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It’s a New Day ☼
Each Morning Sunrise heralds a New Day…. New hope, New opportunities, New beginnings!
Today’s Blog Post , I hope, will be an word of encouragement for you…. in a world that seems to be full of discouragement at this present time. We all seem to have alot of questions with very few answers. This picture below… is my “painted prayer” for you.
Each New Day …….. A First Step into Mystery …..No Path to Follow ……
Only an Unfolding, Guided by a Voice Within .
A Voice of Silence …. A Voice of Knowing ……
A Great Mystery Unfolds Itself Today ☼ ☼ ☼
A New Year….New Resolutions
In these past few months my blogging and tweeting has taken a major hit. As Fall came, so did all the flurry of activity as I prepared for all the Art Show’s and Art Festival’s during the months of Oct., Nov. and Dec. With only “x” amount of time and energy I had to focus on preparing and doing the art shows.
There is so much to learn on this subject. A Jewish Rabbi said; “It’s not just in the reading, but in the doing that the understanding comes.”
In this “Class of Life – Art Festival 101″, we (my husband and I) encountered a number of opportunities to expand our knowledge.
Here’s a list of some of the area’s of our new education:
Outdoor Festivals – Indoor Art Shows
Choice of Art Venues 
There are hundred’s of choices of Arts and Craft Venues in every State in America. What was important was to choose the right one for our art. Juried or non juried shows. Applications and fee’s. Lot’s of homework necessary to make informed choices.
Storms with High winds, lot’s of rain, cold. Hot days with lots of sun. All these weather conditions wreaked havoc with art displays and the paintings themselves.
Tents or Indoor Booths
This is an education in it’s self. The type and size of the tent, the degree of user friendly set-up. How to personalize and brand our “mini store,” designing the displays unique for my style of art. Type of seating needed.
Administration – Space signage, wireless credit card machines, designing business cards, sheets or books to collect emails of potential buyers. Bags and wrapping for artwork. A contact book for relationships developed with other vendors, art venues, and other related information.
Overall, these last few months have been a beehive of activity. We have learned a great deal on what to do and not to do. My husband, Kurt expanded his woodworking capabilities in creating innovating displays for my artwork. We learned alot of lessons concerning wireless merchant accounts. Along the way, we developed a wonderful relationship with an savvy art festival and Internet marketeer. But most of all…we had lots of fun… had great art sales….and met many new friends.
ART in the Garden
Last weekend Chappelle Gallery had a wonderful “Summer Open House” in garden. There were demonstrations of wheel throwing, raku firing, weaving, and I was painting. In true “Southern Style” as with any outdoor event, we had great bar-b-que. It was lot’s of fun. Good friends were there and new friends were made….. and tons of beautiful art of every kind. It was a great way to spend a lazy summer weekend.
Since all my friends couldn’t be there, I thought you would like to see some pictures.
 This is the Chappelle Gallery, a beautiful old house on the National Historical Registry. Art housing Art! On the lawn there were numbers of white tents filled with all kinds of artwork.
 Some of my artwork  Some of my artwork There were some originals displayed, giclee prints, clay wall murals, and cards.
The Morning Glories in the lower right corner is one of my clay murals.
 Kurt taking a break in the shade looking at Loretta Eby's glass before the Open House starts. I have more of Loretta Eby glass on my FaceBook – Painted Voice Page
 Raku firing  Children creating clay masterpieces  A Southern Tradition  In Bulldog Country you will find Bulldogs at Art Festivals as well!
HALLELUJAH! Finally, after two months of work my art gallery is now on-line. http://laurelgentemanart.com This artwork is the inspiration that comes from my meditation and love of gardens. The painted images are my way of speaking, the artistic voice revealing the beauty of creation. Hence, the name for my artwork “The Painted Voice.”
The Embroiderers’ Guild of America’s National Tapestry: “America the Beautiful”
While visiting England in the early nineties Judy Jeroy and Carol Dam saw many beautiful tapestries. They were especially impressed by the work of the dedicated “stitchers” that depicted their homeland. Returning home to the United States, they were inspired to create a tapestry that would depict the beauty of their own countries “bounty” in embroidery. 
Judy Jeroy designed five panels. Each panel incorporates geographical features, animals, birds and plants found in the various States. Phrases form the song “America the Beautiful” are placed in appropriate places on the five tapestries. 
Judy painted the canvases using twenty different colors of acrylic paint. The tapestry was stitched on #18 count hand painted white mono canvas and incorporates an enormous variety of stitch techniques. In addition to stitching directly on the canvas, embroidered “slips”, or separates pieces, were worked on painted or dyed linen twill and then applied to the panel. This simple, yet unusual design element gives the Tapestry an almost three-dimensional appearance, and guides the viewers eye from panel to panel presenting a dynamic whole. 
The Tapestry took over five years to complete, and contains the work of over 1000 artists. The permanent home for the National Tapestry is at EGA headquarters in Louisville, KY. and is available for travel beginning in January, 2009. For more  information on Embroiderers’ Guild of America and the National Tapestry go to http://www.egausa.org
The pictures in this post are little ” thumbnails ” of some of the beautiful stitchery in the Tapestry.
The Dogwood Chapter of EGA in conjunction with their Art Embroidery Exhibit is hosting a special presentation of the beautiful National Tapestry. This exhibit will be held at the Lyndon House Arts  Center, in Athens, Georgia on May 23 – July 18, 2009. Exhibit hours are Noon – 9:00pm Tuesday and Thursday, and 9:00am – 5:00pm Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
A Wonderful Mother ♥ Daughter Story
A few days ago the bluebells were in full bloom and the earth was laughing flowers. A painters delight!
My mother, the planter of the hundreds of bluebells, called. She said, “There is a frost coming and I don’t know how long they will last.” There was no time to get my oil paints (my preferred medium) so I threw some pastels in a bag along with some paper and headed to her house. Upon arriving the wind had started blowing and the temperatures were dropping. Grabbing my camera, I headed for the garden and started taking pictures.
 See the color in the bells! The mass of color was spectacular. Bluebells everywhere and the extra benefit was the azaleas and dogwood trees had started to bloom, ah! How beautiful.
It was too cool and windy to draw outside so I headed for the sun room that looked out over the garden. While pulling the art supplies out of the bag it suddenly dawned on me…there is a problem! It’s been over 40 years since I’ve drawn with pastels! The pastels and paper that were in my art bag were part of art basket that I had won at a soiree. Now what do I do?
 Garden Art Mother to the rescue!
Mom said, she had a book in her library on pastels and while I draw she would read to me. So for the next 4 hours, she read excerpts from the pastel book that she thought would be helpful, gave great encouragement and brought me tea and cookies. This was a “keeper” moment in life. What a special painting of life.
 Mom's Bluebells Garden Below is the pastel picture that is the result of “our” collaboration and my gift of love to her for a very special Easter.
Amazing Art – Enjoy
I was on FaceBook this morning and a friend sent me this link to some of the most beautiful artwork I’ve seen in a long time. The artist, Iman Maleki paints in oils, pastels and colored pencils. Located on the bottom of the art is the type medium he used.
Bluebells in the Garden – The Earth Laughs Flowers
 The earth laughs flowers
Yesterday, My Mom asked me to come over and see the bluebells….Wow! It was a feast for the eyes. I had some pastels and paper on hand from the art basket I had won. So for the first time in over 40 years I tried a drawing in pastels. A creative mind stretching experience! Here are a few pictures of the garden. Enjoy! If you would like some of the pictures of bluebells to paint from, I will be happy to email several different views of the garden.
The First Question – What is Stirring Inside of You? 
This is not about hearing a voice on the outside, such as the latest news happenings, T.V. shows, Family issues, etc. This is about looking inward, deep within, in the heart of your soul. What stays with you for days and weeks, maybe even years? How does this voice influence your life and cause you to do what you do? While reading this paragraph did a thought come to your mind…if so stop, write it down. These thoughts of deep stirring are sometimes fleeting, or the voice of the critic or judge rises up and you discount the thought.
The Second Question – “Who They Be” vs “Who You Be”
Do you like this person’s artwork and that person’s artwork, this latest subject or style of art….what’s hot right now and then try to create painting from those ideas? I’m not talking about learning, and strengthening technical art skills. I am speaking of creating art as an echo of another person’s work. This is creating artwork out of Who They Be….not Who You Be! This is what is happening in much of the paintings we see today.
The Third Question - Are You an Echo or an Original?
Do you create art from the voices that come from the outside in or do your create from the still small voice within? This is what separates you from the “art pack”, creating works from revelation and inspiration instead of being an echo. This is creating art out of who you be!
My Example – The Process of Painting “The World Within”
I paint and teach coming out of “Who I Be” as a spiritual director and artist. You can read my About page for more information on my life. My passion is to help enable you and others to create art from the heart which will inspire others and help them to see life with new eyes. Art is not just about creating pretty pictures or art for art’s sake! Art is about inspiration, painting what others are not able to see; it’s about opening eyes that are blinded by the busyness of life. In my series in the development of “World Within” (which you can see below in my earlier blogs) is a painting that will be used as a visual teaching tool for meditation. Maybe some of the examples I use may be helpful to you. As you can see I come from a Christian perspective but the basic principals can be used or adapted by anyone regardless of spiritual belief.
To Realize One’s Destiny is a Person’s Obligation to God and Mankind.
 Continuing development of the painting, World Within - A Journey into Meditation
Visio Divina – Have you ever Hit a Creative Wall while Painting a Picture?
This past week while working on this painting of “The World Within; a Journey in Meditation,” the creative door slammed shut. No creative “juices” were flowing…nada..nothing, I was at a stand still! Can you identify? This process seems to happen periodically to all creative people. Painting by inspiration is a process and each step on this spiritual journey requires reliance on the Holy Spirit. It’s as though you are creating or walking like a person that is blind! We need help to take the next step or go in a new direction. This can be true in every aspect of our lives.
How Do You Open the Door?
While walking into the studio to get some brushes that needed cleaning, I glanced at the painting. Wham! Ah Ha, I had a “serendipity moment!” There was a TRIANGLE in the middle of the painting. Then a complete thought came, not sentences or some words but a “creative revelation.” This is difficult to explain but you know it when it happens to you….it’s Visio Divina, Divine Seeing. Then you realize you are not alone in the creative process!
We Don’t, God Does! 
At each point in the TRIANGLE was a symbol of the Godhead. The Lion, representing God the Father; The boat (you) being guided by the Christ, the Shepherd of Your Soul, and the Holy Spirit hovering over the water bringing forth creation. WOW! Yahweh is already at work before we even realize it… initiating, guiding, leading us to the place within. This place of meditation, prayer, revelation and even creation. This is the Kingdom of God where spiritual sight is given, revelation, understanding, and SO MUCH MORE!
The Divine Dance
In every Visio Divina painting you study or paint, I believe you will learn something about this Divine Dance with God. My hope is this blog blesses you today. May you keep on dancing even when you don’t know all the right steps because you have a great teacher within you! ♥
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