My First Art Show

I had a good experience this last Saturday

at the Warren County arts Festival

  in old historical Downtown Lebanon , Ohio

I didn't sell any art

 but I was excited to just be there as an artist

The crowds were smaller than usual for this show

maybe due to the hot hot day

But I thought the amount of people there was good

I had lots of wonderful compliments given

 from all the nice folks that looked at my art

I would do it again and I hope I get to

 Here is my 10 by 10 space and my paintings and prints

hung on old drying racks (for oil paintings)

I found the drying racks at the vintage shop in Loveland

 and I thought these made a great way to hang up

 my art from the tent.

 Every artist seemed to have a different way

 to display the art and wares.

 It was a great experience

 just to see how others made it work

 for them and their art and crafts

 It was in the high 80s and sweltering in the full sun. 

 Hubby and I stayed in the shade as much as possible.

 The Warren County Art-fest people

 were very nice to all the artists

we had a place to go to for breaks

 with all kinds of drinks and treats.

 Next time I need to be better prepared with more art

 I had sparse selection compared with most of the other artists.

here is a shot of my bright blue

 home-made (recycled table part)

 print bin

i need much more selection of prints made up

Next art show isn't till September

so I have time to get better prepared for that one

_KAT_

Some things About Me Post...

I think these background info posts are important 
just like you
 I paint a lot at home on my kitchen table for some reason
maybe I'm a hopeless "Home-body"

   I'm Mom  (they call me Mem-mem)  

to four boys, ages 34, 24, 19 and 12 years.   

that is my most important job and joy of all my life !

I've enjoyed painting since a very young age

 and took lessons here and there, 

but prefer to explore the arts in  my own own unique ways. 

Painting took a back seat to raising a family. 

We moved around a lot, being a military family for 21 years.

I experienced  working for a well know folk artist

 in Yorktown, Virginia, named Nancy Thomas. 

... absorbed a lot of the basics like mixing colors 

and how to paint in the folk art style

 in a whimsical way, using modeling paste

...creating texture with it.

I have a great appreciation and fascination for nature

 and all kinds of Art.

 ...enjoy experimenting with oil, watercolor, and acrylic paint. 

 Forest and landscapes, birds and flowers are my favorite subjects. 

...enjoy using the palette knife technique

 and also multimedia pieces  

using nature “stuff” 

  (Interesting pieces of bark pieces and pinecones and acorns.)

I love to swing on my porch swing a lot

and I love pretzels.

I'm currently working on some watercolor illustrations 

with paints and ink to illustrate 

a children’s book 

...that should be out this winter. 

EXCITEMENT !

It is about a cat named “Creeper” written by Danny Langone

 of Beloit, Wisconsin (my home town).

 Future children’s books , hopefully will follow 

... the next one being about a mouse named “Percy”.

I am  always exploring what I can learn.

 We all find inspiration everywhere in nature and in life!

this is some bark art

do you see the spy in the woods ?

another palette knife tree painting that i sold to a
stranger...and I was over joyed when I did !

So as you see I love trees, animals and birds! 

 Birds have been a favorite subject of mine! 

... catching photos of them in my backyard

 or in a painting with flowers or trees 

my birch tree bird feeder and a cute little guy

A backyard visit from a red bellied woodpecker!
so exciting

water coloring try

my latest water-coloring
 cardinal and daisies
a gift for my 80 yr old Father 
(who is now called Brother Anthony)
he is a Benedictine Monk in Peru, Illinois.
which is a rural area out in the middle of the USA.
(my moms favorite saint)
St Anthony helped her find a lot of misplaced items
like glasses, school books, hockey sticks and pom-poms...
you get it , right?

I also blog about my mood,and hard times

Like when I did not get chosen for an art show 

that I really, really wanted to be in

 for two years in a row! (gasp)
my latest post from yesterday is all about crying over that stuff for the second time !
it does help to get it out and off my shoulders.

I'm blessed to have great friends
 among the bloggers here 

  I love the U. P.

 I love my grams Lake house
 which I blogged about in May 2011.  

The home was on Lake Huron in Michigan 

it is a large influence on me and holds wonderful memories

Hi Gram !

my dads mum is from German heritage
Her family name is Munck

Lake Huron

My Mums parent s are   French Canadian
Family name is Gignac

 My Gram Loved  Flowers

So I hope you enjoyed taking a little look at my blog 

I also blog about food and my travels 

and my ups and downs trying to be as great a mom 
and woman as my Mom was. 

 I hope you will come visit me

I'm doing a gift-away for my followers 
...if you message me when I have 100 followers 
 I'm getting very close to 100 followers.  
which is a big deal to me !
Hugs and peace and joy
KAT