This is one of my favorite photos from my show at Bonner David. My stepdad Kevin is in the photo with me. He was at my show and a huge part of the reason I haven't given up on being an artist. I love this guy... I'm super lucky to have him in my life.

These are detail shots from my new painting. I think it could be the sunlight... I think that it could simply be that tough times don't last forever... but lately I have been feeling so good. I just took four new paintings that I really like up to Coda which unfortunately are not yet on my website (still need to update photoshop). This last painting is once again my way of processing life. In my paintings I am able to express some of the things that I feel and can't seem to find any words for. I honestly believe that I became an artist out of necessity. It is my way of surviving life and finding extraordinary beauty in the midst of it all.

This is what I have been up to... I never knew I had a secret passion for playing with metal. Can you imagine me going through scrap piles at Wasatch Steel and using a plasma cutter? I even learned a little welding and had a blast exploring a whole new medium. These hearts are for sale at Dough Girl (770 S. 300 W.) and range from $5.00 to $22.00. If you stop in try a cookie, they are to die for. I have been working there a little helping out my girlfriend who just opened about six weeks ago. These cookies are her art and you will know what I mean when you tast them. My current favorite is Vivianna (an orange dough with mangos and dark chocolate.)

Sorry that the copies of these paintings are so terrible... my photoshop is out of commission but I couldn't wait to share these with you. These are both 12x12 inches and I love them! They are a welcomed reward after a couple intensly hard months. I watched Meet the Robinsons with my girls tonight, it is a Disney cartoon. Probably my favorite because of the message of the movie. There is a part in the movie when the little boy gets to meet himself in the future, and then there is the Rob Thomas song that goes with it "These Small Moments" that I also find so touching. I relate so much to the movie because as a little girl I had big dreams. In the depths of my heart I knew I was an artist and had so much inside of me that at the time I didn't yet have the skills to express. It makes me want to cry when I think what if I hadn't believed in me. I especially love what the painting above with the woman's hair blowing in the wind represents to me. The last couple of months have shaken me to my core and this painting is my prayer that I can make it through all of the things I have been facing... that I will stay grounded even in the strongest storm. I honestly believe that being an artist has been my saving grace in surviving this world that we live in and I am so grateful!

The top painting was a bit of an experiment for me. I am going to crop it just above her nose, so you will not see her eyes. I loved the gesture of the way she is standing, her neck, and the ruffles of her blouse. The photo below is what my palette looked like after I let Eve paint (her painting is on the right). Everything was covered in paint including her...

So I ran into my neighbor at the grocery store and he said "I bet you are so worried about the economy, because nobody will be buying art. I wouldn't wait for it to trickle down, he said... you should figure out what you are going to do now." Jeesh! As if I am not already aware of the state of the economy. I am way to sensitive of a person not to be feeling the effects in my own life as well as all around me... but I will stay positive! Negativity kills creativity, and I cannot think of a more important time for people to be focusing on the positive. My work is created with the purpose of spreading light and beauty and somehow I will continue to be a creator. I heard something the other day that really struck me, it was "We are the artists as well as the art." There is so much implied in that simple statement, and I love it!

The last couple of months have been interesting for me. In December I decided to take a seasonal job at Bare Essential. Partly because I love makeup and women's faces are very inspiring to me as an artist, but also because I just needed to get out of the house and quit taking myself so seriously. Also my best friend just opened Dough Girl which I will blog more about in the future and have been working with her while she is getting started. The bottom line is I have hardly painted. I think I let the economy freak me out thinking why should I expect people to buy paintings at a time like this. Having the pressures of being a single mom has made me wonder at times why I chose to pursue such a tough career, (sometimes I don't feel like I really chose it as much as it chose me). I have been struggling trying to figure out how I can balance out the sporadic income with my regular bills. Ironically enough I have been selling lately and the demand for my work has returned but I haven't been painting and once again feel like I am behind and can't catch up. Not really sure what I am going to do. I haven't been writing much because I haven't known what to say. So this entry is for those of you who are also artists who go through similar times. I know that it could be easy to look at some of my success and not know that it is actually really tough being an artist. I know from talking to some of my artist friends that I am not the only one who experiences this and thought that maybe it would benefit those of you who also struggle to know that you are not alone. This entry is not meant to be negative, just honest and I hope that someone will relate.

Wow. I just realized that I haven't written for a month. Sorry for those of you who read my blog. Last weekend I took a body of work down to Bonner David Gallery in Scottsdale for my upcoming show on the 17th. I literally packed up all of my art in the middle of a blizzard. I was hoping for a few hours of warmth when arriving in Arizona but as rare as it is... it was cold! Just wanted to let you know that I have posted the new paintings that are a part of my show on my website. Also I am featured in an article in the January issue of American Art Collector. You can find it at Barnes and Noble or Borders under the Art section of the magazines.