Paint on My Hands, Face, Clothes......

After way too many months of ignoring my oils, brushes and canvases I have started PAINTING. Yippee!! I could present a gazillion excuses, but it mostly boils down to loss of COURAGE. It actually takes a bit of BRAVERY to create...to create anything, from sculpting a fairy, writing a novel, polishing up one's musical talents. I felt like I was wandering in the LAND OF OZ with no Golden Brick Road to follow. You QUESTION: have my skills slipped away. You WONDER: if the MUSE has left to roost with someone else. You PONDER: if you really WANT to CREATE You question and question, then the worst happens PROCRASTINATION.  Yes, there was a selling and buying of homes, a major move. Yes, my husband had many health problems and surgeries. Yes, Yes, Yes....so many reasons turned to FUTILE, USELESS EXCUSES. But also I had lost FAITH in MYSELF and DIRECTION.

Before I moved to North Carolina, a dear friend,  Sharon Schwenk invited me to be a part of a painter's group,  SILVER BRUSH SOCIETY. This gathering of talented artists have been painting together for ten years.  One member had leave and they were looking for a replacement. It was their welcoming hand extended to me in Maryland. It was an opportunity to drop into an artist's group immediately. How many times have I written how warm and friendly I have found it to be in Charlotte?  These painters have been gracious, welcoming, friendly and very helpful.

I have now met the members as we prepared over 1500 invitations to the November annual benefit show for the Matthews Help Center. Last week five of us hung an art exhibit in the Bank of America Pavilion in Charlotte.  This opportunity is how I found the COURAGE and DESIRE to paint.

I am excited to share a few pieces with you today.  They are all small steps, small paintings but they have worked their magic and I am excited to once again be painting.

At first I couldn't decide what I wanted to paint. So I started small and went with a SUNFLOWER theme.....as it is my favorite flower and color.

Meet Sunny. She is absorbed in dog reverie, relaxing in the Sunflowers.

Oscar is plunked down on a Sunflower cushion.  Painting animals, other than the occasional cow is something new for me. And I have started a series of puppies.

Molly in the Meadow....I wonder if butter is yellow due to a diet of Buttercups and Sunflowers?

Sunflower Fields....just have to do a few Provence, France inspired paintings.

I end this little preview with a tiny painting, smaller than you see on your screen. Sunburst is 6x6 inches BIG!

 Once again I have paint under my fingernails, on my face and all over the shirts, I promised myself I WOULD NOT WEAR to paint in.

Through the next few weeks all of the new paintings will be posted on my website. And the happy news is that everything will be available in matted, archival prints.  This is a new endeavor to make art more affordable.

My next Website Newsletter will share more about the Silver Brush Society, our shows and the new prints. Easy to receive my newsletter, simply go to sharonfurner.com look under newsletter and leave your email address.  (Newsletter is separate from my blog.)

May you have Sunflowers in your Life everyday!