Wednesday, March 23, 2011

whimsical wednesday….

These are all the good things that enrich my life to it's perfection.  Here is quite a muted palette uncharacteristic of my usual color choices.  Some white doodles and script energize and focus my thoughts, over layers of acrylic paint washes.  It's soft.  
 It's just a message on a journal page, simple and sweet.  Sometimes you just have to walk away from a piece and let it take on it's own life.  Playing in different directions, and exploring… makes me stretch creatively and grow artistically…..

Sunday, March 20, 2011

an artful life



I have been an artist my whole life.  It is what i do, it is who i am.  I have taught art to elementary and high school students, camp kids and adults.  I have created art for companies and manufacturers that have generated millions of dollars in retail sales.  It's not as easy as it looks, but it is what i do.  I am truly blessed that God gave me this gift of talent to share.

  Yesterday, i was having a conversation with my husband Tom, and my brother, Michael.  
Michael said, "No one loves their job, it's work!  Name one person you know who LOVES their job!".  
To that, my husband replied, "Joanne does!".  
I got goosebumps!  I DO love my job.   
When i first started licensing my artwork, i painted all my illustrations by hand with gouache and watercolors.  I would occasionally us watercolor pencils to accent the paintings.  That's all!  I had no photoshop, or computer.  Just crisp white paper and a palette of color.  My supplies took up no space at all!  

Now years later, i have accumulated so many more art supplies, enough to have filled up my daughter's old bedroom, coverting it into my full blown in home art studio!  I am able to go in there at all hours and explore with the piles of stuff that i love.
 The simple stash of watercolor paints and brushes has turned into "mixed media madness"! 


Pretty shelves, a full closet and little drawers house my journals, stamps, inks, reinkers, gel meduims, mists, acrylic paints and inks, pens, micron and pitt pens and gel and glaze pens and more pens, papers, ephemera, punches, die cuts, texture plates, modpodge, crayons,art books, markers, pencils and more!!! (breathe here)  And then there are my Copics.  Copics, Copics and more Copics!!!!!  Oh how i love my art stuff.  It gives me the opportunity to create every day, something new, exploring and experimenting. ***Note to self, i'll post a picture of my studio when i clean it up (do you ever think you'll see, it??)***


I consider myself an illustrator, but my current focus is stretching and experimenting with mixed media, using many products to enrich my creative process, while creating a pleasing work of art.  That's the fun part of my "job"!  Exploring with ink, paper, cardboard, paint, glitter, mists, pens, inks, stamps and modpodge.  It's a far cry from just paint, paper and a brush!

Inks, stamps, paper, pens, rub ons and mists….

 Acrylic ink, watercolor, white paint pen...

 …and stardust glitter pens!!!!!!!!  I have fallen back in love with blingy gel pens by Sakura.


…watercolor, inks, black and white pens….
 Yes Michael, i DO love my job.  And i am truly grateful that i am able to employ myself as an artist.





Wednesday, March 16, 2011

whimsical wednesday….

Lately i am loving the play and experimentation creating mixed media pieces.  The possibilities are endless layering color and texture, adding shapes and text.  You can't really see it too well, but there's even a little sparkle painted into the pieces with Ranger Icicle Stickles.  I usually end up putting bling on everything!  The glimmery particles catch the light and brighten the colors.  Love.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

whimsical wednesday….

I love painting my whimsical women.  They're so perfectly imperfect.  This whispy girl holds her heart declaring promises to herself.  My promises….

Saturday, March 5, 2011

NEW!…daily art on Facebook

You're invited!  Come on over to Facebook to the new
where i'm posting an inspirational art piece every day!!

I've always wanted to share art daily basis, like one of those "page a day" kind of calendars.  It seemed that blogging everyday might get annoying.  I won't be writing about it, like i do here on the blog, just sharing one piece of art on the Facebook page for readers to enjoy with their morning coffee or as a pick me up in the middle of the day.  If your not on Facebook, i'll still have the Whimsical Wednesday post where i'll reflect on the artwork.
This is a great opportunity for me, as incentive and motivation to consistently keep creating and journaling things to share.  The daily images will be my virtual "art everyday" calendar, and hopefully the messages will speak to you, find their way into your heart, lift you up, or make you laugh and smile.
 Hope to see you there and

Thursday, March 3, 2011

find your beautiful voice...

…..and sing your creative heart song!  
…artwork created especially for "Be Inspired" Blog Hop...

 I am so grateful every single day to be living my passion as full time artist.  I paint and illustrate, and i teach and inspire.  My greatest joy comes from sharing my art and helping others find their own creative voice.  I've taught and created art professionally for over 30 years and it's still a privilege to see others influenced by my process and ideas.  Even more exciting when it ignites their own unique creative spark!  


The internet has allowed me a platform to share my work and network with other artists in the licensing community.  I learn so much from these most giving and unselfish people who are always willing to share their stories, experience and support.  We share and celebrate each other's talents every day.  We inspire each other.  We learn from each other.  And the best thing is that we always maintain our own unique style and original best.  There is never a need to copy!
We ALL have gifts, we ARE gifts………so why "RE-GIFT"??!!


So in sharing this BLOG HOP with my fellow artist friends, i support the idea of celebrating our talents and artwork, but feel very strongly about copyrights and originality.  It's just not okay to take someone else's work, switch it around a little and call it your own.  You have so much to give, be authentic, find your creative voice and surround yourself with those who will encourage and bring out the best you….go sing your creative heart song for all to hear!
C'MON OVER TO OUR BLOG HOP!
"BE INSPIRED ARTIST BLOG HOP" organized by Brenda Pinnick, fabulous licensing artist!  Click on the links and visit all of my creative friends as they share their views on "being original" and staying true to yourself, it's a great education.


http://sharynsowellartblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/be-inspired.html
http://embellishmentskids.blogspot.com/2011/03/be-inspired-blog-hop-aaron-christensens.html
http://chrischunart.blogspot.com/2011/03/be-inspired-blog-hop.html
http://www.vickieleastudios.com/art-licensing/so-what-inspires-you-a-discussion-about-originals/
http://monicaleestudios.com/blog/
http://www.brendapinnick.com/2011/03/02/be-inspired/
http://itsmollysmith.blogspot.com/2011/03/be-inspired-designer-blog-hop.html
http://www.droozdoodles.com/2011/03/be-inspired-blog-hop.html
http://phyllisdobbs.info/2011/03/02/creative-inspiration/
http://www.jgoode.com/its-about-inspiration-not-duplication/
http://suezipkin.typepad.com/blogging_with_dyslexia/2011/03/be-inspired-create-from-your-heart.html
http://bethparkerart.wordpress.com/
http://robinpickens.blogspot.com/2011/03/inspiration-origins-blog-hop.html
http://monicaleestudios.com/blog/on-being-originalpart-2/
http://janemadayblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/sweet-inspirations.html

http://www.terriconraddesigns.typepad.com/

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

whimsical wednesday….

..if you don't love it, change it.  We have just ONE precious life…..make it the best you can be…
….Love the life you're in...

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

bird on a wire


Watercoloring in a journal, i'm making art but leaving space for where i can write later.  In a winged heart flower garden, bright and whispy, a Copic colored die cut flower sits, placed in the middle of the pages.  I just got this sweet bird stamp and thought i would incorporate it into the painting. 


 The birds were stamped with my favorite Tim Holtz Distress Ink WILD HONEY.  With my water brush i then added a little shading to the bird bodies, since distress inks react with water.  Also used my Micron pen to doodle some outines.  Happy.

Have you ever seen birds on a wire?  There are always scores of them all lined up, and you wonder what they are waiting for.  They wait and sit, wait and sit.    It's a great thought on life... not to just sit around waiting for things to happen, waiting for things to come to you….."Don't be like a bird on a wire waiting for the good things to come…instead FLY to see all there is to see and be……be the one to fly"…..