One more thing....

I just wanted to post a few pics of our trip to this great art center near where we live called The Maitland Art Center. I have taken a few classes there, but my husband and girl had never been and we had a great time exploring.

Sorry, I didn't turn the images the proper way. In a rush is me. The third picture down, where Leila is hopping along, is a beautiful courtyard where they hold weddings under a canopy of green-filtered sunlight. In between the stones, there is a running fountain. One of my high school chums got married here and it was beautiful. The inscription at the bottom of the stones reads, With God All Things Are Possible.

Have a Happy 4th of July everyone. I'm off to some much needed island time away from the computerized world!

MUMS THE WORD

A decision has been made...I'm not quite ready to write about it here. But almost, so stay tuned for those of you who tune in. It's a biggie. I can't wait, although I'm afraid. I'm excited at the same time. It's something that I have dreamed of, and I am conjuring all my forces of nature to manifest success and that everything works out just fine.

I love the above pic because mums have become a new favorite flower this year. Especially, these spider mums. They are so big and hearty. They just last forever. Also, I am developing a deep appreciation for roses. I am finding myself longing for a rose garden. I also hold big love in my heart for stargazer lilies. They were my wedding flowers and they are intoxicating in scent and beauty. If I could eat them, I would!

I am tying up as many loose ends as I can this week as we are headed off to Sanibel Island next week. We go every year to visit my parents and celebrate July 4th. My dad's b-day is July 3rd, so it's one big celebration that includes a lobster/crab leg feast that I can't even think about or I start to get crazy. They have a great island parade and picnic too. You can't beat it. I just love living on the island for a week. It truly is a different life. If I come into 600,000 grand anytime soon, I will buy a shacky fixer-upper there.

Okay, before my head floats off into the land of pina coladas, morning shelling excursions and breezy bike rides, I need to finish out the last few days of work (ugh) and get the house in some kind of order so we don't leave a mess or come back to a mess! I am still trying to organize my studio and schedule my art work for the rest of the year. I'll work on the book illustrations while on vacation. See, that's the great thing about working as an artist, working and playing can be the same thing sometimes. Now I wonder if I can deduct the trip if I actually do some work down there?

Right now, I'm reading The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. I loved The Secret Life of Bees, and this one is starting out deliciously. I'm also reading the Artist's Way and taking a local class as well. We are on Chapter 4, and there is something about taking a reading break...I don't think I can do it. It actually made me feel sick and afraid to imagine that. I'll let you know about that when I get to it.

If I don't post before I leave, aloha! and have a great week!

OK, no more slacking...

I am going to make a true effort to blog more

and not let little petty excuses get in my way

such as

I can't find a photo to post.

The above is a painting I just finished and mailed to

the Lyssa Morgan Gallery in Tampa.

She is doing a show called

1000 Square Feet

wherein all the peices are...you guessed it

12 x 12 (square foot).

I don't think I'll make it to the opening, but I wanted to be a part of it nonetheless.

In other news from my world, I attended the

SCBWI workshop in Orlando

this past Saturday and I had the best time.

My expectations when I went in were to meet some people, get some good info, and just to plain check it out. I was a little intimidated as this is the first conference of this sort I've been to. In fact, I just joined the SCBWI about a month and a half ago after reading about it in Laini's blog. Thanks again Laini!

I got plenty of great info and just being around a collective group of like minds is wonderful. I met some great supportive people with a lot to share. The best part is that I have a greater sense of where I'm at and what I need to do to get to where I want to be.

So now I am going to follow this path of writing, illustrating and submitting a children's book with more focus and determination. I have so many ideas just waiting. I learned a great deal about the process of submitting and taking the mystery out it just makes it seem all that more possible. Maybe I'm being delusional, but delusional works for me sometimes. I'm sure Theodore Geisel had a few delusional days!

Also the illustration speaker was interesting in that he is an illustrator venturing into the art gallery realm, and I am kinda going the opposite direction but the same result, doing both. A successful art entrepreneur once gave me some advice that seemed to work for her....have your eggs in several baskets. I have been trying to explore as many opportunities as I can with my art. Whatever feels right. Every day I can feel myself getting closer to reaching my goal of FULL-TIME ARTIST!! Why not? Why not!

This reminds me that I want to discuss the topic of being an art whore. I don't think I am one but.... we discussed this topic in my Artist's Way group. I'll go into it more at a later time.

For now I will get my submission ready to send out (I'm giving myself a 6-month deadline) and get ready for the next conference in Miami in January. I highly recommend going if you are at all interested in writing or illustrating for children.