fun-filled february

February may be the shortest month of the year, but it has turned out to be a very busy month for me! Here's a quick recap:

Last weekend, I was a part of the first-ever FebFest group art show in Freeport! I haven't shown my work in Freeport much, so I was happy to have the opportunity to do so. Traffic was a bit slow (it was cold out there!), but I'm glad I participated. I was able to sell some magnets, I was able to meet some new artists, and I was able to reconnect with some other artists who I don't see very often. Not bad at all!

my FebFest display!

Back in January, I was asked to re-design the logo for Curtis Creative Spaces, the online gallery that is run by Curtis Memorial Library! I don't want to give away too much just yet, but I can safely say that I have been hard at work, and I am hoping to have my painting finished by the end of next week! Fingers crossed...

Another "fingers crossed" event: I just sent in my entry form to have a painting considered for the Curtis Memorial Library's "Ekphrastic Poetry Cafe"! I love this idea: "Ekphrastic poetry is a poem inspired by a work of art. The writer interprets a work of visual art and then creates a narrative in verse form that represents his or her reaction to that painting, photograph, sculpture or other artistic creation." How fun is that? I hope I get in!

About a week and a half ago, I got a call from Robin at Mister Bagel in Brunswick: I sold an "El Camino" print! I've sold a few prints of "That Heavenly Coffee" through Mister Bagel, but this was the first one of the "El Camino" prints to sell there, so I was very excited. Later that same day, I received an email from a gentleman asking me how he could get his own "El Camino" print. Sure enough, he had seen my work at Mister Bagel! We met the other day, and not only did he buy a print, he may have some commission work for me...we'll see what happens there! Can I use "fingers crossed" three times in a row? I think I just did. 

Lastly, I have been having a lot of fun on Instagram this month. I've been participating in the "#dangerdiarychallenge," which is a month long, photo-a-day project I wrote about in my previous blog post. If you've been following along, thank you! If you'd like to see what you've been missing, then please follow me on Instagram! 

Thanks for reading this! I hope you've been having a fun-filled February, too! 

blog-spiration

Inspiration comes in many forms. Sometimes, it can even come in the form of a blog post (or two)! I've recently been inspired by a couple of blog posts by Veronica Varlow, and I thought I would share them with you here. To be honest, I've been inspired by a lot of Veronica's blog posts- I am a fan of her writing and her approach to life- but for the purposes of this particular post, I'll limit myself to discussing these two. I have a feeling you will likely add her Danger Diary to your "regular reading" list! Is "blog-spiration" a word? Hmm...

The first one has to do with how you start your day (http://dangerdame.com/2014/12/15/2-things-you-need-to-know-to-change-the-entire-course-of-your-day/). Yes, it's true: I love my iPhone, and for a long time, I had a major habit of starting my day by lounging in bed, playing around on my phone (Facebook, email, etc). I say "had" because I was able to break this habit, thanks to the "no electronics for the first 20 minutes of your day" challenge posed in this blog post. Now, I begin my day by writing in a dream journal, followed by heading upstairs to my studio to paint. Isn't that so much better? I've even been making the effort to get up a little bit earlier just so I can be sure to get in some early-morning studio time if I have another morning commitment. This is major, because anyone who knows me knows that I am not a morning person. I've been spending at least 30 minutes in my studio every day that I'm home for several years now, but this early-morning time slot not only allows me to start my day off right, it makes me want to try to get into my studio more than once per day. So, if this helped me, maybe it can help you, too!

The second one is the "#dangerdiarychallenge" ( http://dangerdame.com/2015/01/29/the-28-day-danger-diary-instagram-photo-challenge/). This is a photo-a-day assignment on Instagram, and it has been so much fun to participate in! Each day has a theme (a view from a window, a favorite thing in your room, etc.) and the basic premise of the challenge is something I love to explore in my art: the beauty that's all around us, finding the divine in the ordinary, and celebrating how you see/feel/experience your world. Curious? Here's a link to my Instagram page: http://instagram.com/brushstrokesbymaria/!

So, now I'll ask you: are there any blogs that inspire you? Has anyone "challenged" you to begin a new and positive habit that has made your life better? I'd love to hear about it!

have art, will travel

Birthdays...we all have them, right? Well, today happens to be my birthday, and every year for my birthday, I do a cake painting. I've been doing this for the last several years, and I enjoy painting cakes (or cupcakes) so much, I sometimes paint them when it's not my birthday. It's true: I'm technically an adult, and adults aren't supposed to like their birthdays, but I love my birthday, and I see it as an excuse to celebrate. Cake paintings let me do that all year round. It's safe to say that I enjoy painting cakes more than I enjoy eating cakes. It's all of the fun with none of the calories. 

This past June, the very fabulous Keith Spiro bought my painting, "Say Yes To Your Birthday". 

So long...

In case you missed the story the first time around, Keith and his lovely wife, Adrienne, decided to start a new family tradition: whoever has a birthday that month gets to hang out with "Say Yes To Your Birthday" and have it in their home as part of their celebration. Well, Keith was kind enough to share some photos of "Say Yes To Your Birthday" and its travels! Take a peek: 

On the Downeaster! 

Welcome to the world!  

You CAN have your cake and eat it, too! 

How fun is that? As you can imagine, I am extremely honored and quite tickled by all of this. It's exciting for me when people feel a connection to my work, but to know that one of my paintings is helping to make family memories just knocks me out. Thank you, Keith, Adrienne, and the whole Spiro family, for the privilege. Happy birthday to all! 

a little bit of joy

Is it too late to say "Happy New Year"? I don't think so, especially since this is my first blog post of 2015...but even if it is too late, who cares? Happy New Year to you, dear reader! 

Anyway, winter is always a quiet time, but that doesn't mean there aren't still wonderful art shows going on! I still have my solo show of paintings at Mister Bagel in Brunswick, and the seventh annual "Joy Of Art" juried show is now happening at the Crooker Gallery, Topsham Public Library! This show runs from Tuesday, January 13th through Saturday, February 14th, and if you are local, please stop in and take a peek! There is a lot of really nice work in this show, and the folks at the Topsham Public Library are friendly and welcoming. 

dropping off! 

This is my fourth time participating in this show, and despite the fact that the "Joy of Art" always happens when it's cold outside, year after year, the opening reception is consistently well-attended. This past Saturday was no exception, and I had a fun time chatting with other artists and several library volunteers, especially photographer extraordinaire and all-around nice guy, Keith Spiro, who will be the subject of my next blog post...stay tuned! 

Me at the opening! 

thank you, sir...may I have another?

It's New Year's Eve, and the natural thing to do today is to reflect on the year we'll be ushering out in a few hours and to set intentions for the year we'll be welcoming in at midnight. I don't know about you, but 2014 has been very, very good to me. I've been blessed with good health, lots of love, great friends, and a wonderful family. My art was on display somewhere every month, making this the fifth year in a row I've reached that goal. I joined Curtis Creative Spaces and donated a tiny painting to a raffle supporting Curtis Memorial Library; I also donated a tiny painting to the Portland Public Schools Multilingual & Multicultural Center's "Rock Around The World" event. I painted a chair for the UU Church of Brunswick's "Chair-ity" Auction benefitting The Oasis Clinic and MidCoast Hunger Prevention. I painted faces at the "Scoop-A-Thon" for People Plus and the Brunswick Teen Center. I facilitated a painting workshop at Maine Behavioral Healthcare, and I designed a tattoo based on my "Weathervane, Bowdoin College" painting for Matt Dyer, who survived a polar bear attack. My work made the paper three times (The Cryer, The Coastal Journal, and Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram). The Coastal Youth Orchestra used "Retro Tree" as the cover for their winter concert program, and "Polar Bear, Bowdoin College" was on the Brunswick Second Friday Art Walk poster in July. I've sold a bunch of magnets, several prints, a handful of holiday note cards, some ornaments, a few mixed media pieces, and eleven paintings! Hey, just like Spinal Tap: I can say 2014 went up to eleven!

I am so, so grateful for everyone who has been supportive of me this year. Thank you for buying my work (no matter what form it's taken), thank you for coming to my shows, thank you for giving me kind words of support and encouragement, thank you for believing in me. It is an honor and a privilege, and I hold you in my heart every single day. I am grateful for the many blessings I've received, and I'm grateful for the many blessings that are on their way. Thank you, 2014. You kicked ass. Welcome, 2015...let's make things awesome.

celebrate the season of giving

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who came to (and participated in!) the Holiday Open House! I had a BLAST. It was wonderful to have a chance to connect with other artists and to be a part of a show in such a beautiful and relaxed atmosphere. HUGE amounts of gratitude go out to our gracious and generous hosts, Mark and Louanne Schoninger. Their hospitality and warmth was second to none. The lineup of artists was very well-balanced and thoughtfully laid-out. Just to name a few of us (and our wares!): I had paintings, mixed media, magnets, prints, and cards; Christine DeTroy had her pillows and different fabric creations; Heather Atwood had silver, copper, and bronze jewelry and ornaments; Susan Perrine had her looms and different wood and woven items; Emily Marquis had burned and painted wooden creations; and Dorette Amell had drawings, prints, and mixed media. Of course, the belle of the ball was Jennifer Moscone of Interactive Tarot! Jen barely had any downtime...she stayed late both days and made quite an impression on everyone who got a reading from her! She had a private room upstairs, so everyone who treated themselves to a reading was able to do so away from the hustle and bustle of shoppers and merry-makers! 

Interactive Tarot has gift certificates, too! 

Besides being a fun and different type of show, the Holiday Open House was well-attended, and the people who came were there for a purpose: to shop and engage with the artists! I am so grateful to have been a part of this event. Not only did I sell a bunch of magnets, some ornaments, and a few cards, I sold a painting, too! Yes, "Divine Eagle Friend" has gone to a very good home where I know it will be loved and appreciated. A special someone will be unwrapping "Divine Eagle Friend" on Christmas...how exciting is that?

"Divine Eagle Friend": SOLD!

Another wonderful way to celebrate the holiday season is with music, and I was rather tickled to have been approached by Cicy Po to use my artwork on the cover of the Coastal Youth Orchestra's Winter Concert program! Every year, they use a local artist's work, and this time, Cicy reached out to me. Interesting sidebar: Cicy and I went to high school on Long Island together, and both somehow ended up in the Brunswick area. Funny, right? Anyway, I figured "Retro Tree" would be a good fit, so I said yes to the opportunity. I was even able to make it to the concert, and it was wonderful! Not only was I able to see Cicy at the concert, I ran into Clay from El Camino as well (both lovely ladies had children performing in the show)! Cicy said she had received a ton of compliments on the program, including one from someone on the Coastal Youth Orchestra board, who said that "Retro Tree," beyond being a great piece, has a sound-like vibrating effect, making it fitting for the occasion. Perfect!  

music + art = happy together

The Holiday Open House show may have been my final fair of the 2014 season, but I still have my solo show up at Mister Bagel on Pleasant Street in Brunswick, which means you can still get last-minute art Christmas gifts while treating yourself to a cup of coffee or a tasty snack! I was happy to get a phone call from Robin (one of the owners) on Tuesday, saying that another signed/numbered/framed giclee print of "That Heavenly Coffee" had been sold to a Mister Bagel customer! Robin asked if I would be able to drop off two more prints of "That Heavenly Coffee": one to replace the one that had been sold, and another one so she could buy it! Woo hoo! 

coffee + bagels + art = yumminess

Speaking of Christmas, I wonder how many stockings in the greater Brunswick area (and beyond, for that matter) will have my magnets in them? Hmm...I think that might be like asking the age-old question, "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll pop?"! Seriously, I am grateful to each and every person who has been supportive of my art this year. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I hope you have a beautiful holiday season...and if you're someone who receives (or gives!) my art in one form or another as a Christmas gift, please let me know! I would love to hear all about it! 

fair play

Many, many thanks to all the brave souls who came out to the UUCB Holiday Arts Fair this past Saturday in spite of the less-than-stellar weather! I had a wonderful time. Everyone at the UUCB was kind, welcoming, and friendly, plus the food was fantastic, too! Live music kept us entertained all day long, and traffic was steady, even though it was cold and wet outside. 

That is one happy moose! 

I had a couple of people recognize me from the Maine Sunday Telegram article (how funny is that?), one person recognized my work from Mister Bagel, and several fair-goers remembered seeing my work at ADAA and the Small Business Saturday pop-up shop. I sold a bunch of magnets, a signed/numbered giclee print of "That Heavenly Coffee," and four little ornaments! Yes, ornaments! The UUCB show organizers suggested we have something inexpensive to offer to kids, and initially, I wasn't sure what to do. I was speaking with Lonie Ellis about it during ADAA, and she suggested getting some clear, flat, domed acrylic beads from the dollar store...she said the beads would magnify an image, so if I glued an image to the back, it would appear larger than it actually was. I liked this idea, so I had tiny color copies made of "Retro Tree". I cut the images to fit the different beads, and glued them down with Mod Podge; then I glued an ornament hook to the back of the "Retro Tree" image, followed by decorative paper over the back of the whole thing to cover the hook. They're not perfect, but hey- they're only a dollar! I don't plan on making them again once they're all gone, so if you want one, let me know! 

Cheapie ornaments! 

I have one more fair before Christmas this year: the Holiday Open House in Topsham on Friday, December 12th, 5pm-8pm, and Saturday, December 13th, 10am-2pm! This is going to be a slightly different kind of group show, because it takes place in someone's home! Get your last-minute holiday shopping done in a unique, warm, and inviting setting, all while supporting local, independent artists. Treat yourself and the ones you love to handmade, unusual, one-of-a-kind gifts you can feel good about giving AND getting. There will be fine art & crafts, food, music, a cozy fire, Tarot readings, and more! Visitors and participants alike are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to a local food bank (items such as canned tomatoes, peanut butter, baked beans, canned fruit, and canned soups are some of the items on the Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program's wish list). Stop by for a fun and unique holiday shopping experience! I hope to see you there!