Friday Quotes

This is one of the views from my porch.
I love the fog this time of year.

We got a call from my aunt and uncle this morning - the roof was leaking. They rent my husband's parent's home. So he got in the car and drove down to fix it. They sent him home with squash, tomatoes and, for me, a wall plaque that had the following saying on it:

God put me here to accomplish
a certain number of things; right now
I'm so far behind I will never die!

I love it!!!

Celebrate Art! Celebrate Coffee!

Got an email with a link to a Picasa photo album of pictures taken at Celebrate Art! Celebrate Coffee! My booth, with the 'Hollyhocks on a Stick, Lunch at the Fair' painting was in the album. In the email he said to share and pass on the link.

Hollyhocks on a Stick, Lunch at the Fair

Watercolor - Original 18"x24"

Koi Fish Painting

'A Koi-ful Day' Painting

is at the
Minnesota Watercolor Society's

'Ripples and Reflections, Views from the River'

2009 Fall Art Show

at
Bloomington Art Center

September 24th - November 13th

Watercolor - Original -  9"x12"
Prints Available
* * *
This year in conjunction with our Fall Exhibit, some of Minnesota Watercolor Society members' artwork was shown at the Bloomington Art Center's 'Water' presentation at the Black Box Theater. My 'A Koi-ful Day' painting was shown in that presentation.

Dragonfly Watercolor Painting Series

Eight years ago we moved a 1920's farmhouse fifty miles onto twenty acres outside of New London. That summer, we had millions of dragonflies. They would flit around, land and sun themselves - even on us when we were outside. Each summer since, we have had many, many dragonflies, but not as many as our first summer. I was amazed at how God created dragonflies in so many colors and styles. I love them. I have  painted a number of dragonfly paintings. Here are some of them.

Dragonfly - Yellow

Watercolor - Original - 11"x14"

Print available on my Etsy Store

Dragonfly - Purple

Watercolor - Original - 11"x14"

Print available on my Etsy Store

Dragonfly Bay

Watercolor - Original (Sold)

I was commissioned to paint this watercolor to be used as a wine label for Glacial Ridge Winery which is located between New London and Spicer, MN

Dragonfly at Home

Watercolor - Original - 18"x24" (Sold)

Prints available at my Etsy Store

 

Dragonfly Pond Ripples

Watercolor - Original - 18"x24" (Sold)

Prints available at my Etsy Store

Dragonfly - Pink

Watercolor - Original - 18"x25"

Prints available at my Etsy Store

Friday's Art Quote

All art requires courage.

~Anne Tucker~

Art Fairs

Well, I've been in two art fairs since August 29. I have two more to go by the 25th of September. Whew! I will defiantly need a break from art fairs for a while!!! This weekend is our Celebrate Art! Celebrate Coffee! event in Willmar, Minnesota. You can check out the web site at: Celebrate Art! This event is put on by the Willmar Area Arts Council, which I am a board member. We have a wonderful, new website. It has a page with examples of work form many of the local Willmar, New London, Spicer and surrounding area) artists. We have a great artist community in our area. Check us out!

These are some photos of the Art on the Lake Summer Art Fair
at Melvins in Spicer, MN. As you can see, it was a tad bit windy.

Here are some photos from the

Glacial Ridge Winery Grape Stomp Festival in Spicer, MN

My Apple Trees

A Farmgirl Foodie

I started a new blog on September 5th for gardening and recipes. I will at times post photos from that site on this one. Today to took photos of our apple tree which my Aunt Esther suggested I do. You can check them out at 'A Farmgirl Foodie'.

mnrtists.org

Callas for Doris

I ran across this painting when I went on my mnartists.org site today. It was painted two years ago while I was staying with Doris. She had been sick for quite a while and I was giving her daughter and my good friend, Joan a break so she could take a vacation. Doris passed away not long after that. I miss her, so this one is for her today.

I would like to invite you to check out my website on the mnartists.org site at: Minnesota Artists. You can send my artwork as an e-postcard to your friends.

The mnartists.org website is an online database of Minnesota artists and organizations from all disciplines. It offers to Minnesota-based artists a free website. If you are a Minnesota artist, check it out for yourself.

9-11-2001

A Day that changed our lives. I just want to say thank you to all our service people. Whether in military, or civil jobs. I appreciate all that you do!!!

Friday's Art Quote

Creavivity and Art

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.

Art is knowing which ones to keep.

~Scott Adams~

This morning my friend, Kim and I drank plenty of coffee and created art together - I still feel a bit buzzed!  She was talking about this very thing - creating art along with mistakes and imperfections. So when I ran across this quote, I just had to make it my 'Friday's Art Quote' for this week.

Kim just started a new blog today. I'm sure she will have many interesting and fun things to say...
You can follow her new blog at: http://kimwendlandt.blogspot.com/

Quote

My Coneflowers

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."-Anais Nin

Another 'Friday's Art Quote'

My Bee Balm
(Phyllis Diller hair as my friend, Joan calls it)

It's still Friday, so I want to add another quote:

'One person with passion is better than
forty people merely interested.'

~ E. M. Forster ~

My husband, David and I just got home from seeing the movie Julie & Julia. After seeing the movie, I thought of the above quote. It is one of my favorite quotes. I think the reason I loved this movie so much, (David wasnt' as thrilled as I) is first, because of how they lived with such passion for what they loved to do, and didn't make excuses of why they couldn't do it, just went ahead and did it. Also, they both had such a commitment in their relationships with their husbands. If only I could live with such passion and commitment - I hope I do!

Friday's Art Quote

Winter's Cotton Candy
Waterolor - 18" x 24"

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul,
and paints his own nature into his pictures.

~Henry Ward Beecher~

This is one of my favorite art quotes. It is so true. It took me a very long time to become comfortable with people looking and and commenting on my work. It was almost as if I felt that they could see right into my soul. I have somewhat become used to it now.

 

The painting I chose for today is called 'Minnesota's Cotton Candy.' There is not a person who has grown up in Minnesota who has not at least once eaten snow. It's the best in the world! I just started the almost empty nest era of my life - in less than a year both kids will be gone off to college. I have become a bit sentimental and have been painting pictues of my kids to help survive. This is one of those paintings. My paintbrush dipped deep in my soul when I painted this painting. I doubt there is a stronger love (except God's) than that of a mother.  

Painting for Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center

Watercolor - 18"x 24"

Painting Donated to
Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center

This is the painting I donated for the 'Second Annual Prairie Evening Under the Stars' silent auction for the Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center on September 11, 2009. It is an earth conscious event to benefit the environmental education of our youth and programs at Prairie Woods. This year, they are facing pretty extreme funding cuts from the county and other sources that fund PWELC. Their green silent auction will feature everything from locally grown foods, environmentally friendly products, original artwork and handmade items by local artists!