$45.00 worth of pure, raw potential :)

Nate may think I’m crazy when he comes home tonight   I just made a run of some antique stores near our home and picked up a really random assortment of old buttons, pins, wood, hinges, and other rusty things.  I’m as giddy as I got the time we were cleaning my grandparents’ attic and I discovered a forgotten calligraphy set, complete with pens, ink, and paper.  My parents’ first inclination was to throw it out, but for me, it became a 9-year old’s new favorite hobby.  It’s funny how some things never change… my desire to create something beautiful out of raw materials will always be with me.  Sometimes my raw materials come in tubes, or are shiny and white like new canvases.  For this endeavor, they are old items that beg for resurrection.

What brought on this itch?  Last night, my dear friend Caroleann and I went to an Andrew Peterson concert.  His songs told the story of Jesus’ birth and life much like a fairy tale would be told.  During intermission, we discovered a table covered with artwork that corresponded to the message of the songs… artwork that mesmerized me.  This artist, whose name is Evie (and who disappointingly does not have much of a web presence), had taken old wood and discarded items, pairing them with her own original watercolor and ink paintings.  The result was beautiful, intricate works of art that beckoned for further review.

Throughout the rest of the concert, I let the music and my own wandering thoughts give me inspiration for my own take on this “found object” type of work.  Be on the lookout for these pieces.  I already believe that they will be hard to part with.  I always know I’m on to something great when I can’t think of anything else, and neccesary things like showering and phone calls start seeming like a nuisance.    See you soon – this artist has work to do.

Two Paintings get Top Honors

“Eternal Song” won Best of Show!

I entered two art competitions in the past few months, and I’m pleased to announce that my paintings received high honors in each!  The first was the Central South National Art Competition put on by the Tennessee Art League.

In recent years, this competition has been a regional one, only accepting a handful of entries from Tennessee artists and those in neighboring states.  This year, they opened it up to the entire U.S.  I was honored just to have my painting “Maria” accepted into the show, but then I received the People’s Choice Award.

Many artists prefer to receive this award over others because it is determined by the visitors of the exhibit, and not by one or two judges.  Thank you to those of you who came to the opening reception and supported me!

The second competition was one that I entered on a whim: the Williamson County Fair Art Exhibit.  I figured that it would be a good show to be involved in if only for the sheer number of people who would be exposed to my work.  Little did I know that I would take home 3 top honors!

My exposure also resulted in several sales, new visitors to my studio, and not to mention my proposal!  “Eternal Song” won Best of Show as well as 1st Place in the painting category.  “Maria” won 2nd place in the painting category. Check out an online article about this event here. Thanks to all who attended!