Today, I Am...

Drenched in sun dappled dreams,


Listening to sweet sounds of bird song outside my window,


Embracing each moment with JOY!

How are you spending your today?

An Interview and Giveaway in Janeville!

This is a fun week for me!

I am not only a guest artist on
Creative Therapy, friend and fellow
artist, Jane LaFazio, has posted a
Nature Inspired Interview and
Giveaway on her blog.

Check it all out.. here!

A Catalyst of Creativity

I am honored to be a Guest Artist
for Creative Therapy.
I invite you to visit the website
and see my answer to creative
catalyst question #116.

The Sojourn of A Dream - Part 3

I thought I would share my finished artwork
for Italy.
I love this piece!

It is infused with the most incredible colors,
vibrant, and warm. A true representation
of the joy and blissful anticipation I feel.

I have also started painting another example,
this one a little different, more of a landscape
style. I am currently working through the idea
of trying to represent the ground in a more
abstract fashion and have been experimenting
with different materials.
I am fond of this patchwork quilt look, using
fabrics that remind me of a field of poppies
growing wild.

Although my trip is over a month away, I plan
to completed this last piece and then gather the
different art supplies I will be taking with me.
It is such a good feeling when preparations for
a workshop are ready well in advance of class.
Also Monday, July 26th will be the last day of
my Italia Inspirato Sale in my little shop.

There are only a few pieces left. So don't
wait to select a treasure that is the perfect
way to show that special someone just
how much your love them, or maybe it
is a divine treat for yourself!

I am so appreciative for the support I have
received! With every purchase, I come closer
and closer to realizing my dream of travel to
Rome.

The Sojourn of A Dream - Part 2

With thoughts of my upcoming journey, I have been
focusing this week on creating works of art to carry
with me. These new pieces, hopefully, will inspire my
students, who will also be on their own artistic journey
during our time together.

Using photographs they will take
themselves, each individual's work
will be thoroughly infused with
their own personal connection to
the incredible landscapes, vistas,
and nature surroundings of Orvieto,
Italy via the images they capture
with the camera, then realize in
paint and written words.


I can not help but already feel,
deep inside, the distance rhythms
and whispers of this magical
place, as I cover my canvas,
revealing the lush red hues
of a poppy and deep forest
green of the grasses.


These past days, I have also been feeling
so very grateful and humbled by the
support I've received from those buying
my original artworks and pillow/sachets,
each filled with this spirit of Italia Ispirato.

With every purchase, I get closer and closer
to realizing my dream of immersing myself
in the artistic wonders of Rome.

At the gentle urging and sincere requests
of several individuals, I have added just a
few more Petite Inspiration Artworks to my
little shop.

Such delicate and beautiful, hand painted
glimpses of nature, surrounded by heartfelt
verses of poetic prose and lyrical words.
Small bits of delight to bring a smile to
your face when you gaze upon them.

Treasures that carry pieces of my heart
and the joy of a "dream come true"
mingled with paper, and paint.

THANK YOU for continuing to visit my
little shop and perhaps finding a bit of
inspiration to call your own!

The Sojourn of A Dream - Part 1

Over the past year, a dream,
held close to my heart, has been
stirring, slowly... carefully moving
towards the foreground of my life.

And now within the last month,
this INCREDIBLE idea has come to
fruition and the unbelievable... the
once far away... turned into reality.

This Fall, I will be flying off on a travel
adventure to visit Italy for the very first time!

As I write this post, I can hardly express the true
depth of awe and wonder that I feel... imagining
all I will see and everything I will experience,
along with having the opportunity of a lifetime
to teach a week long workshop in Orvieto.

It was a wild and impossible wish that is now
coming true, and I am so grateful and humbled
by those students that are coming along with
me, to share in moments of Italian bliss.

This week I have been carefully mapping out
travel arrangements and have also been working
diligently to place the finishing touches on
endearing, original artworks filled with the
spirit of Italia Ispirato, delicate and beautiful,
hand painted glimpses of nature, surrounded
by sincere verses of poetic prose and lyrical words.
Small bits of delight to bring a smile to your face
when you gaze upon them. Treasures that carry
pieces of my heart and the joy of a "dream come true"
mingled with paper, and paint.


I am offering Petite Inspiration Artworks
and some wonderful Vintage Embroidered
Lavender Pillow/Sachets to purchase as a way
to help fund the few extra days I will spend
visiting Rome after my workshop in Orvieto.

I can hardly pass on the opportunity to revel
in the artistic wonders of the ages made by
great Renaissance masters, witnessing the
magnificence of the Vatican, and other
historic sites in person.

So I hope you will help me in my quest to
see this ancient city by visiting my little
shop and perhaps finding a bit of inspiration
to call your own!

Grazie Mille!

Mid-Summer's Muse

I have been quite busy in the studio
creating the most beautiful and endearing
treasures that I can hardly wait to share with
you, very soon.

This flurry of inspiration has also been
overflowing into my writing. During
these mid-summer days, the garden,
bursting forth with such fragrant blooms,
stirs my inner poet to regale these feelings
with words.


"The essence of nature lies
within its dignity and nobility,
serenading those who listen,
beguiling us to linger,
inspiring the heart with
awe and wonder."

Artist Inspiration GIVEAWAY!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO LUCKY #19
Sharon Scott!!!!!!

And MANY THANKS to everyone that
commented.

I am so thrilled to have Artist Extraordinaire,
Jane LaFazio, participate as a guest for my
July Inspired Interview.

And I am so pleased to offer this
INCREDIBLE GIVEAWAY!


Leave a comment by Tuesday,
July 12th for your chance to
WIN a copy of Jane's
FABULOUS DVD -
The Small Art Quilt!

Artist Inspiration Interview: Small Art WONDERS

I am so excited to share my July
Inspiration Interview with you.

I first met artist extraordinaire,
Jane LaFazio, when she participated
in one of my workshops in Phoenix.
It was such a pleasure to see
Jane work. Her beautiful style,
and flare for rendering nature
made me an instant fan!

1. Jane can you share with us a career
background or history. Schools attended,
jobs held pertaining to art. Kind of an
evolution of how you arrived to where
you are today as a successful artist
and teacher.

When I got out of high school, all I wanted
to do was travel. I eventually got my dream
job, as an international flight attendant for
a charter airline. Four years later, when the
airline went on strike, I had to reevaluate
what I was going to be when I grew up, and
decided to go back to college to study secretarial
skills. Thank goodness my husband was a
personnel manager, because he coached me
by asking ‘what is it you LIKE to do?’ So, I
started in Fine Art, then switched and got a
degree in Graphic Design. I worked for many
years in graphics for high tech companies and
morphed into marketing, my last jobs were at
an advertising agency and then an architecture
firm. Along the way, I got a BA in Asian Studies,
(when we lived in South Korea.) In 1992, my life
changed forever when my husband had a brain
aneurysm and resulting brain injury. To help me
cope, I signed up for a weekly art class, and
rediscovered my gift of drawing. Gradually, I
created artwork, framed it, sold it, and worked
at becoming a professional artist, all the while
still working full time. In 1998, I got laid off and
decided I could afford to try to be a full time artist
for 6 months. Well, a dozen years later, much
downsizing, lots of hard work, I’m still a full time
artist! It’s what I was meant to be doing in my life.
I started teaching about 6 years ago, first with kids,
then adults and found I loved it too. My graphic design
and marketing background is a real asset to my career
as an artist. My beloved husband has a happy, productive
life and is tremendously supportive of me and my art.
It’s all good!


2. What kinds of things inspire you?
What motivates you to make art?

Everything inspires me. Pattern, color, a new technique,
a new material, it all makes me want to run into my studio
and make something. I’m very motivated. Foremost is that
it just makes me happy to make art. I love the act of doing it
—drawing, painting, sewing—whatever. Also, since I teach
a lot, I’m always thinking of new projects to teach and trying
them out. I work small, so I get a lot done.


3. You have a BUSY schedule with lots of
travel and teaching, how do you manage all
your projects and organize your creative
schedule? Do you have any tips on staying
on top of things?

I’m naturally organized, and a born list maker
and the years of working for large companies
gave me good work habits. I’ve kept a written
calendar for years, and am always looking ahead
at what’s coming up on my schedule and noting
the ‘to-dos’ on my daily calendar pages. I’ve got
a manila folder system at my desk, folders marked
for receipts, for upcoming teaching gigs, and one
called ‘current deadlines’ that I check frequently.


4. What do you love about teaching?

Sharing. I love sharing what I know, and having
the students share and celebrate what they know.
I work hard at creating a ‘community’ in my classes,
a safe place to talk, to work and to support each other.
And again, making things just feels good, and when a
room full of people is making art, it’s grand!

5. What suggestions/advice would you
give other artists for creating a career in art?

When I was first starting out, as a watercolor artist,
I was in a group of 10 fabulous women and we met
monthly. As a group, we sent proposals, organized
exhibits, held receptions, did the marketing for our
exhibits, framed our own work, got our first business
cards and resale licenses. It was a wonderful way to
learn the ropes. Another tip I’d give is to say YES.
To me, I’ve made amazing progress and jumps in my
career, doing things I never even dreamed of—by saying
‘yes’ when asked to do something I’d never ever done
and then doing it the best I could.


6. I really enjoyed your video "The Small Art Quilt"!
A video is such an accomplishment! Congrats!
What are your next goals?

There’s a perfect example of saying ‘yes.’
A local couple approached me to make a
DVD and I’d never even considered it before.
They trusted me 100% to create the projects
and I just jumped in and did it. I recently said
yes to speaking at an annual meeting of a large
Quilt organization. I haven’t a clue what I’m
going to talk about, but I said yes, because I
knew it was a good thing for my career.

Goals: My stated goal is to teach and travel to
places I can take my husband. We just got back
from 2 weeks in Italy, where I taught for a week.
I love writing for Quilting Arts and Cloth Paper
Scissors magazines, I love teaching at mixed
media retreats. My friends are planning an art
retreat in San Miguel de Allende for April 2011.
All good.

7. What are you working on right now?
Do you have any upcoming projects?

At this moment, I’m preparing for a bunch of
workshops I’m teaching this summer, making
art for a magazine article, stocking my etsy
shop, working on a piece inspired by our
recent trip to Venice, Italy, and I really should
clean the garage.


8. What are your favorite rituals when
you are in your studio working? If you
listening to music, what are your favorite
artists? and/or share with us some specifics
about other favorite rituals.

Hmm. I know I’d sound deep if I said I play
Beethoven and light a creativity candle each
time I enter my studio, but….I usually turn
on the TV, and if nothing remotely interesting
is on, I put in a DVD from Quilting Arts TV,
or a workshop DVD from an artist I admire.
My desk in my studio is usually covered with
projects in progress, and I shove them to the
side, and make a small corner to work on
whatever has grabbed my attention at the
moment.


9. Tell us your favorite movie, your favorite book.

I find these questions so difficult because
I can tell you what I just read or saw.
“Robin Hood” was a really good movie,
probably because we’d just been to Italy
and seen all that medieval armor in a palace
museum. I’m almost finished with ‘Shanghi
Girls’ by Lisa See, and on my last trip read
‘Shantaram’ by Gregory David Roberts. And
A Three Dog Life: a memoir by Abigail Thomas
and The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette
Walls are great books.

10. What is something that most people don't know about you?

I was a contestant on Hollywood Squares in
1988 and won a car. I tandem skydived from
from 12,000 feet, and I love musical theater.

Thank You, Jane!

To see more of Jane's art,
be sure to visit her blog,
JaneVille

Stay Tuned for more
'Small Art WONDERS' Goodness.
I'll be posting details for a
Jane LaFazio GIVEAWAY on
Saturday!!!!!!

Summer's Simple Pleasures

Every summer starting around the
time I was 8 years old until I entered
high school, my mother would spend
hours reading to my sister and I.

We would camp out under a shade tree
in the backyard on several old aluminum
style lawn chairs, as she regaled the entire
Little Women series by Louisa May Alcott.

I enjoyed listening to mom's soothing
voice, and daydreaming my way through
the adventures of Jo March and her family.

I often think of that childhood memory
at this time of year, and I still enjoy
finding a comfortable spot outdoors
during the early evening hours and
reading.


I thought I would share my current
reading list, along with a wonderful
recommended piece of music, and
invite you to experience the simple
summertime pleasure of wandering
outside with a good book.


- Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindberg:

This is a classic! I find myself drawn to
this book over and over again.

- Leaf Bird Days and Firefly Nights by Beverly Letchworth:

A year long nature journal filled to
the brim with charm.

- For the Birds, A Month to Month Guide for Attracting
Birds to Your Backyard by Anne Schmauss:

Good book for Bird Lovers.

- Down to Earth Gardener: Let Mother Nature Guide
You to Success in Your Garden by Suzy Bale

Have only browsed this book so far,
but some good ideas for making the
most of your garden.

- Garden Bouquets and Beyond: Creating Wreaths, Garlands,
and More in Every Garden Season by Suzy Bale:

The pictures in this book are PHENOMENAL!
Great advice, hints, tips for taking flowers
and foliage from your own landscape to
create a beautiful and unique arrangement.

- Gracious Living in a New World: Finding Joy in
Changing Times by Alexandra Stoddard:

Another classic! Alexandra has a way of
coaxing the reader into slowing down and
truly appreciating every moment.

- Book of Leaves (Solo Piano Music) by Rachel Grimes:

So hauntingly beautiful, a must have for
any music lover!