A Summer Abstract-Comments Welcomed

I finished this new abstract today and would like some feedback. Are the colors strong enough? Should I add anything? Should I not have put in the words. I did refrain from adding bling to it (and you have no idea how hard that was to me). I wanted to keep it light and airy and warm, like a summer day. I doing a lot of Summer paintings. I'll more as they get done. The pic sucks I know because of the overcast day. I'll do a better pic as soon as sun decides to shine.

Ok, the top image is unaltered and was taken outside in the sunlight. The bottom is enhanced and was taken inside. Which do you think is the best? Please let me know.

Summer Afternoon

I made this altered bottle for an artist friend I was visiting as a giftie. I wanted it to have the feel of a summer afternoon pond under trees with sunlight shining through the leaves.

I had to coat the bottle with matte gel medium first to get the textured look I wanted. I also used interference paint to give a shiny look. It also helped that it was a beautiful sunny day when I took these pics.

One World One Heart

Welcome to my posting for One World, One Heart. This is the last year for this event and I wish I had known of it sooner. So, let me introduce myself. My name is Kelly Jeanette though just call me Kelly or Kel. I am a mixed media artist and writer living in the beautiful mountains of East Tennessee, USA. There area is best known for bluegrass music, the International Storytelling Festival, and Bristol Motor Speedway.

Though I live here now I still consider myself a South Carolinian. I was raised on the coast and in the Piedmont area. I love the sea and try to visit Myrtle Beach, SC at least twice a year to fed the love.

Anyone who is familiar with my artwork knows two things about it-I like intense color and I like bling. I can't finish anything without putting something glittery and/or metallic on it. My mom always said I must of been a gypsy in a past life. I don't know if she was referring to the bling or the tendency to wander. I do love to travel.

Anything else you want to know this blog can tell you. It's all about me.

So, for the giftie. This is it, a mixed media necklace I crafted using handmade paper beads made from a magazine page and painted with iridescent paint, ribbon, yarn, wooden beads, shell pieces, wire, agate stone, and Tibetan bells.

It's not a perfect creation. That's just not me. To be commerically perfect is boring!

(sorry about the image. Photographing a necklace was harder than I thought. And the iridescent paint kept blurring.) If you don't want to be included in the give-away just say so in the comments.

The give away is open to all bloggers. I'll be picking the winner be random andinforming them by e-mail. Please leave me your e-mail if it is not on your blog so that I can let the winners know.

Wow Jewelry!

Usually I don't pick this magazine up, but I was in Barnes and Noble today trying to decide on a new magazine to buy when this cover caught my eye. I don't know why I have not noticed it before. Out of curosity I picked it up and started to flip through it.
Wow! I am floored by the mixed media jewelry in it. Beautiful work. I'm itching to come up on some designs like the ones in it's pages. This is the Autumn 2010 issues so I'm glad I found it before it was removed.
So busy Saturday with family stuff and movies on Sunday, but I WILL find time to do some jewelry.

Inspiration Avenue Theme-Words

This is my post for this weeks theme-Words-at Inspiration Avenue. I chose the words imagine because I have been imagining alot lately. The bird represents my spirit taking flight into a new future. I hope.

Art Magnets

I made these 2x2 mini original abstracts on magnets for an art festival. They wanted us to show works that were easy to carry. I thought magnets with an original work of art on it would be different. I really found working on an 2x2 surface a challange. I have never worked this small! Whew!

Trying to get a really good picture was the pits. I so need a better camera or a scanner.

A Few Artworks

Here is a few things I have been working on-

I have found working on these 4x4 canvases a challange. I just fell in love with these 3 D butterflies and flowers I found at the local Michaels. I knew I would find a use for them.

Fairy Tale Heart

In an attempt to appease the dragon inflicting the good ladies of IA, I have gone on a quest. After many a long nights in the dark fortresses of wizards, after much meditation with the monks in Shangri-La, after swimming to the depths of the oceans to consult with the elders of the Merfolk, and many more harrowing treks I have found this-


The Heart of Peace. May the dragon find it’s magic helpful in finding his own peace.

The Heart is a pin. Not sure where we can pin it on him, but maybe he can put it with the rest of his hoard.

The pin is a wooden heart with gold paint, lilac paint, white paint, interferance purple, silver ink, and bling. it measures 2" across and is very light weight.

Inspiration Avenue-Pure

When I read what the weekly theme was from Inspiration Avenue this old gospel song On the Wings of a Pure White Dove ran through my head. I knew I just had to do a work for it.

I hope that this means my time creative blockage is over. For the past few months, actually since my mother died, I have been living in a void. Unable to paint or write. I so badly want to be able to create again. Maybe this is a new beginning.

BTW-the top and bottom is also painted and decorated.

I been making these bulbs to sell for Christmas. It was my intentions to decorate the outsides as well, but after doing the painting part inside I hesitate to do so. I feel it will ruin the beauty of the ornaments, losing the unique patterns the paint made. What do you all think?

A New Must Have Book

I found a great books while wandering around in one of my favorite haunts, Books A Million. I just had to have it and now I want to make books. If certain people will leave me in peace this weekend I'll do one.

Artful Blogging-Winter 08-Now Available

Artful Blogging-Winter 08-Now Available


http://www.stampington.com/html/artful_blogging.html


Yes! Must run to bookstore! :)

Oh, wait. Must wait for payday. :(

I fully intended when I started this blog to make it only an art blog, but when my camera broke I decided to post other things that interest me-as in books, music, games, my poetry and writings, etc. Whenever I do manage to get a new camera (if things will quit breaking down around here) I will begin posting my work again.

I have been working hard on smaller works to be ready for the holidays this year. I also want to start an etsy store-it has been increasingly difficult to sell art on ebay unless you're willing to sell at a deep discount.

So anyone who visits my blog be sure to check back in periodically.

Artful Blogging Autumn '08

Artful Blogging Autumn '08 will be out soon- 08/01/08. I love to look at this publication from Stampington and Co. I get ideas not only for my blog, but for my artwork as well. Here the link to it's home page....

http://www.stampington.com/html/artful_blogging_autumn08.html

A Word Picture

A hot wind moves across my skin, sweat trickles down my face and back,
dry grass crunches beneath my feet, a bee buzzes by.
Under the trees of my backyard woods, in the dark shade
yellow eyes watch me warily from a darker shadow
and blue eyes look up at me pleadingly from a little gray and tan face,
softly meowing for a pet. All around me my flowers droop, thirsty and dying roses, honeysuckles, and tigerlillies.
Is that thunder I faintly hear? Is that a dark cloud on the horizan?
Is rain finally coming? Please, God, say it is.

Blue Plum Festival

So, the Blue Plum Festival was this weekend and alot of fun is was. Every year they close down east main and east market streets to showcase lots of art, food, and music on the streets. This year was just as great with the addition of a jazz stage in front of Nelson's art center. I love jazz. There was also celtic music, blugrass, and outlaw country. The food court held booths for funnel cakes, hot dogs, hamburgers, fried potatos rings, thai food, greek, and just plain southern cooking. There was a childern's area for games and free ice cream. The galleries had their openning for the month with Nelson's showcasing sculture and the Signature had artwork from four of our female area artists. The stores lining the streets also were having specials during the fest. The artists with booths had everything from paintings, frabic art, woodcuts, jewelry, pottery, handmade candles and soaps, to bonsai trees.

It was hot as hell-in the mid ninties and humid, but it was crowded as usual, even for early evening.

I really wanted to have a booth myself this year, but my little hospital stay last year put me back financially. Maybe next year I'll be able to have my booth.

First Art Show of the Year

I made it into the Applachian art show in Kingsport, TN. I didn't win any award, mainly because the judge only chose represental works as winners and I only do abstracts for shows. He didn't pick any abstracts. Very disappointing and limited on his part. But the show is impressive, a must see. If any of you have a chance to see it, do so. I wish my camera worked so I can show you the painting I entered. *sigh*.

Art Show

Today is the opening of the 43rd Annual Appalachian Art Show. I'm hoping to make it to the reception. I had one of my two pieces accepted into the show. I would seriously love it I won a prize or sold it. Wish me luck.

Color Me Wild

You Are a Red Crayon

Your world is colored with bright, vivid, wild colors.You have a deep, complex personality - and you are always expressing something about yourself.Bold and dominant, you are a natural leader. You have an energy that is intense... and sometimes overwhelming.Your reaction to everything tends to be strong. You are the master of love-hate relationships. Your color wheel opposite is green. Green people are way too mellow to understand what drives your energy.

What'>http://www.blogthings.com/whatcolorcrayonareyouquiz/">What Color Crayon Are You?

One day a long time ago right after I started first grade my fellow students and I were given a box of crayons and a pre-printed picture to color. We were told to color the sky blue, the tree and grass green, and the squirrel brown. Being my daring self my sky turned out orange, my tree blue, the grass red, and the squirrel purple. My Mom was called in to discuss my rebellious nature.
Let's face it-I love color.
I mean, if we were to take what is taught us when we are young as truth, that there is only eight colors (nine if you count white), why do crayons come in boxes of eight, sixteen, thirty-two, and sixty-four? What are we to do with the other crayons, just look at them? What a waste of money.
Just look around our lovely world and see the colors. All the delicate pinks of a winter dawn, all the vibrant shades of reds, oranges, and golds of autumn trees against a shade of blue that only an autumn sky has, all the great firey colors of a summer sunset, all the different hues of greens in nature. Not just eight colors.
Support art in our public schools. Creative minds are terrible things to waste. A sense of wonder worse to lose.

Not working

So, I have lots of time to work on a new altered book since I'm not working right now. That is if I can put down the book I'm reading-Devil May Cry by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I should have it done in another hour or so. I'm hoping to have some work done up for a booth on First Friday here in Johnson City. That's the 1st friday every month when Main St is closed off and the galleries are having openings, the restraughts stay open late, bands are out there playing, and artists and such are allowed to have booths up. Hope to see some of you there.