Katrina

Such a horrible tragedy on the Gulf Coast! I don't know what to think except, God, please help all the people get through this! What I really cannot believe is all the looters! What is your problem people????? To take advantage of the misfortune of others, even if you are experiencing misfortune too, is unforgivable! All I can do is pray for the survivors. It's all just sooooo sad.

More Butterflies

So I'm enjoying the Butterfly series...perhaps getting a little carried away?....NO, not possible. I have been researching butterflies for different colors and patterns. There are many incredibly beautiful creatures in nature! So, below are the next four butterflies in the series. I plan on continuing with this series indefinately, I could go on forever. These four have a slightly different design, I only painted half or one wing. For the prints, I copy and flip the painting and create a whole butterfly. I know, it's a little lazy of me, but really it's the only way to get both sides exactly alike. Plus, I may mix and match different sides as well.

too long

It's been way too long since I've posted anything, so here goes. Again, I'm having trouble deciding what to write about. So I guess I'll just write about what's been happening. Life has been hectic lately, with getting the boys back in school, selling lots of prints, the same old housework crap, etc, etc.

My dad came up to visit this past weekend in his brand new mustang convertible! He let me drive it around all day Saturday, what a blast! I want one now! Yeah, right, like we could afford one!

Sunday at the flea market, my canopy was blown away by a huge dustdevil! The amazing thing about it was that nothing on my tables was moved! As I was trying to hold down the canopy(I was actually lifted off the ground!), I was looking at the prints and praying that they wouldn't get blown away. Well, as soon as the canopy blew away and landed on top of my neighbors canopy, I looked at the booth and realized that not a single thing was out of place! Not even my business cards moved! Pretty amazing I must say, considering that the canopy is a twisted mess! Thank God for that one. Wind can be nasty at outdoor markets and I've had many prints destroyed in the past, but for some reason I was spared this time. Strange day, I think I was in shock most of the afternoon and evening.

Today is my day off, yeah right, its more like my day to clean house, do laundry, etc. No "business" work today. Last week I started putting originals back up on Ebay, I plan to start listing more every week leading up to Christmas.

As for painting, still working on the butterfly blessing series. Only doing small paintings still. I'm not sure if I'll do larger ones, butterflies work well as small watercolors, in my opinion anyway. I won't paint any large ones for sure until I come up with a design I really like. Well, time to check the laundry, what an exciting life! :)

Had to post this

I found this on another blog and had to re post it here. Too good!


Bush is my shepherd;
I dwell in want.
He maketh logs to be cut down in national forests.
He leadeth trucks into the still wilderness.
He restoreth my fears.
He leadeth me in the paths of
international disgrace for his ego's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the
valley of pollution and war,
I willfind no exit,
for thou art in office
.Thy tax cuts for the rich and thy media control,
they discomfort me.
Thou preparest an agenda of deception
in the pretence of thy religion.
Thou annointest my head with foreign oil.
My health insurance runneth out.
Surely megalomania and false patriotism
shall follow me all the days of thy term,
And my jobless child shall dwell in my basement forever.
AMEN!

Butterfly Series

Finished four new paintings, actually sketches for future larger paintings, following along
the butterfly path. (See the butterfly blessing blog) Inspired by real butterflies, I gave
them a little abstract twist all my own. I have these four new sketches scheduled for auction
on Ebay. The larger versions will most likely be saved for my next solo show. I need to get
busy planning that show in fact.
I have been having a hard time staying motivated lately. It is the end of summer for Aaron
and the boys, so maybe it's just that lazy end of summer feeling. I hate to always look forward
to the future and not enjoy the present, but I do look forward to school starting up so I can
get more work done. Too many distractions in the house right now!
I'm posting the new paintings, let me know what you think.

Butterfly Blessing #1

Butterfly Blessing #2


Butterfly Blessing #3


Butterfly Blessing #4

What to write?

It's funny how hard a time I'm having coming up with blog ideas. I usually write in my journal several times a week and I thought blogging would be easy. I find myself coming up with ideas to write about, then I end up wondering if I should reveal so much about myself.
That was the main idea of the blog in the first place, wasn't it? To reveal a bit of myself to people who may be curious to know more. The dilema is how much. All? Why not, right? It is proving to be much harder than I expected. At the same time, I already put my heart and soul out there every time I show a new painting or drawing. Why should words be any harder?
Because I'm not a verbal person, I'm visual.
However, I believe the story behind the art is just as important as the art itself. The art brings you in at first, but the story keeps you coming back to see what's new. Personally, when I am attracted to a certain artist's work, I like to find out as much as possible about that artist's life. Usually by reading biographies or autobiographies (or blogs!). I feel more connected to the art.
Not that I have an extra exciting story to tell, my life has shaped who I am though, so maybe it is important.

Butterfly blessing

I had a whole blog all typed up and ready to post yesterday and like a dummy I did not think to save it anywhere before I tried to publish it. Of course, I ended up losing the whole thing and now I have to re-type it! That’s ok though, because it’s worth retelling the story.
Yesterday, Aaron and I were out for a hike and we had a cool butterfly encounter. We were taking a break, sitting on a blanket, when I reached for my water and a huge Monarch butterfly flew around my hand for an extended period of time, flew into the trees above us and after I said, “come back little butterfly”, it flew back to me and touched my forehead then flew away. Aaron said it looked like the butterfly blessed me. It was an amazing experience.

Funny enough, I have been thinking about painting butterflies since we have been out hiking and now I have the sign that that is what I should indeed be painting. (As far as I am concerned anyway) I know some may say it’s silly to believe such things, but I do. Of course it's just another of the many things on the list to paint.

People have often asked me how I choose what to paint. Most often the ideas just come to me. I can almost always count on several ideas coming along on a hike. Must be the fresh air and exercise! The problem most of the time is choosing what to paint out of all the ideas. There is not enough time in the day, week, year to paint them all.

Top of the Mountain

Happy Fourth of July to all. Yesterday was a great day. Aaron and I started our day with an 8 mile hike to the top of the Sandia Mountains east of Albuquerque. It was amazing! We've been hiking the Sandias for five years and this was our first time to finally make it to the top. This was a pretty good accomplishment considering the elevation climb is around 3,000 feet! The view was incredible! You could see for what must have been a hundred miles. Not to mention the great viewpoint of the rock cliffs on the west side of the mountains.
Hiking has to be my second favorite past time. Painting being my first of course! There is no better way, as far as I'm concerned, to clear your mind and inspire new ideas. It's also great exercise. I am now planning to do another whole series of rock paintings. These will be different from the first series because I plan to paint them more abstract this time. I'm thinking Georgia O'Keefe's flowers only with rocks.

Speaking of paintings, I finished the abstract spiral sun series this morning. At least for now. I still may do a couple more. I will post the final painting here soon.

I'm feeling very accomplished after the hike to the top of the mountains yesterday! I look forward to more trips to the top in coming weeks, with some great paintings coming out of it.

New Work

Been working like crazy in the studio, this week I got back to my abstract spiral series. I've finished four this week already! There is nothing better than having an idea work out better than I'd hoped! I love this new series. It's all me, my feelings, what's in my head. I don't even care if anyone else likes them. While, of course, that would be nice. I love them, and if nothing else, I can hang them in my own house.
I may save this series for my next solo gallery show. I still need to take a couple of them down to Gallery 5 to see if they'll give me a show. They are more of an abstract gallery, so I think these will work out well for that venue. I will need at least 10 pieces for the space. It's hard for me to do though, because I'm really anxious to put these up online. I may just post them here to get that out of my system.
Although I know people really like my portraits and pottery work, these abstract pieces feel more like me. I feel like myself working on them. It's hard to explain, but it's like I've finally found the art inside me that's been fighting to get out. It was almost an epiphony when the idea popped into my head. More so than the peace series was.
So, below you can see a couple of examples of the new series. I will post all of the new series on my website by the end of this week. I will also list the smaller sketch watercolors I did for this series on Ebay throughout the week.
Please let me know what you think of these new paintings. I'm interested in hearing some feedback.

Why Sell on Ebay?

I have heard it said that selling Art on Ebay is bad for your career. I do not see it that way.

The internet is here to stay and Ebay is a huge part of the market online. It only continues to grow. My favorite part is the ability for an artist to represent themselves. I will admit, I am a bit of a control freak (it's the scorpio in me) , but nothing beats direct contact with collectors. I get to meet and in some cases know the people who hang my art on their walls. They get to know me, the artist, which is more valuable in a world of Walmart superstores. There is a person behind the art. In all my years as an artist, this is what people want when they buy art. Not just something to hang on their walls, but a story, a conversation piece.

Representing myself on Ebay allows me that connection with my collectors.

That's why I sell on Ebay.

stormy summer afternoon

The sky is black and thunder is rolling. I love days like this! I have been feverishly working at getting finished with the commissions and I've finally done it! Now I'm at that moment when I have to decide what to work on next. Of course, this is when other things start to distract me and there is always laundry to do! I may take a break until tomorrow anyway, my thumb is completely numb from the drawing marathon of the past couple of days. I have lots of organizational work to do, filing, bookkeeping, all that fun stuff I put off forever. Actually, I've been doing a pretty good job of keeping up with it. My middle son Jeff will be here from Arkansas (where he lives with his dad) tomorrow, so there's a few things to get done around the house.
It just started raining! Just what we always need.

I look forward to getting back to my own work, more abstracts, rocks and portraits to come!

one of those days

It's been a while, I've been busily working on my commissions. Finished the second pottery drawing for the first commission, I will post it later. I'm close to finishing the portrait for the second commission also. Looking forward to finishing so I can get back to my own work. I have been making jewelry while working on the commissions. Mostly hemp with beads. It is a relaxing hobby to do while watching tv.
Today started out as one of those days, until I received a couple of kind emails from collectors of my work. It is amazing how a simple email can make my day when I'm feeling a little blah! I think that is my favorite part of being an artist. Getting letters or email from strangers who have been touched in some way by my art. That's why I do what I do. It is inspiring to know that I can have an effect on people I have never and may never meet. Although it can also be a little embarrassing to have someone go on about my work, it truly makes all the hard work and rejection worth while!

Working in the studio

It feels great to be back in the studio everyday! Even though I am working on commissions and not my own work. The commissions I'm doing are two of my favorite subjects, pottery and portraits. Once I finish the 2 drawings and the painting I have to do, I will get back to my peace flower abstract series. I also would like to do some more rock paintings and nudes. I'm just so excited to be back!
This morning I'm working on getting my computer work done. I have many prints to get into the Ebay store and I also hope to get my website updated. The website update will probably take more than a couple days as I am completely remodeling it. It needs it! While searching my name a few weeks ago, I found a site that reviewed my website and it wasn't a nice review! The reviewer loved the art but said it was a shame that the site was so bad! So that was a wake up call for a complete overhaul. I've been wanting to do it for some time, I just haven't had the time to spend on it. I only have one week of uninterrupted time before school ends and Aaron and Nate will be home all day, everyday. While I love having them home and not having to get up early for school, it makes working from home much more difficult. So with that, I'd better get to work!

Summer is here!!

I just came home from my final final! The semester is now officially over!
I am looking forward to getting back to business now. Actually, I've been easing back into it over the past week, between studying for finals. I will be posting alot of new things in my Ebay store and plan a complete overhaul of my website. I have quite a bit of new work that needs to go up. I have already started putting my new jewelry into the Ebay listings and have much more to do. So I guess I had better get to work!

Paula :)

Almost Summer!

One more week until my summer begins! I am so looking forward to getting back to my art. I don't know what I was thinking, going to school full time and trying to work full time! The good news is I have discovered alot about myself and realized that college is not for me! I do have a degree already, I thought I wanted to go back to get my certification to be an art teacher. What I found is that I am an artist pure and simple. While I love working with kids, I don't have to be a full time certified teacher to do that. Knowing as much as I do about the profession of public school teaching, both my parents and my husband are public school teachers, you would think I would have been scared away from it long ago. A big part of my decision came from writing a research paper for my English class on the No Child Left Behind Act. I didn't know much about it until then and that was enough to push me off the fence of uncertainty.
I had already been considering my motives for becoming a teacher; trying to please my parents, feeling like I don't contribute enough to our finances, feeling like a bad person because I only have an Associates degree. I'm not doing it for me!
Why should I care if I'm the first one in my family to NOT earn a BA degree? I have known since I was 13 that I wanted to be a professional artist. Being an artist is the only "job" I've had that I can work at for 80 hours a week and not feel like I've worked at all. I guess the only problem is that I don't earn an hourly wage! I guess that is besides the point because I am doing what I love and I need to stop letting other people make me feel like I don't work. I work harder at being an artist because it's my dream and I love what I do. After all, isn't that most important? For me it is! Life is too short!

Below is my first finished piece in months! I just finished it today and boy am I happy! It took waaay too long to get this one done. It is a commission piece. This is a pencil drawing of a Mata Ortiz pottery piece. I still have two more drawings to do for this commission, then on to another commission, a portrait.

Blog Replaces Newsletter

It has been a couple of years since I published my last newletter. I used to send my newsletters out quarterly on a very regular basis. Now that I have discovered blogging, this will replace my old newsletters. I plan to use my blog to keep everyone up to date on my art activities. As my first and last semester back at college (it's a long story! maybe I'll get to it later) is soon to end, I will have much more time for weekly and possibly daily posting. Daily is probably a little far fetched with my habits! I hope to put up pictures of my latest artworks and discuss some of my ideas for future art. My primary goal is to make this a forum for keeping in touch with my art fans and giving them a little peek inside my head. This could get scary so watch out! It seems everyone loves a little reality show these days! So please come back often and if you plan to reply to my posts, please be nice! We artists can be sensitive! :)

Sincerely,

Paula :)

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog. This is my first weblog and it will include many things. It will serve mainly to update my art collectors on my latest projects, progress, etc. So check back often! Thanks for stopping by!

Paula :)