Finding Treasures

I love this photo of my grandmother (center) with her sisters and friends.



My imagination just ran wild when I discovered it. I decided not to ask her to tell me about it until after I added my own little 'story' to it. Once it was finished she shared with me the story behind the picture. I loved watching her wheels turning as she put names with the faces. Her face lit up as she recalled the memories of days gone by. I don't think I could ever hear enough about the seemingly far away past as if it were really just yesterday. I'm starting to realize as I roll along creating the story of my life, the past starts to mesh with the present. I can already see myself sitting with my granddaughter, telling the stories of my old photos, recalling sweet times. Nonnie's birthday is next month. I think I know what she's getting from me. :)
Happy Day!

It always sneaks up on me

Not gonna let it happen this year.  In fact, we are participating in the festivities at Second Saturday Studio.

original oil by Betsy Ridout

available for purchase

 Getting in the mood yet? 

Check out this and other original art and handcrafted fancies during Searcy's Holiday Open House on (this) Sunday, Nov.6

1-5

see you there!

etsy SCORE!

Hello, I am Micah Leigh and I am an Etsy-aholic.  Yap.  Tis true. (Pinterest-aholic post coming soon) 

You can find the BEST stuff on there. For those of you in the dark, Etsy is an online world of handmade goodies and supplies to make them.  yes, there are some left in the world who have not been properly introduced.  Go there.  wait, not yet...

 All those so called 'wasted' hours spent mindlessly scanning and window shopping finally paid off.  Much to the dismay of my co-workers who were seemingly let down when I ripped open the package at work,(for some reason,they think I'm a little wierd), THIS TREASURE is what I...(eh-hem) acquired

  It's a printer set from 1932!  Holy grail of vintage stamp crafty goodness.  You would've thought I was a 5 year old waiting on the prophesied coming of Santa on Christmas Eve while it was in route from Etsy to me.

I can't imagine how Lisa (seller)was able to let this go??? :) but she sure is a gem for allowing me the honors. 

This museum quality piece will be on display at the studio from Oct.31 till whenever.  Come see it for yourself! 

no, really.  I'm serious!

happy day! 

Incredible Inspiration

Giraffe's are magnificent miracles of God's design.  Speaking of miracle's....watch this:

(new in studio)

happy day!

p.s. stay tuned for the SKETCHBOOK PROJECT...

It's Been Such a Long Time

Hello Again

I can't believe it's been.... months...since my last post.  Let me assure you, this has NOTHING to do with my procrastination issues OR my problems with attention.   (lie)  No, really.  

I had high hopes for the summer.  My plan was to spend tons of all the free time I was to have, painting and creating at the studio.  While I can tell you that playing at the studio is exactly what I NEVER GOT TO DO, I cannot tell you just exactly what I did do.  Can't think of one thing I accomplished.  Guess that was one lazy summer gone by. 

I'd had about enough of that by the time school started and, at the last minute,(which is just the time I seem to do anything),

I decided to....(drumroll here) HOMESCHOOL.  Yep, ME.  I feel it necessary to add that my SUPER mom is helping with Geometry and Biology.  Anyone who knows me would be scared for the poor child if they thought I was teaching him those 2 subjects. 

SO, once we were all underway and had some sort of routine, we decided to field trip-it out to the studio. 

Why not?  

I'm finally back.  A painting sat waiting that had been on pause since spring.  The poor neglected project had the old spring color palette, which was now all wrong.  Fall was calling my name.

Cherie (one of my sa-weet studio girlies) mentioned getting art out to a little outdoor venue last minute and I jumped on the bandwagon.  

It just occurred to me that I was never really invited.  I don't think she minded...

This was just what I needed to get back into the swing of things.  Here are a few pics 'o the day:

 

















 I drool over Cherie's creations (above).  Vintage tins that have seen better days are reborn into vibrant works of art.  
Magnifique Cherie!

We were packed like a sardines so there was no room for a camera. (or i forgot) Hence the poor iphone pics.

Here are a few pieces in my repertoire of masterpieces. I never took French but somehow I picked up on a bit. :)

Most of these have been hanging around.  The Giraffe is my latest little ditty.  He inspired me to keep going as of late.  OH, and Cherie played a pretty big part too.  Thanks friend!!

that's all for now.  
be back soon.

happy day!

School's Out for Summer... (almost)

I am always ready for the kids to have a break from the routine and pressure of school. 

(I have NO doubt they feel the same way)

Ahhh, the last full week of school.  Piano recitals, awards assemblies, and camp preparations.  All the hubbub reminds me of the holidays... hopefully we'll keep it all straight for once!

That means I have 2 more Monday studio days before school is out (so I'd better get crackin').

"Family portraits" on 6x6 squares.  Just a couple more peeps and 

1 border collie to make this a complete set.

  

Peace out

happy day!

 

16 Candles

Where did the time go?

  How in the world did we get here so fast?

It can't have been 16 years already! 

Happy Birthday to my favorite boy young man

(Ford and his sweet girlfriend Alison)

 Love YOU Poopsie Ford! 

Contemplation

This painting is the result of "Portraits and Papers" workshop by one of my very favorite artists Jane Desrosier.  Her work is amazing and she is kind enough to share her experience.  Hopefully, I can take some of the great techniques she taught and evolve them into my own style.
This is my interpretation of a photo of a painting I found while flipping through one of Cheri's (my super duper artist friend) art magazines.
I am loving this workshop.  More "AHA" moments than I can count!  (Thanks Jane!)

 

CNO: April

I constantly crave the exploration of  different artistic techniques.  Many Craft Night Out'ers love to scrapbook so I thought it would be fun to incorporate pictures and journaling into a work of art. (These days scrapbooking has taken an art world of its own anyway!)  So, this month we are going to work with 
photo transfer. 

on the left is my son (a few years ago) making the serious decision of which pumpkin to pluck.  Also transferred on to the canvas is the journal page he wrote at school.  

 

Fun!

 

housework is waiting

 

'not alone'

mixed media painting 

 monday studio time

must...stop...and do...

laundry

practicing anti-resistance, aka procrastination

(tomorrow i start) 

 happy day

play day!!

it's the official holiday "Second Saturday", did you know?

this little woman will be getting her hands all painty today

 ****The studio is open until 2pm today****

(or later if i get on a roll :)

Hopi Indian

Kaya was a Hopi. 

She and other girls in the tribe wore their hair in this 'fancy do' as a signal of their eligibility of courtship.   

(It kind of reminds me of Princess Leia.....)  :)

*SOLD* (thank you)
"Kaya" 
14x16 mixed media on canvas board 
happy day!

Life's a CIRCUS

I love surprise studio days!  The salon is very close to my downtown painting sanctuary.  The great thing about that is when I get a last minute cancellation I can just run over there.  I am finding myself getting to paint more having the studio in such a convenient location.  The house is just far enough from town that I often find myself having to kill time around our little city waiting on the kids to finish their activities.   This is another time I have been finding myself scurrying over to get a little paint time in.  It seems like I have just enough time to get an image or two out of my noodle and onto a board or canvas.  

Another great thing about my little Arch Street Studio is that I no longer disappear into my little home studio every night the minute I return from work.  I am finding myself 'being at home when I'm home'.  Know what I mean?  

Today was one of those days.  You know, where you start out expecting to follow the schedule in front of you?  Cancellation(s) made way for a trip to Second Saturday for a little art therapy.  (Serendipity!)  One type of creative activity stepped aside for the other.

happy day!

Mixed Encaustics

whales and giraffes are all the rage in my sketchbook these days.

grand majestic gentle souls in massive form

8x24 mixed encaustic on canvas

$125 here

 16x20 mixed encaustic on wood

$135 here

CNO with Mindy Lacefield

 

the workshop friday was a HUGE success, thanks to Mindy!  21 ladies sqooshed into our cozy little studio for some sweet art making.  upon thumbing through all the snapshots of the evening i decided to just put them all together in a little collage. (sorta like the way we were all crammed in the room...oops, my bad)

i have to say, i was so excitedly anticipating this special CNO and Mindy did not disappoint!  she was so cute and did such a great job, i really wanted to kidnap her and make her stay and paint all night.  don't really think she'd have gone for that!  we were lucky to have her here, even if for only a few blissful hours.

my wheels are definitely spinning with projects for the next CNO.  gonna be hard to top the last one!!  

(blossom tinkerings part deux in our future???)

p.s. if you'd like to receive info about CNO just send me a note.