Knee Deep in Mixed Media Art!

In case you don't hear from me, please come looking....I'm knee deep in all sorts of artsy goodness lately! I'm almost afraid of being buried alive under a pile of canvases that I have going right now!
Here's a little preview of what I have going on....

I'm anxiously awaiting the issue of my first time being published in the July/August Somerset Studio. The project is an 8 artist collaboration I participated in earlier this year. You can see a little blurb that I wrote with this first image. Guess what part of the canvas I did for this project??? To read more, please check out the next issue. You can see additional sneak peaks HERE. Also, I'm have a little blurb in the next issue of Cloth Paper Scissors! I wrote a bit about a project that the Carolina Mixed Media Guild held this Spring called the M4 project. Check out the Muse Flash in this issue to read about the fun you can have when you explore with collage, assemblage, and the wind at your creative back.

These Sweet Pastel HeARTs are samples from a BIG project I'm working on and will be working on throughout the summer. LOTS of work, but also lots of fun. I have an order for 130 of these mini 2 x4's and 17 6 x8s for a wedding reception. Ultra cool, huh?? I will be adding names of the guests on the mini heARTS; and table names on the bigger versions. Yikes. What an undertaking but I'm grateful for the opportunity!
I'll be listing some of the samples on Etsy soon....so stay tuned!

This sweet little Fairy will be traveling to a new home, as part of a swap I recently did. I'm having a hard time giving her up..LOL! I don't do a lot of people right now but I'd love to explore this avenue more this year. Perhaps something to work on for the latter half of the year.
In addition to all this, I'm preparing to add on 2 more galleries to my resume this summer. I'm super excited about this as I'm hoping down the road to have items in enough galleries that I will have a regular round of income coming in and be able to switch out items with all of my venues so I don't have to sweat so much when I get new opportunities!!

As if this wasn't enough, as many of you may know....I'm working on an online workshop (Fun with Faux Encaustics) that will commence July 15th over on Creative Workshops ning network which is hosted by the uber talented Gail Schmidt. This is a HUGE undertaking for me as it not only is my first offering to teach, but it's my first attempt to videotape anything. It's a challenge I'm up for though and you won't be disappointed. There are tons of things to learn throughout the videos and instructions that I give. The class itself is suitable for a beginner as well as a more experienced artist...here..take a look at some of the samples I have created for the class. They are about 80% done....check out my workshop to learn how to create a mock encaustic look using paint, collage, drawing tools, and gel mediums!

In between all this craziness this summer, I will be working on a new monthly class I will be hosting locally over at Swank Coffee Shop in Southern Pines, NC starting in August! These will be short classes but fun and informative for everyone! AFFORDABLE, too! I want everyone to feel like they can create from within, with just a little practice, guidance, and a whole lot of imagination.
This year has truly been incredible. I really feel that my goal of going full time is within my reach. I almost don't have time for my day job any more...lol. On top of all the projects I just mentioned, I'm also fitting in a few custom orders for some people that have met me locally thanks to the Springfest arts and crafts fair I did back in April. One of the orders is another BIG project so I'm siked about that!


Lots of artsy goodness going on. I'm incredibly blessed and incredibly stressed..lol :) I'll try not to think of the stress part, I tend to work myself up more than I need to because I want to do it all and do it all 150% of the way. I will be going on vacation in the next couple of weeks back home. I hope my Mom doesn't mind me bringing my art supplies with me...lol. I have too much going on to leave things for a week! I definitely need a break though and my boys deserve a little fun time, too. They've been so supportive of my endeavors, I don't want to make them think my art is more important than them.

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I hope your creative life is treating you well....what good things do you have going on?? Are you taking a vacation this summer? If so, where are you going??