kiss that frog

kiss that frog
Originally uploaded by Hillbilly Artist

New tar paper piece...the prince goes out for a stroll one day to discover his one true love. Instead he finds a frog perched on a wall with a faint look of lipstick upon it's lips...what will he do? Will he kiss that frog?

“We do not want riches, we want peace and love”  Red Cloud

  The peace that love gives us. (:

This piece is done on tar paper, a dear friend of mine gave me the idea to use it, as that is what she paints on as well. I am loving working with it. I am using colored pencils and acrylic paint. This piece is going to my friend Debora, who by the way sets up her work at Jacksons Square in New Orleans. If you every get down that way look for her, her art is very alive with color and spirit!

I will be doing an article on her and her art soon on my blog.

Peace link of the day:  Want to give yourself a five minute treat of peace images then check this out! Peace art images in photobucket 

Chairs and more..

My brain has been on a creative frenzy lately. I have more ideas flowing than time to do them all. But some of the things I have cooking in my studio are, a new jewelry line using my ink drawing. They are taking a while to get going because I am teaching myself, with a little help from a friend, to make my drawing into screen prints. Each piece of jewelry I make will be from a hand-pulled print and any color I will be adding my hand as well. Each will be totally unique. Looking forward to sharing them when I get more made.

Another thing I have my hand in is painting a stack of solid oak chairs that I was fortunate to get at a yard sale. I have great plans for each and every one. They have taken on a theme of " musical chairs" , some will even incorporate some piano keys from an old piano.

I have a few other projects I am working on but I will save some of those for another post.

I am working on pieces for 3 show, two are at Tamarack, in Beckley , WV. The other is in Elkins ,WV.

Will share pictures soon!

King of Mystic Hollow

King of Mystic Hollow
Originally uploaded by Hillbilly Artist

He's the king of Mystic Hollow. He is six and lives in a world he creates happily everyday.
"If you can dream it, you can do it" Disney

The color within us

The color within us
Originally uploaded by Hillbilly Artist

This much neglected blog is about to get it's energy back. Will start posting soon. I'm redoing my website, opening my online store at Etsy, and just plain creating A Lot again.
Was in a creative slump for a while....but life moves on and I am ready to jump full force back into my right brain and it's thoughts. It's a lot of fun seeing what comes out. Thanks to those that have continued to check in here , I promise it will be packed full of peace , love and enegy next time you stop on back!

Feels Good!

"loving heart"

3 3/4" x 2 1/2"

Made of scrap wood pieces.

Been working hard this week to prepare for art festival season and Tamaracks' jury session and it feels GREAT! I have creativity glowing about me, and have even developed something new....mini fragments. Those of you familiar with my art, know I call my wood creations, Fragments, because they are made up a different fragments of wood that I find ....as is....and construct them into something, so... then the fragments become whole. I kind of think of life in fragments, each thing we do is but a snippet, that together equals our life.

So let me get away from the philosophy and at back at explaining my new works. They are smaller versions of my large sculptures... and they can be worn...or sat on your desk to keep you company during the day. It's my version of a bib necklace, which is the latest craze .

The one above is my first. I have 23 in my studio , ready for painting.

I'm also working on many larger pieces as well, and have about 20 going right now. I will be posting the finished pieces as they are done in my flickr gallery.

I will probably not be making more of the domino necklaces...so get yours while they last.

Balancing Life

"Balance, peace, and joy are the fruit of a successful life.
It starts with recognizing your talents and finding ways to
serve others by using them."
Thomas Kinkade

Never thought I would quote Thomas Kinkade, but I liked what this quote says. If you can balance your life and all that's in it, kids, spouse, parents, work, church, school, and all the stresses that come daily, then you will have peace, and joy. But the serving part is so important, how you spend you time matters. How you share the gifts that you are given matters. Many people say to me " I have no talent" and I ask them, " Do you cook, bake, sew, etc... eventually they realize they do have a talent. Everyones' talents are different. Share your God given talents as intended and your life will be a lot richer and balanced.

Traveling Art now available online

Click on photo above to learn more.

Traveling Art Pendants retail for $24

Good morning to you all...a beautiful sunny spring day here after a VERY long winter of snow!
I am creating something new every day now, feels good to get paint on my pants again.
Just wanted to introduce my latest creations ...Traveling Art pendants. My art usually consists of wall paintings, sculptures and such, which stays in your home for you to enjoy. But now I have mobile art.
Now my art has been mobile before in two different tee-shirts that were created with my art, but this is the first that each one is an original work of art.
How are they made?
I primed a piece of canvas, cut a very small piece to the size of a domino then attach the canvas to an old wooden domino. And last , I paint, glaze and then it is ready to be art on the go.
Each is also glazed to protect the painting and make it water resistant, just in case you forget to take it off in the shower, or go swimming. I did shower with one a couple times, and the good news it that it survived. But I would not recommend it.

I am now selling at Artfire.com , after selling at several different online sources through the years I am impressed by what they have to offer there. One plus to the customers is that you can just buy without opening an account like you do on other sites. Makes it easy to purchase. I think it will become the place to buy handmade online very soon!

Newest Project CD art for WV Folk Singer Todd Burge

You know each year brings new things...and for me usually a list of things...or goals I have for the coming year. Well this year I didn't actually write those goals out as I have in the past, but if I did, doing a CD cover for a musician would have been on the list.
Timing was right a couple weeks ago when I stumbled upon Todd Burge's post on his fan page on facebook about needing cover art. SO...I gave it a shot. He liked the ideas I had and so I got to work.
After reading his lyrics, the ideas just seemed to flow out. After quite a few sketches and paintings, one was chosen. I had a crash course in Photoshop while doing this project. Never have done much there but crop art and photos.
The art is a combination of ink work, a painting and photoshop editing.

The title of the art...as well as Todd's CD is "Distraction Packed".

I have seen Todd play several times at the Purple Fiddle in Thomas, WV. Since I was familar with his music I think it was easy to translate that into a piece of art.

I will be making prints of this image soon and will be posting it to my new artfire storefront, which I am working on filling .

Oh yeah..and can you find the peace sign?

Hillbilly Artist Back at it again (:

After a really tough year I am painting again. This past year , as you can see in my previous posts , I was spending most of my time with my parents. My mother, Nina passed away on December 21, 2009, after her 10 months journey with brain cancer. I miss her tremendously. It's been hard, but I felt blessed to have those months with her. We had lots of laughs and good times!

On a brighter note, I have joined Artists at Work , a gallery in Elkins , West Virginia, and the new artists reception is tomorrow. Hoping I can make my own reception, as I am snowed in at the moment. May have to walk out, a half mile to my car to get to it. Good thing I have snowshoes, or maybe I will ski out. (:
Anyway, I will be there , and if you are in the neighborhood I hope you can make it too.

Intermountain News Article

Artists at Work will be hosting a special interactive reception featuring its newest artists, Holly Hinkle and Melinda Shafer, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. This unique event has been especially created for the community, giving them the chance to learn about diverse visual art forms from professional artists, while enjoying live music and refreshments, a spokesperson said. Hinkle and Shafer are known for their ability to convert ordinary objects into extraordinary works of art.
Hinkle creates funky face sculptures, necklaces and paintings from wood and other objects. Discarded items are transformed into colorful works of art that make your soul smile, the spokesperson said. She refers to her latest creation as "traveling art," miniature paintings done on canvas then attached to old wooden dominoes.
"Bold colors splash forth from Holly's work and are sure to grab your attention," the spokesperson said. Many of Hinkle's pieces include writings such as poems or inspirational sayings.
Shafer is known for her creative sculptural work using polymer clay, one of the hottest arts medium to hit the market in decades. She uses this medium in a variety of innovative ways including sculpting hand-shaped items, creating beads and jewelry and covering items made from materials such as glass, metal and terra cotta. After nearly seven years of exploration, she remains enthusiastic and inspired by the wondrous possibilities inherent in this medium.
The special reception is an opportunity to meet the artists first hand and offers the opportunity to work with an artist. Shafer will offer a demonstration and workshop from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. accompanied by the live music of local favorite Kaleb Karriker. The store will then be filled with the sounds of The Fourth Street String Band beginning at 2 p.m.
Founded more than 20 years ago, Artists at Work features a variety of handcrafted items including baskets, cards, jewelry, quilts, paintings, pottery, photographs, sculpture, stained glass, textiles and so much more. The store specializes in fine art, folk art, handcrafts and gifts.
Artists at Work is located at 329 Davis Ave. in Elkins. For more information, call the store at 304-637-6309

Home Sweet Home

I am back after being away from home for over two months. The reason for my absence is that my mother was having some problems and I went to Michigan to find out what was going on. It turns out it was a brain tumor, a glioblastoma multiforme, or GBM for short. A few months ago I could not have pronounced glioblastoma multiforme, but now it flows out of my mouth quite fluently, along with prescription names such as decadron, dilantin , temodar, and zofran.
It is the same brian cancer that Ted Kennedy has. Suddenly I have entered the dreaded "C" world. I have been reading numerous books , changed my mothers diet, joined yahoo groups for support and have questioned doctors numerous times already since her Feb. 9th diagnose. If I would have listened to one of them my mother would be very ill right now. I am quickly learning one must be very educated on your illness and fight in order to stay alive. I hate to think that some people have to go it alone when they are ill.
I thank all of those that emailed and sent prayers my mothers way. I truly think they helped because she is doing well despite, surgery to remove the tumor( they took 95% out), chemo wafers being put into her brain, 6 weeks of radiation, and 5 weeks of a chemo treatment of temodar, which thankfully is a pill not a drip medication. She also had 6 weeks of Occupational therapy, Physical therapy, and visits from an RN weekly. The therapy she received in their home...and the women that came where wonderful and very helpful.
She is a brave woman and is taking on this illness with a positive spirit.
I have been home a week and once I get my parents situated, and get acclimated back in my home I will be posted some of my new art. As always my emotions of what is happening in my life shine through, and some of the pieces I have recently done relate to what I have experience in the past few months.
I have only done about 4 paintings since I left, I have had no time, so I think once I start that you should see an explosion on work emerge from me. I have missed my outlet.
Peace ~

WON'T Be BLOGGING FOR A WHILE

Due to a family emergency I will not be posting my art or blogging for a while. I hope to be back soon. Thank you for following my blog, as soon as I can I will be back posting.
Please say a for my mother who is going through a very difficult time right now. Thank you.

Peace

Fleeing #88 Peace of art a day

Fleeing

about 8" x 8" on textured wood
acrylic

#88

Civilization is advanced enough to go to the moon, invent the internet, cure diseases....YET we still haven't figured out how to invent PEACE.
Hmmmm.....guess we really aren't that civilized after all.
How would you invent peace?

Love and "untitled" Peace of art a day #86 & #87

"Love "

acrylic on textured wood

about 8" x 8"

#87

#86

"untitled"

acrylic on textured wood

about 8" x 8"

"Nothing can bring you peace but yourself; nothing, but the triumph of principles. "

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Mankind must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love."

— Martin Luther King, December 11, 1964

Reach for Light "Peace of art a day" #85

Reach for light

Mini/aceo art

ink

#85

To read some poetry for peace , check out this site I stumbled upon....peacepoem.net