Joie de Vive!!

Last night was really nice at Picture Perfect. It was in fact "perfect" lol. There were so many fun and interesting people. I have to say that people who love and collect art are usually the most fun and entertaining. They usually have such a "joie de vive" I think I need to title my next painting that. In fact, that needs to be the motto for the rest of the month at least. We all should strive to have a zest for life on a daily basis. We are just a breath away so to speak. I think I need to retitle today's post.

Art Opening Tomorrow at Picture Perfect Frames

Ok, I am tired! I am having my first opening tomorrow with a truly great and well educated artist, Jane Bryant. Next to her, I feel like the generic potato chip sitting next to the high end designer chip like " Miss Vickie's" Haha I am a little nervous, but I have had to learn so many new things in this process like printing, mating, and measuring backer board. I owe Marlene a big hug for having patience with me. I am not a stupid woman, but I could not measure! We finally settled upon a new method instead of saying 4/8ths she would tell me to count 2 little lines 1 med. line and 1 big line etc. I am a visual person.... not a number person! It was so fun for me, not for my teachers though.

I love some of the new things I painted...hate to sell them and say goodby.

I was inspired by a Magpie!!

My friend, Sheila, just restarted her fabulous, inspiring blog, the quintessential magpie, and I was so inspired by her love of books and poetry that I felt compelled to share one of my favorite poems. I feel like I can hear his Mother speaking directly to me. I was raised by a wonderful black woman, Alvenia White, and I cannot express how much I loved her. She was essentially my Mother until I was eleven years old. I will never forget how I cried when I was going to have leave her and go to kindergarten. I was so miserable that after two days they let me come home and stay with her. Back then, you know kindergarten was optional. I could cry just thinking about the love and comfort that she gave me. She taught me everything that I ever needed to know like how to be joyful, fun loving, and respectful. You did not disobey nor did you really want to because you did not want to risk her displeasure because life was so fun when she was around. I can remember as a child struggling over the fact that I loved her more than my actual mother. It was only as an adult that I realized what a gift it was to have a white Mother and a black Mother. I am truly blessed and now that I am a mother, I say and teach my children things that flow from the well springs of both of these ladies. They are both so intertwined in my life that I cannot really differentiate between the two. To close, God is and was so great to have given me such a life.


A Mother to Son By Langston Hughes

Well, son, I'll tell you:Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.It's had tacks in it,And splinters,And boards torn up,And places with no carpet on the floor --Bare.But all the timeI'se been a-climbin' on,And reachin' landin's,And turnin' corners,And sometimes goin' in the darkWhere there ain't been no light.So boy, don't you turn back.Don't you set down on the steps'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.Don't you fall now --For I'se still goin', honey,I'se still climbin',And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

Auctions, Auctions, and More Auctions!

This is my Margarita Maid that I donated to Resurrection School for their big "Night In New England". I am so happy that it raised a nice amount of money and I need to find out who bought it. It is hard to let my girls go without knowing where they are going. I guess it is a good thing that my paintings aren't puppies because I would have 101 Golden Retrievers!

I cannot believe that I have not posted all month! It seems like I have been going from one thing to another all month. I donated a lovely orange haired mermaid to my children's school and she brought a great price to help fund their building project. Here she is and I cannot remember her name??? Somebody said it reminded them of Lucille Ball. In the painting I posted a while ago of my kids, the one on the left reminds me of Nicolas Cage. I have no idea why.