"baby elsie"

5 x 7 oil on panel

moo.

"dragonfly"

5 x 7 oil on panel

"this dragonfly came up to me. he was hovering right in front of my face

 and i was really examining him, thinking, 

how does he see me? i became enlightened."

ziggy marley

"bowl full of cherries"

12 x 12 oil on canvas

"peace out"

a little spot mural for a groovy girl named alexa.

"zeke and zoe"

8x10 acrylic on paper

meet zeke and zoe lovebird. 

they've been inseparable since the day they met and no matter which one you ask they'll tell you it was love at first sight.

"take out"

 -art print on matte paper-

10x7.5

art prints are now available now in my etsy store

click here to purchase

"suggestion box"

i love the idea of a suggestion box... 

it's a wonderful gathering of ideas and a great way to find out exactly what people think. people's suggestions could lead to more doors opening and bigger pay-offs. 

which brings me to my pondering as of late... the "here's what you should paint" suggestion box. i love when people offer suggestions about what i should paint. i love that they are interested. i love that their creative juices are flowing and i love that they feel a connection enough to offer up a suggestion.

i hear and love every valuable input, but here's the deal...  for every person there is a completely different suggestion.  one thinks i should paint only animals, another thinks i should go more painterly and abstract, another thinks i should target the market and only paint only what people would "buy".

what i've really noticed is that most people tend to offer up suggestions that lean towards their artistic aesthetic. my best friend loves hearts so she wants me to paint more hearts... you get the idea. 

you know that old saying 'you can't please all the people all the time?'

well it's true, and if you try you will end up driving yourself crazy.

i made the decision a long time ago to lovingly mull over everybody's suggestions but ultimately please myself as an artist. creativity flows from inspiration. i have a vision. i have an artistic voice. it's mine and mine alone and my greatest fulfillment comes when i stay true to it.

but don't get me wrong... i would never want the people in my life to stop making suggestions. because you never know... that suggestion to paint a heart could ignite the spark that leads to my greatest masterpiece. :)

for brooke. happy birthday!

"lips"

48 x 24 oil on canvas

recently i felt inspired to try something a little different...

something a little edgier, a little moodier.

what do you think?

the canvas is big and has a very strong presence that i love.

the women are friends of mine and the scene was patched together from pictures that i took from a recent night out.

and because it's the first question everyone seems to ask...

yes, they are in a limo. 

"allie in wonderland"

a sneak peek into allie's room...

working on a really cool whimsical mural for a beautiful free-spirit named allie.

"classic"

16 x 16 oil on canvas

i have been driving myself crazy trying to get the photograph of this piece to exactly represent the painting. the colors are even softer and prettier in real life...   oh well, every painting looks better in person.

classic.

are you an "artist"?

recently i read an article musing over the question, when does one officially become an "artist"? i laughed to myself and thought... i was just born this way. :)

do you earn the title when you sell something?  yes. that would do it, but i believe my children are artists and they have never sold a thing. i have sold many pieces and yet still question if  i deserve the title... yes, it's what i do for a living and yes, i do believe i make art, but am i an "artist"?

that's why when people ask me what i do for a living i say, "i paint." 

the few times i have said, "i am an artist" the next question is "where can i see your work?" or "what gallery are you in?"  or my personal favorite... "where do you hang?"

does one have to hang in a gallery to be an artist?!? 

absolutely not.

one simply has to create art. 

if you have ever written a poem, played the drums, decorated a room, had a child... you are an artist.

we are all artists. what we do with that title is up to us.

"all natural"

16 x16 oil on canvas

...it's about the only thing left in boca that is.

just kidding. :) anyway, i love how this piece turned out. it really speaks to my vision as an artist... 

realistic, simplistic and colorful.