All in a Days Work

This was a day for connecting the dots, painting branches and creating cocoons. It's amazing how much art work you can do when you have a studio. A month ago I was so blessed to find  a little space about a block from where I live to rent for a studio. This is a temporary space and I will be moving a couple doors down soon. When I'm settled in my permanent space, I'll post some pictures.

Magnolia Leaves

 A friend of mine gave me some Magnolia leaves a while back and I've had them in a book for pressing.  I had forgotten about them until I picked the book up and they dropped out.   I struggled with what to do with them so today I decided to introduce them to acrylic paint and this is their new life transformation.

Cocoons Art Retreat

Community of Faith Church in Roanoke hosted the first "Cocoons" Broken Branches Art Retreat November 12th.  We had such a great time turning these branches into works of art and writing out our prayer requests and encapsulating them in our cocoons was such a special time for all of us.  I have received some of the most precious emails from ladies that attended saying what a spiritually transforming time it was working with the cocoons.  Ladies of Community of Faith....you blessed me and I hope to see you and others again in 2017.        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myQwyvrMRxc

COCOONS

New to my painted branches are my cocoons.  The cocoons have a very ethereal look to them and hold a very special place in my heart. Before beginning the process of layering different kinds of textiles and heating with a heat gun, I write on a small piece of paper my most intimate prayer request, my deepest  need and begin to wrap my textiles around the piece of paper for safe keeping inside the cocoon, knowing that God sees the most innermost parts of my heart and cares deeply for me. I leave this request in His care and I will wait for  the Holy Spirit metamorphosis to happen.

TAKE A LOOK AND JOIN THE FUN!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHPLY3yZ7N0

Time Again For Rest and Renewal

I just got back from a wonderful overnight time of rest and rejuvenation at the Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  I try to do this at least once a month due to current life circumstances.  Last night the temperature was in the low 60's and when I got up this morning it was 59 degrees (jacket weather) and a real touch of Fall was in the air. I had coffee on my balcony overlooking Abbott Lake and spent time in God's Word which always refreshes.  After that, it was off on a walk around the lake in the brisk morning air but I kept my eyes open for that bear I saw the day before. Not sure who was frightened the most because he took off in one direction and I in the other!  I usually try to take some art supplies when I go away so last night, in my room, in front of a big picture window overlooking the lake, I got a stick and started to work.  I never know what's going to appear but this cutie showed up.  Her expression looked to me like she wanted to break loose and do something out of her comfort zone so she decided to "Dance as if nobody was watching".  It made her happy!

She's dancing like nobody's watching!

SLEEPING BEAUTY

"Let her sleep, for when she wakes, she will move mountains"

All of my stone faces and my painted branches are special to me but this stone face holds a favorite place in my heart.  I'm going through a hard time in my personal life right now but at the same time God is using me and my art to fill empty places in my life as well as other's lives.  Even though I feel like I'm at a complete stand still, I think God is really just resting me so He can teach me and grow me and strengthen me so when this trial is over, I am equipped to move mountains even better than ever!

STONE FACES

"There is so much to be learned from her...she is planted in the mud, yet she blooms" jmstorm

I tried something new with my latest stone face.  I took Paper Clay that you can buy at Michaels and hand sculpted a flower that she could rest in.  After letting the paper clay flower dry completely (overnight), I painted with watercolors and added viening.  I then hand sculpted two leaves and did the same process.  Once the watercolor was dry, I just glued everything together with E6000 glue (best glue around) and let dry overnight.  I was very pleased with the way she turned out!

"She knew that she was formed by God's hands, dreamed up in His heart and placed in this world for a purpose"

My art has taken a lot of different turns since I started my art journey in 1999.  I like to try everything and once I conquer it, I tend to move on to the next project.  But now I've found my home.  I love, love, love to paint stone faces.  These stones seem to bring so much joy to others and that's such a big part of why I enjoy my art so much.  I never have a particular face in mind when I begin a stone.  They all turn out with a different personality....they even surprise me when they are finished.  

"The smile on my face doesn't mean my life is perfect....it means I appreciate what I have and what God has blessed me with"  SOLD

"I am a dreamer"  SOLD

"It's a party going on"  SOLD

BROKEN BRANCHES ART RETREAT

What an awesome day at my first "Broken Branches" Art Retreat at Faith House  in Snowville, VA hosted by Pat Farrell, Life Coach, Minister and Speaker.  Pat provided a fabulous lunch for us all while I was honored to teach these lovely ladies how to paint and decorate their own personal broken branch.

The Second "Broken Branches" Art Retreat will be held Saturday, September 10th at Faith House from 10am to 2pm. 

Blessing Blocks

What can you do with left over 2x4 wood scraps?....make a "Blessing Block".  These little guys were so much fun to make and all you need is some acrylic craft paint, wood blocks and your imagination. I went to my local Home Improvement store and purchased one 2x4 and asked them to cut it into different size blocks for me.  I sanded my blocks with a medium weight sandpaper to get off all the little rough edges and began to paint.  The ideas are unlimited.  For the backsides, I typed out a favorite Bible verse or quote, printed it out and then cut out the words or phrases and adhered to the back with Gel Medium or Mod Podge.

You can use any type of materials you have on hand and the possibilities are just unlimited.  I've even used scrapes of material, twigs, embroidery thread and torn pieces of paper.
Blessing Blocks make great gifts for adults and children.  You can use as bookends or just display on shelves.  They are so much fun to make!

Broken Branches

I grew up camping with Mom and Dad and was always connected with nature.  We camped in lots of different places but mostly in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. Sticks, stones, leaves and moss have always fascinated me and were always in abundance on camping trips.   We usually camped with our best friends,  Lois and Rangely Price and their two daughters, Phebe and Carolyn.  Us girls would roam the mountain sides all day in search of the perfect tree vine to swing from and then return to camp to enjoy camp stew.  The simple beauty of nature inspires me and I love to transform a broken branch into art.  We are all "creatives" in some way or another because we were all formed by and serve a "Creative" God.   He breathed creativity into us.  These broken branches were collected from a very ugly place in my life with the intent of transforming ashes into beauty.

Beginnings

My creative journey began in 1999 with this little guy.  I had never picked up a paint brush in my life.  My grandmother had tons of artistic ability and could make a garden look like a masterpiece. Three days after she past away, I was perusing my local library and a book titled Painting Animals on Rocks attacked me.  Seriously, this book almost jumped off the shelf at me.  I instantaneously was fascinated and curious.  I took the book home,  painted this little guy and I haven't looked back since.  I painted cats, mice, pandas and houses.

Local businesses displayed my rocks and some were displayed at the Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia.
This rock was painted in memory of my Granny Parker.  I've alway felt that when she passed away, God breathed her gift into me.