Find Courage

I have so much to talk about today. 

Last weekend I went to Omega Institute Lectures

"Women and Happiness"

It is sooooo what I needed to do.

I renewed my spirit.

The first night was Elizabeth Lesser opening up the workshop with some inspiration. Then she would read a passage from her book "Broken Open"  and David Wilcox would sing a song. 

It was lovely just hearing her read her words. Love that!

Saturday was Geneen Roth and Brene' Brown lectures. Awesome!!!

Sunday was the best for me the speaker was someone not known to me. Her name was Loung Ung. 

Her story is so inspiring.

I openly weeped through the lecture. 

Read her story here...

Courageous is all I can say.

I will be buying her book Lu Lu in the sky

It is a story of going from a bitter angry lost child to inspirational advocate of freedom, writer, entrepreneur.

She worked hard to find happiness.

But she found it!

So inspiring.

If she can find happiness. We can all find happiness.

I spent one of the most wonderful weekends with my daughter Nelly in NYC at this workshop.  Just digging deep in many ways.

Speaking of Nelly she will be Guest Curator this coming week on Crescendoh

Please go and visit her and leave a comment. It starts on Monday!! So happy for her!

Also next week is a really big week for me.  

I will be in my very first exhibit!!!

Yay!!!!

And you are all invited.

I  am so excited!!! 

Come and visit.

Three of my paintings will be there.

Also don't forget to visit all the artist at Paint Party Friday!

Embrace Life and Those Possibilities

I think I don't regret a single 'excess' of my responsive youth - I only regret, in my chilled age, certain occasions and possibilities I didn't embrace.
Henry James 

Ohhhhh so true.

Sad week in music business lost Dick Clark and Levon Helm

I always said that The Band was one of my favorite bands of all time. 

Music to me is so important.

I feel it in my soul.  From the first time I heard my Pop Pop Rudy play Sleep on the piano to the time I heard my Pop Pop Lippincott sing his silly songs.

It is amazing how my great nieces are now being song to by my father the same songs 

that he use to sing to us. 

Cannibal King with the big nose ring, fell in love with a lusty maid, And every night in the pale moon light over the steam he'd waveeeee.  

Fuzzy Wuzzy was a wise old guy

with a nose like hawk 

and an Eagle eye

Fooling People was his game 

Fuzzy Wuzzy Wuzzy was the wise guys name.

Anyway I got carried away........

So today I would like to send my post with a Ode to The Band and Leon Helm and Rick Danko...

I know they are up there singing harmony again.

If I had to pick a song that was my favorite of all time I would have to pick this.......

(And that is sayin something)

This weekend  Nelly and I are going to NYC to see Brene' Brown, Elizabeth Lesser, Geneen Roth. 

Omega Institute Talks. So excited.

I let you know how it goes!!! Yeah!!!

Circle Journal Page - Proverbs

New Circle Journal Page

Proverbs

This journal is for Bev's journal.  She had us make a journal page with pieces of Chinese newspaper.  I loved this.

For one thing I think the Chinese and Japanese lettering are the most beautiful lettering.

I have no idea what I put under my paint. It could say "A Man ate a car battery" and it still looks so beautiful.....

Have a great week!!

Go and visit Paint Party Friday!

Thinking about having another giveaway.... Stay tuned....

I Will Choose Happiness

Everything about this statement is so true.  I truly believe that we choose our own Happiness.  I think we choose what and how we react to things.

You choose your thoughts. You choose whether you want to keep dwelling on these thoughts or you let them go. Do you want to choose good thoughts or bad thoughts?

I would rather choose good thoughts.

  What is your alternative??

I know sh** happens! It does, but you have to choose how you are going to react to them. I know I sound like a Pollyanna.

That's OK!

I do have my dark days. But they are becoming less and less as I realize I am in control of my thoughts and how I react. 

So this painting will be hanging on my back door. So when I leave everyday I will be reminded........

I Will Choose Happiness

Have a great week everyone!

Happy Easter!

Don't for get to visit Paint Party Friday!

Just Playing!!! Journal Page and New Picasa3! Ahhhhhhh!!!!

Original

1960

Blured Edges

Cinemascope

Cross Process

Duo-tone

HDR-ish

Heat Map

Holga-ish

Lomo-ish

Neon

Polorize

Vignette

Hallelujah!!!!

I was going to buy Photoshop Elements because I wanted to do some fancy photography and manipulate some photos.

I don't need to because I just uploaded the new Picasa 3 and it has all this fun stuff!!!

It can wait!

I am so excited!!!

Don't forget to visit everyone at Paint Party Friday!!

Thank you Eva and Kristin for hosting!

And I hope everyone at Artfest is having a great time!!!

I just couldn't make this year!

I am going to a conference to see Brene Brown and Geneen Roth in April in NYC.

So excited about that!

Yeah!!!

I could only swing one of them.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

I LEFT A TEAR IN THE OCEAN

I left a tear in the ocean

We have a family condo at Ocean City MD.  The reason we have that condo is because my sister in law Darylanne wanted it.  Steve's dad could never resist Darylanne.  I was not so keen on the beach.  I wanted a place in the mountains on a lake.  She won.  That was ok.  I remember the day that we went to see it for the first time.  It was beyond my wildest dreams. I could not believe we were getting this penthouse condo smack dab on the ocean. With private porches on both sides of the ocean and bay.   I would have been happy with a trailer 5 miles away from the ocean. I couldn't believe it.

We have had that condo for 18 years now.

Tragically twelve years ago Darylanne died of a rare form of pancreatic cancer when she was 42.  She requested that her ashes be scattered in the ocean in front of the condo.

We carried out her wishes.

So every time I go to the beach the first thing I do when I get out of the car is run to the beach and look out at that vast ocean and I say hello. I tell her how much I miss her. And I was so grateful that I had her as my sister in law. She was my friend.

I leave a tear in the ocean.

So Lulu sayssss "That's enough of that!!"

Let's go to the parade and have some fun!!!

How can I resist those eyes!!

OC MD St Patrick Day Parade!!

Love  all the floats

Every parade has to have a man with a funny hat on a 3 wheeler with a camel on the back. Right??

And leprechauns

Green everywhere!!

Children on floats!

Loved this ladies enthusiasm.

Old Fire Engines

Raven Fans

Salty Pirate Girls

Beads Everywhere.

Steve did manage to snag me some beads.

Kids in cars.

More Fire Engines.

Fishing!

I want this old Police Car!!!

Awesomeness!!!

The dog need to see over the people.

Dahhhhh....

This is a really cool dude!!!

Who is this handsome Greek god!!

Be still my heart!!!

He still gets me.... in every way.

Life goes on.....

Live every day like it is your last.

Don't forget to visit everyone at Paint Party Friday!

 

Revisiting an Old Painting and Great News!!!

November 2010 I had the pleasure of taking a Flora Bowley Class.

We started on 2 paintings and I never completed a painting. So I decided to revisit it.

I struggle with this kind of painting. I believe it is less of an illustrative or narrative style of painting. (If that makes any sense). I tend to want to show you how I feel or tell you instead of letting the painting do the talking. I think both Jesse Reno and Flora Bowley have the same style of painting, except Jesse is more manly man paintings and Flora's paintings are beautiful in a feminine way.  Love them both!

This is what the painting looked like after my workshop. Did not like it at all.

But I never give up!!!! Oh no I don't!

Continued working

This is what I have so far. Not completed yet, but I will revisit again.

I do this often. Set it aside. If nothing is coming to me and then come back when I see something. Keep on going.

Also I have some really great news!  I was just told that I will have 3 of my pieces exhibited at the Goggleworks - Center for the Arts - Vanity Fare an offering of Art, Fashion, and Creativity jured by Lyn Godley and Pam Ptak. What an honor!! May 4th to June 3rd. Yay!!!!

And then to top it off I am going to the beach this weekend!!!! Ocean City MD for the St Patrick's Day parade with my fabulous husband!  Oh how grateful I feel right now.

I am so grateful!!!

Watching sunsets on the bay and.....

And sunrises on the beach..(to tell you the truth I don't see many sunrises. Steve wakes me up I look out the window and say "That's nice sweetie" and lay my head back down and fall to sleep, What can I say not a morning person)

Please visit the wonderful artists at Paint Party Friday hosted by the fantastic Eva and Kristin!!

Have a great week everyone!!!

May Joy reach you were ever you are!

 

DARE - Happy Women's Day!!!

Dare to be great

Dare to be bold

Dare to challenge

Dare to take a leap

Dare to be the person you were meant to be

Dare to do something that no one has ever done

Dare to reveal yourself fully

Dare to ruffle some feathers

Dare to TRY

Dare to tell your story

Dare to Love

The future belongs to one's that DARE.

HAPPY WOMEN'S DAY!!!

Dare to go to Paint Party Friday and take a look at the other artists work.

FOREVER AND EVER

It is good to realize that if love and peace can prevail on earth, and if we can teach our children to honor nature's gifts, the joys and beauties of the outdoors will be here forever.

~ Jimmy Carter ~

I started to do a step by step progression of this painting but I got so into it that I forgot and just stopped taking pictures. I used all kinds of good stuff on this one, including molding paste.  One of these days I am going to have to do a video. Nelly bought me a new video camera for Christmas.
So I think she is telling me something.

Everyone please visit Paint Party Friday and check out all the talented artist.
Thanks Kristin and Eva!!
And everyone have a wonderful week!!!
xxxooo