The Adventures of Mattie and Lily

I should be telling you all about the Folk Fest this morning and how amazing it is.  I really should.  BUT, when I got home Friday night late from the opening I had a restless night of sleep and something urging me to PAINT.  I struggle with many things surrounding my art career, but never about what to actually paint.  In fact, I have an entire black sketchbook full of little sketches waiting to come to life.  You know what most of those sketches are of?  A little bird named Mattie doing a wide range of things with friends.  Yep.  That little bird I just can't set free.  And these were the ideas in my head that kept me up all night:

As you can see I drew two out and one is totally finished....I think.  They may have a little conversation on the canvas, may not.  Overall though, I am YIPPEE skipping for joy.  And so is Lily, my little muse.  I've never painted a dog for real, I mean I've showed my art students, but I've never included dogs in my paintings to sell.  I think I like this little adventure.  And how big the canvases I chose.  Really, this is out of my element these days.

So the little bird that opened this enormous art door up for me may be making her way into the canvas a little more.  As I flipped through the sketchbook full of ideas I really got excited about her future.  I know when you feel this kind of excitement about something it's usually an indicator of something really good about to happen.  And I am very ready for that something good.

"It's Raining, It's Pouring"...

Here's a new happy painting in the Mattie and her friends series. Are you singing along now? It's stuck in my head too! This painting is available for purchase in a new gallery for me. It's called Dogwood Gallery. It's located in Tyrone behind the Legacy Theater. I'm also teaching adult painting there on Tuesdays from 9:30-11:30 if you'd like to join me!

Another Sneak at Texture Paintings

Mailey and Mattie on the go in this painting. This one really shows the texture off. The peacock feather is prettier in person because you can see the gold edges better.

She stills needs a face I just realized. Well, best be off to do just that!

Mattie's Social Circle- They're All Here!

I finished up all the felted bird sculptures I intend to take next weekend yesterday. I have the standing ones all lined up on my art desk and the caged ones all hanging from the kitchen chandelier (which looks so good, I'll have a hard time letting them go!). Then it hit me, they are like a little 3-D version of Mattie's Social Circle! Each one has so much personality. I can see them talking away to each other now. I've one more to make tomorrow, and that's a Mattie. For now, Mailey and I have named the rest of the circle and here they are: The caged girls are $45.oo each.

This is Sadie in her Tweet nest. She is $40.00.
These girls on stands are $35.oo each.

I hope you had a wonderful Saturday! We sure did here at the Horne Family house. Lots of football, hot dogs and napping! I'll be back soon with shots of my prints hot off the press and magnets.

New Work

The countdown until the Norcross Arts Fest has started. Officially I have 33 days. This means get into gear Jenni mode! My goal was 5 paintings this week, and I did just that. Here are my favorite 2 of the bunch: "Rosie's Gift" 20" x 20" canvas in salvage wood frame
"Mattie Finds Henry, Her One True Love" 12"x 12" on wood

Oh, I wanna win!

I just found out that my framed tile below was picked in the top 40 for the Handmade Kids Sweepstakes. Way cool! So, please go here to cast your vote! I am under the Handmade Kids Art section (I think there are 5 categories to vote in). If you don't have an etsy account already, it's super easy to sign-up, and free. It's a contest for you as well. One lucky vote caster will get a $350 shopping spree from etsy. Now that's alot of fun buying money. So go online now! And thanks for your vote! Oh I wanna win.....

Happy Mail Day!

A normal mail day has the following in our #64 green box covered in lantana:
1. junk mail- which gets tossed out immediately
2. bills that get paid....eventually
3. Envelopes addressed to the "The Honorable William Horne"- I just have to giggle a bit as I write that. My husband's title that will go with him forever. He's a State Representative by the way. Pretty cool job, that gets TONS of mail.

Then yesterday, I pulled out the stack, placed it on the corner of the counter as usual, right by the trash. I chunk the junk, make Billy's pile and then I see it. And I start jumping up and down. And Lily is jumping too. This is the happy mail: Why you say? Well, because in April I submitted a little 3-D Mattie dressed in her costume for the gallery section of this awesome publication. And she got accepted! The editor e-mailed me that I'd be receiving my copy prior to the stores, so I knew it was coming soon. But still, it was a happy moment.
She looks so cute in her witch costume with vintage paper hat and handmade broom. So, my first publication, pretty exciting day in the life of my artyness. It's hard to read, but basically I tell why I made her and then give step by step instructions on how to make her. It also lists my website, blog and e-mail. This is an annual publication for Somerset. If you are looking for a copy, check the big box book stores. It's got great ideas for all the seasons! And Mattie!

New Little Adorable Pet

Okay, I never thought in a million years that in less than 6 months I would raise a tadpole to froggyhood, and that I would be a Mommy to a turtle. This is Dash. And oh how I am adoring this little fella! He has so much personality. We bought him at Alvin's Island in Gulf Shores, Alabama. He was one of like 1000 turtles desperately trying to survive in the water tank. My children chose him, we drove the 5 hours home and now he has quite the set-up. Only the best for my little Dash. Of course I recommended that he hang out in the sunroom for optimal sunning. The sunroom is my creative space, remember? I imagine Mattie is about to meet a little turtle named Dash. Off to the drawing board I go......

On Saturday....

"On Saturday, Mattie wanted to be one of the Anthropologie Ladies." So I think I've found that- A. I see a trend in my art with shoes, I'll explain that come about in my next post and B. I see a new series of paintings for Mattie....and possibly a book idea about just being who you are, not anyone else! So I guess I'll start back with Sunday, the first day of the week and see what she'll be on that day!

These fabulous Anthropologie catalogues come to my door ever so often. I usually drool over the layouts, textures, clothes, and furnishings. Oh how I wish I had a body to be one of their models! Just to be on the set....that would be cool. Anyways, this month I was smitten with the shots of the models like the one above, cute tights, fabulous shoes and funky little outfits. I've been mulling over this idea of collage lately...and voila! The idea came to me. I was also doing my Sally Jean trick of finding words in a book to inspire my paintings. In my recent book selection, Pride and Prejudice, I've found a ton of great word selections, like "one of the ladies". Oh how it all came together after that! I did apply beeswax at the end and was a little upset that it changed the appearance of her tights, but there are no mistakes in art and I used it as a lesson to not use beeswax on magazine anymore!

"I like your shoes Mailey. I like yours too Mattie!"

"I like your shoes Mailey. I like yours too Mattie". This is a new idea for my Mattie paintings, introducing my little people, and pets to Mattie through the canvas. Today I started a fun one of Mattie and our silly little dog, Lily. Oh the fun those two are having in my painting! This painting was inspire by my baby girl Mailey. She has been over my shoulder all summer while I paint. When I started this one she was so tickled! I even used her shoes as a model. Those crocs are a necessity around this house! The little words on the bottom you can't make out say, "I like your shoes". Every girl has a favorite pair of shoes...what are yours?

Happy 4th of July!

This is Mattie on the 4th of July! Mailey insisted she be holding a sparkler in her beak. Don't you love her new tights? I hope you and your family have a great day. We will be super busy today. It's an election year so we have many appearances to make, BBQ to eat and a HUGE parade.

Living in small town America has its advantages in that we have a beautiful downtown square that has a parade for everything! Today's parade by far has the largest number of entries and viewers. We'll throw about 15 bags of candy (super size that is) and wave for about 2 miles. It starts at the McKoon funeral home and ends at the high school. At the end we all pile up in the football stadium and baseball field to picnic and anxiously wait for the fireworks to start. Now, these are not redneck Joe in the backyard fireworks, these are the canon ones. It's a wonderful display. From our family to yours, we hope you have a wonderful 4th!

Mattie Swinging

I tend to work on several paintings at once in different styles, mediums and subjects. I don't know how not to really. I get anxious, so while one is drying I start another one, and so the cycle continues. I am working on some sweet images to hopefully one day incorporate into a children's book. You will see Mattie doing all sorts of fun things over the next few months as I develop her character. It was recommended to me by a wonderful mentor that I should get my audience to fall in love with her, let the character develop and then write the book. So this is my plan. Here she is doing one of my children's favorite things....swinging! Of course there is no Mommy bird behind her. My very observant little Mailey noticed that right away. You see, my two still want me to push them, and since they are now 6 and 8, it does seem a bit silly, but I love it. It is another memory they will have of us together. I may still be pushing them at age 21 at this rate though! Have a lovely weekend!