New Art Instructor in Memphis Area

Any readers in the southern Memphis area have a real treat..a long time friend and fellow artist, Lisa Carlson, is starting classes in her home. She'll be teaching preschool through adult and is starting with camps this summer.

I've known Lisa for over 20 years and she is a very gifted artist and teacher. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts specializing in Art Education as well as a Master's in Art Education. She's taught all ages as well as having three kids of her own. I highly recommend her for your budding artist ..even for that budding artist within yourself!

Check out her website at Art by the Avenue

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Spring..oh how I want thee!!

This has been a crazy winter here in north Texas. We got a record 12 inches of snow. It was an awesome snowman building-snowcream making-play all day in kind of snow!

The past couple of days have seen blue skies and lifting spirits. I am quite ready for some normal Texas weather.

I've been quiet on the art front lately but not un-busy. I've moved my studio to an upstairs room in my house. The new space is smaller but better organized! My walls still serve as a gallery but not as concentrated in those front rooms.

Spring Special

Become a Fan on my Facebook page and get 20% off any Limited Edition Print.

If you are already a fan, that’s ok..you can have the discount too! If you don’t want a print..become a fan anyway! I’m hoping to move to less e-mails..more “quick updates” via Fan page and Twitter. I’ll run this special through June 1^st..art makes a great Mother’s Day gift!

Art News

I've become an artist of the digital age. My website has all my information about large paintings, Pet Portraits and Limited Edition Prints. Cobalt Blue Dreams is my Etsy shop showcasing smaller artworks, collages, and prints. My Facebook Fan Page has more information about paintings and gets updates when I post new art to the website or Etsy.

My goal is to have an easy way to browse my art in a low pressure environment. I am always available to answer any questions about my artwork or commissions.The digital environment has lowered much of my overhead costs as opposed to selling via the art festivals. I have passed these savings along in lower prices of all artwork except commissions. Since commissioned artwork is not "pre-made" prices are determined differently anyway. My hope is that by making art more affordable, more people will be able to enjoy original artwork in their lives.

I hope weather wherever you are is getting pleasant. Enjoy this little guy who is a familiar site to me in the spring and summer. Dragonfly 4 is 5" x 7" acrylic painting over art tissue paper and is priced at $17. This artwork can be purchased here.

Blow off the Dust

Art

Woosh! Fall has flown in at the speed of falling leaves! I can't believe how long it has been since I've even been able to THINK about this blog!

I wanted to share a painting I did for the Dallas/Ft. Worth Lab Rescue Club's annual fundraiser this coming weekend. Ready? is a 10" x 10" acrylic and will be available via silent auction this Sunday at the Sporting Chance Golf Tournament in The Colony.

If you can, head out to The Colony this weekend and support a really great group dedicated to improving the lives of our little furry friends.

I've updated my Etsy shop CobaltBlueDreams with some brilliant fall paintings like Two Pumpkins, a 5" x 7" acrylic. I must love orange more than I thought because I've got quite a few pieces in fall colors (or maybe I just miss having a colorful fall like my home state..North Carolina!)

Life

I've been busy..busy..busy lately with school. As much as I love to read (and I'm pretty darn fast!) I'm have quite a time keeping up with the volumes of reading assignments. I'm not complaining though because I absolutely love it! The biggest draw back is not having time in the studio as much as I'd like. I'm settling into a routine though and looking forward to some upcoming commissions and working on some new painting ideas.

This weekend I'll be doing my first ever bike really for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. I'm not ready for the 100k yet, but a friend and I will be doing the 30 mile portion of the course. We've been training for this all summer and I'm really excited!

Enjoy the cooler weather and stop to take time to enjoy the changes around you!

The Art of Words

Maybe I'm just gearing up for going back to college mode or maybe I'm just acknowledging my inner writer that has always been present, but I'm starting to merge writing into my art career.

Facebook Fanpage

First..a shameless plug for my new Fan Page. I originally created my first Facebook page as another marketing tool, like my website. As I quickly connected with friends, both old and new, I decided I really didn't want complete strangers seeing so much information about my life, especially my kids' lives. So I took the link off my e-mail signature, closed down the privacies and didn't worry about it. Then along came Fan pages..even better! Now I do both..keep up with friends and have a spot for my art! So..if you reading this on my blog..just look to the right for the button to my fan page. If you are reading this in a reader, click here to join my fan page.

The Writing

First, I'm now a writer (yes..paid writer!) for a website called Empty Easel, which is a magazine/blog for artists to help with both creating artwork and selling artwork. If you look down at the bottom on the right side..I'm even listed as a "EE writer!" My first series is all about teaching art to kids. I've been teaching art to kids in some form for over 10 years now with the last 3 years in my own studio. If you like to know how I got started or how to get started yourself, read Teaching Art to Kids for Fun and Profit: Part 1 - Is this for Me? The title is a little tongue and cheek humor but the content is serious stuff! Part 2 will be published in a couple of weeks.

The Poetry

Second, I'm starting to integrate the printed word in to my artwork. I've written poetry for years (first publication..6th grade yearbook!) but lately I've re-awakened my interest in haikus. It started, oddly enough, with the workout website I blog on.. SocialWorkout.com when the May challenge was titled "Push ups, Handstands, and Haikus: 26 Days. No Tears." Well..I didn't do any pushups or handstands but I started writing haikus for each workout. It was silly but fun. If you really love haikus or you are really bored..feel free to read them. I am Tsitra on that site.

May ended and I still had the urge to write haikus. So I bought a little journal, attached a pen and started writing. Bits of imagery started to work its way into the journal so I started playing around with collage elements and Pocket Poetry was born. The first three are pictured here and on Etsy.

I have visions of making some small, limited-edition prints of these both original size (7" x 5") and as ACEOs but I'm still researching printers (any advice?). To purchase any of these just click on the photo and it will take you to my Etsy shop.

Summer Heat Too Much? Fast Forward to Fall

Here is Dallas it is a toasty 100 degrees and has been (plus or minus a few degrees) for most of the past 2 months. I'm still uploaded artwork from my bins to my Etsy shop so I decided to give myself a visual cool front and pulled out fall and winter themed work. These are all pastels and watercolors and most are small, collectible and affordable.

So sit back, listen to the leaves crunching under your feet and feel a cool breeze whispering by. Enjoy! To view larger or to purchase, please click on a painting.

The Summer of Projects

This is the first summer I've not taught art classes in several years. My husband and I decided that with me going to graduate school this Fall, it would be good to take some time off to "get things in order." Basically..that means 10 bazillion, gillion projects! Some are husband-requested, some are blatant neglects that have been piling up, and some are just self-inflicted. However you look at it..I've got lots to do!

Artistically Speaking

First..Fall Class Schedule will be out VERY SOON! I already know the schedule..I'm just cleaning up my mailing list before I send it out.

I'm still uploading art to my Etsy shop - CobaltBlueDreams. I can't believe how much smaller work I've done. It all fits so nice and compact in the bins! I also want to get some more notecards and small prints done. I'm in the "research" phase right now but some smaller Affordable Art will be out soon.

I'm also going to be a writer for Empty Easel, an on-line magazine/blog for artists. My first article Teaching Art to Kids for Fun and Profit: Part 1, Is this for You? will be published next week.

Will I create any new art? Summer is usually my slowest time for painting..the kids are home and when I pick up a paintbrush..they descend upon me like flies to honey! BUT....I'm working on a new collage series and I have some totally awesome photos of jellyfish from an aquarium in North Carolina that are begging to be painted..I mean begging! To the left is The Pursuit, an 14" x 11" mixed-media collage that I finished at the beginning of summer.

Moving that Body

I'm still working on Social Workout's Feats of Summer Challenge. So far I've worked out 11 days since Summer Solstice (June 21st) and completed the cartwheel feat (my mom has some amusing videos of this..hopefully she'll never really figure out how to use You Tube!) You can check out my workout blogging here.

On the Homefront

We decided this spring to add a pool to our backyard. This was something we've wanted for years and finally feel like our children are old enough that we don't need to panic if we hear the back door open. The building of the pool itself has been wonderfully problem free thanks to the great crews of Riverbend Sandler Pools. It's all the stuff around the pool I've been responsible for..affordable furniture, bags & bags of mulch (50 so far!), plantings and the upcoming 'laying of the sod!"

I've also got lot of little things I've "been meaning to get to" all over my house, like hanging curtains in the bedroom, bathroom, etc. I've had the supplies for a lot of these projects, just not the time to do them.

Lots going on so I'd better get off the computer and get busy!

The Pursuit, mixed-media collage, 14" x 11", available on CobaltBlueDreams