Love (Day 22) ~ SOLD

"Love is the energy of life." 

~ Robert Browning

~~~~~~~~~~Made of Earth and Rain~~~~~~~~~~

Alcohol Inks and Watercolor on Yupo paper
SOLD

“At night I dream that you and I 
are two plants that grew together, 

roots entwined, and that you know 

the earth and the rain like my mouth, 

since we are made of earth and rain.”

~ Pablo Neruda

“Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit.”

~ Khalil Gibran

X ♥  O

Tradition (Day 21)

"What an enormous magnifier is tradition! 

How a thing grows in the human memory 

and in the human imagination, when love, 

worship, and all that lies in the human heart, 

is there to encourage it." 

~ Thomas Carlyle

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Day Of The Dead~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alcohol Inks and Watercolor on Yupo paper

See painting specifications and price here.

I am a big Halloween fan. In fact, it's our favorite holiday around here. I start decorating in July and keep adding to it throughout the fall. Most of the decorations are left up until Thanksgiving. Day of the Dead is just an extension of Halloween for me, since I don't actually practice it. I do really like what it stands for though and think that the D.O.D. traditions, the visuals and the decorations are divine!

X ♥  O

Spirituality (Day 20)

It is not art in the professionalized sense 

about which I care,

but that which is created sacredly, 

as a result of a deep inner experience, 

with all of oneself 
and that becomes 'art' in time. 

~ Alfred Stieglitz

~~~~~~~~~~Legend of the Dreamcatcher~~~~~~~~~~

Alcohol Inks and Watercolor on Yupo paper

See painting specifications and price here.

I have been on the search for "Spirit" in my life and in my art process for many years. From my personal collaboration of different beliefs, mainly found in earth based primitive cultures, I find my comfort and my inspiration. Many of the beliefs and stories of the Native American tribes of North America express my inner most feelings and resinate with a deep ancient truth in my being. Since June of 2000, after a series of life changing events, I believe that "Spirit" has had a heavy hand in shaping my voice in art. I try to stay receptive to the flow and ask for guidance and enlightenment along my path. Ideally, through my art metaphorically, I become and continue to be the spirit warrior, on the hunt for spirit knowledge.

"Art is something about the spirit. If you want to make something that has a spirit, and speaks to the spirit of other people in the world, you have to touch it; you have to physically address it. If you don't; if you just crank it out, it becomes merely a product." ~ Shary Boyle

X ♥  O

A Pirate Legend (Day 19)

Sing a song of sixpence

A pocket full of rye

Four and twenty blackbirds

Baked in a pie

As with many others, this little nursery rhyme

does not have such innocent beginnings. In the early 1700's, it actually started as a coded message used by the legendary pirate,  Blackbeard, to recruit new crew members.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A Pirate Legend~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alcohol Inks and Watercolor on Yupo paper

See painting specifications and price here.

So today, we all say Aaaarrrrgh Mateys! 

Aye Aye, today be 

INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY

Be sure to spread th' piratude ya scallywags!

an' Cap'n Happy

It's Fun -Talk Like A Pirate (Day 18)

"Creative ideas flourish best in a shop 

which preserves some spirit of fun. 

Nobody is in business for fun, 

but that does not mean there 

cannot be fun in business." 

~ Leo Burnett

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Talk Like A Pirate Day!~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alcohol Inks and Watercolor on Yupo paper

See painting specifications and price here.

Tomorrow, September 19th, is 
International Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Ahoy! The point of talkin' like a pirate, is well, that there really is no point in it matey; except that it be loads of fun!  Aye!! It be one of me favorite 'olidays! It be the one day of the year that all ye swashbuckling landlubbers can shiver yer timbers and practice yer piratude! So tomorrow, be sure to raise a mug of grog and make a toast to yer Jolly Roger, me hearties! Aye Aye, Cap'n Happy an' yers truly will be doin' our best to spread the pirate lingo and jollification everywhere we go; at home, at work, on the phone and to every scurvy dog we meet. So listen up buccaneers and wenches, brush up on yer pirate lingo or be a bilge rat and walk the plank! Aarrr!

an' Cap'n Happy

Cap'n Happy says, "Speak the lingo, or walk the plank! Aarrrgh!"

Amusement (Day 17)

"Let us move together playfully

 Children once and now again 
Renewed to love the Mother 
Earth, her moon and sun." 
~ Tony Anony

~~Kokopelli's Nightime Magic~~

Alcohol Inks and Watercolor on Yupo paper

See painting specifications and price here.

Everyone has heard the phrase; "All work and no play, makes Jane a dull girl." However, what if all you do is work, and it is actually your play? Would you still be considered dull? Is it important to diversify our amusement, in order to become a well-rounded individual? Do you think playfulness is a necessary ingredient in the creation of art? What do you do for amusement?

By amusing myself with all these games, 

all this nonsense, all these picture puzzles, 

I became famous.... 

I am only a public entertainer 

who has understood his time." 

~ Pablo Picasso

X ♥  O

Gratitude (Day 15)

"There is no such thing as gratitude unexpressed. 

If it is unexpressed, it is plain, old-fashioned ingratitude." 

~ Robert Brault

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Crocus Among Us~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alcohol Inks and Watercolor on Yupo paper

See painting specifications and price here.

I think you can learn a lot about people by how they express (or don't express) their gratitude. Just a few words, a short phone call, a card or an email with a sentence or two can make all the difference to the giver as well as the receiver.  Giving thanks opens your heart and gives way to a receptiveness to more good things in life. The surest way to stop the flow of abundance is by not being thankful for the gifts you have already received. "Gratitude really is the best attitude."

I am truly grateful for your friendship.

Thanks for following along, for your interest and support.

X ♥  O

The Creative Attitude (Day 14)

"Creativity is not a motive, 

it's simply an attitude of open-mindedness."

~ Eleanor Blair

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Life is Growth~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alcohol Inks on Yupo paper

See painting specifications and price here.

I was very pleased at the turnout for my demo yesterday at the Center for the Arts. It was a creative bunch and they got right into the act with suggestions and interpretations as I worked. The excitement was contagious as I poured and played with the inks. I tried new things that the crowd suggested as the artists asked "what if you . . . ?" I even discovered a new technique. By using the stamping tool in a circular motion, we created some very interesting abstract flower shapes. I'll have to play around with that some more later. Be sure to sign up for my upcoming workshops at the center. They will be a sure catalyst to further fun and creativity!

Sandy Sandy Watercolor and Alcohol Ink Painting Demo on Yupo Paper at CFA  - 9/13/14

HAPPY CREATING!

X ♥  O

Perfect Practice Makes Perfect (Day 13)

“How you try is more important than
how hard you try.”
― Tim Fargo

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Hummingbird Joy~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alcohol Inks and Watercolor on Yupo paper

See painting specifications and price here.

This quote got me thinking about the saying; "Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect." I think this is so true, because if you practice doing something inefficiently, you will waste your time and resources. You may never improve your skills. That's why it's important to get qualified guidance right from the start of learning something new. This makes the "trying" much more productive and fulfilling, before bad habits, which are often hard to break, are established and reinforced.

I look forward to seeing some of you at my demo today!

FREE sample packets of Yupo paper  to the first 20 attendees!

X ♥  O

Communication & Expression (Day 12)

“I quote others in order to 

better to express myself.” 

~ Michel de Montaigne

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Bold Blue Communicator~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alcohol Inks and Watercolor on Yupo paper

See painting specifications and price here.

I'm busy getting ready for my painting demonstration tomorrow at the regional art center and I couldn't help but start thinking about my feathered friends, the Blue Jays. I admire and respect their wonderful communication skills. Known for a wide array of calls and whistles while mimicking other birds and animals, they excel at expressing their opinions and influencing events to their best advantage. Often when I'm in the outdoors, I hear the familiar sound of a hawk, a cardinal or a crow only to discover it is actually Mr. or Ms. Blue Jay, exercising their energetic curiosity and lively gift of gab. I hope to harness those qualities of Blue Jay on Saturday as I try to convey my passion for painting on Yupo paper with verbal clarity, enthusiasm and forthright action.

I look forward to seeing some of you there tomorrow!
FREE sample packets of Yupo paper  to the first 20 attendees!

X ♥  O