Second Hand News

More Photos!

2010-06-29T15:14:00.001-05:00

I've been having so much fun altering my photos. Here's a few more...

A Few of my Favorite Photos

2010-06-25T13:22:00.002-05:00

I take my camera with me about every where i go because you never know when that perfect photo is right in front of you! This is at a junk shop I stopped at. Didn't buy anything,

surprise-surprise, but I got a lot of GREAT pictures!

Here's just one of them.

Favorite Video

2010-06-23T14:43:00.000-05:00

This incredible video was sent to me. Love it so I had to share...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPEhIoKeTg0

I'm Guilty!

2010-06-23T14:20:00.000-05:00

Technology is great, really. The problem is finding the time to take advantage of all it has to offer!

I'm guilty.

I haven't taken the time to do that. Instead I've been creating art and getting this line "developed". Not an easy or quick task but I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. My FIRST tunnel anyways.

So my Etsy page...nope, I haven't gotten that up yet. My website.....nope, I haven't got that up either. :( Have I Tweeted any....nope, don't know that I will either. I don't quite get that whole thing yet. (Does that give my age away!?)

I HAVE got a lot of new art pieces finished, prints have been made of the the first batch, this second batch is in the editing stage after getting the proofs back, shirts of the first batch of artwork have been made/proofed and ordered, my pieces for the Blue Ribbon Foundation/Iowa State Fair are done, one is framed AND I finally got some of my work up to the new shop that's taking my work -- Urban Mix in Ankeny.

Now that I'm at this point, it's time to get out there and start marketing my work. Hit the streets, in other words. My least favorite part -- selling myself.

With the marketing comes Etsy, my website and, yes, blogging. Will I get better at this blogging, I hope so. As I've said thru out this blog....I will sure try!

See you next year! hee hee

Hmmm...has it been this long!?

2010-05-13T10:08:00.014-05:00

I didn't really think I had been away from my blog this long, but November of last year!? Ridiculous!

I've started another series that follows my other love....dogs!
I love dogs, all of them! They make my HEART sing.

So, I will begin posting pictures of my new work along with my other work....

The favorite of all who see my dog line:

Others:

In honor of my new

Grandpuppy ~ Finley!

"Properly Trained, Man Can Be

Dog's Best Friend."

"Unconditional Love"

These prints, as well as others, are available as professional prints which I hand-sign. My website, with a shopping cart, should be up soon, as well as my shop on Etsy.

Until then, if you're intersted in a print, email me! Size is 11" x 14" and are $20 + shipping/handling.

Old Houses

2009-11-04T18:11:00.001-06:00

I absolutely love old, abandoned buildings. My husband and I often take road trips for fun. In fact, we play a game with a quarter. At every intersection we stop at, we flip the coin. It it's heads, we go right. If it's tails, we go left. We have ended up in some pretty amazing places by doing this. And often out of state. However...you do have to tweak the game sometimes or you can find yourself going in circles.

I always take my camera along on road trips so I can take photos of buildings we find along the way. This is one we found on a Saturday afternoon.

How fun would it be to take this over and turn it into an art studio!? Unfortunately, it's quite a ways away from me or I might entertain the idea. ("Entertain" means to dream about it a little more deeply. ha!)

I don't normally work with digital stuff on the computer, I like to get my hands DIRTY," but with "my houses and out buildings," there is just so much you can do with them.

Artwork

2009-11-02T11:07:00.002-06:00

Click On Pictures For Close-up

I Found My Muse!

2009-11-02T09:19:00.008-06:00

Here's a 3D piece I just finished. The pictures don't do it justice, as you can't really see everything in detail. Also, because of the way I took the picture, it looks a bit distorted, but it was the best way to show the piece for viewing. (Yes, I'm still learning this whole photographing my own artwork thing.)

All Hallow's Eve

2009-11-01T14:52:00.005-06:00

Trick or treating was last night and I went with my 7-year-old nephew, Trey, and my sister Jill because I LOVE Halloween. Beings that my nephew thinks his Auntie Rah-Rah is a bit nutty (that's me!), I decided to throw on some extra scarves, add some jewelry, wear some fingerless gloves of my daughter's and throw on some worn and torn jeans.

So, when I got to their house, Trey looked me over and then asked me what I was. I hadn't really thought about that, so trying to think quick on my feet, I blurted out, "Well, I'm kinda of a hobo....or maybe more like a hippie."

He replied - with his hands on his hips looking at me like I have no idea what I'm talking about, "A hobo hippie??"

"Yay! That's it," I blurt out, "A hobo hippie! That's exactly what I am!"

He just rolls his eyes, which is "Normal", coming from him, to me. Yet, I really do consider that a compliment when it has to do with our relationship. ")

A few minutes later, his friend comes over to go Trick or Treating with us. Trey is soooo excited. They are both bouncing around the room like they've already had their fair share of too much sugar.

Jill and I are trying to hurry so we can go. I'm on the floor putting my shoes on when Trey turns to look if I'm done yet. Then he turns to his friend, leans in and whispers, "She's a HOHO HIPPIE." (Mispronouncing it, but not on purpose.) Again, I see an eye roll.

All I can do is giggle at him and say to his friend, "Yep, that's right, I'm a hoho hippie!"

And that was the start of a very fun night!

~ Artwork ~

2009-10-27T13:15:00.001-05:00

Click On Picture For Close-up

~ Artwork "

2009-10-27T11:11:00.000-05:00

Click On Picture For Close-up

~Artwork #2 Wind Song ~

2009-10-27T09:48:00.001-05:00

Click On Picture For Close-Up

~Artwork #1 Street Angel ~ New Pics!

2009-10-27T08:51:00.000-05:00

Click On Picture For Close-up

OK...so I'm working on taking better pictures of my artwork so that they aren't distorted and actually look like the artwork. I'm also working with a trial version of Photoshop Elements to adjust the lighting in the photo and to crop.

Even though Street Angel has already been posted, I'm reposting the pictures so that you're better able to see what the piece actually looks like. It is multi-dimensional and I hope these pictures better reflect that.

In Street Angel, I've used an image technique that allows me to work on it with acrylic paints and many different color mediums. I also adhere pieces of text, papers and fabrics in the image. I work in a very "Edward Scissorhands" way, guided only by my feelings of what works and what doesn't. As I work, I am completely immersed in the process and because I work like "Edward", I end up with so many of what I call "happy accidents," a blotch of paint here where it wasn't meant to go, a piece of paper stuck there which was picked up by the mess on my table.

Speaking of my workspace -- I will try and remember to take pictures of my area when I'm working. It's really crazy and ends up quite a mess, as well as myself! But it's the way I prefer to work. When I'm done for the day, I always clean it up because I have to have a clean slate for the next day or the creative process won't begin again for me. (I really should videotape myself sometime because I feel that I would look just like "Edward" when he's trimming the trees! ")

~ Artwork #1: Street Angel

2009-10-18T10:23:00.000-05:00

[Picture removed]

Well...here's my first picture from the series "Second Hand News." (Click on it and you can see the details much better!) I'm struggling with taking good pictures that show the artwork, plus my program, for some reason, won't allow me to crop. (Going to have to get a new program!)

In the past when I've marketed my artwork to shops and galleries, I've had my artwork photographed by a professional. However, I'm bound and determined to do this myself!

I purchased a portable home studio kit for taking pictures. Neat gadget, but I need to get stronger bulbs than what it came with. With them not being bright enough, I'm having to use the flash on my camera which means I have to take it an angle so that you don't see the flash in the glass. (That's why the piece looks a little distorted.)

I'm optimistic though! AND...have my fingers crossed! ")

~ A Wonderful Place to Dream ~

2009-10-17T12:15:00.000-05:00

What a wonderful idea for outside! A place to rest, to read, to dream...

~ Fun Art Studio Image ~

2009-10-17T12:14:00.001-05:00

Or how about an art studio like this ~

~ A Possible Art Studio!? ~

2009-10-17T12:09:00.000-05:00

Ran across this picture and love it! How awesome it would be to have an art studio like this!

~ It's Time ~

2009-10-17T12:01:00.000-05:00

It's time to move my studio from in my home to online.

Creating art is a passion of mine and something I must do to feel alive. I make it because I have to. It feeds my soul.

I'm drawn to mixed media artwork and use many different materials to complete a project. I go by "feeling", love serendipity and will continue with the piece until that feeling is no longer there. Then, I will set it aside and find another piece to begin, to finish, or to continue working on.

I plan to post pictures of finished pieces, to post pictures of my studio, which I'm crazy about, and to share my love with mixed media artwork out on the Information Highway.