Holy Cow and WOW...just breath!

Time for a good ol' fashioned "Low Down"  ...life is going so fast around here so I will "throw down" an update!

Custom Pet Portrait orders continue to come in and I really enjoy painting such wonderful pets!

Last week I was in "Art Battle for Community #6" to benefit the Creston Neighborhood Association...

Photo by Tommy Allen

I was new to the scene, which can always get your nerves, but when I arrived I saw famed photographer Terry Johnston with his camera resting at his side and his paint brush at the ready.  It was so good to see Terry, then I saw what he was working on and I knew I needed to get to my own!  It was so good to see some supportive friends and also meet new ones too.

Terry Johnston

I've been doing a lot of community events lately.  This coming Saturday, I will be painting Custom Pet Portraits on the spot at the Fulton Heights Neighborhood Association Garage Sale in Grand Rapids, MI.  The next event following that will be the Eco.Expo at City High School in Grand Rapids where I will be teaching kids about crafting green!  My nerves were on the rise as I thought about what I might teach two hundred kids over six 45 minute sessions so I got together with the best person for advice, one of my best friends Mindy Taggart.  Over some coffee at the local cafe "Sparrows," Mindy put me at ease with her quick wit and a dash of her background in art education.  I also drew from a past experience when I was teaching some sweet young girls how to make greeting cards out of scraps of fabric and paper.

Diving deeper into my work, I recently met with some wonderful mentors who have been so helpful.  I met with Laura Caprera, owner of Stellafly and had some great conversation.  In a few short weeks I will be working at an event for the Humane Society of West Michigan.  They are having a "K-9 Cabaret" on May 17th to support the organization and also honor the Grand Rapids Police Department's K-9 unit.  I will be painting custom pet portraits on the spot and I am so excited to be a part of it!  The following weekend I will be out at the Dog Bowl Funfest in Frankenmuth, Michigan.  I have never been to Frankenmuth, but I hear it is lots of fun and can't wait!

This past weekend we had the opportunity to check out the work of some wonderful artists around town.  These talented people are internationally known and just really great folks.  We went out to see Rebecca Green's show at St. Cecilia in Grand Rapids.  Such wonderful illustrations left me totally inspired.  It made me want to go back to the studio and work more.

We also had the opportunity to visit the Beerhorst family home and chat with Brenda and Rose for a bit.  We went to the local Fulton Street Farmer's Market for the grand opening of their new facility and found Rick Beerhorst playing with The Wealthy Orphans as the shoppers walked by.  

My fiance Cam and I had our engagement photos done recently as well.  We are both artists so we had a sort of "artist throw down" in my parent's front yard for a photo shoot.  Lovely and talented Amy Carroll did our photos--and she is absolutely wonderful.  Amy is another person who has really been a great business associate and mentor.  She has so much good advice and such a positive energy, I love it! 

I've been working on some things for Amy Carroll too.  Here is a small preview one of the paintings I am working on for her.  

I can feel myself growing inside so much as an artist and a person from all of the experiences I have had lately.  There are so many ideas in my head right now and they can't be shared.  There is a time during my creative process where everything must be internalized for a while.  My thoughts have to go into outer space and simmer before they can come back down to earth.  All I can say is I am excited to see what the future has in store!

Inspiration Tuesday

I splurged and bought myself a kitschy little stamp.  I love stamps but never use them.  As an artist I have always felt pressure to use my own artwork for everything.  I love this stamp because every time I use it I think about how important it really is to enjoy today.  What a great, cheerful reminder!

My new studio is starting to spiff up!  The sun was shining, which is unusual for a typical January in West Michigan so I shot a few photos in hopes to cheer you up.  Happy Tuesday!

A Healthy Escape from the Winter Blues

As the weather here in North America begins to turn cold, brisk and then eventually just down right frigid, there is a constant subconscious effort to keep one's body warm.  Although I grew up in Michigan, I somehow did not receive that "Look how fun! Snow and Cold!" gene.  I still bask in the hot July weather and cherish it every time it comes around.  For many folks, the cold weather means less exercise. Its hard to voluntarily leave the house to enter the cold, and to workout in room temperature for many means paying lots of money.  But alas...I have found the solution!  The solution to the maddening winter blues!
Enter the Funky Buddha Yoga Hothouse.

  Yoga....and YES HOTHOUSE.  This means that classes are always heated at 95º or hotter.  This may sound downright miserable for some, but for me it is a great escape from what I consider to be "nasty" cold weather.  I am motivated to go to class as I sit in my studio with a hat and a scarf on and freeze.  Sure we have heat in our house, but with so many windows, and a natural desire to always have my surroundings be at 70º or warmer, I am often working at trying not to get the chills.

Healthy, Healthy, Healthy!....Inside and out!  The classes focus on your "center."  During class we work on our posture and core strength.  Often I walk in with a back ache and out feeling 8 years old again!

All during this time, the instructor works to pump positive energy into your soul.  Challenging you, daring you to push each move to the next step...but telling you its okay if you can't.  The instructors are focused and energetic, calming and thorough, while at the same time they have a tendency to make you laugh too.

Something else I really love about this place is that there are no mirrors in the classroom.  There is no where for you to judge yourself in your stretchy clothes--nowhere to go but inward.  This allows you to work from the inside out on your self-improvement.  The walls are covered in chalkboard paint and many people have written positive quotes on them.

Become a Funky Buddha Facebook Fan!

This Blog Post was NOT Endorsed by the Funky Buddha Yoga Hothouse.  I posted this with my own free will because I am a member there and I truly love what they are about. -Amy Hofacker

Lovely Living Room Accessories from Inspiring Fellow Artists

Left to Right: Block Print Bike Pillow, Block Print Cupcake Stuffie--both can be found at Artgoodies on etsy,  Dog Pillow--can be found at the k studio website.

I must show off the beautiful and fun pillows that sit on my vintage couch in my living room.  They are made by some pretty awesome artists and their success is very inspiring to me.  Not only are these pieces aesthetically pleasing, but they also provide a constant source of hope that I too, will some day be as successful as they are.  

Lisa Price of  Artgoodies has become a great friend of mine since I graduated art school.  No matter what, she always has fun with her work.  

Shelly Klein of K Studio does amazing work as well.  She is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when an  artist stays focused.  

It is a true pleasure to have such wonderful work in my home. 

Craft night with Grace

Being creative every day is a really fun job but after a while I have a tendency to feel like my work is getting "stale." I invited a gal pal of mine over, 11 year old Grace for a fun night of crafting. Not only did we get to catch up, but I gained a refreshing sense of inspiration. And I think in the end Grace had fun too :)

We made fun little figurines out of clay to turn into magnets. I loved the idea of brightening up my refrigerator and Grace was excited to have something new for her bedroom.

After sculpting Grace popped our pieces in the oven to bake. Then we put in a movie while we waited.

After they were baked and cooled, it was time to paint. Grace made a turtle and peanut butter and jelly

....I think it was inspired by my beta fish, "Peanut Butter & Jelly"...he was watching us work.

My refrigerator looks much more fun and we had a blast doing it! :D