Happy Haloween everyone.

Just finished carving a few pumpkins.

And just for fun, here is what I did LAST year.

LOVING SUMMER. 2022 Swimming as much as I can, and yes still painting and crafting... just not adding much to this site anymore. Feel free to look around at older works though.

NEWS!!!! I finally started just listing stuff on ebay. Look me up, my user name is also my domain name, ArtmakersWorlds. I don't yet have a "store" just random listings, at least until I get enough stuff up there to merit paying rent.

Ok, I HAD a long winded rant about politics here. Not even gonna bother to save that. No one cares. Just know this.
VOTE EVERY LAST JACKASS OUT and SEND THE RINOS PACKING TOO! There.
I sure hope all my democrat friends have come to this conclusion yourselves.

I've been finally getting one of my two motorized bicycles running again. My first, and favorite sat idol for over 2 years with motor issues.
I finally gave up on fixing it and just bought a new motor. The other is a two stroke and it has electrical issues. Hoping I can get help with that one later this month.

SO.... if your at all interested in seeing these bikes, I have a few videos on youtube. Old ones, but with gopro on head, some nice long rides.
Enjoy
Green Monster with 4 stroke

White Dream Catcher with 2 stroke

The newest scoop, March 20, 2018
The Trade

Some time ago, my former art teacher David Baker called me out of the blue. And after we got past the how ya doing stuff, he tells me his story and wow. His daughter, about the same age as my own daughter, was diagnosed with two brain tumors. I about fell off my chair when he said that. He jumped right in with she's fine, she made a full recovery. Phew but wow. I cannot imagine the ordeal that must have been for her and for her whole family.

Well, he explained that after she went in for treatment, it wiped her out. She would go take a nape and during that time he would take his notebook out and paint for an hour. He explained this hospital she was in was built on a former golf course and was on some really pretty grounds. He'd just do quick studies and eventually filled a notebook. He put together a nice video of this. Personally I cannot possibly imagine if MY kid had brain tumors ever finding it in me to go out and be creative, but watch the video. This was a way of coping for him.

The collage of pieces I'm also posting here has an interesting story too. These are recreations of drawings he made for his daughter to help her recovery. Anything to get that brain working and rewiring itself. She temporarily lost her ability to speak but could use a flashlight to point. So he'd say which one is the clock and she'd give him a look like come on dad and point to it. What a great way to help her recover. And it worked too. He redid those drawings in a more finished form to show at art shows.

Then he explained he is calling former students and asking each one if they would be willing to contribute a piece into an art show/fundraiser he and some friends are putting together. That his video would be shown there, as well as his daughters own works, and there would be a silent auction, one winner might sell a piece for this fund raiser. Of course I said sure.
Here is his video, it's really good.

Click here to watch directly on youtube.

Well now what to submit? I'm a painter but HE was my teacher. How does one submit a painting to the master? I felt like nothing I could do would measure up. I already had an idea what subject matter to do. That popped in my head as soon as I heard the story. But the medium?

Out talking with a friend, he suggested I do something with polymer clay which I have been into lately but mostly making crafty things to sell. I have dabbled around with making actual art pieces in clay but never took on anything like this.

He said to me "that's where your head is at now." And it sure would be different. So sure, why not.

The idea of a generic man/woman figure with the woman sporting a nice pair of angel like wings and fending off some nasty storm is what came to mind immediately. I wanted generic figures never really thinking HE would want to buy this. At some point it would need to be up for sale and wanted a piece that could represent anyone. Father daughter, brother sister, friends, couples... Of course this pair was meant to represent him and his daughter, but without knowing the story, this piece could be sellable.

Now how to pull it off with clay.

I started with a very rough acrylic painting. Just to get the layout of everything in place. Clay is not something you can push around as easy as with paint. It has to go down right, no room for fixing later.

I looked again and again at his video and thought using elements of his own paintings would make this even more special to him and his daughter. I put just enough in there so he would recognize it immediately, and he did.

"Painting" in clay isn't really much different from paint. Colors are blended the same. Same basic drawing principles apply, light and shadow, all that good stuff. And I've had enough practice with clay at this point working with it isn't a problem.

Well the piece was a hit. He and his whole family was really impressed. The piece was shown at this fundraiser and even tied for first. (A very sweet bronze statue won, I'm fine with that. It was beautiful.)

Later the college ran an art show for former students and that piece was shown yet again. Again his family adored it as did quite a few other folks.

Well I took it back home, set it aside and forgot about it. Time passed, and one day the college did a show all about past works of their art teachers. Of course I had to go, and of course Mr. Baker had several pieces there, some I hadn't seen in years. It was fun.

Then he approached me and asked if he could buy my clay piece. I honestly never considered what to ask for it. Frankly if I knew he REALLY wanted it, not just being nice, I'd have given it to him. But before I had a chance to think he said "or how about a trade." Now he had just done a whole series of lake paintings and more. Mostly working with water color now which is one medium I never really tried to master. His water colors are sweet. So... I asked if he would be willing to take on an assignment.

I sensed a bit of hesitation. I said it will be easy. I'll stick to what you've been doing already. And I'll think about it and get back to you.

My "assignment" for him was simple. Silver Beach in St Joseph Michigan is my very favorite place to swim. I've been snorkeling off the pier there for decades now. I told him these are my rules. I want the beach, the lake, the sky, and somehow get that south pier in the image since that really defines the place as Silver Beach and not just any beach. I don't care if the pier is off in the distance, or your standing on it. Artists discretion there. And no winter, I don't want to look at snow. I'll be looking at this in winter when I'm sitting in the house all day dreaming of the beach. And later I pointed to one of his paintings and asked, if you haven't started already, I really love how you get the waves and light coming in from behind them.

Well lookie what he did? I have my waves, in fact a whole row of them. And right up against the pier I know so well. It's just beautiful. I had this framed and have it hanging where I see it first thing in the morning. Handed him his clay piece and he clutched it as if he just found a treasure box filled with jewels. He said to me "it's a good trade when each party thinks they got the better deal."

I'm just so glad his daughter pulled through this ok. What a great ending to what could have been such a devastating tragedy.

recreations of images used to exersize his daughters brain.

"Not Yet" my polymer clay piece.

My beautiful lake painting. (yup, I got the better deal. lol.)

May 8th 2017
Local Brewery features local artists. ME!!!!
The Sister Lakes Brewing Company, just recently opened in beautiful Sister Lakes Michigan.
My husband and I went to check it out and aside from some darn fine hand crafted beers, I noticed some marvelous paintings on the wall. Turns out they are offering some space for local artists to hang paintings.
How awesome is that? So I inquired, brougnt in a few for them to look at, and viola. So for the month of May my newest works (some of them) are hanging in public.
None of my new paintings are on my site. I may decide to later, or not. A few of these are very texured and that just doesn't photograph well. You need to see them in person. But here is a sneek peek.

Also the Leader did a nice story on the brewery. (Note, you can almost see my paintings behind their equipment.) click here.

I should add, The local microbrewery, located at 92500 C.R. 690 (Sister Lakes Road) For more information, people may call the business at (269) 332-5135.
And yes, my paintings (all but one) ARE for sale. Swing by the brewery, tip a pint, and have a look see.
Cheers.

boring stuff...

Site building news... posted some time in 2017, and as of early 2018... now I may have to look for a new host. My site is hosted on wisesource.com but lately I don't get replies from anyone. Unusual for them. I'm paid up through Jan so I have time but any new building might take a back seat now.

ArtmakersWorlds is my portfolio space. This is where I show some of the art and crafts I've made. Enjoy your visit.
WHY I need to open my OWN store.

You will NOT find me on etsy, nor will I promote anyone on etsy. Sorry. Read the whole story here.

Artfire just joined my shit list for horrible sites. And they started out so good too. But they sold out. Ads slapped everywhere, and like SO many other sites in the past, complain too much and get booted. So fine. I've had it with all venue selling. They all seem to go this way. Start out fantastic, grow too fast, then sell out. I'm done with all of them.

Anything you may have found on pinterest or elsewhere (my photos all have watermarks so most people can still find me.) Just contact me directly.

Such as it is.
Zazzle ruined my nice layout. Read >>>
Products are still there, buried.
Even the little widget that showed my stuff, that use to be here is gone.