You Are My Sunshine ~ Sunny Summer Sunflower

"Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others,

cannot keep it from themselves." 

~ James Matthew Barr

You Are My Sunshine  Purchase painting here.

You Are My Sunshine

 Purchase painting here.

I was happy to hear about a sunflower painting challenge yesterday on DPW (Daily Paintworks). Coincidentally, I was just itching to paint some of these exuberant beauties and had already downloaded a few photos of sunflowers from PMP (Paint My Photo). I painted most of this piece as a demo for a private lesson today. I'm excited because my new student is a very quick study and did extremely well with her first painting on Yupo paper! I also got a call today from the president of a local art center about teaching watercolor on Yupo paper there in the fall. Wow, I am truly blessed. The sun has clearly been shining down on me and my Yupo painting lately! Here is the first in my new series of Sunny Summer Sunflowers.

Hope you can beat the heat and have a great 4th of July holiday!

X ♥  O

Believe In Magic and In Yourself

"Magic is believing in yourself.

If you can do that,

you can make anything happen."

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Believe in Magic

`````````Hand painted watercolor on Yupo paper`````````

See purchase information here.

X ♥  O

Caw, Caw Cawing Crow

 Pleased to make your acquaintance,

Mister and Misses Crow,

I spy you in the tree tops

watching everywhere I go

Caw, caw cawing

begging for a treat

Your babies are so hungry

and they need something to eat

~ Sandy Sandy

Caw, Caw Cawing Crow

`````7.5" x 5.5" hand painted watercolor on Yupo paper, matted to 8" x 10"````

See more information here.

"It is the function of art to renew our perception.
What we are familiar with, we cease to see.
The artist shakes up the familiar scene,
and, as if by magic, we can see a new meaning in it."

~ Anais Nin 

Do YOU believe in magic?

X ♥  O

Crow And Raven Signal A Time of Magic

"When either crow or raven is about,

there is magic."

~ Jessica Dawn Palmer

~ Magic Crow ~

8.5" x 11" hand painted watercolor on Yupo paper
Triple Matted to 16" x 20" in acid free, white core mat w/ foam core back

Signed & Certified by the artist

Purchase painting here.

Black is the color of West and the great unknown. It is the home of the future and of ancestor spirits. Crows and ravens are messengers from this realm. They offer us guidance and protection. When they come into your life, expect and accept change. Stay positive and good things will undoubtedly happen.

Here's a snapshot of my work in progress and my set-up for painting these crows.

I'll be posting the other two paintings in this series later this week.

Stay cool and dry and have a good day!

Hugs, 

From Out Of The Blue ... Something to Crow About

"Seize every opportunity along the way,

for how sad it would be if the road you chose

became the road not taken."

~ Robert Brault

Pencil sketches for my next Yupo painting series.

Please excuse my unbridled enthusiasm here, but I needed to crow a little and share a very pleasant and unexpected surprise which took place yesterday! It came in the form of an email inquiry from a gentleman from a paper company to do possible in-store painting demonstrations on Yupo paper. The first engagement would be for the grand opening of a new Dick Blick Store in Midtown Manhattan! It will be on Thursday, August 22nd, from 2-4pm; the first day of Blick's big two week event which is expected to get mega traffic! I don't know how I am going to get myself up there just yet, but I'll be doing a dry run to meet with Marc on Madison Ave. at Legion Papers and then on to check out the Dick Blick location at 6th Ave. and 20th St. towards the end of July. Whoa Nellie! Here we go. What a wild ride for a little 'ole piney woman like me!

"My life is so full of surprises,

nothing surprises me any more."

~ Kim Wilde 

Have a great weekend ya'all!

X ♥  O

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP of SAND SCULPTING

I went to ATLANTIC CITY this week to check out the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OF SAND SCULPTING COMPETITION. It was awesome!! Check out MY SLIDE SHOW here! Can you guess which ones were my favorites? Which one(s) did you like the best? 

Paying it Forward at Avalon Art Show

“Sail beyond the horizon;

fly higher than you ever thought possible;

magnify your existence by helping others;

be kind to people and animals of all shapes and sizes;

be true to what you value most;

shine your light on the world;

and be the person you were born to be.”

~ Blake Beattie

I'll be giving away some prizes (paying it forward) tonight and tomorrow

to some random visitors and to anyone that mentions seeing my

Avalon, NJ Art Show Notice here on my blog, SandySandyArt.com

or on my facebook business page, SandySandySpiritart.

Pictured above are some motivational magnets

that I'll be giving away while the supply lasts!

There are also some other great prizes.

I hope to see some of you there.

Whatever your plans, have a great weekend! 

X ♥  O

 

Great White Heron ~ Avalon, NJ Art Show and Sale ~ SOLD

"Life beats down and crushes the soul
and art reminds you that you have one."
~ Stella Adler

Great White Heron

8.5" x 11" hand painted watercolor on synthetic paper, matted - $169.

acid free, white core mat & foam core backing in an acetate sleeve

fits a standard 11" x 14" frame / Framed - $219.

• SOLD

This is one of my new paintings that will be available for sale at the

Avalon Performing Arts Council  26th Annual Art Show.

Admission is free and it is inside the Avalon, NJ, Community Center,

this Friday, June 21st - Preview Show - from 7-9 pm 

and Saturday, June 22nd - Main Show - from 10 am - 4 pm.

If you are in the area, or just need an excuse to come down to the shore,

please come in and see me! I'm offering a special gift to

anyone who mentions seeing my show announcement online.

I will be featuring some of this year's new works

on Yupo paper so I've been busy organizing, framing and packing.

The paintings were laid out on the rack

on the studio floor to decide what to take.

Of course, Cutie Pye and Opie are always eager to help.

No job is complete without my extra special, highly qualified, inspection team. 

After they double checked each frame, every one was personalized with paw prints,

kitty hair and a nose smudge. What wonderful assistants they are!

Double the work, but definitely double the pleasure!

Hugs and Purrs, 

X ♥  O

 

Opie Darling and Princess Cutie Pye

Happy Father's Day!

"When I was a girl of fourteen,

my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand

to have the old man around.  But when I got to

be twenty-one, I was astonished at how

much he had learned in seven years."  

~ Author unknown

I am so grateful to still have both my parents here.

My dad has always been there for me, in good times and in bad. He has bailed me out with a helping hand when trouble hits and has celebrated my successes when few others seemed to care. I am the oldest of four siblings and like with most kids, it wasn't always smooth sailing. As time goes on though, our father/daughter differences have become less, as our bond grows ever stronger. Thank you so much for all the love and support you've showered on me over the past half+ century, dad! I love and respect you dear father, mentor and friend ~ with all my heart!

Here are some recent photos of my dad, 'Big Al' Sandy.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO MY DAD!!

And to All Dads Everywhere!!

X ♥  O

 

Nature's Garden Collection

"Be like the flower,

turn your face to the sun."

– Kahlil Gibran

Nature's Garden Collection

Watercolors on Yupo paper, varied sizes

I've made and shared several collages of my Yupo painting collections this year. I didn't know how to link them up to their feature page until I saw another artist do it this way. Each number links to a larger view and details about the corresponding piece. 

1.  2.   3.   4.   5.   6.   7.   8.

Springing Into Summer ~ Tulip Treasures ~ SOLD

"Find what makes your heart sing
and create your own music." 
~ Mac Anderson

Tulip Treasures

• SOLD

Tulip Treasures

This image is available for license here.

The symbolism of the tulip is

affection, perfect love, new life

and spiritual awareness.

Although it looks and feels like spring weather left us a while ago, the first day  of summer isn't until next week, June 21st. As usual, Jerry has been busy filling up the yard with flowers and vegetable plants. Here are just a few shots of  

Sandy Land this morning.

Please share my work with your friends.

Thanks  for visiting and have a great day!