Another New T-Shirt For T-Shirt Season!

One new T-shirt just wasn't enough; I decided to design a second one. "Dreams Come True On the River" is a saying of personal significance to me and I thought my sailboat collage was the perfect illustration. So here is T-shirt #2!

T-shirt can be purchased at shop crabulous!

And here is an "up close" look at the image:

Rainy Day People

So, my good friend and sister artist, Susan Amadio, presented me with the Facebook challenge of posting three pieces of artwork for five consecutive days on Facebook. Having been fairly prolific, it wasn't difficult for me to find enough artwork for the challenge. What was difficult was determining which were my best 15 pieces and I wanted to make it something of a retrospective so that it covered my entire career as an artist. 

I think it's good for every artist to go through their entire inventory list every once in awhile to see how they've evolved over time. I have copies of all the 700+ pieces I've created since I began painting in 1996. (Well, there may be a few I didn't save for posterity.)

One of the collage images I proffered for the challenge received such positive response that I decided to use it to create art prints and T-shirts. So, here it is. What was originally entitled Rainy Day, I've now re-titled as Rainy Day People. (Yes, a la Gordon Lightfoot, of whom I've always been a fan.)

"Rainy Day People" can be purchased as a print on archival paper or on canvas at Society 6.

Or it can be purchased as a T-shirt in a variety of styles (for women only) at "shop crabulous!"

This Is Where I Live

This is where I live. I have fountains and palm trees and ancient live oaks dripping with Spanish moss and warm night breezes even in March. I'm very fortunate. I'm very blessed.

Bringing Up Puppy

"Wishes" - Enhanced digital photo

I recently received an email from a good friend of mine who mentioned the fact that I hadn't posted anything in my blog lately. I was shocked to realize that she was right! I don't know how it happened that I stopped posting. I was also shocked to realize that people actually read my blog! :D

Well, as most of you know who follow me on FB, I'm busy raising a puppy and I may as well have wished a new baby upon myself! Well, OK, it's not quite THAT bad, but almost.

Wishes (short for Aloysius) takes a lot of my time and is quite a handful. At four months he's 24 pounds and full of curiosity and mayhem. He's also very vocal and makes his feelings known. He grumbles and curses and barks and scolds. He can be quite demanding. I've discovered that the only way I can eat my dinner in peace is to park the vacuum cleaner by my side at the table. I've begun to call her Vicki. Wishes becomes silent and skulks off to a corner whenever Vicki is present for dinner. 

Since the completion of all his puppy shots, we began puppy school yesterday. It's clear that he won't be the star of the class, but it's not for lack of intelligence. He's just overly curious and maybe has a little ADD, too. The instructor asked me, quite loudly, in the middle of class, why was my dog behind my chair and not in front of it like the rest of the dogs. Was he shy? Well, Wishes is far from shy, but I couldn't really answer her question. Turns out he noticed a bunch of dogs in crates behind a screen and was trying to check them out. None of the rest of the puppies had noticed them. 

So what am I supposed to be doing with my time??? Creating websites. I'm so thankful for my guinea pig, Susan Amadio, and excited about nearing the completion of her site so I can add it to my portfolio. Working on it keeps my skills fresh and because I love her artwork I find the project extremely rewarding. I'm also supposed to be soliciting new business. HELP!

I joined the local Chamber of Commerce and have participated in a couple of their events and I've been brainstorming about other ways to drum up business, but it's not easy. If any of you have any ideas, I'm all ears and feel free to post your ideas in the comments.

In the meantime, I'll be working at the Christmas shop two days a week. That's right! Back at the Christmas shop. And Wishes gets to come to work with me. Maybe he'll bark at the customers until they buy. 

So, that's some of the latest. Creating artwork is but a dream right now. Kind of sad. That's what I'd truly like to be doing for a living.

Anyway, I promise to post more regularly.

Flower Market

"Flower Market" - Enhanced Digital Photo
Image available for sale at Society 6

2015: The Year Of Living Dangerously

I declared 2014 the year of the dog, and two weeks ago I adopted the most adorable male apricot colored Double Doodle puppy named Aloysius, or Wishes, for short. 

2015; however, is the year I go out on my own for the first time. Ever. I have never lived on my own before. I am really looking forward to that part. I have found a lovely apartment to which Wishes and I will be moving next week. The part that scares me is that for the first time ever I'm responsible for solely supporting myself... and I'm terrified.

Since I was not successful in selling my artwork in a manner that would make me  financially independent, I have decided to put my artwork, as such, to one side and develop and design websites instead. Anything can happen. I have some savings to help me out, but it won't get me through a full year. I must. Make. This. Work! 

This year I'm taking a HUGE step outside the box and while it scares me, it also thrills me. This is the biggest New Year's resolution I've ever made and I'm determined to make it work.

Happy New Year, everyone, and resolve to live your dream this year!

Time Travel

I find it fun to travel back in time and find photos that are interesting to enhance. The original for this enhanced photo was taken at Longwood Gardens in December of 2011. It was a very special day. 

"Christmas Lights" - Enhanced Digital Photograph