Carolina Elizabeth

So, I have been bragging about my daughters and how tremendously talented they are, right?. This is one of Alexia's digital works. She also does drawings and ink works also. I will show those at a later time, along some of Ezri's art. Alexia has taught herself how to do this--computers are just not my thing. She does them completely from scratch in no time. They are fantastic. This one is for a History class assignment. This is her Honduran girl to represent my country of origin. Anyways, her work and that of other members of the TAC (Teen Advisory Council) for the Arts will be exhibiting their work at the Arts Festival this year. I hope you will support our young artists in Oklahoma. Below are invitations to a couple of community events that TAC will be involved in soon. These invitaitons are hard to see. If you e-mail Ellen Cravens, Americorps Member Community Arts Program Arts Council of Oklahoma City, at ecravens@artscouncilokc.com , she will be able to give you better inf...

This building just shouts "Creative people within!" I always get asked "Where can I learn to draw, paint, make jewlery, etc.?" "Why don't you teach more?" or "I wish I knew a place where I could do my arts and crafts." I am so excited to share my answer-- AtrzPlace . It is open, clean, and filled with inspiring work from teachers and students. There are so many classes, you are bound to find that one thing you have always wanted to learn to make, paint, etc. They have classes for all ages and space if you want to host a class for friends or maybe rent a room (they are huge) for a friendly critique of sorts. The most exciting thing is that I will be teaching a ceramic class for children this May. It will be a blast! So, all of you who have been asking me for years to teach, this is your chance. I hope to see you there. Later on, I want to teach an adult (16+ yr. olds) enamel class. I love working with enamels, but not very many places teach it...

I am thrilled that the arts are growing in Oklahoma. On March 31, 2009: Water Street Art Gallery will Open for Business. Read Press Release . April 24, 2009: Opening Celebration Announcement Water Street Art Gallery proudly announces our Opening Celebration on Friday, April 24, 2009. The celebrations begin with a Ribbon Cutting Event at the Gallery by the Sapulpa Chamber of Commerce to be held at noon. Later in the day, from 4 - 8 p.m., all are invited for refreshments and celebrate the opening at the gallery with artists and friends. June 4, 2009: Six by Six Art Event Opening Night Water Street Art Gallery announces their first annual "Six by Six" Art Event which will run from June 4-20th and is to be held in conjunction with the Sapulpa Route 66 Blowout, June 6th, 2009. An Opening Night Reception will be held at the gallery Thursday, June 4th from 6 - 9 p.m. For those interested in participating in the show, 6 x 6" canvases are available for pick-up at the gallery now...

Socrates is believed to have said those famous words that are so crucial in our intent to be the best us. I would think that by the age of thirty-four I would know myself. Well, maybe it is not as much that I do not know myself, and more that I am fighting who I am and how I work. As I have said I am being challenged by my oil paints. I admire those artists that can make a painting with only the necessary strokes to make a masterpiece. Usually these paintings have areas of colors made by the loose brushstrokes and have at least a little texture. They just seem so fresh, that I wanted to paint like that. It did not work. I tend to get rid of the texture and soften the lines. When you have wet oil paints, this equals a muddy, dirty painting. After discussing my frustration with Robert, my husband and toughest critic, I came to the realization (with his help) that the style of painting I was going for was not me. I have done several watercolors in the past that I consider to be successful...

The Arts Festival is always an event I look forward to attending. Rain seems to come on those days and I hope this time it is different and the rain waits a few days. It is my way of meeting new artists and seeing what everone is up to these days. This year the Festival is April 21-26. Oh, this weekend has been a busy one. Alexia was Violet in the You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown play at Harding Fine Arts. That was fantastic. I believe the audience was highly impressed. What a pleasure it must be to go to a school where arts are a priority and not an "elective"--for both treachers and students. I sadly missed the opening for Tracey Harris . Let me tell you, the play ended about 8:30pm and so I thought we would enter the JRB and get to meet Tracey and see her work, but there was no parking space! Even though this stopped me from going in that day, it is wonderful to see how much support artists are getting in Oklahoma. I did wake up early Saturday morning to go to the fa...

I love the excitement that comes with an artist's opening show. Friday night during the Paseo Art Walk, the JRB is exhibiting a wonderful artist--well, many artists, but one I am really looking forward to meeting is Tracey Harris. As you can see she has an immense amount of talent, great eye for detail, and her compositions to perfection. Not only does she have a great ability to mimic reality on canvas that is admirable, but also motion that makes you want to react to fallen fruit. Plus, she has exquisite taste in music. She is also a Eleni Mandell fan, who, as I have mentioned before, I just absolutely love! I hope you come to the JRB and see Tracey. If you do not have the chance to do so, take a look at her work at the JRB’s website or on her site. Tracey Harris

I am so happy. This is my recent oil painting of roses. It is on an 8X10" canvas. I am absolutely nowhere near where I hope to be, but at least there are darks and somewhat lights.