Wildflowers

Actually, it's "Wild Flowers" to suit the mood that I've been in over the last few weeks.

If you read the most recent posting, my PSA regarding skin cancer, you'll understand. While dealing with a broken leg and multiple Mohs surgeries for the skin cancer, I've been feeling a bit "wild".
Things that I start thinking about creating end up taking a turn for the more unusual. Honestly, it's sort of a good thing.
Every now and again you have to step out of your own way and let things happen, and since so much was happening to me physically that I had no control of, I decided to let loose of the control with my Torn Paper Paintings as well.
To my surprise and excitement, I love them.
My "wounds" are healing and I'm beginning to feel a bit more normal, whatever that is, but I believe I've been learning something, both about myself as well as my art.
I hope to be about to step out of my own way a bit more often.
You never know what surprises await.

Sun PSA

With summer around the corner, I feel the need to express a thought on something that is currently affecting me, and could easily happen to you.
I'm not a big beach person and haven't found myself interested in baking in the sun since I was in my early 20's, which means over 40 years ago. However, here I am dealing with what has become routine for so many people, skin cancer.
Luckily it seems to be in early stages and I'm grateful for that since two of the three areas I'm dealing with are on my face.
Last week I got my first of the three upcoming Mohs surgeries done on the one by my upper lip. Thankfully, the Dr. I chose is also knowledgeable on plastic surgery and paid special attention to how he would need to creatively close the area. Trust me, it was not a pleasant procedure and was frightening to look at. Today was the second one, this time on the hand. At the same time, the stitches were taken out of the first one. Amazing how much healing happened in that week. I can see that over time this will heal well. I've got some numb areas that I'm told will take a couple of years for the nerves to reconnect. Small price for getting this taken care of early.
This is not my usual art related posting for my Torn Paper Paintings or something fun and light as usual, but I felt the need to send out a warning that you really do need to protect yourself. I will admit that I had been careless about using sunscreen and protecting myself because I figured I wasn't laying around baking, so it would be just fine. Don't fool yourself...it isn't fine.

I'm including a picture to bring home the point for anyone who is saying, "sure, sure, I do enough, I'll be just fine. Couldn't happen to me". I thought that too.
So please, pay attention. Enjoy your summer, but be careful and be kind to your skin.
Save yourself from dealing with this somewhere down the line.
Sunscreen may not prevent this from happening, but it's a great start.

Standing Out

It may just be me but I think that standing out can sometimes be a great thing. Don't we all try to stand out even just a little? As artists, we certainly need to stand out in a sea of "the same".
Sadly, sometimes being the one to stand out makes others uncomfortable. They either don't understand something that's not the "norm", or they don't want to compete with something that's going to certainly take the attention away from them.
I bring this up because I feel that the "standing out" is a problem that I've been dealing with for quite a long time with the small town local arts groups. The area I live in is heavy with traditional artists working in all the traditional mediums. I however, do not. I work with paper, creating Torn Paper Paintings. I've worked hard at branding myself and getting my work out there.
I've been published in books & magazines, had images licensed for greeting cards, been part of corporate collections, and included in numerous jury shows.
I've also taught workshops on my process and am an artist member at a co-op gallery. Clearly, I know what I'm doing.
Why then do I get excluded and rejected many times over from these small juried art group shows?? I've even had to argue with the ones working on the shows as to what my medium is. Really? I kept getting told that I'd need to list it as "mixed medium", which it is not. It would be created entirely out of torn paper, and yet "torn paper" seemed to be a foreign concept.
Just this week I dropped off a piece of work for another jury show (you'd think I'd know better). Of course all the other paintings that had been dropped off by that time were all of a very traditional feel, both in medium and style. Mine of course was not only in my torn paper medium, but of a whimsical style. When my piece was placed beside the other paintings my thought was, "Wow, looks outstanding". The theme of this show was "Blooms". Flowers just seem to lend themselves to some whimsy, or so I thought.
Within 24 hrs. I'd found out I'd been rejected yet again.
Normally I'd get past this faster, but it turns out that during that 24 hr. period I also broke my leg.
The rejection simply added to my bruised and battered emotional state.
Now, after a bit of time to reflect on this, I'm simply convinced that my piece would have gotten more attention than those traditional painters were able to accept. That one "unusual" piece might actually "stand out". YES!
I've done well and been accepted by many. If the small local groups can't find it in themselves to be supportive, so be it.
I will not let myself be one of "the same".
I will continue to happily Stand Out.

Another Exciting Direction

For artists who create their art as more than a hobby, they need to spend equal time creating as well as being their own marketing agent. It is definitely a lot of work.
Some artists are lucky enough to have "artist agents" to work at promoting their art. There are huge licensing events held a couple times a year for these agents to do just that.
Trust me, most artists would love to have a licensing deal on their resume.
But...if you don't have that type of representation, the job gets quite a bit harder.
I'm now here to tell you, do not be discouraged!!!
As I've just discovered, if you keep at it, you can in fact make one of those deals happen on your own. I'm not saying an agent wouldn't have made it easier or maybe gotten more deals....but YES, I've just gotten one of those deals myself!!!

Torn Paper Paintings images are now licensed with a national greeting card company!
Contracts are signed, first collection of images have been chosen, and cards are being cataloged and produced as we speak.  I'm so totally excited 🎈 🤗 and quite proud of myself too I might add.

You may start seeing some images coming from me that seem a bit "out of season" because the card industry works on winter images during the spring/summer. I think I can get used to that. It's not bad to work on flowers during the long cold months of winter....I often do that now. Maybe some of the newest bird images will show up for spring 2019!!
When the cards are created and I get my first samples I will take a pic and give you more details then.
For now, I just wanted all those artists out there who have no representation but themselves to know that they too can make it happen.
It's easy to get discouraged....but hang in.
Wonderful things are waiting for you!

Thinking Spring

Living on the coast of New England, we've just gone through our second nor'easter in a week.
Luckily, our little area got more in the way of buckets of rain rather than the many inches that other areas received.
Sump pumps everywhere working overtime and many locations have been without power for days now.
I consider us very lucky since our power never went out and we have a generator in the event that it did, so our sump pump would be able to keep going.
With all this, I'm still trying very hard to think "spring".
Some days it seems very far away, but with daylight savings time happening this weekend (spring ahead) I'm hopeful.
So, after watching numerous blue jays playing outside by the bird feeder, I decided I needed to do another Torn Paper Painting of one. This time I did one in flight.
Love the way it turned out.
Hope this painting helps others to keep "thinking spring".

Wow...November

How does it happen soo quickly??
Seems the older I get the faster the year seems to go by. Here in New England our summer is something we wait patiently for, for what seems like forever. Once here, seems like it's the shortest season ever.
Thankfully, we've been given some mild weather so far, but soon to feel the chill. I understand that by the weekend....we're into high temps in the 40's....ouch. Guess it had to happen. By the time we hit Jan...40's will feel warm!
Well....I did just recently go off to The Little Beach Gallery and take new Torn Paper Paintings to jazz up the wall for the holiday season. Along with new paintings, I also brought along a new batch of ornaments.
Now....I feel ready for the next adventure.
It's only a four day trip....but looking forward to a fun time in New Orleans.
I have an art friend there who we plan to meet up with and see the town a bit through her eyes. She's also part of a co-op gallery there and I'm sure there's a bit of shopping gonna happen!!!
We've also booked a Sunday morning Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues. YES!!
No worries.....I'll be sure to take some pics and post them here.
I have no doubt there will be a bit of NOLA inspiration in my future work.
Stay tuned :)

Summer happens

Yep...it sure does.
As you can see, I haven't been here for a while. Sorry. I do try, really.
I'm sure most of you out there are actually very much like me and when the summer comes around and you're able to be out and about more often, some things take a back seat.
Here in New England, we try to enjoy every bit of summer weather we can before we fall back into those winter months.
Here we are, about to hit Sept 1st.  Where did the time go.
Well, here's a short run down on where mine went.
First of all, I have to have lots of Torn Paper Paintings ready for The Little Beach Gallery in Hyannis. Busy season there you know.
Secondly, this year was especially busy with being part of a fund raiser to create a yearly grant for women in need, in the name of my beautiful sister-in-law who passed away from cancer just over a year ago. The event was very time consuming, but raised a great deal of money to create this self sustaining grant.
Then of course there's all the regular stuff, gardening, beetlecat races, family gatherings...etc.
So, I do hope you'll continue to check in now, knowing that I'm aware I haven't spent much time with you....but that will change.
Why will it change you ask? Because I'm finishing up my new Torn Paper Paintings website as well, and attached to it, will be this blog. Yes. One stop shopping so to speak.
So, bear with me. We're almost there. I will announce it when it's "live".
And, since we're changing things up, I'll leave you with a pic of one of my latest pieces...Birds Eye 1.
Maybe there'll be some changing up of things in my artwork as well. Stay tuned.

Fading summer

It takes sooo long to get here that we try to hang onto every minute.

Yes...it's Oct....but here in New England we're just not ready to let go. Every morning I stroll through the flower gardens and take note of which ones are fading away. When I happen upon a nice sunny patch....I stand there taking in the warmth it still has to offer much the way my kitty still looks for that sunny patch coming in through the windows.
I'm taking one last swing at trying to hit a home run with the weather by spending a long "girls weekend" with some friends at the river house.
The tiny main house has a propane fireplace that is good for a bit of off & on warming of the place. The outdoor bedroom cabins have no heat....or insulation for that matter. For a bunch of 60ish gals....I give us points for still doing this. We'll have to see how many more years we've got though before our weekends wait for warmer temps...lol
I do plan to bring some of my Torn Paper Paintings supplies.....and maybe...as the temps. drop.....accept that fact that the seasons have changed, and start working on some ornaments too!!
Maybe!

Triton

Wow....always so hard to believe that time can pass so quickly.
Haven't been here in a while...and yet it seems like yesterday. Sorry to have been MIA.
Mid July....where in the world does the summer go? If you're anything like me...you wait on the edge of your seat for the weather to warm up and gardens to start growing, then, before you know it, half of that warm weather has passed.
Well....let's keep enjoying what we've got while it's here. Tonight...party at the beach club....woohoo!!!
I haven't spent all my time laying in the sun....really...lol
I've been working on upping my game....going bigger. The most recent...Triton.
A new whale tail that is 2 feet x 4 feet....a size challenge in many ways...including the physical space to work. It makes walking around in the art room a bit of a obstacle course.
He is done however....and has traveled off to the local art show. Won't see him hanging till tomorrow....so I'll take a pic then.
Also since we last spoke, I have had to upgrade my tech devices. First off my camera died....so extremely sad. Loved that chocolate colored camera! Well....had to research and replace that. Also...my beloved computer has been firing warning shots at me for quite some time now. After tons of research and waiting for the right deal....I have finally found my new one. The past two weeks have been a real learning curve on not only the new machines...but on Windows 10. Just getting into the comfort levels now.
Soo....I'm up and running and still putting out new Torn Paper Paintings. I just may be MIA a little more though since I have no intention of missing fun in the sun while the warm weather is still upon us.
Hope you all take time to enjoy the remains of the summer!!!

A new twist

Happy Summer.
Seems it has finally arrived. Warm temps and flowers in bloom everywhere.
Luckily we had a mild winter...so the beautiful plants I placed in the new gardens last year had a great chance to thrive and make it back to spring easily. I'll not have to worry about them come this winter now.
As all things here have settled down and the creative little muse finally found her way back to me (it had been a long journey) I found myself in a bit of a playful mood with my current piece.
Yes...again, a "sea" theme....but with a twist. A whole new "dimension" you might say!
A fish...yes....but it's swimming "off " the canvas.
This was such fun to work on and such a playful way to come back after some very dark time here.
Made me smile the whole time I worked on it.

Not saying I'll do very many of these....but don't be surprised if you see a bit of "off the canvas" Torn Paper Painting every now and then :)

Shine on...

Sorry....I know I haven't posted for a month now.
You may remember the story of my SIL Amy who was (yes, "was") struggling with cancer.
I'm sorry to say that she lost that battle mid month.

What I would like to say is that she displayed strength and grace throughout the whole process. This strong woman worked as long as she could as the church pastor in Edgartown....staying there long enough to make sure that all ends were tied up and everyone on the right track.
Her final sermon (here) was something I know I'll never forget.

By the time she got on the ferry and returned here to her family, we didn't know it, but she only had about a week left.
During this time, even as she grew weaker, she made the time to see as many family & friends as she could, knowing that they had been waiting for her return.
I am happy to say that during this time she was always surround by her family and all the love we could give.
In her final days, we, as the closest family, would stay at my MIL's home where she was and sit with her throughout.

We've now moved on....or are still trying very hard...to continue with  where we were. Some days it's hard to remember exactly where that was. Every time a beloved family member leaves us it changes everything. Your mind seems to be in a million different places all at once...and then nowhere at all.
Many times a day, things that never would have triggered a special thought before, now have an all too emotional twist to them.

I am now trying....not very well it seems....to find my muse and continue on with my art. Seems it's more difficult than I thought. While I know that in time I will get there....I thought that maybe, if I just wrote a few words here, it would help to focus again.

Thank you for all your patience and understanding. Many of you out there have reached out in one way or another. Again..."thank you".
Hug someone you love!!
Shine on, Amy!!!

Creative Collaboration

A lovely collaboration between an artist in New England in the US...and a guitarist from Tasmania in Australia.
A perfect example of the beauty of the internet and how it brings people together from all over the world.
I had spoken at an earlier time of how I was contacted via email by a gentleman in Tasmania who happened to see the image of my "Calypso" seahorse Torn Paper Paintings.
He explained that he was writing music and it was titled "Seahorse Bells", and wanted permission to use this image for the digital cover. You can sample this music HERE!
I was delighted to take part in this and so very pleased that this solo acoustic guitarist, Alan Gogoll, was kind and honest enough to ask for my permission.
We've been in contact ever since.
Recently Alan asked if he could use this image further....to use the colors from the seahorse as the background colors in his logo, which would then go onto T-shirts.  Great idea.
Well...just the other day I received a box in the mail from Australia!!
Inside this box was a fabulous black T-shirt with the colorful logo...as well as a great collection of his CD's and assorted cards and goodies!!!  What a fun bit of mail to receive.
I totally enjoyed pulling out each and every item. Since then I've had soo much delightful music playing...sampling all the CD's.
Alan....thank you for your generous gift, of goodies & friendship. I wish you soo much luck in the future with your music.

April...really?

Yep....they say it's spring.......not so sure I'd agree right now.
Luckily this latest covering is starting to melt away...and I have managed to return the car to the garage after it not being able to get out of the driveway.

 
 
Yes...it's April and spring is indeed getting here. Just not quickly.

I'm taking the positive approach and getting my spring/summer Torn Paper Paintings ready to take to the Little Beach Gallery soon to freshen up their walls for the upcoming season!!

In that collection of brand new pieces is Otto!!
I just love this guy. For some reason, he makes me smile every time I look at him!! I hope he does the same for some lucky shopper this summer. Something tells me...there will be more of these adorable critters coming up!

Those who have been following along will also know that every month I've been making prayer flags...one for me and one to send to my SIL. Well...the March one is done. The theme...gratitude.
I'm happy for the time that I spend making each of these. They always make me stop and reflect as I move forward with each theme. As for "gratitude"....every day I feel I have plenty to be grateful for.

Once again....Reverse stamping - a Gelli trick

This little posting gets an amazing amount of traffic.
In over a year and a half...it still get more visits than any other posting I've done.
For that reason....I'm reposting it for those who have not found this one yet.
It's a great little Gelli trick and well worth sharing. Enjoy!!!

Have you ever wished that the image on one of your rubber stamps faced the "other" direction??
Or...maybe you wanted the images to face each other!!
Yeah...we all have from time to time.
Well....I've got another little "Gelli Plate" trick to do just that....reverse stamping.


roll paint then stamp

I do it using acrylic paint because that's what I like....and when I want the images to be used in my Torn Paper Paintings....acrylic works best with the gel medium.

First...if you're using the image in it's "intended" position....using a brayer, roll on a layer of paint and stamp the image normally.
Here, I'm stamping on one of my Gelli printed envelopes.

Click for larger pic

Then...for reversing the image....roll the acrylic paint on again...only this time, carefully stamp the image onto the Gelli Plate. I love using my 3"x5" for this. You see the image on the gelli as you would if you'd stamped it on paper....but, once you "flip" the Gelli to use as a stamp....the image is automatically reversed!

 

Voila......one stamp....two images!!!

2016 - Changes

Sometimes things don't go quite as expected when welcoming in the New Year.
Original plans were to stoke the fireplace, make munchies, and open a bottle of champagne.
Instead...we were off to the hospital for my sister-in-law who ended up in Boston undergoing unexpected brain surgery!!!
My husband stayed the night at the hospital and we wished each other a "happy new year" at midnight over the phone.

Amy had done battle with two previous rounds of breast cancer and we were all under the impression that she'd won and had moved on. The cancer, however, ended up going to her brain...and what we would later find out...her liver as well.

My lovely sister-in-law is the new pastor at a church in Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard. I posted about her earlier this year. All the lovely new parishioners at her church are rallying around her....bringing her meals and offers of transportation wherever need be....not to mention tending to her young dog. I send loads of (((Hugs))) and "thank you"s to them!!!

She is a strong woman with much faith and determination!! While we all know there is a long and rocky road ahead for her to maintain as normal a lifestyle as possible...she has strength coming from many directions.
She is out of the hospital and back on the island and doing her best already to be of service. I admire her determination and I believe we'll all learn a thing or two about faith as well as grace in these difficult times just by watching this lady.
Please feel free to send an extra blessing or prayer for Amy.
Any and all are most welcome.

Prayers will also be said for all of you as well...to have a smooth and healthy 2016!
 

Oh My

Time certain has gotten by me. Yikes...can't believe how long it's been since my last post.
You know how this season can be....something going on all the time. Holidays are like that!
Trying to keep up with the everyday things...plus the art...and the holidays.....it's a wonder that the entire month didn't get past me. Oh yes...lets not forget having a root canal in the midst of this!!
Yes...I have certainly been busy.
The 3D ornaments I started last year were a big hit then...and again this year. Had to produce plenty of those.
Then I got into the spirit with some Christmas candy Torn Paper Paintings. They were such fun. Still actually working on a few.
This weekend has been the first where the weather has been chilly enough to remind us it's Dec in New England. Been it the upper 50's to 60 recently....and due to be that way next week. Predicted for Christmas Eve...60!!  We are going to be such babies by the time we get hit with snow....and we WILL!!
Odds are that I'll be distracted again for a while....so, until the holidays are over and I surface again...have a wonderful holiday season!!

Open for Business!!

Well...it's been a long time in coming and a lot of hard work....but the new Torn Paper Paintings "Zazzle" store is now up and running.
I've spent many months working on setting this up in between doing my actual paintings along with all my promotional work.
I've also managed to receive and evaluate the quality of many of the products offered. I'd never allow my name to be placed on products that I couldn't stand behind and feel proud of. This is why I've done all the work with this shop personally.
Here is just a sampling of the products I've looked over personally.
So far...I've been proud of all of them...so Yes...I'd stand behind them and this is why I've let the shop go "live" now!
We're just in time for the holiday shopping season.
Another thing I might add with that in mind.......they ship fast. I'm always soo impressed with how quickly I've received all my products.
I do hope you take the time to check out the store.
If you look at the "new products" section....every single day there are new items added. You may find them there even before I load them into the shop "category" they will be found in later.

I'm soo glad to be an artist in an age where possibilities like this are open for all of us to take advantage of to promote our work.
Soo...take a peek and let me know what you think, either here...or on the Torn Paper Paintings FB FanPage....of what you might love to find there sometime!!!

Yes...more

Klimt....as well as more veggies.
Been soo busy I almost forgot to post them here.

I may be ready to break from the veggies soon. They were a bit more fun than I anticipated.

Now, with the growing season over in New England....inspiration may not come so quickly for more. We'll see.

I also did another Klimt Korn piece. A "Kluster of Korn" you might say...lol
With Halloween right around the "korner"....guess it's fitting!

fun with Klimt

Klimt Korn

Not sure how it happened....but when creating a new fun piece....candy corn...Klimt came to mind.
How that happened with a little piece of candy, I'm not sure.
However...the marriage of the two seems to be a thing of beauty. Who knew.
I just love the patterns and the shiny gold & silvers. Perfect. I found myself carving more stamps to use with my Gelli Plates to create even more lovely papers for it.
I am now on a bit of a roll with some more Klimt inspired Torn Paper Paintings. Stay tuned.
I do believe a series is on the way...lol
You never know where inspiration will come from.
Sometimes the least likely places!!
Embrace it.

Ears

of  "corn"....Indian corn!!
A sure sign of fall...along with pumpkins. Hmmm....maybe I should consider painting pumpkins??
Anyway....here's another 3ft tall piece....colorful Indian corn!
I'm really enjoying working on these tall pieces.
This one makes a great match for the tall asparagus painting.
Hope they manage to find a home together!!