I received this heartbreaking letter this morning from one of my oldest friends. Her friend is struggling with cancer and horrible medical bills (thanks again America for providing your citizens with affordable healthcare.) He is selling his artwork at a very discounted rate to help pay his medical bills. I hope you'll have a look and consider making a purchase...
Hi there to all friends and family,
Many of you know about my cancer situation but not all of you know about the latest development. My cancer has decided to revisit me and found a home in my liver. Actually, it’s only an apartment and I plan to evict it ASAP. !! J
We have been struggling with the enormous burden of past medical bills related to my surgery in January, but now I am faced with yet another treatment regimen ( an expensive one). Drs at Stanford University have had some success using this protocol and I plan on sharing in that success.
I am offering these original pieces of artwork for a donation of $35 each. They are approximately 6” x 6” and are constructed to “float” on your wall, not needing a frame. I have titled this series : The Dreamscape Series and I hope you will take some time when you get the chance and visit the site to view these pieces. The site is PayPal ready and you may purchase items that way or just email me with your choice and I will provide info on how to get the piece shipped to you. More info on the website. Free shipping is included.
Hope you like the series and please feel free to forward this email to anyone you think might be interested in purchasing a piece.
Thank you all for your continuing support through all of this. If there is anything that I could do for any of you, you know that I would consider that a privilege.
Below is a terrific article on the way MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas is using art to help children with cancer express their feelings and cope with their illnesses. The Children's Art Project is an inspirational program full of amazing young artists. You can even purchase some of their gorgeous art as cards and gifts.
Expressing ourselves through art is a primal force and I have witnessed its ability to transform even the most dark and negative emotions into creative expression and light, in my own life, and in the lives of the many children I used to teach.
If you, or someone you love is struggling with cancer, another illness or just with life in general seek out a program in your area that uses Art as Therapy and transform your feelings into a new beginning.
First of all, do you have any special offers for your customers this holiday season? Yes, click the image below for a FREE Lampwork Glass Bead Picture Frame Keychainwith purchase! I am also offering customers the chance to win a $25 dollar gift certificate, so make sure you sign up too!
ABOUT MICHELLE...
Current shows, exhibitions, or places selling your work: This was my first full year of fine arts and craft shows. I have one more show in December in Northampton Massachusetts and hopefully a full 2009 season with many new additions. At this time I don’t have my work in many stores but would be interested in some accounts. I mostly sell my work through craft shows and on my websites.
What do you create? I create one of kind pieces of jewelry using my own lampwork glass beads for the individualistic person.
Where do you make your creations? In the comfort of my own home where I have a glass studio in my garage and an office where I put all my materials together to create works of art.
What makes your creations special or unique? I pride myself on making pieces that are unique and different that catch people’s eye and often generate people to take a closer look. I put my heart and soul into my creations so with each piece the buyer gets my passion and love of creating it.
What inspired you to become an artist? I have been creating since I was a little girl. Art has been in my family on both sides and it has always caught my attention. I would have to say my families support has become my biggest inspiration to become an artist.
What really gets you in the mood to be creative? So much of the world around me gets me in the mood to create. I often look to nature and fashion to get me in the mood.
What do you do to unclog a creative block? Creative blocks …they do happen on occasion. I usually put aside what I am doing and often refresh my mind by standing in my backyard and looking at the world around me. Sometimes I start a different project in a different medium for fun and it often spurs another creative venture in the glass and jewelry medium.
What is your favorite time to work? Anytime I get to work is my favorite time.
Do you have a “day job”? I used to teach school full-time and was pursuing my hobby making jewelry part time. I had a life changing moment and realized as much as I loved teaching school that it was not my calling or my dream. So here I am and I couldn't be happier. Besides running my business I am also a full time stay at home mom.
What is a challenge you have had to overcome as an artist? Being an artist is wonderful but defiantly has its challenges. There are a lot of talented people out there and the competition can be steep. My biggest challenge was finding the right path to my dream and the right time to pursue it. Even though I pursued my educational path not in the art field I found my way back to what runs in my soul.
Who/what inspired you to become an artist? I would have to say my family has inspired me to become an artist. My mother and grandmother have been very supportive to my venture and my father was the one who used to encourage my growth by always surprising me with educational sources and positive encouragement.
What are you most grateful for? I am most grateful to have a wonderful and supportive family who sticks by me through the good and bad times. I owe great thanks to their encouragement to keep creating and fulfilling my dream.
Intuition is such an potent part of the creative process. Health blogger Vanessa Smith, MA, CLC wrote some great words on this subject on her awesome blog, Let Your Life Bloom.
Yoga teacher, artist and creator of "Warmlings", toasty warm hats as unique as the noggins that wear them. And when I say warm, I mean MAINE woods warm.
Here's a picture of me wearing my very favorite Warmling (notice the TEAL yarn, yes indeed, perfect for me!) I love this hat. I swear it doesn't just keep my head warm, it does something really good to my brain. Must be the goooooood yoga energy Jeannine puts into everything she does. Her work is her meditation, so when you buy one you know you are bringing something special into your life. Her craftsmanship is superb, and her color combinations are out of this world. I have to keep myself from ordering them ten at a time!
Scroll down to see lots more WARMLINGS hats, and Jeannine's special offer for readers!
Jeannine also makes knitted BUNNIES!!!
::BEWARE:: if you get a bunny, sometimes late at night...they take on a life of their own...
She also makes gorgeous felted bags and many, many more beautiful items.
And she is a painter on canvas, and multi-media surfaces (furniture, frames, etc.
I interviewed Jeannie for the Teal Designs Art Studio Blog so that you could get to know a little more about her. Here's what she had to say:
Your Name: Jeannine Baron Name of Business:Warmlings Type of Business: knit design etc. Web Site(s):Facebook (for now) Current shows, exhibitions, or places selling your work: Water Lilly Imports, Portland,ME; Water Monkey, Portsmouth, NH Email: greenneene@yahoo.com
Who are you?
I am someone who has an intense desire to create things with my hands. Whether it be art, clothing, food, etc. I have a need for texture, color, any visual stimuli.
I’ve always loved all things artistic and creative, and could think of nothing else I’d like to fill my days.
I studied art and design at the University of Southern Maine.
What do you create?
I learned how to sew at an early age, and even had a brief desire to get into fashion design. Knitting was something that I wanted to learn for quite some time, it seemed a good next step. I love the design process, so I began to break away from patterns as soon as I understood what the yarn was going to do.
My hats are now my trademark, and having sold them for three years, I’ve gotten very good reviews, and some repeat customers. I’ve custom knit sweaters for some native Mainers who know wool is the only thing that will keep them warm in the harsh winter.
I started to branch out this year, and added felted bags to my collection. I have used locally spun yarn from the Hope Spinnery in the Midcoast Maine area. I try to keep the organic feel of the natural dyes, and add natural buttons, and wide contrast stitching.
I also had some experience during my early college years painting furniture, and I sold my designs through two different galleries in southern Maine.
I still paint decorative frames and custom furniture , as well as for my own enjoyment. Keeping with my theme of always needing to create, I’ve been known to dabble in fine art with the classic oil on canvas- whenever I feel inspired.
Where do you make your creations?
I generally take my knitting with me everywhere. Everything else tends to stay with me at home.
What makes your creations special or unique?
My color combinations (for all media).
My hats are a particular weight and pattern that fits many different heads, they are also like snowflakes, in that no two are alike. You’ll never see anyone wearing the same hat as you. The same goes for the felted bags. I make the pattern up as I go, so I don’t even know how they’ll turn out.
As for my painted things, I think I’ve developed a particular style that has a distinctive appearance. COLOR!! I love color. Period.
What inspired you to become an artist?
I’ve always been an artist. I’ve always been encouraged to be creative (both parents were artists, so it was only fitting).
What really gets you in the mood to be creative?
Many things: music, a sunset, a walk in the woods, a magazine or news article, or a trip to a museum or gallery
What do you do to unclog a creative block?
(see above)
What is your favorite time to work?
Any time, I usually get to the peak of my project right about the time I have to leave for work.
What else are you into?
YOGA. Nature, music, dancing around like crazy, fine wine (when I have the budget), gourmet vegetarian cooking.
Do you have a “day job”?
Yep. That ranges depending on the season. I cook, Paint houses, clean; whatever pays the bills.
What is a challenge you’ve had to overcome as an artist?
Not being able to live on my art.
Who/what inspired you to become an artist?
My parents, my elementary school art teacher, and many others I’m sure
What are you most grateful for?
My five senses, the four elements, love, kindness, and support from those I love.
What is the craziest thing related to art you’ve ever done?
I walked up three flights of stairs, and down a looooong hallway at Portland Hall (my dorm at USM) with a rather large (bulky, not heavy) chest of drawers. My first painted furniture piece.
What is something very few people know about your art?
It’s my meditation.
What would you do if you had all the money in the world?
Yoga and art. I’d live somewhere in the woods, surrounded by nature, and do nothing but yoga and art.…and have the occasional bottle of really expensive wine, to share with friends at gourmet vegetarian dinner parties.
Do you have any special offers for those reading this interview?
25% off all hats and bags ordered through my facebook account. I’ll do any custom hat colors, for the same price.
Is there anything that you need help with, that people reading this interview may be able to give (i.e. advice, mentoring, a service, etc?
I’d really love some help with a website.
You can find details on all of these hats, bunnies and more from Jeannine Baron on Facebook, here. Or email her at: greenneene@yahoo.com
It drives me crazy that I don't have more of my fine art work online yet. I've got so much to shoot and scan, and then there are all the pictures in my head, swirling and whirling, keeping me up at night; noisy little buggers.
There is never enough time. Choices have to be made. I say the artist's prayer, "Let me live one more hour then it takes for me to birth it all."
It is a funny thing being an artist. I'm a visual artist (mostly) so a lot of what comes in, and goes out, for me, is visual. But, even non-visual items take on a life of their own. Sounds create textures; touch produces a series of shapes; a smell generates color. All the senses intertwine for me this way. They seem to be talking to each other, sometimes behind my back, telling each other secret stories and then springing the surprise on me. I don't mind... keeps me on me toes.
Sometimes I feel engulfed in my surroundings. I think this is part of the oneness that yoga and meditation bring to my life, as well as my "artist's mind". The singularity of One Taste. The permeated feeling that comes from knowing that nothing really separates me from anything. Only the illusion provided by molecules vibrating a slightly different rates makes it seem so.
I had this feeling the other day laying down on a park bench after my morning run. Watching the yellowing autumn leaves shake, and then cascade down over the path, over me, through me and down past the ground beneath, going on and on for infinity. I wondered how I could portray that in paint. Can you? Makes me jealous of the masters of the moving picture. I think they might have a better chance.
I paint a lot of women. They say that artists are always painting themselves, and I definitely see the truth of that in my own work. Sexy, vibrant, rash, hollow, lost and found, glorious and broken, I see them all in the female archetypes of history, and in the mirror.
They are all goddesses, and as such they don't have to play by the rules. They are hardly well-behaved, but then that hardly ever gets a goddess anywhere does it?
It is encouraging to see the places they have arrived at; it's good to plot their course on a map, keep it for reference to see where they have been, the trajectory they are choosing next. They are elusive and uncontained. As they should be.
The fourth and final phase of anima development is Sofia, named for the Greek word for wisdom. Complete integration has now occurred, which allows females to be seen and related to as particular individuals who possess both positive and negative qualities. The most important aspect of this final level is that, as the personification "Wisdom" suggests, the anima is now developed enough that no single object can fully and permanently contain the images to which it is related.
For all my readers who LOVE the Blissful Body Yoga designs (yoga inspired, funny s-shirts, great gifts) on Cafe Press, here is the sweet FREE shipping deal for the weekend.
