Is Panic and Chaos Rocking Your World?

Finding Your Calm

 Walk In The Clouds

11" x 14" acrylic on stretched canvas

$150 + shipping

Most of you know I have a rather serious lung condition,

Scleroderma.

So for the last 17-18 years I've had lots of problem, walking, climbing stairs, running (haha), exercising, dancing, 
pretty much anything that requires breathing.

When you can't breathe,
things get panicky and chaotic quickly.

Take blow drying your hair.
I have very short fine hair, so it doesn't take long,
but I can't tell you how many times I've been blow drying my hair
and all of a sudden no air could come in or go out.
Your arms are up over your head and holding something moderately heavy.  Add to that moving it back and forth and brushing your hair with your other hand.
You feel your heart shake,
and you know,
Oh no!
That was my last good breath for a while.
Then you have to work with yourself to not get flustered, panicky or crazy, cause that makes it even harder to breathe.

The natural response is to breathe quickly and shallow.
Bad decision!
What is needed is slow breaths in through the nose
out through the mouth.
Three to six breaths like that will usually avert disaster.

But it is so hard to remember in the heat of the moment.
When you're getting light headed,
your chest burns,
your heart shakes.

This post is written the morning after the most cantankerous presidential election of my life time.

Everyone needs to take a moment
and BREATHE!

In through the mouth,
out through the nose.

Repeat.

Repeat again.

Once more for good measure.

Calm comes almost immediately.
Chaos melts away!
Panic leaves quietly!

Now, back away from social media for a few days 
while things settle out
and everyone begins to breathe again.

Don't know about you,
but I'm going to paint. 

 Click HERE to sign up for the course.
Go to my web page, scroll down to the FREE Daisy Painting Course and click on the learn more button.  Scroll to the end of that page and click the sign up button.
You'll receive a confirmation email with your login credentials.
Click the link there and the course will open up.

I give away a small painting every month,
 usually worth about $50 
to one of the followers on this blog. 

However, I think I see two reasons why people aren't responding when I send them an email that they've won something.
1.  When they signed up, they gave an email address they never check.  I understand not wanting to receive tons of email everyday, but if you never check it, I can't give you the painting or anything else you won.  You might want to subscribe again with an email you actually use.
2.  Some of you have subscribed, but when you received an email to confirm you signed up, you didn't confirm.  So technically, you're not really in the running to win anything.

If you fall into either of those categories,
you might want to take this opportunity to change that
by clicking on the link  

   
     

Oh To Be Young - Motivational Monday

Young Van Gogh's

OK, I can't really motivate you to be young,

but

I can show you how much fun these

young Van Gogh's had in a special art class Saturday.

Carroll County schools had a Saturday gifted and talented

day where for 3 hours kids had the opportunity to try out new skills and learn all sorts of new concepts. 
Let's get this party started!

I had a group of 13, 3rd - 5th graders and one 1st grader

come together for an hour to paint Starry Night

by Van Gogh.
Yep, I gave them a whole hour!

And that was ALL they needed!
These artists were motivated and intent on accomplishing the near impossible.

Paint a masterpiece in an hour.

Here's a short video of artists at work.

(I don't know why I always hold my phone in the wrong orientation, but I do.  I'll have to work on that.) 

 You can see, they did a super job on that mission!

They worked hard, quickly, followed directions,

and everyone left with what I think are great interpretations of

Starry Night.

I'd like to thank my trusty side kick and dedicated helper,

Tara Mefford for be so willing to give up time on her Saturday and help with this great bunch of super painters.

If this looks like something your child or you would like to do

click HERE to get the scoop on how it can happen at your home.  

I hope you've heard about my online art course/ classes, but did you know I have added a FREE class to the mix,
 just so you can see if my method will work for you?

I have done just that and if you are a beginning painter who would like some instruction from someone who has taught hundreds of beginning painters, now is your opportunity to check out this FREE class and see for yourself.  

Click HERE to sign up for the FREE class.

Scroll to the bottom for the FREE Daisy Painting Class

and click the green "learn more" button.
Look it over and then

you'll be asked to register for the class.
After you complete the registration form,

you will receive an email with your login credentials and a link to the class.

It's available to you only for forever.

Please don't share your login with anyone,

cause they can get it for themselves,

but please do share how you got it!

Did I mention this was FREE! 

 

Click HERE to see my available art.  

I give away a small painting every single month,

and you can get in on that great deal,

by clicking the yellow button below.

When you receive an email asking if you did enter,

click the confirmation link and slide my email into your primary box so if you win, you'll know!
Every month I draw out a winner and send them an email with No Joke, You WON! in the subject box.
Then you have 24 hours to respond with your address so I can send you the painting.

 

Click HERE to enter

Motivation Monday - Van Gogh Is Pretty Motivational

WHY Do I Think Van Gogh 

is Motivational?

 He painted for less than 15 years.

He was in and out of mental hospitals

He only sold one painting

He had a hard time with relationships

He cut off his ear

He shot himself and died two days later at the age of 37.

Wow!

Doesn't sound motivational to me.

 And yet my friend, Nancy and I drove to the 

Cincinnati Art Museum

to view the VanGogh exhibit.

We did learn all the above at the exhibit,

but we also saw his work,

and the work of many of his contemporaries.

In viewing the work,

you saw a man who had true vision.

At a time when it was not acceptable to paint outside the lines,

Van Gogh created new lines.

He painted in a completely different way.

He used color in a completely different way.

And yet, he was full of self doubts,

(just like us mere mortals)

He loved other artists work

(just like us)

He wanted to be accepted and have friends

(just like us)

He wanted people to see and like his work

(just like us)

He painted for the joy of painting

(hopefully, just like us)

A Van Gogh original is totally out of reach for most of us,

yet he was not "successful" during his lifetime.

Up those stairs to the Van Gogh exhibit.

(OK, so I took the elevator)

Just outside the exhibit.

They don't make buildings like this anymore.

This was me leaving the exhibit -

completely refreshed,

inspired,

and yes, motivated.

Motivated to keep painting,

keep experimenting,

keep playing in the paint.

The exhibit runs through January 8,

and is a mere $10,

($5 if you're an AARP member).

There are many artists out there to study,

to appreciate their work, and I had a great time doing that.

I took a notepad with me, and jotted down artists names I wasn't familiar with, to look up and research.

The architecture of the building itself was inspiring.

If you can't get to this museum,

go to some museum somewhere,

and look and appreciate art,

even art you might not be crazy about.

There was some art I didn't understand or like,

but there were many more pieces I loved

and could have stayed in front of just looking,

for much longer.

I know I'll be going back.   

It's A Party!

Happy Birthday Kristen!

Kristen and her mom, Debbie and her sister Lauren have painted with me several times in the past.

This is Kristen in her lovely home, she and her husband have built.

That stone with hydrangeas in the background is one of the things she's painted with me and when her husband was installing the back splash, he wanted her stone in there. 

How fun is that.

Her sweet hero husband Jim,

planned out a surprise birthday party for her.

She knew nothing about the party until I showed up.

It was so much fun seeing her reaction.

Kristen and 11 friends and family members

all gathered around her huge dining room table

and painted fall pumpkins.

There were parents, a sister, work friends and church friends painting.

We even had 3 men, which doesn't happen very often.

They were a hoot.

I had up the demo painting and they had their paint and brushes,

so the three of them forged ahead.

Heck, they didn't need instructions.

And they didn't.

I also loved hearing them as they ragged on each other about their paintings.

It was a beautiful fall day,

and when we finished, we all went out on Kristen and Jim's porch

and were "Blinded by the Light".

Are you humming along to that tune.

I know you can't see everyone's face, but

isn't their art work great.

If you would like to host a painting party in your home 

please contact me at slgraves6@gmail.com and put "painting party info" in the subject line.

I can do different sizes

20" x 16"

14" x 11"

8" x 10"

and different ages and abilities.

I have taught a lot of children and youth,

so you might want to consider a birthday party for your child

or family member, reunion group, etc.

I supply everything needed to complete the selected painting,

all you need to provide are tables and chairs.

 I need a minimum of 6 students for any party.

Do you have questions about which brush to use for what subject and how to actually use the brush.
Click the button below to receive my free cheat sheet about brushes.

Click Here to Claim Your Brush Cheat Sheet

Is Anyone or Anything Ever REALLY Done?

Motivation Monday

Found In A Project 

I haven't written a Motivation Monday post in over a month.

Why You Ask?

30 paintings in 30 days

Blogaversary

Flu

Pneumonia

 Learning to paint figures.

Nothing going on in my world.

Today, however, I am getting back in the groove.

I got up early

Exercised

Weed Eated

Took apart our old metal rusted out fire pit and got it in the trash

Watered plants.

While I was weed eating I began thinking of Motivation Monday.

I was gone a lot this summer, so my flower beds got out of control.

It's been very dry, so pulling the weeds isn't going to work,

so I carefully got in there and started whacking them down.

  I used up two batteries in the process.

It came to me as I was weed eating, that sometimes beautiful things are pretty ugly for a while.

If you're an artist you know often when painting, in the beginning the painting doesn't look very good.

I don't know how many times I've gotten 1/3 to 1/2 the way into a painting and thought,

"What am I doing?  I don't even know how to hold the brush".

"It looks like I don't know a lick about painting".

"I can't believe I ever thought I could paint".

Ever have those thoughts?

STOP IT!

My next project for today is a project that had been abandoned.

It's a wreck.

Can anything that needs tools like this,

be beautiful.

 

I know,

it's pretty crazy looking, isn't it.

I bought this several years ago on the 127 Yard Sale,

the world's longest yard sale.

It goes near where I live and it is so much fun.

 

I bought this portable bath tub.

Yep, it's a bath tub.

 

And it was painted this awful avocado green and had teddy bear decals on it, right out of the 50's.

I worked on it several years ago and then it was abandoned out in our shed.

It's been on my mind for a week or so and the weather is so beautiful right now, I can work outside and it's not hot or cold,

so, today was the day

to get back on it.

 

I allotted one hour to this project today.

 

 

One hour made a huge difference!

The inside of the tub is mostly done,

the arm rests are in much better shape,

the front bottom still needs work.

 

But I am so much closer than I was an hour before.

I'll work on it for an hour tomorrow and I'm pretty sure I will be very close to done.

 

Not sure if I'm going to paint it 

or leave it au natural.

Leave your suggestion in the comments.

 

But Sharon,

what are you going to do with it?

 

I'm not installing it in my bathroom,

that's for sure.

 

But I love crazy yard art.

I have an old sink in a garden in my front yard.

This might end up out there with the sink.

Then you know I'll have to add more art to complete my bathroom out there.

Maybe a bed also.

 

My husband is now rolling his eyes. 

 

Finishing a project feels wonderful.

Driving past the "this is going to take forever"

to the "I love this and I'm so glad I stuck with it",

is often hard,

but also so worth it.

 

Look around,

find that painting, craft or project

and get it out and gittr done.

 

Leave me a comment what you're working on.

We all have them.

Let's share them.

 

 

   

Making Internet Friends

Making Internet "Friends"

Out of People I've NEVER Met 

I have made many wonderful friends online, artists and non-artists, but one I want to re-introduce is my now good friend, but still have never met face to face, Meredith Adler.

Not only is Meredith a fabulous fun artist,

but she has now launched a podcast for artists in the Asheville and mountain counties of North Carolina,

called

Local HeARTed.

Click HERE to go to her webpage.

I am sending you to the podcast of Meredith as she interviews Dawn Chitwood, who is a marketing wizard and media specialist.

This first segment of the interview has Dawn explaining how she can help any business, not just artists to increase their presence on social media and drive traffic to their website.

I know lots of you who follow me are artists, 

but many are not. Many of you have other businesses you'd like to promote. 

Dawn gives many insights on how she helps her clients and how they can help themselves,

as well as what you should ask and expect from someone you hire to help you in this type of endeavor.

Click HERE to go to Dawn's business page.

I know we all get lots of email daily from marketers on how to improve this or that, but I found this podcast of Dawn's to be very helpful in not only how to look at things myself, but if I wanted to hire someone in my own area, the types of questions I should ask and the types of services that I could hire for.

Her explanation of branding, and what it is and what it isn't,

is excellent and will have thoughts about your own business bouncing off your brain walls.

Click HERE to go to Meredith's blog, Paint Like Nobody's Watching, where she announces her new podcast, but you can also see her art and follow her art journey. 

Subscribe to the podcast you'll meet some great artists in the Asheville, North Carolina area, but there will also be nuggets of info like with Dawn Chitwood to help any business grow. 

Sign up for the podcast, Meredith's blog, my blog, and then confirm that you did in deed sign up, to actually reap the benefits of signing up.  If you don't confirm you signed up, you usually don't receive the blog in your inbox and you don't get tons of free info we as bloggers are trying to give you.  

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Blogaversary Updates:

 "No Joke!  You WON!" 

I still have gifts I'm trying to give away as a way to celebrate 7 years of writing this blog and I sure would love for you to be a recipient.  I draw out names of people who have signed up to receive my blog in their inbox and I send you an email with  "No Joke!  You WON!" in the subject line.  Then you have 24 hours to get back to me with your name and address so I can send you the painting you won, or to respond so I can send you your login credentials if you won one of my online painting classes or my full blown art course.  If you don't respond in the 24 hours, I draw out another name.  Don't leave your free item on the table because you didn't open that email.

Have a great day and scroll back up to the top right hand side and put your name in the "Subscribe to My Blog" box and then confirm when you receive an email asking if you signed up or not.

 

 

 

30 In 30 Wrap Up

30 Paintings in 30 Days Wrap Up

 Well, I made it through 21 days of the 30 in 30 challenge, before the flu and pneumonia struck.

The painting in the center is the one I did using a photograph I took at Findlay Market in Cincinnati.

What I learned during the challenge:

1.  You can have a very workable plan

2. You can have everything ready.

3.  You can work your plan.

4.  All bets are off if you get the flu and pneumonia.

I did have all of the above and was totally sidelined for the last 9 days of the challenge.  

But, 

I started painting figures.

Some are much better than others.

But I set out to do it and I did it.

And I showed you along the way,

even when I didn't want to.

That is a total break through!

I also was not able to complete my blogaversary giveaway

so I will be doing that now.

I'll be extending it for as long as it takes me to give away all the goodies I had planned for the month.

If you don't receive this in your inbox,

scroll back up to the top right

and put your name in the box that says,

"Subscribe to My Blog".

That's the only way you can get your name in my virtual hat for the paintings, classes and the online course I'm giving away.  

So, gittr done!