My first blog post!

I have been kicking around the idea of doing a blog for some time now. Some of my favorite artists have blogs, and I thought it might be fun. I'll probably try to do it for a while before I even tell anyone about it, just to make sure I can keep up with it, but I am really hoping that this will be a good way to get some feedback on the art I am making. Anyway.

First, here is a little bit about me. I am a mixed media artist in Memphis, TN. For the last two years, I have been selling my art at Fountain Art Gallery, but this is my last month there. Pretty soon, in either Feb. or March, I will (most likely) have a small spot at Artists On Central.

Last year was a pretty big year for me. I was Featured Artist at Fountain in April, then again in December. June and early July were spent getting ready for the HGTV crew to film in my studio. They filmed me doing a painting and a collaged soldered necklace. It will air sometime next fall or spring. I will find out exactly when in a month or two. That was lots of fun and exciting! I can't wait to see it! After that was over, I spent a couple of months painting and making jewelry to sell at the Cooper-Young Festival. It was the first year I actually got a booth, even though I had been saying for YEARS that I was going to. I did better that I ever imagined. I sold a handful of jewelry, but about 3/4 of the paintings I brought were sold! Once that was done, I was painting for the Fountain show in December. Also, the painting that I donated to the WKNO art auction was chosen for their special collection.

This year, I am taking a slightly different direction. I am going to concentrate on making stuff for the festival in September (last year I shared a booth with a friend but this year I want to fill the booth myself) and hopefully painting for a show. I am about to apply for a show at Artists On Central, and if I get it, that will be lots of LARGE paintings to do.

As far as my personal life goes, I am the mother of the two coolest kids in the world, ten year old twins Vinnie and Chessie. My husband, Tony, and I have been married for eleven years, and started dating in high school. We have been together for 16 years total. He is a t.v. engineer and we like to joke that he is my benefactor, because he is the reason I am able to be an artist. You know how, years and years ago, artists would be funded by some rich person to do art? That is tony. (Only he isn't rich. lol) We have three dogs. Hugo is our 7 month old bloodhound-st.bernard mix puppy, Maggie is our 7 year old beagle, and Butterscotch is 11. He is a cocker spaniel mix and my favorite. I hope he sticks around for a while, because I don't know what I'd do without him!

When I am not doing art, I am probably reading or watching one of my tv shows. Sometimes I get a little obsessive about the tv shows. The writer's strike is killing me. Wanna hear my list of shows? I love all of the CSI's, Bones, Lost (which is my favorite!), Dexter.... Well, anyway, the list goes on. I was never a big tv watcher until we got a DVR, but when I can watch them whenever I want, instead of when they come on, it is really easy to add shows here and there! Tony and I are currently making our way through Alias on DVD and I've almost decided that is the way to go. Wait for the DVDs.

So that's me in a nutshell. Next time I will talk about art, maybe!