I'm in another art show! Check it out and see if you can pick out which piece is mine!

Creative Women Unite Art Show

Friday, March 5th of 2010

6pm-12am

Featured artists include: Tiffani Feathers (Yay!), Elva Alvarez, Zahra Ali, Cassandra Darden, Sandra Gonzalez, Stephine Guajardo, Donna Jackson, Jamila John, Liana Lopez, and Julie Zarate

Dean's Credit Clothing at 315 Fair View in Houston, Texas

Who do you love?

I know that artists are supposed to be all gushy and "in touch" with tons of crazy feelings, but let's get honest for a minute. With all of the hype about Valentine's Day starting, there are many Negative Nancys out there who are saying that Valentine's Day is a sham and that if you love someone that you should show them your love everyday, not just on that random one day of the year. Well, no $@#! Sherlock! We all "know" that. But do we really practice it? Be honest with yourself for one flippin' second. Valentine's Day isn't so much about being that one day of the year when you show someone that you love them. It's the reminder that you need to show your love every day. And for many, it's that swift kick in the rear that you haven't been showing your feelings like you should be. Yes, companies exploit the heck out of Valentine's Day to make profits. That's called doing business.

The real gifts for Valentine's Day are the ones that you put thought and effort into. The ones that are personal and take time out of your day. If your significant other always wants to talk to you about what seems to be nothing at all, schedule a whole day to spend with them doing things that they like so that they can feel like you actually care. Don't just buy them a new cell phone with unlimited minutes or text messages. Think about it. You don't even have to give someone flowers or candy. If you are at all artistic, draw those beautiful blooms or bake up some sweets to share while watching a movie curled up on the couch. There are so many options of things to do for the one you love. But to be so angry about a day that is supposed to celebrate love just seems absurd. Don't have a special someone? Donate to a charity so that someone in need can feel loved. Do anything you can think of to show love towards someone; anyone! Just don't get so upset that you haven't found the one person that you are supposed to be with. Just broke up with the person that you thought you were supposed to be with? Then obviously they are not the person that you are supposed to be with! They may have seemed like the perfect person for you, but just think about how amazing it will be when you find the real person that you are supposed to have in your life! Learn to smile and enjoy Valentine's Day. It will love you back when you have learned to trust in love.

You Have Got to Be Kidding...

Do you think this painting is abstract art or done by a child? If you think it's child's play, you're correct. This was done by my 2-year-old stepson... If you weren't sure, you need to keep your eyes open!

As someone who introduces herself as an abstract artist, I like to think that the weird looks I get are just because that person hasn't seen exactly what it is that I do. However, it is coming to my attention more and more that there are many people who can introduce themselves as "abstract artists" just for slapping some colors of paint on something, anything really, and then charging people out the wahoo for it because it's "abstract art." This really gives the rest of us a bad reputation from the second we introduce ourselves. How do I explain to someone in the same breath that I'm not "THAT" kind of abstract artist? That I actually kind of know what I'm doing. That I plan out what I'm going to do before I go forward. That the colors I choose are for a reason. All of my shapes and figures have a purpose. I don't do drugs and I actually have a personality. It's very difficult to explain this to someone who only knows the sham that other people have called abstract art.

I was looking around the other day at what some people had posted as abstract art for sale and was taken aback by what I saw. They were charging people hundreds to thousands of dollars for what would take an every-day person about 10 minutes to make. I felt instantly bad for the poor person who would eventually purchase the "piece" and appalled that someone was actually willing to charge for something so poorly done. Then, I felt personally offended by the situation because I'm actually spending time and effort on what I do and actually not always happy with the way that things turn out. But hey, if I just pretended to paint like a 2-year-old, I could be making thousands of dollars?! I'm totally confused at this. I refuse to stoop to such a level as that, but it is a very frustrating situation.

Please do not misunderstand me, I am well-aware that I am nothing close to a master painter, but I also do not publicize myself as anything close to that, either. I envy many artists for their talents and techniques. When I see their work, I am in a state of wonderful amazement and feel motivated to practice and try new techniques. These are not the people that I am speaking of. Their work takes time, effort and planning which shows in the end product. It is because of my great respect for them and art, itself, that I am angered by the ones who have not even an "abstract" idea of what abstract art is!

Remember the good 'ol days when MySpace was so incredibly cool and Facebook was only for people with an e-mail address that ended with "edu"? Or how about when you actually saw fliers for all of the events that were going on around town instead of just getting an electronic copy of said flier in your e-mail box. Visual art, in the traditional sence, used to be done with pencil or paint on things like paper and canvas instead of the nontangible world of the computer file. Now, everything is so non-sensory in a way that scares me. What will the art world be like tomorrow? How about the social media that spreads the word about it? This blog, in itself, is an electronic social media outlet. Artists used to be people that you could pick out in a crowd because of the paint and other materials matted in their hair and on their clothes. But now, someone in a clean suit who smells nothing like the persperation that is traditionally correlated with hard work, is considered an artist just the same, if not more so than ever before. Am I clinging too hard to the past? Should I give up my ideas of what "Artist," as an idea, feels like? Where are the people who get personal with their media? And what does their art look like these days?

I have to admit that it is rather frustrating if you are someone who likes to be out in the world gather motivation and inspiration to sit in an office all day and work on a computer. I feel so much more comfortable with a pad of paper and a pencil in my hand. This keyboard feel foreign. I long to sit and draw sketches; develop my art into more than what it currently is. The more that I look around, the more that I see the shapes, colors and shadows that I yearn to represent on a canvas. I just feel so tired and out of place in an office setting. I feel like a little kid who wants hide my sketchbook in my purse or bag so that I can draw, doodle and sketch when I have a few seconds alone. I miss my sketchbook and I feel like I'm withering away sitting behind a desk (even though I'm actually only getting bigger). Being stuck in a holding pattern is no fun and I yearn for a change in scenery.

There are a ton of things that relate to art. Art doesn’t only deal with paints or pencils or pastels. Paper and canvas are not required. There are so many different things that are considered art; and rightfully so. As someone who loves to see different ideas and thoughts in pictures, I have accepted my own body as a piece of art (thanks mom!) that is always ready to be made even better through the same type of additions as a blank piece of paper or canvas would be complimented by. I know that there are many people out in the world that are completely against tattoos and I understand their feelings. However, my feelings greatly differ and I think that everyone should be accepted for whom they are and not how they look. I love all of my tattoos and plan on getting more after delivering this baby that’s in my belly. All of my tattoos can be covered up in some way, but I prefer to show them whenever possible. Every tattoo has a story and a reason. If you know someone with tattoos, do not look at them like they are dirty or do not deserve respect. Tattooing is one of the cleanest industries due to all of the regulations that are in place. If you want to find out more about someone who has tattoos, ask them about the story behind each ink addition. I was a nanny for about a decade, and I can tell you that different people look at you with looks of disgust that you would never expect. Others, however, were not fazed in the least by my tattoos, which gained them more respect from me. I know that I seem to be on a soap box today, and I accept that. My mind has just been going about 90miles an hour since finding out that I was pregnant and the thought of more people looking at me like I’m some kind of thug as a tattooed mother makes me want to throw up…again. So, love your body and love the body of those around you. Trust me when I say that you can talk to someone for hours just by talking about the stories behind their tattoos. The stories usually inflict laughter as well as tears and all of the emotions in between. But, I can assure you that the conversation will be something that you will never forget. If I had a glass of beer, I would raise it to everyone who has tattoos! But for now, I raise my glass of ice water! I would love to see pictures of everyone’s tattoos! Send them in!

December 10, 2009

How awesome would it be to come down on Christmas morning and see this with a bow on it just for you?! Everyone loves having art on their walls. Guys (no offense) usually have a very hard time deciding what they want to put up, and this is where the females can come in to save the day. Most guys are totally comfortable with skulls being on their walls. Why not give them something that they will actually LIKE? But, luckily, the things that I make are not just for guys. The colors in all of my pieces are very girl-friendly. Talk about an easy gift idea! Who's harder to shop for than your mom, sister or aunt? They are easy to take care of this holiday season with a fun painting! Know their favorite color? Let me know and I can create a custom piece just for the person that you have in mind! Give me a call or leave me a comment so that I can get your gifts sent out in time for the holidays! By the way guys, chicks love art! I dare you to impress one by getting some paintings on your walls... Are you game?

November 24, 2009

I watched a movie last night with my husband called "Who the $@#! is Jackson Pollock?!" and it was great! The movie was about this older lady who was a truck driver and stopped in a little junk store to buy something for her friend. She bought a large ugly painting for $5 and when she decided to sell it in a garage sale, a local teacher asked her if she knew that she might have a Pollock painting. This is the painting in question! This lady went on a 10-year search to try to find out if her painting was a true Pollock. There was a ton of work done to the painting to find as many clues to its history, even forensics came into play. The movie was awesome and now I want to try to make a Pollock-inspired painting! Movies like that just make me itch to try! I'll let you know what comes out!

This is my little Bella!

November 19, 2009

The Perfect Present

Don't know what to do for that special someone this holiday season? Need to get something thoughtful but not too mushy and don't know where to start? Custom art is the answer! What could be better than a custom modern art painting for that wall in the hallway or above the bed? I can create pieces that are modern abstracts as well as portraits of your loved one. Know someone that is obsessed with their little pooch or poofy cat? Send me a picture of the fur ball and I can create a piece to showcase that little lovable pet. I have a wide range of prices since each piece is unique and anything can be made into any size just for you. Give me a call as soon as you can so that I can finish your custom painting or drawing before the holidays pass you by!

November 16, 2009