Glorious Nevada

Glorious Nevada… or should I say Arizona, since on my latest long weekend vacation I visited a little of both.  One of our first stops was a tour or the Hoover dam, formally known as the boulder Dam from 1933-1947 and since been renamed the Hoover Dam, lies between the states of Nevada and Arizona.  The surrounding area is quite impressive and the history behind the project equally so since it was constructed during the Great Depression.  It was truly a site to see!  We stopped along the way to visit the mighty construction and I’m glad we got to see it in the early morning light as it was so pretty to photograph with the mountains in the distance! 

For a long time I have wanted to visit this region of the United States and this area along with the Grand Canyon was at the top of my list.  Hopefully I’ll slowly make my way across to more areas in Arizona and Utah. 

And then there was the Grand Canyon! Always such a show off!  My son commented that it looked like a green screen.  The size of it is just jaw-dropping!  I would love to hike to the bottom and explore for a day or two!  

The West coast in springtime…was not much different from florida, although I did notice the low humidity in the air which I was completely not ready for.  We were in the desert however so I should have expected it!  The dry air hits you and you’re left reaching for a bottle of water or a wet towel to help you endure it.   I was born in a beach town full of flat land, humidity and trees… I can definitely say that I was out of my element and just a tad over my comfort zone out in these desert zones. The views that can be found are enough to make you forget all that for a short period and just enjoy to immensity of it all! 

The first thing I did when I arrived was make my way to this colorful installation.  I had seen it online and really wanted to see in real time so renting a car a driving out to see it was a top priority.  It was such a stunning display in the middle of nowhere!  The sky was showing off and the weather was actually perfect.

It was just awesome getting the chance to visit this side of the U.S for a change and I look forward to exploring more of this area!  Arizona is up next...  Sometimes you have to see for yourself just how beautiful this world is.

Take Care everyone!

Newness...

I've been refining my creative habits and developing a more cohesive collection of works.  Sometimes time is all that is needed,  focus and a little patience with yourself to develop as an artist.  Being self taught means that all those things come with time and with that a specific style.    All the discoveries and mistakes lead you in just the right direction at just the right time.  

I wanted to share a few new pieces I've created along the way with everyone!  I'm so very proud of them and looking forward to new things and a bigger collection down the road.

I've added a bunch of older watercolor studies and newer paintings to my shop in hopes of developing a good shipping strategy and a more cohesive way to share collections in the future.  I believe very much in starting before you are ready and letting you mistakes create a way for you to the life that you want.  You have to start with what you have, always.

Please don't hesitate if you have any questions.  I fully expect to add more about shipping policies and a upcoming newsletter to let everyone know when more new work is available.  

Thanks for stopping by and I'm so happy to share some new things with you.  More to come on my latest trip to Las Vegas.  I had so many fun photos and that has made it almost impossible to decide which to share.  Stay tuned...

In the Garden...

I can say quite when my floral obsession began.  Maybe it started as a child picking wildflowers as I walked down pathways or running into the neighbor’s yard to steal a rose from someone’s rose bushes.  I think I can definitely say it's always been there.  

Being that I live in a state where you can really only get sunflowers, gerberas and roses, and sometimes and occasional peony,  I have to resort to finding realistic fakes.  I’ll work with what I can for now but when I get my hands on a room full of really flowers all I’ll need is my camera and a few coffees and I will be the happiest camper ever!

This print is available in my Redbubble shop in a few small sizes.  Bigger sizes to come soon.
 

Begin with an idea...

Pablo Picasso once said " When I paint my object is to show what I have found and not what I am looking for."

I think it's that distance between where we start and where we end up that is the most important, not to say that the outcome isn't important, but that middle part is the genius behind where we end up.  I think all artist start with an intention and want, with all their hearts desire, to share that.  

Sometimes, if we are lucky, get to share what we were looking for...sometimes we are only able to share what we find!

Either way the middle part is my favorite!

Color Therapy

I adored the colors often seen while visiting Charleston, SC back in january..  Everywhere you looked there were pretty pastels,  white washed walls, and vivid brights.  I got lost just wandering around capturing these pretty tints.  It's a town that will definitely get you thinking about colors. 

Since my son was traveling with me we made a little game out of capturing different colors.  I have tons of photos for reference and may include a large gallery at some point but I wanted to stop in for a quick hello.  I wanted to fill my new little space with lots of colors and inspiration.  be back soon with more photos of my time in Charleston...

Take care.

Styling...

I think we all love a beautiful gift, even after the holidays are over there are still birthdays, anniversaries and other fun holidays to share something unique with the ones we love.  its a passion of mine, after having part-time customer service gigs as a young adult, I still love to create a piece of artwork when I wrap a gift. Some of my favorite stylist make complete art out of simple packaging and paint.  I could do it all day.  Give me paper and paint and something to wrap and its a fun time for me.  

I wanted to share a few today, this was a fun styling project I gave myself. beautifully faded and layered gifts. 

I had fun painting lots of foam board for my backgrounds.  They don't always come out the way I want but when they do I really love them.  When painting backgrounds just lay on the paints and smudge around until you get the effect you want or use other materials like the ends of paint brushes, old gift cards and napkins.  You can get some of the most beautiful effects from simple things. 

Thanks for stopping in today and I hope to continue to share and add little tidbits from time to time on paper things and styling. 

Take care...