I wish I had thought to do this........

Valentines in the Streets of Amsterdam

clever (cleaver...heh heh) idea

Happy Valentine's Day to all!!!

Florida Highwaymen

I ran across an article entitled "The Highwaymen" by Elizabeth Hoover. This article was about a group of young self-taught black artists in the midst of racial strife in the 1950's - 1960's who painted Florida landscapes. Their works were their way of a deflection against the times of despair.The original members were James Gibson, Alfred Hair, Harold Newton and Livingston Roberts - two of this group formed a relationship with a white painter/artist Albert Backus and eventually labeled themselves "The Highwaymen" who painted sometimes only from memory, and who sold these beautiful paintings from the trunks of their cars. What's even more interesting and is that out of the 26 Highwaymen, there was only one female, Mary Ann Carroll. Their works are breathtakingly surreal and a wonderful historic tribute to Florida's natural beauty.

FLORIDA HIGHWAYMEN

A Heart Awaits

A Heart Awaits

Photography/Mixed Media

8 x 6

The Story Behind The Photo:

For the past 2 years, my artsy daughter and I have created baskets/gifts for various holiday occasions (i.e., Valentine's Day, Easter, Mothers Day and other special occasions) including church fundraiser events, personal orders, etc. delivering to homes and even to nursing home residents. Most of the items gathered for the baskets are bought off season and stored away which saves on costs. Examples of contents are candies of various sorts, brownies, strawberry cupcakes, novelty items , stuffed animals, and her hand dipped Granny Smith apples in dark chocolate, caramel, white chocolate, pecans, walnuts, M&Ms, toffee, chocolate chip, butterscotch and the list goes on. She has branded her product - My Adam's Apples . I must admit it took a while but she has perfected her technique and they are delicious!

WE both really enjoy creativity and exploring new ideas but I must admit sometimes I am wrangled into projects without knowing but to be totally honest, as long as it's for a good cause, I easily bend and I'm in.

So, the above is a photo of the gift tags I created for the Valentine's Day Baskets/Gifts that are going out this week. These tags are made from card stock, ribbon, wire, foam cut outs, and magazines. After creating so many tags by hand and tossing them in a large gold bowl, the colors were so vibrant - I saw a possible artistic photo opportunity. ...

And, out there a heart waits for the gift/basket with one of these tags on this upcoming Valentine's Day....

A ghostly ship

A Ghostly Ship

4 x 5

Mixed Media

Springing Forward

Springing Forward

Watercolor/Mixed Media

18 x 22

Needed some "pick me up" with all the ice, snow and brrrrrrrrr...cold weather - some C O L O U R....in my life and VOILA!!!! Looking forward to SPRING and all the beautiful flowers and colors of life.

Struggle

Struggle

4 x 4

Mixed Media

Needless to say that it's all about the struggle whether to get in, to get out, to get involved, to be recognized, to be credited, to be human, just to be .....

On Edge

On Edge

4 x 4

Mixed Media

This period in history is basically becoming the norm with the economy spiraling downward and plunging deeper and deeper into that black hole and with hundreds of thousands of jobs being gutted - it is a time for all of us to be "on edge."

Fleeting Hope

Fleeting Hope

4 x 4

Mixed Media

Grasping for Change

Grasping for Change

4 x 6

Mixed Media

Birds of a Feather

Birds of a Feather

Mixed Media

4 x 4

Self Entanglement in the Dark

Self Entanglement in the Dark

4 x 4

Mixed Media

Self Entanglement

Self Entanglement

Mixed Media

4 x 4

Secretary of Art

I received this email from one of my local art groups (Art Talk) of which I belong and thought I would share it:

You may have already received this from someone else, but it is so important, we're passing it along.

Quincy Jones has started a petition to try and influence President Elect Obama to appoint a Secretary of the Arts. Please take a moment to go to the sight and sign at www.petitiononline.com/esnyc/petition.html

This is very important. Many other countries have had Ministers of Art or Culture for centuries. The United States has never appointed a person to represent the Arts. We in the Arts need this, and the country needs the Arts--now more than ever.

Please take a moment to sign this important petition, and pass it on to everyone on your e-mail list.
Thank you.

Vessels of Distinction

Vessels of Distinction

Mixed Media

3 x 4

Free flowing containers of thoughts, emotions, feelings, ideas, suggestions,

disagreements and decisions

- different shapes and sizes -

all to allow an ultimate purpose.

Inside Me

Inside Me

Mixed Media

4 x 4

Somewhere in this, there is a part of me, free but yet caged, thoughts muddled but still flowing.

Pots of Flowers

Pots of Flowers

4 x 5

Mixed Media

Within the past weeks, since September actually, I've been in an unusual frame of mind - caught up in making a lot of critical decisions and I found that my state of being is easily reflected in the drawings that I will be posting in the coming days.

A special old photo - Obama Inauguration

"A photo of ME'
This photo sums up my thoughts within the last 48 hours.

I am alive, I am here, I exist...

Crayons Gone Wild

Crayons Gone Wild

16x20

Crayon on canvas paper

This started out being color time with my little niece and after she, being small, soon grew weary

- I only kept it going to see how it would finally transform.

#503

#503

18x24

watercolor on canvas

My orange brown mode with black felt tip pen etchings

America Waves

America Waves

'4 x 7'

Mixed Media

While traveling, a simple snapshot of an elderly lady standing in her front door of a battered home was my focus in creating this piece. I believe she probably lived alone and it touched me deeply as she waved - a drawing of America's reality.

Seedlings

At a yearly art event held in one of the local parks, by chance, with a friend of mine, we met this elderly 70 year old man whom actually acknowledged he was a professional photographer from one of the northern states - somewhere around Pennsylvania or Boston. My friend was a photographer as well and of course, these two struck up a major conversation. This man had traveled around the world more than once and his amazing photography showed evidence of that and was displayed for sale. My friend grabbed his Nikon and took a photo of me standing behind the gentleman leaning on the back of his director's chair. Two weeks or so passed, and while rummaging through photos I ran across it. His weathered image inspired me to create a watercolor graphic (first photo) and then it was eventually transformed into a piece with the words "seedlings" running through the artwork (second photo).  It was titled "seedlings" because I believe we all come from basic seeds intermingled, scattered about and cross mixed keeping us one with the other. Though we were of two different cultures, we actually were not , only a degree of separation.

With a white mat and black shadow box type frame, it sold at an art show. 

PATCHES

Patches

'18 x 24'

Watercolor

I'm reminded of the old patchwork quilts my grandmother used to cover me during those very cold nights. Most of those quilts were handmade and handed down from generations of family to family. Regardless of how old they became, they felt so warm and comforting...maybe because somewhere in all patchwork, through the years, there remained many family hands placed around me. 

Asleep No Worry

Asleep No Worry

4 x 6

Graphic Mixed Media

Confined Souls

Confined Souls
18 x 24
Watercolor

Think in terms of the true nature of an individual(s) being hidden and locked away - yet we constantly trick ourselves into believing we know them. the vibrant colors represent those aspects we will never know - intensity, lulls, highs and genuine thoughts.

The Audition

The Audition

11x20 watercolor

Another art piece created from the chorus line photograph

Delighted to say that this piece "sold" - had posted a thumbnail of this in older posts with a promise to eventally post the larger version

Touches of Peace - RE-POSTED

pencil and watercolor

Just had to re-post this piece.

This art piece sold two years ago.

This is a photo of the actual art piece taken at the

time of the art exhibit- unfortunately with a camera glare -

but during these troubled times in the world,

the message is more important and apropos ...

The hand written words in each face are the countries of the world....

it's about the LOVE, the PEACE and the UNITY....BELIEVING...
Much LUV@cha....

Chair Pencil Sketch=Graphic Ratty Chair

Ratty Chair
Pencil Chair Sketch fused into graphic
"5 x 3"

Chair Pencil Sketch

Favorite Old Chair

Pencil Sketch

"11 x 9"

Chalk Time

Chalk Time
'2 x 4'
Graphic Image
Children are such natural subjects when it comes to art - so effortless in creativity.
Artwork from a photograph of a child seen in the local park playing with chalk on concrete

AAH Logo

Logo
3 x 5
AnArtistatHeart

Dilly dallying around today and came up with this graphic.
My coined phrase
LUV@cha