Boundless Black - 2019 Art Calendars

“A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black,
because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light."
~ Leonardo da Vinci

 

My 2019 "BOUNDLESS BLACK" Desk and Wall Calendars

 

Please preview the images and purchase while supplies last. 

2019 calendars make memorable presents for all the art and nature lovers
on your holiday list! They're sure to be appreciated year round. 

Desk calendars make awesome family, hostess, co-worker,

 neighbor, teacher or client gifts.

Discounts apply for multiple purchases.

Thanks for taking a look and supporting small American businesses like mine!

X ♥  O

👩‍🎨

Be Yourself, and Accomplish Your Goals

“To be yourself in a world that is

constantly trying to make you into something else

is the greatest accomplishment.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hummingbird symbolizes joy and love
and accomplishing that which seems impossible.

ANNOUNCING A

 GIVEAWAY ON INSTAGRAM- OPEN to ALL MY FOLLOWERS THERE! 

 Just LIKE, COMMENT or SHARE - ANY OF MY HUMMINGBIRD PRINT POSTS

for a chance to win two prints in this #Hummingbird #Print #Giveaway … 

On #MemorialDay, May 28th, I will pick 3 winners

of two unmated 5 x 7” hummingbird prints each (of your choice). 

These will fit into a standard 8 x 10” mat and frame.

Open to everyone - world-wide! See print selections here:

 and ... the FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink E-Course.

Spring/Summer 2018 Class Opens June 6th

Thanks So Much for Stopping By

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Shine Your Light!

"Those who are at times described as being

“too emotional” or “complicated” are the 

very fabric of what keeps the dream alive 

for a more thoughtful, caring and humane world.  

Never be ashamed to let your feelings, smiles 

and tears shine a light in this world."

~ Marc Chernoff

'Shine On" ~ 5 x 7" Matted Alcohol Ink Painting on Vinyl

 I love working on black substrates but the tiles limit us to a small size. This is one of my first attempts on mat black vinyl. The inks work good on the mat vinyl too. I ordered the 40 pack of glossy 12 x 12" vinyl and it's a great deal.  I'll cut them to various sizes - with 4 x 6"'s I'll get 6 pcs. out of ea. sheet for my studio classes. I'm gonna try it with my students on April 7th! I also ordered some black boards from Blick that I'm going to try too.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Have a really great day!

X ♥  O

Strength Supersedes Struggle

"We grow because we struggle,

we learn and overcome."

~ Robert G. Allen

I am an avid collector of inspirational stories and quotes. Some of these treasures date back as far as high school. The really special ones have been read many times and I think of them often. A few of these pieces have even inspired my art and writing. It has been a while since I reread and posted this one, so I thought it might be a good story to go along with this piece. Many of these scenarios, like the one posted below, are "Author Unknown".

BUTTERFLIES ALWAYS REMIND ME 

OF THIS BEAUTIFUL STORY:

STRUGGLES

An Inspiring Story About How Struggles Strengthen Us

When he was a small boy, he had loved butterflies. Oh, not to net and mount them, but to wonder at them and their habits.

Now a grown man with his first son to be born in a few weeks, he found himself once again fascinated with a cocoon. He had found it at the side of the park path. Somehow the twig had been knocked from the tree and the cocoon had survived undamaged and still woven to the branch.

As he had seen his mother do, he gently protected it by wrapping it in his handkerchief and carried it home. The cocoon found a temporary home in a wide-top mason jar with holes in the lid. The jar was placed on the mantle for easy viewing and protection from their curious cat who would delight in volleying the sticky silk between her paws.

The man watched. His wife's interest lasted only a moment, but he studied the silky envelope. Almost imperceptibly at first, the cocoon moved. He watched more closely and soon the cocoon was trembling with activity. Nothing else happened. The cocoon remained tightly glued to the twig and there was no sign of wings.

Finally the shaking became so intense that the man thought the butterfly would die from the struggle. He removed the lid on the jar, took a sharp pen knife from his desk drawer, and carefully made a tiny slit in the side of the cocoon. Almost immediately, one wing appeared and then outstretched the other. The butterfly was free!

It seemed to enjoy its freedom and walked along the edge of the mason jar and along the edge of the mantle. But it didn't fly. At first the man thought the wings needed time to dry, but time passed and still the butterfly did not take off.

The man was worried and called up his neighbor who taught science. He told the neighbor how he had found the cocoon, placed it in the mason jar, and the terrible trembling as the butterfly struggled to get out. When he described how he had carefully made a small slit in the cocoon, the teacher stopped him. "Oh, that is the reason. You see, the struggle is what gives the butterfly the strength to fly."
 
And so it is with us. Sometimes it's the struggles in life that strengthen us the most. ~ Author Unknown

Did you enjoy this story? Have you read it before?

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Have a really great day!

X ♥  O

"Forget Love ...

 I'd rather fall in chocolate."

"There are four basic food groups: 

milk chocolate, dark chocolate, 

white chocolate, and chocolate truffles.

Guess what I just had for lunch!

Giant Chocolate Mousse Heart Cake

Come on over, there's plenty to go around!

Hope everybody had a nice Valentine's Day!

Last Saturday's class project ...

Thanks for stopping by!

X ♥  O

Who Are You? Who, Who, Who Who?

”The only person you are destined to become

is the person you decide to be.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Alcohol Ink Tutorial From Week Six of the E-Course

 “Do whatever it takes to find the real you,

don't be daunted if the rest of the world looks on in shock.”

~ Stephen Richards

Do something for yourself.  Discover and express the real you!

Check out my FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink E-Course.

Create at your own pace. No experience necessary!

Winter Class Opens Feb. 9th

Thanks So Much for Stopping By

X ♥  O

Gifts That Keep Giving

"Everyone has a gift for something,

even if it is the gift of just

being a good friend."
~ Marian Anderson

It is getting down to the wire for holiday gift shopping!

There is less than a week before Christmas and Hanukkah is now in full swing. 

Many people are now scrambling to find that elusive, perfect gift.

The gift that keeps giving isn't usually readily available at a store, however.

The perpetual gift is the present that will outlast the present and it often requires

more thought and insight as to how the recipient may benefit.

I have issued quite a few personalized gift certificates

so far this holiday season and suspect that the rush isn't over just yet.

And there are still a couple of spots available for my
Pre-Pay January Studio Classes.

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”
– Wiliam Butler Yeats

See more about getting your own personalized gift certificates

for art, calendars, supplies and instruction, in any amount here.

Thanks So Much for Stopping By

And Happy Holidays!

X ♥  O

Decide Your Destiny

”The only person you are destined to become

is the person you decide to be.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Still Standing Strong - Original Alcohol Ink on Yupo ~ $129.

2018 Calendars available now!

Thanks So Much for Stopping By!

X ♥  O

Throw Some Paint On!

“Life is a blank canvas,

and you need to throw all the paint on it you can.”

~ Danny Kaye

10 x 8" matted alcohol ink painting on Yupo

We had an awesome abstract workshop here last weekend.

Everyone is all psyched up and ready to paint more abstracts in alcohol ink!

Click here to see a close up of some the awesome ink art that was created!

And remember ...

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”

~ Helen Keller

X ♥  O