FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR 2008

Last weekend was the awards banquet and dinner for our fire department. It was a nice evening with friends. My husband was almost floored when they called him to the front to accept the award for "Firefighter Of The Year 2008" He was very surprised and honored to accept this as it is voted on by the whole department.

There was a thunderstorm that passed by last night and it started a fire in the hills very close to town. Very early to be dry enough to burn, we are all hoping that we don't have a repeat of last year's fires that burned all summer long and destroyed so much of the natural beauty around us and cost many lives.

Flowers in my yard

They arrive despite my abuse. My lack of attention. They brighten my space without any help from me. My favorite perennials, hardy and strong and ever faithful. Diane

Remember Their Sacrifice

This is the day we remember the fallen. Honor the living who have served in past wars and those who serve to protect us everyday. Those who leave their family's to travel to the far corners of the globe to protect us here at home. The men and women of the Military. Your Son's and Daughters, your Brother's and Sisters, your Husband's and your Wife's. We honor you for the sacrifices you make and we pray for your safe return.

I thought this rock was rather artsy....I got in in my e-mail. Love how the flag looks to have caught some air.... Well guess I had better finish getting ready. We are going to the cemetery for the Memorial Day tribute that the V.F.W. puts on here in our little town. They read the names of all the fallen buried here going all the way back to the American Indian War. They honor all who have served in wars many who lived to talk about it and many who lived but couldn't talk about it. Have a beautiful day, enjoy your family and take a moment to think about our freedom, how precious it is and the price that is paid.........Diane

Art ... The Large and Small of it....

The latest craze is one inch art...yes you heard me right.....one inch art. They are called Inchies and are 1" X 1". They were very hard for me as I have lost most of the vision in my left eye to Macular Degeneration. I have been fighting it for about 15 years now, it is a rare form (not the dry type or wet type) and I have had 3 surgery's and 3 of the newer treatment which is an injection in the eye itself...ouch.

I think this is why I have pushed myself to do so much art at this time in my life..fear of losing the vision in my good eye, which is disease free as of now. The hardest thing to adjust to when you loose the vision in one eye is your depth of field is off. When you draw you think you are putting the pen to the page but it is not quite touching the paper yet. Also straight lines appear wavy and crooked. If I close my good eye.....everything appears black and white except some of the really bright colors and there is a big blurr in the middle of my vision...Anyway it has been quite an ordeal. As of the last treatment it has been stable and no sign in my good eye.....so there you have it.

Anyway...I have one more commitment to a group of 6 inchies and then I will have to move on to the larger things but they were fun. Art on people!!! Diane

Tuscany Sunshine

"Tuscany Sunshine" This is a commissioned canvas I made for someone after my art show. It is 9" x 14" I hope she likes it...she is a quilt artist and designs some very fantastic quilts of I am a little intimated. This is a lot harder than I thought. I think I would rather just make something and sell it if they like it instead of a special order.....a lot of pressure. I am working on the second canvas and it is commissioned also. Even more stressful as it is someones grandson with a specific theme...STRESS.....I have to admit tho, it is nice to finally be making some money with my art after all these years. Anyway it is really still fun and I think she will like it..I had her e-mail me three photos so I could pick the one I wanted and also get a little personality from them. It is in progress but I will share it with you when finished. Have a Artful weekend. Diane

Steampunk Style Pendant

Boy were these fun to make...They were made for a swap and the Hostess sent me two poker chips complete with the top hook to attach it to a chain or leather necklace. I thought they were sorta cool just the way they were, a lovely shade of green and white. I altered them any way and I think they came out good. It is always great to mix it up some and jump around making different types of art. However it does render my work space a disaster area. After dragging out all my watch parts and misc. charms and STUFF I started a 9 x12 collage. Nothing was put away of course just shoved aside some to give me enough space to start a new canvas. It takes too much time to put everything away I would loose precious creative time...I will get back in there when I am more in the organizing mood....I wish the little Martha Stewart faeries would come in while I was at work and straighten everything for me, so when I came home everything would be organized and all at my fingertips.....Oh well I can dream.

Back to Earth

16 X 20 Canvas Collage "Sunny" My grandniece Brindi not for sale copyright by me.

Well I am finally coming back to Earth after my first art show. I almost have everything put back in its place. It was a lot of work getting everything together, planning everything and the nerves of being exposed in public. I had a lot of canvas' that were not for sale because they are my family. I think I could have sold more if I could have parted with them, however I did receive two commissions from them. I will start working on them soon, meanwhile I had to take a week off to be with my husband and just rest.....we left town for a R and R for 5 days....glorious days rain and all. I finally got to go to Barns and Noble to by my copy's of SOMERSET STUDIO...where I was excited to finally see my friend Marsha's work on page 107. Her style is bright and wonderful and her new stuff is exciting, whimsical and humorous. If you haven't seen her work check out Somerset Studio or you can go to her blog http://tumblefishstudio.blogspot.com/

I really went hog wild at the book store this time...Must have been awhile since I got to buy my magazines. I bought SOMERSET LIFE and two of their new publications MARIE and WHERE WOMEN CREATE with Marie Osmond of the cover. I thought it was their first issue but I guess it is their second. As usual they are beautiful and full of wonderful and useful art and articles. They will keep me busy and happy for a long time as I go through them many times and always find something new and beautiful.