Art by others paint party friday

Paint Party Friday

Pretty sure you must be sick of my tiny piano, however I thought you might enjoy seeing the lineup of other ones in their artful glory! One was sent back east to be done by a fairly renowned Canadian artist but hasn't arrived back yet. I'm very curious to see that one as well!

Beardo Captured  all these photos for the silent auction! This is unquestionably mine!

Other than mine do you have a favorite?

I did a full post that  completely disappeared! I surmise  the subject was  not fitting to go with these lovely pieces of artwork. So I will heed the universal message shorten it up and post again!

This Leopard one is done by a tattoo artist! It's gorgeous in person! I am so in awe of it! 
You can feel the heart that went into this piece when you see it in person!

This week a young  thirty year old male acquaintance of my daughter passed away! Messages on his facebook allude to despair. Cupcake was devastated and cried most of her work day.  In the past she had  talked him through a heartbreak, illness of his mother and a few other dilemmas. In return he gave her his old android phone and fixed her antique one when it crashed a few times!

This one is done by a band, the stencils was computer generated  then all the details were cut 

  with an x-acto knife and pasted to the piano! It took hours and hours to get this perfection~

They had a lovely  comradery and she baked him banana bread   and made a huge basket for his  former girlfriend a few Christmases ago as a thank-you!

This one is marbled with a counter top material...

He was well loved by everyone who knew him! People are  
shocked and  devastated by his demise

A  very large acrylic painting almost the same comes with this one! 
Mine was chosen with this one by a reporter to be in the News Paper.
Sadly the photographer did not do it justice!

A last message, " I'd rather die a winner, than live as a loser" with the horrible image of a heart punctured by swords was posted on his instagram.

 

The next two are done in Acrylic

Even though I never met the young man I knew who he was and felt 
deeply affected for everyone who loved him. Especially his mother and sisters!

These are all  painted ukuleles

Life is a roller coast ride of deep dips of sadness and equally wonderful highs of glory!
I wish he could have navigated the sorrow with a better ending.

This one is completely wood burned...his work is amazing in person. The photo doesn't do it justice!

May he rest in peace.

Turned horizontal this one is a mountain scene sanded to
look like the natural wear old musicians had on their instruments!

 

I am working on this project this week, it's will be revealed next week in completion!

Throwback Thursday my Cupcake at four, twenty five years ago!

What would you say to  a young person wrestling with the idea of suicide?

Layers with A Burst of Joy paint party friday

Paint Party Friday

" A Burst of Joy" finally finished!
Inspired by one of my favorite older paintings here!

I have a large ugly upright piano that's been with me 50 years. I  have always wanted to paint  it! Beardo insists that I don't touch the beloved rosewood melody maker he has now claimed. Instead he brought me this tiny piano to revamp for Charity. Beardo has been complimenting me daily on my paint job! He tells me he loves it!
It's being included in an  auction  for the  music therapy program at Childrens Hospital  that he's facilitating at work! 

Before version of the Tiny working "Shelf Piano" for a charity auction!

  I was so nervous to do this project. Especially with such a  high gloss finish to cover up! I fought with it, as paint  chipped off the pre sanded and gessoed piano. So many intricate bits to tape and avoid. I am so grateful for the many many coats of varnish that made  the colour pop and protected the paint ! It is exciting  to be part of the lineup doing these pianos  Hopefully I can blog about the whole display in the next week or so!  
I have made the first bid on my piano!

I'm envious of artists who create thin layered paintings perfectly in one try. But that's not me! I tend to create thick bulky layers! I love searching the strokes of paint for images too. Since I was a child I'd searched patterns in wallpaper, on towels, or sheets, in the clouds, or on a floor, for any different form than was presented!  My eye would study blankly searching for images other than what immediately appeared. Maybe why I was called a daydreamer by many a teacher! Today it's called meditating. Of course school wasn't exactly the best place to zone out practice it! 

   I love the intricate layers of humans in all their frailties, their joy and sorrow.  The layers of experience  that forms how they think and what they believe in!  I like to know the essence of their soul!   It's all so very interesting to me! I have always been one to search beyond what is presented by  human beings too!  

 

 As the pendulum swings from happiness to grief the holidays can be difficult for those suffering loss or illness! What's worked best for me is a diversion from the normal routine. Change it up. Keep the past as a sacred memory, but don't be afraid to change the way you do things!

 When  first divorced I tried painfully to keep things the same so Cupcake  would feel  secure.  Leaving photos as they were, and sticking to a normal routine the best I could until she adjusted. However during the holidays I had to change a few things! While navigating the  emotional chaos of divorce there were a few seasons void of spirit so we focused on giving to others.  It  brought us such joy diverting our own sorrows, while replanting the spirit and filling us up. It has carried on through the years.

The back of the tiny piano

Even when we didn't have  the fiscal means to give monetarily, there were so many other ways to give. Asking others for charitable donation in a non monetary way for a homeless shelter, donating crocheted hats, socks, scarves and time. Gathering up unused coats for the homeless. Baking for a busy single mom or dear friend. Helping a single mom wrap Christmas gifts or minding her children while she shops alone. Finding people who may need a little extra and sharing it. Introducing a shut in to their own creativity.  Putting together little baskets for those single moms struggling through the season, the elderly and those who would never ask for help.

People seem more willing to give if you initiate the action. Met with disdain as she shopped for coupon items, the moment Cupcake  mentioned the items were being donated to a woman's shelter the cashiers  demeanor would abruptly change as they too offered up help!  Giving is contagious and once people hear what you're doing they want to join in, even customers waiting in line behind her seemed less impatient! With social media it's been easier to spot people in our midst that could use a hand up, so that's what we do now!

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When life is tough, holidays can be rough. I say treat yourself like your own best friend.

Spoil yourself a bit, do something different that you have always wanted to try!

Create new layers!!

 

What will you change up this holiday season so you can cope or help someone else cope?

As a Canadian we Celebrate Thanksgiving in October so I would like to take this time to say Happy Thanksgiving to my beautiful American friends, I hope you celebrate with love!

Sneak Peek Paint Party Friday

Paint Party Friday

A sneak peek at the Charity piano I'm working on. It's a lot more work

 than expected but I am really enjoying it and there are still lots of mistakes to fix.! I'm on a bit of a time crunch so it's all I've had time for this week. Here are a couple of sides, 

and a few digital colour edits just for fun!

When Cupcake was little I hate to admit Christmas was overly abundant. 
Let's face it, my kid got WAY too much!! I was able to keep Santa a secret 
for several years! However Santa only gave her one unwrapped
 gift and a stocking!

 Working a full time, shopping after work, baking and wrapping presents until the wee hours is quite a feat for any woman! No way should Santa take the credit for all that!!  I wanted my child to appreciate where things came from. A jolly fictitious character was no measure for
all that mom did!

  I  worried less fortunate children would feel inferior if my child was
 gifted more from Santa than they were! I figured one gift 
was a safe bet.

One year I fooled Cupcake by duplicating a gift in her stocking and wrapping the other
for under the tree.  Then I told her that Santa and I got our wires 
crossed!! I hid her gifts in plain sight, places she walked past daily.
 I told her the gifts were stored at a friends house!
 Not once did she find them early.

I don' believe in lying to children, and promised her I'd only tell fibs 
 during the holidays so I could surprise her! To this day she hates 
surprises, but it's not because of those wonderful Christmases 
we enjoyed when she was a child.

Together every October we'd purged her bedroom 
donating to charity, making space for new things. 
Last night we went through a lot of my old nick knacks
and donated them to charity today! Funny how the tables turn!

One year Cupcake wanted a crawling doll for Christmas, she got it from Santa
but was so disappointed at how hard the doll was. After that
she inspected all the toys at the store  before any purchases were made!
And an advertizing skeptic was born!

Cupcake remembers those 
Christmases with such fondness as do I!
If I had it to do all over again I'd have bought way less!
Now as an adult Cupcake makes sure to buy well 
thought out really special things for her nieces and 
nephews as well as less fortunate children of single moms! 

Some of my favorite memories were attending Christmas eve church services.
Watching children's Christmas concerts, singing Christmas Carols
in our old neighbourhood and baking for friends!

I also loved having our dear friends over for Christmas eve card 
games and seasonal visits with friends. 
Christmases are different now but enjoyable just the same!
What are some of your favorite holiday memories?

A few weeks back my blogger friend Sharon emailed this Character she made
for me!! I love it! Thank you Sharon for your lovely friendship! 
You can find Sharon's blog at Sharon Art Inspiration.

Bras for A Cause 2011 " Mountains of Courage in Bloom"

"Mountains of Courage

in Bloom"

This Bustier is dedicated to my dear friend

Helen Cheng

 Done in Acrylics then varnished
The form of this bustier was not quite as nice as
the first one I did, making it slightly more difficult to paint !

Today I am donating this completed bustier to "Bras for A Cause" along with one hundred dollars. The  money my daughter has saved us on sundries through extreme couponing the  past four months  affords  me the opportunity to contribute to a worthy cause in honour of my friend. 

   
Two years ago right about the time I was donating my first bustier " Mountains of Courage" in honor of a mutual friend, Helen was diagnosed! January 4th was Helens second birthday since her diagnoses and treatments! I'm excited to say she looks healthy with a full head of  curly hair! Seems like all those   home perms are finally permanent! I'm pretty sure she's crossing her fingers that they are anyway!

Helen is such a terrific person always full of glee with an ability to recall minute details and dates like no other! We met twenty years ago when our daughters were in kindergarten! We've had so many laughs over the years  and lots of great chatter! I am so proud of my pal, her courage and tenacity to fight through such tough times always with a smile and  winning sense of humor! Love you Helen, you're one of a kind! Happy Birthday!!! Wishing you many more my friend! 

More Bra for A Cause

This is how my Bra for A Cause was displayed at the Saturday night Gala! I am very curious how much it went for, and who purchased it! Of course I'll probably never know that! I was told that some of the bidders display the bras as art on the walls of their homes. For more photos of all the unique bras check here!

I heard an older artist speaking about how she sold some of her art during fiscal down times, then went on a mission to buy it all back later in life. Not hard to understand, considering how much of our selves goes into each piece. Funny how a piece of my soul is floating around the universe and I don't even know where it is! Maybe I'll see someone wearing it one day!! Hope so!

An update..... the Langley Soroptomists made their goal of $50,000 at the Saturday night gala....hooray!! You can read more about it here!