Summer '31

This is a painting I just finished up this weekend :) I wanted to do something that was all about summer, and the seaside, and boats. And so "Summer '31" came to be :)

You can find the painting in my etsy shop this morning :) Visit HERE

SOLD! Thank You :)

Ghost and Wildflowers, a rambling walk...

Over the holiday weekend we were visiting family in the Ozarks, and it was so nice to be out in all the flowers and wildlife, although hints of the ravaging storms that so recently passed through the area were still there.

We want on a good long rambling walk and I snapped lots of pictures, such as this Queen Anne's Lace, above. One of my most favorite wildflowers...
On a winding country road we came upon this sweet little sight--- all these little butterflies flittering and drinking from this bright pink flowering 'weed.' I think it's a Milk Weed? Is that right? Well, it must be delicious because these little guys let me get right up on them and photograph them, they were much to busy with breakfast to be concerned about me....

There was also some utterly amazing thistle growing out there! This clump stood about as tall as I do! The shadow and the light make it look rather intimidating, doesn't it?

And at the end of our visit we stopped by Eureka Springs and wandered around the Crescent Hotel just because. Audrey looked so Alice in Wonderland in their gardens. I wonder if any ghosts were peering out the window at that moment? You never know!~

And now. Trying to paint and wrangle some inspiration. Hope you had a good holiday weekend...

Very Happy, Tiny Happy

Recently I received the most lovely little package in the mail, all the way from New Zealand. I was so excited to open it up and see all these little treasures handmade by Melissa at Tiny Happy-- I was the very happy winner of her giveaway at her beautiful and oh-so-inspiring blog.

When the package arrived I found a square of her beautiful fabric featuring her own watercolor designs, note cards, and a handmade and embroidered bag! Lovely!

Thanks so much, Melissa!~!

And I encourage you to go on a little adventure and visit her corner of the world. It's endlessly gorgeous and inspiring. :)

Wishy Washy Rainy Days

Perhaps I don't have to tell you what a crazy and rainy last few days it has been. Storm after storm has rolled through, and sadly, some of them very violent. However, all is well here at the little house. Today the sky is blue and nearly cloudless. It's amazing how well the weather can recover and the natural world move on, almost as though nothing has happened.

Almost like the weather itself, my inspiration to paint has been extremely wishy-washy, with dark grumbling undertones of not knowing what the next step is. I know I have the whole summer to get organized....and a whole new world of time once *someone* is in school full time 5 days a week (what will I do with myself?!) Starting to think hard about how best to promote my art and if craft shows, as much as I love the people and comradery that goes with them, are the right venue for what I'm making.

Lots to think about....there's changes in the air. Hoping for clarity and new direction.

Do you have big plans for passions this summer?

~H

Almost an Angel...revamped!

You might have noticed that over the last year or two my art has gone through some big changes. I started out doing a lot of collage work and painting over collage, and have slowly started progressing towards a more acrylic/wood block style of painting. I think I'm getting a lot stronger with my painting and to be honest, a lot of my paintings that I did even just a couple of years ago now make me cringe ;)

This is my new rendition of "Almost an Angel". It's now available HERE on etsy. She's got some gritty crackle going on. I like to imagine this painting pulled out of an old dusty circus trunk. Wrapped up in old news clippings from carnival appearances from long ago.

And just to compare, here is the original "Almost an Angel." Actually, I still like this painting pretty well compared to some of my other older ones, but I wanted to try it again....

What do ya think?

Sweet Darlin Giveaway

Just in time for some weekend shopping! I'm very happy to be featured over at Sweet Darlin, a beautiful site that explores art, life, and crafts in Oklahoma and there's a chance for you to win a free print!

And as an added bonus-- there's also a coupon code for 15% off your entire purchase so that everyone can win something :)

Come CHECK IT OUT :)

Tea and Poetry

So last night I got inspired and came up with some new ideas for some new mugs! I've recently had some special requests for some of my literary characters with custom quotes, which I think is a great idea!

With custom quotes in mind, I came up with this special mug, called the Emily Dickinson pick your quote mug :)

For Emily lovers, I'm offering this mug with my rendition of a portrait of Emily from the famous photograph. On the back of the mug I will paint your favorite Emily Dickinson quote! For this particular mug I used one of my favorite quotes "there is no frigate like a book to take us lands away" which is not just good for Emily Dickinson lovers, but book lovers too!~

I also painted up this pretty little mug with inspiration from the Gibson Girl era. This mug features a pretty portrait of a young woman with a large beautiful Edwardian hairstyle and the phrase "An Old Fashioned Girl" on the back.

If you'd like one of these mugs, I'd love to make you one! And if there's a particular Jane Austen or Pride and Prejudice or Jane Eyre quote you like, feel free to let me know! I'd love to make you whatever you dream up :)

You can see all my mugs, including these new pieces, at my SHOP online :)

Art Crush: The Film Sweet Land

I don't know about you, but I think there's no love sweeter than a love you just stumble upon by accident. And so it is with my enduring love for the film "Sweet Land."

I happened upon this film while scanning through the instant queues on netflix. It was the film title poster that caught my eye, frankly. Because its stunning. Plus it was a love story. Plus it was set in post WWI middle America. And it involved some political intrigue. And oh yeah, did I mention a love story ;)

I put the movie on while I was finishing up a dress for Audrey but soon I found I was getting very little sewing done. Not only is the storyline so tender and lovely (if you don't find yourself fighting back tears within the first 5 minutes, you're a hard one indeed!) but the imagery of the film is amazing. Almost every frame is worthy of a painting.
A brief synopsis is: Norwegian-born Minnesota farmer Olaf Torvic sends off to his homeland for a bride in the years just after "The Great War." He's all set to marry her at his local Lutheran church and bring her back to the farm to work along side him in the fields. The girl who arrives, however, is not quite what he expected.

Inge, who is played beautifully by Elizabeth Reaser ("where do I know her from", I wondered for at least two viewings; then I realized--- she's the mom vampire in Twilight! Lol!) is not a Norwegian girl, but a German girl. And it's not cool to be German in middle American when the country has just finished up several bloody years of battle against Germany.

Top that off with her innocent interaction with a socialist party member, and you get a pretty interesting story about two simple people who just want to live a good life and end up falling for each other-- while those around them do their best to get in the way because of social prejudices, ignorant hatred, and a blind sense of patriotism that leads them to foolish actions.

I was also really impressed with the use of language in the film--- and the Norwegian or German spoken was used without subtitles, so that it sort of adds to the idea of the confusion of being in a strange land and not knowing what others are saying. Reaser does such a fantastic job with her German (and having a stomping, yelling, hissy-fit in German!) that it's easy to believe that she's a native speaker.

There are also some quirky characters--- like the best friend played by Alan Cumming who can't start his own car but is madly in love with his wife and has a passel of kids to prove it and the reverend who waivers from being part of the judgmental masses and having compassion for their plight.
The storyline is also beautifully woven in with two other points in time--- the 1960s when Olaf dies, and a more modern present time when Inge dies. The movie opens with a funeral, which is a bit of a tear jerker, yes, but it really adds some depth to just how long this couple loved each other and what they went through to just be together.

And as a lifetime lover of the prairie, the sweeping scenery of rural Minnesota is just achingly beautiful in this film. The director really approached this film with an artist's eye and I know it has inspired me and my brushes :) the music choices are also unique and whimsical, with almost an Amelie-like lightness and sweetness.

So. Do I recommend this movie? That would be a resounding "Yes!" I also recommend the fiction work of Minnesota writer Will Weaver, whose short stories inspired the film. Not long after watching this I got a collection of some of his stories, and he has a wonderful writing style that brings you close to the hearts of mind of those who life the agrarian life.

And so....more sweeping summer prairies to paint! I better get back to work!

Til next time,

H

Rambling Walk: Through a prairie in bloom

Ha, I suppose by now you've heard all the hub-bub about blogger going bonkers and erasing all the posts and comments made after Wednesday. Well, fear not, for I was unabashedly lazy and didn't post between now and then! However, I'm sad that I lost a majority of the comments on 'Clare in the dunes.'

But I'm sure the perfect way to shake ourselves out of that silly mess is to go on a nice long walk. Shall we?

Look at this. Just look at this. My mom's clematis. It's not fair how gorgeous and abundant it is, when mine is rather puny. Ah well....flower envy...

Now, want to come saunter out my back gate? We did yesterday, it was time to go exploring. The prairie is back! No longer just brown dull stuff. It's completely and utterly in bloom:

Of course I went along with a professional rock tosser, so who knows what dainty little minnows or tad poles had been frolicking there before we showed up. Ah well ;)

And there's no sense wearing boots built for wading if you're not going to go in the water, right?
As we walked along we found a secluded little beach along the creek full of long cattails and good skipping stones. I wonder if this is where the coyotes we heard last night were prancing along? Luckily, on this particular afternoon, it was just us and the minnows...

Clare on the dunes

We've already had some hot and humid days here, and it's only early May. The calendar may insist it's still springtime, but I can feel summer breathing down its neck with sweltering heat and rumbling thunderheads.

It's funny, although we are hopelessly landlocked (if you don't count that trickle of a creek behind the house, ha!) I'm feeling very nautical. I'm longing for a beach. I'm thinking of lighthouses and my strange curiosity about whales and I have a feeling, they'll be coming out in the paint pretty soon :)

Then I saw seamstress Anna Allen's new collection of beautiful summer dresses and all this jumble of summer in my head came out as this:

Ever since I read Sarah Plain and Tall when I was a little girl I've had a fascination with the beaches of New England. And then there was Anne of Green Gables and the impossible lovliness of Prince Edward Island. I think my next few paintings will find themselves summering at far away beaches I've never seen. Lol, with the price of gas these days, I suspect this will be my most economical vacation!

Detail of painting

I'm calling this painting "Clare on the dunes." I think its a nice start to any sort of story you'd like to conjure up for her. Where she is, what she's doing, is she alone or with friends? Is she watching the sea from the distance, or on a windy hillside looking down on a tiny village? I made this little moment, now you can take it from here :)

What are you looking forward to doing this summer? What things remind you of summer, or bring back a summer memory the moment you see/taste/smell it? Who knows, your meanderings might inspire a painting....

EDIT: Now available as a print! Click HERE

New Looks and Long Walks

Good morning!~

Perhaps you've noticed our new look here at the blog! What do you think? I really like it :) I had an impromptu redecorating session last night to make the blog more in keeping with the new look of audreyeclectic.com. I've really pleased with how my new main site looks!

I'm still getting some of the kinks worked out and everything arranged just so, but so far, so good I think!~

Of course its always good to take a break from working and take a little walk. Want to come around town (and country!) with me?

First, I wanted to show you this adorable little nest of baby birds! Their mama and daddy decided to keep house in the middle of a fern on my granny's porch. And I have it on good authority that the day after I snapped this pic, they all learned to fly!~

Here's a particularly pretty little field full of cattle down the road a ways from my house. It was a beautifully green and misty afternoon, freshly rained. I'm so glad to see green again!

Oh, and some more buildings from my rambles down town. This was such an interesting scene--- the sky was all gray and cloudy from passing rains and there was a group of pigeons gossiping at the top of the Bowden building (right) this building is particularly special because it belonged to my great-great-grandmother Lula Mae's second husband, the man who helped her raise her young son (my great-grandpa) His name is still engraved on the top of the building, it used to be a mattress factory! I sorta daydream of saving it. And first thing I'd do-- rip those boards off the top windows!
An interesting view from one of the alleys. What I love about this little town is that the alleys aren't scary and dark. Many of them have these cool retro paintings on them inspired by businesses that used to be in town. When I worked down here at the paper I was always traipsing around, taking secret shortcuts and discovering quirky little places off the beaten track. I need to take a photo of this strange little doorway I found that would only fit a child in it. I wonder what its story is...

Another back-alley scene--- I do like the look of elegantly peeling paint and brick :) I'm sad that someone actually bricked in all those windows. Why would you do that? It makes no sense. Who thinks "What this building really needs is to be dark and dank with zero natural sunlight." Crazy talk.

And so. That is the walk for today :) Hope you saw some interesting sights!

Now back to internet cleaning!~

H

Have a little beard with your coffee....

I tease my husband that he quit shaving the night we got married. Pretty much from then on, he's been a little scruffy :) I didn't realize until years later though, that we were really part of some strange cosmic pull...you know what I mean...bearded boys and crafty girls...

There is just something about a crafty girl that a bearded boy just can't resist. And seemingly, vice versa. Have you ever been to an indie craft show? Who is it that's helping all these crafty entrepreneurial girls set up their tables and take money? Bearded guys, that's who!

And so in honor of this special little love, I decided to do some beard-loving mugs to add to my collection :) first is the cup (shown above) which also reads on the other side "bearded boys love crafty girls." See more at the listing HERE.

And then there is this dapper gent, with his impeccable mustache and crisp collar. Very Downton Abbey, dontcha thing? The back of this mug simply reads "Dapper!" See more HERE.

Til next time!~

h

Old time music in paint

I recently did this little series of musical paintings. I've really been loving doing portraits that look like they were done in some old fashioned studio, inspired by old photos. Since my last show was also a music festival, I wanted to paint some musicians and these folks sprang to life.

They're now all available HERE for you to purchase :) Just by looking at them you can tell they have interesting stories. "Harold and Josephine" ran away to play at the Grand Ol' Opry. "Benjamin" is a quiet and soulful fiddle player, while "Ginger Lynn" can weave magic with her quick fingers on the banjo.

When I was painting these three I was thinking of music like THIS. Love some old timey melodies, don't you?

Handmade from Near & Far

Somehow this great big world is getting a little smaller. And we can now enjoy handmade loveliness from right in our own backyard, or oceans away. Don't you love that? This past week I was able to gather several pretty little things to add to my collection, like this simple and lovely feathered headband made by my friend Julia who runs Feather By Feather.

If the royal wedding had you in the mood for big audacious feathery fascinators, she's your gal. But she's also started doing these sweet little understated pieces that are good for everyday. I liked this color because it matches my hair and is just enough texture to be eye catching without being over-the top. It is now good to know when someone asks what color my hair is, I can respond with confidence "quail!" ;)

And then, made very far away from the prairie, I got this precious little piece all the way from the Ukraine:
It is so dainty and gorgeous! This little piece of hand embroidery is nicely framed in a pendant that hangs from a long silver chain. I got this piece from the shop Skrynka and to be honest, I had a hard time deciding which of her lovely creations to choose. Her prices are reasonable and there's free international shipping.

It just makes me happy that we're all able to share our creations around the world and down the road. This level of sharing and selling was impossible a decade ago, and now the world of crafting is flourishing. Makes a crafty girl feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

So in the spirit of crafting, I'm prepping some little originals I had saved for the show last weekend and will be listing them very soon. Its exciting to wonder where in the world they'll end up. But I know they'll go where they're meant to be :)

Have a crafty thursday...

H

Weekend Review

Well, what a weekend! It's already Tuesday and I'm just now recovering ;) Throw in an overnight trip to an all day craft show ending with a very late night drive home and then mix in a child who has been sick for days now, and you get a very worn out crafting mama. But let's review!

I hadn't really planned to watch the royal wedding live, but I had to get up with a certain little someone at about the time it was starting, so we just curled up on the couch and watched the whole thing play out:

One of my favorite images from a hysterical blog called "Kate Middleton For The Win"

I don't know why so many people insisted on being so jaded about the wedding (or maybe that was just my facebook feed?) but I loved it. Sure, when all you watch all day is Dinosaur Train and Sesame Street, I probably didn't have the level of media saturation on the event that many had ;) But I think in this day and age where its so easy to get swallowed up by the fear and uncertainty of the world, the economy, etc. it is ok to appreciate a pretty girl in a pretty dress and let your heart be warmed by thousands upon thousands of cheering revelers. I mean, when is the last time you've seen a crowd of that magnitude gather and it wasn't a riot, a protest, or some violent event?

So I don't feel the least bit guilty for feeling a little excited by their excitement or hopeful that perhaps our generation, whether royal or not, can possibly get it right :) in more ways than one!

And on a much more local scale, lol....

On Saturday my friend Beth (of Art By Bethany) and I pitched a tent and sold our wares at the Dustbowl Arts Market in downtown Norman, Ok. This was my first show down in Norman, and (so sorry Dad) I thought it was a really pretty little town. It was also endlessly entertaining to people watch and we met some really nice folks!

Of course with every show I learn something new. The mugs did really well. I dont know that anyone even picked up a plate. Some folks thought I somehow printed the images on the cup, but nope, each one is done free-hand! Strangely, no one seems to want to buy an original-- even though I had some that were just $10 more than a print! I think back now to my first booth I ever did and how it was only original paintings. Was it a miracle I sold anything? ;)

I'm happy to settle in now for the whole summer to prepare for Indie Emporium. Surely with from now to September, I can get a good stock pile going :)

And now....if I could only get this little gal to feeling better, things would be going pretty well!

Til next time...

~h