Simple Truth Tuesday

Simple Truths Tuesdays

I am going to start on a new adventure on the blog! I am going to call these weekly posts "Simple Truths Tuesday". It is my intention to post at least once a week, even if just a little blurb, quote or single pic. Here is the first:

Down on the Farm

Lucid Dream Team made an appearance at the Nada Farm Event this past weekend. We really had a great time and met some great artists/ exhibitors. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, even though Andrea had been to the sale/event/classes in May. It really is on an old farm, they weren't kidding! Chickens roamed the grounds, there were horses in the back pasture and sales galore in the barn. This inspirational piece of prairie was simply divine!
We truly got a taste of what an outdoor show can really be like....in this case, even though the weather was unseasonably warm for October, it was also crazy windy! Good thing we had plenty of weight on the tent (thanks to my husband Aaron) and a couple of good stakes in the ground. Both days were absolutely beautiful and it was invigorating to be outdoors. I even got a chance to paint en plein air on Saturday. Even though the farm is out in the middle of the country, there were people lined up outside of the gates both days waiting to be allowed in. I never knew such an event and community existed in Northern Illinois! It was really exciting to be a part of the event. I hope we can do it again sometime!

Check out Tattered Tiques for more pics of the event!

Autobiography

If anyone ever thought, "Hey, where does Lizzie get her inspiration?" I think this painting answers that question. All of my paintings are based on some part of my life. This one happens to be of myself and my daughter. When I first started it, the piece seemed a little somber or sad when I wanted quite the opposite. I hope I was able to turn it around.
The quote in the background says, "If I could keep any moment it would be this, watching you and holding my breath at the wonder of it all." I found this quote by Brian Andreas and knew it was perfect. If you've never seen his stuff before, check it out here. I love his tender and true descriptions of life.

Back to School

I have been trying to get as much done as I can before Sept 17 & 18 (in time for the Rockford Artists' Fair) and haven't been as successful as I'd like. School officially started yesterday and I inevitably shifted my focus to seating charts and lesson plans. I did manage to finish this piece though. It is my largest and most detailed piece yet.The words on each girl say, "Never forget who you are little star" and "Never forget how to dream butterfly" (lyrics by Madonna). I'm not quite sure if they are sisters, friends or mother & daughter...not sure if it matters.

Finally Finished...Again

You may remember this piece from way back in March, when I thought that it might be done....but, oh no, it was not! It has been nagging me quite a bit since then. It looked a bit incomplete and the message seemed to be unclear. I have been hunting for a mother/daughter quote to top it all off, but had the hardest time. Yesterday, with the reality that summer is coming to a close and the Rockford Artist Fair is coming up, I got into high gear. So here is what I found:
It was actually a quote from a book on friendship. The words read, "I only wish you could see what I see when I look at you." (by Kobi Yamada). When I read that quote, it all clicked into place for me. My original intention with this painting was to show that deep connection between mother and daughter and it turned into sending a message to my daughter. I have so many wishes for my daughter, but one the biggest ones has to be that she be gentle with herself.

Biz update

It's been a little while since I've mentioned much about the 'biz'. So I thought I'd let you all know about what's been happening around here.

First of all, I've teamed up with Andrea to be apart of Lucid Dream Team. Her blog is here. Our business blog has yet to be created, but I will let you know when it is up and running. While we create different artwork, we will be going in together on craft fairs and our Etsy adventure.

Speaking of Etsy, we launched our Etsy shop! I have only one item for sale as of today, but it is a start. I am so excited to get our stuff out there!

Andrea & I also had our very first art fair at Edgebrook in June. We learned the joys of setting up the tent, arranging all of our artwork and taking payments via our smartphones (that was pretty cool). It was a great way to spend my birthday and I look forward to many more.

I also had my first gallery opening at River Valley Community Church at the end of June. It was a small show featuring 4 artists, but I was so proud to be a part of it! It was really awesome to see all of my work in one place and I really felt a sense of accomplishment.



And the last bit of news is that I will be participating in the Rockford Artists' Fair on Sept. 17 & 18, 2011 here in Rockford, IL. I did apply for the Greenwich Village Art Fair, but didn't get in :(. That was a pretty big blow for me, but I moved on to plan B. I am super-duper excited to be involved and am gearing up as we speak.

Phew! That was a lot. Can't wait for all that is in store for us as we move forward in this adventure!