tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8966016049673202452024-03-13T23:22:12.135-07:00Artsy JourneysDig deep into your artsy, creative side and join me as we share tips and ideas for beginning and continuing your art journeys down new or different (yet always exciting!) art avenue!M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-31332502849692692872015-12-02T15:08:00.000-08:002015-12-02T15:08:29.567-08:00Eco printing on silk<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://mtheresabrown.blogspot.com/2015/12/eco-printing-alpacas-and-time-travel.html">Eco printing, alpacas and time travel</a>
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What? It's December? When did that happen? :-)<br />
I have run through 2 months of combining silk work and portraits and December simply brings a bit of panic into it!<br />
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I dug into the eco printing and have had some gorgeous results!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JgTx1XgG2rI/Vl9yXh3XTRI/AAAAAAAA69Q/t7ojsgEw6NQ/s1600/PhotoGrid_1449003846795.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JgTx1XgG2rI/Vl9yXh3XTRI/AAAAAAAA69Q/t7ojsgEw6NQ/s320/PhotoGrid_1449003846795.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Various kinds of eucalyptus</td></tr>
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It takes practice but in the end...the thrill (yes it is) is in not knowing what you'll create!<br />
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But knowing that I'm printing Nature's colors exclusively is another appeal to this art form.<br />
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I spent 10 days in October at the NC State Fair as the silk artist in the <a href="http://villageofyesteryear.com/locate-us/craftsmen-by-craft/silk-designs---theresa.html" target="_blank">Village of Yesteryear</a> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-76NGfNyzdH4/Vl90FX3z_II/AAAAAAAA69c/fee2z0OFoAI/s1600/20151124_082736_resized.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-76NGfNyzdH4/Vl90FX3z_II/AAAAAAAA69c/fee2z0OFoAI/s320/20151124_082736_resized.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">rose leaves from Seven Sisters</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LK1k3xCPrRw/Vl9yPWNmW5I/AAAAAAAA69I/tb2v_Mi66nE/s1600/PhotoGrid_1449014931011.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LK1k3xCPrRw/Vl9yPWNmW5I/AAAAAAAA69I/tb2v_Mi66nE/s320/PhotoGrid_1449014931011.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heirloom roses and pineapple sage</td></tr>
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and although it was tiring with daily 12 hour days, I met SO many people
who were happy to add a scarf to their handmade collections!<br />
November seems to have dissipated and I don't know where it went to. I
do know that I am on a borrowed computer as mine bit the dust (although
Best Buy is determined to make it work since it is under warranty) and I
had no idea how many of my photos were on the other computer. Luckily I
have Carbonite backup but having to make temporary folders to store
work is time consuming.<br />
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I'll pop some portraits up in my next post...seems odd to mix them with the silk. :-)<br />
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Oh and I must add one more image....Bella! The newest member and a
future supplier of fiber for adding some roving into some of my silk!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meet Bella!</td></tr>
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-88835676481804892882015-08-26T08:02:00.000-07:002015-08-26T08:02:15.986-07:00DIY hanging rack from a baby crib!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking off the pegged top piece on rail</td></tr>
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As professional artists, we have 2 art studios on our property. The larger one is big, beautiful and built from a torn down 1910 house!<br />
Our smaller one is my "cabin in the woods" and was a tired 10 x 20 storage building that we renovated for additional room in our ever expanding art business! <br />
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So in my small Art studio that I use for my silk making, I needed a place to hang my scarves while I worked on them. I use an outside clothesline which is perfect for drying. But in between some stages of my techniques, I needed a place to gently hang silk without folding it or dropping it on the floor :-)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crib rail hinged to wood attached to wall.</td></tr>
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The solution came in the form of parts of a free baby crib! Used cribs can be found at yard sales for next to nothing and the sides can be used for any number of creative projects!<br />
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My idea was to attach hinges to the bottom , attach it to the wall of my small studio and have it fold down from the top. When in use, the lightweight chains would let me lower it to pretty much any height I wanted. I did not want it level, just out a foot or so from the top of the wall. When not in use, it folds back up to the wall and hooks with regular latch hooks :-)<br />
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Small chain, latches and hinges are easily found in any hardware store!<br />
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A little paint on the wood the piece is hinged to will make it look finished :-)<br />
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As you can see, the lightweight silk dangles easily from the rack away from the wall. It could be closed as well if I choose.<br />
A perfect solution for everything from fabric to paper to your laundry room.<br />
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Raise the chains higher if heavier items will be hung. The ceiling is barn style so hanging this from the ceiling where the lights are was not an option-too high and the lights were in the way so this "Murphy style" rack was the perfect solution!<br />
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An easy DIY project accomplished is an hour or less.</div>
M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0Franklinton, NC 27525, USA36.1018163 -78.45805430000001536.076157800000004 -78.498394800000014 36.1274748 -78.417713800000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-77615020871754027302015-08-09T06:58:00.000-07:002015-08-09T06:58:23.067-07:00Kids Learning to Play like Kids! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Kids Learning to Play like Kids!
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I take my
childhood for granted. But now I know that I, and my peers, were oh so
fortunate to have grown up in the years that we did! These were the
years where kids played outside all day, came home when all the
neighborhood moms stood on the porches and stoops and called us
in.....where we climbed trees, ran for the sheer joy of it, picked
berries, built forts and our water parks were wading pools and water
hoses!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I re-create part
of that in my art summer camps. And the kids have a ball! It is
different because the kids work with art, outdoor play and critical
thinking skills....and through it all I expect the grouped ages of 7-17
to work, play and create together. And they do!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Coming to our 2
art studios out in the country-both are our professional ones- in itself
is an adventure. Being free to run at will outdoors down the secret
paths of the maze, climb the maple and pecan trees, and in general, be
kids, is actually a new experience for many of the students. But by day
2, they are enjoying the freedom of outside activities and that pumps
up their creative processes!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Collage 1</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the ponies</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lunch tree</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Without a doubt the favorite tree!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I hope to add
more camps next summer-it's definitely something I have to bring in
extra help as the camps can have up to 14 participants. Many are
repeaters. Many are so improved by the 3rd day of camp-both artistically
and physically! (who knew climbing trees was so hard?) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So add to that
mix-getting wet, dirty, loved by dogs, ignored by chickens (but
collecting the eggs is fun!) running the secret trails....and you have
the incredible experience that I so took for granted as a kid...(thanks
Mom and Dad for letting me be a free range kid and artist!)</span><br />
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-61521536433155467972015-05-14T15:48:00.000-07:002015-05-14T16:10:54.435-07:00DIY studio renovation!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Things are moving along with my "cabin in the woods!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you have been following me, you'll know that I have been renovating a 12 x 20 shed and turning it into a second art studio. It's been taking a few months but bit by bit the big things get done, then the little things :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below are some "in progress" photos of the north end of the building. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The deck going in.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is the plain jane studio in the making.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the back ground is the large studio-our workhorse location. In this one I have begun to move all the dyes, paints and supplies related to my silk designs</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Deck being built.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We re-purposed a used 6' sliding door for the north end of the studio!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 6' sliding door going in</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And now, with the deck completed, we can enjoy an beautiful extension of our studio and work on it even as we complete some minor details inside! Hubby has wasted no time...not have our dogs!</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jjw0IhqFwQY/VVUitUFaQFI/AAAAAAAAz4U/_Fd8KlVGKYM/s1600/11150149_10205003789069554_4605952278301801740_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jjw0IhqFwQY/VVUitUFaQFI/AAAAAAAAz4U/_Fd8KlVGKYM/s640/11150149_10205003789069554_4605952278301801740_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Notice the wild roses along our pasture fence add screening and privacy...not that we really need it on our mini-farm but it is perfect for an artist's studio! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">heading out to the office takes on a whole new concept for me when this is one of my offices!</span><br />
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-31337883017036183162015-04-19T13:29:00.000-07:002015-04-19T13:29:23.190-07:00Murals on Kitchen Cabinets<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Painting murals is not new to me. From my teens on up, I have painted scenes on walls, doors, commercial window displays and traveling circus trailers. (really!)<br />
Sometime it can go faster than painting the same thing on canvas that same size. Don't ask me why. it just does.<br />
If you have followed my "cabin in the woods" renovation you'll know that my building came with cabinets recycled from a 1950's kitchen. The wood was that hard to find solid "thwunk" type wood found in your grandma's kitchen. And it also meant it came with that dark varnished look so popular once upon a time!<br />
I removed the doors...sanded them, then painted them...more than once, with white primer.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nT1rC-whD64/VTPHSTfbWEI/AAAAAAAAzzY/5AM6ogNUTRE/s1600/17120_10204794437595898_2323344763152125965_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nT1rC-whD64/VTPHSTfbWEI/AAAAAAAAzzY/5AM6ogNUTRE/s1600/17120_10204794437595898_2323344763152125965_n.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White doors with a mural on panel below it that I painted a few years ago</td></tr>
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White walls, white ceilings, white cabinets. Something had to change before I started moving my art supplies into it.<br />
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I went to my computer and pulling from my folder of "random traveling photos" that I accumulate for ideas, I thought.....actually I knew what I would do if I went one of two ways-mountains. Or beach. I settled on mountains :-)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FgZUkCT6_YQ/VTPQyNw3MvI/AAAAAAAAzzo/zjVAIsav5YA/s1600/MURAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FgZUkCT6_YQ/VTPQyNw3MvI/AAAAAAAAzzo/zjVAIsav5YA/s1600/MURAL.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sequence of steps<br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I painted in the sky, added the clouds and then started the background. It's a whole lot easier to add the foreground <u>after </u>the background is completed. Otherwise you will try to paint around a tree or around the leaves and it doesn't work.....at this point I tossed the pencil and just started winging it. Take a look :-)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5IbMBu8xqqg/VTPRMh5ObkI/AAAAAAAAzz8/tH37XIt0TEM/s1600/11141372_10204832484867056_7055605324082888349_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5IbMBu8xqqg/VTPRMh5ObkI/AAAAAAAAzz8/tH37XIt0TEM/s1600/11141372_10204832484867056_7055605324082888349_n.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adding Mountains and tree details</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can see where this is headed as I added the mountains.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At this point I had to decide what to do with the section to the far right. These cabinets are a little over 12 feet long and 4 ft high.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My plan is to add a sink under the shorter cabinets when I eventually get the water running to the studio.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can just see where I added a white path to the far right.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's a closer look at the left side below</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RqgyStVm9WI/VTQMdDGW2wI/AAAAAAAAz0Y/losJK_4fxHw/s1600/Adding%2BFlowers%2Band%2BDetails.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RqgyStVm9WI/VTQMdDGW2wI/AAAAAAAAz0Y/losJK_4fxHw/s1600/Adding%2BFlowers%2Band%2BDetails.jpg" height="294" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bringing in a middle ground and foreground</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A friend sent me some stunning photos of texas bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes and I had my plan for the right hand side!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b0utgRwvnO8/VTQNNmDuDpI/AAAAAAAAz0k/WppzwyCCgLo/s1600/11168095_10204840942358488_483686504353025019_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b0utgRwvnO8/VTQNNmDuDpI/AAAAAAAAz0k/WppzwyCCgLo/s1600/11168095_10204840942358488_483686504353025019_n.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See what's been added!<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RhaH0XcHjiQ/VTQNNYwfrtI/AAAAAAAAz0g/LZh2BRGEHQM/s1600/11150376_10204840942918502_1933450196471952314_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RhaH0XcHjiQ/VTQNNYwfrtI/AAAAAAAAz0g/LZh2BRGEHQM/s1600/11150376_10204840942918502_1933450196471952314_n.jpg" height="310" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DONE!</td></tr>
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So there you have it-a soothing mountain view with birds, flowers....forgot the butterflies but hey I can add them later :-) So be brave-paint a door panel, closet doors, kitchen cabinets or anything else that strikes your fancy! And it you want to take it with you at some later date, just paint it on some lightweight plywood (birch is good) and screw it to the surface.<br />
Go paint!</div>
M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-33628472173859648392015-04-08T08:26:00.000-07:002015-04-08T08:26:17.782-07:0050 Shades of Green<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gray landscapes...even when the sun comes out the many shades of gray that form my vision of winter, linger. The first spring flowers and the early blooming Bradford pear trees pop out to brighten the landscape but their background is still gray. Then, as if overnight, the barren landscape turns into very subtle shades of green. At first it's just a filmy green; Like someone placed a green filter over a black and white landscape. Then it becomes more and more obvious-almost as if the dark shades are being absorbed into the softer greens. And that is what it is-soft gray greens at first. Fifty shades of green.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Within a week, the maple "helicopters' are dangling from the trees and the honeysuckle leaves are opening.....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and then everything begins to announce that it is April in North Carolina and time to renew that glorious feeling that only comes with Spring!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PD9lFeoRDLw/VSUh35R8I0I/AAAAAAAAzx8/zpJIGLQACys/s1600/10380751_10204766315972875_49993646381279731_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PD9lFeoRDLw/VSUh35R8I0I/AAAAAAAAzx8/zpJIGLQACys/s1600/10380751_10204766315972875_49993646381279731_n.jpg" height="400" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crab apple tree</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fGgtF0NRpPk/VSVH72O8UEI/AAAAAAAAzyU/a0TyFPvCSBo/s1600/DSC_0552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fGgtF0NRpPk/VSVH72O8UEI/AAAAAAAAzyU/a0TyFPvCSBo/s1600/DSC_0552.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring plowing and 50 shades of green</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vSOhgzzjtRM/VSVIG_M_jUI/AAAAAAAAzyc/oZCrjnkVe2Q/s1600/IMAG1742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vSOhgzzjtRM/VSVIG_M_jUI/AAAAAAAAzyc/oZCrjnkVe2Q/s1600/IMAG1742.jpg" height="320" width="254" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maple Tree seeds</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XAr4kcKFClw/VSUh3zVkq_I/AAAAAAAAzyA/i-hkICYE1rk/s1600/10665777_10204766316532889_5485186585987895937_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XAr4kcKFClw/VSUh3zVkq_I/AAAAAAAAzyA/i-hkICYE1rk/s1600/10665777_10204766316532889_5485186585987895937_n.jpg" height="400" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wild dogwood under the sycamore<br /></td></tr>
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-76743144477414501552015-03-22T11:54:00.000-07:002015-03-22T11:54:34.952-07:00Wiz kid artist stuns my art class! :-)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Wet into wet painting techniques and the results!</h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first class ever using the wet into wet oil painting technique was March 21 at the<a href="http://www.vgcc.edu/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Vance Granville Community College!</a> Under the category of Personal Enrichment, </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 5 intrepid painters created some amazing art.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I brought along my assistant-10 year old Alex who embraced the Bob Ross techniques last year by recording hours of video after his mother took away his Electronic time-what a great move by mom! And then he began to paint!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; padding: 4px; position: relative; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IAxOS0uaLRY/VQ70Df0e8lI/AAAAAAAAzwU/4Z_FoUm1jn8/s1600/Alex%2Bnext%2Bto%2Bhis%2Bpaintings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IAxOS0uaLRY/VQ70Df0e8lI/AAAAAAAAzwU/4Z_FoUm1jn8/s1600/Alex%2Bnext%2Bto%2Bhis%2Bpaintings.jpg" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11.8800001144409px; text-align: center;">Alex with a few of his many beautiful paintings!</td></tr>
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</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Children will naturally turn to creativity when the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">TV, electronic games and cell phones are removed-</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">all to everyone's benefit!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From 12-5, the class stayed in the art zone and we had a great time! We practice wet into wet with acrylics as well but you have to paint faster. It was easy to take a snack break in the middle of the workshop as oil will not dry for days.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll let the photos do the talking!</span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; padding: 4px; position: relative;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O0FyFCH2Po0/VQ71TxzStqI/AAAAAAAAzwg/R_tBz_oZLuE/s1600/Finished%2Bptgs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O0FyFCH2Po0/VQ71TxzStqI/AAAAAAAAzwg/R_tBz_oZLuE/s1600/Finished%2Bptgs.jpg" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11.8800001144409px; text-align: center;">collage of the finished paintings</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This class introduced the use of a palette knife, letting wet paint blend into wet to create particular effects...and of course the sky is the limit when it comes to taking what they have learned and use the same techniques on a myriad of subjects!</span><br /><div style="text-align: right;">
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<br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next similar class is<a href="http://www.vgcc.edu/Forms/conedRegistrationform.cfm?recNo=400" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> April 17 from 12-5.</a></span><br /><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; padding: 4px; position: relative;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_Eg8rez3q8/VQ8IQwR-MaI/AAAAAAAAzww/_51w8Ehft2o/s1600/20150321_135450_resized_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_Eg8rez3q8/VQ8IQwR-MaI/AAAAAAAAzww/_51w8Ehft2o/s1600/20150321_135450_resized_resized.jpg" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11.8800001144409px; text-align: center;">I encourage photographing the steps</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2UyBVDhp9Jk/VQ8IUJGMfxI/AAAAAAAAzw4/wBYPXzIczSQ/s1600/20150321_141002_resized_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2UyBVDhp9Jk/VQ8IUJGMfxI/AAAAAAAAzw4/wBYPXzIczSQ/s1600/20150321_141002_resized_resized.jpg" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11.8800001144409px; text-align: center;">Learning to use the palette knife</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p6HveaAIwpo/VQ8ImXBZhuI/AAAAAAAAzxA/lvNWPnpbxBQ/s1600/20150321_150230_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p6HveaAIwpo/VQ8ImXBZhuI/AAAAAAAAzxA/lvNWPnpbxBQ/s1600/20150321_150230_resized.jpg" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11.8800001144409px; text-align: center;">Laying in the background<br /></td></tr>
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0Henderson, NC, USA36.3295905 -78.399163836.227252 -78.5605253 36.431929000000004 -78.2378023tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-61801081245222302042015-03-19T07:37:00.000-07:002015-03-19T04:43:41.622-07:00Going to the Dogs. My artistic journey!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Going to the dogs...artistically!</h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After finishing up 2 weekends...long weekends..... of shows, I found myself going to the dogs. On my easel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I already live with 5 dogs and with a background that once encompassed dog shows, dog training and pet boarding (with a 100 run kennel no less!) I find it as easy to return to a life with dogs as I do with horses :-) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our pets occupy a special place in our hearts and it's easy to see why my collectors love to have portraits of these special families members created. And I have created hundreds...perhaps thousands, over the years! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At these last two shows I created Jack Russell Terriers and a Corgi puppy. Both are two of the most popular pups at the horse shows although I am seeing more and more mixed breeds-a nod to the efforts of dog and horse rescue groups that work hard and diligent to place their charges in the best homes possible! The "Tiny Urls" take you to my Etsy store where you can see these much larger!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All 3 are available as originals, for purchase :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Going to the Dogs is a special place I think. When it comes to your canine companions, every day is a good day! And that is a nice place to be :-)</span><br />
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0Franklinton, NC 27525, USA36.1018163 -78.45805430000001536.076157800000004 -78.498394800000014 36.1274748 -78.417713800000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-42875591161485178362015-03-13T04:14:00.000-07:002015-03-13T04:14:21.643-07:00Artsy Duplication<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Since I am heading out the door I am unabashedly copying my blog from "MTheresaBrown" so that I can keep you updated! It's just Artsy Duplication!</h3>
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<a href="http://mtheresabrown.blogspot.com/2015/03/art-studios-landscaping-and-chickens.html" style="color: #6c91ce; text-decoration: none;">Art studios, landscaping and chickens...</a></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally! Warmer weather! My poor ponies have a sea of dried mud around their run-in shed that will again turn to mush with the upcoming expected rains but MAYBE there will be a week with no rain, snow or mix after that! </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hqacKlC1EYs/VQLDXbcwdhI/AAAAAAAAzZU/RkIjl4Jbiss/s1600/10885103_10204568496867521_1126534336657192823_n%2B(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #6c91ce; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hqacKlC1EYs/VQLDXbcwdhI/AAAAAAAAzZU/RkIjl4Jbiss/s1600/10885103_10204568496867521_1126534336657192823_n%2B(1).jpg" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So the renovation on the small studio is drawing to a foreseeable end...at least the walls are painted-white. I cannot bear the thought of anymore interior darkness! Hubby Steve is putting in the work counter...same height as a bar-that could be nice too!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been doing some raking and semi-landscaping. What that really means is that there was wire along the edges of the pasture fence that the pretty vinca flower vines had grown through and covered so I have actually had to use a pick ax, short and long handled pruning clippers to get up...a lot of it. I guess I noticed it but then did nothing about it...just ran the lawnmower around that nice long clump of dark green vines with their purple summer violets. After I finally spent 2 days yanking, digging and chopping at it all, the wire is up....followed by curious chickens who went to work digging in dirt I had conveniently already "undug" for them. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yxHp88mMwaI/VQLCyNRVNEI/AAAAAAAAzZM/Ub0-3mDB7lE/s1600/1-20130915_080925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #6c91ce; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yxHp88mMwaI/VQLCyNRVNEI/AAAAAAAAzZM/Ub0-3mDB7lE/s1600/1-20130915_080925.jpg" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are at a show right now so other than popping up an image of a recently completed and now shipped painting, I am off to make some sales today (always a good thought-heck it's the goal!)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Follow my journey with me and see how I set up the inside of a 12 x 20 studio!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; padding: 4px; position: relative;"><tbody>
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-60128879243263023732015-03-03T13:49:00.001-08:002015-03-03T13:49:16.935-08:00Silk screening on silk techniques<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Silk screening is one of those things that bypassed me in college. I don't know why or how exactly. I can etch on zinc plates covered with asphaltum and sunk into acid baths. I can pick up a linoluem block and hand carve it to print on. But I never learned to use a silk screen.<br />
Then of course everything changed with the computer and silk screen seemed to be going the way of the dark room for photographers.....but oh my, now I've had a taste of it!<br />
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So with just the barest of equipment I have begun to screen on my silk scarves. It is the layering that really attracts me! Just like my layers in my abstract paintings, I can form layers on the silk.<br />
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Once I figured out how to burn an original image onto a transparency (courtesy of a friend and my hubby !) I saw the possibilities open up!<br />
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The collage is from a day with a girlfriend who has done this awhile.<br />
The photos below it are the scarves I just completed using the method. Enjoy the beautifully colored layers! Some were done with Lumiere dye that adds a cool shimmer to the colors.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">adding layers on already dyed scarf and my friend cleaning a film<br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My teal layers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eggplant with dragonflies</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abstract flower layers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My abstract horses</td></tr>
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-25729902569514249242015-02-26T03:50:00.000-08:002015-03-03T14:55:05.595-08:00The power of snow<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's very early in the morning and too dark to take outside photos but oh the power that a heavy snowfall invokes! The household is still asleep with the exception of Troop, the Corgi who felt it necessary to go outside at 5 am. Imagine his surprise as he hopped into the 6 plus inches of snow, not quite realizing the bottom step was now invisible, covered by the snow-quite an event for a short legged dog!<br />
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There is power in a snow event anywhere I have lived-whether it is 6" or 34", Foremost is the stillness it creates. There is a hush that we don't realize silences our daily lives until we experience the softness that comes with snow-quiet, muffled, still. <br />
A snowfall, first thing in the morning brings a peace-for me at least and memories of snows gone by - pf my childhood, my children's childhood-fabulous memories that bring back a warm fuzzy feeling of having experienced the power of snow and what it can evoke in the senses, experiences and memory.<br />
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With hot coffee in hand, a fire in the fireplace, I am waiting for the sunrise to experience the complete visual effect of the snow. The artist in me loves the transformation of the familiar trees, buildings and landscape. I enjoy the tang in my senses when I step into the cold and t satisfaction that comes as mentally I check all the boxes in my brain in regards to my animals-inside and out-food, water, shelter-check. Not even the chickens are stirring or the wild birds that have congregated in recent weeks at my feeders as the winter ramps up. By the end of February, people have wearied of the cold and snow....but this year winter is not over and only teases us with sunny warm days tossed at random between winter storms and temperatures.<br />
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The power of snow is in the senses, the memories and the seed catalogs that promise and remind us that spring is just around the corner. Be patient and enjoy the stillness today brings.<br />
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-1439166903058076052015-02-25T05:32:00.001-08:002015-02-25T05:32:43.632-08:00A cabin in the snow! The art studio journey continues.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So here we are at the end of February 2015 and the "cold winter" predictions have come true!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just one of a number this winter!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last winter collage and our cabin before renovations!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">New England continues to dig out from yet another snowstorm...I think I read 7 feet of snow in 4 storms in 1 month! And we wait for a new system to come in tonight-one in which NO one seems to know what will happen (ice, sleet, little snow, lots of </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have purposefully kept our large art studio cooler since we don't want to burn through too much propane. That means I can move a lot of my silk work inside the house to my office. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a definite space advantage after the kids leave home!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">IN my next post I'll share some of the silk projects I am doing but right now here are a few of the images of the progress we are making with our "Cabin in the Woods" which will actually be a smaller studio but still a cabin feel to it!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AVPSxs11OHs/VO3OFq_3T7I/AAAAAAAAzAY/a4WijVPHnuc/s1600/17889_10204420318803162_1140213197645100616_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AVPSxs11OHs/VO3OFq_3T7I/AAAAAAAAzAY/a4WijVPHnuc/s1600/17889_10204420318803162_1140213197645100616_n.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My artist hubby working late at night (with the help of a portable heater)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mudding of the sheetrock is now DONE!</td></tr>
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-38157048098995626862015-02-16T19:20:00.000-08:002015-02-16T19:20:10.202-08:00Silk Play Date<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So what happens when you get three women together who like to silk paint? We had a Silk Play Date! We met recently on a freezing day at one friend's house planning to work with some screen transparencies. But our initial plan of letting the sun do the work was quickly forgotten in the 36 degree outside temperatures. But our friend, a long time silk artist, had a clever, homemade light "box" set up for processing transparencies to print onto our silk :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The collage below says it all! The long scarf is one where I had already dyed the background a variety of colors...the closeup shows the screening of the vine design I added as another layer to it. I could get used to play dates!</span><br />
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-14167003938432222052015-02-06T08:51:00.001-08:002015-02-06T08:51:26.713-08:00Spring 2015 ART CAMP for ADULTS!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> In our summer camps out here in the country our kids have a blast every summer! Last summer they got dirty, played outside, played games, ran through water streams from the hoses, created loads and loads of art, loved on the ponies and the dogs, picked blackberries, ran through the secret trails, collected eggs, climbed the trees and in general, just had kid fun.Take a look below!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 4px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11.8800001144409px;">A few scenes from one of our summer art camps!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But as the parents said, "Why should the kids have all the fun?" Yep-that's what we thought too!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So we decided to have a 1 day<a href="http://artstudentacademy.com/Grown-Up-Artescapte.html" target="_blank"> "ArtEscape" camp</a> just for the grownups on the Saturday before Mother's Day-<b>May 9 from 10:00-3:00.</b> No one under 21 simply because you can BYOB AND it's your adult summer/spring camp experience! It's only $45.00 per person-dress to mess, bring a sketch pad and a bagged lunch (with your favorite beverage) We supply all the rest! Oh and if you want to BYOB-feel free!</span><br /><a href="http://artstudentacademy.com/Grown-Up-Artescapte.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">http://artstudentacademy.com/Grown-Up-Artescapte.html</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our second, little studio will be open and the new deck is perfect for the grownup kind of relaxation...so maybe you don't want to climb a tree, but the trails are fun, the roses will be in bloom and we'll work on several amazing indoor and outdoor art projects! </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PcIiFI8DBNk/VNTuMU3XXPI/AAAAAAAAxv8/YmaHj8m9-Ic/s1600/images%2Badult%2Bcamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #6c91ce; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="292" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PcIiFI8DBNk/VNTuMU3XXPI/AAAAAAAAxv8/YmaHj8m9-Ic/s1600/images%2Badult%2Bcamp.jpg" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://artstudentacademy.com/Grown-Up-Artescapte.html" style="color: #6c91ce; text-decoration: none;">http://artstudentacademy.com/Grown-Up-Artescapte.html</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Don't miss out!</div>
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-18719728884187937892015-01-11T13:00:00.000-08:002015-01-11T13:00:42.728-08:00Renovation cabin and the creative process!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The recent extreme cold has really slowed down the cabin renovations! It's hard to put up sheetrock when you can't feel your nose..BUT we managed to get the ceiling done with help from our son who was visiting (haha no one is coming by all of a sudden!) and the longest wall (the other side has cabinets)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other side was just hubby and I with a little hep from our four egged friends who are always delighted to find their humans down at their level!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And today? Outside lights are going up before the rain and sleet come back in a day or so!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sheetrock the longest wall-done!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting some help<br /></td></tr>
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-35789435503856756712014-12-27T05:27:00.001-08:002014-12-27T05:27:49.819-08:00Making my "Cabin in the Woods" happen!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In less than 3 short weeks, my "cabin in the woods"project-the smaller art studio-has seen a some changes. Once I committed to the idea and stopped waffling, things began to happen!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, because the only convenient place originally to set the 12 x 20 shed down was at the </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">renovations in progress!<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">edge of our dirt/gravel driveway, I knew I had to make another entrance opening.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also needed more light-a door at the north end or bigger windows!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bringing in a re-modeler friend who happened to have a spare 6 ft. sliding door, he and his crew made short work of the 10 x 16' deck and door installation!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hired the neighbor's son to dig the "trench" to lay electrical wire. Our big studio is on a separate meter so it seemed logical to pull power from that. Brent had a lot of help from one of our chickens the afternoon he dug it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chickens are fascinated by any "scratching" in the earth.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Digging the trench from the big studio</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our remodeler came out the next day and he and hubby hooked up the power to the small studio and I was in business so to speak! Even the simple ability to turn on lights was inspiring :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The changes have been fabulous! Below is from just the day after Christmas when my youngest son and hubby (artist Stephen Filarsky) installed the sheetrock on the ceiling (the hardest part of sheetrocking!) as part of my Christmas present! It's already looking bigger and brighter!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll add a small stoop to the door side-I might just close it off but in the summer I know an amazing crossbreeze can come through there so...still thinking!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the meantime, my "Cabin in the Woods" is coming to life!</span><br />
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-39818674710723409072014-12-04T17:01:00.000-08:002014-12-04T17:01:35.095-08:00Finding My cabin in the Woods<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SO in my last post I talked a bit about my quest. Maybe that's a good word for it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I spend more and more time thinking about it-a cabin in the woods. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not sure why that dreaded "If only...." phrase has kept popping up in my mind but it has me daydreaming of a place to relax, unwind, meditate, recharge-every adjective that an artist needs in order to justify her creativity! Silly. I have a studio that is the envy of most artists. We built it 18 years ago from parts of a 1910 home being torn down in the area. It's 24 x 30 feet in size with 10 foot ceilings, beautiful reclaimed pine flooring, the old windows-it is stunning! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And I know this! But in reality it is crowded! Oh it started off with SO much space but with 2 working artists that changed quickly</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even the shed we added behind it turned into a storage area. Oh and we have a woodworking shop..the downstairs filled with tools and the upstairs filled with things we are storing but do not need. (easy with 4 grown kids who move around)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the beginning.......:-)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And we have grown rose clippings from abandoned homesteads and they have grown and matured into a profusion of cascading color enjoyed by painters every spring...so WHY was I searching?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--gCwbzBLh0M/VIBt28VbEuI/AAAAAAAAwX0/uN1W9u-iUy8/s1600/IMAG2083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--gCwbzBLh0M/VIBt28VbEuI/AAAAAAAAwX0/uN1W9u-iUy8/s1600/IMAG2083.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seven Sisters roses cascading down the tobacco stick fence</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Seven Sisters brought by mother as a cutting from her family homestead in Mississippi.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What am I looking for?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I lean towards mountain properties- a throwback I am sure of my New England upbringing where we lived in an 18th century farmhouse on 50 acre farm in upstate New York (next to MA and VT) and had unfettered run, on foot, skis and horses, of the mature forests and surrounding streams, farmland and towns. Our freedom included the glorious huge beamed barn with its many outbuildings and the secret hideaways within them all. Ah, such memories!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In my mind, my cabin retreat has to have a stream, mature trees...and of course-a small cabin. Again, I recognize this from childhood memories of running through abandoned farm fields and discovering, in the dark recesses of hemlocks and maples that bordered all the forgotten fields, streams that cascaded down rocks into small pools of cold, pristine water. It was all very magical to a child of ten and I clearly recall the details of discovering Jack in the Pulpits, ripples in the water pools, crawdads under the stones, floating maple leaves and the cool tang of the hemlocks. And other than the delighted sounds of discovery by my twin sister and younger brother, the only other sounds were that of the waterfall. The sound of gurgling water can quickly transport me to that spot anytime I hear it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And on a bittersweet, yet telling note, the last family vacation I had with my twin sister was in the NC mountains. Eileen and I were 28 and I had 3 children, the youngest just 4 months old and a too busy life and business when our parents rented a little summer house for us to have a vacation in for our upcoming 29th birthdays :-). It sat in a valley with a little stream in front of the house. My 6 and 3 year old played for hours on end at the edge of the shallow gurgling water, building and rebuilding little stone houses. There had been no TV, no phone and we had sat on the front porch at night counting stars and waiting for the shooting ones. With my youngest in a backpack (or my mother staying and watching him) we explored caves, pastures, mountains, abandoned farms. We had bought Audubon books and learned the names of the wildflowers we were discovering. The children were at that age where everything held wonder and my parents and sister enjoyed sharing all the wonders with them. Something as simple as watermelon seed spitting contests and watching frogs hop held them in rapture. It was a good summer and even better memories. A year later my twin was gone and all that was left us were the memories.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I sort of know WHY I am looking....maybe it's that I am searching for a bit of those memories I have just described. The point was I had a sort of an epiphany the other day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After spending inordinate amounts of time on Craigslist, looking at properties that I could not afford, or cheap ones simply too far away (there IS a practical side to me!) and .....daydreaming, wasting an awful lot of time.... I shook myself clear of it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have a small "cabin". I am on a couple of acres of land. I have mature trees. I have deer and wildlife. I have a stone fountain I bought used 3 years ago and never used....hey. I can MAKE my own cabin in the woods and do it right here!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bought from a friend whose mother had used it first as a pottery studio, then as storage (of course!) it was simply too good an opportunity to pass up!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So $250.00 moving fee later, the 12 x 20 building is finally deposited between our house, studio and pasture. It isn't very lovely but it was insulated, wired and covered inside with many grungy shelves and a linoleum floor. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are on 2.5 acres but the back is heavily wooded and alas...there was no way to get the whole shebang back to the back area.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At first the changes were cosmetic: cleaning the sides, painting the door, replacing the screen door with a vintage door......then I cleaned and painted the grungy insides shelves, thinking of paneling or sheetrock but not getting beyond that. Amazing what a little paint can do. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But within a few months we were storing frames and paintings in it, stymied by the cost of running electric to the inside panel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then the epiphany happened and I made a decision-yep-just like that-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the frames and artwork can go where they belong-into the 8 x 16 ft cargo trailer used just for that purpose. I'll enlist the help of some friends who can make a few things happen....for starters, I want a sliding door off the other end...this one door opens into the driveway-has to not be a major entrance. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I reasoned that if I bought property with a similar building on it, I would be facing the same economic and design challenges anyway so....what the heck!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So now I have my brain in gear...how to heat? Maybe a propane fireplace? Small woodstove? Must think this through but so many shelves to help move my craft and silk work out of the main studio and into a smaller one.....let's see-add a small deck out the side where the sliding door would be, take that long unused stone waterfall..... are you feeling it now? :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What WILL the free range chickens think!? Stay tuned for what starts to happen next!</span><br />
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-5160912621847310172014-12-04T05:25:00.000-08:002014-12-04T05:25:10.965-08:00Stepping back in Time with Art!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I will never be able to afford to buy mountain property and build a cabin. But where I am now is beautiful and has what I need to not only live, bu to produce my art in any form I desire! So I will readjust my mental thinking to the present....and you can follow me :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But first, true to my nature, I need to catch up on my artsy journey!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been diligent all summer and fall-painting, sewing, creating ....thinking about weeding the garden (which looks really good until August)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sfilarsky.com/" target="_blank">Hubby Steve </a>and I spent the month of October getting ready to go back in time (so to speak) at the NC State Fair's Village of Yesteryear. Now he went "back" as a<a href="http://www.goldleafman.com/" target="_blank"> sign painter </a>and I went back in the ancient art of <a href="http://www.thesilkthread.com/" target="_blank">silk painting.</a> We had a grand time! Crowds of people, millions of questions, long hours :-)...and we stayed in our camper on the Fair grounds to save back and forth wear and tear. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephen Filarsky in the Art of Hand Lettered Signs</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part of the fun of any art form that demonstrates to crowds is the response of the public. SIgn painting, once common in every town and city-has been replaced by the Internet era. But with people like Stephen Filarsky, it is alive and well!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here I am in my booth-Steve to my left<br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So in a paragraph or so I have caught up with the past 6 months. It is of course never that simple but as I grow older I am discovering that it is OK to see that mountain and not climb directly over it...go around it or find an intelligent way to scale it :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And of course health. It is easy to take it for granted when young, but as I watch friends fall by the wayside, I realize that it becomes very precious when you hit your 50's-life span should not be measured in length-it should be measured in YOUR success (not someone else's interpretation) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So my artsy journey is continuing with my Cabin in the Woods in my next blog. Follow me!</span><br />
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-37328333001888032842014-03-01T16:49:00.000-08:002014-03-01T16:49:45.564-08:00Waiting for Spring<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It has been a long winter for areas unused to long winters. Spring has peeped out enough times to give us hope but then tucks her head back inside and the temperatures plunge (again!)<br />
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Even the art studio struggles to get warm and with propane at record highs, we try to conserve and not have to buy a tank right before spring!<br />
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So my solution to the cold, the ice, the snow and the dark days was to create my own spring and I did that by bringing out my silk dues and creating my "Ode to Spring" scarf :-). <br />
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SO I have brought my as yet, non-blooming daffodils in my yard to full bloom in my silk piece-a nice place to be while waiting for spring :-)</div>
M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-79703606237340031522014-02-09T13:32:00.000-08:002014-02-09T13:32:10.265-08:00A Woman and her Beagle shared<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://mtheresabrown.blogspot.com/2014/02/a-woman-and-her-beagle.html">A Woman and her Beagle</a>
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{<i>I'm sharing this from my other blog <a href="http://www.mtheresabrown.blogspot.com/">www.mtheresabrown.blogspot.com</a> simply because it is part of my artsy journey. Portraits are who I am. But art in all it's forms is where I like to be!) </i><br />
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I'm shipping out a pastel portrait this week and I must confess that I love it :-)<br />
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Now as you can see, it is of a beautiful woman and her equally charming
beagle! Wow-the memories....my very first dog, my buddy, my
confidant...was a beagle. I was just 7 years old and she occupied a time
in my life that no other dog ever will. At 20, I honestly thought my
world was going to end when "Tippy" passed. It was serious grief.<br />
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Ah but years later, and many four legged best friends later, I know of
course that wasn't true :-). So I totally understood the bond between
this woman and her dog!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7s1o7bzmdfY/UvfupaQMawI/AAAAAAAAjZs/0uVBJb7D-BM/s1600/Girl-beagle-large.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7s1o7bzmdfY/UvfupaQMawI/AAAAAAAAjZs/0uVBJb7D-BM/s1600/Girl-beagle-large.jpg" width="516" /></a></div>
Her mother commissioned it and sent me a huge pile of photos and ideas!
After looking through them, I said what I say to everyone "Got it. Now
just leave it up to me to choose!" So she did.:-)<br />
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The result is this pastel portrait-about 14 x 18 of Sarah and Bella and it will be the family's treasure for many years to come!<br />
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Of course, no one ever says it better than a happy client:<br />
<br />
<i> Theresa....I have just had to retrieve the Kleenex box.....this is absolutely
perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am blown away....</i></div>
M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-52836026087218425062014-01-26T14:17:00.000-08:002014-01-26T14:17:32.472-08:00Inspiration in creating your own designs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<a href="http://mtheresabrown.blogspot.com/2014/01/creating-your-own-designs.html">Creating your own designs</a>
</h3>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ScaCwo5atJw/UuWHat7mqeI/AAAAAAAAiak/5Yexj_izcFs/s1600/20140126_112551.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ScaCwo5atJw/UuWHat7mqeI/AAAAAAAAiak/5Yexj_izcFs/s1600/20140126_112551.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adding my designs to a silk/wool blend shawl</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have always carved. Mainly wood and even earlier-block prints on
linoleum blocks. Both are time consuming and labor intensive-not problem
normally to an artist but sometimes I just don't have the patience!<br />
So with a "softer than linoleum" product on the market (for years
apparently!) by Speedball, I started carving my own stamps to use on my
scarves. To say it was fun was an understatement-it went fast, I was
impressed and most of all I was enthused! My own designs-not mass
produced ones from the craft stores....what's not to love? :-)<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8qfJpIJ9HA/UuWFHnFmaiI/AAAAAAAAiaA/BVem76ZuTXE/s1600/20140124_132534.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8qfJpIJ9HA/UuWFHnFmaiI/AAAAAAAAiaA/BVem76ZuTXE/s1600/20140124_132534.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using Speedball tools to carve away my design</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jGxhP1YeAGo/UuWFKfizn5I/AAAAAAAAiaI/4mIK09BR6wE/s1600/20140125_184325.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jGxhP1YeAGo/UuWFKfizn5I/AAAAAAAAiaI/4mIK09BR6wE/s1600/20140125_184325.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few carved in just a day (and used!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I realize with the exception of the heart, these are all horses but
that's where my passion lies when I am trying new ideas. Plenty of time
to come up with other designs as I become more proficient!<br />
<br />
Using the stamps with textile paint was a blast! I have a new batch of
scarves to play with so I can't wait to try them but in the meantime I
have two collages of what I worked on so far!<br />
<br />
Our frigid temperatures have kept me off the hiking trails until today but the cold is coming back around and I'll be ready!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WJ3_eY_W150/UuWGmj3PfrI/AAAAAAAAiaU/YzkP8i2pR5w/s1600/silk+paitnings3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WJ3_eY_W150/UuWGmj3PfrI/AAAAAAAAiaU/YzkP8i2pR5w/s1600/silk+paitnings3.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prototypes!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jhRmuKF4b6U/UuWG4PHegPI/AAAAAAAAiag/wY8k9CuRVWs/s1600/silk+paitnings1.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jhRmuKF4b6U/UuWG4PHegPI/AAAAAAAAiag/wY8k9CuRVWs/s1600/silk+paitnings1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Overlapping the design in layers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-6475212651992836712014-01-18T07:36:00.001-08:002014-01-18T07:36:43.151-08:00Working with kids in the Arts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Everyone has ideas about how to work with children in the arts. No other subject, like ART, has so many different opinions and ideas and confusion as to "what it is."How can something so fun be so confusing?<br />
<br />
Artsy Journeys is more about art exploration than disciplined art yet they go hand in hand.The two work together. For instance, it takes discipline to sit down and create something in a journal or on paper. It takes discipline to go to the shop or read a "how to" book or article. It takes discipline to put away your tools, try something different or work till you feel you have completed your project.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M4hk2WNHUaI/UtqY8Lw7YcI/AAAAAAAAiPw/S-TcJJz-K4w/s1600/IMAG0416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M4hk2WNHUaI/UtqY8Lw7YcI/AAAAAAAAiPw/S-TcJJz-K4w/s1600/IMAG0416.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working with clay and armatures</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Working with children is often about creativity coupled with "directional" discipline. Kids need and want direction. The ones that jump into a project without waiting for direction are usually the ones that soon start complaining about not being able to "do it." That can have a bit of a negative impact on those kids who are creatively following directions so when the kids start new projects, they get the best results by ...yep...paying attention to me before we start!<br />
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There's no secret to it-I keep it short and sweet. "Look into my eyes, let's go over the tools, now we'll look at the examples.......tell me what I just said."<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5fArQi8VUl4/UtqaiDQFXVI/AAAAAAAAiP8/BswYlKojsBg/s1600/Recently+Updated139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5fArQi8VUl4/UtqaiDQFXVI/AAAAAAAAiP8/BswYlKojsBg/s1600/Recently+Updated139.jpg" height="192" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3D sculpture with marshmallows and toothpicks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This works SO well-just as I did with my own children. I love the kids-love to work with them. They love to learn, But too much initial freedom in the arts is confusing to them and actually gives them mind blank! In art we call it the "blank canvas" syndrom. Writers love to talk about "writer's block." It's all the same thing. We ALL need a direction to start!<br />
<br />
When the child is given the required tools/materials for an Art project and pointed in a particular direction with a few guidelines, THAT is when the enthusiastic creativity begins to happen!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F9a-EsRwgmc/UtqfN4cGHdI/AAAAAAAAiQI/87Hha1EQrhw/s1600/Miles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F9a-EsRwgmc/UtqfN4cGHdI/AAAAAAAAiQI/87Hha1EQrhw/s1600/Miles.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my "grown up" students with her Sculpey sculpture!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-36711287906179793482013-12-27T12:54:00.000-08:002013-12-27T12:54:51.061-08:00Hiking your way to Happiness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<a href="http://mtheresabrown.blogspot.com/2013/12/happy-new-year.html">Happy New Year!</a>
</h3>
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Well an entire month slipped by...rushed by...and we're already into the
end of Dec. 2013. Not sure how that happened but although I missed
shouting out Merry Christmas here-it was definitely on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mtheresabrown" target="_blank">Facebook page</a><a href="http://www.facebook.com/mtheresabrown" target="_blank">s </a>and newsletters!<br />
<br />
The rush is over and now is when I regroup, rethink, plan and relax (as much as I am capable of!)<br />
I gave <a href="http://www,facebook.com/sfilarsky" target="_blank">Steve </a>his
Christmas present (and the same to me) to enhance our artist
rejuvenation..trekking poles! Yep- hiking poles to get us out of the
studio and onto the many trails in our area.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ih2Muk2BOpc/Ur3jHf7nqJI/AAAAAAAARaE/2Yn2XgtaOP4/s1600/1146479_10201301867176743_795998712_n.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ih2Muk2BOpc/Ur3jHf7nqJI/AAAAAAAARaE/2Yn2XgtaOP4/s400/1146479_10201301867176743_795998712_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
It's been in the 30's but the freezing rains and snows across the midwest missed us and went north.<br />
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So what do you do with a new backpack and trekking poles on Christmas evening and the following day? You hike :-)<br />
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It's a good place for an artist.<br />
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jr8QNt_WAKI/Ur3khwR3h0I/AAAAAAAARaQ/7tJTcKvdiUU/s1600/1497543_10201684900219407_1048272349_n.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jr8QNt_WAKI/Ur3khwR3h0I/AAAAAAAARaQ/7tJTcKvdiUU/s400/1497543_10201684900219407_1048272349_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The path less traveled-on a very cold day!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-8732589014183628342013-11-23T04:07:00.000-08:002013-11-23T04:07:15.531-08:00Watercolor Wednesdays coming!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h1 align="center">
WATERCOLOR WEDNESDAYS<img align="middle" alt="watercolor class" border="0" hspace="10" src="http://artstudentacademy.com/images/eIMAG0425.jpg" style="border-bottom: #837550 3px solid; border-left: #837550 3px solid; border-right: #837550 3px solid; border-top: #837550 3px solid; height: 272px; width: 665px;" title="watercolor class" vspace="10" /></h1>
<strong>Wednesday December 4 and December 11, 6:00 - 8:00 Instructor Steve</strong><br />
<strong>Wake Forest Art and Frame Shop, 139 S. White St, Wake Forest NC 27567<img align="right" alt="student watercolor" border="0" hspace="10" src="http://artstudentacademy.com/images/barnhillsnow.jpg" style="border-bottom: #837550 3px solid; border-left: #837550 3px solid; border-right: #837550 3px solid; border-top: #837550 3px solid; height: 350px; width: 265px;" title="student watercolor" vspace="10" /></strong><br />
First, I'd like you to take a look at the watercolors of barns in a snowy landscape. They were painted by first
time watercolor students. Just to let you know that watercolor is not "difficult" nor is "harder than oils or
acrylics." In fact all you need is a cup of water, a brush, a few watercolor paints and a piece of paper.
That's it. Well, a pencil might come in handy, but none of the fumes or smells that you get from acrylics and
oil paints. You can paint on your kitchen table without worrying. Simple.<br />
Our first class will look at the types of watercolor paints, brushes and papers. (The water is pretty much
standard, what you get from your faucet will work fine.)<br />
We will experiment with the materials and try different techniques. And of course, we will create a
painting, after all, leaving a class with a finished painting sort of makes it worth while.<br />
I will provide you with paint and materials for this first class. I will also discuss and give
you a list of recommend paints and brushes. If you have any paints and brushes at home, please bring them
along. We will take a look at what you have and how you can use it.<br />
<strong>Our second class we will continue by <img align="right" alt="student watercolor" border="0" hspace="10" src="http://artstudentacademy.com/images/barntreessnow.jpg" style="border-bottom: #837550 3px solid; border-left: #837550 3px solid; border-right: #837550 3px solid; border-top: #837550 3px solid; height: 265px; width: 350px;" title="student watercolor" vspace="10" />creating another painting the easy way</strong>, playing with our new
toys.<br />
<br />
Now a side note, a few years ago Theresa and I took some swing dance lessons. What I learned from those
lessons was that when you go to the second class, you probably could use some review of the previous
lesson before jumping into some new steps because I had completely forgotten them. And the practice we did at home,
well it probably could have been better. (The instructors didn't seem to have any trouble, but boy was I lost
in that second class when they began telling us to do steps that they assumed we not only remembered but were able
to do.) So our second painting will also consist of some time reviewing what we learned, and we will do
that the easy way. by painting another watercolor.<br />
<strong>Continuing Classes </strong> We will be continuing these classes, sometimes working on a single
theme and other times going in individual directions. There might be homework.<br />
Please take a look at the bottom of this page, there as some examples of my watercolors for you to look at.
After all, you do want to know what your instructor can do, don't you.<br />
<a href="http://artstudentacademy.com/Watercolor-Wednesdays.html" target="_blank"><strong>Only $50. for both classes in December.</strong></a><br />
You can register on line with Paypal or Credit Card. Please select the<a href="http://artstudentacademy.com/Watercolor-Wednesdays.html" target="_blank"> option,</a> then click the "Add to
Cart" button. You can select the number of students you wish to register at the next step.<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://artstudentacademy.com/Getting-Started-Dates-and-Times.html#gift">Gift certificates</a>
available!</span></span></span></span></strong></span></div>
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Watercolors by your instructor, Stephen Filarsky</div>
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<img alt="steve watercolor" border="0" hspace="10" src="http://artstudentacademy.com/images/AshleyBucket-L.jpg" style="border-bottom: #837550 3px solid; border-left: #837550 3px solid; border-right: #837550 3px solid; border-top: #837550 3px solid; height: 400px; width: 312px;" title="steve watercolor" vspace="10" /><img alt="steve watercolor" border="0" hspace="10" src="http://artstudentacademy.com/images/Bodie.jpg" style="border-bottom: #837550 3px solid; border-left: #837550 3px solid; border-right: #837550 3px solid; border-top: #837550 3px solid; height: 300px; width: 400px;" title="steve watercolor" vspace="10" /></div>
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<img alt="steve watercolor" border="0" hspace="10" src="http://artstudentacademy.com/images/karsinwc_1.JPG" style="border-bottom: #837550 3px solid; border-left: #837550 3px solid; border-right: #837550 3px solid; border-top: #837550 3px solid; height: 400px; width: 306px;" title="steve watercolor" vspace="10" /><img alt="steve watercolor" border="0" hspace="10" src="http://artstudentacademy.com/images/PaHouseWC.jpg" style="border-bottom: #837550 3px solid; border-left: #837550 3px solid; border-right: #837550 3px solid; border-top: #837550 3px solid; height: 296px; width: 400px;" title="steve watercolor" vspace="10" /></div>
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M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-896601604967320245.post-74797455230805940012013-11-19T05:25:00.001-08:002013-11-19T05:25:06.110-08:00The bread and butter of creating!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
No doubt about it-Christmas is a motivating factor for people thinking about a portrait!<br />
Below are two collages with quick glimpses of what this fall has been
like so far...I am leaving out the ones that are gifts that could be
seen!<br />
My silk art as well as abstracts have sold as well so a collage composite will be along soon.<br />
I love my job!<br />
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<img alt="" class="spotlight" src="https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/946967_10201439559766049_612111041_n.jpg" style="height: 414px; width: 552px;" /><img alt="" class="spotlight" src="https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1452347_10201427123055139_290619097_n.jpg" style="height: 520px; width: 520px;" /></div>
M Theresa Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08863146743371791303noreply@blogger.com0