Silence

About This Piece:

This is a new bracelet. I found the shirt that I am wearing in this picture at a thrift store. I loved the material, but wanted to do something a little different with the shirt. I was inspired by Marisa Lynch's awesome New Dress A Day Blog. I cut the sleeves off and bundled some of the fabric together to make this piece. I used some chains from a broken necklace to wrap around the fabric for a little bit of weight. 

The price of this item is $18 (tax and shipping not included) and please remember that the paypal button under the bracelet is ONLY for this Metal Mesh Bracelet. There will be posts following with other jewelry available to purchase, and in the event it is needed, a return policy is at the end of this post. If you are looking for other items that are for sale, please hit the for sale label on the left side of this blog. That will bring up all the items that are currently for sale.

Thought For The Day:
Silence is sometimes golden!

On My Work Desk:
This is the continuation of the fourth and final piece in the sunset series that I am working on. One more step to go and this piece will be finished.

Corner of Gratitude:
The peace that comes with being silent

Pearls of Wisdom:
“I've begun to realize that you can listen to silence and learn from it. It has a quality and a dimension all its own.” 
~ Chaim Potok

As usual, thank you for reading, commenting, subscribing, and purchasing! Until next post...

Exo31 Art, LLC Jewelry Return Policy

If you are not satisfied with your jewelry, you may return it for an exchange or credit ONLY. Any item purchased at a retailer other than Exo31 Art, LLC cannot be returned to Exo31 Art, LLC for an exchange or credit. Please contact the retailer your items were purchased from.

• Your exchange or credit must be requested within 7 calendar days of receiving it. Please notify us via email (exo31art@gmail.com) before the return.  Your package must be postmarked within 7 calendar days of receiving it.
• Jewelry must be its original, new, unworn, and undamaged condition to be eligible for exchange or credit. 
• All return shipping charges are the customer's responsibility and cannot be refunded. Please return jewelry in its original package. When shipping please make sure that the container is well padded and ship using UPS or USPS. Shipping insurance is not required, but recommended. Exo31 Art, LLC is not responsible for damages or loss incurred in return shipping.
• Information as to where to return items will be sent in response to your exchange or credit request email.
• Once your jewelry item has been received and examined, your original method of payment will be credited within one week, not including the original or return shipping costs. You will receive an email confirmation of your refund once it is processed.

Why Do You Follow?

About This Piece:

The focal point of this bracelet comes from a broken belt, the clasp comes from a broken necklace, and the chains and pearls are purchased. 

The price of this item is $35 (tax and shipping not included) and please remember that the paypal button under the bracelet is ONLY for this Gold Round Pearl Bracelet. There will be posts following with other jewelry available to purchase, and in the event it is needed, a return policy is at the end of this post. If you are looking for other items that are for sale, please hit the for sale label on the left side of this blog. That will bring up all the items that are currently for sale.

Thought For The Day:

These days with social media being the "it" thing, everyone is following someone. If it's not on Facebook, it's Twitter. If it's not on Instagram, it's Flickr. If it's not on LinkedIn it's Foursquare. Oh and who could forget this lovely site and it's rival Wordpress. My point is...if it's not one social media site, it's another. And there is someone out there for everyone to follow on these platforms.

So, I am on almost all of the sites that I posted above, with the exception of a few. A friend of mine said to me the other day, "Oh...you have xxx amount of followers". It sparked a question inside of me and made me wonder, why I follow the folks that I follow. I came up with this short, but not exhausted list:

They have something great to share:
I'm always on the hunt for someone who has something great to share. That something great could be encouraging words, a product, something funny, or something that is just aesthetically pleasing to the eye. After all, who doesn't like a pretty picture. It doesn't have to be something super deep, but sometimes it is. It's just something that I deem to be great.

They are going in the same direction as I am:
There are lots of people that are going in the same direction as I am. I like to keep up with them. I like to know how they are doing the things that they are doing. I like to see their progress. I like to be inspired by their progress, and cheer them on all at the same time. It keeps me in the mind frame of constantly pressing forward...constantly going after what I know in my heart I am here on this planet for.

They are good for networking:
I have a business, and I want my business to be successful. I want it to thrive. I want it to become all that it has the potential to be and more. So I follow those that can get me to that place. They are more than my peers. They serve more as mentors...seasoned in the game that I am just becoming a part of. It's humbling and exciting all at the same time. I get to hear about and see their story, and become inspired to have a great story of my own.

They are family and friends:
Now this can get a little sticky if family and friends don't fall into the categories mentioned above. Everyone (including myself) has someone they follow because they decided to follow you. I'm not saying that this is a great idea, but I am saying that it exists.

At the end of the day, those that I follow brighten my day in one way or the other. I only pray that I can offer the same to those that follow me.

On My Work Desk:

I am working vigorously on the sunset series. This is the foundation for the third piece. I do believe that this one will be fun to complete. There will be more to come in a bit.

Corner of Gratitude:
Those that keep me grounded

Pearls of Wisdom:
Success, recognition, and conformity are the bywords of the modern world where everyone seems to crave the anesthetizing security of being identified with the majority.
~ Martin Luther King, Jr

As usual...thanks for purchasing, reading, commenting, subscribing, and following! Until next post...

Exo31 Art, LLC Jewelry Return Policy

If you are not satisfied with your jewelry, you may return it for an exchange or credit ONLY. Any item purchased at a retailer other than Exo31 Art, LLC cannot be returned to Exo31 Art, LLC for an exchange or credit. Please contact the retailer your items were purchased from.

• Your exchange or credit must be requested within 7 calendar days of receiving it. Please notify us via email (exo31art@gmail.com) before the return.  Your package must be postmarked within 7 calendar days of receiving it.
• Jewelry must be its original, new, unworn, and undamaged condition to be eligible for exchange or credit. 
• All return shipping charges are the customer's responsibility and cannot be refunded. Please return jewelry in its original package. When shipping please make sure that the container is well padded and ship using UPS or USPS. Shipping insurance is not required, but recommended. Exo31 Art, LLC is not responsible for damages or loss incurred in return shipping.
• Information as to where to return items will be sent in response to your exchange or credit request email.
• Once your jewelry item has been received and examined, your original method of payment will be credited within one week, not including the original or return shipping costs. You will receive an email confirmation of your refund once it is processed.

A Prolific Artist

About This Piece

This Gold Rush winter scarf is made of acrylic fibers. It is 3 1/2 inches wide, and 6 1/2 feet long. 

The price of this item is $25 (shipping not included), and please remember that the paypal button under the scarf is ONLY for this Gold Rush winter scarf. There will be posts following with other scarfs available to purchase, and the return policy is the same as that for Exo31 Art, LLC jewelry. If you are looking for other items that are for sale, please hit the "for sale" label on the left side of this blog. That will bring up all the items that are currently for sale.

Thought For The Day:

It's now Thursday, and this post was supposed to be out last Friday (aka a week ago). There has been too much going on to even write, which brings me to today.

I've figured out why it sometimes takes me so long to post. I've been thinking about it for a few days.

I want to be a prolific writer and artist really! I want each post to be filled with plenty of candor and wit. I want each post to be inundated with the items that I am currently working on.

The truth is...wit doesn't always come as second nature to me, and this blog site is not meant to share everything. So I will take some pressure off of myself from this point on. There may be days where there are more pictures than words, and then some days where there are more words than pictures. 

I am giving myself permission to be liberated in how I approach posting from here on out. This may result in a few more posts per week, and it may not. Only time will tell!

On My Work Desk:

I have started to sunset series that I spoke of in the last post. The top is almost complete and I still have a lot of work to do on the bottom piece. There will be at least 5 painting in this series. Once I complete the 5, I may do more. We shall see!

Corner of Gratitude:

The courage to simply "show up"

Pearls of Wisdom:

The pursuit of perfection is not the flaw. The flaw lies in condemning oneself to the point of debilitation when that pursuit is not completed to the perfectionists standards.

As always, thank you for purchasing, reading, commenting, subscribing, and following! Until next post...

Be blessed!

Exo31 Art, LLC Jewelry Return Policy

If you are not satisfied with your jewelry, you may return it for an exchange or credit ONLY. Any item purchased at a retailer other than Exo31 Art, LLC cannot be returned to Exo31 Art, LLC for an exchange or credit. Please contact the retailer your items were purchased from.

• Your exchange or credit must be requested within 7 calendar days of receiving it. Please notify us via email (exo31art@gmail.com) before the return.  Your package must be postmarked within 7 calendar days of receiving it.
• Jewelry must be its original, new, unworn, and undamaged condition to be eligible for exchange or credit. 
• All return shipping charges are the customer's responsibility and cannot be refunded. Please return jewelry in its original package. When shipping please make sure that the container is well padded and ship using UPS or USPS. Shipping insurance is not required, but recommended. Exo31 Art, LLC is not responsible for damages or loss incurred in return shipping.
• Information as to where to return items will be sent in response to your exchange or credit request email.
• Once your jewelry item has been received and examined, your original method of payment will be credited within one week, not including the original or return shipping costs. You will receive an email confirmation of your refund once it is processed.

A Good Multi-tasker

About This Piece

This Black Cherry winter cowl is made of acrylic fibers and incredibly soft! This cowl is closed and stitched closed in the back. It is approximately 12 inches wide and approximately 18 inches long.

The price of this item is $30 (shipping not included), and please remember that the paypal button under the scarf is ONLY for this Black Cherry winter cowl. There will be posts following with other cowls available to purchase, and the return policy is the same as that for Exo31 Art, LLC jewelry. If you are looking for other items that are for sale, please hit the "for sale" label on the left side of this blog. That will bring up all the items that are currently for sale.

Thought For the Day:

I have always been convinced that I was a great multi-tasker. I could have a load of laundry in the wash, a pot of good stuff on the stove, doing some concept sketching for a painting, all while jamming to my music of choice. Then the week before last happened!

I was totally discombobulated! I didn't have any particular course of action to complete what needed to be done, which caused for some chaos. And although there was so much to be done, I let the thanksgiving holiday become my excuse for slacking. It became my place of complacency for a little while.

Last week I woke up to a mess! A mess in my mind of all the things that I now needed to back track and accomplish as a result of my slacking. Then there was the natural mess...my room and studio. Just plain ole' ugly! It often gets that way when I am feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Now I am spending lots of time getting things in order. And after a few days of not having one, I realize that a to-do list is a must to help keep me focused. I am once again on the track to becoming the great multi-tasker that I was at one time!

On My Work Desk:

I am starting to work on a new series of paintings, which I am pretty excited about. The subject matter will be sunsets. Sunsets have been standing out to me lately in a way they have never before. I marvel at the beautiful colors that are present when the sun goes down, and even more at a God that creates the whole scenery!

I have been keeping up with sketching. I have been consistent in doing it everyday. Some are really quick and some are more detailed.

Corner of Gratitude: 

God's vision of me is beautiful!

Pearls of Wisdom: 

"Multitasking arises out of distraction itself."
~ Marilyn vos Savant

As always, thank you for purchasing, reading, commenting, subscribing, and following! Until next post...

Be blessed!

Exo31 Art, LLC Jewelry Return Policy

If you are not satisfied with your jewelry, you may return it for an exchange or credit ONLY. Any item purchased at a retailer other than Exo31 Art, LLC cannot be returned to Exo31 Art, LLC for an exchange or credit. Please contact the retailer your items were purchased from.

• Your exchange or credit must be requested within 7 calendar days of receiving it. Please notify us via email (exo31art@gmail.com) before the return.  Your package must be postmarked within 7 calendar days of receiving it.
• Jewelry must be its original, new, unworn, and undamaged condition to be eligible for exchange or credit. 
• All return shipping charges are the customer's responsibility and cannot be refunded. Please return jewelry in its original package. When shipping please make sure that the container is well padded and ship using UPS or USPS. Shipping insurance is not required, but recommended. Exo31 Art, LLC is not responsible for damages or loss incurred in return shipping.
• Information as to where to return items will be sent in response to your exchange or credit request email.
• Once your jewelry item has been received and examined, your original method of payment will be credited within one week, not including the original or return shipping costs. You will receive an email confirmation of your refund once it is processed.

A Better Plan

About This Piece

This Cherry Blossom winter scarf is made of 100% acrylic fibers (a material perfect for those concerned about hair breakage).  This scarf is open ended and approximately 5 inches wide and approximately six feet long.  

The price of this item is $30 (shipping not included), and please remember that the paypal button under the scarf is ONLY for this Cherry Blossom winter scarf.  There will be posts following with other scarfs available to purchase, and the return policy is the same as that for Exo31 Art, LLC jewelry. If you are looking for other items that are for sale, please hit the for sale label on the left side of this blog. That will bring up all the items that are currently for sale. 

Thought For The Day:

Hurricane Sandy has blown over, and in the span of her arrival and departure, I have been experiencing cabin fever. Yesterday was a total bust! I did nothing…nada…niente…niets…ingenting…rien! Okay, you get the point, it was super unsuccessful!

Today is a different story though! I think I have come up with a good system to clear away the procrastination blues. After all when I get nothing done it is not because I have nothing to do, but because I am putting the inevitable off for another time. Often times that inevitable time is at the last minute, which is no longer acceptable.

From this day forth, I plan to come up with my to do list the night before, and try real hard to make the things listed happen the following day. I won’t put anything on there that is unrealistic, but I do believe that it is important for me to challenge myself.

Today I have done pretty well. I have managed to get almost all of the things that are on my list done today before the five o'clock hour. That is definitely a feat for me! They say that it takes 21 days to create a habit, and this is a habit that I need to form. 

On My Work Desk:

Just getting the brush to the canvas. A practice piece.

Journal Page Of The Day:

I have finally decided to pen down the 33 things I would like to accomplish while 33. As you can see, I am adding things as they come. I am about 5 months late, but who is counting anyway! I still have more than half a year to complete them!

 I am using my little dude to help me with my proportions. 

Pearls Of Wisdom:
"You are now at a crossroads. This is your opportunity to make the most important decision you will ever make. Forget your past. Who are you now? Who have you decided you really are now? Don't think about who you have been. Who are you now? Who have you decided to become? Make this decision consciously. Make it carefully. Make it powerfully."

~ Anthony Robbins

As always, thanks for , reading, purchasing commenting, subscribing and following! Until next post… 
 

Exo31 Art, LLC Jewelry Return Policy

If you are not satisfied with your jewelry, you may return it for an exchange or credit ONLY. Any item purchased at a retailer other than Exo31 Art, LLC cannot be returned to Exo31 Art, LLC for an exchange or credit. Please contact the retailer your items were purchased from.

• Your exchange or credit must be requested within 7 calendar days of receiving it. Please notify us via email (exo31art@gmail.com) before the return.  Your package must be postmarked within 7 calendar days of receiving it.
• Jewelry must be its original, new, unworn, and undamaged condition to be eligible for exchange or credit. 
• All return shipping charges are the customer's responsibility and cannot be refunded. Please return jewelry in its original package. When shipping please make sure that the container is well padded and ship using UPS or USPS. Shipping insurance is not required, but recommended. Exo31 Art, LLC is not responsible for damages or loss incurred in return shipping.
• Information as to where to return items will be sent in response to your exchange or credit request email.
• Once your jewelry item has been received and examined, your original method of payment will be credited within one week, not including the original or return shipping costs. You will receive an email confirmation of your refund once it is processed.

The Press

I have been getting a lot of you asking about these color and pattern/design study paintings. Yes...these are for sale! They are acrylic paintings done on paper, and those depicted above are about 3 inches tall and 5 inches wide (give or take a few centimeters). The cost of the individual panel at the top is $30 (tax and shipping not included) including a basic frame. The buy now button is only for the individual Red/Aqua 3x5 Swirl painting above. There will be posts following with other paintings available to purchase, and the return policy is the same as that for Exo31 Art, LLC jewelry. If you are looking for other items that are for sale, please hit the for sale label on the left side of this blog. That will bring up all the items that are currently for sale.

Thought For The Day:

It sometimes takes a few no's to get to the yes that opens the door to your destiny. It's all about the press! An invention, product, skill or technique that you are convinced needs to be out there becomes the driving force. It's all about the press!

I remember reading an article not too long ago about successful entrepreneurs that did not get a formal education, finish high school or go to college. Remembering the article made me do a little research. It turns out that there are a ton of successful business owners that had very little or no formal education.

Dave Thomas - founder of Wendy's - dropped out of high school
Madam C.J. Walker - inventor of the hot comb - very little formal education & self taught
Frank Lloyd Wright - most influential architect of the 20th century - never attended high school
Benjamin Banaker - inventor of the almanac - no more than an 8th grade education
Charles Culpeper - owner & CEO of Coca Cola - dropped out of high school
Mary Kay Ash - founder of Mary Kay Inc. - never attended college
Issac Merrit Singer - inventor of sewing machine and founder of Singer - elementary school dropout
Marcus Loew - multimillionaire founder of Loews theatres/co-founder of MGM movie studios - elementary school dropout
Milton Hershey - founder of Hershey's milk chocolate - 4th grade education
Abraham Lincoln - lawyer,  U.S President - finished 1 year of formal schooling, self taught in trigonometry, read Blackstone on his own to become a lawyer
Frederick M. Jones - inventor of the air conditioner, mechanically refrigerated truck, and owner of 60 patent - 8th grade education

Not only that, let's take a look at some artists

Andy Wharhol - American pop artist - received a rejection letter from MoMA
Jean Michel Basquiat - American graffiti artist - dropped out of high school at 10th grade
Julie Andrews - Oscar-winning actress, singer, author - dropped out of high school
Louis Armstrong - jazz musician, singer - dropped out of high school
Jane Austen - novelist - attended schools in Oxford, Southampton, and Reading until 11. After she was self taught by her father at home and never  attended college
Josephine Baker - singer, dancer, actress - dropped out of school at 12
Liz Claiborne - fashion designer - never finished high school
Claude Monet - French painter - elementary school dropout
Walt Whitman - best-selling American poet - elementary school dropout
Gloria Vanderbilt - designer-artist, author - dropped out of high school

The list goes on and on. I don't have enough space here or time to list the many that I have found and those that aren't even listed. The bottom line is that they all pressed!

So...the press is on for me! All it takes is one open door to get the ball rolling! Here is to that open door and the ball that will never stop rolling!

Check back soon! Keep reading! Follow and comment! Until next post...

Sketch of The Day:

A pattern design that I am getting into. Can you tell what my inspiration was? There will be paintings coming soon!

Pearls of Wisdom:
"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."
~ Calvin Coolidge

Be blessed!

Exo31 Art, LLC Jewelry Return Policy

If you are not satisfied with your jewelry, you may return it for an exchange or credit ONLY. Any item purchased at a retailer other than Exo31 Art, LLC cannot be returned to Exo31 Art, LLC for an exchange or credit. Please contact the retailer your items were purchased from.

• Your exchange or credit must be requested within 7 calendar days of receiving it. Please notify us via email (exo31art@gmail.com) before the return.  Your package must be postmarked within 7 calendar days of receiving it.
• Jewelry must be its original, new, unworn, and undamaged condition to be eligible for exchange or credit. 
• All return shipping charges are the customer's responsibility and cannot be refunded. Please return jewelry in its original package. When shipping please make sure that the container is well padded and ship using UPS or USPS. Shipping insurance is not required, but recommended. Exo31 Art, LLC is not responsible for damages or loss incurred in return shipping.
• Information as to where to return items will be sent in response to your exchange or credit request email.
• Once your jewelry item has been received and examined, your original method of payment will be credited within one week, not including the original or return shipping costs. You will receive an email confirmation of your refund once it is processed.

Grateful

I woke up yesterday, and did my normal routine. Then I decided to watch a clip of a show on MTV's "Real Life" called "Losing My Sight". The young folks featured were all born with sight, but for various reasons (accidents & generic diseases), their sight was declining to blindness.

My thought..."WOW! Amongst all of the things that I complain about, I still have my sight. I can still see the brilliant creations of our CREATOR! Who am I to complain?" I immediately got to work! I stretched a canvas before getting in a good word from the house of God.

The world calls this day...Thanksgiving Day! And today, I thought it was only appropriate to let God know just how grateful I am to Him by doing exactly what HE created me for.

Here goes the start of a new painting folks.


It's stretched and primed!

Pearls of Wisdom:
Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.
~Brian Tracy



Be blessed!

#6 - The Other Side of The Tracks

I came back from a mini (and I do mean mini) vacation on Monday, and just couldn’t seem to get my bearings straight to paint or blog. I started to catch up on Tuesday with the painting, and just now getting to update you all on what has been going down!

Today’s painting (or more like this weeks painting at this point) is about an area in Philly (6th & American) that used to be thriving warehouses. There are still some up and running, but the majority of them have been closed and abandoned for quite some time.

There is something funny and actually baffling about cities. One street is obviously affluent, and the next block is the total opposite. And I don't care what city you are in...every city has an area such as this. I understand that there is such a thing called gentrification, but really…just less than a hundred yards from one home to the next things look so drastically different? It raises more than a few questions, which I won't go into due to the sake of time (feel free to post your comments).

So I have taken a little bit more of a laid back approach with this painting. I am more of a perfectionist and detail oriented (most of the time), but I will be trying to get loose for the next few paintings.



There you have it folks!!! I must get my beauty rest to get going on my purpose all over again tomorrow!!!

Pearls of Wisdom:
Coming generations will learn equality from poverty, and love from woes.
~Khalil Gibran

Be blessed!!

#5 - Bridges of Life

I was slapped in the face by a reality today concerning this project. I was telling a dear sister friend about my plans for this project, which includes of course painting and blogging on a daily basis. No sooner than she stated something like, "Whew that is a lot!" did I think to myself, "I've put the cart before the horse again!"

I reassured her (really myself...lol) that it wasn't an option for me not to do. I have started and stopped so many times that if my life depended on it I would be on a "cooling board". I explained that if a woman who is a wife, mother and career woman can manage to blog daily, so could I.

So here I am attempting to make this thing work! I will paint 365 paintings about the city of Philadelphia, even if it means that it takes me 400 days. I am determined! I wasn't nicknamed tenacious years ago for nothing!!!

Anywho...today's painting subject is the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. I don't have a history on the bridge for you today, although there is much history to be given I am sure.

A bridge by definition is a structure spanning and providing passage over a river, chasm, road, or the like, and a connecting, transitional, or intermediate route or phrase between two adjacent elements, activities, conditions, or the like.

As I read the definition, I thought about life and all of its intricacies. I thought about experiences of the past and how they connect me to my future. I thought about relationships of old and how they make a path for those of new. I thought about how past failed business ventures made way for the success of those businesses I am supposed to have. I thought about financial woes from back in the day that made it possible for me to know that GOD always makes a way. I thought about my sometimes wretched mistakes that helped me to blossom into the woman GOD has me today.

All in all, I understand that there is a purpose for the bridges in life. There are purposes for those things that link you from one journey in life to another. I thank GOD for the bridges, and the people that help make getting over the bridge a smoother process.

For this piece I did a bit of collage at the top. I used tissue paper ripped in strips to create my rendition of the sky at sunset. I decided to use modge podge to secure the tissue paper to the canvas, and painted the image of the bridge on top.



So, there you have it good people! I pray your day was fabulous, and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Pearls of Wisdom:
Do what you know how to do best! The rest, leave for others to do what they do best!!!

Be blessed!

The Philadelphia Mural Arts Program

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of hanging out in the city with a few friends. We met up at a central location, and that central location happened to be next door to the Philadelphia Senior Center at 729 S. 12th Street, where an pretty cool mural resides.

It wasn't hard to figure out that the mural was part of the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, a Program that has been around since 1984. As I began to do a little bit of research, I found that the Program started off as the Anti Graffiti Network. A Network that tried to redirect the destructive mindset of graffiti artists into a constructive mindset by painting murals that various communities in the city could appreciate.

To date, there are over 3,000 murals that have been produced since the Program has started. Not only does the Program beautify the city, but it also gives back to the community by offering art educational programs to local prisons and rehabilitation centers. In addition, they offer job and community service opportunities for those that are re-entering society after being released from prison.

Since I am intrigued by so many of the murals done by artists that collaborate with the Program, I decided to include some of them in my paintings. As stated before, the mural was done at the Philadelphia Senior Center. It was started in September of 2006 by Henry Bermudez and Michelle Ortiz, and finished in May of 2008.


The entire Mural


A section that intrigued me






The Mural Arts Program is truly a great Program! I suggest if you haven't taken the time to go on one of their tours, that you do so immediately! You will learn about the community that surrounds you and perhaps about yourself!

Pearls of Wisdom:
How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.
~George Washington Carver

Take the time today to be compassionate. It is only by the grace of GOD that we too are not in the same predicament.

Be blessed!

#2 - The City of Brotherly Love

The great city of Philadelphia was deemed the City of Brotherly love by William Penn a little over a century ago (in the 1890's) after the Greek word philos, which means brotherly love. The city may not always live up to its lovely nickname these days, but I am a loving type of person. So I decided to do a painting of the Love sculpture by Robert Indiana in JFK Plaza that gave the Plaza it's famous Love Park nickname.

I speak highly of journaling and writing, and do a lot of it. As I have explained before, it is a space where I am able to be completely me with GOD and provides a safe arena for me to think creatively.

With this painting, I decided to use love letters that I have written as the backdrop. Yes, I am the mushy type who writes love letters to my mate. The mate that is not yet here, but thought of often.

I used glossy Modge Podge to lay the letters down, and to give me the glossy finish I was looking for. I then did a matte paint to paint the actual love scultpure and a permanent pen to write on the sides of the canvas.


There you have it folks! I pray you enjoy this. I will be posting during the week and taking a break during the weekend.

Pearls of Wisdom:
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
~Lao Tzu

Be blessed!

Teapot 2

I was super spent after getting home at about 2am on Tuesday morning. I was spending time singing in worship to the LORD with some friends of mine.

However, I knew that I needed to get some more done on this project, and below is where I have gotten so far. In the last post I did some outlining of the design. This go round, I painted the outline, and mapped out some other embellishments to add to make the pot more interesting, all of which I will show in the next post.

Phase 2: The painting of the outline

In the next post, you will see the embellishments that I came up with to add. Until then, have a blessed day!!

Pearls of Wisdom:

"In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins; not through strength, but through persistence." ~Author Unknown

Be blessed!

Teapot

The teapot that I spoke of last week is coming along quite well.

Last week I got the chance to outline my design on the teapot and started to paint the design. The design that I decided to go with is a modified paisley. It doesn't look so paisley at the moment, but by the time I finish putting on the smaller details it will.

The gold color that I decided to use is proving to be a great color. It is looking like it will pop off of the purple quite well.

Stage I: Outlining the design

I will be posting again quite soon to keep you updated! Until then, have a great day!!!

Pearls of Wisdom:

"Permanence, perseverance, and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragement, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak." ~Thomas Carlyle

Be blessed!!!

Cleaning House

Last week, I took the time to clean some necessary house!!! I don't really like to admit this, but I hadn't been in my studio for like 6 months prior to last week. I go through spells where I feel like I just need to spend time working at my work desk in my room. And when I do this, my studio gets totally neglected.

So last week I started the massive cleaning, which included spiderwebs, and lots of dead cricket parts. It wasn't really something that I wanted to do off hand. I tend to do almost all of my painting (especially larger projects) in my studio. Since I have been asked to do a project that will take place later this month, I was forced to get in the groove and get in the studio. Once I get into the swing of things, I really enjoy being there. I actually look forward to being there.

The project that I have been asked to do is for a tea for a Co-Pastor of a church in Harrisburg. My aunt commissioned me to paint a teapot, but gave me free reign as to the design. I decided to use colors that signify royalty (purple and gold) for the pot and a blue-grey background color.

Here is what I have come up with so far. I will be doing the design tonight and hopefully finishing this piece come the end of the week.


The beginning of what may be an elaborate pot

Stay tuned to see the final outcome. I may be doing a bit more posting this week in order for you all to see the progress of the project. Caio until next time!!!

Pearls of Wisdom:
Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness. ~Martin Luther King Jr.

Be blessed!

A New Start!

Wow...it has been almost 4 months since I last posted! However, while I have not been updating, I have been busy as a bee working.

From here on out, I am going to be more vigilant about posting. I know, I know...I have said that before, but I am in a place where I am holding up to my words. Now in order for me to do so, I won't be doing so much writing, but displaying more of my work.

So...here goes folks! This is a new series that I am working on that has everything to do with color and pattern.

Enjoy and as always, your comments are welcome!

Pearls of Wisdom

Motivation happens when you least expect it. Welcome it with open arms and be prepared to go with its movement!

Be Blessed!

In The Studio

Last week was an extremely productive week. I was able to set aside my previous hang ups about getting into the studio and literally attack my work head on.

While at the last Joose meeting (last week's Wednesday Whoop) I realized that there may have been several things keeping me out of the studio. One being the clutter in parts of my studio, two not having my own space, but the biggest speed bump of them all being my frame of thought. My frame of mind about my work, and warped feeling about my studio.

It almost felt like my enemy...the space that was holding up my creative process. When I got there, nothing would come, and I do mean nothing. No, let's get back to before I got to the space. How about it was hard for me to even get to the space.

So, I took the advice of some of my fellow artist friends. They had some good pointers. I just needed to be in the space. In fact, that may have been the very thing that was holding me back. Not doing! Who would have thought that not doing is what was causing me so much heartache and lack of creativity?

As a result of our conversation, the studio and I have been constant companions in the last few weeks. I now love the feeling I get when I am there. All else doesn't matter in that space. It is just me, my tools, my imagination, and emotions that create wonderful pieces of art work. Thank GOD!

Here is a new series that I am in the process of starting. It is somewhat of a color study, but more about process. Enjoy!

Pearl of Wisdom!

Be not weary in well doing! GOD in heaven can do anything!

Be blessed!