~Lil Love's Fairy Mermaid~

"Lil Love's Fairy Mermaid"

On Saturday night Lil Love and I were doing our nightly quality time. We usually play doctor, blocks, and make art before her bath & bed time. While we were playing, Lil Love asked me if I could make her a "Pretty fairy mermaid." Now this isn't just any fairy, she made her requests known. Her fairy mermaid had to have glitter, dark pink, and fishies. She was ever so polite when she asked me. She said "Please Nina" How do ya say no to such a sweet request? I couldn't.

I started working on the fairy mermaid that night. I stopped by my local art store before work on Sunday, and picked up a few needed items. I stumbled across a few things for Lil Love's picture as well. I went to work on her portrait last night after work, and by 3am I was finished. I even added an envelope on the back of the portrait so I can write a special note for Lil Love.

A part of me was worried if I did this piece justice. I mean after all this wasn't just any art work, it was for my Lil Love. When I revealed her "Fairy Mermaid" to her she was excited. Feeling thrilled as she looked it over. Pointing out each fish, the dark pink of the mermaids tail. She was happy her name was spelled out in glitter letters. She kept repeating "I like it, I like it" Made my heart feel good for making her happy. Doesn't take much to bring a smile to her face, But when ya the one who makes it light up it's extra special.

I plan on writting the special note tonight to add to her portrait. I'd like her to know what the saying "So many...new sights...new sounds...so many different things." means. I want her to know as a two year old she is an extremely bright child. How much I love her, and all the times we've created art together brought me such joy. A letter she can have to remember our time together.

~Crow Woman~

"Crow Woman"

Just wanted to touch base with everyone on how I'm progressing on my art work. This is my very first Mixed Media art done on a 6" x 12" birchwood. I haven't sealed it as of yet because I need to purchase some beeswax as well as a hot glue pot to melt it in. Lil Love is facinated with her and says "I like it, Pretty Fairy" lol she seems to think all of Nina's people are Fairies. Don't ask me why. I do collect them but she doesn't know this.

I've been working on some challenges, and I'm really feeling like I can become the artist I should've been years ago.

Funny thing is I've been bombarded with signs pointing out my need to create. I don't usually believe in horoscopes, I mainly read them for fun. But all of June I received messages such as this.

~June 28,2009~

This is a time of new beginnings, Dear Aquarius whether you are aware of it or not, You are more then ready to take on some new chalenges. You have allowed yourself to become complacent about your career. You have the ability to make a major step up, why not do so? All that is required is a bit of effort on your part. Figure out what your ideal job would be then pursue it, or, better yet, Create it!

So I've been thinking back when I was 16,(before I married Mr.) I wanted to be the following...

A Commercial Artist, Physical Therapist, Mom. Seems I've done the mom thing, I'm onto the Nina thing. I'm not really interested in being a Physical Therapist anymore. I only wanted to be one because I wore braces on my legs from the waist down. All that's left is commercial artist. I'm not interested in being in the corporate world, because I'm not into hurting others. To be honest I'm not a competitive person to where ya have to hurt others to get ahead. But, I can still be an artist! So where do I go from here?

I need to finish school for one! I want to get my transcripts from high school and do what I can to get my high school diploma. Ok, don't look shocked I said I didn't have a high school diploma.

I'll explain for ya. Ya already know I married Mr. when I was 16. I didn't actually drop out of school, it kind of came around by accident. I was pregnant with my son and endured kidney stones when I was 6 months pregnant. I was hospitalized for almost 3 weeks, too which they threatened to do surgery if I didn't pass them. My main focus wasn't school at this point but to make sure I delivered a healthy baby. I won't go into major details, but will say my husband was told it was me or the baby.

I became and a mom and did what most moms do and that's put myself last on the list. Most of the times I never made it on the list. Life has a way of progressing faster then we all would like. My children all received their diplomas, and my heart soared with pride for accomplishing what my heart so long for. With getting my transcripts I can finish my education with a DIPLOMA not a GED. No offense to those who have a GED. But I want to get what I should've gotten years ago. Yes, it's gonna cost me more money to do it. But in the end I'll have my diploma. From there I can take some college art courses.

I made a 101 in 1001 Days List and this is on my list to do. I started it on October 13th, 2008. I need to finish it by July 11th,2011, Getting my transcripts will be one thing I can take off the list. I will admit I did pretty good on my list.

I have been working with a medium, that I want to perfect before I show my work. So far it's going pretty good. I'll share it once I get feedback on the project. I have ya curiosty peeked huh? lol I'l keep ya informed as the project progresses. Been working 10 hour days, 6 days a week. So most of the time I come home and crash. Have to finish up a few more challenges for my art groups. I'm learning so much from them and I feel blessed. I wouldn't have attempted to even try "Crow Woman" if it weren't for Mystele, Willowing & Gary. They give me the courage to explore "What if" In the famous words of Mystele http://mystele.blogspot.com/

"You can't control everything you just have to let go."

With that I've been letting go. Letting go the negative remarks & my hesitations of making my art perfect. It's freeing, really freeing. I just want to thanks Mystele for those words. She has no idea how much they've opened my eyes to my art.

Thanks Mystele hun! I so love ya, for being my inspiration!

I'm off to make art!

~Where The Wild Things Are~

~Where The Wild Things Are~

Life certainly has been wild for me lately. Not being able to be online working on my blog, Ning Groups, and such has me frazzled. Working 10 hour days, 6 days a week has me drained by the time I get home it's all I can do to shower & sleep.

I've been keeping up with making art and I feel like I'm coming into my own. I've been trying some new techniques, and it's been amazing to see the results of my efforts. What I'm doing right now, behind the scenes is playing with a new texture technique for backgrounds. What I've created so far has somewhat impressed me.When I have this technique perfected I'll gladly share it. I will say this it's an unusal media element I'm using.

What I see other artist create has my mind spinning.

Funny thing about my art recently is every where I turn I'm seeing signs that I may have to change my career and pursue more of my art, like I had planned when I was younger. I don't usually take horoscopes to heart, basically I read them for fun. The whole month of June I've been inadated with words of encouragement about my art. At first I thought it was just in my head, but reading them outloud to others has confirmed I should look into making my art my career more then just what I do to keep my sanity.

Not sure how I'll go about it, Don't want to just jump into something and find out later I wasn't happy doing what I'm doing. I opened an Etsy shop because I had to purchase something for a friend. So now I'm thinking on what to do with it. As of right now it's empty, I have no intentions of just filling it with junk. I want it to represent my heart when I do place items there. My daughter suggested I sell my quilts as well as my art work. She said quilts were art too. I tend to agree with her on that point.

Lately I've been working on the Challenges that Gary Reef & Willowing & Millande have been posting. Ya can find their Ning sites located at the bottom of my blog.
Feel free to join in on the fun. I can say this I've learned so much about various artists through Gary. He's an amazing guy whose talents go unnoticed. Our latest Challenge was Rauschenberg, I have made two pieces since then. In fact I've been looking at trash in a whole new light. Here are the two pieces I've done for Gary.

~Rauschenberg~

~Rauschenberg 2 Home Sweet Home~

The items I used on Rauschenberg 2 are items from Mama & Grandma. The buttons,Needle treader, Buckle, Rick-Rack,Button. I named it Home Sweet Home after Mama & Grandma. Makes for a good memory piece. Mr. bought himself a new bible today and I swiped the box it came in. He said "I suppose that's for ya lateste art work?" I smiled and said "Most certaintly!" So ya see my mind is all about Rauschenberg and recycling.

I have to admit my mind was already on recycling thanks to Mystele http://www.mystele.com/ She's a wonderful artist who shares her heart and soul with others. She was the one who first introduced me to recycling cardboard for canvas. It's always available when ya feel the urge to create and ya have no canvas. Here's one piece I made using cardboard.

It's called Cupid Love.

Lil Love is even using the recycled cardboard for her art work. When ever she sees me working on my art she asks "Make Art Nina?" How do ya say no to that? I surely don't, because she's an artist in training.

I am in the middle of working on a few more challenges from Bonnie Rose on Gary Reefs ning site. She's another awesome artist I've found. In fact I have some good news! I did last months Challenges "Green Man" & "Father Time" Here are my entries http://garyreef.ning.com/photo/green-man-completed-62109?context=user

http://garyreef.ning.com/photo/father-time-6609?context=user

I didn't have time to make the "Musical Faires"
I did get a chance to have her add my name to a drawing she was doing. The winner would receive her Painted "Green Man" What shocked me was I won! I was so excited!!!! I usually don't win things. But when I do I get over excited about it. Will post a pic of my art when it arrives.

The above art work, Where The Wild Things Are is a Challenge from Willowings Ning Site. It was a challenge on our favorite Fairy Tales. I'm excited they're making it into a movie, I hope they do it justice. I already own the DVD book version.

I want to wish everyone a beautiful night.