Sunday, October 24, 2010

Inspiration

Before  I  started  my  blog--way  way  before  I  started,  I  always  visited  other  people's  blogs--in  particularly--angel  artists.   And  thinking  to  myself,  that  I  would  love  to  paint an  angel,  but  thinking  that  I  couldn't.   I  have  made  a  few  angels  in  the  past  but  on  a  smaller  scale  with  very   little  detail--they  didn't  even  have  faces  on  them.   But  then  came  my  blog,  and  the  encouragement  from  all of  you  and  then  my  online  classes,  and  I  felt  a  little  more  confident   and  just  DID  it--instead  of  wondering  if  I  could  or  not.  (Remember  to  click  on  this  to  see  all of  the  textured  details!)


She  first  started  out  as   just  a  face  that  I   drew  in   my  sketchbook  and "demonstrated"  at  my  show  last  week--


I  wouldn't  really  call  it  demonstrating--I  never  looked  up  once  and  when  I  finished  sketching  her  face,  I  just  put  it  away--it  sure  did  pass  the  time  quickly  though.  It  was  on  Sunday,  and  near  the  end  of  the  show.  I  wasn't  really worried  so  much  about  the  face  as  I  was  (and  this  may  sound  silly)  the  wings  and  halo.  As  many  angels  that  I've  seen,  I  always  look  at  them  as  a  whole  and  never  pay  a  whole  lot  of  attention  to  the  wings  or  halo--more  specifically,  the  positioning  of  them.  So  I've  been  going  to  all  of  these  generous  angel  artists'  sites  and  paying  more  attention  to  these  aspects.   And  I  found that  it  doesn't  really matter  where  you  put anything---it's  just  your  own  style.  So  I  want  to  say  a  big  Thank  You  to  all  of  you  angel  artists  out  there  for  inspiring  me,  and  chances  are,  if  you  create  angels,  I've  been  to  your  site!

And  also,  when  I  started  out  with  her,  I  deliberately  took  my  time.  I  would  work  on  her  for  a  little  while  and  stop  for  the  day   even  if  I  wanted  to  keep  going--I  just  enjoyed  the  process--



I  find  that  when  I  stop  and  come  back  later, especially  the  next  day,  I  can  view  my  piece   and  get  a  whole  new  idea  that  I  never    would  have  thought  of  doing  the  day  before,  and  if  I  rushed  to  finish  it,  chances  are,  that  I  wouldn't have  been  able to   add  the  little  touches  in  it  that  I  did.  This really does work!!   I know a lot of you do this already, but if you have never done this or are struggling--I'm telling you, it's like a whole new piece when you come back to it.


                                                                                                    
So  you  probably  can  guess  what  else  I'm  planning  on  doing  with  my  new    angel  image-- I'm  so  happy  with  her ,  and  I'm  also  happy  with what  I' ve  accomplished  from  last  year   : )

So  let  me  tell  you  another  inspiring  story.  My  son  Nick   is  very  good  about  taking  care  of  himself--he  eats very healthy (reads  all  those  labels!),  and  has  always  been  physically  active  and  exercises  routinely.   His  one  downfall  was  that  he  felt  that  he  could  never  be  a  runner.  He  never  did  well  in  school when  it  came  to  running around  the  track.  He  would  tire  easily, and so on  and  so on.  Well  4  years  ago,  he  decided  that  he  was  going  to  run  a  marathon-- not  a  half  one,  but  a full  26.2  mile  one.  So  he  went  on  the  internet,  found  a  training  program,  and   trained  all  year,  and  in  the  Fall  of  that  year,  he  ran  his  1st  full marathon  and  finished  it!  

Fast-forward  to  2010,  and  he's  still  doing  marathons.  He  runs  a  marathon  a  year.   Okay,  now  lets  talk  about  my  daughter  Jen.  She  didn't  want  to  run  a  marathon,  but  she  was  the  same  way.  She's  also  very  conscience  of  her  daily  habits,  and  always  has  some  exercise  regimen  going  on  in  her  life.  But  she  could  never  run,  saying  that  her  legs  would  get  sore,  and  mainly,  she  would  get  out  of  breath  easily.  Well, yes,  you  guessed  it--she  started  running  this  year, and is  now  a  regular  runner.   So,  let's  fast  forward  to  a  week  ago.   Here  are  the  both  of  them  at  the  Columbus  marathon--

Nick  signed  up  for  the  26.2  mile  marathon  and  finished  (his  2nd  best  time),  and  Jen  signed  up  for  the  13.1  mile  marathon  and  finished  it!!   ( and  don't  they  look  so  eager  and  ready  to go?  this  photo was  taken  afterwards!)  And  you  know  what  their  plan  is  for  next  year?  They're  going  to  meet  in  Chicago (the  largest  marathon)  and  they're  both  planning  on  running  the  full  marathon.  Needless  to  say,  I'm  very  proud  of  them,   not  so  much  that  they  ran  the  marathon (which  is  totally  awesome),  but  they  kicked   that  self  doubt  off  of  their  shoulder  and  just  DID  it.   So  all  of  you  doubting  Thomas's  out  there  who  think  that  you  will never be able  to  do  something--the  only  thing  that's  holding  you  back  is  you!

So  who  knows,  Nick  and  Jen,  maybe  I'll  be  alongside  you  2  running  someday.......Who  me?!   I  can't  even  run  around  the  block  ; )

69 comments:

Anonymous said...

beautiful and very romantic work Diane!
I lake it!

Kisses.

Micki Wilde said...

Love your angel Diane, she is so pretty and all your mixed media work on it is wonderful!!

As for a marathon and me?...I think not!! ;)
Congratulations to your son and daughter for doing it though, what a great achievement!!

Micki x

Dorthe said...

Dear Diane, -your angel piece is one of the most beautifull I have ever seen, I love all the details, of collaging, and painting, and she have the sweetest face.
**
Congratulations to your kids,for doing what they felt impossible-that`s just BIG.
Hugs,Dorthe

Brigitte aka Scrappassie said...

Your angel turned out so beautiful ! About coming back to a piece the next day, yes I do that, and it does help ;-) Thank you for your inspiring story about your kids .. I guess it is true, if you really want something, go for it ! All it needs is training and/or practice ;-)I need to tell myself that every now and than LOL

Jeanne Nelson said...

Beautiful, peaceful angel ~~ can't wait to see what you do with her prints. Congrats to you, your son and daughter for pushing through and accomplishing your goals.

Buffy said...

What a great accomplishment for both of them,you must be so proud! Thats hard work. Its such an inspiring story too. Now your angel is one of the most beautiful angels I have ever saw. Love all te details you added around her.Thats a good idea to walk away but I don't know if I have the patients for that,I usually walk away when I get frustrated and stuck.

Tracy Nuskey Dodson said...

Lovely painting Diane! It took me a long time to realize that there were no rules and I could do whatever I want with my art.

Congratulations to yor kids and their head starts in good clean living! I wish I started out that way:)

roc said...

love that angel! she's beautiful. congratulations to your children, too. what an accomplishment. i get tired walking to the kitchen! haha

Janie Husband said...

diane, i love love love your angel......how beautiful she is...you must be a proud proud mother....and i hear you about running yourself..... ;-)

Joji said...

I love her Diane...So soulful in the eyes and so much texture....Just beautiful. The marathoners are awesome too, just thinking about it makes my legs hurt.

Dianne said...

Your angel is just lovely... and your advice to just do it is very wise...

Marlene said...

Your angel is gorgeous. Congrats to both of your children that is awesome.

Healing Woman said...

In all the angels I've viewed, including ones that I have made, yours is uniquely you. The details you placed in the background are awesome for sure..I love the lettered wings and the little face in background as well as the colors you chose. She is a winner.

Your post is about winners as well and our ability to do whatever it is we dream of doing. Congratulations to your beautiful children..they heed their mother's lessons well!

Janet Ghio said...

Great photos of your kids. How great that they have found something that they could participate in separately and together!! Your angel is beautiful. I especially love the background with the crackle-- just perfect!

Marguerite (Tina) Smith Hart said...

Absolutely precious angel Diane, the detail is phenomenal!
And a big congratulations to your kids for running those marathons! Way to go guys!!
Tina xo

Isabel said...

Love it!!!! So beautiful and serene:O)

Unknown said...

I'm not much of an angel painter but I would say don't second guess where things should go.
Your stuff is always so great Diane.

Unknown said...

I so relate to this post. I love art! I never thought of myself as one of those naturally artistic types but I want to be so much that I keep trying. It's scary to post photos of my own work on my blog. I think I'm getting better though. When I first tried my hand at painting someone very close to me laughed at it. I'm glad I didn't quit. Making art makes me happy. Your blog has been a place I love coming to. I'm always in awe of the things you can do. Congrats to your kids, amazing accomplishment!
♥Jenny

ps: Your angel really is beautiful!

kluless said...

This is a wonderful post, Diane! My congrats to both your youngsters and to YOU as well. I am certain the example you set played a role in their determination to accomplish their goal.
And thank you for the advise about stepping away from the artwork. Yes, I have experienced exactly the same thing, where I am forced to step away and when I come back I see it in a whole new perspective. I am going to try really hard to remember that feeling because my natural instinct is that I must keep going because I must FINISH. Maybe I need to make myself a little sign. "Step Away from the ART". Thanks for a great read to start my day!

Gisèle said...

Oh Diane, your angel is just gorgeous, and I love your story of the day. They obviously get their courage from you, you are living by example. Congrats to all of you.....hugs G.

Janine said...

You have lovely children!

Your angel is lovely too!

Carrie Joy Byrnes said...

Inspiration!!!!!

It's beautiful.

Elizabeth C. said...

She's hands-down gorgeous. I love all the rich texture and detail, and my favorite part is the looped embroidery thread around her. How exciting for you! Will you keep her or sell her? Does she have a name?

Deb Harvey said...

Your Angel is gorgeous and so are your children!

I ran for over 20 years, never a marathon though... Your son and daughter should be very proud.
Wonderful post, Diane!

WrightStuff said...

Beautiful painting Diane and great story about your family. I admire marathon runners immensely. What stars you have in your family. You must be so proud.

pammyjo said...

This is a gorgeous piece of art. Your collage and mixed media work is such an inspiration. Just fabulous!!! ;) Have a great creative week. Hug! Thanks for the skate comment. I'm anxious to start the other one. I may do more mixed media style on it. TTYL Congrats to the marathon kids. What an accomplishment.

Lynn Cohen said...

I totally agree with you on letting the art piece sit a day and coming back to it. I often dream or wake up thinking of an idea of what is needed next. That is sure how my last two pieces grew.
Your angel piece is supurb. I love the crackle glue you used in the background. She is beautiful and the whole collage around her is terrific. Could not be more perfect. I'm glad you studied and trusted yourself to do this in your own style.

As for your kids, well bravo, bravo, bravo!!! What wonderful accomplishments. I can see why you are so proud of them. Love seeing people taking such good care of themselves. They are both beautiful beings. You must have done a lot right! I know you are proud.
Good luck on your running thoughts! ;-) I'll be here to cheer you on!

Kathryn Zbrzezny said...

I love your art angel and your children angels are amazing! Big smiles to you! ~Kathy P.S. the face on your angel is so ethereal. You really captured the angelic look I imagine. Beautiful.

Lori Saul said...

So very beautiful and how special to see her in creation too!

Kelly Lish said...

She is so so lovely! I hope you hang her in your home somewhere that everyone can see!

Theresa MacNaughton said...

Your angel is JUST beautiful, Diane. I like how you showed her in the beginning stages and how she turned out in the end. All the smaller details are absolutely stunning and really add so much to the piece. And a big congrats goes to your kids - that's just wonderful and shows that you can really do something if you just set your mind to it! :) Theresa

Lisa Lectura Creations said...

She is absolutely gorgeous, Diane! Beautiful work! Congrats to your kids too! :)

Unknown said...

oh my !!! this is so gorgeous!!! I love it...and seeing it in progress is amazing!!! I think Angels are so peaceful and everyone needs one!!!

Anonymous said...

I think that your kids are AMAZING! My parents used to run marathons too - it is such a l o n g way!

I adore your angel too. You are so talented and such an inspiration!

Opening an Etsy shop is EASY! And stuff is going to fly out your shop so have it well stocked!!! ♥

Dianne said...

Lovely face from other climes.
~Dianne~

sharon said...

Your angel is divine Diane! And I really enjoy all the detail and texture!

wandamarie.blogspot.com said...

HEAVENLY, truly...it appears you've been doing this all your life! xo

Jonny J Petros said...

Hi Diane, Beautiful piece Your right when you blow it up you can see all the details truly amazing! I love how you work and how wonderful to show everyone how to go about doing it. Congrats to your children!!!- I walk a little but would be out of breath if I would try and run to the end of my block .Sincerely Jonny

Šolanje na domu-Waldorf said...

Gorgeous angel, Diane! I'm always rushing, too, I guess I'll need to slow down a bit. :) Congrats to you dauther and son. Marathon is hard. Way to go! :)

claire barone art said...

your angel is a dream thanks for your well wishes on my last post im fine now.............. would love to see more angels your good at them xx

Nicola said...

Hi there so nice to 'meet' you!!! :0) thank you for your lovely visit to my blog, I've just been having a look around yours, what a wonderful fun happy blog you have! I LOVE your art, your angel is beautiful! Love the way you draw your girls and what a great story about your kids and their running, I run and feel at the moment that I just can't get any better and struggle with it. (and it sounds like the same reason your daughter was saying) It's good to know that you can push past those barriers, good for them perhaps I'll look up a training program on the internet they have both inspired me! :0)

Griselda said...

Your work is so lovely!
I have used music for the background it is always great when people write asking me, what kind of music is under all that paint...laughs* Mystery music, that is what I use I say.

Flor Larios Art said...

Lovely piece...love the textured background....great composition!

Emelie said...

Really beautiful, a great angel, and after all the agel research to have such a success. I hope you use her many times in your creative ways. You may even do another. Sometimes we think we didn't work so hard on a project but I think it is because we are having such a good time creating.

Your son has great determination and such a cute girl. Wishing them more great success with the marathons. It is a big achievement.

Christina Silverio said...

Wow...I am seriously in awe over this piece; it it gorgeous!
And you have such beautiful children!

Sunny K. Lee said...

Lovely angel Diane~ I don't think you need some kind of courage to do angel series..you nailed it already :)

Kelly Berkey said...

diana, your angel painting is so lovely. i appreciate that you show us your processes. there is so much detail you can look at her for hours.
and both your kids running a marathon? i chickened out of ours this past weekend. it was amazing to hear the times. i have trouble running 6 miles let alone 20 more! bravo to both of your darlings!!
xoxo

peggy aplSEEDS said...

your angel is so beautiful and inspiring!

froebelsternchen said...

It´s really fabulous!
Love it!

hugs from Vienna, Austria

Susi

Nancy Standlee said...

Great angels.. I like to paint them also.

Biljana said...

I love your Angel, so beautiful:))
Hugs, Biljana

Anonymous said...

Wonderful angel, love the music sheet wings!

Heavens2Betsy said...

How lovely she is, Diane. So very wistful. I love her musical wings. Penny

Theresa Plas said...

Beautiful piece D! Loving all the sweet details and textures. Have to agree with you about walking away from it for a bit. Enjoyed the marathon story too - Congrats to the kiddos!

Wini said...

Hi Diane, wow, this is a gorgeous piece and I love the angel, her wings with music sheets, and the embellished background!! Wini

rachel awes said...

oh how i love the music in her wings! lol! xo

Lynda said...

That was a great post :) You must be so proud of them. Heck, I'm proud of them and they aren't even my kids! I can't run either, lol...but would like to try someday. Maybe this was just the story I needed to read to kick that self doubt out of the way :) I loved how inspiring this message of yours was! Oh, and good luck with the new Paranormal movie! I'm too scared to watch it (hiding under my covers, lol). Let me know how it is! I watched the first one a while back and it still freaks me out when I'm home alone. Then again, I have experiences of my own to keep that movie fresh in my head :) Lovely painting too!

Katie said...

This is so beautiful, and amazing detail! I can relate to the blog world helping encourage, and make us realize we can try anything...you definately can do angels!

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

The angel is lovely! I always love seeing the music used in art! My boys have run in marathons...and I even ran in some races years ago! But I'm happy to be walking and hiking now! ♥

Art by Darla Kay said...

I love all the texture and details in this yummy piece Diane!
The story of your kids and how they did the thing they doubted the could is so inspiring! I also have some runners in my family and they keep telling me I'd love it if I just tried it. Not so sure....ha!
The message behind your story I will take and hold onto today...I want to try something new too! Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Diane,
I am in Awee of your beautiful Angel..
Keep on keeping on girl..
Hugs, Darlene

Zorana said...

Beautiful, beautiful angel! I can't believe you ever doubted that you can paint them... so glad that is gone. What an inspirational story about your kids! Congratulations! I think that they are amazing and also very lucky to understand how to push through self-made boundaries when they are so young. I also can't run around the block, but I will... I'm training, so slowly but surely I plan to become a runner too.

Kristin said...

Hi there! Thank you for your visit and kind comment - so funny as YOU were a big inspiration when I was doing that face - yours are always so full kindness and cool hair and I really thought of you as I was trying mine! SO, thank you!
Thank you too for this new inspiration - both from your angel and your kids - your piece is just stunning and I really appreciate all of that beautiful shading and facial details, xoxo

Debbie said...

fabulous angel Diane!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

This is gorgeous. I love the angel and the way you have taken us through both the process and the way you have grown over this year. Your art is stunning, and I'm so glad I found you, dear!

Carla (Color Heals Me) said...

I should have told you before how much I love this post. I love the message especially and your angel is beautiful. I love all the wonderful details! Truly beautiful

Geri said...

What a lovely angel....textures, colors are really wonderful.

Unknown said...

I love your angel, Diane. Her face is amazing and I love all of the textures you added to bring her to life. Beautiful.
Your children are adorable! Congrats to them for accomplishing such a fete and for rising above self doubt. Nicely done!

Griselda said...

I looove your angels!!

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