Monday, September 29, 2014

David Niven Went Around the World in 80 Days...

However, I couldn't get an "Around the World" Blog Hop

posted on the correct date...(Oops...) ~

A few weeks ago, my sweet friend Debbie asked me if I would like

 to participate in an "Around the World Blog Hop",

 and I said "Of course!"... 

 Debbie told me the basics and I got it in my head..."Okay".

 I thought that my posting day was today.

It was not.

 It was last Monday... ("Oh, noooo.....")

 Well, I am going ahead with my post, anyway... 

 My apologies to Debbie and the other three ladies with whom I was to be posting;

 please visit them and their lovely blogs if possible! 

 They are:


Debbie is a wonderful, multi-talented lady (no, I'm not partial...)

She truly is...

and her blog is always an inspiration!

~

Wendy ~ A talented artist living in Australia ~


~

Carol ~ An amazing Maine photographer and artist ~


~

And Celia, a fabulous watercolor artist in Rome, Italy.


Again, my apologies, Ladies. 'Best laid plans', and all. 

~

Here goes mine!



Question: "What inspires you?"

Everything inspires me....honestly...everything.

Furbabies.

Art materials. (A LOT.)

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(I have drawn, and DRAWN, since I was little...)


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Flowers, china...

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Nature inspires me, always.

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 "Man-made", though, as well ...vintage...

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Historic places...

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Heirlooms...

(More color and texture, of course...)

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Other cultures...

I have had a fascination with Dia de los Muertos for a while now!

(My pumpkin from last year, here...)

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I love the tactile properties of clay...

since I don't have a kiln (but hope to someday)

I currently work with polymer clay,

gleaning design ideas from nature...

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And then I add "nature" to the polymer clay...

(or is that the other way around?) ~

Here, in the form of "Fairy Houses"

Dried gourds with pine-cone-scale roofs...

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Sometimes, the gourds alone are the canvases...

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Sometimes the Fur-Baby-Inspired whimsy finds its way

into tiny baseball-card-sized art...

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And other times, Nature finds its way onto BIG sheets

of watercolor paper...

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Here, I combined watercolor with vintage sheet music in

"Southern Symphony"...

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And then, "Tea With the Earl" is watercolor alone...

(with vintage-heirloom subject matter...)

So, it's all connected... one subject inspires another;

one medium inspires "new takes" in another direction...

~

The other questions were "Why do I paint...or sculpt...or whatever?"

(Because I MUST!)

And, "What is my process?"

Well, that varies a LOT, as I work in so many different mediums,

but the most difficult part, I have found, is just starting...

As my Daddy once told me,

"The hardest thing about digging a ditch is picking up the shovel."

True...

I have found that blogging, and sharing what I'm doing...

(yes, the "encouraging words" are most appreciated, too)... but usually just

putting it out there

is enough to get me going...inspires me...helps me pick up my

mental "shovel", if you will.

~

Before I close, I also want to acknowledge Barbara,

(Barbara Lilian in France) who originally

invited Debbie to the blog hop!

Thank you, Barbara!

I enjoyed participating very much, even though I was

"late to the party"...

Thank you all for visiting!

Have a wonderful week, all!

Love,

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8 comments:

  1. Anne - this was marvelous - I thought that you might have missed the date - may have been my fault - not sure I told you which Monday - doesn't matter at all because it is all about meeting new folks and seeing how each of us work. You are awesome and when I saw such a wonderful display of your talent in this post it inspires me. Loved the saying that your Dad said about the shovel...so true. Sometimes we just have to roll up our sleeves and just begin. It looks like you have been doing it forever my friend! Lots of Hugs - Pixie

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  2. Late to the party maybe, but you sure brought a lot with you....you are so talented and we all appreciate your sharing it.beautiful pictures...Leo is a love..cute header..

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  3. Wow! Wow! Wow! So many pretty things and so many talents!

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  4. Dear Anne,
    You are such a versatile Artist! I just love your watercolors, and your sculptures in polymer clay are so magical. I loved what your Dad said... And you photos of you as a child drawing... That would also be me. I feel like I was born with a pencil.. Thank you so much for sharing this gorgeous post!
    blessings,
    Penny

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  5. Gorgeous photos and paintings and fairy houses . . . as ALWAYS! :) You are one busy lady! It was fun to visit the new blogs you had linked to for this Blog Hop Around the World adventure! I'm going to have to spend a little more time with those ladies!

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  6. I loved your post, the pictures of you as a small child drawing are precious. I love the variety in your work, amazing photos! I am so happy to have run into your blog!

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  7. Wow Anne, you are a deeply talented woman!! Love your art and photos and other creations! I'll be back to visit again!

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  8. Amazing post! You are so talented! I love getting to know you ;o) Big Hugs ;o)

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I love your thoughts and comments, and I read each and every one! Sometimes life gets in the way, though, and it takes me a while to respond...Thank you for understanding! ♥...Time is precious, and the time you have taken here is truly appreciated!