Getting closer to launch

The 12/10 "go live" date is almost here and I'm about 80% done with the changes to this website and the new one, as well as trying to work on new images to put out on the PIXEL website.  I think the next 2 days are going to be extremely busy.  

The only thing I really wish I had to add to the new website are new paintings.  Perhaps they will be ready by 1/01/23. My creative time hasn't been what it should be.  Life is a little chaotic at the moment and I find it difficult to focus on artsy things when my heart is troubled.  This is something that I need to lay at Jesus' feet since stress and mess are a "given" in this life.  I am thankful that this season will pass and that I will be much better for it.  Seasons of life often seem so permanent, and that is a key deception tactic that the enemy of our souls likes to use when he attacks our minds: "this won't change, nothing gets better, you're failing, just give up, etc."  But God.  God says something quite different.  (See the Gospel of John)     💗💗💗

The painting pic attached to this post is not of the original painting. The colors and/or contrast have been adjusted specifically for PIXELS/Fine Art America.

Simplicity - filter 2 Painting by Michelle McSpadden - Pixels 

* I try my best to have the photos match the original artworks as exactly as possible, but colors may vary from monitor to monitor. 

* All images on this website are © by Michelle McSpadden, and may not be copied or used in any way without permission.

Artsy fartsy plans 😊

HAPPY Wednesday!!

Now that the date (12/10) for the new website going live is fast approaching, I am finalizing my plans for the future of this website and wanted to see about getting your feedback too.  You can comment below or email me at mdm123@ymail.com to share your thoughts/opinions.

Art Blog ideas that I'm pondering:

1) 1 post a month detailing the "why" behind the art.  (Image Synopsis)

2) 1 post per month for autobiographical stories.   Life experiences tend to show up in my compositions occasionally, so maybe some background info would help viewers go deeper within certain works for contemplation.   ??? 

3) 1 post per month to spotlight an artist that I follow on Instagram.  

4) Do a combo of 1 & 2 per month

5) Do a combo of 2 and 3 per month

6) Do a combo of 2 and alternate between 1 and 3 per month.  That would be 6 image synopsis posts a year and 6 artist spotlight posts a year.

Personally, I like #6 the most and think it offers me a little more flexibility.  What sounds good to you?

I'm ALSO working on setting up a schedule for Instagram as well.  I should be posting at least 5 times a week, so hopefully I can do better with that.  I want to post 2 - 3 drawings a week along with 2 painting in progress posts.  

Plan your work, then work your plan.  💗

* I try my best to have the photos match the original artworks as exactly as possible, but colors may vary from monitor to monitor. * All images on this website are © by Michelle McSpadden, and may not be copied or used in any way without permission.

New Website Update

HAPPY Saturday!!!

Thanksgiving is over and Christmas is on the way.   😁

I hope you had a great time with friends and family.  I am so thankful to have survived the year so far.  It has been one of the most challenging years ever and I am so looking forward to celebrating the closure of 2022 and the arrival of 2023.  

Things are moving along well with the new website, so my target completion date is 12/10. As I copy over info from this website/blog, I have to decide what to leave on this site.  I think a few pages may be deleted, but I do plan to continue on with the blog, just need to plan out how often to do posts so that I can stay somewhat on a schedule.   

* All images on this website are © by Michelle McSpadden, and may not becopied or used in any way without permission.

New Website Launch Date

HAPPY Saturday!!

So.....the search for a paypal replacement hasn't been all that great.  Don't you wish companies would go back to focusing on their product and making it more excellent than going "woke" and trying to fix the world.   ???     Surely, we need a fresh wave of deep love and forgiveness to sweep through our nation, but that is a soul issue, not a paypal issue.  Hmmm....so much going on these days.  I am working towards the new website being ready in early December.

If you are looking for some great teaching, here are some links that I listen to as I'm working around the house and in the art room.  

Divine Council Intro Dr. Michael S. Heiser - YouTube

Michael Heiser - What is the True Meaning of the Gospel? - YouTube

Dr. Mike Heiser constantly delivers wonderful teaching and revelation to help the church grow in faith and be better image bearers for God.  His book The Unseen Realm is life changing and I'm on my 3rd read/listen through right now. 

* Please see the Gallery page for the availability and price of originals. * I try my best to have the photos match the original artworks as exactly as possible, but colors may vary from monitor to monitor. * All images on this website are © by Michelle McSpadden, and may not be copied or used in any way without permission.

Paperclay Crosses

Three months ago I decided to get out of my creative box a little and start some wearable art.  I have some polymer clay and paperclay, so I experimented with both and found that I liked the air dry paperclay more as it was non-toxic and my acrylic paints didn't scratch off.  Before I knew it, I had a gazillion small paperclay cross pendants all painted up and nowhere to go, so I made bag charms:

I have sold several of the charms and will probably give the rest away as gifts in the upcoming year.

As far as regular painting goes, I do have some studies that I'm working on, but not sure how I want to post them online just yet.  A little video?   Pictures?   Both?   Stay tuned.

Website Update:   Well, I'm still busy working on the rebranding and looking forward to the 'formal' relaunch date of 1/07/12...  My goal is to keep things simple and clean looking, but still offer plenty of info if people want or need it.     : )

A New Beginning...

PLEASE NOTE ~   All posts dated prior to this one were imported from my first blog: http://www.nuart1.blogspot.com/       I am currently in the process of rebranding and my "official" launch date is early 1/07/12.         (Pray for me!)  

Getting Back Into The Creative Mood...

The past 6 weeks have been really slow for me, artistically speaking...   First I was sick for a week and then I hurt my foot (2nd Metatarsal was bruised) and had to wear a little special shoe for a while.  I don't know about other artists, but when I don't feel well, I certainly don't want to paint, so I've been resting and thinking.  Thinking about how I want to move forward or if I want to move forward at all.  (With painting that is)   Sometimes, I think it would be nice to just have a "normal life" of an 9-5 job (which I currently have), and just hang out with friends and family during my off time instead of pushing forward and trying to create art and show.    (I guess that's my temptation...to just lay down the brush and pallette)   There's been a lot of work done over the years and so much more that needs to be done and trying to get a creative business up and running in the midst of a recession is difficult and takes a lot of energy.       BUT, the creative urge keeps beckoning and I've put in so much time, $$$, and energy, so I can't give up now.    (At least that's what I'm telling myself!)

I do have several paintings that are in progress right now, some of which are documented below, but I really need to finish them soon.  Perhaps I'll put together a painting schedule to help me get back on track again.  ??   That sounds like a good plan....   : )

I also ordered new Yankee candles to help increase my creativity during painting sessions.  They are on the way now and should be in by mid next week.  I love to paint with 2 small votives burning right next to the easel on my supply stand...it sets the mood and the smell is fabulous.  My favorite Yankee flavors are: blueberry scone, pineapple cilantro, and mango salsa.  I'm trying a new one too called Pink Sands, but I tend to go for the fruity smells, but no cinnamon please...  (I just want cinnamon in my desserts...not my candles.)  

Gotta get back into the painting groove again...got to...got to....got to!!!      : )

Well...I have been very slow to post in the past several months, but I'm determined to get back on track!   This coming weekend, I have set aside 14 hours for creating artworks, so there WILL be new pics posted Sunday or Monday night.         

 I promise!

Here are some new pics of me.  I had my niece help me....the other pic on the blog is a little old, so I wanted to have something a little newer.  

with a paintbrush

I got my new computer last Wednesday and absolutely LOVE it!!   I'm still learning my way around and today I focused on the Corel Paintshop Photo Pro software that I got to help me with my painting pics.  I still have a lot to learn, but here are two photos that I worked on:

Wow…it’s been 400 years since I posted on the blog...or at least that’s what it feels like.   My old computer finally bit the bullet last weekend after being extremely sluggish for well over a year.  It would take FOREVER for the internet to run or for applications and docs to open up, etc.        I can’t believe how long I’ve put up with that…  My old pc was purchased in April of 2003, so I’ve definitely got my money’s worth out of it.   I decided to stay with the same brand, Dell, and got a Inspiron 17R, so I’m very excited to get it this week, although I know absolutely nothing about laptops.       EEEK!!!       I’ll have to post a picture of the new computer to the blog when I get it.         : ) 

Well, I’m slow to post here lately, but I should have some pics to upload this weekend.  I just started several new paintings, but didn’t think they were quite ready for their debut on the blog just yet.  Artists tend to be a little sensitive about their work, especially when it’s still being created.  Personally, when I start out on a painting, I have a sketch and a rough idea of what I want the end result to be, but getting there can be a little tricky...I may have a lot of under painting to complete, or large amounts of detailing that is not immediately apparent.    SO, if somebody is unfamiliar with my process, they may come along and say something negative, without intending any ill will, but since I’m overly sensitive about my creative baby that is growing and taking shape, I can easily take offense.  Too much stress, huh?   That's why sometimes it's best just to keep things private and avoid potential issues.      Ahhh….the creative process….so fun and yet it can be so painful.  

President's Day Is Coming Up...so Whazzup!

Here's what's going on in my neck of the woods:

This coming weekend will be a 3 day create–a–thon at the NuArt Studio....I’m so excited!!     The first thing I’ll be tending to this weekend is re-working some old sketches and blocking in backgrounds on some 8x10 and 9x12 canvases.  - I’m really enjoying the concept development and sketching period more and more these days, so I’m very happy with that change.  I used to be very impatient and just jump into paintings…slinging on the paint and then wishing that I had thought things through a little more beforehand.   The remainder of the weekend will be spent reading, and just piddling around I guess, but I should be able to post some pics here and there as I go.

I don’t have any shows planned till May, so I want to use the next 2 months as a special time of painting, preparation and keeping the blog up to date a little more.          : )



I recently started a new Bible study where we are learning the Hebraic background of scripture, so I'm eager to see how that will affect my future artworks.


Here's some more info about the study I'm in:
 
If you've ever wondered what the Bible REALLY says, from a Hebraic point of view...then check us out - String Theory Bible Study at http://stringtheorybiblestudy.blogspot.com
New items added all the time.

Blogging...

I’ve been neglecting the blog again…   Getting ready for Christmas has been keeping me pretty busy.     My plan was to have a lot of NuArt Mini’s to give to my family.  I’ve gotten a lot of them done and have a ton of them ready to be finished, so these next 2 weeks will be spent trying to get everything finished.  I should have more pics to post next week.    : )

Home Sweet Home...

My aunt and I FINALLY made it home from our New Mexico trip late, late Saturday night (10/16) and I still feel like I'm recovering from my vacation.   The trip was a lot of fun, the weather was perfect and the views were spectacular.  Today, I was able to get back behind the easel after 21+ days of not painting and the impact of the trip and scenery are heavily impacting my work already.  (I should be able to upload those pics later this week.) 

Anyways, back to the trip...as we cruised through art galleries in Taos, Santa Fe and Madrid, I had the opportunity to talk with gallery owners, gather info and make some observations.  In no particular order, here are some notes:

*  The NM art market is recovering.  2009 was their worst season, but they've seen an improvement this year. 
*  There seemed to be more smaller pieces available than I remember seeing years ago.
*  The price ranges were all over the place.  Artists who were more well known could command a higher price (4in x 4in painting for $600.00), verses a newbie artist (4in x 4in painting for $150.00).   (After seeing the high prices here and there, my aunt commented that she understood why artists were starving and that we needed to be more reasonable with our prices.  I tried to exlpain the commissions, supplies, time, etc., but in order for a sale to happen, the buyer has to believe that the value of an object is mirrored in it's price...if not, you don't have a sale...unless it object is under priced, then you have a great deal.)
*  The art market in NM is primarily gallery based and does not have as many art festivals compared to the DFW area. 
*  The artworks on display are done perfectly with the highest attention to detail and exquisite craftsmanship.   I can't stress how well the artworks looked, every piece I saw, framed or not, was created with the utmost excellence.   
*  The art was very diverse.  Back in the late 90s, I can remember going through galleries and it seemed like the majority of artwork was traditional southwest.  Now, there is a great mix of contemporary, traditional and abstract artworks all over the place.
*  Artists who are honed in on particular themes done in their specific style left the biggest impressions.  One artist focused in on sheep.  They were abstracted, but she put them in almost everything.  She even made sculptures.  (This focused attention towards a particular theme is an area that I'm trying to grasp more and more.) 

Next year, I hope to get back out to Santa Fe again and go through some galleries that I missed and take more pictures.  To see more pictures from the 2010 trip, please click here.

Heading West....soon!

Next Friday, I will be going on a much anticipated trip to New Mexico!!  YAY!!   My aunt and I are planning to spend a couple of days in Taos and then 5 days in the Santa Fe area.   I can hardly wait….it’s been 7 years since I’ve been out there, so I’m past due on the fabulous scenery and art of the Southwest.   My goal for this trip is to: take a lot of pics for photo references, visit new areas for visual inspiration for the desertscape series, make some new business contacts, and get a little spiritually refreshed. 

The downside to vacations is that prior to leaving and after returning, things are so hectic.  I’ve been working 10+ hour days at work just trying to get my head above water, so I’m hoping that my desk won’t look like Hiroshima when I get back.  All of this extra work at my day job for the past few weeks has really gotten me tired and I certainly don’t feel like painting much.  PLUS, I'm producing a small art show tomorrow night at It's A Grind that I've been working on for a while too.      But back to my day job....   Have you ever been so busy that you don’t know where to begin?     That’s how it is for me right now.   Several of us are extremely overwhelmed and it’s not good.  Just last week I had to leave for brief time out in order to de-stress and refocus.  When I got in my car, I just drove…and drove….a few tears slipped down my face and I quietly whispered a prayer: “Jesus, I can’t do this for too much longer…I can’t handle it and it’s not what I want to be doing with my life.  When can I leave?   When will that door open that I need to go through?   Is there anything I need to do”   And of course, you know He answered quickly…He’s been dealing with me about some areas that I need to come into obedience about….the main one being submission to authority.  Thankfully, He’ll help me through and teach me what I need to know.  A great book that I’m reading now, Under Cover, is helping a lot, but I have a ways to go.    But I don’t want to get into all that right now during my lunch break….or else I’ll give myself heartburn.   On the bright side, the good part is that I have a job, and for that, I’m very thankful.  

                               : )

WHERE'S THE ART???

(Did you catch my take on the old Wendy's commercial??     I loved that back in the day...)    I’ve been seriously slacking on the posts here lately, Huh?      My plans to are to get in some painting time on 9/22 and post some pics to share the process…more coming soon!

Hmmmm....

Well, tonight I decided to do my taxes since it has to be post marked on 4/15. Since I had to pay in a little bit, I wanted to wait till the very last minute to file. I guess I need to get with my HR dept and make a few changes so that I won't have this issue next year.

Last night marked the end of the Women's Bible Study I was doing at church. I really enjoyed the insight & wisdom the ladies brought to the weekly discussions; I've been thoroughly blessed. I don't know if I'll be starting a new study any time soon or doing one solo. I'll have to see how God leads me in the next week or so. I'll be painting tomorrow night and will post a pic or two, but now it's time to catch some zzzzz's...taxes are tiring!