Daily mantra and my new piece.....

Ink, acrylic paint and my daily mantra which has done me well through the twists and turns of life."Simply Breathe".

I used my fav fluid acrylic paints, watered them down and presto a watercolor effect which I am hearting.
Also loving the softer colors and white background which is a complete contrast to my art which is usually very bright.

This mantra worked well for me early this morning, as the sun came up and my runners hit the pavement for day two of getting back to running. Yikes, I was struggling to find my pace but as I thought about my breath I found my groove. Also, special thanks to Nickleback, Lady Antebellum, Jason Mraz, Luke Bryan and Creed to name a few artists who took my mind off the pain or should I say the run !

Smiles,
Kim

Taking a moment in and around New York....

Geenwhich Village....

I was in New York last week and you could say I was lost in New York! It was business for my hubby and  

so my days were free to just be. Our nights were planned and therefore I planned nothing for my days and I wandered Manhattan, Greenwich Village and yes got lost more then once but there was always some friendly New Yorker to set my compass straight. I found little shops ,a street market full of artists and so many cafes that I am home craving my daily fix of something freshly baked. I love the village it is so diverse in community and its brownstones, cobblestone, and quaint shops are so charming. It was hot and humid so I have to say that waiting for the subway underground with no air was not fun but saved my poor feet! 

Found  my address in the village....

Saw two great Broadway shows Spider-man and Ghosts. I booked one and my hubby booked the other and you can probably guess who booked what. Ghosts used amazing special affects, and the story is one of my favorites, even though Spider-man did land right beside me in his tights! It is good to be home, it is such a busy place so I am enjoying the abundance of  greenery and quietness. However, I am grateful for the chance to travel as it has given me a glimpse of a world beyond which I live and has opened  my eyes to all the possibilities that life has to offer. 

I heart red front doors....

I am working on a new piece and really trying to not worry about making mistakes and just letting my creativity take me where I need to go. It is on cradle board so I have more options with adding things to it so

it will be interesting to see where it takes me. Like my trip you may never get a chance to experience or try something new if you don't allow yourself to take a different direction!

Smiles,

Kim

Art Classes at Bumble Bee Studio

Just wanted to give a shout out to my creative friend Les. She will be teaching art classes at her Bumble Bee Creative Studio, located in Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island. All the details are listed below.

Bumble Bee Art Class

So just wanted to share a few pics from My Bumble Bee Art Class on Vancouver Island. It was as I said the other day so much fun and it was a room of gals of all ages.  Loving the Pom Poms that Les had from her son's grad

Bumble Bee Creative Studio

Love this !

The talented and creative owner of Bumble Bee Studio
Lesley Seselja!

Loving the colors on both of these!

Dreams

I am so grateful for all the good that life brings my way. I had so much fun this week on the island visiting family and friends. Of course being asked to be a part of Art in the Garden was a major highlight! I have been wanting to teach an art class for a while so this turned out to be just as much a lesson for me as it was for those in my class. I had all ages which was challenging ,inspiring and loads and loads of fun. The best part is that we had a lot of people sign up for classes so now Les's ,"Bumble Bee Studio" is officially on its  way. I am hoping to combine a trip in September to come back and teach a class and take in Sarah McLachlan's concert in Stanley park. This piece I worked on and finished while in Bumble Bee Studio this past weekend!

she listened to her heart

and followed her dreams



Smiles,

Kim

The Boom Booms

I am such a lucky gal. I spent the other night amongst friends over looking my girlfriends gardens and her spectacular ocean view while drinking wine,and dancing to The Boom Booms live.

So much fun ! I love my music, and this Vancouver band did not disappoint. The band will be performing on Sunday,September 15 in Vancouver's beautiful Stanley Park. Helping one of my favorite female vocalists Sarah Mclachlan raise money for her local youth music school. Performing with Sarah, Bryan Adams, Bill Clinton, Hedley, Chin Injeti, Stevie Nicks, Jann Arden and more!!!! For more information go to http://www.voicesinthepark.com/line-up/

Thanks to my good friends Dave and Jody Shworan for a great evening....Now all I need to do is coordinate teaching an art class here on the island at Bumble Bee Creative Studio  with Sarah's concert date and I just may be back sooner then I thought.

Smiles,
Kim

	The Boom Booms , Vancouver Island, BC

Parksville Beach, Vancouver Island

Back to the beach....sunshine,sand and
the ocean. Beautiful sunny day for a walk on the beach with my mom and dad.

So busy visiting friends and family and
taking in Sand Castles, and out to Coombs which is known to be the place with the goats on the roof. Nice to be back as it was a great place to raise the kids when they were younger.

So here is too sunshine,beaches and good friends and family.

Smiles,
Kim

Live Love Laugh

             

 Here is another sample of my  mixed media doodle art, I have made for Art in the Garden which I will be teaching  at  Bumble Bee Creative Studio July 1 at 1:00 pm. I am hearting the happy colors it must be an influence from all the sunshine we have been having. However, I never thought I would hear my self say this but I am enjoying the overcast sky today and the lower temperatures as it has been so hot here.

Excited to have one of my girlfriends and  her family coming for a visit from Vancouver Island today. We have been girlfriend's for a number of years, and her and I have shared many a stories as we ran together. So I am sure it will be a late night as we catch up over a glass of wine or two. It is so true how there is nothing like a girlfriend to make everything better,to laugh with and and at times shed a tear or two with. So we have ran a half marathon together,traveled together and of course and most important have listened to one and other and given nothing but support.  Through a simple cup of tea, a hug or some serious laughter.......and there has been a lot of laughter. 

Smiles,

Kim

Nanoose Bay Art in the Garden

Hey everyone, I will be teaching a fun mixed media art class at Bumble Bee Creative Studio July 21 at 1:00 pm located at the Nanoose Bay Art in the Garden art show and would love to see you there!

I love sayings, messages, thoughts they are all over our house and I mean on little stickies in drawers, on my art , my custom made chalkboards to name only a few locations. I love the written word and although I heart where technology has progressed too, I miss  hand written letters and notes. So I guess this is the inspiration behind my "doodle Art".......that and I am running out of surfaces in my home! So

Smiles.
Kim

Believe

     

It has been a busy week here in Calgary, as the Stampede celebrates its 100th anniversary. So between company and hitting the Stampede there has not been a lot of art happening. The city of Calgary is alive with  visitors from around the world joining in on the celebration, not to mention some really rockin' cowboy boots.!

However, I did manage to finish my " Believe", doodle and I am loving the color and I hold the message that I created for this piece of art close to my heart.

Believe

in

your dreams

your truths

and the quiet 

whispers

that make your 

         heart sing                           

Smiles,

Kim

Art on the Garden

Well,I am heading back to Vancouver Island to visit family and friends and take part in a fantastic art show.

Leslie and Mike open their home and property for artists to show off their art.
At the same time they donate the entry fee to Nanoose Bay Food Bank. Their property is absolutely beautiful with Artist set up around the pond,live music and food.

Art in the Garden is July 21 & 22 at 2525 Northwest Bay Road. I will be there teaching a mixed media class where you will get to take home your own creation. So be sure to check it out at www.nanoosebayartinthegarden.com

Smiles,
Kim

Stopping to smell the flowers.....

Well, I have been putting off moving my website from iWeb and it finally happened my site came down. So it was wonderful while it lasted but I am looking forward to a new look which should happen soon!
As I was thinking about the direction I wanted to take with my site and it's purpose I couldn't help notice this very busy bee in one of my favorite flowers the Peony...Love Love Love them, great childhood memories of staying with my great aunt on her farm and all her gardens being lush with these flowers and of course she spoiled me rotten so it was a wonderful time always.
So as I work on my site,paint and prepare for a class I will be teaching on Vancouver Island in a few weeks I have to remind myself to step back every so often and take notice of all the goodness around me...........and it is truly amazing all that you get to enjoy when you take a moment or two.
Smiles ,
Kim

Doodle Art

Sunshine, coffee and a fresh canvas. After a short stint of rain, which only a newly transplanted West Coast girl can say.......my Calgary friends would disagree but three weeks of rain with blips of sunshine trumps months of rain and very little sunshine.

I am hearting my "Doodle Art", so much fun and even better as I doodle away on a warm sunny deck.So here is the try something new part I have been using my left hand to draw which is very interesting for a right handed gal. Next I will try painting with my left hand but for now I will stick to drawing. Just another step towards moving out of my comfort zone! I

So here is to summer which has finally arrived and to days spent barbecuing,
enjoying friends and family and of course to that special summer drink.....
Smiles,
Kim

Kindness Matters

I am a little behind with iPhone technology , so I thought I would join the thousands of bloggers and create this post from my iPhone. The real challenge is my typing but other then that easy.
I am into layers,texture and flowers lately.The colors are not as bright as a lot of my past art but still loving the feel of each new piece and the changes that are happening.
" Kindness Changes Everything", sometimes when life hands you a curve it is amazing how the kindness of others really does change everything and helps you navigate through.
Smiles,
Kim

Breathe

Wow, it has been awhile since I have posted anything. Life does that sometimes, makes us stop take a deep breath and reevaluate where we are, how far we have come and what it is we need to move forward. A small step back a break from all that we love makes us aware of what is important to us and what we need to fuel our souls. 

So my time without has allowed me to listen to the quite whispers and come back to my passions with a renewed interest and a fresh set of eyes. I have been painting, reading ,running and listening to music as these are the things that I need to create balance and happiness which in turn fuel my soul.
Thus my latest painting Breathe, was created by truly embracing and listening to those quite but subtle whispers .............

Smiles.

Kim

Change

When I posted my last blog way back in March and talked about “change”, little did I know that not only would this refer to the direction of my art but also my life. Over the summer my family and I have managed to sell our business, home and much more and move to a new province. There have been so many changes for us all that we are all learning to adjust and embrace all the new. It has been a great lesson in patience, grace and letting all that is meant to be happen. Has it been easy, well some days more than others but it has taught us that we can triumph outside of what we know. That all that we hold dear is tucked safely in our hearts and that sometimes it is our kids that teach us more than we actually have taught them!

Change Of Plans

Some times the best laid plans change. I purchased this panel board recently and had an idea sketched out and ready to go except after I primed the wood I spilt half a container of Modge Podge on it....what can you do but laugh and take a new direction.......So change of plans  I was now starting a mixed media piece which I have been contemplating for awhile now.As I work on this piece it is so much fun trying new techniques and using things I have had stashed away in the studio. So will post the finished piece when I am done!
Carpe Diem,
Kim

Breathe

This painting has been  hanging in my studio until I recently  moved it into our home office, after a much needed office clean out.  I have been trying to get  the year end completed for my husbands biz and I am finally done.....and because  I am so right brain at times doing the books for me is not much fun. So I thought that I would relocate my Breathe sign to the office where it would remind me to take a deep breath at times of frustration. Having my art below and pics of my fandango around the room also help to put all into perspective when I take a moment.This sign has literally moved around my home and has been placed where I think I need the reminder most. A few years back it was above my mud room door as my family seemed to be rushing off to something or other yet not spending enough quality time together. At that time I would glance at it once in awhile until one of life's little reminders made me and my family stop and simply take a moment to breathe. So although I have become fairly consistent at taking time , every once in awhile I too need a  simple reminder to stop and just breathe. As I have learned  this can change a second,a minute or perhaps your  life!
Carpe Diem,
Kim

Plant your Dreams Here

So this is one in a series of cupboard doors that has gone from being discarded to a little piece of art. The words are burned into the wood and the picture is several layers of paint and paper. This cupboard door was cherry at one time and now has that vintage look, thanks to a little elbow grease. On the back you will find an envelope where you may wish to keep your dream list tucked away.

 I never use to write down my dreams only goals; however I have learned that writing down your dreams is just as important. Sure some dreams will change and yes they may even become bigger than you thought you could imagine or they may even come and go. The one thing I do know is when a dream is realized it is amazing. I have been so lucky to have realized many of my own dreams over the years. The one thing that I feel is a true blessing of having ones dream happen is understanding how precious the journey was that one took to get to that dream. Thus I have always told my kids to dream big because there really is nothing one cannot do when you put your mind to it. I truly believe that a dream is a gift you give yourself and when you put that dream into action then it is a gift that will be shared with others.

Carpe Diem,

Kim

Balance

So, I have had about five paintings on the go and last night I set them all up in the studio and painted for hours. It happened  the other day when I was trying to get my art photo's organized I came across this picture I had painted a few years ago and the bright colors inspired me all the way into my studio.It is amazing what can motivate us and provide us with the energy we need to get going.  I think this coupled with  the fact that these days are a little less hectic then previous years; we have finished the house, I am working part-time from home for my hubby's buss,kids are healthy and happy and life is good! Balance and me are slowly finding our way and boy does it feel great.