The Art of Kristen Feighery

Rest.

2012-01-19T16:37:00.000-08:00

Today was one of those days I kind of dreaded when I woke up. I felt under the weather but knew I had lot's to get done. I was asked to lead worship at my church every Thursday morning and I happily said yes 2 weeks ago. But I do always dread lugging my piano around. It's super heavy and I'm not incredibly fond of carrying big things.

Shouldn't we all be free spirits like this? Does this cat look stressed as he plays with the dogs tail?

And.....packing the girls lunches was tough today being that I'm on a health kick and all the food in the house was totally yucky.....at least to an 8 and 6 year old. That meant I had to also go to the grocery store after church.
I also volunteer at the girls school on Thursday and Friday to walk their classes to the park. Did I mention that I hate the cold, too?

Oh boy.....what a baby I've been today!

So after all this, I was looking forward to going home and resting a bit with a heating pad on my belly and the comfort of a couple of midol. Then, my friend calls and requests that my kids come over after school and play with her kids.

Yay!!!

So I go home, thinking I'd really better get come things done while the kids are gone. But......I also got a lovely feeling.

Rest is good. So are new friends.

Lay down. Relax. You've done enough today. All that stuff you feel like you must do will be there tomorrow. Take a nap.
And I did. With the fire going. And the phone turned off. And the new cat sleeping, curled up next to me. And although my belly doesn't feel much better, my spirit does.
Rest. Is. Good.

Ah.....rest.

And I'd also like to share a new painting. There is a wonderful gentleman name Rick who I have dubbed my junkman (He's FABULOUS) who occasionally finds me awesome things to paint on. He dropped off this amazing antique, wooden plate a few weeks ago at the gallery. It was screaming for an angel inside it.

And a few days ago, my awesome hubby redid my studio for me. Ah......nothing screams rest like a nice, clean work space.

Now.....shut down your computer and go get some rest.

Good Night.

Back to normal....

2012-01-03T20:39:00.000-08:00

Is anyone as happy as I am that life is getting back to normal after the holidays?? I'm thrilled! It's totally dead at the gallery and I couldn't be happier. I'm cleaning, organizing (a huge feat for me) and actually doing art projects that I WANT to do....not have to do. Glory!!!

On the plane ride to New York I finally finished a new poem. It's funny with me and poetry.....I LOVE to write. I'll write 4-5 poems in a month sometimes. And then? I'll literally go several years without writing another one. But they really do sell well for me and I wish the 'urge' would hit me more often. I guess it all goes back to my ADD!

It still needs some tweaking but here goes....

GETTING THERE

On days like these when doubt creeps in

And You just keep losing where You expected to win

The rain seems to pour when You're needing the sun

You could use some company but find there's no one.

There's a storm all around and Your drenched with tears

The mirror keeps reminding you've put on a few years.

Each step forward is met with 2 steps back

And that storm keeps whispering all the qualities You lack.

When The Thunders rolls on all you hear is the roar

But the heartache can show what's been overlooked before.

Pain can remind us who we are and what we've got.

To hold up our heads and give it another shot.

Life is such a lovely song but when the rhythms out of time,

It's easy to think you're alone and the world is unkind.

But we're all together on this vehicle called earth

And we all have a story, a purpose and a worth.

The storm takes your confidence and tries to knock you down.

And you feel so lost when you want to be found.

Just unclench your fists and let others take hold.

Let the fire of God's love chase away all the cold.

Giving ups a tough choice and can really pull you in

But you have to wage a war with it time and time again.

And at times You'll lose the battle but I know You'll be okay.

One foot in front of the other.'. Just take it day by day..

Everyday we get one step closer to getting there.

Like I said.....still needs a little work.

I also decided to start making my own backgrounds for the poems. I'm assuming the scrapbook paper I've been using is copyright and now that I'm making copies for greeting cards....well.....better to be safe than sued. Trying my hand at 'designer' is challenging but fun. It's very freeing to just paint without a subject. Just colors and shapes. Back to the basics!

I also spent the day with Molly and her class visiting an assisted living home. I had to add this lovely photo of Molly helping an elderly friend with a craft. She makes my heart melt. She really does have that special something that you just can't teach. God gave her the gift of love and mercy. I wish I were more like her.

And now it is officially past my bedtime. Nighty night. Glad to be back on track and blogging again!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Miracles.

2011-12-18T16:31:00.000-08:00

This morning I slept in until 7:30. Yes, I know that doesn't sound like much but for me it's grand. No lunches to pack, noone to push out the door with backpacks, water bottles and shoes that match. Just a nice lazy morning listening to my sweet girls playing together, laughing, daydreaming, singing songs......and yes, the occasional argument. That's okay. I'll take it.

I'm so in awe of my children. And sitting here listening to them on this fine morning while I suck down another cup of coffee (I thought about fasting coffee today because I've been drinking gallons of it. You see how far that went) I'm overwhelmed by a sense of gratitude. And so many miracles God has performed in my piddly little life flow through my mind.

The obvious ones are my sweet husband and awesome kids. Nothing trumps that. And I could go down the list and highlight them all. That will be another, very long, long post.

But I also think about the gallery. Most people don't know that it was actually GIVEN to me by a fabulous gentleman and his family. I had no confidence in myself at the beginning of this venture but really believed God was in it, so I did it.

I'm so glad I did.

Having little confidence or a sense of self worth for years, jumping head first into an unknown venture like the gallery has worked hard to change all that. I'm a different person. I prayed for years that God would help me think differently of myself. And I guess I just didn't think I was valuable or able to do valuable things. And I truly believe God gave me this gallery because it forced me to do what I believed I couldn't; run a business, be around people for extended periods of time without being overwhelmed, develop relationships, manage my time, organize, facilitate........

And although I have a long way to go, I've come a long way, too. And I'm in awe of how God answers prayers and the pathways He puts in front of us. We choose yes or no. And every 'yes' I've said has come with a price. The work has been hard. Not just with the gallery but with having kids, with marrying the love of my life, with maintaining relationships, with being kind to people......many things. But the work has been worth it. And the outcome of saying 'yes' to God has been the ride of my life.

I can't wait to see what comes next.

I'm in awe.

The Christmas Spirit??

2011-12-11T11:35:00.001-08:00

What a whirlwind this Christmas season has become for me. Since I opened the gallery 2 years ago, I've found that I almost dread Christmas. Isn't that awful? I LOVE Christmas! I don't want to dread it! But the festivities in Davidson the first weekend in December absolutely wear me out. 3 nights of chaos, although it's super great for sales....followed by an endless stream of custom orders....which is great. But is that what Christmas has become for me? A great season of sales and some extra cash? Yuk.

I yelled at my kids countless times this week because they were cutting into my 'making custom orders' time. I'm totally out of sync with my husband. And, quite frankly, I'm a little depressed. No fun. I'm quickly losing the reason for the season.

Does anyone else find this happening to them? Am I alone in this?

In the meantime, I managed to carve out some time to do more new inspiration pieces. I'm loving this. Taking my paintings and adding verses to them is making me so happy. I think it's giving me a little meaning back....in many facets.

This print is the new Nativity scene I finished about 3 weeks ago.

This painting was HUGE! 4 feet to be exact. I donated it to my church a few years ago.

And the 'All You Need is Love'. Beatles inspired!

AND.....I finally made my poems into cards. SUPER excited about these!

Oh, and before I end (and just to add a little more commercialism!), I'm having a 20% off sale. You can purchase in the gallery OR online by clicking here. Follow the 'Kristen Feighery Folk Art' link.

Merry Christmas. And push a prayer or 2 out for me, if you don't mind, about my humbug attitude right now. Or maybe just pray for my family who has to deal with me until Christmas!

In the meantime, check out this gorgeous song and it's beautiful words and harmonies. This will put you in the true Christmas spirit!

Happy Sunday!

Something new.....

2011-11-28T14:13:00.001-08:00

As much as I love to paint and look forward to my evening glass of pinot grigio and a nice, quiet painting session, I also need a bit of a break between paintings. I haven't picked up my paint brush since I finished the nativity scene, although I'm almost ready. But I also don't like to be idle while I'm on my 'break'. I like to write or make dolls or calendars......something totally different. And lately, I've really felt like I needed a new 'line'. So.....I took prints of some of my favorites and kind of did a 'half print, half decoupage' thing with them. I like them.....I think.

I tried to find a verse that I thought correlated with the painting without making it just a 'story' or some silly cliche. I wanted more of 'make you think' kind of thing. But since I've never been accused of being much of a deep thinker....this was a bit out of my element. Take a look.

Since this line is totally new, I'd love some feedback. I get excited doing new things but nervous because just because I like them, that doesn't mean other people will, too. And that kind of defeats the purpose when using scripture. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!

Also, these are all mounted on sturdy wood and ready for hanging. Each piece can be ordered by clicking here!

An unquiet mind.

2011-11-21T14:39:00.000-08:00

I struggle with my thoughts. I guess most people do. But my thoughts are a little different than most peoples. Sometimes my thoughts tell me things that aren't true. Sometimes I get lost in those thoughts and get carried away. I've been known to walk around talking to myself. My darling husband is used to it. But I hate it.

I used to think I was crazy. I remember being 14 years old and meeting a friend at the mall and confessing to her that I really had fears that I was losing my mind. That was 22 years ago. My thoughts haven't let up a bit.

The difference now is that I know and accept (and even somwhat like) that I am purposely made a certain way. I'm an artist. I'm not a brilliant artist but I'm not bad, either. And as the kind of artist God made me, my mind likes to take over sometimes.

But....

Other times it's my lack of self-confidence and self-esteem that makes my creative mind really get completely and utterly out of control. There have been times I couldn't remember if I had actually done or said things or if my mind was telling me that I had. I get lost.

So......think I'm totally insane yet?

Now, I say all this because I really have made peace (somewhat) with my sometimes 'insanity'. It is what it is. I am this way, mainly, because of the gift of creativity my God endowed me with. The problem arises when I allow my creativity to control me instead of me controlling my creativity.

It is what it is. I am who I am. It took me a long time to accept that God thinks my mind is beautiful. And so should I.

And luckilly, I still have friends who love me. A husband who treats me like a queen. Parents who tolerate and humor me. 2 fabulous little girls who tell me I'm the best Mommy in the world. And a great group of supportive artists at my gallery who don't run away screaming when I enter the room.

And that, my friends, is what keeps me sane. Most of the time, anyway.

Good night.

Getting there.....

2011-11-15T19:19:00.000-08:00

My love for all things biblical is what sparks my imagination the most. Nothing is more inspirational than the bible and there is more food for thought and amazing ideas oozing from it's pages than anything else I know. I love it. And I can honestly say that since I began painting biblical scenes, my ability has grown. I don't say this to be vain or pump up my work.....anyone who knows me knows that I am notoriously hard on myself and always complaining about my lack of training and talent. But I think when you are doing what God has put you on earth to do, things just start to fall into place. Slowly. I still stink at painting hands and feet!

Moo.

The name of this piece is 'Behold the King'. This painting is also available on Christmas Cards!

Thanks for checking out my new painting!

You Are A Work of Art

2011-11-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

This is a poem I wrote for my sweet Lilly, who sometimes forgets how wonderful she really is.

You Are A Work Of Art

You are a work of art, you are.

Beautiful in every way.

A masterpiece created for a unique purpose.

The color of your hair,

the sound of your voice,

the way you laugh.

Every aspect carefully chosen for you

before you were even born.

You are a work of art, you are.

Extraordinary and precious.

In all the world, there is noone else like you.

You are one of a kind

given as a gift to the world

with distinct talents and personality

that can come only from you.

And what you have to offer

is indescribable.

You are a work of art, you are.

Down to the shape of your toes

and the color of your skin.

Your likes and dislikes, your loves and hates.

What makes you smile and what makes you cry

are all part of a glorious design.

It makes you who you are,

and you are amazing.

You are a work of art, you are.

More meticulously designed than the Taj Mahal.

More delicately crafted than a butterfly.

You are wonderful.

You are irreplacable.

You are incomparable.

You are a work of art.

You are.

This poem available here!

All Used Up....

2011-11-03T16:32:00.000-07:00

I worry. I worry that I'm not doing enough. I worry that I'm doing too much. I worry that I'm doing the wrong things or even the right things at the wrong time. And I worry that I'm wasting good things.

I don't want to waste anything. Time, talent, love........

There is a great quote from a little girls that reads:

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'" - Erma Bombeck

Now that says it all.

I want to be known as a person who is gentle and kind.

I want to be brave enough to give everything I am.

I don't ever want my kids to wonder how I feel about them.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us." - Marianne Williamson

Let's not waste anything....and let's not be afraid!

Cutesy Gifts......

2011-10-26T07:41:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge fan of making jewelry but I get the bug sometimes. I LOVE jewelry that means something. That's pretty much all I wear (except for Bonnie Boardmans originals......they are my serious weakness). So here are a few things I have in the Sanctuary online store available for some lovely and meaningful gift giving!

Up to 4 names on these! Also available as 'side by side'.

This is a copy of a lovely drawing Lilly did. I shrink it down and attach it to glass with resin.
Lilly LOVES to see her art around my neck!

I love making these. They are super cute and easy. I made these using old Christmas cards from last year!

I love making all these since they all involve children. There's nothing my kids love more than seeing something that represents them around my neck! And my Mother loves having something of the girls at all times, too. And I have to admit, it makes me happy when I'm wearing them and people stop me to ask me about my children. It's a great way to brag on your kids, and we never tire of doing that!

All these pieces are available in the online store, Sanctuary of Davidson. They are options to fit every budget! Make sure to look at both pages to see everything!

Happy Wednesday!

Calendar Craze!

2011-10-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

Once every few months, I do what I call a 'calendar assembly line'. Which pretty much means I make about 6 or 7 calendars at once, which is a LOT of work. They are fairly simple to make, just very time consuming.

The worst part is getting the magnet paint on the boards. You have to mix it just right for it to work, which means constant stirring. AND, it stinks like nobodies business. Seriously. I have to keep the garage door open when I paint it onto the boards and I still get a wicked headache. And Lord knows what it's doing to my insides!

But, after 4 -5 coats of magnet paint, which takes a couple days for all the layers the dry, I'm ready to get down to business and do the fun part.

For me, the fun part is selecting the prints to use, getting them mounted and then.....my very favorite part.....figuring out what the magnets will be attached to based on the subject of the print. Call me crazy, I like the challenge. Not that it's a huge challenge, but since it IS a calendar assembly line and a process I've pretty much perfected over the last year or so, there's not a lot of creativity left in it for me. EXCEPT.....when I get to the magnets!

Here's what I've been working on.....

From Everlasting to Everlasting Calendar.

I used polymer clay for this magnet. Tons of fun!

I think this calendar is my fave.

Resin roses for the magnets!

There are a few others that have not made it off the assembly line yet. To be quite honest, this 37 year old body cramps up a lot on the assembly line......so I don't stay on the line too long!

I added this photo because I loved the blurry edges effect from iphoto. Have I mentioned that I love my Mac?

And, of course, the Davidson calendar. I print out tiny photos of Sanctuary and The Village Store, attach them to glass with resin and then add the magnet. Extra work but so worth it.

You can find all these calendars in the gallery or in the online store at Sanctuary of Davidson.

Happy Wednesday! AND....thanks to everyone who left sweet comments, phone calls, emails, etc. about my Granny. You all made me feel very loved!

A World Without Her

2011-10-11T08:49:00.000-07:00

What will it be like in a world without her?

Visits and phone calls full of laughter and joking.

Funny old stories and sweet hand holding.

Fried apple pies, oatmeal cookies, homemade rolls.

7-up punch and sweet tea ice cold.

What will it be like in a world without her?

Her constant encouragment through warm, blue eyes.

Unconditional love and tearful goodbyes.

Games of rook and rummy and music so sweet.

Banjo picking, flat footing so delightful to see.

What will it be like in a world without her?

Questions always answered with love and concern.

Selflessly giving, always eager to learn.

I’ll miss the sound of her voice, her smile, her winks,

The way her hugs lingered on, the way she loved me.

What will it be like in a world without her?

Her endurance, her joy, so patient, so wise.

My broken heart will miss her everyday of my life.

I know in heaven we’ll reunite with my sweet grandmother.

But for now I must live in a world without her.

Grandparents are an unbelievable gift from God. My Granny lived a grand 100 years but it wasn't enough for me. I wish I'd told her I loved her more, visited more, called more. If you have Grandparents living, make sure they know you love them. You wouldn't be here if not for them.

Hattie June Addison Keene

June 12th, 1911 - October 11th, 2011

See you soon, Granny. Love you forever.

The Big '06'

2011-10-01T19:25:00.000-07:00

If you love Halloween and you also love Bunnies, and your mother tells you that you have to choose a theme for your birthday party......what's a girl to do?

Well this little girl chose.....A HALLOWEEN BUNNY PARTY!

First, she had to decorate.

Bunny ghosts are SO gonna catch on this year.

Then.....you have to find a big, pink bunny to answer the door and greet your guests.

This is really 3 bunnies in 1.....if you count the feet.

Then invite some super special friends.....

And you gotta some some super awesome crafts!

Make sure to score some bunny lovin' at some point during the party.

Whew.....after all the fun, it's time for some refreshments.

Yumalicious.

Carrots, cheddar bunnies, popcorn and grapes......serious bunny food.

Turning 6 is so exciting!!!

Happy Birthday Sweet Molly.....

and HOPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Fly Away.....

2011-09-23T14:26:00.000-07:00

Do you ever look up into the sky and see an airplane and wish you were on it?

Or sometimes look at birds flying around the sky and wonder if they ever worry, get sad, get angry? Do they feel selfish or embarrassed or afraid? Scared that they just aren't getting things right?

Do they worry that they are not spending enough time with their kids? Or wonder if they are doing enough for the people who are counting on them? Do they wonder if they are giving enough love and attention to their husbands? Or do they call their mothers enough?

Are they afraid that the bills are piling up? Do they worry about not volunteering at their kids school enough? Are they scared sick of what their kids are going to face in the world as they grow older? Will they lose touch with their kids hearts? Will they lose touch with themselves?

Sometimes I want to fly away.

Courage.

2011-09-14T10:16:00.000-07:00

I wrote this poem a while back for a dear friend going through breast cancer. Now one of my favorite relatives in the world is beginning a journey through the same thing. So I thought I'd share this.

Courage.

You will not go through this alone.

When the winds blow hard

And the waves crash down,

Know that your hand is in mine.

My heart is carefully wrapped around yours.

You will not fail. You will not fall.

And if you stumble,

My arms will catch you.

My strength will hold you up until

You have recovered your own.

If the roads seem impassible,

And the rains blind your way,

Turn and look into my eyes…..

You will find unfathomable love,

Joyous faith, immovable confidence,

All for you. You may take them as your own.

There will be trying times where you may want to quit.

They will come…. they will pass.

Remember, you will not be conquered by this.

The shadows shall have no victory.

You are strong. You are beautiful. You are brave.

And you are not alone.

I cannot fight this battle for you.

But I can fight it with you.

We are in this together, you and I.

You are a warrior.

You are a conqueror.

Courage.

A simpler life.......

2011-09-11T18:22:00.000-07:00

I wish I were in the stone age.

Adam and Eve loved the stone age.

What??

Yes.....I wish I were in a time where things were simpler and harder. Life was quieter and more difficult. Relationships were more important and lovelier. I think I hate technology. Is it really helping us or are we sadly addicted to it? I mean, I LOVE my new mac. It's AWESOME. How did I ever live without it? But really.......

Maybe this angel guarded babies during the stone age. That's cool.

Is technology helping or hurting us?

Is working hard....really hard..... good or bad?

Is going back to work and opening my gallery good for me.....or is it killing me?

Good thing? Bad thing?

I know this is such a random post. These are just things going on in my mind. I'm overwhelmed most of the time and I can't slow down. Kevin gives me great advice about not checking my phone every time I get an email....turning my computer off at 7:00.....delegating more gallery stuff to my friend, Jenn, who is invaluable to me. I literally feel like I am underwater most of the time. What to do, what to do.

Stone age row houses. How about a commune?

Most nights Kevin and I sit with our laptops on our laps working. Or on our phones. Is technology killing our relationships??

I heart a simpler life.

Stone age. Let's go back to that.

But only if I can bring my mac.

This lovely angel uses a mac. She doesn't really want to go back to the stone age. Okay....neither do I.

Life is so hard.

I have what?????

2011-08-30T10:21:00.000-07:00

I've always been a little......different. I remember being in high school and thinking I was literally out of my mind. I tried to fix that with alcohol, drugs, theatre, art.....anything. Never worked. When I was in my 20's, a friend decided that I was bi-polar and sent me to her doctor, who put me on one medicine after another.....I got nuttier and nuttier the more medicine I took. After a terrible episode in Target when I literally thought my legs where gushing blood all over the aisle (sounds insane but it's actually a pretty funny story....obviously I wasn't bleeding) I decided to throw away all medicine.
Another time and another doctor, I was told I had severe depression. Really? I don't feel all that depressed so how can I be labeled as severe anything? More medicine....more nuttiness....more throwing medicine away.

After a few years of trying to tough it out, I saw another doctor. She patiently listened to me....very patiently....and then handed me a piece of paper and said, 'fill this out, just for the heck of it'. So I did. Took me about 20 minutes, I gave it to her, she read it, looked at me and with a smile, said....'You do not have severe depression, you are not bi-polar, you are not nutty at all......you have ADD, and that is okay'.

I have what???

She also told me that when people who have ADD do not get diagnosed correctly, they always wonder what is wrong with them and why nothing helps and that is what makes them so depressed. And no medicine is going to help the depression if the ADD is not dealt with.

'I have what??'

So......I went to the library, got the best book on ADD I could find and read it. I was floored by what i read. Without telling my husband what I was reading, I said, 'listen to this description.....' and I read him 2 pages of what an ADD adult might look like. He literally said, 'Wow. Who wrote a book about you?'

I have ADD.

Now.....before you go getting sappy and 'I'm so sorry' on me.....ADD is not so bad, if you know you have it. There are lot's of ways to manage. AND.....most people who have ADD are super creative, very intelligent and can handle many things normal folks can't. I'm not trying to sensationalize this or anything. I'm just saying, it's not a death sentence.

If I did not have ADD, I would never be able to run the gallery, enjoy my family, do my own art, teach a class or 2, manage 2 blogs, a facebook page, a website and an online store. (I do, of course, require help with all this, though!)

Needless to say, I get very, VERY overwhelmed at times. But now I know how to deal with it. And I have a very supportive family and community of friends who love me, understand me and accept me as I am. And that makes all the difference.

So.....thanks to my ADD, here are some of the projects I was able to accomplish this week!

The beginnings of a 'How to Paint a Folk Art Face' tutorial for next week.

A 'Grandmother Brag Bracelet' for an old friend in my Kentucky hometown.

A cute Halloween Poem I wrote and some funky art.

Did I mention that I as soon as the weather starts to cool that I get completely obsessed with Halloween?

Yes, completely obsessed. That will be another blog post!
Cute little Halloween, bottlecap necklaces.

And my little poems that I do. Gotta do more of these tonight.

So....as you can see, ADD works for me. I hate it, I love it. And in the end, it's not so bad. Learning about it and understanding it is the key. Good days, bad days. But God made me this way for a reason. I'm gonna be okay.

Deus Comprehensus.....

2011-08-25T14:06:00.000-07:00

Last week after I finished teaching a class at the gallery on painting folk art angels (of all things), my friend Di and I went to have a glass of wine at Flat Iron so I could chill out from the week and have a little down time before heading home again.

I'm so fortunate to have friends who accept me for who I am, let me rant and rave about things I love, hate, question.....or just vent. And that night, my head was swimming about silly questions like, 'why are we really here?' and 'a virgin birth.....come on, really?' and 'does God even know who I am?'. Ridiculous when you think about my last blog post.

My dear friend reminds me that questions are good. Doubting is healthy and just like any decent relationship, God welcomes it.

Really?? And then I figured....I don't know all there is to know about my husband, my kids....even my dog....but I love them so much. I love discovering new things about them. I love that ever so often I get a new glimpse into them and appreciate who they are and seeing talents they have that I don't and loving that their personalities, loves, interests and desires are different than mine. It's so cool!

I have to admit that I was even a little mad at God for a couple of days. How do I really know that He cares a lick about my teeny, little life. Are those gentle nudges really Him or am I just making it up? Wishful thinking?? Am I crazy????????

And in the midst of all this...I got a commission for a painting. This lovely lady asked me to do a mixed media piece for her. She left the specifics of the painting up to me. She only required one thing to be included; a quote that read,

'Deus comprehensus non est Deus'

Which is translated.....

'God fully comprehended is not God'.

Now ain't that something.

Everything I am.....

2011-08-17T12:10:00.000-07:00

I know noone wants to hear about another of my struggles after my little rant last week......but here it is! As a visual artist, I struggle with what to paint. I have a terrible habit of seeing what other artists are doing and then looking at my own work as sadly inferior. Oh, the joys of comparison. Why do we do it?

Being a Christian artist has presented some extra challenges. I want my work to be thought-provoking and inspirational (who doesn't, right??) but then I have to ask myself.....why? Why do I want it to be thought-provoking and inspirational? Do I want to help people or do I want to be thought of as 'insightful' and 'interesting'. Is it for them.....or is it for me? Shouldn't it be to edify?.......or is it for me? What are people saying about me?

For years.....it's been for me. I struggle (yes....another struggle) with humility. I've been called humble so many times and in the back of my mind I'm thinking, "you have no idea". I soooo appreciate people thinking of me that way but I'm not humble. I WANT to be more than anything. Humility would make me a better mother, wife, friend, daughter, sister, boss, artist........everything!! Why is it so elusive?? Why is the 'what am I going to get out of this' question always in the back of my mind??

So, back to 'what should I paint?'.........nothing gives me greater joy than to paint the gospels. I love to read the bible....but sometimes it's just words to me. After painting everything under the sun and struggling (there's that word again) with what else to paint, I settle on the gospels most of the time. When I'm painting a scene about Jesus, I feel close to him. I don't hear words.....I feel. To quote 'Chariots of Fire'........When I paint, I feel God's pleasure.

So there you have it. I get so many questions as to why I choose the bible to paint from. Because it's a spiritual experience for me. Because I feel God when I paint. I try to be a thousand different things in life to try to measure up and compare with what everyone is doing better than me. But when I paint, it's just me and God. Noone to impress. Just us. When I paint....I'm humble. Finally.

Everytime I finish a biblical scene, I think, 'I loved this experience, but noone is going to buy this'. I guess because I didn't try to put anything into the piece but what it should be. Not some sales gimick. And nothing of me.

I just finished a commission for a lovely lady at the gallery. It's another "Last Supper". The last one I did a couple of years ago was called 'One Of You'. I haven't named this one yet.

When I first became a Christian, I was very depressed and one time, I felt like I saw Jesus in my mind with outstretched arms. I don't remember his apprearance except that he had the bluest eyes I'd ever seen. I always thought that seemed absurd until I read 2 different accounts of children who had near death experiences about 12 years later. They talked about how blue Jesus' eyes were. Gave me chill bumps.

"Break my heart with what breaks yours. Everything I am for your kingdoms cause." - Brooke Fraser.

Have a great, humble week!

Those who make me smile.....

2011-08-10T20:44:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those days when I can't tell if I'm sad because things are changing... or because I'm feeling a little overworked....or because I haven't seen friends in a while.....or if I'm just totally hormonal. I was dealing with all of these today and I'm sure they all worked very well together to create the perfect storm.

I LOVE to be alone so I can paint, read, blog....whatever. But after a few days, I start to get very down and that is when I have to grab that cup of coffee, sit on the screened in porch and reevaluate my week. Hmmm......perhaps being a hermit is not necessarilly a positive thing. I need to see friends. I need to be around positive people who care about me. Even if they are not so positive at the moment. I need to get out of my own head and see some real, live people!

Oh....that's another thing. I have this lovely, safe place inside my head I call 'the box'. It's where I go when I'm overwhelmed, sad, attacked, angry, moody, senstive, irrational.......so as you can guess, I pretty much live there. Safe? Only in a matter of speaking. I seem to forget the rest of the world exists when I retreat to the box for protection. Only....the world inside the box doesn't really exist. It's imaginery. A 'safe' place for me to feel happy, welcome, talented, sought after, needed, adored......but it's not real. And it's easy to get lost in a place where everything is happy and I'm the star of the show. But in the end....it's hard to leave the box. And I get stuck. And I start to forget my friends, my husband, my kids......everything that is important to me. My relationships suffer. The gallery suffers. I suffer. But that box.....it's so safe, right?

This morning I forced myself out of the box. I put off working out (for shame, right?), packed up a punch of jewelry supplies and headed to the gallery to work and socialize with my sweet friend Angela Statzer who was behind the desk. It was a great idea. I was feeling crappy and Angela's smile and enthusiasm brightened my day. It was so nice to have coffee, make some earrings and just gab. It's exactly what I needed.

Then, the girls and I spent the afternoon making jewelry out of pop cans. I made it and they modeled. Another fun break in the day. They were wonderful.

But, tonight I dreaded going to church to practice singing for Sunday's service. It's my last time singing at Lake Forest since I'm on the launch team to start the new church. I was back to being down and I also couldn't get a sitter so the girls were tagging along with me. You never know how that's going to go! I got there and everyone was very welcoming of the kids. Already made me feel better. Then I got to hang out with 2 wonderful ladies, Reeve and Liz.

Singing buddies!

Me and Liz, my super pick me up friend.

This is super blurry, but Molly made a bed for her and bunny white right on stage.

Me singing. Taken with Reeves phone!

Liz is one of those friends who will just randomly text me great little pick me ups out of nowhere. She's the best. Just hanging with these 2 ladies gave me another needed boost.

And at the end of the night, Lilly got the treat of her life when Kyle let her sing one of his songs on the mike with the full band behind her. Molly did a lovely interpretive dance during the guitar solo. You never saw 2 happier little girls. Made my night.

So....the point of this very LONG blog post is.....

The box is bad.

Friends are good.

Life is beautiful.

Good night.

Sneak Peek....

2011-08-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

I've been working the last 2 weeks on a commissioned 'Last Supper' piece. Almost finished! I'm happy with how it is turning out. This is the first time I've had color requests. It's challenging to work with a limited color palette, in a good way. Always good to stretch a bit! I never realized how dependent I was on the color blue until I couldn't use it. Who knew?

I'll hopefully have all the black painted in by Monday.

Gotta fix John, to the right. Looks like he's wearing eye makeup. Woopsy.

AND.....

I have to include a little photo of this Mommy bracelet I just made for myself. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE dangly charm bracelets but can never find or afford what I want. So...I made it!

I added 2 little girls charms, one that says 'family', 'Mom' and some baby booties. And, of course, the girls' stamped names. All sterling. Now I have to figure out how to price out all the charms and add it to the gallery. Pricing is always a challenge.

Have a great weekend!!

100th Post!!!

2011-07-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

Wow. It took me a long time to get to my 100th post. So to celebrate this little milestone, I'd like to post a poem I wrote a long time ago that sums up my past, present and my future!! Hope you enjoy.

The Journey

I began a journey some years ago.

I started off scared so I started off slow.

And every time I turned my head to see just how far I’d gone,

I grew stronger for the climb;

And then I journeyed on.

I found people and places I’d never known.

Became something more. Oh, how I’ve grown.

And I learned that grass is not always greener

In someone else’s lawn. And not everything is bad.

And then, I journeyed on.

I learned freedom is mostly a state of mind

And people with sight can really be blind.

The early bird may get the worm but the dawn still turns to dark.

So, I decided to sleep ‘til noon.

And then, I journeyed on.

I made some friends and they made me.

I found my comfort in company

Of people who refused to judge or say just what I wanted to hear.

So I became a better person.

And then, I journeyed on.

I met a savior and I found peace.

Self worth increased and I felt complete.

Then I laughed at what I’d been. And I wept at what I’d been.

But, I pulled myself together.

And then, I journeyed on.

If anyone is interested in seeing more of my poetry, please click this link, https://sanctuaryofdavidson.com/store/products.php?cat=51,

to go to the Sanctuary of Davidson online store.

Thanks for reading my silly little poem. And Happy Thursday!

Finished!!!

2011-07-10T18:54:00.000-07:00

Finished and ready to ship out!!

Who knew Katonah, New York would be so hard to paint! I enjoyed it but am also happy to be done. Like I said before, detail is not my strongest suit but the challenge was a good one. I might even enjoy doing the street scenes of other small towns in the future. They are so charming and the architecture is always lovely. But.....not too soon!

Good night!

A Good Day

2011-07-01T19:03:00.000-07:00

I had such a fabulous day today. I slept in until 7:30 (yes, when you have youngsters 7:30 is a late morning), got the house cleaned up for our 7 guests arriving tomorrow morning at 8:00 and officially passed the half-way point on my latest commissioned painting. It's very detailed and anyone who knows me knows that detail is not my fave.
The painting is of my sister-in-laws favorite shops in Katonah, NY where she lives. It's so strange painting it after only painting Davidson shops in the past. It's quite the challenge since I'm not familiar with the Katonah shops. I'm taking my time and enjoying it, though. Finally.....I'm not rushing through a painting. I'm trying to enjoy the process instead of pushing to get to the final product.

Here's where I am so far. Halfway!

Hello, detail...my nemisis.

So back to my wonderful day. Kevin got home from his usual out of town trip just in time for me hop into the car for a trip to homegoods. It IS payday, after all! I'm been DYING to get new lamps. Sounds boring but look what I found.....

Score! How cool is this lamp?

And then I also gave myself permission to buy this little table by Angela Statzer at Sanctuary. LOVE it!

And then to make my day utterly wonderful (besides the fact that my kids got along today....woohoo!). I went to the Bradford Farm to get coffee creamer (because theirs is the BEST) and what did I see?

Ripe Figs!!

And anyone else who knows me knows that I have been trying to grow figs for 5 years. A couple of ladies at church refer to me as 'the fig lady'. I have 4 fig trees and I have YET to get one fig. Sigh......

Thanks for reading my little blog. Good night and I hope your tomorrow is filled with fabulous outlet store finds, payday treats and juicy, perfect, ripe figgies. And no, you cannot compare a fig to a fig newton. Totally different.

Check it Out!!

2011-06-29T20:32:00.000-07:00

One of my passions is writing poetry.....yes, sappy...I know. But I love it and I always wanted to find a way to incorporate it into my artwork or just create artwork out of it altogether. It took some time but I figured it out. Here are a few examples of what they look like.

AND, pop over to my gallery blog, http://www.sanctuaryofdavidson.blogspot.com/ for a full tutorial on how to make them! Since it is midnight, I won't bore you with an actual poem.....I'll type one in on the next post!
Good Night!

Sick.....who me???

2011-05-24T18:34:00.000-07:00

I refuse to be sick. I also refuse to believe that some illnesses have no treatment. Such as....mono. Yes, I was just told, via bloodwork, that I have mono. What???? Don't you get that from kissing your middle school boyfriend?? And I was told to rest....and that is all. No treatment? Poo. I can't believe God would allow any illness to be on earth without giving us a treatment for it. It's just a matter of finding it and I don't think it is found in a lab. So...I did my research and came up with a million websites that pointed me to extra virgin, cold-pressed, organic coconut oil. Great! I've got that in my pantry. And after 4 doses and feeling like death for a week, I am wide awake, pain free and actually feeling better than I have in months. I'm actually blogging! And drinking wine! Yay, coconut oil!!

And, I'm also in love with a new craft.......jewelry from aluminum cans. I don't have any pix yet but I can't wait to post them next time. AND, I think I'd like to start doing tutorials on my blog. Can't wait to start.

In the meantime, I'm posting a few newbies. Hope you enjoy!

Thanks to the miracle of magnet paint, I finally figured out how to make perpetual calendars!

The girls REALLY wanted to help make calendars, which I thought was a great idea. That is until a little girl at the gallery pointed out there were a few dates missing. Hmmmm......

Yes.....it is.

Newest dress painting. This one is entirely made of paper. Only the background is acrylic.

Have a lovely evening, friends. Go out and get some coconut oil. Apparently, it's the cure to all kinds of ailes.....not just mono!

Krissy

Happy Easter!!

2011-04-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

Hello!! I've been away for a bit from blogging but am trying my darnedest to get back into the groove. We've been on Spring Break all week and are TOTALLY out of whack! But I did manage to get a painting finished that has been roaming around in my head for a good while. I do like it but I think my paintings always look better in my head than on the wood! It was fun to paint and I'm glad it's not in my head driving me crazy anymore.

Click on the painting to enlarge and see the detail.

Have a wonderful Easter!

2011-01-12T14:15:00.000-08:00

I finished my little angel yesterday. I like her but I can't look at her without seeing the blatant influences of other artists I love. That's my biggest quandary......how to be influenced without looking like the person who influences you. As artists, we are all influenced by something or someone.....whether it be a Van Gogh or the art on a coffee can.....it's there, you can't escape it. But I feel my art sometimes almost looks like a copy or a reproduction of other artists work.

I've been painting angels for as long as I can remember but after finding an artist called Gritty Jane, I felt my angels started to come alive. I loved her work and tried out some of her techniques and enjoyed them immensely. But after a few months, I found myself very humbly having to apologize to her for looking WAY to similar. How humiliating.

How to be influenced without being a copycat.........How??

On the other hand, I'm sure you won't have to look very far to find another artist who resembles your own work....most likely an artist who has never even heard of you....which makes me wonder, are there any new ideas out there? Is most art just 'recycled'?

Oh my.....I've been snowed in for too long. How about I just end this now with an awesome article a friend shared with me today. It's WELL worth a looksy.

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/current-events/op-ed-blog/24084-can-offensive-art-be-christian#

AND.... the gallery is coming along nicely. You can't tell from this picture but here's a sneak peak, anyway.

Happy Wednesday!

Krissy

2011-01-06T19:06:00.000-08:00

I realize that I haven't been posting my new works so I thought I'd show one that's about half-way finished.

Now that I see a photo of her, I see how harsh the black lines are in her face. She also has a very 'bored' look on her face. Not what I was going for! I have a lot of softening to do on her. I am very happy with her wings, though. That was some serious decoupage. Took all night. I'm also giving her a sand texture finish for some depth. Hopefully she'll be finished tomorrow and ready for the gallery on Saturday. We'll see!

Good night!

I'm in a Book!!!

2011-01-04T15:59:00.000-08:00

I think that in the chaos of life, I forgot to mention that I'm in a book! A lovely lady named Chrissie Grace (find her in my blog roll....you won't regret it!) contacted me about contributing to her wonderful new book, SHARING STITCHES. She wasn't put off a bit that I don't know a thing about sewing! I did my best hand stitches and she helped with the rest. And the best part is that she incorporates so much of her faith into her artwork. I love that. Does art really always have to be about promoting ourselves? It's so much more wonderful and worthwhile when it points to the one who gave us artistic talent in the first place!

Hopefully, I'll have the book in the gallery for sale soon. I think it is still only available as a pre-order. Google SHARING STITCHES or hop over to amazon to get a sneak peak.

Here is a link the lovely interview she put on her blog with me in June. Forgot to mention that, too!

http://chrissiegrace.blogspot.com/search?q=kristen+feighery

And a pix of the cover....

And the amazon link to order your copy!

http://www.amazon.com/Sharing-Stitches-Inspiration-One-Kind/dp/1600619436#_

Have a great Tuesday night!!

More Angels

2010-11-24T18:33:00.000-08:00

I'm definitely on an angel kick right now. I've painted tons of them. Maybe because I need a little peace or joy in my life. Everything seems so hectic......getting the art classes at the gallery going, trying to spend more time with the kids, Kevin having surgery.....life is a whirlwind. I'm dying to start a new 'Last Supper' painting but it will probably have to wait until January. Sigh....why must things move so fast??

Okay, enough complaining! I'm very much looking forward to a fabulous weekend with my family in Old Town, Alexandria. We have tickets to see Cyndi Lauper (which was mine and Kevin's first date 10 years ago!). The girls are excited and the air is good. Thank goodness for holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Down to the River!

2010-10-07T07:17:00.000-07:00

Took me 6 weeks to finish this one. I'm not used to painting small details so it absolutely exhausted me to do it. My poor little eyes would go blurry after about an hour and I'd have to give it up for the day. BUT.....I've wanted to do this painting for a while. Reminds me of my old Kentucky home. Simpler times and a simpler life.

Which reminds me....I'm doing a charity event for a mission called Red Bird Ministry which benefits the coal mining region (where I'm from) of Southeastern Kentucky. The area is filled with mind numbing poverty and every sadness you can think of. But the people carry on and are the nicest you will ever meet. Check out http://www.rbmission.org/ to learn more about this amazing ministry.

"Down to the River" is available in my gallery, Sanctuary of Davidson. Please visit or contact me for more information.

Have a great week!

Forgot this one!

2010-10-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

For so long I've meant to post these sweet angel paintings I did for Molly's teachers last year. We just loved them and seeing one of them today made me want to dig these up and publish. We had such a great experience last year with these 2 wonderful ladies and even all the kids got along beautifully. So I painted these angels and had all the kids sign around the frame. Then we mothers signed the back. It was the most personal thing I could think to give to such sweet ladies. God bless teachers!!

Oldies....

2010-06-27T15:18:00.000-07:00

I was going through some of my old photos of paintings and ran across a few that I nearly forgot about! I'm reposting this one because I was so very proud of the outcome. It was a present to my music minister at church from his wife. He had given me the idea a while before. It's David, fresh from battle, all dirty and sweaty....knicked a few places from fighting.....and he sits down on a rock to play his harp and worship God. Seriously, I wish I could come up with great ideas like that for a painting! But, anyhoo.....I found the photo I took of it before I delivered it and thought I'd re-share it! I worked on this one for hours....longer than I had worked on any painting before.

I was particularly proud of his feet!!

Happy Sunday. Hope the temp wherever you are is cooler than we are here in Davidson!

2010-06-02T18:47:00.000-07:00

I love summer! The girls are out of school and we are officially 'pooling it'. And at night, after the girls go to bed, I'm loving opening up the windows to listen to the frogs sing, pouring myself a glass of wine and painting until my fingers cramp!
Lot's of custom orders lately....jewelry, poems and paintings. It's a good thing I have ADD and can't concentrate on one thing for too long....keeps things from getting boring!
Here are a few pix of some of newbies and oldies. Happy Summer everyone!

2010-05-22T18:48:00.000-07:00

I believe I am living in the beginnings of my 'sweet spot'. I did a study with some ladies last summer called, 'Living in your sweet spot' by Max Lucado. One of the best studies I've ever done. I think that book is what helped me firm up the decision to take on the craziness of the gallery. No business experience, no idea how to do paperwork.......but I did it. And I love it. It drives me crazy but I really do love it. Especially now that I've broken down and decided to have someone teach me how to use quickbooks, which is completely over my head and I also found a wonderful consignment system for the computer. Worth every penny. But...in the meantime, I've lost my one of my loves.....blogging and meeting other artists in cyper space. I've lost another facet of my 'sweet spot'. LOVE running a business but I am definitely first and foremost an artist. I can't let anything take that away no matter how 'sweet'! So....I've buckled down and gotten some more work done.

I'm pretty proud of the prints I've been putting out. One is a 10"x30" print of my 3rd last supper painting mounted on wood. I love that people who can't afford the originals can buy these and that they are big enough to look good on any wall. Here's a pix.....

And a funky new Adam and Eve painting. I have to snicker at my 'nudey' attempt. I couldn't not cover them up, though!

Have a great night, bloggers everywhere! Hope you are all living in your sweet spots!

The 'Art' of working out....

2010-04-12T14:04:00.000-07:00

I don't think I ever mentioned that I did a stint as a personal trainer. 3 years. I'll never go back to it although I must say that during those 3 years, I was in the best shape of my life. I worked out sometimes 2 hours a day. I trained with the other trainers. We pushed ourselves and each other to the extremes......yet I still wasn't happy with my body. So sad. I've decided that no matter what I look like, I'll never look the way I want. So I'm scrapping it.

My husband is constantly telling me that he loves my body (but that's his job, right?) but 7 years after ending my stint as a trainer and 2 kids later, I'm done with my wimpy workouts. I was so motivated today by the fact that I could still do 3 pull-ups (I used to do about 3 sets of 10) that I decided to get moving again. I hired a trainer to push me. We start Wednesday.....can't wait!! I miss rough, crazy, exhausting workouts but I will never do them alone. So.....wish me luck!!

In the meantime, here's a street scene I did of our little Davidson. I'm happy with it but, whew! Detail is not my first love......

Sold! Thank you!

And a lovely little ditty I did for my church.

Ciao!

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-12T10:47:00.001-08:00

Wow. 6 weeks into the new year. Hard to believe. I feel like I'm still catching my breath from Christmas.

Just signed up for my first real art fair. I've only done them with more 'crafty' stuff before my kids were born but never with my art. So I'm pretty excited. And the best part is the fair is that it's right across from the gallery. Hopefully it will bring in a little business!

I'm really excited about some new jewelry I've got going. I had some requests for gold-filled so I bit the bullet and started doing gold mommy necklaces. I like them! I haven't worn gold in years. No time like the present.

Hope everyone has a great Valentines day! More snow here in Davidson. I bought the girls sleds this morning. The cardboard boxes we used last time didn't hold up too well....

Talk again soon....

New Work!

2010-01-23T13:22:00.000-08:00

Okay....finally got another 'Last Supper' painting so I'm adding some pix. But my obsession right now is stamped silver and I can't stop stamping!! I'm posting a bunch of those pix.

I'm trying my best to visit blogs this week. I've been a very bad blogger friend since I opened the gallery so I'm trying to catch up! I really do enjoy connecting with other artists and it's so neat to 'meet' artists all over the world. Sometimes we even meet without even knowing it, I'm sure. It's such a small world.

Anyhoo.....here are a few things I've finished up. Hope you enjoy!

2010-01-06T12:49:00.000-08:00

I'm really trying to get back into the swing of things. Since the last time I posted, I started exhibiting in a new gallery in Asheville called 'Atelier'. I didn't realize that being in just 2 galleries would be so taxing to keep up with! It's great, though, I can't complain. Hopefully all will continues to go well.

Soooooo glad Christmas is over! 'Sanctuary' was chaos all month so I'm actually relieved for a break. Now I can start focusing on other things. Of course then someone asked what I have planned for Valentines Day. Holy Moly.....who knew the retail world was so demanding!!

Here are a couple of newbies in the gallery. I also finished a new piece I'll be listing later.

Check out the website, http://www.sanctuaryofdavidson.com/, and click on new etsy site. I'll be adding some cute jewelry pieces soon.

Cheers!

Krissy

2009-11-27T04:25:00.000-08:00

Finally finished 'Betrayal in the Garden'. Whew....lot's of work. I've got another going but also started in on the poetry I used to sell years ago. Thought I'd share, although I think I'm much more sensitive about my writing that painting. Gulp.

Oh, Kevin and I are taking 11 of my paintings to a new gallery in Asheville called 'Atelier'. I'm really excited. I'm not sure if it was a good idea to close Sanctuary on black Friday or not but.....it's done. I'll let you know how it goes!

Happy Black Friday!!

I promise I'm still here!

2009-10-13T08:28:00.000-07:00

Hello! I'm finally able to sit down and give an update on the gallery progress. Things are looking good! Sales are going up and people are signing up for classes. I've posted pix on the website if you'd like to pop over and check them out.

This is the piece I'm working on right now. It's Jesus being arrested in the garden of gethsemene. It's about a quarter finished. I had fun painting the soldiers. Next I'll move on to the disicples on the other side of Jesus. It's about 3 feet long. Whew. Lot's of work.

In the meantime, I'm gearing up for Christmas and painting my little heart out. I'm also making some new angel ornaments made out of polymer clay. I can't take full credit for them, though. I'm using a pattern from another artist. And my new obsession is stamped silver. I've been doing personalized necklaces with them and also inspirational quotes. I've added bracelets and earrings this week. Check out the pix below! I haven't added my personal one with Lilly and Molly's names yet. It's super cute, though. I dangled thier birthstones from the bottom. I'll add that pix soon.

This little angel will hold a stamped silver heart with personalized names. I'm hoping they will do well in the gallery at Christmas, especially if I personalize the hair color, dress color, etc.

That's all for now! See you soon!

Woohoo!

2009-08-28T03:54:00.000-07:00

I have been shamefully neglecting my poor blog and etsy shop but I have a good reason......I'm running a gallery! I officially take it over on Sept. 1. I'm sooooo excited! And....sooo scared. I've never run a business before so there is so much to consider but I feel like I'm up for the challenge. I have so many people here supporting me and praying for me and my ever sweet and wonderful husband has been taking care of the girls every night so I can work on the computer. And I've met and am meeting so many amazing artists.....I'm truly overwhelmed with how things are shaping up. God has been so good to me, that's no exaggeration. So very, very good.
So, my artist friends.....if anyone would like to be represented in my gallery, contact me! I'm trying to get as many artists and as many mediums as possible. I'm looking for more 2d work, but also sculpture, wood working, mixed media, clay work, textile arts.....you name it!
I'll let you know how it's all going. Keep me in your thoughts!
Krissy

AHHHHHH!!!!

2009-08-07T20:41:00.000-07:00

I lost my camera! My brand new camera which I LOVE and can take some awesome pix with. Well....it's gone. I could try and blame it on my kids but I really think it was me. Ever have those days when you just want to kick yourself over and over and over again? Yes, that's today for me.

So, Kevin took these lovely (ha ha) images for me with his blackberry. They are atrocious but at least it's something and I've been dying to post. A couple of little offerings I will be getting up on etsy soon.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Back Again!

2009-07-17T06:24:00.000-07:00

We have had such a wonderful month. We had a houseful of Kevin's family in town (he's one of nine!) and enjoyed every moment. After they left, we headed down to Charleston for the weekend. Oh, my goodness.....that place is heaven. Even the girls had a wonderful time. I can't believe how family friendly it is! We took in the aquarium, carraige rides, the beach, dinner at Hymans, the markets, a plantation.....it was wonderful. But now.....back to work.

I finally finished a painting after 2 weeks off. I like it but the right wing is definitely not right. I could use some advice on this one. The way I positioned the angel, the right wing would come up a little higher than the left.....but it just looks funny. Guess I'll be blacking it out and starting again.....sigh.

Hope you all are having as good a summer as we are in the Feighery house!!

Commissions

2009-06-30T05:48:00.000-07:00

Just finished my last commission. This is a painting of my good friends' children. I'm happy with it! Needless to say, they don't exactly look like the painting except for the hair and eyes. I'm not good with realism. But, I think I'll do the same of my own kids. Who knows when.....sigh. I don't think I ever do any paintings for myself these days and when I do, I end up giving them to family. But, that's what it's all about, I think.

I'm always told that I underprice my work and I've even been told that underpricing cheapens the work. I have to say that makes me a little miffed. People should be able to afford art, right? I'm not trying to get rich doing this. I LOVE it. And I love being able to give a big piece of work to someone who maybe can't afford to pay $500 but can maybe pay $200. I enjoy it. Everyone should have at least one original peice of art on thier wall.

Don't get me wrong.....I don't see anything wrong with paying thousands of dollars for art, nothing at all, and there are so many works of art that are worth that price. That's just not my goal. I'm not really trying to make a big name for myself (but there's nothing wrong with that either!).....I'm just trying to spend my time painting.

Anyhooo......luvies to all. Hope you're all having a great week!

2009-06-17T16:02:00.000-07:00

I promise I have not been lazy! I actually spent a little over a week painting the biggest painting of my life....8 feet by 20 feet.....for a background for my church. It was fun and painful, at least on my poor back. But, it's over and now I can concentrate on my own stuff again. I'm in the process of a commission from a long, lost friend of mine of her children, which I am enjoying immensely. But, in between these 2, I did manage to squeeze out 2 little birdies on wood that I'll be putting in my shop at some point in the next few days. I must say, summer is proving to be pretty exhausting between trying to be constructive and also spend good quality time with my sweet girls.

At any rate, we really are having a wonderful summer and I hope you are, too! I'm adding a pix of my seriously white, Irish, spf 60 covered family running down the beach. I thought it was such a kodak moment!

I just had to add this in......look at the size of this blackberry we got at a market today. Don't you just love summer?

Finally!!

2009-05-30T19:33:00.000-07:00

Can you believe that this painting took me 2 weeks? I've never worked that long on one piece. But, here it is. This is King David playing his harp and worshipping God after a victory in battle. It's quite big, nearly 3 feet tall. And I'm sooooo happy to be finished!! I'm posting pix and at the bottom I had to add a detail shot of his feet. I've never done detailed feet before and I have to admit that I'm pretty proud of myself. Thank you to my new 'anatomy for artists' book!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Quick Visit....

2009-05-18T14:03:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to pop in and show you this painting I'm putting on etsy tonight. A friend of mine who is a member of a group of artists I meet with gave me and 3 other painters a challenge: 18" x 18" inch canvas, a palette of only white, blue and brown and somewhere we had to incorporate coffee. Fun! I've never limited my palette before so here is what I came up with.

I embellished it a lot with collage papers and some fun antique crackling. It was fun!

I'm also adding in this little ditty I did a few weeks ago and just set aside. It's a funky wedding cake that actually looks more like a stack of boxes. Oh, well. I still think it's kind of cute. Lot's of cool stamping and thick beeswax on this piece. And it was done on a salvaged cabinet door, my favorite.

Hopefully I'll post again at the end of the week before I leave for the beach. I'm working on a commissioned piece of King David playing the harp with his armour on the ground behind him. It's called 'The Warrior Worships'. A friend gave me this great idea (and the painting title) and I'm really excited about it. I have to admit, though....it's kicking my butt!

2009-05-15T10:50:00.000-07:00

Finally finished the landscape I wanted to do. It's not my best work but I wanted to paint one, I did it and now I can move on! This is a painting of a place called The Breaks Interstate Park in Pike County, Ky. Actually some of it lies in VA as well. It's just the most beautiful place. My husband proposed to me there because he knows how much I love it. I even have a picture of my mother as a child standing right in that same spot up against the wood fence. I think we did all our church picnics there when I was a child. I actually stole a big wooden sign from there once that read, 'Please do not molest trees, shrubs and flowers'. Who wouldn't have stolen that?

Not long ago I found this wonderful childrens book called, "When I was Young in the Mountains" and I bought it for my kids. It talks about swimming in muddy swimming holes, chasing black snakes with a hoe, eating soup beans and cornbread, a young girl watching her grandfather come home every night from the coal mines black as tar......all the things I remember and try to explain to my girls and they just can't get it. To find a book that illustrates it all was so cool and helpful. It helps them to understand a little bit about my childhood. Here are a few pix of the mountaintop in KY. It's just beautiful.

It's funny the particular things you remember about the place you were raised. I used to lay on the riverbank and pretend I was at the beach. All that seems like a million years ago. Growing up in the mountains is unbeatable. If nothing else, it definitely taught me not to be afraid of snakes.....they are everywhere in KY!!

Goodbye for now!

Okay, I lied....

2009-05-07T16:29:00.000-07:00

In the last post I said I was totally burnt on large paintings. Well, that didn't last long. I had a 'mommies night' on Monday so I went to Barnes and Noble and looked at art books all night. Looking at all the older works by Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botti and tons others.....I was so inspired by all the Madonna and Child works. So, naturally I had to come home and paint one myself. I've done one before, probably 6 months ago, but I wanted to try again because I feel I've improved in some areas. Plus, I was dying to try and paint some different hand and feet positions (isn't it so strange what makes me excited?).

So, here it is. My next 'venture' is to try a landscape, something I've never done. I'm going to attempt to paint a picture of a mountain top park from my hometown called 'The Breaks'. I'm cautiously optimistic!

I also, of course, had to add a pix of the girls. It's so hot here we've started filling up the ole plastic pool. They love it. Ah....simple pleasures.

A Few Changes...

2009-05-01T18:54:00.000-07:00

I've been doing such large paintings lately that I've started feeling a little burnt. I used to do l1 or 2 ittle paintings a day when I was doing smaller works. As much as I love the bigger ones I think I need my 'instant gratification' fix again! So I sat down yesterday and actually got 3 pieces finished and I had such a good time. I'm taking Janes texture class so I worked with some texture I haven't used before. I used plaster cast strips to make a tree on a little piece of poplar. Never in my life would I have ever thought of that. Fun, fun! She and Maureen give the greatest how-to's. If you've haven't checked the class out, I would highly recommend it.

Anyhoo..here's a few that I'm putting on etsy. Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!

Hello, Summer!

2009-04-26T11:09:00.001-07:00

It's so stinkin' hot here! It's nearly 90 degrees outside already. I love living in NC but the only bad thing is that there is little to no spring. One day, 58 degrees then it's 90. Sigh....

But...on an up note....My sweet Lilly got chosen in a lottery to go to a school that is just perfect for her. There were about 450 children with only 38 spots available. The amazing thing is that her name was drawn from a hat. That's right. The school is a charter (public) which means every child has an equal chance to get in. Names go into a hat and then 38 are drawn out. Kevin and I have been praying for her to get in for months. Not just because it's a fantastic school, but because Lilly is an 'out of the box' child and this is an 'out of the box' school. Her name being drawn was nothing short of a miraculous answer to prayer and I'll stick by that belief til the day I die!! Oh, and that also means that Molly automatically gets in in 2 years. Yippy skippy!

Anyhoo.....here a few newbies. I listed a couple on etsy and will list more later. The mermaid is in the gallery (my show was very fun, by the way....thanks for all the well-wishes!) but I may trade it out soon and list it as well.

The Prodigal Son

Angel in Red Dress (about 3 feet tall)

Detail of Angel

Swanky Swimmer

Hope you are all having a great Sunday!!

2009-04-16T20:34:00.001-07:00

Just a quickie tonight. I haven't posted in over a week since I took a little break after my show. I worked on a new piece tonight for about 2 hours and only got it sketched in over the gesso. I am so bad at drawing. I think I mask it with lot's of paint. But....my hubby has been asking me to do a 'prodigal son' painting so I decided to tackle it. Hopefully I'll have some 'progress pictures' to share in a couple of days.

Until then...here's a cute little dress I painted a couple of weeks ago. It turned out very princessy, which wasn't the plan but I like it! I've also just added a new painting on etsy and updated a little so pop over and tell me what you think.

Oh, and I, of course, had to add in a pix of my adorable kids....just for good measure!

Good night...sleep tight!

2009-04-04T06:18:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! The gallery I'm featured in is having a little opening for me next Sat. the 11th. How exciting! I'm posting a pix of the girls in front of the storefront. I wish you all could be there and see all the other amazing artists in there. And, of course, so you could all have a glass of wine with me!

I didn't get a photo of the mermaid I promised but here are few that I just had professionally done. I'm so excited! I still have all these originals (some in the gallery) but now I will have prints of them as well. She did this style for me and also a 'print style'. She did such a beautiful job. Woohoo!

Another Eve....

2009-03-24T16:22:00.000-07:00

I loved doing 'The Deception' so much that I was actually sad when it sold (it's the pix at the top of the page). So....I decided to do another, only this time with just Eve. I'll be putting it on Etsy in a day or so. I added some neat crackling effect and some antiquing. I've been browsing the aisles at Michaels Arts and Crafts lately, looking for some new things to try. That, coupled with Janes 'Creative Textures' class is paying off, I think!

I also did a little angel with some delicate crackling as well. She'll be on Etsy tonight.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!

Quickie...

2009-03-19T16:55:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post tonight. I painted another crucifixion after I gave the large one to my church. This one is close to 3 feet tall. I'm happy with how it turned out so I just put it up on etsy. Have a looksie!

Treats

2009-03-15T08:38:00.000-07:00

I tried so hard to take a cute picture of me wearing my adorable new treats from Suz at Ah...Surprise Delight Joy. This is the best I could do! I hope you can see the sweet heart earrings and shamrock pin I have on. I just love them. If you have never visited her blog or bought from her etsy shop, I would highly recommend it.

Here's another few little offerings from me. I'll be putting a few paintings on etsy tonight so hop over and check it out!

Happy Sunday!

Some Newbies

2009-03-12T15:17:00.000-07:00

The painting below reads, "Angels can fly because they carry no burdens."

Hey all. Just a quick update to share some new paintings. Hope everyone is awesome! I've missed visiting blogs the last week or so. I'm hoping to catch up on my blog-chats soon!

Pete!

2009-03-01T16:39:00.000-08:00

We got a dog! He's a sweet as pie and we just love him. My cousin, who can't resist a poor stray, called me last week to ask if we would take in a dog that had been hanging around her house for 3 weeks. She has 2 dogs and 7 cats (all strays, I believe) so she couldn't exactly take on another. So we took him! We had no idea what we were getting into. I have to say that I've never seen a good-looking stray in all my years in Kentucky. But he is just gorgeous. He's amazingly gentle. He absolutely loves my girls and all he wants is to be loved and to play. What a gift from God he is for us. Oh, and he's only pooped on the carpet once....

And also....it's snowing outside! Third time this year here in Charlotte. How fun.

Good night all.

2009-02-23T10:34:00.000-08:00

Finished last night. I can't help but be proud. I've never done anything this big before...ever!

The girls came downstairs this morning and sat right down in front of the painting. Lilly starting asking questions about who the man was and why he had red holes in his wrists. We had a nice little talk about it. Kevin and I talk to them about God and Jesus all the time but we've never talked about the crucifixion with them. It was sad, beautiful, difficult and wonderful to talk to my sweet 5 year old about it. She understands so much. I think this picture may go down as one my favorite of them.

2009-02-17T15:10:00.001-08:00

Hey all. Here are a few pix of a piece ( a very large piece) I am doing for my church. We are doing the stations of the cross for the lenten season and different artists are doing artwork for the different stations. I chose 'Jesus Dies'. I've always wanted to do a crucifixion painting but was always too nervous. This gave me a great excuse. It's quite the challenge and such an undertaking makes me very nervous but honored as well. I'm looking forward to how it is going to turn out.

This piece is not even half finished. It's 4 feet by 4 feet. My biggest yet.

You can see the third angel behind Jesus penciled in.

Thanks for looking! I'll update as soon as I'm finished. I'm also taking Jane and Maureens texture class. Woohoo! I added a link to it so everyone can check it out. I can't wait to try out the great techniques.
Cheers!

2009-02-07T06:38:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all my sweet happy birthday wishers. It really was a wonderful day and I'm not so sad about turning 35 anymore. I'm still young and kickin' and that's all that matters!

Here's a few I'll be posting in Etsy. I wasn't sure how the chandelier would turn out but I'm quite happy with it.

Have a great weekend everyone!

New things....

2009-02-02T14:02:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to make myself try something new with each painting. It's really fun but I can't help but think that I'm going to absolutely ruin each piece. Most of the time, I really have no idea what I'm doing. I think lots of artists have a picture in thier head of what they want their painting to look like. Every now and then I get that picture, but more often than not, I just plow forward and whatever happens, happens. I must say, there have been some disasters. Some of my paintings have 2 or 3 other paintings underneath!

So here are a couple of experiments. They are in the gallery now. Oh, and I must mention that I signed on with an agent who will be taking my work around to other galleries. Very exciting. I hope it works out. I haven't been listing on ebay at all since the fees are absolutely through the roof. I'll just be on etsy from now on. Etsy has a special place in my heart, anyway.

Oh, and by the way....I'll be 35 on Friday and I am feeling the pain. Mid 30's. 5 Years til 40. Where did the time go? Oh, well. The 30's have been good to me and quite frankly, I feel like I'm 25 except for the occasional aches and pains And, I had both my girls within the last 5 years and I am totally obsessed with them. Life is good. 35......sigh. The future is bright....right?

Have a great week everybody!

Stir Crazy!

2009-01-25T13:55:00.001-08:00

Last week it snowed here....that's right, snow. We got a glorious half inch. It didn't even cover the grass but since Charlotte panics at the mere mention of snow, the whole city shut down. So with the holiday Monday, 'snow' Tuesday, my husband being completely sick and out of commission from Saturday until today, we have become completely stir crazy with serious cabin fever. Although.....a sign of hope. I noticed my daffodils starting to peak through the ground. Ahhhh.....I suddenly started to feel warm just looking at it. Who knows if it will actually survive but what a nice sight to see.

I do believe I have found a new favorite magazine to replace the....sigh....Home Companion that is no more. I discovered Artful Blogging at Barnes and Noble last week and am having a wonderful time reading about all the wonderful artists and their blogs. How inspirational. I've always wondered if my blogging had any appeal at all so now having all these blogging tips is wonderful. Not to mention about a million new blogs to visit! Woohoo!

I'll end with a couple I just finished up. This one kind of follows my memories of growing up in Kentucky where everyone 'hangs their wash'.

Hope everyone is having a delightful, creative and warm Sunday. 'See' you on your blogs soon.

Tagged....

2009-01-18T15:09:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday! The sweet Liz of Prim Originals tagged me (how fun!) so here goes.....6 random things about me.

1. I am a knock down, drag out, full blown fan of the great Janis Joplin.

2. When I was in Kindergarten, I lost a beauty pageant because I couldn't stop picking my nose on stage.

3. I dance around my house constantly. I've got some seriously funky 80's moves. And I know how to use them.

4. I have a big hole in my belly button left over from my body piercing days. I finally had to take my belly ring out, permantly, when I was 7 months pregnant and the ring kept getting caught on EVERYTHING.

5. I love, love, love to sneeze. I get very excited when I feel that tickle in my nose. It's such a great release.

6. I always laugh when I fart. Yes, that's right....I said it.

Okay, now I'm tagging 6 other fantabulous artists. And here are the rules....write 6 random facts about yourself. Link to the artist who tagged you. Tag 6 other people. Let your people know you tagged them. Post the rules.

So.....I tag;

1. Bonnesinger

2. Flor Larios Art

3. Twisted Figures

4. Brown Eyed Fox

5. Kim Hardt Originals

6. Megan Coyle Collage

That's it! I'll end with a couple of pieces I've been working on. They will be in Etsy tonight, ready for sale!

Have a great week, everyone!

Krissy

2009-01-13T11:56:00.000-08:00

I am a full blown addict of magazines. But I love none as much as I do 'Home Companion'. It is the greatest source of comfort and inspiration! I have every one as far back as 2005. As soon as I get it, I make a cup of coffee and sit down with it with my laptop open and right beside me. As I go through the magazine and am introduced to new amazing handmade items and wonderful artists, I immediately look them up online. Needless to say, it takes me about 4 days to go through the whole magazine. Oh, but what a joyous 4 days!

Somehow, with all the chaos of Christmas, I missed picking my December copy up until just recently. What a pleasant surprise to see an entire article about Etsy and it's founder! I'm sure you've all seen it by now but just in case you haven't, grab your issue and check it out. It's very cool.

Hope everyone is loving winter and getting at least a little snow in the midst of all this coldness. Here in Charlotte, there has not been a drop. Sigh.......

Here's a couple new offerings I'm taking to the gallery. Hopefully, I'll have a little time to do some mermaids for ebay soon. I don't think I've put a thing on there in months!

A few in the works......

2009-01-04T17:16:00.000-08:00

Ahhhh.......it's all over! The holidays were a grand ole time...the food, the festivities, the family and friends. My kids were all aglow Christmas morning as they hopped onto thier new 4 wheelers from dear Santa Claus, which was definitely a highlight for Kevin and me. And of course, we extend Christmas every year by driving to New York to do it all again with Kevin's family (he's one of nine). Spending time with his Irish brood is nothing short of a party every night (did I mention there are 21 grandchildren, most of who we saw nearly everyday?). It's always a wonderful, exciting time and my girls were in heaven with all their cousins. I'm glad to be home, though, getting back into the routine.

Good news with the gallery. I've been called twice to bring in more work. I've sold 8 pieces so far and the gallery manager asked me to display work in the next show as well. Woohoo! So this one (Winter Wonderland) ends January 31st and the next starts in February. I'm very humbled to have such a blessing. Everytime the gallery calls and wants more work, I think, "are you calling the right artist?". God is good to me!

Anyhoo.....here are a few things I've been working on.

This one is one of three I'm finishing for a sweet client.

Nearly finished! This is the last of this years 'Angel Series'. December Angel.

Finished this one this afternoon for a good friends' daughter. She'll be 5 on Saturday!

I've got a few more in the works and will post again when I've finished. Now I'm off to nurse a wicked cough and a nasty swollen lymph node. Wish me luck.

Krissy

So sorry!

2008-12-30T05:51:00.000-08:00

So sorry for my lack of posts. This month has been crazy and I promise to post as soon as I get home from New York. But....the show at the gallery is going very well! I've sold 6 paintings and the gallery requested more so that took up a good bit of my time. Several commissions are in the works, too, which is why I have not posted one thing on ebay! Hey, getting work is a good thing, right? Anyhoo......I will post pix of 'The Last Supper', new angels and the mural I finished when I get home. Until then, happy new year!!!

Krissy

Balls, balls, balls!

2008-12-03T17:06:00.001-08:00

I know I'm in the Christmas spirit when I get the urge to make Christmas balls. Last year I made so many I never wanted to see another ornament again. But that was 11 months ago. I'm ready to get started again! I'm trying to add new designs every year and I also get a lot of people who ask if I can paint special things for them (which I love). The strangest last year was a request for a woman dressed in medieval clothing holding a turkey leg and yelling, "Huzzah!". Now that was a challenge.

Here's some pix of a few. Unfortunately, I'm not exactly the greatest at photographing glass, so the pix aren't the greatest.

I'm also adding a couple of pix of a new angel I have going up in Etsy and also the new 'Last Supper' I'm working on. It's taking me absolutely forever but I think it should turn out quite nice.

Now, I'm off to shop online. I've decided not to fight the crowds this year. I'm ordering everything on the web! So now I've got to go price out 4-wheelers for my 3 year old princess who insists that she is a boy....literally!

Good night everyone. Sweet dreams.

Krissy

Show Opening!

2008-11-19T15:26:00.001-08:00

I'm sooooo sorry I haven't posted in a million years. I took a 2 week break from painting and then got word that a local gallery accepted me as one of their artists they wanted to showcase in an upsoming show. How exciting! So then, of course, I started painting like mad to have enough work to give them to choose from. So the point is.....I'm in a gallery! I'm so excited! The show opens tomorrow and goes on through January 31. I wish all my blogger friends could come!

Anyhoo....wish me luck. I'll try to be better about posting and I'll let you all know how things are going with the show. Here's a pix of a new painting.

Talk soon!

Krissy

More Angels....

2008-10-21T17:56:00.001-07:00

Just a quickie tonight to let you all know I've got a couple of new paintings up on ebay. The first is 'Love One Another' and the second is a bigger one I call 'Love and Wisdom'. They are a much softer style than I usually paint in and I really enjoyed creating them. Have a looksie!

Goodnight all. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Krissy

Feelin' the pain...

2008-10-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

I read Jenn's post (noodleandlou.blogspot.com) and my heart totally went out to her. She just moved and is having a tough time. I'm with her. We moved 6 months ago and even thought it's only 30 minutes away, it is tough to not have that close knit group of gal pals right at your doorstep. Feels like life keeps going on without you (well, really it does) and your old stomping grounds miss you but get along without you just fine. That's good but really kinda sad. When you're 34, it's almost exhausting to start over. I LOVE where I live and I have wonderful friends here (that I knew before I got here) but after reading Jenn's post, I though....'wow, I'm not alone'.

So with that little 'woe is me'.......I'm back to painting my beloved Mermaids. Just got one finished. I know this is an absolutely HORRIBLE picture of it! This picture is pre-beeswax, which is actually on and drying right now. I'm always afraid to mail out beeswax paintings in the summer since it's so freakin' hot here in NC. But tomorrow we are officially in the 60's (woohoo!) so I'm back to the fun stuff.

This painting will be up for auction on ebay tomorrow night. I'm also adding 'Last Prayer in the Garden' to etsy tomorrow as well.

Goodnight!

Krissy

Help for Special Needs Kids in Mexico....

2008-10-12T17:25:00.000-07:00

Hey friends. As most of you know, I went to Mexico on a mission trip a couple of months ago and met just the most amazing children you'd ever want to meet. I did some work at an orphanage and fell in love with not only these sweet kids but the Mexican people as well. I wanted to do a Christmas project for the kids, like sending gifts and gently used clothing and toys down but my friend who works down there has told me that the kids actually do very well at Christmas due to support from a lot of different churches. But.....

She also told me that she has really gotten to know a lot of very needy special needs children in Reynosa. She helps run a school for deaf children and has met many other families whose children can't get the help they need due to the lack of programs for special needs children in Mexico. So she suggested doing a Christmas 'sponsership' for them. I would find as many sponsers as I can and she will match us with kids who need the most help. We will send down a shoebox (or more) full of as much as we can stuff it with, like toiletries, games, small toys, socks, candy and such. She will even send pictures of the kids and thier stories so we each know exactly who we are sponsering. I'm assuming we could even write letters to them.

I'm very excited about this and hope some of you will be, too.

So.....with all that being said.....any takers? Respond on this post or email me, darthkrissy@hotmail.com if you are interested. I think this is such a great thing. Being down in Reynosa for a week, I can't tell you the conditions most of these people live in. What a great thing we could do for these kids for Christmas. I think it would be something the kids and their families would not soon forget.

Join me!!

Thanks,

Krissy

"Time has been given to us to cause love to grow, and the success of our lives will be measured by how delicately and sensitively we have loved." ~ Brennan Manning

I'm Baaaackkkk!

2008-10-09T17:41:00.001-07:00

What a trip! We had the best time. I saw about a million museums and castles and drank a years worth of tea. Here's just a few pix of us in Merry Old England.

Kevin and me in front of the River Thames with Big Ben and Parliment in the background.

Having fun at Harrods.

And people really do buy these?

Not one move out of this jolly fellow.

But, anyhooo....the trip was fantastic and now I'm trying to get back to normal. Trying to get the kids back on schedule has been a nightmare after a week with MeMe. Oh, well!

Just a reminder that 'Last Prayer in Gethsemane' went up tonight as a 'best offer' auction. Also, I've had a lot of inquireries into 'The Deception'. That painting is on Etsy. Go have a looksie.

Cheers and Good night!

Krissy

I'm off!!

2008-10-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

I'm off to Jolly Old England but first a little painting I'll have up when I get back. This is 'Last Prayer in the Garden'. It's a mixed media on an old cabinet door. I'll list it on ebay Thursday night when I get back.

Cheerio!

Happy Birthday, Baby....

2008-09-29T17:57:00.000-07:00

Just a few pix of my sweet girl on her birthday. Lot's of presents, cake, bouncin' and love. Check out my sweet gals.

In her birthday suit....

Lilly making the most of the big day....

I'm pretty proud of my 'masterpiece cupcakes'!

Happy birthday, gorgeous!!

Quickie...

2008-09-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

Hey ya'll. Just a quick stop in to show the new little cutie that will be going up tonight. It's my October Angel from the 'Angel of the Month' series (and you guys know how much I love Halloween!). Here she is. She'll be up until Sunday along with September Angel.

See ya!

Margie.....

2008-09-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

Introducing.....Margaret. A sweet, wholesome girl who grew up attending a prim and proper boarding school in England, learning the secrets of true ladylike behavior. She never spoke out of turn. Never gave her parents or teachers any reason at all to think she might have a wild side. And what a wild side she had. Oh, etiquette class was nice and all. And learning how to make the perfect quiche or throw the perfect high class cocktail party....stimulating. But Margeret wanted to party......and model!

She stepped out one night and let loose, so loose she didn't come home for 2 months (let alone attend etiquette class!). But alas, her parents did not approve of her newfound independence and decided to 'set her up' with the nice quiet neighbor boy.....Frankie, hoping to reign her in. They married and started a quiet life in Transylvania. But it wasn't long after thier wedding that Margeret got bit by the wild bug again. This time she became what she's always dreamed of being.....a foot model. Her perfect size 6 feet got her in the door at all the hip clubs and she met all the right people.

And after living separate lives for years, she finally gave her humdrum hubby an ultimatum......get loose or get out! His deep love and admiration for this sweet gal with a crazy streak finally kicked in and Frankie is finally hot and happening! You can find him with his band, Frankie and the Hollywoods, playing the best clubs every Saturday night....and of course you'll always find Margaret by his side at every show.....dancing the Transylvanian night away....with her shoes off.

I know I've been a slack blogger friend but I will be visiting blogs soon! I miss you all!

Krissy

Frankie Goes To Hollywood...

2008-09-09T13:12:00.000-07:00

Here we have Frank.

Well, that's what he used to go by. You see, Frank used to be a normal guy. Actually, Frank was a bit drab. No hobbies. No serious likes. He wasn't even that into sports. He would just come home from work, turn on the t.v. and usually fall asleep there. But, Frank has been married to Margaret for 20 years now and she's a fun, wild and crazy kind of gal. She'd had it with thier humdrum life. She gave poor Frank an ultimatum: get a life or get out! Well, what could Frank do? He couldn't lose the love of his life.

So one day, Frank stepped out of his comfort zone. ...way out. He consulted some of Margarets party girl friends and they fixed him up. They changed his clothes from boring black to funky pinks and stripey tights. They glittered him up a bit and added a splash of purple here, a dab of yellow there. And after they were finished, Frank liked his new look so much that he made other changes, too. He found a hobby.....guitar.

He was such a natural that he started a band. And he goes by the name, Frankie, now. He and his band play the downtown Transylvania scene every Saturday night. And, naturally, Margaret is beside herself. Their marraige went from 'not' to 'hot' in no time!

So, if you'd like to get your groove thing on with a happening dude, go see 'Frankie and the Hollywoods'. But watch out girls.....he's taken!

To all you sweet blogger friends who keep asking about the mural, I will post pix soon! Thanks for your overwhelming support!

Cheers,

Krissy

Lovely....

2008-09-03T11:00:00.001-07:00

Oh, thank goodness summer is technically over. I'm back from my week and a half trip to my sisters wedding, which was fantastic, by the way. It was on the beach and the tide came in. So as Tina walked down the aisle, a big wave came in and saturated the sand and our feet, took some peoples shoes out to sea with it and gave us a great laugh. It was so much fun and my sister took it all in stride.

I had such a great week with her and her friends. It was a shame to leave it all but I must say I'm glad to get back to a schedule again. (Oh, and I contracted a WICKED case of poison ivy!) And the girls started school yesterday....woohoo!! Life is getting a little less hectic again.

I realized today that in the entire month of August I have only done one piece of art! So, last night I started my little frankenstien doll. I'm trying to make him a shirt out of canvas which is not going well. I have absolutely NO sewing skills. But, I think he will be cute and I will start painting him tomorrow. Hopefully he'll be on ebay next week with his lovely (I hope) bride.

Is anyone as excited as I am about Halloween being right around the corner? Yippee!! Of course I have the finish this crazy mural at my church (which continuously gets bigger and bigger each week with more requests from the director) and, of course, 2 birthday parties to plan before the end of October. Oh, and did I mention Kevin and I are going to London the beginning of the month? Did I say things were calming down? Sigh....

I've missed you all and will be visiting blogs all night tonight. 'See' you soon!

Krissy

Hola!!

2008-08-18T18:28:00.000-07:00

I'm back! I missed you guys! I had a wonderful time in Mexico. I got to visit an orphanage 6 days in a row and do all kinds of fun stuff with the kids. We sang songs (in Spanish....and I led them!) I painted lot's of little fingernails, I played tons of frisbee and soccer (which I am HORRIBLE at) and did about a million crafts. It was such a moving experience to get to know these amazing little people and bond with them. Their faces will be in my head for the rest of my life. For as long as my kids are around, I'll be sending thier old clothing and toys down to the orphange and some extra goodies for Christmas. Luckily, I've got a wonderful Mexican friend here in Davidson who will be translating letters for me to send as well. I just can't tell you how wonderful the whole trip was. I could go on and on.

But.....I won't. Time to get back to work. Mortie sold which is very nice but a little sad as well. He really grew on me. I'll miss him so much! Gertrude will be up until tomorrow. No bites yet but I'm hopeful. I'll be working on 2 new dolls soon.....Frankenstein (Frankie) and his bride (Bertha). I have no idea when they'll be up! Life is in chaos right now. Although I did get a painting finish. It's Jesus washing Peter's feet. It turned out quite well. Not sure what to title it.

Anyhoo.....I know this is short but I wanted to let everyone know I'm back in town. Alas, I'll be leaving yet again Friday for a week and a half for my sister's wedding in the Outer Banks. Can't WAIT for September to start so this madness will be over!

So glad to be back. Missed you all!

Krissy

Oh, by the way....if anyone would like to donate any children's items to the orphanage, email me and I'll give you the address.

Hello, Gorgeous.

2008-07-31T17:19:00.000-07:00

My sweet friend Gertrude dropped by to say hello today.

She's such a tenderhearted gal. So kind. And what a dancer! You should see her do the cha cha. Or the tango. Ballet? Tap? Jazz? She's mastered them all. She has moves so few can pull off. So light on her feat. There's just no reason for her not to be a professional.....hitting the stage.....her name in the bright lights of broadway. A legend in her own time. But, alas, each time she auditions, her casting folk just can't see past her unfortunate 'green-ness'. Yes, yes perhaps she could cover her seafoam skin in makeup, you say. She tried that once. But the oilyness of the makeup prevented her ballet partner from getting a good grip on her hands and she ended up flat on her face, nose down, when she should have been held high in a lovely, overhead 'swan' pose. She had 3 surgeries to correct that broken nose. And it never was truly the same. Pity.

So, sweet Gertrude spends her time as the coat check girl in the back of a broadway theatre. Watching from behind the scenes. Secretly wishing...hoping...that someday, someday soon....she won't be seen simply by the green-ness of her skin. She hopes that green girls can take to the stage and be free. Free to be.....green.

Lovely Gertrude will be up for auction on ebay Sunday evening, August 10 along with her good friend, Mortie.

Adios, my friends! I'm off to Mexico. See you in a week!

Krissy

Introducing Mortie.....

2008-07-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

I have officially jumped on the Halloween bandwagon. And it's about time. My friends have been making fun of my obsession with this great, old holiday for years now! So.....

Meet Mortie. He's a sad little guy. He wasn't always a clown. At one time, he was a successful businessman who was never satisfied with his humdrum 9-5, six figure a year life. He wanted more. He wanted the dreams of his youth. He wanted to be a circus star. So, he left it all. Walked out on his job and his old life completely. He was ready for a simpler, more fullfilling world. He donned makeup, made his own clothes, even a fun little Halloween sign. But when he looked at himself in the mirror, full of hope and anticipation, he realized something about himself he had never, ever known before......he had coulrophobia......yes, he was afraid of clowns.

Oh, bother. What's a coulrophobic clown to do? Dear, sweet Mortie.

Mortie will be up for auction when I return home from Mexico. I'll be off August 2 and will be home August 9. Will hopefully have some fun new stuff to offer!

See you soon!

Krissy

Something Different.....

2008-07-23T18:48:00.000-07:00

Just a short one tonight..... I did a new painting in a new style I really enjoyed. I layered the paints and did not do my usual black outline. I used red and blue layers and then painted on top of them leaving outlines and few colors showing through the top coats. It was fun! The mermaid just sold and the chair is still up. Oh, and I put up my first 'solo' Jesus. Wasn't sure if I wanted to but I loved painting Him. Glad I did it!

As usual, I forgot to paint my 'July Angel'. I'm in the process right now....just took a break to write this post. She'll be up tomorrow and hopefully 'August Angel' will be right behind her!

Cheers!
Krissy

By the way.....does anyone have a good photo hosting program you use to upload pix to ebay? My pix never look right because they are so SMALL! Help!

Proof Positive.....

2008-07-18T13:06:00.001-07:00

Well. This may come across as quite cheesy to some but here goes.....I have always felt God calling me to art. I did everything but, for so long. I was a professional actress, a singer, a personal trainer.....all kinds of stuff. Now I know I'm not the greatest artist, but I still feel called.

Now..... I've fallen in love with painting on wooden cabinet doors. I love the way the paint takes to them, the texture of the final product.....so many things. But, last week my supplier said she couldn't get anymore and I was devastated. I couldn't find more anywhere. I almost cried.

Moving on....

The children's minister at my church asked me to do a mural for one of the kids rooms. Most all the other rooms have been done by fabulous artists and I felt very intimidated. I had a meeting with her just to find that the job was even bigger than I thought. I wanted to back out! 3 walls, 3 windows to cover, 3-d hanging artwork....the works. I came home and told Kevin that they were on crack to ask me to do it. Then, of course, he reminded me that I may be small and have little faith in myself, but God is big. He gave me talent and expects me to use it and He will help me every step of the way so long as I am faithful. Talk about feeling small. So.....I'm in. I'm seriously nervous but I'm in.

This is what happened today....

I go to the coordinators home to pick up some plywood to paint on (did I mention I'll be painting a huge chandelier that a carpenter will cut out, details included, with a jigsaw? Yikes!). I'm getting ready to leave when what did I spot piled super high in the corner but......cabinet doors. I said, "If you don't want those, I'll buy them from you." She gives me a crazy look and says, "What are you nuts? You can just HAVE them!". WOOHOO!! So......In the back of my van right now are 20 wood cabinet doors of all shapes and sizes I got for FREE!! Kevin was as floored as I was.

So the moral of this story is......YAY God! He truly is faithful in even the simplest of ways if we are faithful to Him. Am I being silly about this? No way man. I'm an optimist! I believe God does miracles in our lives in ways that will speak to us, personally. I'm a 'simple pleasures' kind of girl. 20 free cabinet doors? Miracle enough for me.

Notice the nice potty chair in the background.

Wish me luck with this mural. I keep everyone posted on the progress. It will probably take me over a month!

Luvies to everyone......Good night and sleep tight, my friends.

Krissy

Aww Shucks!

2008-07-14T17:30:00.000-07:00

The ever sweet Mika gave me such a wonderful gift.....a blog award. What a nice surprise! So the rules of the award are that I must give it away to 7 other fabo artists and give links to thier websites. And here are the nominees.....

1. Noodle and Lou ......the ever wonderful Jenn and her 'yummy' creations never cease to amaze me.

2. Creative Solace....Heather and her amazing collages.

3. Miller Campbell Designs......Rebecca has the most awesome dolls ever, hands down!

4. Pocket Full of Prettys.....Check out Renea's totally awesome blocks and wands. I can't get enough of them.

5. Danita Art......Totally unique, always inspiring.

6. Distracted By Design......Carmen always has something new, fun and forever inspirational with her 21 day challenges!

7. Surprise Delight Joy......When I need a lift, I go to Suz. Her fantastic work perks me up everytime.

And there you have it. Not only are they nominated but they all win as well!!

Now, here's a new offering that will be up for grabs on ebay tomorrow night.

Goodnight all!

Krissy

VACATION!!!

2008-07-05T17:59:00.000-07:00

I'm officially on vacation in the Outer Banks, NC. We arrived Thursday and I'm finally starting to wind down and relax. You can't help but think life is glorious when you look out of your bedroom window and see the ocean and miles and miles of blue sky! Sigh......

So, we are here with my husbands family. He's one of 9 and we have 22 nieces and nephews. All in all, there are 42 of us in this 10 bedroom house! Believe it or not, it's fantastic. All the kids are great and love each other and my kids are in hog heaven. And here I sit, actually getting some private time (we won the drawing for the largest bedroom in the house...you know...the one with the jacuzzi!!! Woohoo!) blogging and listing on ebay.....my favorite things to do these days outside of making art. Oh, yes....life is good.

Thought I'd share a few pix of my sweet girls last night watching fireworks and also some of the ATC'S I've worked up. Some of these will go on ebay and others will be going out to some trading friends.

I'll be blogging again soon between glasses of wine and leisurely magazine reads on the beach! Toodles!

Krissy

More, more, more ATC's!

2008-06-25T17:19:00.000-07:00

What a lovely day I had. My sweet girls went to camp this morning and had the time of thier lives (which makes me happy. I'm always leary of sending them places for fear they will be miserable). I got lot's of laundry and painting finished and worked on about 5 ATC's (I'm obsessed, remember??) And now we are sitting on the couch watching THE BACKYARDAGINS, which, if you've never watched it with your kids, it's really stinkin' cute (but not as funny as WONDER PETS!) Soooo......nice relaxing evening. And to top it off, the girls are getting ready to go to bed and I'm going to crack open a bottle of wine. Wish I could share a glass with you all!

Here are some new offerings. The ATC went up tonight on ebay and the 'BIRTH OF A MERMAID' will be up tomorrow after I finish the frame.

Thanks to everyone who gave such encouraging comments on my 'dirty girl'. She's part of a line I did years and years ago that I think I'll dig out of the closet. She really was super fun to do!

Cheers and good night everyone! Creative dreams to all!

Krissy

Fun New ATC

2008-06-20T19:24:00.000-07:00

I have to say, I am absolutely loving making these ATC's. There's just so much more I can do with them than with my larger paintings. And I can make them in an hour which trully plays up to my 'instant gratification' need! AND....I have gotten some awesome trades! Just today I received my trade from Adri.....it is just gorgeous. If you haven't been to her blog, check it out!

I'm still wanting to do trades with anyone willing! I want to make a big ATC collage of all our work. Thanks so much to everyone who has agreed to trade....I can't wait to get your art!! I'm dedicating all next week to making cards to send out. Let me know if any of you other lovely artists out there want to join in!

Here's a little ditty I did tonight. These pix are horrible but I'll take more and put it up on ebay in the next day or so.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Just a quick chat....

2008-06-11T17:40:00.000-07:00

Just a little note to let you know I've got a couple new listing on ebay. One ACEO and one painting on text. Go have a looksy! BUT....make sure you see my last post for a fun trade idea.

Good night!!!

I have the greatest idea!!!!

2008-06-08T18:18:00.000-07:00

Treats for me! Woohoo! Lookie what came in the mail.....

A sweet ATC from Heather over at Creative Solace and.....

A cute little ditty (as always) from Jenn and Noodle and Lou. Love my treats!

Inspired by Heather and her wonderful idea to trade ATC'S, I 'd like to propose a trade of my own. I'd like to trade with as many of you wonderful artists out there as possible. And when I get...oh, I don't know....25-30....I 'm going to mount them all on one of my distressed cabinet doors and create a collage of them all. I love my little collection of my favorite artists (Jenn, Suz, Heather, Adri....just to name a few) and to have a huge hanging piece of work that is a little piece of all of us would be my greatest and most outrageous dream!!! I would send a print of the final product to everyone who participated as well.

So.....anyone up for an ATC trade??

And I thought I would end with this cute commission (which is horribly photographed) that I FINALLY finished a couple of weeks ago. And hopefully I will have some new work up soon!

Luvies.....
Krissy

Oh, it's so late!

2008-06-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

I wanted to blog all day today but home duties called. My girls are sick (again) and I had a load of things to get done (sigh). But, thankfully I did finish my big ole painting and listed in on ebay last night. Have a looksy.

I think I'm calling it 'The Deception' since every other good Adam and Eve name was taken. I must say, I'm pretty proud of it if only because compared to my other little offerings, this guy is gi-normous! Nearly 3 feet tall. How the heck am I going to mail this thing??

Also, Heather over at Creative Solace had the nifty idea to trade ACEO'S which I think is awesome! Check her work out, it's fant-abulous. Click on her link over on my blog-roll (I haven't figured out yet how to get a link into my post.....silly Krissy). I'm sending out my trade to her tomorrow. Anyone else interested in trading with me? I'm always up for new artwork!

And lastly, before I nod off to sleep (okay....before I log off to go suck down my last glass of wine) I feel like people feel as if they can't comment on my blog unless they are artists. I certainly love my artist pals but please....if you are not an artist and you just enjoy reading blogs or love art or whatever.....COMMENT! I love to hear from you! The more the merrier. So..Come on....don't feel like you don't belong. Jump in!!

Good night sweet friends. Oh, did I mention it's almost 100 degrees here in Davidson? Yuk.

Krissy

We Have A Winner!!!

2008-05-29T19:28:00.001-07:00

Looky at all those names!

Who could it be, who could it be......

And the winner is........

LIFE WITHOUT NOVACAINE!!! Yay! You'll be receiving your special little treat very soon! Of course we also had honerable mentions.....

The sweet Adri had a beautifully organized and pristeen studio! But........

.....Tammy, quite like myself, likes to wallow in her own glittery filth. These fine ladies will also be receiving a fun little surprise.

Thanks so very, very much to everyone who entered my first giveaway. You guys were such good sports and your comments inspire and uplift me to no end. I enjoy and appreciate you guys more than you could know!!

Now for a shameless plug.....go visit my etsy shop! I've just completely redone it and added new jewelry, prints, magnets and paintings. I didn't get as much done as I originally wanted but....isn't that always the case?

Thanks again, everyone. Good night, sleep tight and may you have dreams full of glittery fairies and sweet angel kisses.

Cheers,

Krissy

Another quickie!

2008-05-28T19:40:00.000-07:00

Hey all! I spent the night gearing up for my etsy updates on Friday and also my Friday giveaway. Thanks to everyone who entered and also for all your encouragement and awesomely sweet words! And a big 'shout out' to all you brave souls who sent pix of your messy studios. This has been a lot of fun!

Here's a sneak peak at what I'm working on right now. It's the garden of Eden, though I'm not sure what I'll name it. Lot's more work to do. It needs a background and I still have to paint and distress the frame. I thought I would have it done tonight but it was a wee bit bigger of a job than I thought! Plus a great friend of mine who I haven't talked with in nearly a year called and we chatted until my ear felt like it was burning off....literally. My phone gets super hot!

Good night, friends. I'll post again Friday for the unveiling of the mermaid winner!

Cheers,

Krissy

Quickie....

2008-05-26T16:09:00.000-07:00

Just a quickie to show what I'm putting on ebay tonight. Don't forget to leave a comment on last weeks post to enter into my giveaway! Good night!

Giveaway!! And Etsy Updates!!

2008-05-21T05:17:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay....you guys win. Either everyone has a squeaky clean studio or very few wanted to share their funk (although, Tammi....that was FUNKY! You'll still get a special little treat for that...). SO....I still want to do a little giveaway so please leave a comment and you are entered! I'll be giving away my cute little mermaid ACEO. Giveaway drawing will be next Friday, May 30. GOOD LUCK!

AND...complete Etsy overhaul next Friday as well, May 30. I'll be adding new ACEO'S, new prints, a couple of new paintings, clay sculptures and whatever else I have time to whip up.

Here are 2 little newbies I just added on ebay last night.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, guys! Talk soon....
Krissy

What A Mess!! And a GIVEAWAY!

2008-05-16T17:32:00.000-07:00

Do you love to work in grime? Do you thrive in serious funk? Do you just LOVE to wallow in your own glittery filth?

Then this giveaway is for you!!

I've been wanting to do a giveaway for a while now and when I took a good look at my supersonic mess of a studio...........

.........I knew just what to do. Okay, send me a pix of your studio and if yours is yukier than mine.....You win! With your permission I'll post the pix of the winning studio. I'll be giving away one of my new ACEO cards (see below). I haven't chosed which yet because these are just a sampling....I've got a ton in the works. I'll post the actual card this week. Send your nasty studio pix (or if yours is totally awesome and pristeen...send me that pix, too! Maybe I'll give away 2 ACEO'S!) My email is darthkrissy@hotmail.com.

Bring it on!!

Here's to funkalicious creativity!

Krissy

Figured Out!!

2008-05-13T16:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I think I figured out where my serious creative block was coming from. Thanks to everyone who tried to help me...(Tammy and Adri, listening to some downhome Hillybilly music from my old Kentucky home did prove to be a bit inspiring!). But it wasn't until just a few days ago that I really did figure it out. Coco from Cocospotz gave me the beautiful comment that my characters remind her of a fairy tale. And that's exactly what I've wanted all along! Modern fairy tales that make not just others but myself think of simplicity and pure, unblemished joy. I smiled and then thought about what to do next. I wanted to do a sweet girl chasing butterflies with lots of glitter and wax and ribbon and all the wonderful things my girls like to play with when they hang with me in my studio. I wanted to include everything they are drawn to and inspired by and just can't help touching and savoring and pretending with. BUT....I then thought to myself....oh, that will never sale.
AHHHHHHH!!! That's it! I'm so concerned about doing paintings that sale that I've lost the fun reason I started doing this in the first place. Oh, shame on me. That's why I can't think of anything 'good' to paint. I'm pushing away what I want to do and trying to make money on it. Well, as my 2 year old would say....Silly Mommy.

So! I painted my idea. And I'm finally flooded with more fun ideas. They may sit in my studio for the next year after I paint them.....but I'm doing it!!

Here's a preview.....

She's painted on an old cabinet door that I distressed. I used wax, glitter, irredescent flakes, ribbon, collage paper, acrylics, rhinestone.....anything I could glue down!!

I added this super lovely glass handle to the old door. I think it gives the whole piece such charm.

And to end my ramblings and babblings.....A neat quote I read today.

"I wonder if we might pledge ourselves to remember what life is really all about - not to be afraid that we're less flashy than the next, not to worry that our influence is not that of a tornado, but rather that of a grain of sand in an oyster! Do we have that kind of patience?

~Mister Rogers~

Good night sweet bloggers! My your creativity always rage!

Krissy

Happy Mother's Day!!!

2008-05-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Mommies Day to all you sweet mommies out there. I wish you a day of love, joy, rest, relaxation and lots and lots of hugs! Enjoy.