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.

Just in time

Yes, despite all my good intentions to keep up with things here, I barely made it to have at least one posting for the month of March. I'm trying...really.

Things have been busy and I've been making and showing art. In fact, my great 4 ft. whale tail, Triton, was hung in the place of honor at a juried show in Jamestown, RI. I was so delighted. Yes, Torn Paper Paintings made a big splash at that show!!Also, as promised, an update on the restoration of the "Hotpoint" neon sign for the Hotpoint Emporium Gallery in Bristol. It's looking amazing. I personally can't wait for it to be installed back onto the front of the building again and shine in all its' glory. Yes, we are still in serious need of donations toward the cost of this restoration, so any and all help you can give to our "go fund me" page would be greatly appreciated.

Also...just look at these amazing pieces of pieces of jewelry. They were made by one of our gallery artist out of some of the original remaining pieces of glass from the sign.
All proceeds from the sales are going toward the funding. What a brilliant idea.
I may need one myself.
Well, April is around the corner and I promise to try to post a bit more often...no fooling :)

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".

a MAN

Yes....my first "merman"!
I've been interested in trying to make one for a while now since I've done so many lovely mermaids. I've discovered that the male version is a bit more difficult to do.
Being a female, I of course understand the form much better than the male. I wanted the merman to look strong and manly. However, as I soon discovered, just the very nature of the creature makes that rather difficult.
When you add the flowing tail to the male upper body, it had no choice but to soften the being.
Oh well, I can settle for now for a good looking "somewhat" strong male version and hope to learn more as I go.
Stay tuned for more to come I'm sure.
Oh yes...and if you have any ideas for some good male names for them, let me know.

New Year...another new beginning.

2018...where does the time go?

Once again I'm trying to look at it as a brand new start. Crossing fingers that it's a year of great new things in store.

Last year there were a few fun trips that happened.
In Jan. of last year, you may remember, I went with my daughter to Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show. She was working the show for her company and afterward, we spent a few extra days and enjoyed the town and visited the Grand Canyon. What a great time that was and so nice to have had that mother/daughter time together.
In May my husband & I spent a lovely extended weekend in Vermont, first visiting friends, then just time together. Fell in love with the sweet town of Chester.
Then in Nov. we I also got away for a short trip to New Orleans. What a blast that was, and one bonus was the chance to finally meet an art friend in person for the first time that I'd known "online" for years!! Such a fun city and always full of surprises!
This year....who knows were we'll go!!

As for art, I've certainly been busy with my Torn Paper Paintings. While the economy has seen better years for art sales, I've kept positive and continue on...making and marketing my art as best I can.
I'd certainly love to find an additional art gallery or two as well as maybe booking more workshops.
It would be a win/win to travel & do workshops in other locations since I enjoy both so much.
Hey, if you have (or know of) an art group or venue who sponsors visiting artists for workshops...contact me.
I'd be happy to see if we can arrange something.

I've also had the opportunity to create a whole new website this past year. Check it out... www.TornPaperPaintings.com.
Let me know what you think. It's a new format that much easier for me to keep up to date and change as I'd like. The previous one was much harder to use.

Well....being a brand new year along with being in the winter season right now, it's time to start working hard on those goals.
Time to get lots more art created, research galleries, and get more of the word out on workshops.

Being your own rep. makes it difficult sometimes to do it all...create & market...but we're on it!!!

Stay warm, and think of spring and new beginnings!!!

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 :)

A new season

Not only do I now have a new website (which I hope everyone has checked out) but it's a whole new season too.
Fall is in the air. You can feel the temps drop in the evening and a chill in the air in the morning.
Time to consider bringing in the plants that spend the summer outside.
I've also been busy working on torn paper paintings to be able to give a whole new look to the wall at The Little Beach Gallery.
This red & white Sea Buoy is one of them.
I had found a book about shipwrecks that had been type written and felt this was the perfect thing for the background that has the feel of a turbulent sea. The Gelli printed pages with the blue swirls gives it a bit of a Van Gogh appearance.

Another style I've been doing is a "Birds Eye" view.
This one is my second..."Birds Eye - Beach Road". Love the look and feel of these.
The other bonus, you can hang it in any direction...vertical or horizontal.
So, it can work in almost any spot you have open for a painting.

So, with fall in the air, a new season of work is being created. Lots of time in the studio, but it feels good to have my muse working overtime.
At the same time, I'm also planning a nice extended weekend trip with my husband to New Orleans.
Yes....a short Thurs. to Mon. trip. I think it'll be a lovely break for both of us. A chance to kick back and have some fun. I also have an art friend who lives there and can't wait to get together with her as well.
The bonus...it's in Nov. So, living here in New England, I know for certain that we'll also have a bit of warmer weather there too!!

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.

Creativity abounds

I love when I unexpectedly find myself surrounded by creativity.

Just recently I went away for a weekend with my husband to Vermont. We were to stay with friends one night, then tour around a bit and spend a second evening at a lovely B&B, the Henry Farm Inn.

The plan for that second day had us heading to the town of Chester. After driving through numerous barely there little towns...Chester was an unexpected and very pleasant surprise. Yes...still small, but just big enough to have charm oozing from the quaint shops and darling homes. It had a lovely little "common" area. We parked there and strolled about the shops. What I saw in one shop, a fabric store called Country Treasures, would have put to shame any large "chain" fabric store anywhere!!! Never in my life had I seen such variety, and because it was housed in what would have been a "home" otherwise, it rambled on from room to room. No surprise to me there were many ladies in this store having the time of their life.

Along with a great bookstore there was another sweet shop I discovered called Country on the Commons. I found the most beautiful shawl there made by the owner herself, Sharon. What a delightful lady...and such beautiful work. I thought right away..."if I lived here I just know we'd become friends". 

My husband and I then had a nice cup of tea at the Moon Dog Cafe and made plans to have dinner later that evening at the local Scottish pub. Yes...a Scottish pub!!

Once at the B&B I believe we discovered the ladies who had been enjoying a grand afternoon at the fabric store. Most of the inn was taken over by an amazingly talented group of quilting ladies!! Turns out that they gather together every year for a week of quilting & creativity and from what we saw, a lot of wonderful laughter. What a pleasure it was to meet them and hear about their time and their work. Each of them were thrilled to show us all the beautiful creations they'd been working on. Wow.
Looking at all this beautiful quilt work actually reminded me of my Torn Paper Paintings, only in fabric. The details and accuracy that went into creating these works of art were quite impressive.

These ladies were working when we went to bed in the evening and already back at it first thing in the morning.
Traveling, even for just a short weekend trip can present you with such fun and amazing surprises.
Keep your eyes and mind open. Meet new people and enjoy new experiences.
Whenever you can....travel.

Vegas inspiration

How could you go to Las Vegas and NOT come back inspired in some way??
I'm not a person who gambles at all and didn't have any interest in that regard. But the colors, lights, over the top themes...they all invite the imagination to work overtime.
While my daughter and I were there we toured through at least 15 of the biggest hotel/casinos on the strip. Each one was an adventure with an entire theme built around it.
The hotel we stayed at was the well known Flamingo. An icon of Vegas history. What I didn't know was that they also had a flamingo habitat on the grounds! It was like a small tropical forest with beautiful flamings along with other colorful birds and ducks of all kinds. I would not have expected to find such a thing in the middle of this city.
So, as you might imagine, some of the first pieces of Torn Paper Paintings to be done since my return are of Flamingos! One complete and another in the works.
Don't be surprised to find other colorful images coming up based on other hotel themes.
Hmm...I think I feel a series coming on!

Inspiration travels the miles!

Having been an art teacher at one time, I love when I receive letters from young people who are inspired by what they see in my work.
Most artists hope that what they do sparks something in others. I have been fortunate enough to have this happen many times, and it always delights me.
Well, I recently received an email from the UK. This was from an art student working on a project, and her work was inspired by several artists, one of which was me and my Torn Paper Paintings!
I felt honored. It always seems soo surreal when you realise how small the world is. Along with this acknowledgement came a request for an "artist's statement", which I was happy to provide.
After several emails between us, I was sent some lovely pics to show what was being worked on.

The first is a pomegranate. It was painted with acrylic then collaged with tissue paper and newspaper. Stitching was added into it in the end.
Soo much lovely texture on this one!

(click the pic for larger image)

Next I received a pic of something that looked more than a bit familiar.
It was that of my "Balance" painting which had been published in the "Incite 3" book . Using that painting as the model it was re-created using the text in the background as I had and the cups and saucers on top were acrylic painted.
I think she did a wonderful job.

I've been told that there are several other pieces in the works. I hope to receive pics of those one day and maybe I can share them as well.
Thank you Ceri. 

Hope you find many forms of inspiration along your journey!

As winter comes...

I hate to see the beautiful flowers in my gardens meet their end as winter comes in.
Looking at them fade, I found that I simply had to do something to keep their beauty alive in some way.
Yes...why not create a Torn Paper Painting of them!! So I did.
I had created an earlier piece with daisies, so decided to create a smaller daisy painting with a bit of metallic gold additions. Love the effect.
The next one I did was an assortment of the remaining garden flowers.
I have a cobalt blue vase. It's round with little holes all around it to insert flowers into.
I now have a lasting memory of the last blooms of the season.

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!

Sept....umm...almost Oct

Wow....is it really the last day of Sept already???
Where in the world did it go? Geesh....getting at least one post in here this month just under the wire.

While I may have been absent from my blog....I was certainly busy working on more Torn Paper Paintings. During the month I created Coffee Time & Tea Time as well as Daisies. Two more new ones are in the works as we speak.


With the feel of autumn in the air now I'm sure the work will take on the new season soon.

The latest happening for this month has been the opportunity to see a friend that lives far from me and I haven't see in years. My lovely friend Terri and her husband Jim were vacationing in this area. I was lucky enough to be able to go off and meet them for the afternoon. Such a joy.
We started out our visit by meeting at The Little Beach gallery in Hyannis!!
How lovely to be able to have my art and my friend in the same place that has been so great for my creative journey all this time.
A memorable day and a great way to wrap up the month.
Looking forward to what wonderful things the new month will bring.

A Tale of Two Lighthouses

Time to show you the results of an experiment that I conducted with another artist friend of mine, Grace Stevens, who works in watercolor.
Grace had taken a lovely photo of a lighthouse on one of her boating trips and since we both thought it to be a great subject...we decided to paint from the same reference photo, but in our different mediums.  Her with watercolor...and me with torn paper!!
While we were going a bit out of our comfort zone with some of these textures....we both felt our results would be terrific as separate paintings....but the fun part would be to see how differently each of us might interpreted the subject.
(side by side pic is at the bottom of the post - you can also click images to enlarge)

Grace's watercolor is yet another one of her beautiful delicate pieces. Smooth and calm. The lovely textures of the rocks and the foliage convey a peaceful environment.

My torn paper painting of the same subject....well...I must say the word "colorful" comes to mind...lol

The approach to texture with the use of paper creates a whole other feel in the very same location.

With the watercolor you create a more fluid movement.
With the paper...the textures and patterns almost decide for themselves which direction they will take.

I really enjoyed this experiment.
It's interesting to see how different artists "see" the very same image and how they interpret that.
To see this done with two very different mediums as well...now that's a real bonus. Such fun to see the outcome.
I know I plan to do this again....and I think Grace is already looking forward to the next one as well.

So go ahead....get inspired...and do something like this with an artist friend of yours too!

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!!!

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!!!