Day 3 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

I decided to perk up my paintings with some pinks and yellows this week! This one is a whimsical still life of roses. I really like it and will probably do several variations of it this week.

"Oh, Happy Day"
8x10
acrylic on canvas

If you want to see more participants in the 30 Day challenge, head over to Leslie Saeta's blog.

Thanks for stopping by!

Take care & God bless,
Lana

Day 2 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Here's my second painting for the 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge! I find when I'm having a little trouble with inspiration or not feeling well, I can still paint a pear... even wonky pears look ok! :)

"Center of Attention"
8 x 10
acrylic on canvas
$75 plus shipping
(email me to purchase via PayPal invoice or find it in my Etsy shop later today)


Take care & God bless,
Lana

Day 1 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

Well, it's begun! I'm posting the first of thirty paintings to be done in thirty days. The rules were a bit lenient, such as if you just couldn't do one every day, do a few extra at a time to have on hand for the days you couldn't paint. Today was one of those days. We went to church this morning and on to visit a family member that had been in the hospital. I didn't get home till later today and decided to use one of my free passes. :)

"A Little Old Fashioned"
6 x 12
acrylic on canvas
$75 plus shipping
(email me to purchase via PayPal invoice)


Take care & God bless,
Lana

Crazy?

Call me crazy, but I just signed up to participate in Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days next month! What better motivator than to commit myself to something like this when I am getting ready for an out of state art fest? I just added my blog link, announced it on her facebook and twitter pages, on my facebook page, and now I'm telling all of you. No big deal. :-/

If you would like to participate, head on over here and add your blog link: 30 Paintings in 30 Days.
It'll be fun! :)

Happy painting and God bless,
Lana

In Progress

I thought I'd share a few photos of the paintings I'm doing for the Norcross Art Fest that will be the first weekend of October.
 

I don't know why but I always feel like I have to explain why my art looks the way it does. I was showing it to my son this morning and said, "Ok, keep in mind that it's supposed to look whimsical and painterly... not real."
 

I have lots of new ideas, but I may stick with what I'm comfortable painting... at least for this show and then I'll branch out. :)

lumina pumpkin

I thought painting large canvases would be harder, but most times I think it's easier...

blocking in colors, shading the vase

adding more color

ready to add dimension to the roses

I'd like to thank those of you that have ordered sets of cards from my last post! I am confident that I'll reach my goal to purchase a canopy for the art fest very soon. If you are interested, I still have the PayPal Buy Now button up on the sidebar at the top of this page, or you may go through my Etsy shop to purchase them.

Now... back to painting!

Take care & God bless,
Lana

Canopy Conundrum

conundrum: a confusing or difficult problem

 Hi everyone!

I guess you are wondering what is a canopy conundrum? Well, for now... it's not my canopy falling down or blowing away at an art fair... fingers crossed and prayers said that something like that does not happen. :)

{The EZ UP canopy on my wish list}

This is it in a nutshell:
I am doing the Norcross Art Fest in Georgia the first weekend of October and I don't have the required canopy. Neither do I have the extra funds because this art fest is costing me much, much more than the semi-local ones ever cost. I have some things covered already such as the booth fee, canvases, paints, and hotel reservations... but the canopy is the last of my big expenses.

I was searching art business blogs for information about how to cover expenses and several websites suggested holding a fundraiser with an explanation of what the sale is funding for the artist.

Ok, easier said than done.

There's not a lot I can do in such a short amount of time since I am already working on inventory for the show. BUT, I did think of something that sold very well in the past when I was doing folk art fraktur paintings --- note cards! You can see a sold set with description here.

Here's my canopy fundraiser idea:
I am offering sets of 6 note cards with matching envelopes for $12 (U.S. shipping included). These will feature my new artwork (seen here). Each mixed set will have 6 different prints and will be chosen at my discretion. Who doesn't love a surprise?!! You may receive a few white note cards (4" x 5 1/2") and a few brown kraft note cards (5" x 7"), depending on the artwork used. The first 10 customers will receive 2 extra cards... just a little thank you for helping out so quickly. :)

To make ordering easy, I added a BUY NOW PayPal button to the top right sidebar of this blog. If for some reason you wish to have an invoice sent, just email me with your order request.

Be sure to tell your friends... your hairdresser... your mailman... just spread the word! You can even use the handy-dandy little links at the end of this blog post to share. How cool is that? :)

Thanks so much for your support! Orders, prayers, good wishes --- any or all are appreciated!

Take care & God bless,
Lana

Recycled Book Covers & Insecurities (again)

In the mornings (and sometimes evenings), in order to loosen up before painting on my canvases, I have begun painting on antique and vintage book covers left over from wreath projects (see my Simple Joys Paperie shop).

These are quick and simple, whimsical paintings, a bit painterly or impressionistic in style. I plan on doing at least one a day until the end of September, since the Norcross Art Fest is the first weekend of October.

{Cake on a Pedestal - Inspired by the latest Country Living magazine cover}

Who am I kidding? Let's just face it... I've had episodes of thinking, "What possessed me to sign up for something big like this??!!!" and I have to talk myself out of that panic-y mindset. I'm doing these small pieces to try to work through a big artist block.

{French Pear - poire - on antique French book cover}

Almost daily I have to remind myself that I may not be trained or schooled, and I may not have known a bright from a filbert (until recently), and I may make mud more often than not when trying to mix diads and triads and tetrads (thank goodness for color wheels and charts!)... but I know what I like and I paint what I feel and for some odd reason, other people have started to like it, too!

{French Apple - pomme - on antique French book cover}

My art is simple, sometimes whimsical, and always imperfect, but it comes from my heart... and my hand... not the hand of another artist, so it is what it is, I suppose.

{Cherries (sold) - on vintage hymnal cover}

I think if I just keep practicing and paint what I love and what I feel, it will serve its purpose, whatever that may be. It won't take away all the doubts and fears and insecurities, but it will put them in their place and I will be glad I tried. :)

{Cottage Roses - on old book cover}

Thanks for listening... again... :)

I'll be busy painting the next several weeks, but I'll try to post a few in progress or finished pieces once in a while.

Oh! I almost forgot --- my friend, Patti of Winding Vine Designs, is hosting a giveaway of one of my art prints. You have just a few days left to visit her blog and enter according to her instructions. Good luck!

Take care & God bless,
Lana

Lazy Summer Morning

I thought I'd share some photos I took this morning. I've cleaned house, fed the animals, and I'm waiting on the delivery guys to bring our new furniture.

We really didn't plant much in our garden this year, just a few rows of corn and beans, a few tomato plants, and just enough squash and cucumbers to pick and eat as they are ready. That's nothing compared to what we usually plant.

While checking on everything in the garden, I did something this morning I hadn't done in years! There was one little ripe tommy toe (cherry tomato) on the vine and I picked it, wiped it off, and popped it in my mouth! I used to do that as a kid, but later started picking them and washing them off at the sink first. We hadn't used anything on the plants this year to ward off bugs and such, so it was safe. How delicious it was! Ripe and warm from the early morning sun... it just burst with flavor and juiciness in my mouth... I may have to do that when the next one is ripe, too! :)

The red beebalm at the end of the yard has pretty much finished blooming.

And (see photo below) the wisteria that I trimmed so aggressively is starting to come back. Can you see the little rusty horseshoe on the upper corner? It's been there, along with a few others among the vines, for years.

My morning wouldn't be complete without saying hello to Thor (our son's German Shepherd that comes to visit once in a while), Ava, Luna, and Red. Buddy, the corgi / beagle mix is there, too. He's just too short to see over the fence!

Roger and I will celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary on the 29th of this month. We're not quite sure where or when we will go celebrate. Some years we've stayed home and worked, some years we've managed to get away for just a few days. No matter what, we've at least managed to spend it together. :)

I hope all of you have a wonderful, blessed weekend.

Lana

Hodge Podge

Hodge-podge is a word used to describe a confused or disorderly mass or collection of things; a "mess" or a "jumble". - via wikipedia

Mess or jumble... that pretty much sums it up for me.
*I am just a week away from starting on paintings for the Norcross Art Fest. I'm really excited... and I'm really nervous about it! It's only 2 1/2 months away... that's about 10 weeks... and really not a lot of time considering I have to be finished painting about 2 weeks early for the paintings to cure. Oh... I'm getting nervous, again! 
*I need to place a substantial order with DickBlick for all my paints and canvases before the weekend.
*I have a few angel wings orders to finish before the end of the month. These are helping to fund my art supplies and canopy for the festival. ~ thank you customers! <3
*We bought 2 recliners and a sofa (not sure if that's the exact style in that link) last weekend and I need to get our current sofa and loveseat sold and out of the living room asap! All 3 new pieces are dark brown. I will add color with accessories and another chair. Roger's recliner is very uncomfortable... not good for a bad back at all, so it will be going to the dumpster when our new furniture arrives. We were shopping for just one recliner, but a tax-free weekend and a sale at Knoxville Wholesale Furniture prompted us to go ahead and get started on the new pieces we had planned on buying a little later. I still need to find a fabric covered accent chair to complete the room. I'll share photos a little later.
*Our wedding anniversary is the 29th...  29 years... whoo-hoo!!! We had hoped to spend a some time away from home, but my father-in-law has not been well and it all depends on how he's doing. We will decide in a few days when we can get away.

I guess I'll just have to do all I can, when I can, and let the rest fall into place. As my daughter keeps reminding me, I'm only human and can only do so much. :)

Take care & God bless,
Lana

When One Door Closes...

Hello!

(before we go any further, this is a repeat from my recent Honeysuckle Lane blog post... most everyone still follows my old blog and they haven't migrated to this new one yet)

Remember when I was sooo disappointed that I didn't make a juried show for this fall? I think I wrote about it here... or maybe it was in my newsletter. Anyway, it's true... when one door closes another door opens! Near the first of June I received an email from the owner of Splash Festivals asking if I'd like to participate in one of her fall shows... in Georgia! This lady does the famed Norcross Art Fest, which is the one I'll be doing, as well as several others. If you are on Facebook, you can see lots of photos taken at previous Norcross shows here.

I was so excited to be asked, because it is by invitation only. I have talked with the owner a few times already and I sent in my confirmation today! So it's really going to happen! Yikes! Now I am nervous, anxious, and have butterflies in my stomach just telling you about it. Jessica, my daughter and show helper, and I will pack up the first weekend in October and travel several hours to Norcross (just north of Atlanta) and spend the weekend setting up, meeting all sorts of people, selling, taking down, packing up, and driving back home. I'm sure we'll have loads of fun spending mother / daughter time eating out, staying in the hotel, and talking and laughing while on the road!

There are expenses, and plenty of them I have found out since making plans, such as the booth fee, hotel, gas, food, all the paint and canvases I'll have to buy before I can even paint something for the festival... and can you believe I don't even have a canopy yet? I never needed one at the Lavender Festival, but I have to have one for this show. So, throughout the summer I am going to be offering some small art pieces here and there... a festival fundraiser of sorts. :)

For this festival fundraiser, I have several original poppy seed pod paintings in shabby chic, cottage style, easel back frames. The artworks are acrylic with pen and ink detail and they measure 2" x 3" not including the frames. They are signed on the back of the art (#12 is signed on the front). These minis are sweet and simple and perfect for a thoughtful, one of a kind gift.
And guess what?
These originals are $15 each, but if you order 3 or more, you get them at $12 each!
Shipping is $5 no matter how many you get. International customers, please email me for shipping charges.
Just email me (lanamanis {at} gmail {dot} com) with your choice(s).

#1, 2, and 7 are sold ~ thank you!

I have more original paintings as well as prints in my Etsy shop, Lana Manis Designs.

Thank you for looking!

Take care and God bless,
Lana