Music. People. Animals. Being healthy. Relationships. Meeting new people. Faith. Friends. Family. Design. The earth. Oh...and ART of course!

How would you describe yourself?
Loyal. Loving. Happy. Open minded. A shoulder. Enthusiastic. Creative. A best friend. A great son and even better grandson. An AWESOME uncle! Someone who is willing to take chances on life experiences and people.

What artistic challenges do you face?
To do more...and have the luxury of time for that.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned as an artist?
Less is more. This applies to many things in life.

What’s your proudest artistic achievement?.
Completing a random piece of art that impacted someone greatly and still does to this day. And...a current painting hanging at Decatur Gallery.

What artists have influenced you most and why?
Rothko, DeKooning, Pollock, Helen Frankenthaler for their large works, incredible color and often disturbing past. I can sit in front of a Rothko for hours and get lost in the size and color.

What’s been your best decision?
To put myself out there.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet?
At this moment? Allan Stone

What are you currently reading or listening to?
The New York Times and I’m listening to a beautiful mix of music a friend gave me entitled, “Beyond the Canvas.” Appropriate huh?

Who would you like to trade places with for one day? Why?
No one. Sometimes it takes a long while to get to know yourself...be happy with who you are...love yourself and be comfortable in your own skin. I’m at that place. So I cannot imagine trading places with anyone. However, I can think of many people I would like to walk beside for a day or three.

What dream do you still want to fulfill?
I would like to live in another country and own a farm.

What subject would you like to portray in your art that you have not yet attempted?
My work is very abstract. I do not always have a subject in mind and if I do there are no guarantees that anyone will see it immediately. Once, I was asked to paint Piedmont Park in Atlanta. I did. I’m not sure everyone would see a park when they look at that piece. Sometimes my work becomes a very beautiful accident. This is why I do not always title my art. Everyone has their own interpretation and I think that is quite amazing!

Thank you, Greg.

Greg Holliday is an emerging Atlanta artist who is basically self-taught and whose enthusiasm for life is evident in his radiant, emotional paintings. Greg works in acrylics, oils and wax as well as other media on canvas, paper and panel. He prefers large canvases that showcase the remarkable depth and patina of his paintings. Greg often leaves his work untitled to leave each piece open to the interpretation of the individual viewer. He believes art is very personal. If you would like to see more of Greg's work, please visit the Decatur Market and Gallery on 153 Ponce de Leon Place in Decatur, Georgia or click on the gallery name. If you'd like to meet Greg in person and talk to him about his art, stop by the gallery's New Beginnings: Expressions of Love group show and reception on February 12 from 6-9:00 p.m.

*for Theme Thursday and Creative Therapy

Here Comes the Sun

2011-01-23T12:18:00.020-05:00

36" X 24" oil on canvas

This painting has been through so many incarnations that it should be called Metamorphosis, but I think I already named a painting that. I started this painting last year, after I completed a collaged art journal page, which you can see here. The colors made me feel very happy and peaceful, and I liked the composition. Mostly I like what I wrote about, which was everything I that makes me happy. The collage was called Garden of Hope. I had just taken an painting class and used oil paints for the first time, and I was dying to try them out. So, the beginning was easy. Lots of texture and lots of green paint, and the bird went on easily, and then I brushed on a huge lotus blossom. And by huge, I mean HUGE. It looked clumsy and garish, exactly what I didn't want my beautiful, serene painting to look like. So, I got really nervous about spoiling my vision,and I put the painting aside for almost a year. I didn't know what to do with it, until a few weeks ago, when I had the brilliant idea to cover the lotus blossom with a butterfly. I worked on that butterfly all last weekend, and guess what? It looked clumsy and garish too. In trying to cover the lotus, I'd made the butterly exactly the same size. I kept adding details, trying to make it work, but it was not one bit better than the lotus. So I put it aside and went to bed. The next day, after school, I went to yoga, and, right in the middle of class, I decided to paint over what I'd done. I rushed home, swept on tons more green and yellow paint with a palette knife, and, oddly, felt immediate relief. After the paint was dry, I studied the painting for another day and decided to go with my first instinct and use a flower for the other figure. This time, I went with a peony, a much more rounded form, and, for some reason, it worked.

Here's a detail to give you some idea of the paint applicaton.

So I'm done; I'm happy now, and today I want to wish you the same thing I wished you when I started this process. Today my wish for you is that, like me, you have something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. I hope you are happy because here comes the sun, and I say it's alright...

(for Take a Word)

Arts in Atlanta: Melissa Payne Baker

2011-01-17T08:05:00.025-05:00

What emotions drive the creation of your art?
All emotions, I can be in any mood and I always come away from my studio happy.

What experiences led you to become an artist? When did you make the decision to be an artist?
I come from a family of artist so I grew up always creating. Two of my girlfriends and I started art night over ten years ago and it has grown to over 15 girls. One of the original art night girls who was my best friend was killed in a car accident seven years ago. She always wanted me to sell my work so I took that first step and put a painting in a Christ the King school auction, it was in a bidding war that evening and sold, the next day I got an order for another one...it just blew up from there.

Is your art goal-oriented?
I just start painting and I go wherever the painting takes me.

What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about friends, love, art, design and happiness.

How would you describe yourself?
I am a very busy person, I might look calm on the outside but my mind is going in a million directions. I am very detailed and organized. I never rest.

What artistic challenges do you face?
Finding my next technique or design, trying too hard to make it perfect.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned as an artist?
Not to try so hard, just let it flow.

What’s your proudest artistic achievement?
I am proud of the beautiful galleries I am in, being Atlanta's best emerging artist last year.

What artists have influenced you most and why?
Steve Penley, I love his use of color and texture.

What’s been your best decision?
My best decision was to just jump into being a professional artist, best thing I have ever done.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet?
I always say..I would love to have lunch with Gwyneth Paltrow or Grace Kelly. Both women are the picture of class.

What are you currently reading or listening to?
I am into Jack Johnson; his music is very fun in the studio.

Who would you like to trade places with for one day?
The three year old I keep, Mac. I would love to view the world like a child again.

What dream do you still want to fulfil?
So many! One that comes to mind is to have my art in Traditional Homes or Veranda or, hey, Town and Country would be nice too!

What subject would you like to portray in your art that you have not yet attempted?
A mushroom, only because I took a picture of a beautiful orange one at a friend's lake. It didn't look real. It was amazing.

Thank you, Melissa.

Melissa teaches palette knife classes and is represented in a number of galleries throughout the southeast. You can meet her in person this Friday night to enjoy wine, snacks, and a blue grass band, with several other new artists, at Huff Harrington Fine Art's Grand Affair where all paintings will all be priced under $1000.

for Three Muses' Artist of Choice and Crazy Amigos

From the HeART

2011-01-14T13:54:00.006-05:00

What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than with a gift of art?

Pictured above is Maggie's Map, a 12" X 12" mixed media painting on board. I painted it as a companion to New Slang (which you've seen before, Illustration Friday).

This commission was for a young mother who wanted to give her daughters paintings, hopefully to inspire a lifelong love of art. The mother described her daughters' personalities, interests, and favorite colors, and I took it from there.

I would love work with you to create something, using personal mementos, quotes, or poetry. If you are interested in commissioning an original painting, e-mail me at kathymccullen@aol.com.

Wintersong

2011-01-12T18:19:00.014-05:00

A cheer for the snow--the drifting snow;

Smoother and purer than Beauty's brow;

The creature of thought scarce likes to tread
On the delicate carpet so richly spread.

With feathery wreaths the forest is bound,
And the hills are with glittering diadems crown'd:
'Tis the fairest scene we can have below.
Sing, welcome, then, to the drifting snow!

Eliza Cook

for Created By Hand, Inspiration Avenue, and Take a Word.

A Kind of Magic

2010-12-27T09:59:00.011-05:00
“...the thing with magic. You've got to know it's still here, all around us, or it just stays invisible for you.” Charles de Lint

for Marit's Top 2000 Blog Party, Creative Therapy, Inspiration Avenue, Sunday Postcard Art, and Created By Hand.

"... the world between reality and fantasy...” this is an excerpt from the artist's statement on my website. I wrote that my paintings are an attempt to bridge that gap between traditional representation and abstraction. I don't think I've managed to accomplish that just yet, although "Bring Me a Dream" did capture a bit of what I hope to convey. This year, after an abstract phase, during which I really loosened up and worked primarily with a palette knife, I'm going to concentrate on figurative painting. In February, I plan to take a three-day class at the Art School of Sandy Springs, with Angela Nesbitt, whose textured, light-filled paintings of children I adore. Then, in March, I hope to take another class with Kenson Thompson.

So, my goal for 2011 is to continue to try to create a flow of positive energy, which is a kind of magic, and to keep learning. I'm fortunate enough to live near a city like Atlanta, where there is a rich and eclectic art scene full of diverse galleries and art schools, where I can continue my education and grow as an artist. I hope that all of you are as blessed and lucky in the coming year as I feel I am!

Happy New Year,
Love,
Kathy

Home For the Holidays

2010-12-26T19:19:00.014-05:00

Green Christmas

Keeping Room

Watercolor by Anne Hathaway

Front Porch

Homemade Papier Mache Santa for Illustration Friday

Papier Mache and Breaddough Santas

More Treasured Santas

Daybed on Screen Porch

O, Christmas Tree

Foyer and Dining Room

Deck the Halls

2010-12-23T20:25:00.009-05:00
Every year I say I'm going to cut back on my Christmas decorating, to just get out a few things. It always seems overwhelming before I get started because, over the years, I've accumulated so many Christmas decorations. What was I thinking when I started a music box collection for my oldest son and a Nutcracker collection for my youngest? Why in the world do I have three cabinets full of Santas? Does anyone really need this much sugared fruit?

But then I get started and I think, "Well, it won't be so much trouble to put a garland here and a swag there, and before you know it, every mantle is swathed in pine boughs and cedar, and every cupboard is decked in magnolia and ivy. And then I remember why I collected all of this to begin with: because I love it when the house is twinkly and bright. So, I never cut back, and I never simplify, and I never regret the time and effort it takes. I decorate for Christmas because it makes me happy to be surrounded by things that remind me of the spirit of Christmas, of love and warmth and family and home. I hope you have a Merry Christmas and that you too are surrounded by love and warmth of family and home.

for Created By Hand, Inspiration Avenue, and the Three Muses

Nightmares and Dreamscapes

2010-12-04T07:52:00.014-05:00

Wishbone 12 X 18 mixed media on cardboard for Inspiration Avenue, Creative Therapy, Three Muses, and Theme Thursday.

I'd forgotten how much I love collage. I've been so busy painting big abstract pieces that I'd forgotten how I love to tell a story by layering memories and dreams and then hiding them with paint. This little picture tells the story of childhood with all its magic and fears. If you look closely at the background, you might be able to see the angels and butterflies and flowers surrounding the child. And, if you look even closer, you might also be able to see the sea monster and the spiders lurking in the shadows. Can you tell what her wings are made of? That's right: bones. The pelvic girdle, in fact. This image came from an old anatomy textbook I found at a flea market. I also used a piece of lace, a ballet program, roses from vintage Valentines, pages from a book of fairy tales, and an old first grade reader. Childhood is like this; it's fantasies and nightmares, imaginary playmates and the monster under the bed. Childhood is equal parts wonder and terror.

In the undercoat of shadows and symbols, this child has found a sanctuary. Here in the dark dreamscape of her world, she and her companions have found comfort in each other, suggesting that, for all of us, in the midst of threats and uncertainty, there is redemption and hope.

IF: Savour

2010-11-28T07:04:00.017-05:00

Lucky Charms
36 X 36"
mixed media on canvas

The Thanksgiving holiday ends for me tonight. Tomorrow I go back to school. The week I've had off from work was so busy that I didn't have time to sit still and write, but today, I thought I'd take a moment to reflect about all I have to be thankful for. It's been a tough year for so many. A dear friend of mine just lost her mother. Divorces tore families apart. Other friends lost jobs due to the economy. But, despite all of this, there is still so much to be thankful for. A brother and sister, long estranged, found each other again. A childless couple was blessed with triplets. A father, once diagnosed with a malignant, inoperable brain tumor, celebrated his ninth Thanksgiving with his family: cancer free.

I have many things to be thankful for too. and I want to take the time today to tell all of you reading this that I am truly thankful for the friends I've made here. You've added so much to my life. Because of you I found the courage to realize my dream of becoming a painter. You encouraged me. You taught me. You celebrated with me. But, the most surprising thing of all is that you kept showing up here, despite my irregular posting, especially this last year, when my time has been divided between home, school, studio, and gallery. I am so lucky to have you.

The painting I have posted here is a very happy piece that finished at about 7:00 the morning of my first art festival. (Well, actually, it was almost finished when I took it to Chastain Park. I painted the sides of the canvas after I got to my booth). This painting is special to me, and I felt inspired by the colors the entire time I was working on it. It was a fast piece, almost like a dance, and fun. My sister suggested that I call it Mood Indigo, which I think is a b‎eautiful name, but it seems a bit sad and introspective. This painting is anything but that. Like much of my work, it's not about anything deep. It's just happy. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes, ‎"You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm." (Colette).
So, I named it Lucky Charms. Because I really am...lucky.

Inspiration Avenue

2010-11-22T07:53:00.010-05:00
One of my favorite things to do in any city is to take the day to explore, shop, eat, and snap photos. On Saturday, while making deliveries, I puttered around Decatur, a bit. and found that it is the perfect place to spend the day Christmas shopping.

Here's my Christmas window at Donna Van Gogh's Artist Market on Inspiration (I mean, McClendon!) Avenue. The Candler Park area is a fun, funky, walkable neighborhood, full of ingenious little shops. You can start your day with orange scented French toast or gingersnap pancakes at The Flying Biscuit Cafe. DVG's also shares the block with Full Moon Records, home to classic vinyl, $1 records, and a current, popular CD selection. Down the street is Kelly's Closet, a frame shop, a flower market, and a belly dancing studio. If you run out of steam, you can stop in Dr. Bombay's Underwater Tea Party, a tiny book-lined tea shop for a cup of Earl Grey or a latte.

Not too far away is The Decatur Market and Gallery. The Decatur Market is a cooperative gallery, run by an eclectic group of talented potters, mixed media artists, painters, photographers, and jewelers. We even have our own glass blower. On any given day, if you stop by the gallery, you will be greeted by one of the artists, since we share "floor duty" and all work one day a month. The gallery itself is a beautiful space and is located a block off the courthouse square, near Dancing Goats Coffee Bar and Taqueria del Sol, my absolute favorite place in Atlanta to get a fish taco and a margarita.

This is my November installation at the gallery. If it's jewelry or art, you're looking for, you can find it here, but there are also boutiques nearby where you can you can find gifts for most anyone on your Christmas list. There's Heliotrope for unique tableware, bath and body products, and toys, and there are Boogaloo and Squash Blossom for creative clothing and accessories.

I'll be heading back to Decatur today with my own shopping list, so maybe I'll see you there!

Illustration Friday

2010-11-12T10:33:00.004-05:00

For the past few weeks, I haven't posted very often because I've spent every spare waking moment painting like a madwoman! I was trying to get a large enough body of work ready for The Chastain Arts Festival, which was my first festival. Here you can see one of my favorite new pieces called Sarabande. This abstract is 30 X 30 and was done with a palette knife, acrylics, oils, charcoal, and ink.

The festival itself went very well. I got so much positive feedback, and I sold five large paintings. I met some of the most interesting people, and, after the first day I began to notice some things about the ones that responded to my work. For example, if a person was wearing pink, he or she was bound to spend some time in my booth!

Over the next few weeks I will show you some of the other paintings I took to the festival. One of the pieces I sold was my little sandman in Bring Me A Dream, and, I have to admit, I already miss him.

Now that I have the festival behind me, I plan to work on some small pieces on board and to focus more on figurative painting. I have three compositions in my head that I am just itching to start.

Show Time

2010-11-03T13:33:00.006-04:00
Okay, you THREE MUSES and all the rest of my muses out there, this is a different kind of SHOW TIME, but I filmed this interview just this morning with the FOX 5 Road Warrior, and I had to share it with you, since you have inspired so much of the art you'll see pictured in the video. I only wish you could all join me this weekend for my first arts festival.(P.S. I'm the one after Mali, the amazing glass artist)!

Mixed Media Monday

2010-11-01T04:19:00.003-04:00

Rough Magic 30 X 40 acrylic, oil, ink, and charcoal on canvas
available at Fine Art America

Arts in Atlanta: Carol Reynolds

2010-10-21T03:40:00.006-04:00
I am very happy to announce the start of a series of interviews of artists from the metro Atlanta area. The first featured artist is my new and dear friend, the incredibly talented Carol Reynolds. Carol is an artist who creates mosaics on found and constructed objects, using ceramic tiles that she makes and fires herself. She is so successful that her work practically flies out the door of The Decatur Market and Gallery, particulary her manequin mosaics. One day Carol walked into the gallery with a mosaic I loved so much that I commissioned a similar piece before she even hung it on the wall! You can see my beautiful Euby Darlin' pictured just below. Carol says that the wonderful thing about mosaics is that they are "so versatile and so forgiving. Accuracy and perfection are not required. As a result, gratification can be immediate." Now, who doesn't love immediate gratification?

Which five words best describe you?
Openminded, flexible, easy, loyal, spacey

When did you decide to become an artist?
When my friend let me use her ceramics studio and didn't laugh at what I created

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way?
To let things go if you can't do anything about them

What’s your proudest career achievement?
Hmmm....artistically..... the first time I applied, submitted images and got accepted to a show -- all on my own.

What three artists have influenced you most and why?
Dolores Fawkes (she's my mentor and a non-blood sister; most folks have no idea how many Artists she's helped. She let me use her studio, didn't laugh at my early efforts, and gave me the push to think about doing it on my own)
Kate Anderson (she's an instructor at the Spruill Center and got me hooked on mosaics)
I don't have a third...

What influences your work?
I’m always thinking of ways to combine as many types of tile as I can -- the more textures and dimensions, the better. And…I’m all about recycling. Fortunately for me, if I find a piece that’s a bit battered or scarred, I can still use it. That’s the beauty of mosaics…nothing has to be perfect!

What’s on your cd player while you’re creating?
Right now, I'm listening to The Braves on the radio. But...if I want music... I'm listening to Lucinda Williams, Howie Day, Matt Nathanson or Augustana, And...I'm always up for Warrn Zevon or Jackson Browne.

What are you reading?
Unfortunately, nothing at the moment. But I really enjoy Michael Connelly and Lee Child novels.

What’s been your best decision?
To marry the man I married.

Who would you like to trade places with for one day? Why?
This is a hard one...I'm really in a pretty good place right now. Yeah, I think I'm okay.

What inspires you?
Anytime anyone forgets about him/her self and just does what's right.

What are you passionate about?
The Golden Rule

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet?
Anyone on the Lewis and Clark expedition to the Louisiana Territory.

What dream do you still want to fulfill?
Travel to all of the continents. I've got South America, Africa and the Poles left.

What are you currently working on?
I’ve just finished getting things ready for two upcoming shows; so I’m taking a bit of a break – at least for this week. My next job will be getting more ceramic tiles made for a large mirror that’s waiting for me.

You can see more of Carol's art on display at the Decatur Market and Gallery on 153 Ponce de Leon Place and at the Chastain Arts Festival the first weekend in November.

Transit of Venus

2010-10-08T05:21:00.007-04:00

30 X 30 acrylic, oil, ink, and charcoal on canvas for Created By Hand Art Challenge

It seems like I have really neglected my blog the past couple of weeks, but I have actually been working on a new feature for Creative Fits, and I've spent almost every moment I'm not teaching school to getting ready for my first festival, The Chastain Arts Festival, the first weekend in November. If you'd like more information about Chastain, just click on the festival name. The Chastain Festival will feature over 100 painters, photographers, sculptors, leather and metal craftpersons, glass blowers, and jewelers. Since the Fall weather in in Atlanta is so perfect, and Chastain Park is so beautiful, it should really be a fun weekend. A number of my friends from The Decatur Gallery will be participating,and I'm really excited to be a part of it.

Another thing that's been taking up some of my time is the new blog feature I've been working on. I would really like to focus more on the arts in Atlanta, and, in an effort to do that, I will periodically be interviewing some of the very talented area artists. The first of my interviews, which should be posted next week, will feature my friend Carol Reynolds an incredibly talented and creative mosaic artist.

Does today's painting look familiar to you? The painting in the previous post was a 12" X 12" study for this one. "Transit of Venus" is the first large piece I've completed using only a palette knife, and it will be my entry in the "Mystic Methods and Moods Holiday Spirit" group show this Saturday from 5:00-10:00 p.m. at The Decatur Market & Gallery on 153 Ponce de Leon Place. There will be live music by The Flying Mystics, tarot card reading, and refreshments. There will be an outdoor artist market during the event and costumes are welcome. I hope you can join us!

Autumn Equinox

2010-09-21T05:01:00.012-04:00

Transit of Venus 12 X 12

Autumn is here; I can feel it in the twilight crispness of the air, as I sit beside the pond at the end of the day. I can see it under the bright harvest moon that lights the way for the bunnies to eat our newly planted fall garden.

For me, last week was a time of gathering and celebrating. On Friday I attended the 20th Anniversary Reception at the Pryor Fine Art on Bennett Street. The show featured the work of Susie Pryor and doubled as a benefit for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. A portion of the proceeds from pre-sales and the first week’s sales were donated to CHCOA. Susie, whose work you can see here is one of my very favorite contemporary American artists. Her new paintings, which incorporate broad brush strokes and lush palette knife work, depicts a variety of subjects including children, coastal scenes, and still lifes. She manages to capture that world between abstraction and reality that I so love. This is one of my favorites of her new paintings.

Make a Wish 60 X 48

And then, on Saturday, I treated myself to an all-day workshop with Melissa Payne Baker at the Sandy Springs School of Art. I had been a fan Melissa's bold colorful abstracts for some time, and, when she announced that she would be teaching a class called "Loosen Up With Melissa Payne Baker," I knew I had to go. I spent the day watching Melissa paint, learning how to use a palette knife, and just generally having fun with the other talented women in the class. You can see Melissa giving us a demonstration below:

and here's one of her new pieces:

Paysage II 30 X 40

On Sunday, I spent the day working on the two large pieces that I started in class, and I finished the small one that you see at the top of this post. Actually, that one was done at the last minute, before my son's birthday celebration Sunday night. I realized that I'd been so busy all weekend that I hadn't made him a card, like I usually do, so, inspired by the moon and the magic of Melissa and Susie, I painted this for him.

Autumn is a season of ripe beauty, a season of myriad colors, a season of abundance and balance and gratitude. Autumn is

"A brimming of golden sweetness in your dreaming eyes
Fills the world with the beauty of a realm divine,
The sun's last rays serenely trickle from your purple skies:
I send my love and song and call your blessings mine."

Abhinabha

Hidden Messages

2010-09-14T17:01:00.012-04:00

Painting the Roses Red 30 X 30 acrylic, ink, oil sticks, and charcoal on canvas for The Three Muses.

I admit it. I'm a huge word geek. All English majors are. We sulk over Scrabble points, giggle over words like "vituperating" and "obsteperous," and sneer at people who say "that being said" and "refer back." We do well on standardized tests, quote Monty Python and Elizebeth Barrett Browning, and collect old editions of Alice in Wonderland. We write haiku, work crossword puzzles in pen, and ridicule poor spellers. We smugly recite the Prologue to The Canterbury Tales in Old English to anyone who will listen and think Latin roots are the coolest.

So, when The Three Muses announced this week's theme "Words," I was in my element. Like all my recent paintings, this one has an underlayer of words: sheet music, room service menus, vintage magazine pages, ticket stubbs, and receipts. I glued these on my canvas along with decorative papers and brushed on acrylic paint allowing the shapes of the papers to dictate the placement of colors. Once the first layer of pink, blue, and white, and green was dry, I brushed on some burnt umber and wiped most of it off, leaving just enough to emphasize the texture of the underlying layers. Then I applied brown, gray, and black distressing inks and created a vase of tissue paper and thick-bodied Golden white paint. Next, I adhered flowers made of acrylic "skins" and added details with Alazarin Crimson and Payne's Gray acrylics. The last step was to add shading with oil sticks and to outline the vase with a piece of charcoal.

This piece is going to stay with me awhile; I painted it for the Chastain Arts Festival the first weekend in November, but if you are intereted in purchasing this painting, you can e-mail me at kathymccullen@aol.com.

Fusion

2010-09-04T05:02:00.005-04:00

12" X 12" acrylic, oil sticks, ink, and charcoal on canvas

applewine night and summer's end
she dances
under the harvest moon

For Mixed Media Monday and Haiku My Heart

(for more Haiku My Heart beauty go here)

New Work: Archipelago

2010-08-29T07:27:00.010-04:00

Archipelago 24" X 40" acrylic, oil sticks, ink, and charcoal on canvas

pale moon and fortune's rocks
the holy song of Terpsicore
and kiss of salt and wind

Well, everything is relative; these are cool colors for me!(Mixed Media Monday). I have never used pale colors in my paintings before, so this was quite challenging for me, especially on such a large scale.

For more lovely haiku, please visit Rebecca's blog Recuerda Mi Corizon.

Haiku My Heart

2010-08-16T21:02:00.018-04:00

polka dot posies
and lace paper rhymes
hope is the sweetest thing

Atmoshere: The dominant tone or mood of a work of art.

Joy:
1 a : the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires : delight b : the expression or exhibition of such emotion : gaiety
2 : a state of happiness or felicity : bliss
3 : a source or cause of delight

for
Haiku My Heart
Wednesday Stamper, Illustration Friday
and Motivated Monday

WIP

2010-08-14T16:20:00.008-04:00

Have you noticed that I changed the name of my blog? Well, my sister, with whom I started the blog, has had her own blog for some time now, and there's really only one "muse" left here, so I thought a change of name was overdue. You really should treat yourself and check out my sister's blog here and Flickr page here for some stunning photography and great writing, when you have a chance.

Because from a very early age I loved to experiment with paint and texture and make my own art materials, my mother said that what I did was more of a "creative fit" than anything else (hence the new name of the blog). I haven't changed very much, and I still love to try new things and get my hands dirty, so I thought it might be fun to show you a work in progress and give you a step-by-step description of what I did. First, I rummaged around for some "texture," and I found some old book pages, ticket stubbs, and a doily which I glued on a canvas. Then, I added some patterned and textured papers which I further altered with acrylic paint. I "sculpted" a vase from white tissue paper and then painted over it with Golden Heavy Body white for a sort of porcelain effect. Next, I brushed cobalt teal over the background, and, when that was dry, I drybrushed on some white paint. Then, I did some stamping and glued on more patterned paper for thicker layers. I fingerpainted a little with light olive green acrylic and did the stems of the flowers with the same shade. Next, I sanded the white checkerboard and went over that with gray distressing ink. Last, I brushed on phthalo turquoise stripes and a tabletop and went over the white vase with the edge of a charcoal stick. Can you tell I was having fun?

While all that was drying, I made some acrylic flower "skins" on recycled Chinese take-out trays. The flowers will have to dry overnight before I can peel them off and adhere them to my painting. When that's done, I'll add some more details and layers with inks, oil sticks, and charcoal. Hopefully, I'll be able to work on this one tomorrow and show you the finished product tomorrow night, so stay tuned!

haiku my heart

2010-08-12T05:02:00.005-04:00

free shoe blues
all alone
on a checkerboard street

Love Is Blind

2010-08-03T18:34:00.010-04:00

Bliss of Another Kind 12 X 12 acrylic, charcoal, oil stick, and paper on canvas for The Three Muses "Love is Blind" challenge.

This painting was inspired by the concerts in the Atlanta Botanical Gardens that I attended this summer with my sweet husband and our old friends Vickie and Bill, all of whom learned to turned over their ticket stubbs to me for the sake of my art. I used the tickets for texture along with concert programs from Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, and Joan Baez. You can no longer see any of these souvenirs, but I know they're there, and that's what matters. That and the memories I have of those summer nights and the music in the garden.

Past Loves

2010-08-01T19:13:00.024-04:00

Cross My Heart 12 X 12 acrylic, ink, oil stick, and charcoal on canvas

Are you getting tired of me jumping around and not sticking with one style? The truth is I paint what I need to learn. Last week I set out to paint an abstract, and a seascape appeared. I'd never done a seascape, and I'd just returned from Charleston,S.C., so I wasn't surprised when the ocean emerged on my canvas. This week I did return to one of my past loves(according to this week's Mixed Media Monday prompt), and I managed to actually finish this abstract piece. Despite this blog post title, the term "past love" is relative because I've only just been painting for about two and a half years. I painted a few abstracts back at the beginning, and, since my college art appreciation days in the '70's, I've been totally fascinated by Matisse's fauvism, Kandinsky's abstract expressionism, and Picasso's cubism. More recently, I've been studying the powerful work of Katherine Treffinger, an established painter from Oregon, and an emerging Atlanta artist, named Melissa Payne Baker, known for her strong color palettes and thick texture.

The secret language of form and color in abstract art inspires me. I love the task of trying to achieve balance and meaningful interplay in nonrepresentational art. When I work in the abstract, I feel challenged and free at the same time. Like I said, for me, painting is all about learning, but sometimes it's about having fun too. When both happen, it's perfect.

The Bird Is The Word

2010-07-28T02:47:00.009-04:00

Fight or Flight (12 X 24 mixed media on canvas). I've been in a bird phase lately: doves, herons, hummingbirds. A friend of mine told me I might get to be known as "the bird lady," and that's fine with me. Usually, I don't set out to paint birds, but, often, in the process of layering and texturing, the image of a bird is revealed on my canvas, and I'm helpless to resist. I love using symbols in my work to express themes in a way that requires introspection - not only can the viewer interpret my thoughts and feelings, but he can then interpret the work in relation to his own reality. I often use birds as symbols of faith and hope but also as a symbol of humanity: learning to fly, leaving the nest, protecting our young.

I painted this bird with an attitude a few weeks ago for a Donna Van Gogh's Artists' Market. Van Gogh's is gallery in Candler Park that focuses on local artists and has some of the funkiest and most affordable art in Atlanta. Terri and Iris, the owners, are bird lovers themselves and actually rescued a gorgeous Scarlet Macaw several years ago. When I read the challenge at The Three Muses this week I immediately thought of my odd bird.

Crazy Amigo: Film Inspiration

2010-07-27T07:58:00.022-04:00

In case I haven't mentioned it before, I’m a huge movie fiend; I think that goes back to my childhood in Mississippi, when all there was to do on a Saturday night was go to the movies. I could get a child’s ticket until I was about 14 years old, and popcorn was only 50 cents, so basically I saw everything that came to town.

So last Friday afternoon I was checking the weekend lineup at Cine Cafe, a local theater and cinema, and I read about Winter’s Bone. Before I even finished the movie review, I told my husband about the film, and we jumped in the car to try to make the 5:15 feature. We were 5 minutes late, but, since we’d read a little background, we were able to pick up the story line. It’s a about Ree, a tough17 year old, fiercely protective of her younger brother and sister and their mentally ill nearly-catatonic mother. They live in backwoods, Missouri, in a dilapidated cabin surrounded by yard dogs, broken toys and relatives that make the hillbillies in Deliverence look friendly. We discover that Ree's father is a meth cooker on the run from the sheriff. Ree has to find him because he’s put their house and the surrounding timberlands up for bond, and her family’s about to lose the house. I don’t want to tell you too much about the plot because one of the best things about the film is watching the the dark thread of the plot unraveling. This low-budget backwoods gothic won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, as much as for its austerity as its authentic storytelling. The movie is visually mesmerizing and not for the usual reasons. It's stark. It's menacing. It's ugly. It's heart-breaking, but it's hopeful. I could watch this movie over and over again and never fully comprehend the damaged humanity of its characters. Every once in a while a movie gets under my skin, and Winter’s Bone is most definitely that film. You should go see it.

On The Pulse of Morning

2010-07-23T13:30:00.004-04:00

On The Pulse Of Morning 30 X 36 mixed media on canvas (for Inspiration Avenue and Mixed Media Monday) If you are interested in this painting, e-mail me or, after tomorrow, you can find it at The Decatur Gallery at 153 Ponce De Leon Place, Decatur, GA. I'll be at the gallery tomorrow from 12:00-4:00 p.m., so drop by, if you're in the area.

WIP

2010-07-20T05:24:00.009-04:00

On the Pulse of Morning 30 X 36

I came home from the galleries of Charleston, not to mention its gardens and beaches, with a head brimming with ideas. So, in an attempt not to lose my inspiration, I have three paintings in progress right now. This is the big one, and I'm also working on a 12 X 12 canvas and a 16 X 16 wood panel. The big one has most of my attention today because I've had these colors in my head for a couple of weeks, and I've just been thinking about composition. Sitting and watching the sun come up at Folly Beach gave me plenty of ideas, so I made a lot of progress on this one yesterday. I'm thinking about adding some golden lights and hints of gray-violet, as well as deepening the blues a bit. The Crazy Amigo challenge this week is "Summer Holliday," and at Inspiration Avenue, it's "Clouds," so I thought this would be a good venue for input. Any suggestions you care to make would be very welcome.

MMM: A Chance To Play

2010-07-19T06:32:00.003-04:00

"Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars." A chance to play... this is what my husband gave me for our 28th anniversary this past weekend. When I gave him this anniversary card Friday morning, he told me to pack a suitcase. He had secretly planned a trip Charleston, South Carolina, a weekend of crepe myrtles, cobblestones, carriages, salty breezes, the beach at sunrise. We spent two lovely days looking into courtyard gardens, visiting art galleries, eating boiled shrimp on the pier, and listening to music at night on a rooftop bar. I have no idea how he managed to keep all this a secret, but it was the best anniversary ever. I am so thankful I married this man. After 28 years, now more than ever, he's still the other half of me.

Statue of Flibberty

2010-07-13T10:33:00.010-04:00

(for Creative Therapy, Crazy Amigos, and Created By Hand) 14 " X 14" mixed media on canvas; available at The Gilded Lily.

This piece is started with a photo of my wig-head sculpture Ava and a recyled painting that I wasn't terribly pleased with. (You can see Ava as Catrina here.) After I sanded and roughed up the background to make some of the other elements disappear, I painted the rest of the background with colors of the same intensity as the remaining red and yellow that you can still see. The I glued on an enlarged a photo of Ava and painted her orange, deepening the hue with ink and charcoal. I thought I'd give her a crown and make her queen, but then I noticed the resemblence to Our Lady Liberty, so I decided to go with it. I added a few flourishes and doodles to balance the bright white in the crown and there she is: Ava in yet another incarnation!

IF: Diary of an Aspiring Artist

2010-07-09T08:03:00.008-04:00

Saturday night I will be at The Decatur Market & Gallery from 5-10:00 p.m. for the opening reception, "Red Hot Landscapes and Cool Waters." The reception will honor artists Greta Mattingly and Jill Bates. The Gallery will also host an outdoor artist market, provide complimentary hors d'oeuvres, summer beverages and music. Come by and check out my new artistic venture, if you're in the area. My special thanks to Patrick Dennis for inviting me to be a part of this amazing group of artists and to Knox Steinbrecher for helping to install my work so beautifully.

New Painting

2010-07-06T19:55:00.007-04:00

Night Heron Buckatunna Creek 18 X 20 mixed media on board for The Three Muses

I grew up in Mississippi, and I lived in New Orleans for four years, so the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has been on my mind a lot the past few weeks. I cannot find the words to express my feelings about the devastation of the beaches and wetlands of my homestate. I remember one night, many years ago, when my family was driving home from a dinner at a fishcamp, we saw a Great Blue Heron in a creek that ran alongside the road. We pulled over and watched this beautiful bird for a long time, until he finally disaapeared into the shadows. I will always remember how he looked in the moonlight on Buckatunna Creek.

MMM: Something Borrowed

2010-07-05T02:14:00.004-04:00

Bird in the Hand 24 X 30 mixed media, available at the Decatur Gallery

I started this painting in Kenson Thompson's two day mixed media class last March at the Sandy Springs School of Art. You can see photos of the class and read about it in my blog post here. Kenson spent some time demonstrating how she layers media to begin a new painting, and she also taught us how to use oil pastels and charcoal in mixed media. She explained that we could use turpentine to creat a translucent wash of color and then brush a clear, quick-drying acrylic finish over the pastels, making it possible to combine oil and acrylic paints. Kenson then suggested that I use one of the "pointy hat girls" from my art journal pages. I thought that was an excellent idea, as I have not painted many human figures and was anxious to give it a try. Deciding to use Kenson's palette, I did the basic outline of this painting in class and went on to begin a second painting. I put this one aside for several months because I was a little nervous about painting a person, and I didn't want to mess it up. Last week I decided to try to finish it in time for my installation at The Decatur Gallery. Once I got started again, I found that I was using brighter hues than I had originally planned. Perhaps because I was more comfortable with my own palette, the painting became less intimidating and the work went fairly quickly. I wish I had placed the figure a little differently, but, all in all, I wasn't dissatisfied, and, as of last Thursday, she is hanging in the gallery, along with five of my other pieces. I am looking forward to painting more human figures and have several compositions in mind already. I'm also hoping to take more classes with Kenson because, not only is she one of my favorite artists, she's so much fun and so very inspiring.

Flutterby

2010-07-01T12:53:00.008-04:00

Flutterby 24" X 36" available through the Decatur Gallery

The prompt this week at Theme Thursday is torn paper and, at Illustration Friday, is giants. Like all my mixed media paintings, this piece was painted over a textured base of torn maps, tissue paper, dictionary pages, and patterned papers. It's finished with inks, charcoal, and watercolor crayons. I seem to have a fascination lately with flying creatures: birds, giant luna moths, the sandman... Most of my recent paintings depict entities flying heavenward in moonlit skies of fantastic colors. I'm not sure what that's about, but writing those words reminded me of some my earliest "works of art." In the first grade, I became obsessed with drawing maps of heaven. I'm unsure if the the obsession stemmed from my pride in my very first box of 64 Crayola crayons or from work avoidance issues (as we say in the special ed. business), but, instead of completing my math worksheets, I colored countless pages of swirls of aquamarine, goldenrod, and mulberry. Oddly, after 45 years, my style doesn't seem to have altered much. This paintng was originally named "Luna" for lack of a better title, but my husband called it Flutterby, which I think is better, so Flutterby it shall be.

Fashion-Inspired Art & Haiti Update

2010-06-29T06:30:00.022-04:00
When Somerset Studio issued a call for fashion-inspired art last January, (Collage Obsession) I decided to send in three of my art journal pages for consideration. Actually, one of the pages was my husband's anniversary card, but I surreptitiously stole it back and off it went! I didn't hear anything from the magazine for months, but I kept my fingers crossed. Yesterday in my mailbox was a copy of the new issue, and I thought, "Hmmmmmm, I don't have a subscription to this magazine..." My hopes leapt because I know that Somerset always sends artists complimentary copies when their work appears. So, I tore off the wrapping and flipped through the pages and, sure enough, there they were! On pages 116 and 117, you can see these three pages.

I thought Somerset did a wonderful job of the styling and layout of my work, and I especially loved the way the color, the texture and the uneven edges of the watercolor paper showed. The entire magazine is full of tips, techniques, and amazing fashion-inspired art by some of my favorite artists. I have always been a big fan of Somerset Studio, and I feel so lucky that my work was included in such a beautiful and inspiring publication.

NOW for an update on Have a HeART for Haiti. I hope you haven't given up on me. The logistics of the auction have proved to be slightly more complicated than I originally thought, but I think I've figured out the most efficient way to hold the auction. I had a few obstacles in June, which I will try to describe briefly. Right after school was out, my son, who was traveling in Greece on a cruise ship, broke his foot PLAYING BASKETBALL. My time and efforts then became devoted to making international phone calls to be sure he was okay and to helping him locate crutches, so he could disembark from the ship on time, limp to a hospital for a real cast and follow-up treatment and make alternate travel plans, since he could no longer carry his 70 lb. backpack. Actually, he accomplished all of this himself, and my phone calls were for naught, except to provide moral support. He is now fine, fitted with a walking cast, and recuperating happily in Barcelona, probably in a pub, watching the World Cup. I then went on my annual ladies' pilgrimage to Myrtle Beach for some lovely girl time and came home with a raging case of strep throat. Once recovered, I found that I had lost my Internet connection! After 5 phone calls to Dell (for a grand total of six hours, grrrr.....), two hours with a technician in my home (during which he exacerbated the problem), new parts were ordered, and I am scheduled for further repairs later this week. My computer time has been limited to the few moments that I've been able to steal on my husband's laptop. I am currently unable to access my own documents and pictures from my hardrive. I had to resave these journal pages and e-mail them to myself to publish them here today. Once my Internet connection is restored, I will send you all instructions and links to the auction site. Thank you so much for your patience, the letters of enquiry you've sent about this project, and for not giving up on me. I'm very sorry about the length of this post, but I wanted to update you while I had the chance. Thank you again for your compassion and generosity in reaching out to help the people of Haiti.

Love,
Kathy

Something Old, MMM

2010-06-20T12:28:00.010-04:00

Celui j'aime 14 X 14 oil and acrylic mixed media over layers of old ticket stubbs, parking passes, maps, and brochures from special ocasions with my husband (for his Father's Day present). If you'll adjust your Zoom to view in 200%, you can see the texture much better. This painting fits the themes for MMM (Something Old) and Alter It Monthly (Birds).

Hummingbird D. H. Lawrence

I can imagine, in some other world
Primeval-dumb, far back
In that most awful stillness, that only gaped and hummed,
Humming-birds raced down the avenues.

Before anything had a soul,
While life was a heave of Matter, half inanimate,
This little bit chipped off in brilliance
And went whizzing through the slow, vast, succulent stems.

I believe there were no flowers then,
In the world where the humming-bird flashed ahead of creation,
I believe he pierced the slow vegetable veins with his long beak.

Probably he was big
As mosses, and little lizards, they say, were once big.
Probably he was jabbing, terrifying monster.

We look at him through the wrong end of the long telescope
of Time.
Luckily for us.

New Gallery Space On Inspiration Avenue

2010-06-12T18:11:00.008-04:00

Today I took a trunkful of my work to The Decatur Gallery and Market, hoping they would want to represent me. This is one of my new paintings, called "First Light." It's an 18" X 20" mixed media piece that I finished yesterday.

I met with Patrick Dennis, the owner, and I was thrilled that he was kind enough to invite me to join the gallery. The Decatur Market & Gallery is co-operative venue for emerging artists and artisans of Georgia. It's located in the former Boswell Gallery space at 153 Ponce de Leon Place, Decatur and is staffed by the artists themselves. The Gallery showcases modern abstract paintings, landscapes, mixed media, jewelry, pottery and textiles.

mosaics by Carol Reynolds

oil paintings by Shijun Munns

and 3D art by Betsy Halford

My paintings will go in on July 1, and there will be a reception on July 10 from 5-9 p.m. So, if you're in the area, please drop by and see my new work there.

I Know Why the Gilded Bird Sings

2010-06-06T07:13:00.004-04:00
by Lee Ann Robins

But I don't know why Kathy keeps putting English peas in her paintings. They keep showing up--see, down there on the left. One would suspect her of homage to LeSueur, but I happen to know Kathy loathes English peas ("They're mushy"), yet still they keep coming up. On occasion, she disguises them by painting them scarlet, but she's not fooling me. The latest painting, sitting unfinished on her easel, I'm looking at right now and the composition is a butterfly on a gold background fluttering away from the peas, in this incarnation square--but still green. Like we wouldn't recogize them. I name it in my head: Butterflies Are Free (with peas).

The Gilded Lily requested Kathy's green bird painting and then put it front and center, which surprised and excited us as we were driving downtown today and saw it all spotlit, dominating their display. She leapt out to peer at it and I pulled the camera from my purse and snapped. I like this picture, and it's a rare occasion when I take one of Kathy and she doesn't make me delete it. Today is the first real day of our summer. I call it a good omen (with peas).

Queen For a Day

2010-06-03T07:00:00.006-04:00

My sister, Lee Ann, turns 50 next week, and this is her birthday card. I posted it today because I have no self-control and the catalyst at Creative Therapy is "Favorite Relative," and the challenge at Theme Thursday is "Bright Colors." Also, Lee Ann's computer is down, and I know she won't see this post. So, shhhhh; it's a secret.

Lee Ann and I started this blog together two years ago, under the aliases of Alberta and Ava. She thought we should be anonymous to maintain our privacy, but we've since decided to come out as ourselves, and she now has her own blog(It Must Be Mice) Here's what our profile said two years ago, "We're Ava and Alberta: sisters, teachers, and artists. We've been dreaming together since we jumped off our chest of drawers, believing we could fly. Our closet became our spaceship, a magnolia tree our secret castle, and our grandmother's garden our enchanted kingdom. Our mother taught us the joy of creating and the art of nonsense. We learned embroidery on our grandmother's front porch and heard bedtime stories about sirens and gorgons and panthers stalking the woods at midnight. We believe in magic and silliness, in sisters and dreams, in lavender silk dresses and bottle trees, but, most of all, we believe in the strength of the creative spirit. We still believe we can fly."

Lee Ann has been my best friend since the day my parents brought her home from the hospital. My mother said she was for me, and I believed her. I still do. Lee Ann was the first person I ever took care of, the first person I ever made laugh, the first person I ever got in trouble with, the first person I ever drew a portrait of, and the first person to ever love me, no matter what. So, happy early birthday, Lee Ann. You're the best gift I ever got.

MMM Personal Icons: Strong Women

2010-05-31T16:45:00.010-04:00

At Mixed Media Monday this week, the challenge was to create a piece of art using images, colors or themes that seem to recur in my work. So I used some of my old standards to make a new collage. My background was created in my usual fashion of layering personal mementos, like cards, ticket stubs and images and painting over them. This face from Vogue or Bazaar (I've forgottten which) seems to pop up again and again on my art journal pages. I love the stark effect the photographer used in that shoot, juxtaposed with the model's delicate features. I addes the feathered collar because it makes her look like a WARRIOR. I love to use the lotus in my art (in fact, I have a large oil painting of a lotus and other personal icons in progress right now). For me, the lotus symbolizes spiritual awakening and beauty, and pink and green are my favorite colors. Green is such a vital, fresh color, and pink is just so happy. I think a dose of black works in every composition, and the theme of trusting your intuition is one that, as a mother, aunt, and high school teacher, I'm focused on at the present. I have 5 nieces, and I've written about Emily, the oldest, before. Today I'll tell you about two more of the strong women in my family: Lily and Maggie. I think this would make a wonderful card for my niece Lily. Both the lotus blossom and the text remind me of Lily. Lily is an analytical, yet emotional, thinker. When faced with a tough decision, she asks advice from people she respects, evaluates it, sorts it out, and then makes a decision based on what is moral, kind, and sensible. All this from one only 16 years old! She's pretty awesome. Lily and her twin sister, Maggie, are going on a mission trip to Colorado Wednesday, and their loved ones are supposed to send letters to be read to them around a campfire. The theme of their trip is "spiritual growth," and, since I can express myself better in art than in words, I've decided to make cards for my nieces. I think I'll use the "Well-behaved young lady" in the post below for Maggie. My Maggie is a force to be reckoned with. You always know exactly where you stand with her; she is one direct young lady, and I love that quality. Maggie is more reactive than Lily, and she's also very down-to-earth and more resilient than just about anyone I know. People always say that Maggie and I are a lot alike, and I take that as a great compliment.

Okay, now that I've told you all about them, I have to show you my precious nieces

Lily (left), Maggie (right)

It's Good To Be Bad

2010-05-27T06:33:00.005-04:00

for Theme Thursday and Inspiration Avenue

Yesterday I got a message on my Facebook page from my son's girlfriend Brooke, who is studying in China this summer. She said that she had been chased down the street by an angry Chinese man, after she picked up what she thought was a free magazine to bring home to me to use in my collages. Although the image of the lovely Brooke fleeing on her long legs fills me with delight, I do NOT want her to risk incarceration in a Chinese jail for the sake of my art! This journal page was initially inspired by Brooke, but then I started thinking all my wild and crazy, opinionated, outspoken, bad ass girlfriends out there, and I realized how many fierce beauties I use in my art, so I've decided to start a Bad Girl series in honor of those of you who inspire me every day. You know who you are. If you'd like a print of this page, they are available for $15.00; just e-mail me at kathymccullen@aol.com

Doors of Perception

2010-05-25T05:21:00.001-04:00

for Creative Therapy and Collage Obsession

Loose as a Goose

2010-05-22T07:55:00.022-04:00

One swallow does not make a summer,

but one skein of geese,

is the Spring.
Aldo Leopold

My One True Thing

2010-05-18T21:39:00.004-04:00

"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
Buddha

for the Three Muses

Where I Live

2010-05-07T05:17:00.015-04:00
Stephanie over at the Mango Studio inspired me to write my own poem about where I live

I live where rabbits hide in hedgerows green

and hummingbirds sip sweet nectar

where roses meet me at the door

and stop to say hello

where fairy rings grow

and evening shadows deepen

when the magic hour approaches

Mixed Media Monday & Creative Therapy

2010-05-02T16:31:00.007-04:00

for the grace of you 12" X 12" acrylic mixed media

I painted this for my son Andrew on a piece of cardboard which I later adhered to a board. To make it special for him, I incorporated a number of personal elements, including a hidden message in the a secret code we've had since he was 2 years old. There's a special dictionary page, clothing labels, movie stubs, sheet music, and map, mixed media indeed! I love you, Andy-man.

A New Journal Page for MMM

2010-04-26T05:32:00.001-04:00

Rise and Shrine at TT and IF

2010-04-23T12:45:00.008-04:00
Please, please take the time to click here to visit Rebecca's Cigarbox Shrine Auction for the Streetchildren of Oaxaca at Recuerda Mi Corazon

"Following our hearts, we have arrived, radiant in our dedication to make a difference for children who yearn for an education and a brighter future. We invite you to bid with wild abandon knowing that one hundred percent of your donations will go to support the sincere efforts of Oaxaca Streetchildren Grassroots, a trusted community outreach facility dedicated to providing a multilayered approach to assist children and their families in skills that ensure their own independence and success."

My "Shrine of the Happy Heart" was created with joy because, as you know, my work is meant to evoke the sense of hope, happiness, and play that inspires me. Nnothing fills me with more joy than the experimentation and discovery of creating art. Children everywhere should be able to hope, and Rebecca's auction will allow so many more to do just that. I used a 6" X 7" cigar box painted red on the outside and turquoise on the inside. The happy heart was made of a metal dish, and the yellow accents are of tin that I cut from another ornament, both found at flea markets. I made the skull from clay and handpainted it with acrylics. The following quote is inscribed on the back of the shrine:

"Open your hearts to the love God instills. God loves you tenderly. What he gives you is not to be kept under lock and key, but to be shared." Mother Theresa

I hope you all will visit the auction before it closes on Sunday and share what is in your heart!

(for Theme Thursday and Illustration Friday)

Get Your Shrine On

2010-04-19T15:24:00.006-04:00

Here's an update on the cigarbox shrine acuction that is happening at Mi Corizan, Rebecca's blog, this week.

This is what she has say about the auction: "This site was created to host an annual art auction benefiting Oaxaca Streetchildren Grassroots, a project endeavoring to support the needs of a predominately indigenous population. These children are the ones diligently selling small handmade crafts, roses and dulces on the zocalo for long hours hoping to save enough money to finally attend school. This is a hand-to-mouth culture and the effort of saving up the required cost of uniforms, books, and supplies keeps most from ever achieving this longed-for goal.

Oaxaca Streetchildren Grassroots is dedicated to providing a multilayered approach to assist children and their families in skills that insure their own independence and success.

Thanks for visiting our shrine gallery. One hundred percent of the funds generated in the upcoming auction will go directly to Oaxaca Streetchildren Grassroots."

The Auction went live on Saturday April 17 and run for a week. Be sure to visit and have a look at all the amazing shrines that will be up for the auction.

Here's the shrine I have for auction

Look What I Found: Flowers!

2010-04-19T05:03:00.006-04:00

for Mixed Media Monday and Crazy Amigos

Take one found board, add an old map, dictionary pages, and acrylic "skins" peeled off my palette, and you get "Amy's Roses." If you'll change your Zoom to 200, you'll get a better idea of the depth of texture in this painting.

I spent yesterday being inspired at The Dogwood Festival in Atlanta. It was about 75 degrees and absolutley gorgeous. Pictures to follow soon!

Cathedral

2010-04-13T22:49:00.009-04:00

Cathedral 12" X 12" mixed media on cardboard on board for The Three Muses and Inspiration Avenue.

Much Later....I wanted to tell you how I made this piece because it does have a story behind it. I was rushed last night when I made this post, but since so many of you have responded with such kind comments, I'll tell you now:

After I read the Three Muses prompt, I immediately thought of a map of Alaska. Saturday night I had dinner with my son, Andrew, and his girlfriend, Whitney. Andrew is majoring in English and wants to teach high school, and Whitney is a psychology major. They told me that, after graduation, they are considering working on a reservation in Wyoming or Alaska, Whitney to do substance-abuse counseling and Andrew to teach. Although I would hate for them to move so far from home, I would be so happy and proud if they did this. They are both extremely compassionate people, and I believe they would change so many lives and do much good. So that's what inspired this painting. I glued on bits of a map with other ephemera that represent our family and the love we have for each other. There are Valentines from my nieces and the infamous " Your Own Personal Jesus" photo taken by my sister and used by me time and time again in my art. There's part of a program from the play The Laramie Project that my younger son Wesley directed when he was in high school and a few parking stubbs and tickets from outings with my husband. There's a cigar box label that reminds me of my grandfather, and, of course the, the dove is a symbol of hope and returning home (I hope). The colors, as you know, are my favorites, and the whole thing is done on a piece of cardboard because I didn't have a small canvas handy that day. I layered on the collage bits, painted over them with acrylics, sanded and scraped some paint off, added various shades of ink, charcoal, and conte crayons, finished the painting with three coats of thick gel mediaum, and glued it to a board. The painting was originally called "Ascension," but ,after I read a few of your comments, I changed the name to "Cathedral." It is a very emotional piece, so I'm not surprised that it evoked so many personal feelings. I feel very blessed that "Cathedral" touched you.

Love,
Kathy

Crazy Amigo

2010-04-13T13:42:00.005-04:00

This painting is so perfect for the Crazy Amigo challenge this week for two reasons. One: I used my favorite stamp, a handmade checkerboard stamp, and two: MY crazy amigo from high school, Ann, bought it last week, as soon as I posted it on Facebook. Some interesting things about this painting: the flowers are made from acrylic "skins" I peeled off my palette and to which I added details. The lattice on the right was an after-thought because the piece just seemed too sweet. Recently I made a backgound page that I really liked in my art journal. So I tore it up and glued the strips on the canvas. Another interesting thing: I've noticed that, when I'm feeling grumpy, I always make ridiculously cheerful art, and my attitude gets a quick adjustment. By them time I'm done, I've found my happy place again, so that's what I named this one: "happy place." I hope it makes Ann as happy as it made me.

Bring Me A Dream

2010-04-09T09:36:00.007-04:00

for Creative Therapy

"Bring Me A Dream" 36" X 36" mixed media on wood, $400. Please e-mail me at kathymccullen@aol.com, if you are interested in purchasing this painting

As a child I was fascinated by the idea of fantasy worlds and alternate realities, and throughout my life, for periods of time, I've been blessed with a very vivid dream life. I came to understand that my dreams were part of a spiritual path and that I was capable of manifesting them into reality. In order to do this, I had to focus on my many blessings and the beauty and love in the universe. Through experience, I realized that the flow of my positive energy creates a more positive world around me. What I dream, what I believe, what I feel, manifests my reality.

If You're a Bird, I'm a Bird

2010-03-31T16:29:00.007-04:00

Redemption Song 24" X 30" mixed media on canvas

To my father

"Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise."

John Lennon, Paul McCartney

(for Crazy Amigo Wednesday Stamper, and Creative Therapy)