Painting Bliss

The Art Project of Houston

 

 

 

Graffiti art IS art. It's an amazingly colorful and inspiring medium I have completely no understanding of. The idea of using different tips on the end of spray cans to complete a larger than life perfectly blended piece of art just blows my mind. Who knows, maybe someday I will have the opportunity of trying out some can art!

After poppin' tags at the nearest thrift outlet we took a hop, skip, and not even a jump to a series of buildings amazingly decorated with works of evolving and ever changing art. This project is called the Houston Art Project, supported by the Bread of Life and funded by the Rice University.

Jax and I wandered down paint laden corridors as we talked in our best white girl street slang. Cameras snapping and lines like "I'll pop a cap in yo ass" echoed off the walls.

Here are images I took at the Houston Art Project. I was blown away at every turn, by every new amazing piece of WOW!

 

 

 

 

 I told Jax I would pay her a whole dollar to lay on one of those couches, but she declined (come on! lol).

In my opinion every town, city, and place should donate an abandoned building to this sort for cause. Not only is the cause great, but the public gets to experience graffiti art in a positive light.

 

Artistic Summer Explosion

 

This summer has just exploded artistically and there is lots to share today! So many opportunities have come to me and I just keep welcoming them in my door. I feel extremely blessed and very excited about the possibilities and growth of my artistic career.

First of all I want you to tell you I am now officially www.paintingbliss.com! No longer www.paintingbliss.typepad.com, but my very own domain! Isn't it pretty!? I'm excited to take my blog to the next level! I'm still at the same place so don't worry, I just have a professional web address now :)

Secondly if you click on the banner above where it says portfolio, you will now arrive at a professional portfolio for viewing my work! I love the way it looks, its simplicity, and its user friendly decor. Hope you do too!

There is another thing to announce but I will hold off as it isn't quite all the way through yet! But it's exciting and I am looking forward to sharing it with you!

A few weeks ago I was emailed spontaneously and surprsingly by The National Mill Dog Rescue located in Colorado. They had found me on the grand ol' internet and adored my work. Annually they have a silent auction to raise money for what they do... and what they do (as mentioned in a previous post) is save dogs from the horrible enviroment that is a  puppy mill. A place where lady pups are kept in tiny cages and kept soley for their ability to breed and produce offspring which are sent out to pet stores. Ugh! I have completed their donations and even though I am not used to doing dogs and don't consider myself a huge dog person, I had a ton of fun creating something out of my box!

 

 

I don't know if he approved or dissaproved... lol... but he sure was interested! Probably just with me, my boy!

 

 

Above are the completed doggy portraits. I chose a lab puppy and a chihuaha... both popular breeds and both cute! I thought the chihuaha needed a crown as most owners of these dogs baby them (am I right?). Ha ha! Secondly I thought the lab pup just ended up with the most sweet and longing face, so I placed some houses in the background as if he is looking for a nice home. I painted these on gallery wrapped canvas... my canvas of choice and decorated the thick sides to match the image. I hope they bring some good money to the organization, I adore helping good causes!

 

 

I have yet to finish my heirloom painting, the piece I am submitting to jury where it will be either be accepted or not accepted to be hung in Heirloom Magazine's annual art show. I have the background beautifully dappled on, and the peonies are pencilled in... now it's just painting them!

 

This sunday the 8th I will be dropping off two pieces to be part of the 62nd annual summer art show at Borough Hall in Milford, PA. The pieces will hang for a week and be viewable to the public. I am working on a special frame for one of the pieces, hubby will make it then I will crackle it and put a crocheted border around it. I know that all sounds "interesting", but trust me, I see it in my head and I rarely mess up with my plans ;) The piece that will go in the frame is this one I shared the other day... the second piece I'm entering is 3/4 of the way finished but I will share it with you upon completion for sure!

 

 

I'm still waiting to hear from The ARTery in Milford PA, I am hoping the jury convenes soon as it's harder than you would think, or maybe you would think... to leave your artwork in someone elses hands. Atleast I know it's in a professional setting and that they care for artwork with gentle caution. I am chomping at the bit so to say for their decision!

It was important that I completed or near completed all of these responsibilities because a wonderful and exciting opportunity has arrived!! I will be  illustrating 5 privately published children's stories! Someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows me, recommended me for the job! Ready for the crazy part? 50+ illustrations! I know, I'm crazy!! But I'm not dumb, and would never pass up such a great opportunity. The editor has been as sweet as cherry pie, and the author who is in her 80s wrote these stories to pass down to her family.  Love it! Sounds like something I would do ;)

 

 

 

 

National Mill Dog Rescue - Donating for a good cause

 

While sitting and blogging my cherry pie recipe for you I heard my email notification chime next to me via my phone, not being able to stay away from a chime or impending message I checked it and saw I had a lovely email from the National Mill Dog Rescue (6427 dogs saved and counting)  in Colorado, asking if I would donate one of my "wonderfully creative art pieces" to a silent auction they are having in August.

Of course I will! and better yet, I will also offer a certificate for a custom pet portrait :) yup!

Saving animals is near and dear to my heart as you may know from the many posts about saving turtles and local wildlife here in my area... but did you know as a teen I was an active part of an animal rights organization? yup I was! saving puppy mill dogs is a big deal and if I can help bring in good money to an organization that does such heartfelt home placements, then I'm all in!

Paws down ;)

This wonderful organization rescues dogs from puppy mills... which are awful and cruel places where mother pups are breed just for their offspring. It's all about the $$$ signs instead of the love. 

Here are some of the dogs NDMR have rescued and need homes! To read more about the pups below or to view who else needs a home click here.

Now, lets meet...

 

Brent                                                                                        Gelato

Cricket

 

                                  Rigby                                                     Pippy Longstocking (hee hee)

 

 

There are so many more :) and I'm so excited to be able to help!

Always spay and nueter your pets, and please adopt before purchasing dogs and cats from your local pet store. Puppies that come from pet stores - come from puppy mills!

Please make the humane decision. Pay it forward goes for animals too!