Dena McMurdie Studios

It's a Winner!

2012-03-05T16:15:00.000-06:00

I received a letter a few days ago telling me that my "Nauvoo Temple" painting has been given a Purchase Award from the Museum of Church History and Art. This means that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has bought my painting. Out of the 1,200 entries for the show, approximately 160 are accepted for the exhibition. Out of that 160, the Museum only purchases a few pieces for their permanent collection. They give out 20 merit awards and 3 people's choice awards as well. I am honored and thrilled to be the recipient of such an award.

I have already been asked a lot of the same questions about this award. I will try to answer the most common ones.

What do you get for this award?
The Museum bought my painting, so that is a major honor in itself. I obviously get paid for the painting, and the knowledge that something I created is now circulating the LDS Church's permanent art collection.
Do you receive royalties from prints that the Church makes?
While it is a nice idea, the likelihood of the Church making prints of my painting is not very high. The Church makes prints of very few paintings. The prints that you see in Deseret Bookstore or Beehive Bookstore are all licensed through private companies that are completely separate from the Church itself. However, I can still make prints and reproductions of the painting and sell them.
Will your painting be in the Ensign?
With 160 accepted entries for the show, it is unlikely that my painting will be put in the two page spread in the Ensign that covers the show. It is possible, though. The fact that it received an award makes the chances a little better. So keep your eyes pealed in the May issue of the Ensign. It might make an appearance.
Do you know where your painting will be?
From March 16, 2012 until October 14, 2012, my painting will be hanging in the exhibit at the Church History Museum. After that, I have no idea.
Are you going to the show?
Yes. My family and I are going to attend the awards ceremony and opening exhibit on March 16th. The awards ceremony starts at 6:00pm and the exhibit opens at 7:00pm if any of you want to come.
What's next?
I have a LOT of new paintings planned. I have more temple paintings in the works, as well as a painting of the Sacred Grove. I am working on getting a strong group of images together to license out.

I have had a few people ask me how much my painting sold for. I am a little hesitant to tell people. I feel like it is a private transaction between myself and the buyer and I want to respect their privacy. If my buyer(s) wish to reveal how much they paid for the painting, that is their decision to make.

Nauvoo Temple Painting is Accepted

2012-02-10T15:07:00.001-06:00

Nauvoo Temple - 10x20

Oil on Canvas

It's official! I received a letter this morning from the Museum of Church History and Art stating that my painting Nauvoo Temple passed the second round of judging and will be displayed in the 9th International Art Competition. I am absolutely thrilled! I feel like a kid on Christmas morning.

If everything goes according to plan, then I will be able to attend the opening reception which will take place on March 16th. The awards ceremony will be at 6:00pm at the Assembly Hall on Temple Square and a reception will follow at the Church History Museum until 9:00pm. The exhibit will remain open through October 14, 2012, and will be online at www.lds.org/museum starting March 17, 2012. Some entries will also appear in Church publications like the Ensign, Liahona, and Church News.

If you are able to come to the opening reception, I would love to see you there!

It's a Crazy Ride

2012-01-27T16:51:00.003-06:00

In light of the popularity of my "Nauvoo Temple" painting, my entire ideas for my artwork have shifted. Galleries and exotic mountain art auctions don't hold the same appeal for me anymore. I feel like I'm on the edge of something great, something fantastic. I'll let you know when it happens. Or maybe I'll just post the great and fantastic something as I work toward it.

What I Love About Being a Mom

2012-01-09T17:02:00.001-06:00

As my faithful blog readers will know, I am a mother to two little girls. I stay home with them and paint ever spare minute I get. I absolutely love staying home with my kids. Not too long ago, I accidentally applied for a job as a Google Doodler. I say accidentally because I didn't intend to apply. I met the wife of a Googler that happened to know the designer in charge of hiring a new Doodler. She gave them my information. While I was flattered that they might actually consider me (I mean, it's GOOGLE! I have always wanted to work there), I couldn't bear the thought of leaving my kids at daycare.

I love being with my kids every minute of every day. That may sound strange to some people, but believe me, I have really nice kids. Take today, for example. I got to do my girls' hair this morning, then we read through all our library books before heading down to take them back. We spent a nice hour or so browsing books and picking out titles. My four year old has just discovered Roald Dahl and was very excited to check out some more of his stories. Then I let them play in the kid section for a bit. We came home and had crepes for lunch. It was a fantastic disaster of batter, nutella, bananas, and whipped cream. Then baby #2 went to bed for a nap while baby #1 stayed up and played GO FISH with me.

Sometimes I feel sorry for my husband that he has to go to work all day while I get to play with the kids. It isn't always cupcakes and roses, but I sure wouldn't trade it.

Nauvoo Temple Has Shipped Out

2012-01-03T15:07:00.001-06:00

I shipped my Nauvoo Temple painting out this morning. Usually, I don't get too attached to the artwork I create. I know that I will have to give it up and so I purposefully try to keep an emotional distance from my paintings once they are completed. I was not successful this time. I was all sniffles as I carefully boxed up my newly framed painting and got it ready to ship.

Please don't think I am horribly strange for getting teary eyed at shipping off my painting. I never have before, but there was something about this one that I just have a hard time letting go of. One thing is for sure - I will be ordering myself a nice canvas print for my own wall!

Now it is just a matter of time before I will know if my painting of the Nauvoo Temple has been accepted into the 9th International Art Competition. I will be holding my breath!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T16:39:00.000-06:00

I hope that everyone had a fabulous holiday season! I sure did. I spent a couple of weeks hanging out with my husband and children. We got out of the city for a few days and traveled to Monterrey Bay. We drove down Big Sur, visited the Monterrey Bay Aquarium, and cruised along the 17 Mile Drive. We had a wonderful time and it was great to spend some quality time with the kids.

I also made a large list of resolutions that will hopefully remain unbroken throughout the upcoming year. Some of my resolutions included getting more regular exercise, spending more quality time with my kids, painting like crazy, and editing a novel that I wrote for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). What are your resolutions this year?

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T15:27:00.000-06:00

Since I won't be posting anything from now until after New Years, I thought I would give you your Christmas present a couple days early. It is a coupon code for 15% off a $99 order at Pictureframes.com.

Enter code ST12A99 to receive your discount.

I just ordered a frame from them and was extremely pleased with the results. It was exactly what I wanted, the quality was excellent, and they even included all the hardware to hang it! I am extremely happy with my purchase. They even have a feature where you can upload a digital image that you can see it framed before you buy. It is custom framing at its best without the custom prices.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Nauvoo Temple Prints Available

2011-12-16T15:14:00.002-06:00

Nauvoo Temple Giclee Print - 10x20

$40.00

($3.00 shipping)

I've Been Featured!

2011-12-16T12:03:00.000-06:00

I am the newest Friday Feature on Megan's Creative Blog. I got to answer a couple of fun questions and there are some photos from my Etsy shop up. Here's the link:

www.megansbeadeddesigns.wordpress.com

Library Phantom

2011-12-10T00:39:00.001-06:00

Has anyone else seen this? A friend of mine just posted this on Facebook and I just had to share. It is a woman (I think) that made 10 sculptures and left them anonymously at various libraries and museums around Scotland. Here is a link to the blog with photos of all the sculptures and more about the story.

http://thisiscentralstation.co.uk/featured/mysterious-paper-sculptures/

Nauvoo Temple Painting Will Go to Salt Lake!

2011-12-06T15:19:00.000-06:00

Nauvoo Temple - 10x20

Original Oil Painting on Stretched Canvas

I just received my acceptance letter from the Museum of Church History and Art regarding the 9th International Art Competition. My painting "Nauvoo Temple" has been selected to move on to the next round of judging. This means that I need to find a frame STAT and ship it off to Salt Lake City. Once the Museum receives all the artwork they have selected, there will be one more round of judging to determine which pieces of art will be included in the exhibit and which ones will receive awards.

I participated in the 8th International Art Competition with my painting "Expectations". I am absolutely thrilled to have made it into the second round of judging again. I am going to hold my breath and hope that it all works out!

In case anyone is interested, I do have prints available for purchase. I recently sold out, but I have another shipment coming in the next week or so. They are giclee, 10x20, and - if I may say so myself - they are beautiful! They are priced at $40.00 plus $3.00 shipping. They ship rolled up in a heavy duty cardboard tube. Please contact me via email (denamcmurdiestudios@gmail.com) if you want more than one. Here is a PayPal button for easy purchasing.

Craft Boutique

2011-12-05T15:07:00.001-06:00

Some friends and I held a craft boutique last week. It was a wonderful success! We had lots of people show up and we were able to sell most of our goods. Everyone that came was very happy they did. They found unique and handmade items for everyone on their Christmas lists.

This was the first time I have participated in a craft show, but I loved it. It was fun to meet the customers and interact with them. Most of my sales up to this point have either been online or through a gallery, and so I don't get to meet my customers in person. So the craft boutique was a great experience for me to be able to connect with people locally and get to know them.

It's Cyber Monday!

2011-11-28T11:28:00.001-06:00

Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I spent the weekend with my family. It was really nice to have my husband around a little bit the past few days.

Anyway, as you probably know, today is Cyber Monday. I am giving away a free print of my watercolor painting "Autumn Medley" to anyone that purchases an original painting from my Etsy shop today. I also thought you might like to know that I am offering free domestic shipping until Dec 31. Just enter the code FREESHIP when you check out.

I have added several new paintings to my Etsy shop in the past few weeks. Here is the link to my shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/apieceofparadise?ref=seller_info

Have a fun Cyber Monday and a Merry Christmas!

Free Shipping on Artwork Now Through December 31, 2011

2011-11-09T01:46:00.001-06:00

Polar Bear - Original Oil Painting on Canvas Panel 8x10

$90.00

If you are looking for a unique gift for someone special this holiday season, you should consider an original painting. Several of my original oil paintings are framed and ready to hang. Others are unframed so that you can select the frame you want. If you find an unframed painting you love, but want it framed, just let me know. You can shoot me an email (denamcmurdiestudios@gmail.com) and I will be happy to order a frame for you and install the painting. I will simply add the price of the frame into the cost of the painting.

Right now through the end of the year, I am offering free shipping on any order within the continental United States. If it is a gift for someone, then I will be happy to mail it directly to the recipient. Just make sure to send me their address!

Enter the code FREESHIP at checkout to receive your free shipping discount in my Etsy Store.

Visit my Etsy store here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/85270569/original-wildlife-art-polar-bear-oil?ref=pr_shop

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

Expense Tracking

2011-10-25T15:31:00.002-05:00

Every now and then I like to contribute to a little blog called the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur. I get regular queries from them asking for my advice on various topics. Most of the time it is for something that I don't have much experience with. But every now and then I get a query for a topic that I have experience with and I can make a contribution. This topic happens to be about expense tracking. It is one of those tricky things that is very easy to ignore, yet very necessary to any business in order for it to succeed. So if you are interested in some excellent ideas on ways to keep your expenses in order, then check out the blog today:

Toilet Paper Entrepreneur: Tracking Expenses

SOLD! Two Beautiful Paintings!

2011-10-21T13:07:00.002-05:00

Windbreak - 8x10

Snow Covered Fence -16x20

Two of my favorite paintings sold yesterday to a lovely friend of mine here in San Jose. She saw the winter painting in my Etsy Shop and fell in love with it. When she came over to my house to look at it in person, she also saw the row of yellow trees and fell in love all over again. She said that it "just made her happy". I know exactly what she means. Windbreak has always made me happy. It is so bright and colorful and just plain cheerful.

If you ask me, she has very good taste when it comes to selecting artwork!

Just remember that I am offering 10% off in my shop. Just enter the code DENA10 at checkout to receive your discount!

Resource For Packaging and Shipping Your Art or Craft

2011-10-17T18:09:00.001-05:00

I stumbled upon a great website today. (I love it when that happens!) I was looking for cellophane bags to place some of my prints, and even some of my originals, into for storage and shipping to reduce wear and dust.The website's name is Paper Mart. They sell anything from ribbon to metal jars to cellophane bags to janitorial supplies. I personally didn't browse through the janitorial supplies, but they are there if you are interested.

I was completely blown away by the number of products they had, and the prices they offered them at. I found it to be a fantastic resource for just about anyone that needs to add a little professionalism to their packaging and thought I would share. If you are looking for somewhere to buy nice little packages to sell your bath products, makeup, lotions, food items, or just about any other type of craft, Paper Mart would be a good place to look.

Of course, I was very interested in their air float art boxes. Art boxes are very expensive when bought at retail prices. These air float boxes are very affordable and will keep artwork safe and undamaged during shipping. They also have a wide array of shipping tubes available for a very reasonable price. Shipping tubes are another one of those very expensive items to buy at a retail store.

I looked around a few websites before I decided that this one was worth recommending. There a few things to consider about this website:

Price
They had the cheapest price out of everywhere that I looked. Sure having all the bells and whistles is great, but when it comes down to doing business, it's the numbers that matter.

No Minimum Order
One of the pesky things I found at other websites was their minimum order requirement. While there is no minimum order, you will be charged a $3 small package fee for orders under $15. However, the same fee on other sites was $7 for orders under $40, so it is definitely a better bet to go with Paper Mart.

Shipping
Shipping is always one of those things that make me choke during checkout. Paper Mart uses FedEx ground shipping and they have competitive pricing. It is still very expensive, though. On an order of $25.50, my shipping total came out to $17.51. So yes, their prices are fantastic, but the shipping is a bit of a turnoff.

Visit to the Triton Museum of Art

2011-10-14T18:56:00.000-05:00

Today our playgroup met up at the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara. I have to admit, it was absolute chaos. After several of the paintings on display had been very roughly patted, tapped, or rubbed by enthusiastic toddlers (I kept my kids hands squeezed very tightly in mine so that they were not guilty of any offense), the kind Museum staff quietly suggested we take our group outside to the park nearby.

We stayed at the park for a little over an hour. When everyone was starting to pack their things and leave, my 3 year old told me that she needed to use a potty. The only one around was in the museum. So we decided to brave it one more time and go inside. The receptionist was so kind and showed us right to the restroom. After we came back out, my 3 year old again had something to tell me.

"Mom, I wanna look at the art." She said in a very serious voice.

"You want to look at the art?" I was a little skeptical because just an hour before, all she wanted to do was run and jump and yell with her friends.

"Yes. I like the monster one over there. Look! He doesn't have any eyes. They all fell out!" She was pointing at an exhibit of anti-consumerism paintings on a nearby wall.

I figured it couldn't hurt to take another spin through the museum, as long as my kids didn't touch anything. They held my hands very nicely and we walked through each exhibit and looked at every painting, discussing each one. It is amazing to me how my 3 year old can pick out things in paintings that I never notice. We talked about the different colors, picked out our favorites, and tried to decide what some abstract art looked like. We were correct in our assessment of the abstract art. We guessed that it looked like the beach, and then we saw the name of the exhibit, "Pacific Paintings" by Kenjilo Nanao. They were these beautiful, enormous paintings that simulated coastal scenes.

I am so glad that we went back in the museum and took another stroll through. My kids had a lot of fun looking at the artwork and talking about them, and I got a chance to look at all the exhibits as well.

Autumn Medley is SOLD! (Prints Now Available)

2011-10-13T12:40:00.002-05:00

Autumn Medley sold earlier this week! This is another one of those paintings that I just loved. The colors are so bright and warm, it makes me want to sit down with a cup of hot apple cider and a slice of pumpkin bread.

I had some prints made, so if you are feeling sad that you missed out on the original, you can still buy a reproduction for $16.00 (+$3 for shipping) in my Etsy shop. The prints are the same size as the original, 9 x 6, and look great when they are matted and framed either in a 5 x 7 mat or at their original size. It makes a fantastic Christmas gift!

Remember to enter the code DENA10 for 10% off at checkout!

Thought Provoking Lyrics

2011-10-12T19:09:00.000-05:00

The other night I attended a function that was hosted by my church and we all sang the song "Have I Done Any Good?" as part of the evening. The lyrics of the second verse really seemed to hit home for me. I thought I would share them here.

There are chances for work all around just now,
Opportunities right in our way.
Do not let them pass by, saying, "Sometime I'll try,"
But go and do something today.
'Tis noble of man to work and to give;
Love's labor has merit alone.
Only he who does something helps others to live.
To God each good work will be known.

Text and music: Will L. Thompson, 1847-1909, alt.

So when you are struggling to feel motivated to get up and do something, think of the words to this song. Remember that you can improve the world around you if you only look for opportunities to do so.

Autumn Brilliance is SOLD!

2011-10-11T17:20:00.002-05:00

Autumn Brilliance is SOLD! It sold on Etsy last week. I have always loved this painting. It has such bright, crisp fall colors that just make me happy. People always ask if it is hard for me to part with my artwork. I tell them no, because I create each and every piece of art with the hope that it will bring joy to someone else.

I had a lot of local friends whisper, "Darn!" to themselves when this piece sold. It was a general favorite. I still have several pieces available in my Etsy shop, and I am working on getting more things listed as well. You can follow my blog or just continue to stop by to know when I post new artwork to my shop and to see when they sell.

Mango Painting Included in Etsy Treasury!

2011-10-06T16:04:00.000-05:00

I can still remember the very first time I ever ate a mango. It was the year after I graduated high school (can you believe that?) and my roommate decided I had been missing out on pure enjoyment for 18 years. She dragged me to the grocery store and we picked out a few of them together. I was instantly in love with the exotic fruit and spent the following months dreaming about them. Every now and then I would break down and go buy one (it was winter in Canada and they were very expensive).

I know that I am not the only person that loves mangoes because my little painting was just included in a Bango Mango treasury on Etsy! It is a super fun treasury with bright delicious colors.

I'm going to leave this post right there because I have to make a quick trip to the store...

My Red Barn Painting Included in an Etsy Treasury!

2011-10-05T11:31:00.000-05:00

I love autumn. The changing leaves, the crisp air, the fresh smell that comes with the rain...I just can't get enough of it. That is what inspired this painting. The bright red barn against the fall colors of the trees and shrubs was simply breathtaking. I had to paint it.

This beautiful little painting recently inspired a treasury on Etsy called Paintings of Autumn. It is a wonderfully curated collection of paintings featuring fall themes.

This piece is an original watercolor painting. It measures 9 x 6, but the mat has a 5 x 7 opening. It works either way. I have it listed on Etsy for sale. Please visit my shop to purchase. Remember to enter the code DENA10 for 10% off!

Inspirational Quote

2011-10-02T04:46:00.001-05:00

"Trust in the Lord. Believe in Him. Study His words. The Lord will bless you with the courage to do the things that are most important in your life."- M. Russell Ballard

Happy Birthday Google!

2011-09-27T15:03:00.000-05:00

As a major Google fan, there was no way I could pass up the chance to say happy birthday to my favorite search engine today! Of course, there is much more to Google than just a search engine, but that is what they are best known for.

Here's to a fabulous 13 years!

My Etsy Shop

2011-09-26T17:07:00.001-05:00

I have recently opened an Etsy shop titled "A Piece of Paradise". I chose that title because our homes should be a little piece of paradise here on earth. The artwork that we choose to place in our homes can determine how much of a paradise your home is to you. Choose artwork that speaks to you. Art should make you happy, and give you a sense of satisfaction every time you look at it.

Everything in my shop are original oil paintings. And because Christmas is coming up, I've decided to offer a coupon code for 10% off everything! Enter code DENA10 at checkout for your discount. Happy shopping!

Sleep, Sleep, I Need Sleep

2011-09-23T11:35:00.001-05:00

I have decided (after a week of staying up until 2:00am painting every night) that artists don't go crazy and cut their ears off because they are epileptic. It's not from the toxic paints that they work with either. It's because they don't get enough sleep.

That has to be the reason. After all, I am about one more sleepless night away from cutting my own ear off...

Ninth International Art Competition Coming Up

2011-09-21T17:06:00.004-05:00

The Ninth International Art Competition of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in coming up soon. I have spent countless hours working on my project, and it still isn't finished. I have actually worked on a few different projects for this competition and finally settled on just one. I am really excited about this one! I will post pictures as soon as I get a little bit further. We are getting down to the wire now. Just a couple of weeks left before the deadline.

Sept 11, 2011

2011-09-12T11:11:00.002-05:00

I can't believe that it has been 10 years since the disaster of 9/11. Like most people, I can remember exactly where I was when it happened. I was working as a cashier at a grocery store in Lethbridge, Alberta, and my boyfriend at the time came up and told me that the United States had just been bombed. I just stared at him as he told me about the twin towers and the pentagon. The information about the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania didn't reach us until later.

When my shift ended, I ran over to my boyfriend's apartment to watch the footage. I will never forget the horrific scene that unfolded on the television. There were no bombs, but what we saw was so much worse. The sight of the planes crashing into the towers is something that will be burned into my mind forever. Words cannot describe my feelings when I saw the towers fall.

This year marks the 10th year anniversary of the event that changed our nation. My husband and I saw the footage again on the news. It was like seeing it for the first time all over again.

So many people. So many lives. Let's not forget those we lost.

Inspirational Quote of the Day

2011-08-14T17:08:00.001-05:00

"Let us relish life as we live it, finding joy in the journey and share our love with friends and family. One day, each of us will run out of tomorrows. Let us not put off what is most important."

- Thomas S. Monson

Happiness Can Be Found...

2011-08-11T17:02:00.004-05:00

... in Crystal Cove, California.

We just got back from vacation in Newport Beach, California. My husband's parents own a timeshare there and so we joined them for a week. We went to Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, and of course, the beach. Crystal Cove was absolutely beautiful. I could have stayed there for months!

Finally, the Internet!

2011-07-25T23:47:00.002-05:00

Ah HA! We recently moved to a new residence and have been without the internet for over a week. You don't realize how much you depend on it until you don't have it anymore. I must say, that I am an internet addict and I am very happy to have it back under my fingertips!

Moving!

2011-07-14T18:31:00.002-05:00

The moving has begun. Blah!

I will be happy in about a week when we are all unpacked in our new place.

Happy Summer!

2011-07-06T19:41:00.002-05:00

I must apologize for being so exceptionally lame and not posting anything for the past couple of weeks. Truth be told, I will be moving in about a week and things are crazy around here.

It will probably be a little longer before I have anything substantial to post, but I just wanted to wish all my fellow Canadians a Happy Canada Day, and all my fellow Americans a Happy Independence Day! I hope that everyone's weekends were splendid. I spent mine with my husband and kids sitting by the pool. Lots of sunscreen, friends, and good food. How did you spend your holiday weekend?

Aaaah, Children!

2011-06-15T08:25:00.001-05:00

I attend a writing group with some fellow bloggers/aspiring authors about once a month. I got home late from our last monthly meeting the other night. When I asked my husband how his evening was, he gave me a sarcastic little laugh and said, "Aaah, children!"

He related to me what happened: Almost immediately after I left the house to leave for my writing group, our recently bathed and put in bed oldest daughter (3) came out of her bedroom holding an empty A+D tube. For those of you who don't know what A+D is, it's a diaper rash ointment that is extremely greasy. Obviously, my poor husband went rushing into the girl's bedroom to find, much to his dismay, that our children had indeed made a mess.

What a mess it was! Both of our kids were covered head to toe in diaper rash ointment, huge globs of it lounging in their hair. My baby's crib had been thoroughly smeared up and down every single post with ointment. The carpet housed large blobs of the goo and the closet door mirrors were slimed as high and low as a three year old can reach. Grease covered the toys, the clothes, and the books that happened to be available for smearing.

My sweet husband bathed both girls again, washing their hair twice and cleaning up the mess as best he could. The next morning, both girls smelled horribly of diaper rash ointment and their hair was still as greasy as could be. I had quite a time cleaning up the ointment that had been wiped on everything. In fact, I am still discovering areas of grease on the crib and certain toys that I missed on my first go around. All I could do was laugh about the incident, and thankfully, so could my husband. Children definitely make life more interesting.

A Born Leader

2011-06-14T09:05:00.000-05:00

During one of my frequent chats with my mom, she told me an interesting story about my brother and a track and field event at school.

My youngest brother is 15 years old and has always been fairly athletic. Recently, he participated in a triathlon. I believe that every kid at school was required to participate, and my brother was designated the swimmer (he swims like a fish). He swam his leg of the race and then the cyclist took over. By the time the race had wound down to the runners, my brother noticed that one of the runners was leisurely strolling down the race track. It was an overweight boy that was usually the brunt of adolescent name-calling and general bullying. He had tried to run as far as he could, but was exhausted and had taken to walking down the track.

My brother, bless his heart, took off running down to the track, a group of his friends close at his heels. They didn't know what he was doing, but they followed anyway. He walked alongside the "runner" and talked with him, telling him that he was doing great, and when they got to a certain point on the track they were going to run and finish the race together.

As he was talking, more and more kids began to gather around the young man running the race. When they reached the designated spot on the track, they started running. By the time they crossed the finish line, the entire class was running down the track with the boy, cheering him on. The teachers all had tears in their eyes as everybody congratulated the runner and cheered for him.

People need leaders. They need someone to take charge and lead the way. Some people are natural leaders, like my brother. I feel humbled when I think of his sportsmanship and team building personality. As someone who is naturally gifted at leading others, he could have chosen to make the situation horrible and humiliating for his teammate. Instead he chose to create an experience that the people in his little town will remember for a long time to come.

Christina Brunk Photography

2011-06-13T08:31:00.000-05:00

On Saturday morning I got together with my good friend Christina Brunk. She is the amazing photographer that took our family pictures back in April. She had recently purchased some new photography "toys" and was anxious to try them out. So she photographed some of my paintings. I was so happy and excited to see the results. These photographs are true to life - color corrected and distortion free.

I asked Christina to try photographing one of my paintings in its frame. She did a fantastic job! I am really happy with the results. Now I have quality, high resolution images to use for giclee prints and reproductions as well as web and print materials. Thanks Christina!

To see Christina's work, visit her website at www.christinabrunk.com.

Oil Painters of America Membership

2011-06-02T15:38:00.003-05:00

A couple weeks ago, I sent off my application for the Oil Painters of America. I just got my response back this week that I was accepted! I am thrilled to be part of this wonderful organization and participate in their events.

For a long time I have felt like I needed to join some sort of organization, and I've always had my eye on the Oil Painters of America. They are a prestigious group that works hard to promote and encourage their artists. They provide numerous opportunities on both a regional and national level. It usually takes me quite a while to make a commitment to something like an organization. I want to be sure that I have the time and energy to put into it, otherwise I would just be wasting everyone's time. But my baby is 15 months old, and I felt like it was time that I get connected with this society. Since my artwork is both representational and traditional, it is a perfect fit.

Reading

2011-06-01T08:27:00.000-05:00

I might as well admit my one major guilty pleasure: I love to read. I could honestly sit and read for 20 hours out of the day and be perfectly content.

Due to my love of reading, my wonderful husband bought me a Kindle for Mother's Day. I was so surprised and thrilled! Instantly, I began downloading all my favorites: Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, and A Girl of the Limberlost, to name a few. Currently, I am reading Life of Pi. I started just this afternoon and am loving what I'm reading so far. It sounds VERY interesting. I may be slightly biased, however. The author mentions Canada several times and says how much he loves it.

My mom gave me a book about a month ago called The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It's a mouthful right? At first I was a little skeptical, thinking that it was probably a book that was published in the 70s and not really my taste. In spite of my skepticism, I began reading (it was published in 2008) and was completely and pleasantly delighted in the story. It is a historical fiction novel about a woman that lives in London. It takes place just after the second World War has ended. She starts up a friendship with a group of people on the island of Guernsey (one of the Channel Islands between England and France). The story made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me think. Books like this don't come along every day, or even every year. It was a fantastic read, and I am so glad that I beat down my inner pessimist and took a chance on a book (and an island) that I knew absolutely nothing about. What a treat.

How to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing

2011-05-31T10:49:00.002-05:00

I have recently become a regular contributor for Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, a fantastic business blog for entrepreneurs. My first contribution was a tip on how to get your creative juices flowing. There are 20 tips in all (mine is #20). Have a look HERE.

You might want to browse the rest of their blog as well. They have some really useful information available.

Music Part II

2011-05-30T08:09:00.001-05:00

Speaking of music, I got thinking the other day (always dangerous) about my childhood love of music. Isn't it funny how our childhood shapes the rest of our lives? Anyway, my mom told me that she used to play a tape of children's songs for me. She said that I would sit on the couch and listen to it over and over and over. Well, that got me thinking of the impact of music in our lives, and the kinds of music that we listen to.

So the next thing I do is pull out the trusty old keyboard and plug it in, determined to instigate an hour of music time into my daily schedule. My hour of music time was instantly taken over by my children. They had music time and I had a good laugh. They sat at my keyboard and pushed keys and buttons, laughing and giggling at all the funny noises it could make. Then they found the beat button and started bobbing their heads and dancing.

Eventually my baby had to go take a nap, and when she did, I got my music time. I haven't played the piano in so long that I was afraid I had lost it. It only took a few runs through a children's song (one of the same songs that I used to listen to) before I felt like I hadn't completely lost my abilities. Then I started to sing along to the music. I am not a good singer by any stretch of the imagination, but regardless of that fact, I love to do it. My three year old was playing with the shoes by the door (she likes to try them all on). After I had played all the verses to one of my favorite songs, I heard her little voice come at me from around the corner,

"One more time, Mom."

"What?" I asked, a little unsure of what she wanted.

"I need that one more time."

So I played and sang the song again for her, inwardly smiling and hoping that an hour of music every day would benefit more than just me.

Joseph Smith - The Final Take

2011-05-24T15:10:00.006-05:00

Joseph Smith - $800.00
Oil on Canvas - 12 x 16
Copyright 2011 Dena McMurdie Studios

If you have been following my blog for the past several months (or years) you will remember that I have been working on a portrait of Joseph Smith. Actually, my plan was to do a series of three portraits, but we'll cross that bridge later.

This was a terribly difficult project to work on, because I had no living Joseph to sit in front of me and model. So I had to make do with his death mask, other artist's portraits of him, a clay bust I fashioned myself, and photographs of both my husband and the husband of a friend of mine. It was quite the trip. Once I had all my reference material collected, I set to work on getting a drawing done. Getting the drawing just right took much longer than I had anticipated. But once it was completed to a point where I felt that it resembled my subject accurately, I transferred it to canvas and got started painting. My first try at this painting was interesting. I was really happy as it started out, then as the painting progressed, I could tell that it wasn't going in the direction that I wanted it to. I continued to work on it for several days to see if I could still make it work. I couldn't.

I finally scraped off the excess paint on my canvas and primed it with gesso. I now have a blank white canvas that represents attempt #1.

And so I began attempt #2. In between attempts at Joseph, I painted this portrait of my husband in a traditional golfing outfit. During that experience, I realized that I had been using the wrong color of yellow to get the proper flesh tones that I wanted. So I started over on my Joseph project with a new canvas. I transferred the drawing, toned the canvas, and started painting. Once again, it started off well, and I was excited that the flesh tones seemed to be working out much better with my new yellow. Once again, as the painting progressed, I became less and less happy with it. This time, I didn't let the paint get completely dry. As soon as I knew that I wouldn't be keeping this painting, I once again scraped off all my hard work and gessoed over the evidence.

I now have a second white canvas that represents attempt #2.

I was so frustrated after my second attempt that I didn't touch my brushes for a week or two. During that time, I spent some time reading the Joseph Smith History and pondering over his personality. I came to realize that the Joseph was a simple man, and the gospel that he restored is a simple one. Why was I trying to include a bunch of unnecessary information (color and flesh tones for example) when a simpler, monochromatic color scheme would serve my purpose and suit the subject better? The vision in my mind suddenly became quite clear. In my mind's eye the color was eliminated from the painting, and I could see precisely how it should look.

With my new found vision for the painting, and the excitement that comes with it, I had to wait patiently until I could seize an opportunity to try the third attempt. My three year old decided to take a nap (hallelujah!). As soon as it was quiet, I raced to get started. I painted it, wiped it off, and painted it again. I kept painting and wiping until the image on the canvas matched the image in my head. I LOVE it when that happens! You can see the finished painting at the top of this post. (Insert sigh of relief here.) Now that image will stop haunting me and I can move on to the next one that is festering in that little noggin of mine.

Music

2011-05-17T08:38:00.001-05:00

Song - 11 x 14
Oil on Canvas Panel
Copyright 2011 Dena McMurdie

Just the other day I was sitting in church with my little family, my 18 month old baby on my lap. When the choir got up to sing a musical number, my baby started to sway in time to the music. Before long, she began to sing as well. I found it quite darling, and got my husband's attention so that he could enjoy the moment with me. What I didn't know was that several other people were enjoying our moment too. We got multiple comments from people that were sitting near us about how adorable our baby was.

I have always loved music. I took several years of piano lessons while I was growing up and even though I don't play very well, I do enjoy playing. Pulling sensitive and emotional notes from a piano is a difficult yet rewarding thing to accomplish.

Music is an interesting thing. It has the power to move people and to touch their hearts and minds in a way that just isn't possible in any other method. Have you ever been inspired by a song? Have you ever heard a piece of music that made you want to be a better person? I have. There are times when I get caught up in the feeling of the song and I start to sway without knowing it. Sometimes I close my eyes and let the music wash over me, pulling me to a better place. It is always a little sad when the song ends and I have to come back to reality.

A few years ago, I was listening to the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. If you have never listened to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, you should. Words fail me when I try to describe that choir. As I listened to the rise and fall of the harmonized voices of the large choir, I felt the desire to somehow paint the song they were singing. I didn't know if it were possible, but I wanted to try. The abstract painting above, "Song" is the product. I don't often create abstract artwork, but every now and then, an abstract concept is the perfect medium to express my message.

Family Photos

2011-05-09T17:43:00.004-05:00

Last weekend we had our family pictures taken. We went out to Alviso Marina County Park and a very talented photographer and friend of mine took our photographs. We were so happy with the results! She is a fantastic photographer of families and little children. She kept our kids entertained and smiling the entire time. If you live in the Bay Area, you will definitely want to check her out. Her website is www.christinabrunk.com

A Blast From the Past

2011-05-01T15:06:00.000-05:00

Take a little walk down memory lane with me today. It's fun to get nostalgic and look back on art created by a much younger me. ;)

During high school, I worked with a new father. Shortly after I graduated, I started work on this drawing of him and his baby. I got to the point that you see here and had to quit when I moved down the States to start college. It sat in my high school portfolio for several years until the baby showed up in my mom's school classroom (Grade Five, or for the Americans reading this, Fifth Grade). My mom recognized the boy's name and asked him who his parents are. She then called me to see if I still had this drawing, and if I would be willing to give it to the family so that they could enjoy it. After all, it has been sitting in my high school portfolio, stuck between my painting of a blue jay and a copy of a National Geographic Magazine. I didn't see the point in keeping it, so while my parents were here visiting, we fashioned a cardboard tube to transport it back to Canada.

My mom located the boy's parents and let them know about the drawing. They were overjoyed to receive it! They were very touched that we went through so much trouble to get the piece to them. As for me, I am just happy that it is finally with it's rightful owner.

A Lot of Play

2011-04-30T14:35:00.007-05:00

I've been playing so hard these past few days that I haven't had a chance to work. Easter was a total blast. It was the first year that my children were old enough to really understand what Easter is about and enjoy the holiday.

My parents and my youngest brother drove down from Canada to visit us and they arrived the afternoon of Easter Sunday. We only had a few days together, so we spent every last minute running around and having as much fun as we could pack into our limited time.

The first thing we did was head off to San Francisco. We rode the world famous cable cars down to the Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39.

We also stopped off in Chinatown. It was beautifully decorated.

We also went back to Santa Cruz to enjoy some sunshine and sand. We gathered a large bucketful of sea shells and enjoyed soaking up some sun rays.

We went on a hike in Los Altos, visited the bay in Alviso, went shopping at the Great mall, ate a LOT of Easter candy, watched Disney's Tangled, and enjoyed each other's company.

Photo Shoot for Virgin Mary Paintings

2011-04-22T14:48:00.009-05:00

One of my close friends is pregnant right now. I asked her if she would model for me sometime, and she agreed. We made a couple of attempts to get together, but it always seems like one of us would have a last minute change of plans. She is getting VERY close to the end of her pregnancy and I was starting to worry that I wasn't going to get a chance to photograph her before her baby was born. However, the stars all aligned just right and we were able to do a fantastic photo shoot. I was so happy! She was the perfect model and I just love the spirit and the perspective that she brought to the subject of the Virgin Mary.

In all, I took about 150 photos of her in various positions. I got some photos of her posing as Mary, and I took some of her and her daughter in modern clothing as well. I got so much fantastic material, that I should have enough information to create several beautiful paintings just from this single photo shoot. Thank you to my fantastic models! You were absolutely wonderful!

Joseph Smith: Take II

2011-04-19T16:16:00.000-05:00

Once again, I felt really good about how this painting started, but it seemed to lose quality as I went along. My finished painting was definitely better than my first try, but not good enough to put out in public. After two failed paintings, you would think that I would give up and move on to a different project. But instead, being the tenacious woman that I am, I am preparing a third canvas. This time, I feel like I know where I went wrong with the first two, and I can make this one turn out as beautiful as it is in my mind. The third time is the charm, right?

P.S. My apologies to the Swenson Family for the extended wait on this painting. I did not intend to do this project three times. However, I cannot exhibit a painting that is not up to par with my expectations. I hope you understand. Please bear with me a little longer!

Visit to Google

2011-04-18T16:32:00.002-05:00

My husband surprised me this weekend by taking me to visit Google. I am a major Google fan and I have always wanted to work there. Who knows if it will ever happen, but I can dream, can't I?

There are a bunch of Google bikes for visitors to ride around the campus. So of course, my husband and I had to try them out.
Look at all those bikes!
My little girl loved the big desserts display they have. There was a giant doughnut, robot, honey bee, sundae, and some sort of eclair thing. We had so much fun walking around the Google grounds and taking pictures. We weren't the only ones doing so either! There were quite a few people out taking pictures in front of the Google sign, in front of their main office, and of course, in front of the big desserts.

The Art of Google

2011-04-15T15:38:00.002-05:00

As you may or may not know, I am a huge fan of Google and their doodles. I always enjoy seeing what their doodlers come up with for various events and celebrations. I found this video that takes a look behind the scenes of creating a Google doodle. Enjoy!

Weekend in Carmel

2011-04-13T17:53:00.003-05:00

My husband and I took our kids and drove to Carmel for the weekend. It was beautiful there! The beach was all white sand and sat right next to Pebble Beach, the famous golf course. My husband was very excited to see Pebble Beach in person and proceeded to tell me all the facts about the course.
Carmel is a very tourist oriented city. The shops are all very whimsical, like they had been taken right out of a Thomas Kinkade painting.

My baby has decided to give up crawling for good. She is quite steady on her feet and can cruise pretty fast! This little alley opens up to a garden and a (you'd never guess) Thomas Kinkade gallery.

These are just some fun photographs that I took while we were there.

The Gifted - A Novel by Deborah Andreasen

2011-04-11T18:52:00.003-05:00

Pyper just wants a normal life. But ever since the day she died, she’s been able to control objects with her mind. What she can’t control is a mother who fears Pyper’s ability and the possibility of it being discovered. Pyper only finds solace in her friend and brother, Baler. When Pyper moves to yet another new school, she meets Kael, who takes an immediate interest in her. He knows her secret, and he needs her help saving the Fae people. The problem is, Pyper doesn’t believe in Faeries. But when her brother is abducted, Pyper doesn’t have much choice. Can she really save a race she doesn’t believe exists? Can she rescue her brother? And can she accept her second chance at life?

* * * * * * * * * * *

Deborah Andreasen is the author of the newly released YA fantasy novel The Gifted. She is also a good friend of mine and was my roommate in college. The first time I heard about The Gifted was after Deborah participated in NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month) a few years ago. This novel was the product of a crazy month of writing like a mad-woman. Of course, a month of key pounding did not produce a finished book ready to publish. She spent countless hours editing, rewriting, editing, rewriting, and editing her book. She entered it into the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest where it reached the top 100 finalists out of 10,000 entries. At this point, it was reviewed by Publisher's Weekly.

Finally, we are all given the opportunity to read this exciting novel that Deborah has spent so much time creating. A couple weeks ago, The Gifted was released for sale through Amazon in both print and Kindle versions. I immediately bought two copies of the book - one for me and one to give away as a gift.

I didn't plan this, but it just so happened that I ran into the mail man when he was bringing the package up to my apartment. Unabashed, I simply asked him if the package he was carrying was for me. It was, so I took it and headed home. I started reading and didn't stop until I had turned the very last page.

The Gifted is an exciting, action packed fantasy novel that will keep you turning pages from cover to cover. The characters are fascinating and keep the reader interested in the story from start to finish. My favorite part of the story were the descriptions of Pypers ability. I almost felt like I was Pyper and that I was the one controlling things with my mind. The climax was exciting and riveting.

While the story and characters were wonderfully developed and the descriptions invited the reader into the experience even more, the best part about this book was that it was 100% clean. There is a romantic side to this story, but it never gets questionable. There was no vulgarity or anything that would make me squirm in my seat. I would feel completely at ease recommending this book to all ages.

Really?? Pia?!

2011-04-08T11:00:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I have to admit that I am a big American Idol fan. I've never been a fan of the first few weeks of the season, but once the show actually gets going, I love it. Especially this year. All of the contestants are amazingly talented and they give me goose bumps every week. Although, I also must admit that I don't vote. Ever. I waste enough time watching the show every week, and I just can't seem to justify wasting any more in order to vote.

I was very sad and surprised to see that Pia Toscano was sent home last night. I had her pegged for a finalist. It was definitely a shock. Okay, so she didn't move around a lot when she sang. Sometimes she did these squats while she was onstage that were really weird and her clothes were a little too outlandish for my tastes - but she is amazing singer.

Honestly, I think that she will be just fine. Sure it would help if she had a few more weeks on the show, but she has already established a large fan base. She has those gorgeous curves, that beautiful hair, and with a voice like hers, she will never be wanting for a stage!

2011-03-31T22:17:00.003-05:00

As an artist, I get a lot of different responses when I tell people what I do for a living. From men, I usually get a politely-interested-but-really-thinking-about-the-ball-game kind of response. From women, I usually get genuine interest in my career and business. What I find most interesting is that women usually say to me, “That is so fascinating! I wish that I did something like that!”

When I tell them that they can, and start asking them what things they like to do, they seem to be very indecisive and full of excuses of why they can’t take the plunge. Since it is mostly stay-at-home moms that I end up talking with, many of the excuses are things like, “I can’t get any time for myself, let alone a side-business!” or, “I’m just not crafty.”

Lots of times when I ask other moms what hobbies or interests they have, they can’t give me an answer. Honestly, I don’t know how these women keep their sanity! I have two children and I need (not want, need) a creative outlet. Ambition, passion, and hard work are just in my nature and I am confounded that anyone would rather sit in their house and do nothing all day, every day. Don’t get me wrong – I am not saying that stay-at-home moms do nothing (I know that staying home with babies and small children is the HARDEST thing to do), but what I don’t understand is how a person can want something so badly but never take the initiative to go after it.

My message to all stay-at-home moms (or anyone else) that has been wanting to take up a new hobby for fun or to make a little extra cash is this: grab the steering wheel and drive! Realize that YOU are in control of yourself. You only get one shot at life, so make the most of it. Take control and chase after your dreams, because nobody else is going to do it for you. Make the most of each moment of every day, because once the day is over, it’s over. You can never steal back wasted time, so make each day, each week, and each year count! Today is the day! Figure out what it is that you want to do with yourself, and GO DO IT!

All the best!

Artist Spotlight: Sparrow Graphics, Digital Clipart and Printables

2011-03-24T22:44:00.005-05:00

I have a confession to make. I love Etsy. I check the homepage several times a day and watch for new and interesting items that come up for sale. The wide array of handmade and vintage items that are available for sale is stunning. In addition to finding awesome stuff to buy, I love browsing through artwork to see different business models that individuals have come up with.

I stumbled across Sparrow Graphics and was instantly impressed. What a fantastic business! Rather than spend enormous amounts of time, effort, and money on submitting designs to publishing companies, Sparrow Graphics has bypassed the middleman by putting a product directly in the hands of their customers. In a nutshell, a customer can go into Sparrow Graphics shop and select from a large variety of adorable graphics and vintage images for purchase as pdf "sheets". These sheets are reasonably priced, and the graphics can be used in any of your own crafting projects, such as scrapbooking and the making of tiles or pendants. The shop has been open for two years now and they have already had 10,110 sales.

It is easy to see why they have had so much success. The graphics are fun, spunky, and full of personality. Their images are high resolution, so they are crisp and clear. Because of the digital delivery (email), there are absolutely no shipping costs.

So whether you are a customer, inspiration seeker, or just love a fun idea, there is something there you will enjoy!

Rainy Days

2011-03-24T12:33:00.005-05:00

It is raining cats and dogs here in the Bay Area! My heavens, the rain will simply not stop. I just checked the forecast and apparently, the rain is not going to let up until after the weekend. I have never seen so much rain in my life!

This may come as quite a shock, but I actually like the rain. It isn't snow. Besides, there is something cozy about being nice and toasty warm in your house and watching the rain fall outside. Rainy days are great for watching movies, cleaning the house, and catching up on all of those long neglected projects. Today I think I will make banana bread (yum!), paint over old canvases, and tackle the growing mountain of laundry in my hamper.

My little girl woke up this morning with a burning fever, a nasty cough, and a splitting headache. Today looks like it's going to be very low key and relaxed. If I don't go crazy listening to the beep-beep-beep of the upstairs door alarm going off every 2 seconds (the tenants moved out and there must be some MAJOR repairs going on because they don't even have a door attached anymore), then we can still have an enjoyable day!

Golf??

2011-03-21T13:47:00.007-05:00

My husband was telling me how much he liked my newest painting, For the Win. He is a big golf fan and loves everything about the sport. He tries to get out onto the course as much as he can. I think that he is so fond of this painting because it portrays something that he loves to do.

On the other hand, I am a horrible golfer. I had a little chuckle with myself when I realized the irony of the situation. I poured my heart and soul into a painting about golf, when I myself couldn't hit a golf ball to save my life.

I do know a little bit about golf, like when someone yells, "Fore!" you should cover your head. I know what a tee off is, I know what par means, and I know the difference between a bunker and a green. Before his rather public fall from grace, I was a fan of Tiger Woods and was interested in his eternal battle with Phil Mickelson for the top spot (we don't need to go into my current opinion of Tiger). Lastly, I even know the meaning behind the terms birdie and eagle. At least, I think I do. But I really don't enjoy playing the sport.

When we were dating, my husband tried to introduce me into the world of golf. He took me to a nearby 3 par, 9 hole course to play a round. At about hole 3, I gave up trying to play properly and would simply smack the ball and run after it, smack it again, and so on. I did that until about hole 7 when my husband (then boyfriend) began to bribe me to play correctly. I believe that I managed to get the ball into the final hole within 5 strokes and won a trip to Applebee's at the same time. My husband has never taken me golfing since.

You may be wondering why I would paint a golfer if I don't enjoy playing it very much. Just because I don't enjoy playing the sport, doesn't mean that I don't like the sport. I love the etiquette that is involved, I love the lush green courses with the bunkers, trees, and water, I love the way golfers dress, and I love the polite clapping of the spectators. I love the strategic thinking, the nerve control, and the concentration it requires. Most sports involve violence, rude chants, aggressive and demeaning behavior. In short, I enjoy golf as a refined, beautiful game where players and onlookers alike have manners and are respectful to one another.

First Steps

2011-03-18T00:45:00.003-05:00

Well, my sweet little baby took her first steps the other day. We were at a birthday party and I guess she felt inspired by all the other children running around her. She stood up in the middle of the room and walked all the way across it without stopping. She has been teetering along ever since. She isn't consistent yet, but it won't be long before my little girl won't be a baby anymore! It is a little sad, but I always knew that this day would have to come. Developmental milestones are bittersweet for me, and just when I decide that I'm not sad about it, she learns something new.

For the Win

2011-03-14T16:48:00.007-05:00

For the Win
16 x 20 - Oil on Canvas
$1,500.00
Copyright Dena McMurdie 2011

I was finally able to catch a few more hours to work on my painting. Luckily, my husband was home and he looked after my kids after they woke up from their naps. I was SO close to finishing when I heard them wake up, and I just couldn't pull myself away from the easel. Thank goodness for husbands!

After they had been up for a few minutes, my husband brought the girls in to see how I was getting along. The first thing he said when he saw my painting was, "Wow, that looks really good. I like it."

Believe me when I say that my husband gives out compliments on artwork as generously as a doberman shares his doggie treats. A typical comment from him on one of my paintings is more along the lines of, "I don't know what it is, but there is something really weird about this." Or "I can't say exactly what, but this just doesn't look right." Or my personal favorite, "I don't like it. C'mon Dena, you can do better than this."

You may be thinking that my husband is really harsh and that he doesn't give me any encouragement. But you would be wrong. He is my biggest fan and advocate as well as my harshest critic. If something is off or just doesn't work, he tells me. I appreciate his honesty, because he pushes me to work harder and do better. Compliments are nice, but they don't help you improve very much. If something is terrible, he will tell me and I love him for it!

I wanted to post one more picture of the painting in progress. You can see here that I have the face, hand, and hat mostly finished, with the clothing, golf club, and background left to work on.

I have always wanted to paint a golf related painting, and I am so happy that I finally did. I really like the subject matter, and I will be painting some more golf paintings in the future.

Progress Report

2011-03-11T17:57:00.002-06:00

After playgroup, laundry, lunch, and several changes of clothes, I finally put my girls down for a nap and had a couple of hours to myself to work on my painting. When I paint, I get the munchies like nothing else. I can't think of anything but eating. It doesn't matter how much I've already eaten or if I am even hungry, I just want to munch on something. The problem is, when I munch on something while I work, I don't get much painting done. So I have learned how to deal with my munching problem. Solution: GUM.

I am ashamed to admit that I am a chomper. I am one of those people that you don't want in the cubicle next to you because all the lip smacking and chomping is yours for the hearing. I chew gum like it's going out of style. My husband complains about how much gum we go through. But gum is inexpensive, it satisfies my need to chew on something while I work, and it keeps me focused on the job at hand.

Speaking of the job at hand, once I popped in a piece of gum, I got right to work on my golfer portrait. I decided to switch my yellow back to ochre for this portrait. I was using Cadmium Yellow Medium for my Joseph Smith project and I don't feel like it gave me the flesh tones that I really wanted. Ochre is a little darker, a little richer, and better for capturing skin tones.

I always paint the shadows first, then work my way into the lights. I got to this point of the painting when my kids woke up from their nap. I am very happy with the flesh tones in my shadows so far. When I go back to fix my Joseph Smith painting, I will have to remember to use Yellow Ochre instead of Cadmium Yellow Medium. It has made a BIG difference.

A Learning Experience

2011-03-10T15:47:00.002-06:00

Since my Joseph Smith portrait didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it to, I decided to take a small "break" from it and work on another project to get my creative juices flowing again.

Several years ago, I bought an old-looking golf cap and I have been itching to use it in a painting ever since. My husband is a great sport when it comes to modeling. He is always willing to get dressed up in whatever costume I hand him. I think he believes that if he dresses up for enough paintings, at least one of them will make me rich and famous. And he wants me to be rich just as much as I do.

Once I completed my drawing, I started the process of transferring it onto the canvas I will be painting on. I grabbed a charcoal stick and started rubbing it on the back of my drawing to make a homemade carbon copy. It was no big deal, I've done this hundreds of times.

The problem that I ran into came when I finished coloring in the back of the paper. Charcoal leaves excess powder behind whenever you rub it on a flat surface. So I picked up the paper by the edges so all the powder would fall to the middle and not all over the floor. I wasn't near a trash can, and so I thought for a moment and determined that the next best idea would be the toilet. I headed into the bathroom and poured the excess charcoal into the toilet and flushed.

BAD IDEA! Apparently I missed the memo on flushing charcoal remains down the toilet. Now, my toilet is pitch black because the charcoal didn't flush at all, it just clung to the sides of the toilet bowl. It looks terribly disgusting, and I can't believe I created that much work for myself simply because the trash can was too far away! I guess I know how I'll be spending the afternoon!

This is the drawing that I was working on. I am super excited to start painting on it. But first I have to scrub out all the black powder from inside my toilet.

On a random and unrelated note, I had the hankering for coconut cream pie last night and so I whipped one up. I haven't had one of these since I was in high school. I must admit that I simply love homemade pies, and cream pies are my absolute favorite.

International Women's Day

2011-03-08T16:43:00.002-06:00

Today is the 100th birthday of International Women’s Day. As a working woman artist, I am an enthusiastic advocate of celebrating women’s rights and working to improve conditions for women around the world. Coincidentally, so is Google. If you happen to click on the Google logo for today, you will be taken to a page explaining about International Women’s Day and events related to it. But scroll down a little more and you will find a large list of organizations devoted to improving the lives of women all over the world. You can make instant donations to many of them via Google Checkout.

Today is a day to celebrate being a woman. Women are strong, they are beautiful, they are multi-taskers and heroes. Women create homes and families, they make the world a better place. Through the efforts of women conditions are improved, hope is instilled, and lives are changed. I am glad to be a woman. I know that I can make a difference in the world. I feel empowered and inspired by the celebration of a day like today.

Gallery Representation

2011-03-07T12:38:00.005-06:00

I am very pleased to announce that I have recently been accepted into Xanadu Gallery. I have been considering gallery representation for some time now, but hadn't acted on it until a couple weeks ago. The reason for this is that I have never had much luck with galleries representing my artwork. My paintings have always sold better through my website, shows, and other venues. However, I am optimistic about this gallery relationship and I believe that I will have a wonderful experience with them.

If you would like to see my page and view the artwork I have for sale through the gallery, please visit www.xanadugallery.com/Art/ArtistGallery.asp?ArtistID=879.

Enjoy!

Susquehanna River Art Exhibit Extended

2011-02-28T21:31:00.003-06:00

The Susquehanna River Art Exhibit has been going well, from what I hear. The owners of West Shore Gallery have decided to extend the exhibit through April 2nd. So if you happen to be in the area and want to see some fantastic river art, head on down to the gallery!

Quote for the Day

2011-02-23T12:08:00.001-06:00

Inspiration is for amateurs--the rest of us just show up and get to work.~Chuck Close

My Other Baby's Birthday

2011-02-18T17:33:00.003-06:00

Yes it is true, my children's birthdays are within 2 days of each other. What is really weird is that they both had the same due date while I was pregnant, they looked identical as babies, and they were both born at the same time in the evening. They are exactly 1 year, 363 days apart in age.

My little girl turned three yesterday. She has been so excited for her birthday to arrive that she has been counting down the days until she could say that she was three years old. We are having a princess party for her and her friends this weekend. She is such a mellow and sweet little girl. I know many a parent that would turn green with envy if they knew how mild and good natured my daughter is! I am so blessed to have such a wonderful little person in my life and in my home. She is always a delight to be with and a joy to have around. She means the world to me!

My Baby's First Year

2011-02-16T20:03:00.003-06:00

My sweet little baby turned one year old yesterday. I can't believe how fast this past year has gone! It has been crazy and busy and wonderfully exciting at the same time. I am so lucky to have her sweet presence in my life. She gives me so much inspiration and she brings so much joy to our entire family.

Babies grow up so fast, it's hard to remember all the precious moments that I swore I would never forget. Luckily, I am trigger happy with the camera, and I have a lot of fun pictures of my little sweetheart.

The Beginning is the End

2011-02-10T18:16:00.005-06:00

Sometimes a painting simply doesn't work out. I started my Joseph Smith painting. I had my drawing all done and it was exactly how I wanted it. I transferred it to the canvas, finally had all of my reference material put together, and started painting. it started out well, so I was optimistic, but the longer I painted, the worse it got. My painting is at the point now that I want to...well...burn it. So I have decided to put it away for a couple of days, and try again later. I am not finished with this painting, it WILL be tackled and it WILL be painted to my liking. But for the moment, the beginning of this painting has now met its end. However, I did want to post a few images of the painting in progress so you can see a bit of my process.

This is my drawing. It took many days and many tears to get this drawing to look the way I wanted it too. When I create portraits or paintings that require very accurate drawing, I will draw it first in charcoal and then transfer the drawing to the canvas that I will paint on.

This is the beginning of the painting. It's not too bad and at this point, I honestly thought it was going to work out. But it was shortly after this point that things went downhill (fast!) and I lost my controlled, accurate brushwork.

This is an extremely difficult project for me to do. I don't have Joseph Smith (he died almost 200 years ago) to sit down in front of me. So I have used several different forms of reference material to collect all the information that I need in order to paint this properly. I am fairly confident that I know where I went wrong with this painting, so I should be able to start over again with much better results. In the meantime, I am working on a few other projects as well, and I will be posting more on those as I get into them.

Art Project, powered by Google

2011-02-02T13:26:00.004-06:00

All I can say is WOW! Google is constantly coming up with amazing new innovations for sharing information. I saw their Art Project when I logged in this morning and was completely blown away. It is an amazing project that enables you to virtually visit incredible art museums around the world and look at the artwork up close, in high resolution. Now, any ordinary person with an internet connection can visit world renowned art museums that they might never have the opportunity to visit otherwise.

I have always been a fan of Google, but now I am a full blown Google fanatic! Google has brought history and art together and shared it with the world. If you haven't already, I would really encourage you to check out the Google Art Project. You'll be glad you did!

http://www.googleartproject.com/

From the Sketchbook

2011-01-27T15:27:00.001-06:00

Since my last few attempts at drawing Joseph Smith have been so horrendous, I decided to take a small break and sketch something else. I found some great photos and spent about 10 minutes on each one. The above sketches are the result. Now, hopefully my confidence and my creativity have been re-booted and I can get back to work!

Try Try Again

2011-01-26T16:50:00.004-06:00

I decided to start working on the drawing that will be used for the actual painting. So far, I have made two attempts, and they have both been terrible! In fact, they are down right humiliating, so I will not be posting them. There is nothing left for me to do but get back to work and try again. When I do get the drawing just right, I will post it before I get down to the business of pushing paint around. Stay posted!

A Couple of Sketches

2011-01-24T17:01:00.002-06:00

Every day I work on my Joseph Smith project a little bit more. Here are a couple of sketches that I did, trying to get my drawing closer to his actual appearance. This is very time consuming, but I believe that the results will be worth all the work!

This is a "thummy" of what I would like the finished painting to look like. As you can see, this will be an impressionistic portrait of Joseph Smith. I wanted to create a fine art painting, rather than an illustrative painting. I am really excited about how this is going to turn out. I will keep posting my progress as I work along.

Custom Thank You Cards

2011-01-22T01:45:00.001-06:00

Classic White 5x7 folded card

Unique party invitations and announcements by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

River Art Competition

2011-01-21T12:47:00.004-06:00

Waterton Park - 16 x 20

Oil on Canvas

Sunset over the Bridge - 12 x 16

Oil on Canvas

A few weeks ago, I entered three paintings into the Susquehanna International Art Competition. The theme was River Art. The two paintings I have posted are the ones that were chosen for publication in the River Art book and accepted into the exhibition that will take place at the West Shore Gallery in Wormleysburg, Pennsylvania.

Although both paintings were accepted into the exhibit, I will only be sending one of them out there. Sunset over the Bridge is packed and ready to be shipped off to Pennsylvania for the exhibit that will run from Friday, February 11 to Thursday, March 10. If you are in the area, stop by and see all the beautiful river art that will be on display!

Study

2011-01-11T12:40:00.000-06:00

My Joseph Smith project has been in the back of my mind for the past few weeks, nagging and nagging at me, in hopes of being worked on. I finally got a chance, and designated today as the day that I would start seriously working on my drawings. So since this was going to be the first time that I’ve seriously drawn in a long time, I needed to warm up and see where I was. So I drew this portrait of my husband. It has some problems that I can see, and I know where I need to make changes for next time. Some of the values contrast too much in some places and not enough in others. But, I did think that it turned out pretty well for being my first drawing in quite a while. Now I know where I’m at and I can proceed with more caution (and more skill) when I start on the actual Joseph Smith drawings. I will be completing a series of three paintings, one of which will be based off of this pose (which is why I decided to practice on this one). I know it is going to take a lot more work, but I am ready for it. This is one project that continues to pop to the forefront of my mind throughout the day. I want to get it finished!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-21T14:47:00.002-06:00

I just got back from my brother's wedding in Canada and haven't had the chance to get any more work done on my Joseph Smith project. However, I do have a couple of weeks coming up that could be either very productive or very unproductive for me. We shall see how the chips fall and how it all plays out.

Until then, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Great Art Licensing Blog!

2010-12-08T15:58:00.005-06:00

I just discovered a great art licensing blog from an article on Empty Easel. If art licensing is something that you would enjoy doing, check it out:

All Art Licensing Blog

1800s Fashion and Cravats

2010-12-06T16:51:00.005-06:00

Good news! I have found a model for my painting of Joseph Smith. I am very excited about this. The model that I found has similar features to Joseph Smith and I believe that with a little bit of tweaking, I can pull of a very convincing likeness to the Prophet.

Now that I have found a model to work from, I needed to collect the appropriate costume pieces that I am going to use in the painting. I spent close to an hour online, searching for traditional clothing from the 1800s. I found some wonderful resources, including free printable patterns for dress shirts with collars, waistcoats, and vests. Unfortunately, I don't have the time or resources to make everything. I will have to make do with some of the things I already have on hand. However, the one thing that I needed to make was a cravat, or necktie from the 19th century.

I bounced around several different websites about 1800s fashion, and finally got an answer on Wikipedia. There are several different types of cravats and several different knots that can be used with one. For my project, however, I simply needed to make an oversized bowtie that would be a little floppy. So I googled "how to tie a bow tie" and found some easy to follow instructions. I cut out my cravat that I plan on using in the actual painting and started to practice on a big candle that I have in my living room. After a few tries, I got the hang of it.

I am not sure when I will have a chance to set up my model in costume, since the Christmas holidays are just around the corner, but I will be posting my progress as I get along with this project. It is one of those things that I simply can't explain, but this painting keeps nagging at me and I can't stop thinking about it. I wish I could describe the feeling I get when an idea grips hold of me like this, but it is impossible to put into words. I will have to settle for pictures.

Up and Coming Projects

2010-11-30T15:19:00.002-06:00

I just realized that I haven't posted anything in quite some time. I get so busy chasing my two little kids around that I seem to forget that I have a blog that requires upkeep! However, between diapers changes and laundry loads, I have started to work (or rework) a new project. About a year ago, I started working towards creating a portrait of the prophet Joseph Smith. The project never saw it's completion, or even very much of a beginning. My baby was born in February and everything just fell apart from there.

Recently, I have begun to pick up the pieces of my creativity and put them back together. I have been feeling compelled to work on this portrait. I have created dozens of sketches already and built another clay maquette to use for reference. The big problem that I keep running into however, is the fact that I can't have Joseph Smith himself sit down in front of me and pose. As I was working yesterday, I received the impression that perhaps I don't necessarily need THE Joseph Smith, but perhaps someone that looks similar would do. Then I can use the death mask as reference to make the necessary adjustments so that the finished product will look like the prophet who was martyred over 150 years ago.

This project is at the point where I can't stop thinking about it. I am a bit of an obsessive person; when I get into something, I really get into it. Right now, I am obsessed with this painting and it has to get done (and done right) before I can move on to something else.

SOLD! Misty - Original Oil Painting

2010-09-28T15:13:00.002-05:00

"Misty" the original oil painting of a miniature horse that I featured in the previous post was sold at the 15th Annual Richard Schmid Art Auction. This is the second year that I have participated in the auction, and the second year that I have sold a painting there. I actually had quite the time getting this piece ready to ship for the auction. The deadline was closing in and I still hadn't managed to find a suitable frame for it. I finally found one online and ordered it through Jerry's Artarama. It was due to arrive in time for me to mount the painting into the frame and ship it off to the auction with a couple of days to spare. As it turned out, I didn't enter my apartment number on my address, so when the painting arrived (on schedule) the postmaster didn't know where to take it. So then I had to wait a couple more days until they got it figured out and finally got my painting with just enough time to dash around like a chicken with my head cut off, trying to get it mounted and wired, packed and shipped. I still managed to get my painting to the auction in plenty of time. But there is nothing like a bit of a last minute panic to make you decide to plan out your framing months in advance!

In spite of my panic to get the frame attached and the painting sent off in time, I still enjoyed being able to participate in the auction this year. I am happy to think that my artwork has gone to help sustain a worthwhile cause and I love being affiliated with the auction.

15th Annual Richard Schmid Art Auction

2010-09-03T15:00:00.002-05:00

"Misty"

9 x 12 Oil

It is time once again for the 15th Annual Richard Schmid Art Auction. This year, I have submitted the painting "Misty" to the silent auction. The auction will be held on Sunday, Sept 5, 2010 in Rist Canyon, Colorado. If you are in the area, be sure to stop by to see some amazing artwork. Or, if you are not in the area but would like to view or bid on art anyway, visit the auction's website: http://www.richardschmidauction.com/. Proceeds go to support the Rist Canyon Fire Department.

Misty is a lovely miniature horse that is owned by some good friends of mine. I had the pleasure of painting her last year. Once again, I am honored to participate in the auction and hope that it successfully supports the fire department for another year.

A Bit of Patriotic Trivia

2010-07-12T07:28:00.000-05:00

Bob Heft designed the first 50 star American flag. He was seventeen years old at the time and did it for a high school art project. His teacher gave him a B- on his project because it "lacked originality". Later, when Hawaii and Alaska became official states, Congress chose Heft's design for the new flag and the teacher was obliged to change the grade from a B- to an A. Read more about it at Lookout Magazine.

California!

2010-05-06T18:08:00.003-05:00

California, here I come!

My husband just got a job with Cisco Systems Inc. in California. We are headed out there next week to look for a place to live. Then at the end of the month, we are moving West! I am so excited to live in mild temperatures all year long. No more snow! I can't wait to go to the beach, look for sea shells with my kids, and take a few pictures.

It will probably be a little while before I post again. I will be travelling (and moving) a lot during the next few weeks. But hopefully once things get settled down a little, I can start posting regularly again. Until then, keep painting!

Avalon Spring Art Exhibit

2010-03-15T10:30:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was the Avalon Spring Art Exhibit. It went really well. There was live music by professional musicians, wine, and catered refreshments. There was quite a good turnout as far as attendance goes. Most of the employees were there with their families, as well as the residents and several of their families.

The exhibit ran from 2:00-5:00pm. I got there around 2:30pm and stayed until about 3:30pm. At which point I got a frantic text message from my husband saying that the kids were awake and the baby was having a meltdown. So I had to leave and go home for a few minutes. Of course, the baby had calmed down by the time I got there, so we packed both the kids up and took them back with us to pick up my paintings. We arrived just in time to say goodbye to the last of the visitors and grab my artwork off the walls.

Even though I had to leave in the middle of the exhibit, it was nice to participate and feel like I'm getting back into the swing of things a little bit. Babies sure know how to change everything about your life and it was nice to feel a little normal again! :)

Lack of Posts

2010-03-03T16:08:00.002-06:00

I must apologize for the lack of posting I have done recently. I haven't forgotten about my blog or my faithful readers! I had a baby. This is number two for me. She is two weeks old and we are still adjusting to the rigors of life with a new baby. I doubt that I will be doing much painting in the upcoming weeks, but I do have the Spring Art Show at Avalon Assisted Living coming up this month. I'll post more about it once I have attended the opening.

On a side note, doesn't the warmer weather just make you feel fantastic? It seems like winter may finally be leaving us. We can only hope!

Off to Find a Frame

2010-02-11T09:50:00.004-06:00

Fishing on Lake Monona- 8 x 10

Oil on Canvas

I believe I will be putting this little painting into the Spring Art Show at Avalon Assisted Living in March. Now I have to set off to the task of finding a suitable frame for it. Framing is something that I always struggle with. I will try out countless frames until I find just the right one. I believe that most artists struggle with framing. It is one thing that requires a fair amount of education and experimentation in order to know how to properly frame your paintings.

Spring Art Show in Madison, Wisconsin

2010-02-10T12:04:00.003-06:00

I have just been invited to participate in the Spring Art Show at Avalon Assisted Living's Gallery in Madison, Wisconsin. The show will take place on Sunday, March 14th from 2-5pm. I will post more about it when I get all the specific details about the show.

100th Post!

2010-02-02T12:33:00.002-06:00

Fall Medley - 11 x 14

Oil on Canvas

This is my 100th post! I can't believe that I actually have had that much to write about! When I started this blog, I was worried that I would run out of things to post about really fast, but I've come to realize that there are endless possibilities for posts. For me, the trick is to find the time to write about them ;)

The above image is the finished and complete painting "Fall Medley". I am very happy that I went back and reworked the different parts of this painting until I got them right. I love the analogous color scheme - okay I just love the warm side of the color wheel! I also love texture, and this painting has a lot of exciting texture in it. I had to paint the bottom half of this painting three times before I was satisfied with it. I painted both barns twice as well. I am happy that I did though, because there is no point of quitting on a painting when you are so close to having it be an exciting painting.

I've entered this painting into the 15th Annual Richard Schmid Live Art Auction. I don't know if it will get accepted, but Richard Schmid is once again selecting all the pieces for the Live Auction, and it sure would be fun to have him choose mine!

Re-working Old Paintings?????

2010-01-28T14:20:00.002-06:00

I just read an article on Empty Easel about taking old paintings that haven't sold and re-working them to improve the composition, color balance, etc. It is funny to me how I can go for years without coming to a perfectly obvious revelation until someone else points it out for me. Re-working an old painting is something that I have never thought of. In fact, I am one of those artists that finishes a painting and never, ever touches it again. For some reason (unknown to even myself), once I finish a painting, I consider it finished. My mind has moved on to newer projects and I no longer feel the drive to pursue the "finished" painting. This may be admitting to weakness or fault, but the fact is that I have left "finished" paintings alone even when I could see problems with them.

So I'm curious...do many other artists have the courage and the tenacity to take a painting that is a year or so old and re-work it? The thought of touching the tip of a wet brush to a dried paint surface strikes fear to my heart the way a child fears the neighbor's vicious dog. I am truly intrigued with the idea of re-working some of my old paintings (I even have a few in mind), and perhaps one day I will be brave enough to re-juice the canvas for the second time. Perhaps I should replace my tendency to simply trash the unsuccessful painting with determination and perseverance.

Finally!

2010-01-23T14:24:00.002-06:00

As many of you know, I have been working on this painting for quite some time now. I finally finished it today! HOORAY!!! It seemed like every time it was complete, I would pull it out and look at it and find one or two more things to fix. But this time, I believe it might really be finished. The top image is what the painting looked like this morning. My husband (as always, my biggest fan and critic) had been working me over about fixing the bottom of the painting so that it wasn't two big chunks of white and yellow. I was really distracted by the little white shed and the drawing problems that it had. So today I found a few minutes, pulled the painting out and went to work. The bottom image shows the final results. I am really happy with this painting and I hope that it does well! The only problem with it right now is that I can't seem to get the beautiful colors in the original painting to transfer into a photograph very well. I may have to seek out a friend with a better camera, or bite the bullet and have it professionally scanned or photographed. When I do get a better image, I will post that as well.

PS. I absolutely love the texture in this painting!

The Creative Force

2010-01-19T13:18:00.002-06:00

As an artist, there is an inner force, a driving need to create something beautiful. My inspiration comes from the desire to create something worthwhile, something that will change the world and make it a better place. The purpose of my artwork is to uplift and inspire others, to brighten their day, their living space, and their lives.

There was a wonderful article on Fine Art Views today that I thought I would share.

Why do You Create?
by Clint Watson

This article is by Clint Watson, former art gallery owner/director/salesperson and founder of FineArtViews. You should follow Clint on Twitter here.

Do you feel the same way Sarah Lacy does?

"I physically need to make art. Art isn't just a hobby for me. It's not something that I “like”. It's an intense passion, an ecstatic love affair, with as much turmoil, frustration, exasperation and need as a forbidden liaison." – Sarah Lacy

Or, think about what successful artist/blogger/cartoonist Hugh MacLeod says:

"The Hunger [to create] will give you everything. And it will take from you, everything. It will cost you your life, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it." - Hugh MacLeod
There’s a common thread among artists who succeed. They are passionate about what they do and, they don’t want to do anything else. In some cases, they don’t even feel they can do anything else.

If you’re passionate about your art, then this message is for you. Those of us who are passionate about art know something that will sound corny to the rest of you:
Art Changes Lives. Art Can Change the World. And Successful Artists Want to Change the World.

In most cases, changing the world starts inside of the artist. Look at Sarah and Hugh. Their world is already a better place…and thus, the world is a better place. Simply because they have both listened to that voice inside of them that says, you must create. Imagine Hugh stuck inside a cubical working on spreadsheets. Anyone who knows or follows him is laughing – that idea simply doesn’t compute…especially considering he calls many of his cartoons “cube grenades.” Or think about Sarah making smoothies all day instead of paintings….she’d be miserable (she actually did have a smoothie job…and she was miserable. You can read the entire tumultuous account on her blog at http://www.smlacyart.com/blog.)

The wonderful news is that as Dr. Stephen Covey said in Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, “Private Victories Precede Public Victories.” Once you change your world, by listening to that little voice, to the Hunger…you change our world too. Your artwork is a gift…no….a responsibility. And you need to share it with the world. We’re all waiting for you to share it with us.

So, I ask you, why do you create?
----------------------------------------------
This article appears courtesy of FineArtViews by Canvoo, a free email newsletter about art, marketing, inspiration and fine living for artists, collectors and galleries (and anyone else who loves art).This article originally appeared at:http://clintwatson.net/blog/16239/Why-do-You-CreateFor a complimentary subscription, visit: http://www.fineartviews.com
-----------------------------------------------

Whether you are an artist or not, you most likely create something. What is your driving force? Why do you spend the time, energy, and skill on creating what you do?

Waiting and Waiting

2010-01-14T19:37:00.002-06:00

I thought I should just give you all a heads up that the reason I haven't posted anything lately is because I am waiting for my painting to dry. Because it was done with palette knife, the paint is really thick and takes quite a while to dry.

Oh, and by the way, I did peek at it again, and I am still satisfied with the results. I can't wait until it's dry and I have a good image to post!

2010-01-12T21:32:00.002-06:00

One of the things that I hate most of all in this world is the horrible transfer of color from a painting to a photograph. Just so everyone knows, this is NOT the finished painting. Even though this is not the finished piece, it still took me a few days to get to this point. The reason is mostly that I have to work within "mother's hours" which greatly limits the quantity of uninterrupted time that I can spend on a painting.

As always, my husband is my biggest fan/critic. He hated the painting at this point and kept telling me that it didn't look right. Instead of thinking ill of him or believing that he is a harsh and unfair man, please understand that as an artist, I NEED him to be brutally honest with me. Unearned kindness and false praise gets me absolutely nowhere. After debating about this painting for a few days, we decided on a few things that were working and a few that were not. So I spent a few more days working on it and the finished painting is now lying flat on a shelf so that it can dry. Once it is dry and I can get a good image of the finished painting, I will post that. I am quite happy with the results, or at least I was the last time I looked at it. It has been a few days since I peeked at the finished piece, so maybe I should do that before I go and make promises of posting a finished painting!

Progress

2010-01-07T22:46:00.002-06:00

I've made quite a bit of progress on my painting yesterday and today. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to photograph my progress, so you are just going to have to wait until I am able to juggle it into my schedule. So far, I am pleased with how the painting is turning out. I will keep working on it and hopefully it will be fabulous by the time I am finished!

Working Day Today!

2010-01-06T12:57:00.002-06:00

Remember THIS POST?

I was so excited about this painting, and then the holidays hit and I didn't get another chance to work on it. So now that I am back from my holiday travels, I finally have an opportunity to work on it a little bit today. We'll see how much I can get accomplished before my daughter wakes up from her nap! I might possibly have something to post tomorrow!

My Hallmark Card is Now Available

2010-01-05T14:41:00.002-06:00

My Hallmark card is finally available for purchase online! I was one of twenty four winners, and I am absolutely thrilled to have my card published by Hallmark. To see my card and all the other winning cards, please CLICK HERE or click on the image above.

I am finally back from all my holiday traveling and so I will be posting more regularly again. It feels so good to be home! Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-23T09:00:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas everyone! I am headed out for the rest of the week but I'll be back and posting next week again. Have a great holiday!

2009-12-16T12:25:00.003-06:00

I've been reading about Monet lately and have learned a great deal about the artist that I didn't know before. One of the things that fascinated me the most was the last 20 years of Monet's life. After he purchased his home at Giverny, he created an elaborate garden filled with flowers, ponds, and water lilies. He spent the next 20 years of his life painting daily from this garden he had created. These water lily paintings have defined a great portion of Monet's most recognized art.

How one subject can occupy your attention for so long, I'm not sure I'll ever understand. Perhaps the constant study of the same garden forced Monet continuously find new beauty and interest in the garden. I am simply fascinated at the idea of Monet sitting in his beautiful garden day after day, for twenty years, painting the same subjects again and again. Of course no two paintings are the same, but I can't help but think that he must have had some sort of unrequited and passionate love for this garden that occupied so much of his life.

Sneak Peak at My Newest Painting

2009-12-11T12:05:00.003-06:00

Here is a little sneak peak at the newest painting that I am working on. A couple of months ago, my husband was kind enough to take me on an autumn drive through the farmlands around Madison. There was this extraordinary red barn out in a field of corn and I absolutely loved the colors and the contrast. I knew I wanted to paint this scene, but I had to mentally mull it over first. Once all my mulling was finished, I had two different images in my mind and so I decided to create two small watercolor studies of the scene.

This was my first attempt. I put in a cool sky and played with texture and brushstrokes in the foreground. While I liked this one, I found a few compositional and color scheme problems with it and so I moved on to my second attempt.

This attempt was much more successful. I kept the entire piece on the warm side of the palette, using the white of the paper to achieve the brightness of the barn roof. The composition is much stronger in this painting, as the barn is not so close to the middle of the paper. I left the foreground simple, allowing the wet-on-wet paint to spread itself. Also, I made the sky warm this time, more of a yellow instead of the bright blue that seemed to throw everything off balance. The actual finished painting is going to be done in oil on canvas. But creating these little watercolor sketches really helped me to visualize the finished painting and work out some of the problems beforehand.

Uplifting Others With My Artwork

2009-12-08T22:17:00.002-06:00

"Study for Expectations" - 9 x 12
Charcoal on Chipboard
SOLD
Copyright of Dena McMurdie 2009

The other day I was contacted by a woman asking my permission to use my "Study for Expectations" on the cover of the weekly newsletter for her church. I was grateful that she took the time to ask my permission, and of course, I allowed her to use the image.

I create my artwork with the intention of selling it. I wouldn't be able to continue creating more artwork if I didn't sell what I had already made. However, one of the many perks of being an artist is the gratification I get from people falling in love with my work because of the way it makes them feel. Artwork uplifts the soul, and as an artist, I have a responsibility to put enough thought and effort into each piece I create so as to lift the spirits of my viewers and collectors. I am so grateful for my Father in Heaven who blesses me with the initiative to create. I am grateful for parents and teachers who encouraged me to pursue my artistic passion and make a career out of my talent. And I am extremely grateful for each opportunity that comes along to share my artwork with others and hopefully make a difference in their lives.