Dimples & Dragonflies Studio & Gallery LLC

"Rest On My Shoulder" Figurative Paperclay On Silverplate

2012-02-16T16:25:00.006-05:00

It's A Bit Like Being At A New Restaurant And Wanting To Try Everything On The Menu. Playing With Clay And Learning All The Do's And Don'ts Is Much The Same.

Initially I Created The Form For This Piece That Included Rabbit Ears. I'll Include A Photo To Show Y'all How In The End They Just Didn't Seem To Fit.

So I Carved Them Back And Added A Hat. I Suppose I Have A Thing For Hats. I Love To Put Them On My Women When Painting, And Guess They've Now Found Their Way Onto These New Clay Figures.

I Gave This Figure A Lit'l Tummy And Some Curvy Hips. I Almost Left Her Undressed..But Thought Better Of It. Besides, I Like Coming Up With Cute Outfits And Think This One Fits The Character Of This Piece Nicely.

So There You Have It. My Second Effort With Clay. I Needed Something New ~ And I'm Enjoying The Feel And The Progression This Media Is Connecting Me To.

Hope Everyone Has A Wonderful Weekend Ahead!

Sending You All A Lit'l Love & Georgia Sunshine,

Terri

Working With Paper Clay

2012-02-11T16:11:00.002-05:00

It's Not Uncommon For Artists To Struggle With Their Desire To Create. I've Had To Really Push Myself Lately To Pull Anything Joyous Out Of My Studio.

I Haven't Even Completed The Painting I Posted Back In January. Instead I Wanted To Try Something New. I've Never Worked With Clay Before So I Thought "Why Not?"

I Chose Paper Clay Just Because I Don't Have A Kiln And Read That This Particular Type Can "Air Dry" Within 24 Hours.

I Didn't Have The Faintest Idea On How To Work With This Stuff So I Pulled Out An Old Doll From My Stockpile To Use As A Reference.

I'm Not Completely Unhappy With My Very First Attempt ~ But Do Realize I Need A Lit'l More Practice.

Here's Hoping Everyone's Having A Great Weekend!

Sending You All Some Love & Sunshine,

Terri

"Sneak Peek Friday" Link Up With Sweet Jennifer

2012-01-14T00:15:00.000-05:00

Friends, This Is Definitely A Work Still In Progress But I've Been Missing Linking With My Sweet Friend Jennifer For Sneak Peek Friday..So I'm Here To Give Y'all A Peek At What I've Been Working On This Week.

There's Still Much To Do On This Composition, But So Far I'm Pleased With How It's Coming Together. Next Week Maybe I'll Have The Completed Piece To Show. This Photo Doesn't Reveal The Lit'l Girl's Pretty Dress Or The Longggg Legs of The Giraffe. Suppose I'll Just Have To Save That For Next Week. :))

Have A Glorious Weekend Everyone!

Terri

"Crystal Cross And Another Pickle Jar"

2012-01-10T14:06:00.002-05:00

This Is My Third And Final Pickle Jar Design For Awhile. Heading To My Easel Today To Begin A New Composition. Trying To Keep My Feet Moving Friends.

Love & Sunshine 2 U All,

Terri

"Fun With Soldering Again"

2012-01-08T12:12:00.001-05:00

Havin' Some Fun This Weekend With Soldering. Initially I Planned This Crown To Top Another Of My Santos Creations, But Ultimately (due to the large scale) Decided To Create A Cute (but somewhat primitive styled) Candle Holder.

Yes, The Vessel For The Intended Candle Is An Old Pickle Jar. How Fun Is It To Begin Working On Something And It Slowly Takes On The Form Of Something Else Altogether. Happy Mistakes, Right?

Have A Great Sunday Friends!

Terri

"Couldn't Sleep"

2012-01-07T04:12:00.001-05:00

It's 4 a.m. Here In Middle Georgia. I Haven't Been Sleeping Well Since My Mama Passed, So Tonight I Decided To Do Something Other Than Cry.

I Got Up And Painted. Yes, In My PJ's There I Stood In My Bare Feet In Front Of The Easel.

I'm A Lit'l Tired Now. Think I'll Give Sleep Another Try.

Have A Wonderful Weekend Everyone!

Sending Love & Sunshine 2 U All,

Terri

"A Day Of Remembrance"

2012-01-06T16:16:00.004-05:00

Still Working My Way Through Relocation. While Lifting And Sorting I'm Coming Across So Many Wonderful And Creative Things. One Of Which Is A Textural Portrait Painted By My Sweetest Friend In The Whole Wide World, "Kelly Berkey".

I'm Eventually Going To Have This Piece Framed, But For Now She'll Move "As Is" Into My New Studio. Primarily Because She Looks Fabulous Even Without A Frame! I Adore This Portrait ~ With All It Textural Qualities And Encourage Y'all To Explore More Of Kelly's Designs. She's Truly A Painter Extraordinaire And One Of The Kindest Spirits' You'll Ever Want To Know.

Friends, My Entire House Is Getting An Overhaul. My Canvas /Computer Room Is Next On List! The Clutter Has Bothered Me For Awhile Now..And Once I Sign Off On This Post, I'm Gettin' Busy.

Maybe I'll Be Able To Get Back To The Business Of Painting Soon. Sure Hope So.

Sending Much Love & Sunshine 2 U All,

Terri

P.S. Today When I Came Upon This Painting On Wood, It Gave Me Pause. I Really Favor Wood, And Have Decided To Concentrate On Using More Of It As A Substrate This Year.

"Hi Resolution - A New Year's Studio Meet And Greet"

2012-01-05T08:52:00.003-05:00

Woke Up This A.M. To Discover An Invitation To Attend This Wonderful Blog Hop...And Immediately Thought "Why Not?"

Last Year I Put Together A Short Introduction Page

In An Attempt To Welcome Newcomers Into My World. Click Onto The Highlighted Portion Above And You'll Hopefully Find Me.

Thank You Barbara For The Sweet Invitation. It Was An Absolute Pleasure Visiting All The Studio Sites Made Available This Morning.

Take A Moment To Experience The Joy Of The Following Artist's Studios:

Aaron Christensen - http://www.AaronChristensenArtLicensing.Blogspot.com

Beth Logan - http://artstuff.typepad.com

Brenda Pinnick - http://brendapinnick.typepad.com

J. Wecker-Frisch - http://joystudio.wordpress.com

Karen Embry - http://karenembrydesigns-artblog.blogspot.com

Paula Joerling - http://www.paulajoerling.com

Phyllis Dobbs - http://phyllisdobbs.info

Samantha Walker - http://www.samanthaleewalker.blogspot.com

Sharon Himes - http://chesapeakeartworks.com/sharonhimes/?p=353

Shelly Comiskey - http://shellycomiskeydesigns.blogspot.com

Sue Zipkin - http://suezipkin.typepad.com/blogging_with_dyslexia

Sending Much Love & Georgia Sunshine 2 U All,

Terri Smith

"Daunting But Necessary"

2012-01-04T18:35:00.001-05:00

During The Past Few Days I've Been Busy With The Daunting Task Of Packing Up My Mother's Belongings. Lovingly I Separated, Folded And Left Tear Stains On Beloved Possessions That Will Later Travel To Siblings And Friends.

I Cannot Begin To Express The Sorrow I Experienced While Completing This Last Bit Of Unfinished Business. I Remember Several Times During The Process ~ Stopping To Pray For The Strength To Continue.

It Was Always My Mother's Wish For Me That I Eventually Turn Her Room Into A Working Space For Myself, And As Much As It Seemed A Perfect Plan Upon Initial Discussion ~ It Was Terribly Difficult To Follow Through.

This Space Consists Of 850 Sq Feet And Once I'm Totally Moved In, I'll Definitely Have More Elbow Room. Still Have The Final Step Of Taking Mama's Bed Apart ~ I've Been Putting It Off Until The Very Last Moment. Friends, Please Pray For Me. I'm Trying So Hard To Recover. I Just Miss My Mama So Much.

Love2UAll,

Terri

"Consistently Awed But Winding Down After The Holidays"

2011-12-28T13:48:00.003-05:00

Hi Swwweeet Friends! I Pray Your Holiday Celebrations Were Everything You Dreamed They Would Be. As For Me..I Enjoyed Several Days Of Gift-Exchanging, Laughter And Love, And Not To Forget..FOOD. Lots And Lots Of FOOD.

My Husband Robert And I (along with our furry babies Sam & Samantha) Are Looking Forward To Bringing In A "Quiet" New Year's Eve!

Oh Yes While The Christmas Season Can Be Wonderfully Fun, Loud And Insistent, When All The Dishes Are Done I'm The Type That Needs To Find Little Moments Of Stillness And Beauty.

Please Know I'm Sending Each Of You A Big Southern Hug And Heartfelt Wishes For An Impassioned And Glorious New Year.

Love & Sunshine 2 U All!

Terri

"Soldering With Jason Crabb"

2011-12-14T15:40:00.003-05:00

Slowly Making My Way Back Into My Soldering Studio. Mercifully Jesus Sent Me Some New Music To Lift My Soul While Working. Country Gospel Is The Catagory I Feel "Jason Crabb" Falls Into. All I Know Is The Lyrics To His Song "Through The Fire" Were Somehow Waiting For Me.

"Whimsical Landscape"

2011-12-12T00:17:00.001-05:00

"Behind Picket Fences"

Trying To Make My Way Back To The Easel. In So Much As My Life Has Been Truly Complicated Of Late, I Decided To Choose Something Simple, But Pleasureable.

I've Always Loved Painting Lit'l Houses. This One Reminds Me Of Something You Might See In Key West. Mellow Colors With Plenty Of Sunshine.

This Piece Was Painted On Textured Canvas And Measures 30X30. Once It Dries I'm Thinking Of Placing It On The Wall Above My Bed. I Need Something Colorful And Cheery These Days And I'm Thinking This Just Might Bring Me Both.

"In The Arms Of The Angels"

2011-12-05T12:41:00.001-05:00

"So Unexpected"

2011-10-28T07:32:00.001-04:00

My Sweet Mama Is With Jesus Now. My Heart Has Never Known Such Sadness. I Will Miss Her All The Days Of My Life.

Brighter Days

2011-10-09T17:41:00.001-04:00

"Joyful Smiles At The Hospital With My Babysister, Raeanna"

Brighter Days Are Ahead! My Mama Was Released From ICU Last Night! She's Now Reportedly Making An Excellent Recovery ~ Given Her Age.

I Want To Extend My Heartfelt Appreciation To Each And Everyone Who Lifted Mama In Prayer During This Emotionally Stressful Time. Friends, I Sincerely Believe "Prayer" Is EVERYTHING GOOD And WONDERFUL That Brought My Mama Through It All!

I Love You All!

Terri

"Upside Down"

2011-10-01T14:09:00.000-04:00

Friends, Please Lift Prayers For My Mama. She Fell And Broke Her Hip This Past Tuesday. It's Been An Unusually Stressful Time For Our Family Here In Georgia, But I Wanted To Give An Update As To Why I've Been Absent.

"Taking Nothing For Granted"

2011-09-23T15:54:00.001-04:00

While Still Taking Nothing For Granted Within This Economy, I'm About To Ship A Package Containing "9" Oils On Canvas To "The Gallery Off Broadway".

The Above Pieces (as are the remaining balance) Are Some Of My Older Works. Compositions Created A Few Years Back. I Plan To Set My Price Points To Accomodate Both The Economy As Well As The Age Of The Piece.

Have A Wonderful Weekend Everybody! Sending Each Who May Have Visited, Hugs Of Love & Warm Georgia Sunshine!

Terri

"Annie Sloan Chalk Paint"

2011-09-02T20:40:00.006-04:00

Seems I'm Refinishing Everything I Can Get My Hands On Lately. Just Yesterday Began Work On My Breakfast Table. Crackling And Scrapping Some Portions, Laying In My Branch And Leaf Design On Another.

Y'all I've Discovered A Wonderful New Chalk Paint Created By "Annie Sloan". This Stuff Is Fabulous! Grabs Onto Anything And Your Furniture Piece Doesn't Even Have To Be Primed.

I Used Annie's "Old White" On The Surface And Followed It With Both Her "Clear And Dark Wax". If Any Of Y'all Have Any Furniture Pieces Needing Some TLC..Check Out Annie's Products ~ They'll Simply Amaze You!

Have A Glorious Weekend Everybody!

Love, Terri

**** I Ordered Annie's Paint & Supplies From:****

http://paint-shoppe.com/

"French Melodies Interlaced With Elbow Grease"

2011-08-28T16:45:00.003-04:00

Y'all, My Mama Always Told Her Children, "If You're Not Bleedin', Nothin's Broken Or Falling Off, Your Hands And Feet Best Be Movin'."

So When The Temp In Middle Georgia Rose To A Heavty 106 Degrees In The Shade Yesterday ~ I Decided To Stay In The A/C And Find Something Fun To Do.

My Sister Gave Me This Old Side Table Years Ago And I've Been Using It To Store Paint In My Studio. It Was In Pretty Rough Shape But After A Lit'l Elbow Grease, Paint & Stencilling. This Is What She Looks Like. Just Thought I'd Share.

Hope Everyone's Having A Fun & Enjoyable Weekend. Sending Y'all Some Love And Georgia Sunshine. And Hey ~ I'll Gladly Share Some Of Our HEAT Too. :))

Terri

"Vintage Assemblage" Artist Terri Smith

2011-08-26T17:53:00.001-04:00

Friends, I've Been Havin' Fun This Week Playin' Around With Assemblage. A Sweet Blogging Buddy, Diane Salter Has Truly Inspired Me With Her Beautiful Assemblage Pieces. And After Weeks Of Coveting Her Creative Genius, I Couldn't Help But Try My Hand With Some. Be Sure And Take A Peek At Diane's Blog To See Where I Drew My Inspiration. Thank You So Much Diane.

I Suppose My First Piece Is Small By Most Assemblage Comparision, But I Decided To Take It Slow Initially.

I've Enjoyed Collecting Vintage Odds And Ends For Years. This Southern Girl Loves Exploring Flea Markets, Yard & Estate Sales, Antique Malls, and Old Rural Farmhouses Before Demolition. Ironically, Whenever I'd See A Certain Something ~ I Never Could Put My Finger On Why "I'd Just Have To Have It". Now Maybe I Can Finally Use A Few Of My Lit'l Treasures.

Here's Wishing Each Of You A Glorious Upcoming Weekend! And Thanks To Anyone Who May Have Visited Today!

"Inexplicable Impulses"

2011-08-15T14:25:00.000-04:00

Dearest Friends ~ I Realize I've Been Absent For A Few Postings Now, And I Wanted To Update Y'all And Express How Much I've Been Missin' Everyone. Also Wanted To Take A Moment To Share A Lit'l Of What I've Been Up To.

A Few Weeks Past I Had This Inexplicable Impulse To Begin Work On A Large Scale 48X60 Canvas. I'm Almost Embarrassed To Tell Y'all That This Piece Has Truly Become An Obsession Of Sorts.

I Know In A Previous Post I Was Shouting How I Was Gearing Up To Begin Work On A Farmyard Series..And True To My Word I Have In Fact Moved Some Paint Around On A Few More Panels Within That Series..But Primarily I've Been Focusing On This Current Larger Piece.

In The Next Few Days I'll Be Posting Some Photos Of The Smaller Panels I've Completed And Try And Give A Peek At The New Large Scale Composition That's Preoccupied My Life So Seriously Of Late.

Sending Some Love To Each Of You Along With Hugs Of Warm Georgia Sunshine!

Terri

"Special Liberties"

2011-07-27T11:58:00.002-04:00

I Am Officially Calling It An Unhappy Day! Not That Anyone Put Me In Charge, But I'm Taking A Special Liberty, Okay.

Ya See..I Was Taking A Break From The Easel And Decided To Head To My Solder Station. Completed This Beautiful Treasure And Had Set It Aside To Begin Another (BIG MISTAKE!) When Suddenly I Hear This Humongous CRASH.

This Is The Result. :(((((( Unhappy! Unhappy Unhappy! Somebody Please Tell Me Everything Happens For A Reason.

Sending Y'all Some Love Today,

Terri

"Last One There" 5X5 Study Panel In Oil

2011-07-16T22:31:00.000-04:00

Completed Another 5X5 Panel Today And Thought I'd Share It With Y'all.

I've Entitled This One, "Last One There".

Y'all I've Had Such Fun With These Lit'l Roosters. I've Tried To Infuse Each With Their Own Unique Personalities. Some Prancing And Struttin'..Some Curious To See What's Happening In The Barnyard.

With Only Two Panels Remaining In This Series, I'm Contemplating What Animal I Want To Do Next. Maybe Cows? Maybe Sheep? I've Even Tossed Around A Goat. Guess I'll Just Have To Wait And See What My Muse Brings Me. :))

Sending Some Love To Anyone Who May Have Visited Today,

Terri

"Fresh Off The Easel"

2011-07-14T14:54:00.003-04:00

Just Put The Final Strokes On My Newest Panel. Another Colorful Rooster To Add To My Upcoming Farmyard Series.

Here They Are Side By Side. They're Only Study Pieces, But This Approach Will Help Me Decide Whether I Want To Carry Them To A Larger Canvas.

I Plan To Compose "5" Roosters Within This First Study Series. Once They're Dry I'll Frame Them Out In Beautiful "Black" Frames.

My Hope Is To Carry The Prettiest Ones To Larger "Gallery Wrapped" Canvases. Those Will Not Have To Be Framed.

Sending Love & A Big Squeeze Of Georgia Sunshine To Anyone Who May Have Visited Today!

Terri

"Wherever I Am, I'm Fine" written by "Catherine Royce"

2011-07-09T13:36:00.003-04:00

Friends, I'd Like To Share A Wonderful New Book I've Been Listening To This Week. "Wherever I Am, I'm Fine".

The Author, "Catherine Royce" Has Singlehandedly Given Me "Renewed Strength" And Insight On Living And Dying With Dignity.

God Continually Sends Me Lessons Learned By Others Who Deal With Their Own Difficult Circumstances. Showing Me Time And Time Again "We Have Choice" In Our Direction. "Choice In How We Choose To Navigate".

If Any Of You Need A Spiritual Lift Today ~ Find "Wherever I Am, I'm Fine". Read It. Learn From It. Share It With Your Friends And Family Because Catherine's Words Are A God~Given Gift.

Love2All,

Terri

"Blinged Out Farmhouse Door With Upholstered Panel"

2011-07-06T20:56:00.000-04:00

Today I Went Through My Fabric Remnants And Found A Piece Left Over From A Long-ago Sewing Project. After Measuring I Could Tell I'd Have Just Enough To Upholster Both Panels On The Lower Portion Of My Door.

I Dug Around In My Accessory Drawers And Found Six Crosses That I Plan to Position On The Center Panels On Either Side.

My Soldered Crystal Piece Is Positioned Inside The Top Panel, And I Only Have It Tacked In Temporarily Just To See How Well It Works.

Just Thought I'd Give Y'all A Peek At Today's Progress. I've Had Such A Harmonious Day Playing Dress-up With This Old Door.

Eventually This Piece Is Going To Serve As A Wonderful Backdrop Somewhere In My Family Room.

A Big Hug To Anyone Who May Have Visited Today!

Terri

"Progress On Farmhouse Doors"

2011-07-04T13:49:00.001-04:00

Happy Fourth To All My Sweet Friends! While My Husband Is Hard At Work Grilling Some Babybacks (my all-time favorite rib), I've Been Working On My Farmhouse Doors.

I Decided On A Beautiful Turquoise And Have Already Soldered Two Separate Crystal Pieces That I Plan To Center On The Top Panels. Haven't Fully Decided What I'll Do With The Lower Panels Yet..But I'm Sure I'll Come Up With Somethin'. :))

Hope Everyone Is Enjoying A Gorgeous Fourth! Sending Anyone Who May Have Visited Today, A Hug Of Some Of The Warm Georgia Sunshine I've Been Enjoying All Day!

Love 2 All,

Terri

"Resident Rooster" 5X5 Oil Study On Panel

2011-06-29T18:38:00.000-04:00

Y'all, I'm About To Do An Entire Series On Barnyard Animals. Everything From Colorful Roosters..Chicks..Cows..Sheep..And Anything Else That Has A Tendency To Float Around On The Farm.

Sending A Hug To Anyone Who May Have Visited Today!

Love, Terri

"Farmhouse Door"

2011-06-27T13:23:00.005-04:00

One Of The Best Things About Living In The South Is The Close Connection We Have To Farming (Past And Present). My Husband And I Particularly Enjoy Visiting The Older Rural Farmsteads, And On One Of Our Outings We Were Blessed To Find An Old Farmhouse That Was About To Be Torn Down.

Thankfully The Owner Allowed Us To Retrieve Anything We Were Willing To Haul Off That Day..And Robert And I Went To Work Removing Anything We Thought Had A Chance At A New Life.

A Once Solid Door Has Now Been Cut In Half (Courtesy Of My Husband) And Over The Weekend I Took An Electric Sander To The Surface And This Is Where I Stopped.

Just Wanted To Share The Results Of Our Efforts And Give Y'all A Peek At What I'm About To Start Working On. Hey..And If Anyone Has Any Suggestions On What Direction They See These Pieces Going In..Please Let Me Know. I'm Needing A Lit'l Inspiration.

Sending Love & Sunshine To Anyone Who May Have Visited Today,

Terri

"The Angels Are Above Us"

2011-06-23T12:43:00.001-04:00

I'm Having So Much Fun With This New Picasa Photoshop! Here's Two More Of My Recent Paintings. I Keep Them At Their Actual Size So Not To Misrepresent What They'd Actually Look Like Hanging On The Wall.

Okay ~ I Haven't Gotten A Thing Done This Week In The Studio. I Have However, Raided My Husband's Woodshop Again. Today I'm Prepping The Piece And Hopefully Will Have Something Pretty To Reveal Soon.

Sending Some Love & Georgia Sunshine To Anyone Who May Have Visited Today,

Terri

"A Room With A View"

2011-06-21T13:12:00.002-04:00

Hey Y'all ~ I've Recently Discovered "Picasa". A Free Download Photo Shop Offered By Google! This Morning I Collaged One Of My Paintings Into A Living Room Scenario Just To Show How My Work Would Look "In Place".

Hope Everyone's Having A Fabulous Tuesday! Sending A Hug Of Warm Georgia Sunshine To Anyone Who May Have Visited Today!

Terri

"In The Company Of Others" 10X40 Oil On Textured Board

2011-06-16T11:15:00.001-04:00

Earlier This Week I Plundered My Husband's Work Shop Again. What I Later Learned (When Confessing To Hubby That I Snagged Another One Of His Treasures) Was That This Was Actually The Top Portion Of An Old Cornice Window Box.

It Was Already In Pretty Good Shape, But I Prepped It By Leveling All Holes, Sanding And Applying A Layer Of Protective Coating Before I Set About Painting On The Surface.

I'm Nearly Finished With The Composition, But Thought Since I Hadn't Posted In A Few Days I'd Go Ahead And Share My Progress.

I've Truly Been Working On Trying To Improve The Quality Of My Subjects Of Late. Leaning More On Following My Own Heart When Drafting A Composition.

I Want To Paint Things I Love Most. I'm Walking In New Directions Lately And Somehow It Just Feels Right.

Thanks To Anyone Who May Have Visited Today. Here's Wishing Each Of You A Glorious Weekend! Sending All Big Hugs Of Love And Warm Georgia Sunshine,

Terri

"Vanilla" 12X7 Oil On Textured Board

2011-06-09T23:27:00.002-04:00

Friends I've Never Painted Horse Flesh In My Entire Life, But I've Been Feeling Sentimental..Maybe Even A Bit Melancholy Lately, And Decided To Draft Something From My Past.

Meet "Vanilla". A Sweet Mare That Once Belonged To My Cousin Jamie In Soperton, Georgia. When We Were Teens, I'd Get A Kick Out Spending Part Of My Summer Vacation With Her Deep In Farm Country. Jamie Taught Me To Ride And For Some Reason I've Had Those Special Times Pressin' On My Spirit Lately. So I Just Went With It.

Okay, Just So Y'all Know (Big Southern Grin)..I'm Fully Aware This Composition Won't Win Any Ribbons. But Sometimes It Just Feels Good To Play.

Sweet Vanilla And Time On My Uncle's Farm, Played An Important Role In My Life. When I Finish This Piece, I'll Probably End Up Propping It On My Bedside Table For Awhile. Just To Feel Close To Those Memories Again.

Thanks To Anyone Who May Have Visited Today. Have A Great Weekend Everybody!

Sending Hugs Of Some Of The Purest Georgia Sunshine Ever!

Terri

"Gather In His Name" 12X16 Oil On Textured Canvas

2011-05-26T22:12:00.002-04:00

The Song Remains The Same In My Studio This Week..Still Singing The Praises Of Jane DesRosier. Again I've Chosen To Utilize Her Amazing Textural Technique To Create This Newest 12X16 Composition.

As Much As I Adore Color, I've Chosen A Limited Palette With This Piece. I've Also Decided To Loosen Up A Bit And Give An Honest Glimpse Of My Personal Life Within The Structuring Of This Design.

This Composition Is A Reflection Of A Dream I Had Recently. The Circles Within Are Portholes (I Saw These Floating All Around Me) Leading To What I Believed Was "Heaven". The Doves Represent The Promise Of Comfort I Felt Directly From God Of Which He Continually Blesses Me With. The Two Trees Nestled Side By Side..One Lush And Green..The Other Barren And Dry. They Weren't In The Dream..But..

These Trees Are My Symbols Representing My Mama And Me. The Lushness Of Mine Indicating A Strong Memory With The Ability To Greet The Sky Each Day With Happiness. My Mama's Branches Dark And Less Fortunate..Indicate Sparse Memory Due To Alzheimer's.

I Dream Of Heaven Often These Days. A Place Of Such Mystery To Me. In The Dream That Encouraged This Composition, I Remember Trying To Peek Into The Portholes ~ Seeking God To Help Me Understand So Many Things.

I Know He Takes Care Of Me In Ways I Can't Even Comprehend ~ Yet I Have This Constant Ache To Understand More. Such A Strong Pull On My Spirit That It Even Follows Me Into Sleep.

It's Interesting That I Placed A Calm And Beautiful Woman Within This Painting To Represent The Woman I Try To Be. I'm Truly Quite Enamored With The Thought That We Can Actually Be Anything We Choose To Be. In Spite Of Everything..I Deliberately Choose Calm. I Choose Happiness.

Have A Great Weekend Everybody!

"Silent Partner" 18X18 Textured Oil On Canvas

2011-05-18T21:38:00.004-04:00

I've Been Compelled To Further Explore Jane DesRosier's Textural Technique. Last Week Completed A Small 12X12 And Felt Comfortable Enough To Move Up To A Larger 18X18 With This Newest Composition.

I'm Using The Same Identical Draft (Recipe)..Just Larger Perspective And Of Course A Different Angelic Subject. With Each Attempt Using This New Technique, I'm Learning What I "Can" And "Cannot Do" On This Substrate.

This New Surface Responds So Differently To Anything I've Ever Worked On Before. I'm So Intriqued With The Abilitiy To Scrape Into Its Upper Portions Allowing The Previously Applied Texture To Peek Through.

Y'all I'm Lovin' The "FOLK ART" Feel To This Process! And I'm Having The Time Of My Life Continuing To Experiment With It. Oh My..It's Getting Late Here In Middle Georgia..Need To Clean My Brushes And Go Night-Night. Hugs To Anyone Who May Have Dropped By.

"Sleeping Angel" "Sneak Peek Friday"

2011-05-13T14:00:00.002-04:00

Happy To See Blogger Up And Running Again! YAY! Now I Can Share My Newest Canvas With Y'all.

Y'all..I'm Currently Taking Jane DesRosier's Online Workshop And This Piece Is My Very First Using Her Fabulous Textural Technique! All I Can Say is "LOVE"!!!!!!

I've Forever Wanted To Paint An Angel, So I Took The Plunge And So Happy I Did. Jane's Textural Process Really Is Extraordinary! I Was Able To Do Things On This Substrate That I've Never Been Able To Do Before.

I Learned Traditional Approaches To The Canvas While In Training, And What I've Come To Realize Now Is That School Cannot Teach You Everything. Thank You Jane For Helping To Ignite The Fire In My Spirit Again! Next I'm Planning On Trying My Hand At A Larger Composition Using This Technique..We'll See What We See.

Have A Glorious Weekend Everyone! I'm Linking Up Today With Studio JRU. It's Always So Much Fun Visiting Other Studios In The Link-Mix At Jennifer's Place.

"Lessons In Duality" Sneak Peek Friday

2011-05-06T11:37:00.005-04:00

This Week I've Exercised My Hand On Both Large & Small Scale Canvases. Even Chose Different Subjects In The Process. Sometimes I Feel Pinned In When Sticking To One Subject For Too Long. Switching Gears Gives Me An Opportunity To Explore..Also Helps Me Remember The More Complicated Brush Strokes That Are Required With "Figurative" Pieces Versus What I Like To Call My "Fun & Relaxed Art".

See What I Mean? Even Though My Style Changes With Each Painting Process..I Feel I'm Capable Of Both. So Why Not "Enjoy" Both? Some Artists Choose To Stick With "One Singular Style" So Their Work Can Easily Be Recognized. I Suppose It's All A Matter Of What A Person Is Actually Striving For. Personally..I Strive To Fully Enjoy My Experience Behind The Brush. Anything Else That Follows Is A Gift..A Bonus..Icing On An Already Wonderful Experience.

These Days I'm Learning To Ignore The Critics..To Step Back And Examine Why Others Criticize To Begin With. The Way I See It..Even Great Artists Like Claude Monet..Georgia O'Keefe and Countless Others..Had Their Critics. It's Evident That Their Work, Their Talent and Their Legacies Survived It.

I'm Linking Today With Sweet Jennifer From Studio JRU. She's A Lovely Artist Whose Work Is Filled With Such Sweetness, Peace And Joy. Sending Love And Hugs Of Glorious Georgia Sunshine To Anyone Who May Have Popped By.

"Sweet Bess" 30X30 Oil & Collage Papers

2011-05-03T16:19:00.002-04:00

Gosh, I Had No Idea I've Been Away So Long. Friends, It's Just So Lovely Outdoors, These Days I've Been Playing In Flowers & Potting Soil..Digging Up DandeLions..Refreshing Old Patio Furniture With Soap & Paint..And Anything Else I Can Find In The Yard To Put My Hands On. Springtime Is Sure Beautiful, But With Its
Beauty Comes Some Serious Elbow Grease. I'm Just Sayin'.

Also Made Time To Play In The Studio Some. Working On A Cute 30X30 Sweet-Faced Cow. She's A Work In Progress But Thought I'd Give Y'all A Peek.

Why A Cow??? When I Asked My Mama What She Wanted For "Mother's Day"..She Replied, "A COW." Now Don't Ask Me Why She Wanted One..I Sincerely Don't Have A Clue!

I Don't Usually Work With Collage Papers And Such, But I Had Some Layin' Around And Thought I'd Give This Canvas A Lit'l Extra Somethin'. Hope Mama Likes It..I Swear It Looks Cuter In Person. :))

Sneak Peek Friday "Inner Stillness"

2011-04-21T10:40:00.008-04:00

"All Artists Whether They Know It Or Not, Create From A Place Of No-Mind, From Inner Stillness" ~ Eckhart Tolle

It's True..When I'm In A State Of Creativity..I'm Not Thinking. I'm Simply In The Flow. Moving Paint Around..Adding Some..Scraping Back..A Lit'l More Movement Here..A Lit'l Less There.

Began This New 30X40 Yesterday. I've Laid In What I Think Will Be My Colors. Never Really Sure How They'll All Play Together Until I Get Further Along.

I Think Because I've Recently Begun Reading About Van Gogh..His Style And Life Have Motivated Me. As I Was Putting My Composition Draft Together..I Thought To Myself If He Were Still Alive..What Would He Be Giving Us With His Art?

Hope Everyone Has A Lovely Easter! May God Bless Us All!

"Sunday Sunflowers"

2011-04-18T07:32:00.001-04:00

Yes Springtime Is In All Its Glory Here In Middle Georgia! Couldn't Resist Bringing Some Of It To The Easel. This Is A 10X10 Oil On Canvas. When Dry I Plan To Frame Her Out In A Beautiful Black Frame. Here's Wishing Everyone A Wonderful Week!

"Tribute To Van Gogh"

2011-04-16T10:03:00.001-04:00

For Christmas One Year My Cousin Gave Me A Book About "Van Gogh". I Collect Biographies On Artists And I Particularly Love This One. Van Gogh Seemed To Be A Troubled Man But I Fell In Love With His Story, And His Art. I Painted This 30X40 Canvas In His Honor..

"Springtime Celebrations"

2011-04-07T09:31:00.002-04:00

Another Celebration Of Springtime! I'm Having Such Fun With These. Decided To Create A Trio Of 10X10's All Within The Springtime Theme. Will Frame Each In Beautiful Black Frames Once They're Dry.

"Springtime In The Air"

2011-04-04T22:09:00.000-04:00

Hi Sweet Friends! This Canvas Is Fresh Off My Easel! It's Oil On A 10X10 Heavy Weight Canvas And Will Be Framed In A Beautiful Black Frame Once Dried. Y'all, With Springtime All Around Me, I Just Couldn't Resist.

Video Visit With Dimples + Dragonflies

2011-04-02T16:36:00.000-04:00

STUDIO VISIT WITH DIMPLES + DRAGONFLIES

2011-03-26T19:32:00.000-04:00

"Rainkissed Lullabies & Sweet Night Music"

2011-03-24T15:20:00.002-04:00

It's Rained A Bit Since My Last Posting. Middle Georgia Sure Needed It Too! It Helped Wash The Pollen Off Everything. But Guess What? It's Back Again! :)) Y'all, I'm Feeling So Much Better These Days..So Happy And Full Of Joy! Staying Up Late Enjoying Some Studio-Time And Some Sweet Tunes On My iPod. Get Some Of My Best Work Done While Everyone Else Is Sleeping. Also..I'm Finally Getting Around To Posting Some Of My New "Spring" Items Into My Etsy Shoppe. Some Of These Pieces Are As Sweet As Honey Pie!

I Hope To Post Here Again Tomorrow..Have Sure Missed Joining In With Sweet Jennifer's "Sneak Peek Friday". Until Then, Know That I'm Sending Love & Gratitude To Everyone Who Left Such Heartfelt Comments Following My Last Post. Friends, Y'all Moved Me To Tears With Your Loving-Acceptance And Lack Of Judgement..And I'm Feeling So Blessed To Have Each Of You In My World.

"Heaven Is For Real"

2011-03-19T16:07:00.002-04:00

Friends, I've Been Away Now For Nearly 3 Weeks. During Which Time I've Been Battling A Severe Bladder Infection. Normally I Wouldn't Speak Publicly Of Such Matters, But I Wanted To Explain My Absence.

My Dear Sweet Husband Has Taken Leave From Work So He Could Care For Both My Mama And Me. Truly,Without Him I Could Not Have Rebounded So Quickly.

While Being Laid~Up In Bed For What Now Seems Like Forever, I Mostly Slept, Drank Plenty Of Fluids, And Listened To Some New Books Downloaded Onto My iPod.

"Heaven Is For Real" Was One Of The Most Compelling "Real Life" Stories I Believe I've Ever Read. Friends, I Beg Anyone Reading This Post Today, Please Get Ahold Of This Story. Read It! I Promise You From The Bottom Of My Spirit That It Will Alter Your Life!

I'm On My "Fourth" Listen. Can You Believe It? And Each Time I Glean Something New And Interesting.

I Also Took A Listen To Glenn Beck's New Book. It Too Was Quite Sensational! I'm Sensing God May Have Laid Me Flat On My Back For A Time..To Get My Undivided Attention! To Bring Me Closer To Him In Ways I Very Much Want To Share With Y'all.

This Is My Maternal Grandmother, "Reeder Hill". For Some Of You Who Have Gotten To Know Me..You Already Know How Special She Was To Me. It Is In Her Honor And Name That I Sign Each Of My Paintings. And What I'm About To Share Is Absolutely True And I Feel So Very Blessed To Be Able To Tell Y'all About It.

One Day During The Course Of My Illness, My Grandmother Came To Visit Me. Yes, You Read Correctly. She Most Definitely Came To Me. During Her Life On Earth, She Lived On A Rural Dairy Farm In Pontotoc, Mississippi. During My Childhood, I Spent Most Every Summer With Her. For Three Glorious Months, Her Front Porch And The Surrounding Pastures, Were My Playground.

During This Recent Visit..I Again Felt My Feet Touching The Soft, Cool, Mississippi Soil. I Actually Felt It..It Was Completely Real! And No One But God Knew How Much I Loved Feeling This Soft Powder-Like Soil Rise Up Between My Toes. But There It Was..Wrapping The Same Love And Comfort I Had Felt As A Child Around Me Once Again.

My Visit Continued As I Was Led Into My Grandmother's House. I Actually Raced To Get Inside As I "Just Knew" She Was There Waiting For Me. I Hurried Past The Front Rooms And Found Myself In Her Bedroom. It Looked Identical Today As It Had All Those Years Ago.

I Saw Her Huge Four-Poster Bed That I Had Always Struggled To Get On Top Of. Then Suddenly Felt Myself Rise And Instantly I Was Sitting On The Edge Of Her Fluffy Mattress, Dangling My Legs And Feet Off The Side.

Words Cannot Express My Happiness In All That I Was Feeling At That Moment. Then I Noticed My Grandmother Sitting At The Phone Bench That Had Always Been Situated By The Doorway. She Looked So Much Younger And Had This Glorious Light Floating All Around Her. Even Though Her Appearance Was More Youthful, I Knew Instantly It Was Her.

I Immediately Thanked Her For Coming To See Me. "Oh Thank You Mammaw For Visiting Me!" I Said Over And Over. And She Only Smiled..But Said Nothing. And Oddly Enough (because my grandmother was well known for being a chatterbox)..She Only Said Three Things Our Entire Time Together.

At One Point..She Looked Straight Into My Soul, Never Moving Her Mouth But I Heard Her Words So Clearly. She Said, "Terri, The Angels Are Above Us."

I Looked Towards The Ceiling And All I Saw Were These Beautiful..Blue And White Rushing Clouds. I Told Her I Couldn't See Them. And She Said, "But They're There."

Then In What Seemed Like Seconds Afterwards..She Said, "I Have To Go Now."

I Slid Off The Side Of The Bed And Tried To Get To Her And Hug Her Before She Left..And For Some Reason I "Just Knew" I Wasn't Allowed To Touch Her. I Simply Thanked Her Again And Again For Coming To Visit Me..And Then I Was Awake Again. Feeling All That Internal Pain That All Human Beings With A Bladder Infection Feel.

Maybe It Was The Audio I Was Continually Listening To Of "Heaven Is For Real" Reaching Some Deep Part Of My Soul During This Time. Maybe It Was My Illness And Some Of The Medication I Was Taking. But Maybe..Just Maybe..It Was Real! Because It Felt Absolutely Real!

In The Retelling Of This Story, I Might Be Judged..I Might Be Rediculed. But At The End Of The Day, It Will Not Change What Is True For Me. That God Loved Me Enough To Allow Me This Overwhelmingly Powerful Experience. He Knows What We Need..When We Need It. I Love Him So Much..I Love You All!

"Behind Picket Fences"

2011-03-04T10:49:00.008-05:00

Life Is Always Happening! To You. To Me. To Everyone. Behind Our Picket Fences, I Feel Each Of Us Do The Best We Can. Seeing How "Life" Distracted Me From Enjoying Studio Time This Week, I Thought I'd Share A Wonderful ATLANTA Painter With Y'all.

His Name Is "James McLaughlin Way".

He's Currently Exhibiting At "Mason Muer Gallery". This Gallery Is One Of The Most Unique Art Spaces In Our Fair Capital. Many Of The Galleries In Atlanta Are Cramped And Really Difficult To Navagate Through. But "Mason Muer" Is HUGE. The Owners Took An Old Warehouse And Impressively Converted It Into A Place Where Canvases Can Actually BREATHE.

See..Now That's What I'm Talkin' Bout! The Only Things The Owners Added To This Enterior Was A Reception Desk And Display Walls. It's Truly Awe Inspiring When Compared To The Tight Quarters I'm Used To Visiting.

Here's Another Piece By The Talented James Way. His Canvases Are Gigantic! And When You First Walk Up On Them They're Rather Imposing..Like LARGER Than Life..But When You Take A Closer Look, His Use Of Glazing Forces Your Eye To Take In The Focal Without Missing A Beat.

Friends..Look At The Muscles On This Animal! Pictures Don't Do This Painting Justice. I Wish Y'all Could Experience The Mood This Composition Evokes In Person. The Depth Of The Thick Fog In The Background..The Brushstrokes. The Richness Of Detail In EVERY STROKE Is Phenomenal!

I Saved The Best For Last! This Monumental Piece Is Entitled, "The Bow". For One To Fully Appreciate Its Majesty..You'd Have To Stand Next To This Towering Canvas To Fully Absorb Its Overwhelming Beauty! I Swear Friends, It Can Make You Weep!

This Particular Piece Spoke To Me. I Have No Agenda Here Other Than To Connect Y'all To Some Of The Finest Work I've Experienced In Quite A While. I've Had Some Favorite Artists I've Long Held Allegiance To..But "James McLaughlin Way" Now Tops My List!

Have A Beautiful Weekend Everybody!

Love & Georgia Sunshine To All,

Terri

"Unexpected Curiositites" "Studio Sneak Peek Friday"

2011-02-25T09:30:00.008-05:00

Something New And Unexplainable! Working With Wood And Exploring The Multitude Of Finishes And Glazes Has Taken On A Life Of Its Own These Days. Do Y'all Recognize The Birch Panel I Painted A Few Postings Back? I Entitled It "Curiosities".

I Can't Say What Possessed Me, But I Decided To Permanently Attach It To The Top Of One Of My Wooden Boxes. I Couldn't Believe How Wonderful It Looked! I Then Created The Identical Finish On My Box As I Had For The Panel, And Everything Blended Together To Form Perfect Harmony! Something So Unexpected And Beautiful!

This Is A Side View. Just "Had" To Show A Closeup Of The Textural Qualities Of The Surface. I Have To Tell Y'all..Each Time I Lay In My Paint And Glazes, I'm Completely Astonished With The Outcome. Wood, Varnish And Glazes Have Certainly Become My Newest Passions!

Inside I Attached An Oval Embellishment That Reads: "DREAM". I Think The Staining Gives The Wood An Impression Of Cedar. But It's Only A Nice Illusion.

Just One Last Closeup Of That Gorgeous Finish! Working With Wood Has Shown Me Not To Put Perimeters On My Progress As A Painter. I'm Learning That Art Can Come Alive Within Any Activity Or On Any Surface. Bringing Deeper Joy Than Ever Imagined.

I'm Linking Today With My Sweet Friend Jennifer From Studio JRU. Each Friday It's So Much Fun To Visit The Other Studios To See What Glorious Creations My Creative Friends Have Brought The World This Week. Thanks So Much For Dropping By! Have A Beautiful Weekend Everybody!

"Keepsake Box Completed" ~ "Studio Sneak Peek Friday"

2011-02-18T10:46:00.008-05:00

Snapped This Photo Last Night Just Before Calling It A Day! Still Unsigned. Still Wet. And As You Can See, The Little Girl In The Center Has A New Frock. My Girls Always Tell Me What They Want. She Politely Told Me She Wasn't Happy With Her Previous Styled Dress, So I Changed It.

This Newest Piece Is Substantially Larger Than My Previous Effort. Easy To See Many More Pretties Finding A Home In This Newer One.

I've Been Contemplating Ways To Incorporate Some Of My Solder Pieces Into These Newest Designs. Like Maybe Attaching A Lovely Piece Like This One ~ Visible Just As You Lift The Lid.

That About Does It For Me This Week In The Studio. I'm Linking Today With Sweet Jennifer From Studio JRU. I'm Excited To See What Everyone Else Has Been Up To This Week. Hope You Love My Newest Creation Sweet Friends. I'll Be Introducing Them..Along With Some New Soldered Pieces "This Spring" In My Etsy Shop. Have A Wonderful Weekend Everybody!

"Fascination With Fuschia ~ Studio Sneak Peek Friday"

2011-02-11T09:02:00.011-05:00

Earlier This Week I Stumbled Across Some Way-Cute 6X8 Birch Panels..And Posted The Progress Made On A Few Of Them. Ya Know Friends..It's Ironic The Trajectory Having Raided My Husband's Woodshop Has Taken. I Now Have A New Curiosity With Wood. And Every Day I'm Learning New Techniques In Which To Manipulate Its Surface For My Painting Needs.

I Started This Newest Keepsake Box Yesterday. As You Can See I've Only Laid In My Composition And Have Only Begun Laying In My First Layers Of Color. Actually The Little Girl In The Center Is Still So Wet..She Was Almost Too Shiny To Photograph.

Still So Much Left To Do..But The MomentumWhich I've Been Experiencing With Wood Is Just One Of Those Magical Things That Happens. So Unexpected..But So Much Fun!

I'm Linking With "Sweet Jennifer's Friday Sneak Peek" Today And Want To Thank Anyone Who May Have Popped By! Have A Wonderful Weekend Everybody!

"Birch Panels & Much Needed Time At The Easel"

2011-02-08T22:28:00.001-05:00

So I'm At The New Blick Art Materials Store The Other Day When "Oh My Goodness" I Stumble Upon These Adorable Oval Birch Panels! Each Are A Mere 6X8, But Sensationally Strong And Are Even Cradled In The Back To Prevent Warping.

I've Given The First Three A Crackle Affect Across Their Surfaces. Knowing Each Will Offer It's Own Unique Flavor And Character To Whatever Composition I Place There.

This Is The First Completed Piece Entitled, "Curiosities". Today At The Easel..Surrounded By All My Delicious Oils And The Smell Of Turpentine..I Was Home Again. Precisely Where I Belong.

"Studio Sneak Peek Friday"

2011-02-04T10:46:00.002-05:00

Much To My Husband's Chagrin, I've Been Visiting His Woodshop Again! :)) Exploring Something New And Fun..I'm Experimenting With These Precious Wooden Boxes. All Are Different Sizes And Shapes, And It's Exciting To Try And Come Up With Compositions That Would Play Out Nicely On Their Surfaces.

First I Gave Them All A Good Cleaning, Painted And Stained Them Inside And Out. This Is The Inside Of The Larger One I've Been Working On This Week.

This Particular Box Isn't As Deep As The Smaller Ones. It's Longer And I Think It Would Be Perfect To House A Child's Bible Or Private Keepsakes. I'm Thinking Of Introducing These Pieces As "PRAYER BOXES" Because The Entire Time I've Been Working On Them, My Spirit Just Kept Returning To This Title.

They Would Also Function Nicely As A "Valentine's Box" To Hold All The Sweet Cards A Child Collects On That Special Day!

I'm So Happy Jennifer's Delightful Studio Sneak Peek Friday's Are Up And Running Again. Thank Anyone Who May Have Popped Over For A Visit Today! It's Fun To Celebrate Our Creative Processes..Our Accomplishments..And Best Of All, Ourselves.

Sending Love & Big Splashes Of Georgia Sunshine To Each Of You,

Terri

"Learning To Share"

2011-01-28T13:14:00.002-05:00

It's Always Been Difficult For Me To Open Up To People. Maybe It Was My Upbringing, Maybe Just The Way I Was Born To Be. But Today I'd Like To Try And Be Braver. Share Some Of My Humble Beginnings As An Artist With Y'all. The Above Photo Is Of Lorraine Shelko, A Beautiful Artist And Gallery Owner In Macon, Georgia. She Was God's First Instrument In Bringing My Work To The Public. Well, If Public Means A Small Southern Town With An Equally Small Population Like Macon, Georgia.

This Is Lorraine's Sweet Gallery. It Was There In 2008 That I Approached Her With Some Of My Canvases In Hand. Guess You Could Say In Small Towns Like Macon, Georgia ~ Gallery Protocol Is Much More Casual. Anyhoo Friends, Much To My Surprise She Liked What She Saw And Offered Representation Of My Work. And Let Me Tell You, Other Than The Day My Only Child Was Born, This Was The Most Exciting Day Of My Whole Life!

This Is The Entrance To Shelko Gallery. Lorraine Is Originally From New York And Truly Brought Some Of That City's Sophistication With Her When She Put Her Gallery Together. She Actually Took An Old 3-Bay Auto Repair Center Downtown, And Turned It Into A Gem! I Loved Her Style Then, And I Love It Still.

These Are Two Of My Paintings On Display In Front Of The Glassed-In Bay Windows. Friends, I'm Being Very Brave Here And Want Y'all To Know I'm Not Bragging, It's So Not In My Character. My True Nature Tells Me To Always Remain Humble Or God Will Do The Humbling For You! But I Want Y'all To Know These Paintings Sold In The First Week. When Lorraine Called To Tell Me..I Could Not Have Been More Stunned!

Just So I Didn't Get Too Big For My Britches, The Painting "Sweet Sixteen" (In The Red Frame Above Right) Didn't Find The Same Success! Nor Did The Painting "A Walk In The Rain" (Lower Left Corner). God Has A Way Of Keeping Me On Track With Reality. I Continued To Reep The Benefits Of Gallery Sales With Other Canvases Though, But I Truly Believe God Was Teaching Me Balance. Teaching Me To Appreciate What Is Given And Learning To Accept What Is Not.

This Is Inside The Gallery During The Grand Opening In 2007. I Didn't Know Lorraine During That Time, But I Thought It Would Be Nice To Show Some Of The Work She Put Into That Special Day.

I've Decided To Post Some Of These Photos In My Side Bar. Baby Steps Friends..Not Bragging Steps..Ya See I'm Really Trying. I'm Truly Learning To Share More With Y'all. A Beautiful Friend, Kelly Berkey Has Taught Me So Much About Putting Yourself Out There As An Artist. In Watching Her, I'm Learning To Be Courageous. Sending You Love Today Sweet Friend!

"Hopeful Expressions"

2011-01-24T19:22:00.003-05:00

My Husband Had These Sweet Little Boxes Stashed Away In His Workshop, So I Borrowed Them, Dusted Them Off And Played A Bit. They're Far From Finished..But I'm Having Fun Doing Something Different. Friends I'm Embracing A State Of Focused Relaxation Right Now. I'm Distancing Myself From The Easel..Using My Free Time Instead To Dream. Read. And Snack. Did I Actually Say That Outloud? :)) When I Return To My Oils, I'll Be Renewed And Rested. Just Wanted To Pop In To Say Hello And Let Y'all Know I've Been Thinking Of You.

Holding Tight To Wishes & Goals

2011-01-15T11:09:00.006-05:00

As An Artist During One Of Our Nation's Toughest Economic Slumps Since I've Been Walking The Planet...I've Been Thinking And Reevaluating. Primarily About My Initial Wishes And Goals, And How They've Had To Be Altered Or Dropped Altogether Since I Began Painting Full-Time in 2002.

"In The Garden" Was The First Canvas I Created That I Actually Couldn't Part With. I Was Taught Never To Get Attached To The Work. (A Nonsensical Rule If You Ask Me) But This One Was Special And Today She Hangs In My Family Room.

This Piece Hangs In My Mama's Room. She's The One Who Got Attached, Not Me. She Doesn't Remember Loving It. Asking Me To Hang It For Her. Or What The Signature "RHILL" Represents On The Face Of It And Every Canvas I Paint.

"R" Represents The First Letter Of My Grandmother's Name.."Reeder". The "HILL" Her Maiden Name. In An Effort To Honor The Memory Of One Of The Most Significant People In My Life, I've Dedicated Each Piece Of Art I've Ever Created To Her.

But I've Stepped Away A Bit From My True Reason Behind Writing Today. I Want To Share Something About My Original Wishes. My Original Goals As An Artist.

I Believe My Earliest Fears To Persue Art Full-Time Came From Two Things. A Basic Fear Of Commitment To The Unknown And A Fear Of Failure.

But Friends..What's The Alternative? Never Knowing What "Could" Have Been! See..I Still Believe. I May Still Be "Waiting For The Miracle" But I'm Still Charting New Plans Daily, And I'm Still Moving Forward.

By Staying True To My Original Goals, I've Accomplished Things As An Artist That I Never Thought Possible. I've Still Not Reached My Full Potential, And I Recognize This And Work To Bring Myself Closer With Each New Project.

First With Paint And Canvas. Second With Vintage Crystal And Solder. Next On My Dream List Is: "Mosaics". I've Signed Up For A Workshop Beginning In February And We'll See What We See.

Isn't This What We're Supposed To Do? Learn. Explore. Gain Satisfaction In Doing What We Love Most? Mine Just Happens To Be Art In Almost Every Form. What Is Yours? Whatever It May Be..Embrace The Wish. Maintain The Goal. If You Continue To Believe ~ There Will Be No Obstacle More Powerful Than The Glorious Feeling Of Satisfaction You'll Have In The End.

"Ice Storms And New Paint Samples"

2011-01-11T10:57:00.003-05:00

Goodness Gracious Alive! Were We Ever Stunned To Wake Up To This Yesterday Morning! All Schools, City & Government Facilities, Are Closed Until The Roads Thaw Out.

Middle Georgians Aren't Accustomed To Snow And Ice. Northern Georgia (Up Around Atlanta) It's More Commonplace. But I Can Tell You For Sure, Locals From Our Community Haven't A Clue On How To Drive In This Frozen Stuff!

So What Do We Do With Our Time In Winter Wonderland? Some Of Us Take To The Easel. I Received Some Free Paint Samples Recently And Felt It Was A Good Time To Give Them A Try.

Using A Draft Of A Previous Landscape I Had Painted A Few Years Back..I Played Some With My New Colors. Yep..I'm Definitely Liking This Newest Paint. Might Even Order Some Larger Tubes In The Days Ahead.

This Is The View From My Studio Windows! If This Keeps Up..Maybe I Can Build A Snowman!

"It Just Comes Naturally"

2011-01-08T16:42:00.000-05:00

Today A Friend Of A Friend Asked Me, "Terri, What's Your Creative Process?" And Y'all, I Actually Had To Stop For A Minute And Think (Almost Out Loud But Thought Better Of Moving My Lips)..But Seriously That's Like Asking Me How I Walk Or Breathe. I Truly Don't Think Much About It. It Just Comes Naturally.

My Process And What I Eventually Manage To Get On Canvas (or Soldered Using Glass), Is Probably Best Defined By My Own Set Of Curiosities And Values. I Suppose I Can Appreciate Someone's Interest In Where It All Begins. But The Only Immediate Answer I Know For Sure Is: COLOR.

Oh..And Maybe "LIGHT". But To Me..There Is No Color Without The Addition Of Light. And There Is Definitely No Creativity When Either One Are Absent. I Must Confess..I Love It When Light Bounces Back At Me When I'm Laying In Oil On A Canvas. All The Different Refractions Of Color And Rhythm. I'm Totally Engaged Within Those Moments. At My Optimal Height As A Human Being I Guess You Could Say.

Creating Is My Way Out Of Suffering. A Way Of Distancing Myself From Worrying About My Future Or My Past. I'll Tell Y'all A Little Secret. It's Remembering To Stay Focused On "The Present" That's The Real Trick! Creation (In Any Form Or Medium) Forces You To Be Completely THERE. There With The Flow Of All Things Peaceful And Beautiful.

"A New Chapter"

2011-01-05T20:16:00.001-05:00

Friends, It's A Fragile Thread That Has Always Sutured My New Year's Resolutions Together. In Truth, Only The Important Things Have I Ever Brought To Fruition Anyway.

So This Year I Decided To Keep It Real Simple. Only Two Goals Made It To My 2011 List. One Of Which I Will Share With You Now. Friends, I Want To Do Better..I Want To Be Better At Who I Am Meant To Be. I Want To Fulfill God's Promise Of The Miracle Gift I Call My Life.

These Days I'm So Mindful Of My Blessings. That My Life Down Here On Earth Is An Absolute Priviledge. A Miraculously Splendored Thing.

2011 Is A Beautiful New Chapter For Me. For Us All. We Are All So Fortunate To Share In The Journey.

The "Quiet" Following The Holidays

2010-12-30T12:28:00.002-05:00

Yesterday At Home Whilst Enjoying The "QUIET" Following The Holidays (sorry sweet family) ~ The First Hint Of The New Year Stopped Me In My Tracks! A Local TV Commerical Was Advertising All The Celebrations To Take Place Throughout Our Community On New Year's Eve...And My Heart Almost Leaped Out Of My Chest!

Dear Friends..My Age Is Definitely Catching Up With Me Because All I Want To Do Is Catch My Breath..Oh And Maybe SLEEP.

Hey, Do Y'all Remember That Chest I Posted Awhile Back That My Hubby Found Curbside A Few Weeks Past? I've Included Some "Before Views" To Jog Your Memories. Anyhoo..Right Before I Got Super Busy With Visiting Relatives, I Finally Finished Giving It A Facelift.

Not Too Shabby For A Freebie And It Will Serve Me Well Housing All My Soldering Supplies That Previously Had No Home.

Oh..And I Also Included A Little Project I've Been Playing Around With In My Photo Collage. Look On The Last Row In The Center. I've Had Some Old Fencing Stacked In My Garage Forever and I Suddenly Had An Idea On What I Could Use It For.

The Aged And Worn Surface Of The Wood Sure Added Some Texture To My Sweet Faced Bull.

Okay..That About Does It For Me Today. I Hope Everyone's Christmas Was Everything Y'all Hoped It To Be ~ And That The Coming New Year Is Especially Beautiful For Each And Everyone!

I Can Only Imagine

2010-12-14T14:47:00.002-05:00

As An Artist And A Very Visually-Minded Person, I've Tried Many Times To Imagine What Jesus Looks Like. Once or Twice I've Even Considered Trying To Paint Him On Canvas But Thought Better Of It. I've Seen So Many Movies And Photographs Of How Others' See Him. But The Images Above Are Probably Closest To How My Heart Visualizes Him. All I Know "For Sure" Is That I Love Him And Just As He Will Know Precisely Who I Am When I Get To Meet Him..I Too Will Surely Know "Him".

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "Studio Sneak Peek Friday"

2010-12-10T11:11:00.002-05:00

This Was My

"First Time Ever" Participating Within An Artistic Exchange. But When Sweet Jennifer From Studio JRU Came Up With The Creative Idea For A "Christmas Ornament Exchange", I Immediately Got Excited!

My Sincerest Appreciation To Each Of The SWEET CREATIVE WOMEN Who Sent Me One Of Their "Gorgeous Creations". I Will Forever Cherish The Beauty, Time And Thought Put Behind Each And Every one!

My Household Is In Full "Holiday Mode" Here In Bonaire. It's Terrific In Many Respects But I'm Sooo Longing To Return To My Daily Routine. My Heart Misses My Easel. It Misses Soldering. It Misses My Blogging Buddies Too.

I'm Sending Each And Every One OF YOU A Tight Holiday Hug ~ Along With Wishes For A Wonderful New Year Ahead! I Love You All!

Terri

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "Resurfacing"

2010-12-06T10:43:00.001-05:00

Dearest Friends..Please Forgive My Absence. I'll Be Resurfacing Slowly Over The Next Few Weeks. So Many Responsibilities During This Busy Season. Not Enough Hours In The Day To Fulfill Everything On My Constantly Growing List.

I'm Desperately Missing My Visits With Y'all..So Please Don't Forget Me. :))

Sending Each Of You Hugs Of Christmas Love & SunShine,

Terri

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "In The Studio Sneak Peek Friday"

2010-11-19T10:53:00.002-05:00

Yay! I'm Back At The Easel This Week After A Long Bout With A Sinus~Infection. I Want To Thank The Sweet Friends Who Dropped By During My Absence! Meant A Lot!

I'm Excited To Share My Newest 10X20 Piece That I'm Including Within My "Faith, Hope and Charity" Series.

Actually I Still Have Some Finishing Touches That Remain, But I'm Posting Anyway Because I Missed Participating Last Friday.

The Three Chairs Are My Reference To "The Three Charities" In Greek Mythology. Ideally They Symbolize Charm, Beauty and Joy. I Chose The Additions Of Faith, Love, Hope and Charity Because I Feel They All Fall Dependent On One Another.

That About Does It For Me This Week. Thanks To Anyone Who May Have Visited Today..And If You'd Like To Visit Other Studios In Sweet Jennifer's Lineup, Just Follow The Link And ENJOY!

Have A Glorious Weekend Everybody!

Post Script: I Just Want To Give A Shout Out To A Lovely Artist, "Myra Anderson" Who Just This Week Posted Some Of My Previous Work On Her Blog: "The Art Of The Dance Is Like Chocolate"

Thank You Sweet Myra! Sending Hugs Of Gratitude Your Way! Friends Please Take A Look At Myra's Work..She's A Phenominal Artist!

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "Fragile Days"

2010-11-16T10:28:00.000-05:00

Friends..I've been Under-The-Weather. But following a trip to the doctor and some powerful antibiotics..I'm on the mend.

Just wanted to say Hi and let anyone who cares, know why I've been away.

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: SIDEWALK PROPHETS "You Can Have Me" Studio Recording

2010-11-11T12:36:00.002-05:00

Friends..it takes a minute before this video actually begins..But when it does..the Lyrics Will Pull You In Completely!

If you've never heard anything by "Sidewalk Prophets" Please Take A Listen.

I sincerely belief it will be the finest gift you'll give yourself today!

The Impressionist: LONG TRAILER

2010-11-09T15:54:00.001-05:00

Y'all..this is one of the BEST MOVIES you will ever see if you're interested in the unfolding lives of the early Impressionists. It is definitely a "must see".

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "MOVIE NIGHT"

2010-11-09T15:35:00.003-05:00

Tonight's Movie Night here in Bonaire. "Grown Ups" is supposed to be a cute comedy and to me it's perfect Movie Weather. Nothing better than cuddling up with my sweet hubby and sharing a few laughs along with a bowl of some homemade soup. As y'all can see..I live such an exciting life. :))

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "GIVEAWAY"

2010-11-07T22:10:00.000-05:00

Sweet Diana at: http://www.lagoadesigns.com/

is having a Gorgeous Giveaway Celebration.

This Beautiful Vintage Inspired Charm Necklace Could Be Yours! Simply Follow The Link Back To: LAGOA DESIGNS and check out Diana's simple requests to enter.

Good Luck Everyone!

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "Pursuits Of Happiness"

2010-11-07T15:26:00.005-05:00

I was reminded this morning of "new beginnings". The reverberating stir of crisp autumn leaves outside my bedroom window. The delightfulness and full-heart I've felt since being back at the easel for the past two weeks.

This is a time of "certainty" for me. I've been simplifying my world of late, freeing up time for myself. Time for my art. Time with no exceptions. No compromises.

I've concluded that sometimes it's important to be responsible to yourself. To lift yourself off the bystander-bench. To care about the “you” that so few really get to see. The “you” that is allowed freedom only on rare occasions. The “you” that only God knows most intimately.

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "In The Studio Sneak Peek Friday"

2010-11-05T11:56:00.002-04:00

Joy. Love. Faith & Hope. These are reoccurring themes in the newest series I've been working on.

The Second Of which I worked on throughout this week..all the while compulsively listening to "Wolf Hall," a historical novel about the court of Henry VIII. I was literally addicted to the "Tudors" while the series played each week on Showtime. Ended up buying the entire DVD sets so I could enjoy them again and again.

Thomas Cromwell is perhaps my favorite character..to me he was far more sympathetic than Thomas More. In the "Tudors" Cromwell was incredibly honest..and I'm thinking the King could always count on this trait when calling upon Cromwell for sound advice.

Not much else is happening..plan to begin drafting my last canvas in this series today. I'm heading over to http://www.studiojru.com/ to see what's happening in other studios. Here's Wishing Each Who May Have Visited Today..A Wonderful Weekend!

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "Kitchen Peculiarities"

2010-11-04T11:20:00.002-04:00

I've been enjoying some time in the kitchen lately. I lost my feel for cooking over the summer, the Georgia Heat was just too hot to think about being near the stove. But lately with the arrival of cooler weather, I'm finding my groove again.

My favorite cookbooks right now are Nigella Lawson's "Feast" and a Williams-Sonoma book on Braises and Stews. And I also keep a few of the passed-down Mississippi Recipes from my Grandmother at the ready. Nothing like my Mammaw's Magic "Lemon Pie" when I need a good walk down memory lane.

Anyhoo..last night I made a recipe out of Nigella's book for Roast Chicken. UNBELIEVABLY DEVINE!  I need to tell y'all if you add some cut-up Onions and Sweet Potatoes to the cooking pan..well..it may not be Mammaw's Magic, but darn near close.

Kim Hill - You Alone

2010-11-02T17:57:00.000-04:00

Best Motivational video ever

2010-11-02T10:28:00.001-04:00

This video (although a lit'l blurry) Made Me Ashamed That I Recently Whined. Please take a quick peek at the message enclosed within..Nick Vujicic is a pheonomenal human being!

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "A B C ~ 1 2 3"

2010-10-24T11:57:00.000-04:00

Hope Everyone's Having A Glorious Weekend. I've Been Playing At The Easel For Most Of Mine.

This Canvas Is 10X20 And I'm Not Precisely Sure Where It's Going, I Only Know I'm Having Fun With It.

Guess I'm Surrendering To My Deepening Love Towards Children Themed Work. After all..Children Symbolize All That Is Good In The World. They Truly Are A Reminder Of Our Greatest Hope For A Bright Future..And I Simply Adore Painting Anything To Do With Their Daily Lives.

Love & Sunshine To Anyone Who May Have Visited Today!

Terri

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "In The Studio Sneak Peek Friday"

2010-10-22T11:49:00.001-04:00

This Week I'm Trying To Get My Sea Legs Back. Haven't been At The Easel For More Days Than I'd Like To Remember.

For Awhile There Soldering Managed To Keep Me Happy. And I Still Plan To Create My Glasswork..

But I'm Overjoyed Right Now That Fall Is In The Air. It's Truly My Power Painting Season!

Low Humidity Rates..I Can Run My Lighting On High Without Sweating In My Shoes. And I Can Keep The Windows Wide Open For Healthy Ventilation. :))

Anyhoo. I'm Enjoying Being Back With My First Love..But Thought It Best To Begin with Something Simple So I Chose An Animal Theme. "Lambs".

This Week I Prepared Three Separate Studies Of What I hope Will Evolve Into One Singular Canvas in the end.

That's about It For This Week's Studio Peek. I'm Heading Over To Check Out Other Participants At Sweet Jennifer's.

Have A Fantastic Weekend Everyone!

Terri

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "Back At The Easel"

2010-10-21T10:44:00.000-04:00

Yes, It's Been Quiet Here At Dimples & Dragonflies. Autumn Is My Most Productive Season At The Easel, And This Week I've Been Back Trying To Redefine My Stroke.

Ironically, It Seems When I'm Away From My Oils For Any Extended Period Of Time..My Brush-Hand Has To Reintroduce Itself To The World Of Paint And Rhythm.

Ahh ~ Being Back Where I Truly Belong..Well All I Can Say Is Life Right Now Doesn't Get Much Better!

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "Heartfelt Appreciation"

2010-10-16T15:21:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I Received The Most Gracious Gift From One Of The Most Gracious Women I've Come To Know In Blogland.

Kelly Berkey From http://kellyberkeydesigns.etsy.com/ Has Not Only Honored Me With Her Friendship..She Now Has Honored Me With A Piece Of Her Gorgeous Jewelry.

Some Of You Might Already Know Sweet Kelly From Her Recent "Stretch To Sketch Challenge" Currently Going On HER BLOG.

But Friends, I Want To Tell You Something You May Not Already Know..Kelly Has The Kindest..Purest Heart Of Anyone I've Come To Know In Quite Some Time. And I'm Truly Humbled By The Inscription She Created For This Particular Design.

Kelly Sees With A Spiritual Eye. She Wholly Sees The Person..The Artist..The Soul Within. And I Personally Will Hold This Gift Close To My Spirit For The Rest Of My Days.

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "In The Studio Sneak Peek Friday"

2010-10-15T11:21:00.003-04:00

This Week I've Been Experiencing A Renewed Energy At My Solder Bench.

And I Must Confess, Out Of The Five Projects I Managed To Complete..The "Hope" Bottle Turned Out To Be My Favorite.

And I'm Excited To Report That The Vintage Bottle Above "Sold" In My ETSY Shop This Week. Bye Bye Sweet One. Enjoy Your New Home Up North.

I'm Also Thrilled To Report That I'm Heading To The Easel Today. With The Return Of Autumn Comes "Low Humidity Rates" And It's The Time Of Year I Get Most Of My Oils Done.

But For Now..I'm Off To Visit All The Other Participants At Sweet Jennifer's Place. Thanks To Anyone Who May Have Dropped By, And Here's Wishing Each Of You A Happy And Productive Weekend!

Terri

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "Sumptuous Ruby Red"

2010-10-14T16:39:00.003-04:00

Pink Clouds Of First Morning Light.

Warm Stalls Filled With Golden Hay.

Tiny Hooves Pouncing On Dirt Paths.

Heart Shaped Noses.

Soft Wool Tummies.

I read this somewhere today..and it spoke to me so deeply till I just wanted to share it. The Combination Of Everything Listed Reminded Me Of My Uncle's Farm in Mississippi. Maybe it will Remind You of Someplace Special too.

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "Hope In A Bottle"

2010-10-12T22:20:00.002-04:00

"In the time of your life, live-so that in that good time there shall be no ugliness or death for yourself or for any life your life touches. Seek goodness everywhere, and when it is found, bring it out of its hiding-place and let it be free and unashamed. Place in matter and in flesh the least of the values, for these are the things that hold death and must pass away. Discover in all things that which shines and is beyond corruption. Encourage virtue in whatever heart it may have been driven into secrecy and sorrow by the shame and terror of the world. Ignore the obvious, for it is unworthy of the clear eye and the kindly heart. Be the inferior of no man, nor of any man be the superior. Remember that every man is a variation of yourself. No man's guilt is not yours, nor is any man's innocence a thing apart. Despise evil and ungodliness, but not men of ungodliness or evil. These, understand. Have no shame in being kindly and gentle, but if the time comes in the time of your life to kill, kill and have no regret. In the time of your life, live-so that in that wondrous time you shall not add to the misery and sorrow of the world, but shall smile to the infinite delight and mystery of it."

— William Saroyan c. 1939

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "Teal & Earthtones On Crystal"

2010-10-11T13:15:00.000-04:00

Hope Everyone's Having A Happy Columbus Day! Just Popping In To Share One Of My Newest Solder Designs. I've Taken A Beautiful Teal & Earthtoned Abalone Shell And Lined It With Gorgeous Austrian Crystals Along Either Side...All Of Which Sits Proudly Atop A Flawless Waterford Candlestick.

Enjoy The Holiday..I'm Headed Back To My Solder Bench :))

Sentiments Of A Southern Artist: "In The Studio Sneak Peek Friday"

2010-10-08T13:56:00.003-04:00

It's Friday and since I haven't been sitting on my hands this week (unlike last Friday), thought I'd participate in Sweet Jennifer's Link Up.

Have to Say I'm Really Loving These Newest Pieces. With these Designs I've chosen to use some of my all-time favorite Vintage Bottles..those Reserved for Special Projects. Have Actually Fallen In Love with the Center Design. Think I'll Be Keeping This One. The Deep Ruby Bottle Goes Perfectly with My Home's Interior Colors. :))

Good Grief..look at the MESS going on in my work space! Saturday is my Regularly Scheduled Cleaning Day, but right now I think once I wrap this post up..I'm heading in early!

Have a GREAT WEEKEND EVERYBODY!