Kaia Thomas - A path with ART

Plein Air Paintings

2011-11-19T14:38:00.000-08:00

So I finally put together a Plein Air Paintings section in my Etsy shop and now have some available pieces!
I will continue to add work but for now this is what's available...

"Rustic Barn"

9" x 12" oil on linen board

$150.00

purchase here

"San Jose de Gracia"

12" x 9" oil on linen board

$150.00

purchase here

"Morning Light"

9" x 12" oil on linen board

$150.00

purchase here

"Garden Sunflowers - Start to Finish...

2011-10-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

I decided to document this latest still life painting from beginning to end. I was trying out this newly discovered style - a much looser, "get the paint on there", kind of style.

For much of my artistic life, you probably could of called me a "Miss Meticulous" type of painter. I loved to spend hours on one spot and often leaned towards painting fine detail type stuff (cultural designs, mandalas). There has been a shift in me lately where I have learned to let go and just paint! I truly believe that this has been my missing link, mainly with my oil painting.

This past workshop that I took is where I discovered this new style and ever since then, my painting style has become looser and more expressive. So, here we go...

In the beginning I chose not to draw out my idea first, I usually would use charcoal or pencil or even a sketch with paint - this was about a three minute, throw some "thin"paint on there, rough lay in...

Here is where I began defining the colors and shapes a little more...

Started applying quick expressive brushstrokes and colors to make the flowers come alive.

It was at this point I became unhappy with the central flower and wiped it out...

And then...the painting was interrupted. I had to leave my studio even though I had planned it to be an "Alla Prima" painting. These were sunflowers that I had picked from the garden and I knew that they would loose so much of their vitality by the time I could get back to it so I took a picture of the arrangement for later (which turned out to be two days).

So when I got back to it (finally), I started on the vase and background...

With the vase, I focused heavily on just painting what I saw - shapes and colors...

Then back to the flowers...I didn't want to do too much here because of the nice brushstrokes going on and by now the paint had dried a lot. This was a tricky spot...

I was very pleased with how this turned out especially because I was outside of my comfort zone and was challenging myself a little. The only thing about the painting that's a bit of a bummer is that it's not very photogenic...I struggled with the photos for a while trying to get them to match the colors of the actual painting and basically what you are seeing here is the best I could do. Here is the final shot...with the original arrangement as well...

"Garden Sunflowers"

14" x 14" oil on gessoboard

$250.00 Available Here

A workshop with J. Chris Morel...

2011-09-26T15:41:00.000-07:00

So I have just returned from a week in Taos, New Mexico where I attended a workshop with artist J. Chris Morel.

The weather stayed perfect for us even though the weather report had us concerned. It stayed absolutely beautiful the whole time!

This was my second time taking Chris's workshop and I got even more out of it this time around. His workshop is so much fun!

We got to paint at some great locations like the San Jose de Gracia church...

and here is my painting from that location...

9" x 12" oil

We spent all of the second day at a beautiful ranch outside Llano de San Juan that belonged to a friend of Chris's. We painted amongst horses, goats, sheep, dogs, cats and there were several old inspiring structures as well which I chose to focus on...

here is my painting that came from that experience...

9" x 12" oil

The last day of painting was hard. By this time everyone is reaching their exhaustion point. I wasn't very happy with what I painted this day but I was focusing more on incorporating what I was learning into my work and not so much on painting a masterpiece, which is the whole point of course:)

The trees were just starting to turn their fall colors towards the end of the workshop...

and so I made an attempt with my last painting at capturing that...

One of the highlights to the workshop was getting to meet and paint near Walt Gonske. He joined us on the second day out at the ranch. It was mildly intimidating to paint near such caliber but it was great! Walt is a super sweet guy and his work in person is incredible.

So it was an awesome adventure and I highly recommend Chris' workshop. It's a perfect location and I enjoyed meeting and working along side everyone in the class. We had a great time and learned a lot!

Adventure's in Plein Air...

2011-09-08T13:41:00.000-07:00

So I finally found some time to dust off the plein air equipment and get out to paint! It's actually been so long that I am embarrassed to say. The kick in the butt is my upcoming workshop with Chris Morel and not wanting to show up to paint too rusty.

As usual, it was an adventure...it was a pleasant, first cool day in 3 months and all seemed to be going well...We went to a favorite spot of mine that I've known about for many years and it's just loaded with magical beauty. Unfortunately it's also a favorite spot shooters...I was about an hour and half into my painting when the gun shots started. The shots would make me jump and added some unwanted brush strokes to my painting. I tried to endure but soon became very uneasy about ricochet bullets. So I had to put an end to the painting...

We went to another area away from the flying bullets but by then the day was nearly spent...

So I spent the rest of my time taking photos of the beauty...

All in all it was a perfect day:)...

Two New Mandalas and an Update...

2011-09-04T12:53:00.000-07:00

I realize it has been way too long since my last post. Life has gone and got crazy busy again...busy is getting to be a more frequent occurrence these days and time is beginning to be a precious commodity...

I recently completed two mandalas - "Renewel" is an 8" x 10" acrylic painting (shown above) and "Vibrancy" is a miniature 2.5" x 3.5" ACEO acrylic painting (see below) and both are available for purchase in my Etsy shop.

These were painted in a different way then I usually do. I disciplined myself to only two colors (minus the black) and after laying out the mandala drawing, what I would normally do is find particular patterns that I wished to emphasize with certain colors and sometimes painting over lines in the process. With these mandalas, I tried something different, where I kept every line and painting with the rule - no one color could touch itself...so it was like - purple, green, purple, green, that sort of thing. I found this way of painting being an even more meditative process than my usual way, I really would loose myself during these paintings. The paintings themselves seemed a lot more intricate as well. Or perhaps a different kind of intricate:)

I hope that made sense...it was kinda hard figuring out how to explain that process in words!

So, next on the agenda is a plein air painting workshop with Chris Morel the third week of this month. I am VERY excited about this. Chris is actually a good friend and a very talented soul! Looking forward to sharing the adventure with you all :))

"Lil' Bit" - a cat portrait

2011-07-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

"Lil' Bit" original ACEO

2.5" x 3.5" acrylic on matboard

Here is the next cat painting in the series...this is Lil' Bit who belongs to a good friend and collector. She is normally a very shy kitty and on occasion she will let you get close. It was such the occasion that I managed to get the photo I used for reference here:)

I am noticing a natural tendency to slightly exaggerate the size of the eyes when I paint. I don't want to overdo it though...but I like being struck by the cat eyes first and then move around the rest of painting.

This art card is currently available in my Etsy Shop.

Cat Paintings

2011-07-08T17:33:00.000-07:00

"Luna with Purple"

2.5" x 3.5"

Acrylic on Acid Free Matboard

So after completing the last cat painting, I made a decision to keep going and do a series of cat portraits. This new one is actually my kitty, Luna. This ACEO painting is now available in my Etsy Shop.

Kitties and Coupon Codes

2011-07-06T13:58:00.000-07:00

"Two Face" 8" x 10" acrylic on canvas

I did this study of Two Face, a friends cat, a few days ago. Two Face not only has a gorgeous face, but a wonderful personality to match. I ended up gifting it to her yesterday which, given the response, was the right thing to do:) I think this has inspired me to try some more cat portraits. I am a cat lover and am always taking photos of them so I have tons of reference.

FACEBOOK COUPON CODE

I would also like to tell you about an exclusive coupon offer for my FACEBOOK fans. From now until July 15th, I am offering my fans 10% off their order in my Etsy Shop. All you need to do is become a fan of my page ( if you aren't already) and send me a message that you are interested. I'll give you the code and you use it in the provided box during checkout. Click HERE to visit my shop.

New Miniature Paintings - Fish and Butterfly

2011-06-17T18:59:00.000-07:00

"Source of Joy"

2.5" x 3.5"

Original watercolor,acrylic,pen and ink ACEO

I have discovered, the last few days, how much I enjoy watercolors. I so often grab for the acrylics before I do watercolor but I had an inspiration to use them together on "Source of Joy"(above). I enjoyed how this piece turned out so I used the same design concept and created "Blue Butterfly" which is available in my Etsy Shop

"Blue Butterfly"

2.5 x 3.5"

Original watercolor and acrylic ACEO

Click Here!

Garden Sunflower Study

2011-06-12T13:37:00.000-07:00

Every morning while watering the sunflowers, I find myself getting captured by the backlit glow of the petals. I finally had enough brains to bring my watercolor sketch stuff with me this morning and gave an attempt at capturing it. I also tried to capture this lighting with the camera to save for reference and although the pictures are nice, they don't quite capture that glow... "en plein air" it is!!

How does your garden grow?

2011-06-11T13:31:00.000-07:00

It's growing awesome!! These pictures were taken a few days ago in our garden - the sunflowers are starting to bloom and it's stunning. This will be our 20th year of gardening here and it has been amazing season so far. In general, gardening in the desert is extreme and there is a constant struggle against the elements and critters...but this year is being kind and the plants are flourishing. This is also one of the reasons I have not posted in so long, lol, I had to trade computer time for garden time.
I hope everyone is doing well out there...these have been some rough times lately. Sending out some positive vibes to all♥♥♥

A Favorite Poet and Teacher...Walt Whitman

2011-03-01T18:44:00.000-08:00

Walt Whitman is probably my favorite poet - certainly a favorite life teacher! His words have straightened me out more than once.

I did this drawing a few days ago of Walt - I was happy with how it turned out and wanted to share it with you all. Here is an excerpt from Walt Whitman's "Song of the Open Road". Enjoy!

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.

Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune,
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing,
Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms,
Strong and content I travel the open road...

~Walt Whitman

Heart Blossom

2011-02-04T13:54:00.000-08:00

"Heart Blossom"

original ACEO

pen and ink

Etsy shop

For whatever the reason, I have found myself exploring a style of drawing that I used to do a long time ago. My start onto the creative path began in pen and ink drawings. As a young person I would spend hours drawing flowers or animals. I would draw a simple shape on that intimidating blank piece of paper and it would unfold amazing and fantastical creatures and flowers. There is a freedom in youth, that often gets snuffed out with age. I worry, stress and plan now. I stared at that blank ACEO yesterday and remembered how it used to be and this flower emerged - it filled me with joy to feel that freedom again. No ideas, no planning just pure creation. I suppose you could call it doodling, although doodling implies your attention is elsewhere. I guess maybe attentive doodling it could be called. I would prefer not to call it anything really...

The Year of the Rabbit - 2011

2011-01-22T15:56:00.000-08:00

I remember a few years back someone asking me what my Chinese Zodiac sign was. I had no clue. I could remember those silly place mats at the Chinese restaurant with all the zodiac animals on it but I never paid any attention to it. However, after being asked this, I did eventually google it one night and to my surprise, found a fascinating world to explore. I learned I was a Rat - the first sign of the zodiac and I discovered, after looking up different friends and family members, that it was amazingly accurate! Wikipedia's chart has some good basic info on your sign, if you want to find out for yourself.

So, this Chinese New Year, which begins February 3rd, is the year of the metal Rabbit.

I have read a lot on the forecast of this upcoming year. It appears that traditionally, the Year of the Rabbit is known to be a calm period, a time for home and family, creative pursuits, creature comforts, that sort of thing. The Rabbit is the luckiest of the signs, so it is expected to be a year filled with "things going your way". I don't know about you but I really like the sound of all that. Last year seemed to be the year of "everything is broken".
I will conclude this post by saying Happy New Year everyone! And may it be filled with plenty of peace, joy, creativity and "things going your way"!
I have painted two little rabbit ACEOs, in honor of the new year shown here in the post. You can find them in my Etsy shop.

Is Everything Speeding Up...

2011-01-11T13:40:00.000-08:00

Ok, so who the heck hit the fast forward button on 2010??

Or the past few years for that matter...

I am finding it harder and harder to complete everything in a day - simple things even.

This has been the case and getting worse for some time.

I think the area of my life that has been hardest hit is in the creation of artwork. This constant feeling of having to race to get stuff done causes a great fatigue which is not conducive to inspiration at all! The creative expression process turns into any other job, which in my book is no good.

There are many discussions out there on the subject of time speeding up - a lot of them are related to 2012. The latest doom date to look forward to:) Or enlightening date to look forward to, depending on who you talk to. How I look at it, date or no date, what needs to be done in our lives is still the same. We all have this rather short opportunity here on this planet to experience life, find joy, learn what it means to be this human being and so on. So that, for me, is the focus - keep placing one foot in front of the other and stay in the moment best I can. This brings me back to my original point of time speeding up. It appears that staying in the moment has had the best results for slowing things down for me. Thinking is the worst kind of time and is the culprit for stress and anxiety. Thought and time, I say? Yes, can you have any thought in your head that is not based in either the future or the past. To stop thinking is to be in the present moment. Hard place to maintain as we live in a world that requires we think a lot but none the less it is very valuable to at least remember to take a pause from time to time. Easier said then done, I know:)

Anyone wish to share their take on the subject? It is most welcome of course...

♥Kaia♥

The Making of a Birdhouse...

2011-01-07T16:18:00.000-08:00

So I received a special order for a gourd birdhouse before the holidays - it was intended to be a Christmas gift. It was one of three birdhouse commissions I received at the same time! They are a lot of fun to make and I continue to expand the creative possibilities with each one!

This one was actually inspired by a new found love - Moroccan folk art! I love discovering new cultural designs and I'm amazed that I had not stumbled upon their art before.

Here I have a step by step look at the making of the birdhouse - although I was told I should call them birdpalaces:)

Here was the start - cleaned and holes drilled ready for painting....

I did a quick sketch to work out the general idea...the actual design changed along the way.

Drawing in the front design...

Front design painted!

Drawing in the rest of the design...

Body design nearly completed...

Ta da!! We have a birdhouse! As my friend said " That's one lucky bird." :))

Hope you enjoyed seeing the process.

I have one more birdhouse commission left to do...I have free rein on it too! What will I do?? I'll keep you posted!

20% off Coupon Codes!

2010-12-17T13:01:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!
It has been a while since my last post but I have exciting news!
I am now offering 20% off all items in my Etsy shop and giclee prints, as well as greeting cards on Fine Art America!
For the Etsy coupon, I am offering exclusively to my Facebook fans, so simply LIKE my page and let me know you're interested and I will send you the coupon code. Here's a gourd currently available in the Etsy shop...

"Earth Song" Available on Etsy

The Fine Art America coupon code is open to everyone and the code is...

ATCXXK

During checkout there will be a place for you to enter the code.

Here is a digital painting available for print or greeting card...

Deer Painting

2010-11-09T14:33:00.000-08:00

"Deer 1"

3' x 2' oil on gessoed hardboard

in the collection of Richard Chapman

So I finally completed the first half of a commission started several months ago. As life goes, many events limited the time I had to paint, so it is a slow going commission. However, a very exciting first half! I have been doing workshops, book reading and practicing new techniques in the past year and half and really worked to incorporate all that I have learned along the way into this painting. I did document it's progress and thought it would be fun to share it!

First thing I did was a 9" x 12" study of the basic concept of the painting...

When it came to the 3' x 2' panel, I decided to do the grid method to lay in my drawing. Starting from back to front, I did an underpainting of the trees...

My palette:)...

Starting to lay in the darkest darks...

Background complete! Now for the deer...oops I forgot to take pictures during the deer. Oh well, there's the basic evolution of the painting anyway.

Framed and in it's new home!

Now for the second half. It will have a doe and her fawn and will be a match to the first one. Challenging? Yep!
Stay tuned for part II :)

'Tis the season for commissions!

2010-11-05T13:45:00.000-07:00

Well, this year is just screaming by and now we are approaching the gift season! The commissions are coming in and it's time to focus!

I thought this a good time to share the gourd birdhouse I did on request a few months ago which lead me to the current commissions - birdhouse was a hit!! Makes me happy because they are really fun to do. This was my first experience doing one and of course there is always a learning curve. A few things I would do differently on the next ones but overall it was a successful first try.

2010 Bisbee Plein Air Competition - Success!!

2010-10-31T12:58:00.000-07:00

So much has happened since the last time I posted a blog. Life just got too busy for cyberspace:) Many adventures to tell!

I will try to play catch-up here and start with what happened in September...

I attended the annual Bisbee Plein Air Competition the second weekend of September. This was my second year with a whole lot of learning under my belt since my first attempt. I had only been doing plein air painting for about a month when I participated last year. Needless to say I felt awkward and my paintings didn't go so well.

This year, however, was a very different story. First off, I had some confidence in what I was doing - helps for sure. Second, I had a very good painting session - you never know! Sometimes it just doesn't click but this was a definite YES! At the final festivities there is a silent auction with a chance to sell your work and a reward ceremony (first place $500). I was in total shock when both the paintings I entered sold in auction! Really! This was such an encouraging experience. Fun and rewarding. I later came to find through the grape vine that "The Jonquil" had been nominated for first place by one of the judges. No win but rewarding just the same. Such a huge leap from the previous year! I hope to continue in this manner and I will be sure to share with you along the way:)

Here are the paintings from the competition...

"The Jonquil"

12" x 9"

Oil on gesso board

"B is for Bisbee"

9" x 12"

oil on gesso board

Butterfly Dreamtime

2010-07-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

"Butterfly Dreams"

6" x 6" acrylic on hardboard

$50.00

available in my Etsy Shop

Click Here

Here is the latest completion.
I have always felt a deep connection with Australian Aboriginal art and having a love for painting eye crossing detail, it's no wonder!:)
On this piece, I was looking to meld the mandala art with a twist of Aboriginal. It didn't go at all as planned but I am pleased with the results. I think I want to try larger scale with this style.

Agave's Last Stand

2010-07-14T14:28:00.000-07:00

Cactus are certainly a feature living in the desert and they never cease to amaze me.
This year we had an Agave cactus (the kind Tequilla comes from) that was planted when we first moved here, coming up on 20 years ago, that put out it's flower. The thing about Agave cactus is, when they flower, that's it! That's the final doing of it's life.
I put together a series of photos that I took as the flower grew. It's tough to capture the feeling of just how big these flowers are but I did my best. Two hours after the very last photo I took, a wind storm came along and blew it over. I was glad I was able to capture this Agave's last stand.

Camping at Mt. Graham

2010-06-23T14:41:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, Luke and I took a camping trip atop Mt. Graham. It's a little piece of heaven for us desert floor dwellers in the middle of the hottest month of the Arizona year.

Mt. Graham is located in Southeastern Arizona just a few miles outside of Safford, AZ. Ascending Mt. Graham takes you through 8 botanical zones before reaching the top. Needless to say, I brought my plein air painting gear with!

The beauty was astounding...

The vegetation was so powerful, being used to the desert flora.

We were fortunate to find a camp spot right next to a creek. Another treat for us - water!!

There was much inspiration here, I was seeing the colors in nature so differently and I did my best to absorb all that I was seeing in hopes to bring it to future paintings.

I did manage to produce a plein air painting and some sketches in pencil and watercolor. I still feel I am very much in the learning phase with this style of painting but it is such a pleasure to do!

Hummingbird and Flowers - ACEO original painting

2010-05-31T14:34:00.000-07:00

2.5" x 3.5" ACEO original painting

acrylic on acid free crescent matboard

$10.00 free shipping click here

Staying with the hummingbird theme, I created this little guy. It's hard not to love hummingbirds - they are such amazing creatures!

Set of Hummingbird and Hibiscus Flower Coasters

2010-05-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

I finally was able to complete the commissioned set of 4 hummingbird coasters. Going into the project, I wasn't sure what I was doing. It always amazes me that it works out every time - even when feelings of ??? arise. They were delivered yesterday and the lady was thrilled - one of the most rewarding aspects of doing art, especially commission work, is getting to see the reaction when they first set eyes on it. It makes it SO worth it in that moment...

So these coasters are becoming a hit! I am considering starting a listing on Etsy for commissioned coasters. Selling in sets or individually. They are a lot of work but very enjoyable to do:))

Here are some more coasters available in my Etsy shop - click here

"Joy" - 20" x 20" mandala painting

2010-05-22T21:21:00.000-07:00

"Joy"

20" x 20" acrylic on canvas
includes custom frame

This painting has a lot of meaning for me.

A year and half ago, my brother was in a bad car accident - it was serious and he is lucky to be alive. He suffered TBI (traumatic brain injury) and was in ICU for 2 weeks and rehab for 2 more. We remained with him the entire time and we had an amazing outpouring of energy from friends and family that I believe really floated us through the experience. Today he is miraculously fine - the changes in his personality were minor, considering all the horror stories the doctors told us, and his fractured neck healed with no problems.

At the time this accident happened, I had just started this painting and it took me many months to find the energy to return to it but when I did, a lot of my feelings of joy and being so blessed that this life changing experience had a happy ending. The experience really opened my eyes and heart and this inevitably influenced the painting. I felt that " Joy" was an appropriate title to give it.

It feels odd, in a way, to even try to put a monetary value on this. Selling my art and being an artist is, however, what I enjoy doing and it is just one of the many challenges of following this "path with art". So it is for sale...in my Etsy shop for $300.00.

San Pedro in Bloom

2010-05-14T18:19:00.000-07:00

"San Pedro in Bloom"

18" x 24" acrylic on canvas board

custom made Redwood frame

$395 + Shipping click here

Portrait Sketch

2010-05-14T12:39:00.000-07:00

I have for some time now, had the desire to do portrait work. Lately I have had so many projects going at once that it has been difficult to pursue this, however, I recently ran across this book published by LIFE magazine called "LEGENDS - The Century's Most Unforgettable Faces". It has the greatest black and white photos of famous people ( sadly, a lot of which I don't even know ) and makes for a great study reference for portrait sketching.

Here is a face that really captured and inspired me to draw it - anyone care to venture a guess on who this is?...

Desert Treasure

2010-05-10T16:10:00.000-07:00

The desert often has a reputation for being sparse or barren and when I first moved here nearly 20 years ago, I found that I carried a lot of assumptions about how the desert is and was pleasantly surprised to find the desert was full of magic and beauty and not at all what I assumed it to be.
One of the biggest surprises was when spring came and the cactus suddenly bloomed with the most beautiful flowers I have ever witnessed. I call them the desert's secret treasure.
This spring, after all the much needed rains from this winter, the cactus have been producing quite the show of blossoms. I am happy to be able to share a little of this desert treasure with you. All the photos were taken at our property here in Southeast Arizona...

Chain Cholla Blossoms

Prickley Pear Blossoms

Bird of Paradise ( not a cactus )

Hedge Hog Cactus

More Prickley Pear flowers

Blessings of beauty and wonder to you all!

New Mandala Paintings...

2010-05-08T17:22:00.000-07:00

"Cosmic Flower"

15" x 15" acrylic on board
available here

Just finished two new mandala paintings to add to the show at the "Art with Heart" gallery in Tempe. Although these kind of paintings always manage to have a mind of their own and I find myself going along for the ride, I am happy with how they turned out.

"Interwoven"

5" x 7" acrylic on canvas
available here

Time out in Bisbee

2010-05-07T19:30:00.000-07:00

Here is a watercolor sketch I did over morning coffee at the High Desert Market in Bisbee, Arizona. I got the opportunity to unplug for a few days, and I really love Bisbee for that. I took a lot of reference photos while I was there for future paintings. It was quite the inspiring trip!

Here are a few shots I took during our stay...

The Jonquil Motel where we stayed...

Luke playing guitar in the park...

Main Street in Bisbee...

Good times!

Expecting Results Leads to Soulless Art.

2010-04-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

I took a walk in the desert yesterday. I was overcome with the urge to be in nature and do some sketching, so off I went, through the jungle that used to be the desert...what? Well, with all the rains from this winter/spring, the desert has come alive and is exploding with vegetation - some plants coming up I have never seen in the 18 years I have lived here.

Anyway, after a short walk, I found the spot...I set up my shade and blanket and quickly began to draw. I was discouraged in a matter of minutes...this has been the pattern lately with my art, I have the enthusiasm but not the ability. I put the sketchbook down and began to ponder this. Over and over again, I have been running into this experience of forgetting to remember a few key elements of this artistic journey, such as, being in the moment, drawing or painting without the thought "will this sell?", not striving for results. At that moment it popped in my head "Expecting results leads to soulless art". I flipped open my sketch journal and wrote this under one of the sketches I had become discouraged by - a reminder. So, I relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon, without expectation or time, and doodled. I felt a sense of peace as I made my way back home. We have a tendency to build unnecessary pressures for ourselves that become impediments to that which we love and were driven by in the first place. I found this in Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" and thought it pertained...

" I had my choice when I commenced. I bid neither for soft eulogies, big money returns, nor the approbation of existing schools and conventions. As fulfilled or partially fulfilled, the best comfort of the whole business is that, unstopped and unwarped by any influence outside the soul within me, I have had my say entirely my own way and put it enerringly on record - the value therof to be decided by time." ~ W. Whitman

To stay true and integral to oneself is at times very difficult, the desires to want to please can be strong, to be liked or recognized. These things when mixed with art make for a nasty concoction. So many of our loved artists from the past were in their time ridiculed or dismissed but they stayed true to themselves and that stood the test of time. Something to think about anyway...

Greeting Cards!

2010-04-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

I am happy to say that my Etsy shop now has greeting cards!
This one would make a wonderful Mothers Day card...

"Tulip and Bubbles"

digital painting 2009

5 x 7 blank greeting card w/envelope

$5.00 + shipping

click here

This one would be great for a western fan...or a Ghost Riders fan!

"Ghost Riders in the Sky"

oil on canvas 2008

5 x 7 blank greeting card w/envelope

$5.00 + shipping

click here

Fun with Printing!

2010-04-19T20:06:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it's been a while since I posted. A lot has been happening, let's see, first of all I have exciting news! The "Art with Heart" gallery in Tempe, Arizona approached me to show the mandala paintings for three months!!
Next exciting thing is that I made the leap and bought a really nice printer so I can now make my own art prints from home. This is a huge learning and a lot of frustration at times working out the bugs but I am thrilled - the prints look amazing!
I have two currently available in my Etsy shop...

"Summer Cloud"

8" x 10" print of oil painting 2009

For Sale click here

"Castaneda Desert"

8" x 10" print of digital painting 2009

For Sale click here

I will continue to post and share prints as I make them. I also would love to get some advise if anyone wants to leave some. Mostly I would like to know about getting the colors on the monitor to match what comes out of the printer or vice versa. The digital paintings are not a problem, it's just digital pictures of my work that I struggle with.

Pueblo pottery style gourd - from start to finish

2010-03-28T15:33:00.000-07:00

Finally completed "Earth Song", a carved and painted gourd done in the style of Pueblo pottery. This piece turned out better than I anticipated and I'm so excited! I took photos of the process so I will share with you here how I did it.

After cleaning the gourd and cutting the top off to create the look of pottery, I drew in the design...

Once I was satisfied with the drawing, I had to determine which parts I wanted to carve out. Once this was decided it took me two days to complete the carving (not all day - 2 hours each day).

I probably spent at this point 2 or 3 days trying to visualize a color scheme. I loved how it was coming along and I didn't want to mess it up with the wrong colors. I finally chose earth tones and painted on the first color...

This was exciting - it was really starting to manifest a personality now...I was going to leave it basically with the natural gourd colors and others that saw it at this stage agreed but then I had a dream that night that it was painted with black where I had carved it out. It looked so amazing in the dream that I decided to go for it...

I was so happy I did. It was the right choice and after all the black was laid in I sprayed it with 3 coats of satin varnish and glued in the vintage glass, turquoise looking cabochons I collected for this project. Ta da! The finished piece!

It's now for sale for $95.00 + shipping in my Etsy shop.

Poppy madness!

2010-03-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

Spring is finally arriving in the desert. This year is going to be amazing after all the rain we received so far and I am about to share with you a little taste of it...

So one day as I was gazing out across the valley from where we live, I noticed something strange. It appeared that the entire mountain side 30 miles away was turning orange! I knew it must be our Arizona poppies but couldn't believe what I was seeing. To see this from so far away! Time for an adventure. I grabbed Luke and we took a drive across the valley to check this out...

Unfortunately, none of the photos we took did these flowers justice...

It was breathtaking and blinding! The color was so intense...

As far as the eye could see...

Nothing but insane beauty...

And then my heart with pleasure fills and dances with the...poppies. This experience is now burnt in my brain. We live on a truly magical and beautiful planet.

Butterfly Coaster - Dreaming of Spring

2010-03-17T19:18:00.000-07:00

The latest creation...another handmade coaster, painted with thoughts of spring.
I live in Southeast Arizona and I am still bundling up in my jacket. I am normally in shorts by now! So I paint the pretty spring colored butterfly in honor of spring that I am so looking forward to!
For sale on Etsy

Mandala Coasters - set of 4

2010-03-08T14:28:00.000-08:00

So I finally completed them! These are entirely hand crafted - made from gessoed hardboard, painted with acrylics.

Sprayed with FOUR coats of polyurethane, and a cork bottom.

They are currently for sale in my Etsy Shop

Plein Air Adventure!

2010-03-07T13:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a magical day! A perfect day to go plein air painting! Of course I appear to be a rain magnet and although it was a beautiful warm day, 20 minutes into painting it suddenly decides to act like it's summer monsoon season. Seriously whacky weather this year!

Of course plein air painting will always challenge you...like when it begins to start pouring rain and your boyfriend is trying to be sweet and helpful by moving your easel to dry ground and accidentally dumps your pallete in the sand...ahhh, it is indeed a test of patience:)

So after a magical day of painting and we finally make it home the wind comes along and dumps my painting face first in the dirt...yep, another exciting plein adventure:) and yet I'm eager to go do it all over again.

Farewell my sweet little friend...

2010-02-26T18:13:00.000-08:00

Tonight is a sad night as we lost our kitty this afternoon. She was 17 years old and had been ill for a couple weeks, so it wasn't entirely unexpected.

After 17 years, though, they are no longer a pet, they are a member of the family. She showed up out of the desert and now she has returned. She lived a full and amazing life...I will miss her very much...

Are we loosing our freedom yet again??

2010-02-25T18:18:00.000-08:00

I heard this report on the radio last night - I couldn't believe it!!
McCain proposing a bill to make supplements available only through doctor's perscription?
I am a supplement user and have been for a long time. I believe that the best medicine is "preventive" medicine. Supplements have helped in my health and well being so much over the years. So much of people's ailments today, whether physical or mental, are due to vitamin deficiency. Bi-polar difficulties, for example, are greatly due to a lack of vitamin B's.
This is yet again a product of greed. A way to make more money off us, at the cost of our freedom to take care of our selves how we choose.
I actually am not big on the politics scene and don't normally get involved but this was upsetting...
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/february192010/nutrition_bill.php

Mandala Coasters

2010-02-22T14:02:00.000-08:00

I got an idea to do hand painted mandala coasters yesterday...

The first one!

Time out

2010-02-20T17:21:00.000-08:00

I had an interesting experience that I thought worthy of sharing...

Over the last little while I have noticed an increase in feelings of being frantic, sped up, anxious and not sleeping well. In the world we live in now days, this can be a common experience. As an experiment I decided that I was going to take a break from the computer and the phone and so I shut everything off. I noticed right away a sense of something missing and feelings of needing to do something but I did not sway - I stayed with it and all those pressures started slipping away. I put on some relaxing music and sat quietly. After some time I got up and started cleaning the clutter of the studio - my areas to work in were getting smaller and smaller - it was energizing to create some order with the time I would normally be giving to maintaining all my web presences or returning phone calls. I noticed that I was no longer experiencing those frantic feelings and when I got tired I went to bed and slept peacefully through the night. I awoke the next day feeling very rested and relaxed.

I think that I will work to make time for this in my life; take deliberate pauses from cyberspace.

I recommend highly to anyone who may share those feelings of pressure and anxiety to give this a try. It was amazingly simple yet effective.

Rainbow Mandala

2010-02-15T14:13:00.000-08:00

Here is the latest creation...

                           "Prime"
                   12" x 12" acrylic on hardboard
                  custom made floater style frame

I named it "Prime" because after designing it, in the attempt to find an evenly divided pattern became tricky when I discovered the math of the design was a prime number. Don't ask how I got it evenly divided because I won't be able to tell you...I winged it and got lucky!
This is now available in my Etsy shop.

Art and Poetry

2010-02-14T13:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's day everyone!

So today I decided to put some order into my bookshelf and came across an old, stained copy of the poetry/art book that my mother and I made 16 years ago. It was a fun little project to do together. My mother was into writing poetry at the time and she asked if I would do some illustrations for her poems and construct a little book.

As I flipped through and read it, I suddenly became compelled to share it. She wrote such wonderful poetry...she hasn't written any since. I guess it was one of those magical moments in time that will never happen again and I am so glad we have this book to remember it by.

Here is a poem and the painting that went with it. This was a Sumi-e painting...

That Unspeakable and Nameless Beauty

by Veronica Baker

Whisps of rain are falling now

tendrils of delicate wetness

that turn to angry flashes

and walls of water

tumbling down.

The desert waits

ready to receive

freely taking the gift of the sky

as it is freely given.

And in return the desert gives

with breathless silence

and eternal grace

that unspeakable and nameless beauty

of its own.

New Aceos

2010-02-12T18:43:00.000-08:00

Here are two ACEOs completed recently...

Tibetan Buddhist and Australian Aboriginal designs...interesting combo:)

The Dualistic Mind

2010-02-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

Today I found myself pondering how we seem to live in a dualistic reality, so I began questioning this...
Everything seems to be split in two, for example:
body and mind
right and wrong
good and evil
hot and cold
light and dark
day and night
up and down
male and female
love and hate
and so on...what I found myself asking was " is that the extent of my options?" " 1 or 2?"
When one considers the vastness of this world, Universe, life and all the possibilities that exist, are you telling me there are just TWO options? Why not three? Why not 50?! My point, I guess, is that I think we get stuck in an "either/or" frame of mind, when in truth, there are a myriad of possibilities. I think that the benefits of having an open mind is that it gives rise to options. Close-mindedness is being stuck in a dualistic brain; hung up on one side or the other, giving all one's energy over to upholding a certain view - politics is a beautiful example of that.

Interestingly, the symbol Yin and Yang is not necessarily a representation of dualism. It is, in fact, a depiction of how opposing forces are actually interconnected. It's the symbol of balance...each exists within each other, forming a third thing - harmony or balance. I like to remember that there's the third thing. If life were like walking a tight rope - to the left you fall, to the right you fall but maintain your balance and you walk right down the middle. The middle way...the third thing...the myriad of other possibilities.
Something to ponder anyway....

ACEO - A new found love

2010-02-07T13:20:00.000-08:00

I'm huddled in my studio today, trying to stay warm. It's raining again...if it weren't for the cactus everywhere, I would think I was back living in Washington!

I live in southeast Arizona where we have been in a 15+ year drought and I do believe that the start to this year is changing that...

So, whilst I am huddled in the studio, I am making the best of it and being creative. I have heard of ACEO ( art card, editions and originals)for some time and left it on the back burner until this weekend. I tried my first one and I think I'm in love. I'm a detail freak, so working on such a small canvas is such challenging fun!

"Fig Trees" acrylic on canvas paper

2.5" x 3.5"

I will definitely continue to create these little guys and have them up for sale on the Etsy shop soon!

Mandala Paintings

2010-01-29T18:34:00.000-08:00

The word "Mandala" comes from the Sanskrit language meaning (roughly) "circle"...the way I often define it is "sacred circle".

"Direction"

12" x 12" acrylic on board

Painting a Mandala is like an exercise in taking one to their "sacred" space, both the one painting it and the observer...

"Joy"

20" x 20" acrylic on canvas framed
purchase here

When we see what is happening in science, the deeper we go, the more these kind of incredible patterns emerge. Take fractal geometry for example...

"Spectacle"

12" x 16" acrylic on board
available as matted print
purchase here

I am so happy to have found Mandalas - I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed painting them:)

"The Flower of Life"

8" x 8" acrylic on board

You can find these paintings in my Etsy shop!

My new Etsy shop

2010-01-29T17:47:00.000-08:00

About a month ago I decided to give Etsy a try. For those of you unfamiliar with Etsy, it's an online site dedicated for buying and selling anything handmade. I put together a shop that currently has my gourds and some mandala paintings for sale. Etsy is amazing really; I have fallen in love with it and the products available are so unique - Clothing, jewelry, all kinds of art, beauty products and so much more. Well, after a month of putting a lot of energy into the shop and beginning to wonder if it was worth all the effort, I had my first sale! I was so excited! Whether you are a buyer or seller, I highly recommend Etsy.

This is the gourd that sold

"Echoes of the Past"

Taking time out for what you love

2009-10-16T18:54:00.000-07:00

As I was on the way home from my job this afternoon, I had an interesting experience that I thought might be worth sharing...As I looked to the south I became mesmerized by the beauty of the mountains; the way the light and shadows were playing together and the inviting warm colors of the end of a Fall, desert day. I had that welling up of inspiration to try and capture the moment. I was tired though, it had been a long work day and I found myself saying "just go home; now is not a good time". It was then when I suddenly saw how I continuely spoil those magical moments when I could stop and paint or sketch, by feeling that I'm not up for it or that I can do it in the future, convincing myself that I have other more important things to do. I hit the brakes and pulled over. I keep my art bag in the car with me at all times and I pulled out the sketchbook, watercolor travel kit and tripod stool to sit on. 20 minutes later I was driving down the road energized and happy, with a nothing special sketch of those mountains. The funny thing was is how it gave me a boost to do it. I wasn't tired anymore and I had made time for what I truly love doing - art. It is a tricky balance, this life. To find time for everything seems to be getting harder to do but I think it's important to remember that if your life has no joy than what's the point?! Remember to take time out for those things in life that recharge us. In my case it's art. What's yours?

"Transformation"

2009-09-30T12:38:00.000-07:00

"Transformation"

11" x 9"

acrylic on canvas paper

Another colorful acrylic attempt. I didn't have anything in mind when I started this one. I just started drawing a face and away it went. Those are my favorite kind of painting experiences, when there is no direction just the flow of creative energy. No pressures to make it look a certain way. It's actually a challenging thing to do because one often does have something in mind and it is so rare to have it turn out the way one visualized it.

I named this one "Transformation" after the butterfly happened on the forehead. To me the painting spoke to me of someone having that moment of realization and then the change that comes out of that realization.

"The wind and the dragonfly"

2009-09-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

"The wind and the dragonfly"

11" x 9"

acrylic on canvas paper

So I had a sudden urge to paint in bright colors and of course acrylics are always the best for vivid color. This was also a practice in painting faces, which faces or figures have always been a challenge for me to do. This painting was inspired by a photograph taken of myself a few years ago - I always loved that it captured the energy of wind. The dragonflies came as an afterthought. During the couple days I painted on this I kept seeing dragonflies everywhere, so in they went!