Quailcrest Herb Fair

Simple Elements Design was at the Quailcrest Herb Fair yesterday. This is the third year we have participated. This show is special to me for several reasons. First of all, the show is held at a beautiful site, filled with incredible gardens. The owners of the farm are dear family friends. My husband and I spent our youth there at family gatherings for Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day. It was so special to us, we were married in the herb garden there and had our reception there, too.

The other reason it is special to me, the owner Libby Bruch, was one of my first supporters for my business. She helped to push me off that cliff. I will forever be grateful for her support. Libby passed away in February so it was nice that her family continued the fair which was so dear to her.

The show was successful and very enjoyable. The weather was perfect - not too hot. It was wonderful to have customers from years past say "There she is!" It is also fun to hear what people had to say about my work. When you sell online, you do not often get that feedback. I chatted with people from Texas, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Ohio. Many remarked that they have been making the trip to the fair for years. One customer, a bride-to-be from Texas, was in search of jewelry for her wedding. She and her fiance were such a delight. She found the perfect necklace and said "Now I can find the dress to go with it." That made my day.

It takes so much work to prepare for a show and one hopes the weather cooperates. So far, Mother Nature has been kind to me.

I look forward to returning to the fair next year. But today, I am happy but tired.

Inspiration Series - Part 17

One of my favorite things to do when I have free time is to look at art on Etsy. It is like going to a gallery without having to leave home. More times than not, I am drawn to the paintings there. Ever since I was a kid, I have had a passion for them.

One of my favorite artists on Etsy is Matt LeBlanc. His shop is MattLeBlancArt. Matt does abstract paintings. I love his use of color and texture. I find his paintings to be very powerful. When I first saw his work, I was reminded of one of my favorite painters, Mark Rothko. I decided to ask Matt the question,

What inspires you?


Painting abstract for me is just plain fun. I really feed off colors, emotions and music. I’m not a type of artist who will take a walk and get instantly inspired by something I see. For me, it’s more the mood I’m in and the emotions I feel when I’m in front of the canvas.

I think a lot about colors, shapes and forms. Those items are at the basis of all my artwork. Abstract is seeing objects in a different perspective and I really enjoy hearing what my clients actually see in my work. The answers are very different from a person to the other.

By definition, abstract art is basically a different perspective of objects and an attempt to reproduce an illusion of visible reality. Every artist has obviously different ways to create art. Techniques, feelings, emotions & experience all play a role in the finished product.

I love that Matt said it is just plain fun to paint. You can find his amazing work at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/MattLeblancArt.

Thanks so much for sharing your inspiration, Matt.

Inspiration Series - Part 16

While I await the response from several artists to the question, "What inspires you?" I thought I would enter my own response.

What inspires me?

In no particular order -

Acorns - they can become massive oak trees.
My friends who have children with autism. They inspire me daily.
My gardens - I love watching how they evolve during the year.
Music.
Old Hollywood movies. I love the style and elegance of them.
People who follow their dreams.
Listening to a thunderstorm or the rain falling.
The first snowfall of the year.
Spider webs with dew - spiders are pretty wonderful artisans.
Hearing my sons and husband laugh.
A walk in the woods.
Sitting by the river.
Cemeteries - I love looking at the artwork on the stones.
A trip to an art museum or gallery.
Sitting outside, looking at the stars.
The first warm day of the year.
New supplies.
Crayons - I love the idea of all of the possibilities that can be created with them.
My customers.
My fellow Cleveland Handmade members - Their generosity and support is most inspiring.
My great aunt - She was all class.
Cooking.
Trees in winter - I love looking at the architecture of trees.
Great novels.
People who focus on the positive.
Mother Nature.
Rocks.
People who volunteer.
Dumpster diving.
My old barn.
Bird nests - Birds are also great artisans.
A walk on the beach.
Watching birds fly in the sky - I often wonder if they go weeeeeee.
Clouds.

I am sure there are more but I think I will stop here. I hope it gets you pondering that question, What inspires you?

The Decision

My home was publicly humiliated last night on television by one of its own. "King" LeBron James announced to the world that he was turning his back on his team, his fans and his city. It is fine that he wants to move on but the manner in which he did it reminds many of Art Modell announcing he was taking the Browns to Baltimore. I thought it was telling that he named his show "The Decision". Cleveland sports' history has been saddled with titles that start with the. The drive, the shot, the fumble...the decision.

The fans are getting a bad rap in many circles today because of their reaction. Cleveland sports fans wear their hearts on their sleeves or should I say jerseys. This town is so hungry to be a winner. They been so close - once in the NBA finals and the ultimate heart breaker - one out away from victory in the World Series before Jose Mesa imploded. Can you not blame them for being hurt once again?

Let me tell you a few things about this city. You have to have a sense of humor to live here. Given everything that is thrown out you from the state of the economy to the weather, humor gets you through. Maybe that is why there have been quite a few comedians to come from the area - Bob Hope, Tim Conway, Steve Harvey, Martin Mull, Fred Willard, Molly Shannon, Don Novello, Teri Garr, Patricia Heaton and Drew Carey to name a few. Our contribution to acting isn't too shabby either - Paul Newman, Halle Berry, Joel Grey, Debra Winger, and Hal Holbrook.

The people of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio are generous and have huge hearts. Even with record unemployment and a declining city, they give generously of themselves. The philanthropy here reaches across the country thanks to Clevelanders with names like Rockefeller, Gund and Lewis.

Cleveland is also filled with determined people. Art Modell took the beloved Browns away and the fans fought until they made sure their Browns and history would stay in Cleveland. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame also ended up in Cleveland thanks to determined fans. Never underestimate what Clevelanders can do when united.

Have a heart condition? The finest place in the world to go for treatment - the Cleveland Clinic.

The arts are thriving here. University Circle is home to the best orchestra in the world and one of the finest art museums. And that art museum, free to the public.

It is also home to some of the finest restaurants in the world and an Iron Chef thanks to Cleveland's own Michael Symon. Stroll down East 4th street in downtown and you can find restaurants that have been touted by foodies all over the world. And talking about food, a trip to the incredible West Side Market is a must.

We took friends from Chicago on a tour of Cleveland last weekend. We started at the Market and wandered around the downtown, along the lake by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, through Rockefeller Park and up to University Circle and back home along the historic Fairmount district. Our friends on their way out of town commented that maybe they should look into moving here. They were impressed by all it had to offer.

Cleveland isn't perfect but no place is. It will survive this latest heartbreak, and I think come out better for it. It needs to turn its attention away from courting the "King" to stay and focus on getting lots of "Princes" and "Princesses" to come because we all know, the kingdom won't continue without heirs.

So Cleveland, I'll let you lick your wounds for a few days but then it is time to get to work.

Inspiration Series - Part 15

I have an eclectic art collection in my house. I like that. One of my favorite pieces is a watercolor of a cow. There is a story connected to my cow. Years ago, my uncle (the one I pass the clock back and forth with) came home for a visit and brought a friend. She had never been "to the country" before. She was in awe of the dalmatian cows that were all over the countryside. We found her description hysterical and inspiration for future presents. The funny thing, we can't remember her name but we remember the dalmatian cow. My kids grew up thinking they were called that and now find it funny that up the road, we have Oreo cows. Several years ago, a large box was delivered. Inside was the cow painting. My uncle was traveling and had stopped at an art show. He was taken by the cow and figured I should have that. It now hangs in the room I spend the most time in and smile when I see it.

Today's featured artist, Robert Joyner, first caught my eye because of his cow paintings. When I explored his shop more, his countryside paintings reminded me of where I grew up. Having had a lifelong love affair with horses, I was really drawn to his horse paintings. I also liked that he told a story with each of his paintings. I have a weakness for storytelling and love to know what inspired the piece or the feelings of the artist. I think it makes it even more personal. I decided to ask Robert the question,

What inspires you?

Expression is the key to my creative process. Subjects vary, but the sense of expression stays the same. Watercolor was my first medium. The magic of transforming blank white paper into colorful paintings brought me back to the easel day after day. I soon began to add other mediums such as crayon and charcoal to my watercolors. This form of mixed media gave me a sense of personal style.

Having loved the outdoors all my life, I decided to start plein air painting. This experience opened other avenues of creativity and techniques. It also brought me back to the subjects that I enjoy the most. Having grown up in rural Virginia and with a background in commercial fishing, I was quickly drawn to the coastal harbors, fishing boats, and the Virginia country side. Plein air painting gives me a more personal connection with the subjects. By being on site, I’m able to capture and omit certain nuances that give the viewer room to use their imagination and allows me the opportunity to include certain features that add character to the scene. Plein air paintings will often lead to larger studio works which are fueled by time invested on site.

One of the toughest things for me to do is to throw away unwanted paintings and brushes. Many of my favorite acrylic paintings on paper are completed with recycled watercolor paper and well worn, or frayed brushes that many artists would likely discard. It seems like painting on inferior works is less inhibiting. The strength of my art is allowing each painting to have a life of its own. Even though I do not have a methodical way of painting, there are always certain techniques and methods I use throughout my works. Therefore, finishing a piece is always a unique journey.

You can find Robert's wonderful work at http://www.etsy.com/shop/artman757.

Thanks so much for sharing, Robert.

Family Heirloom

The summer before my freshman year in college, my great aunt died. She was one of my favorite people on earth. She was born in 1900. I loved that she was the perfect age for each of the decades she lived in. The twenties were the perfect time to be in your twenties or the forties to be in your forties. Her name was Mildred but I called her Oo-hoo. When I was little, she would come to the door and ask "Oo-hoo, anyone home?" I just assumed she was calling out her name. She spent her adult life on the faculty at the University of Kentucky, and I would send mail to her addressed to Oo-hoo. I'm sure the mailman wondered about that.

When Oo-hoo died, my uncle and I were packing up her belongings. My uncle, who is more like a brother to me given our close ages, found a rhinestone clock in a drawer. We both joked about how ugly it was and who would get it. I don't know what possessed me but I hid it in the trunk of things he was having sent to his home in San Francisco. I forgot about the clock until Christmas Eve. There was a present from my uncle that had a strange note attached. Christmas morning, that was the first present I opened - suspecting it was the clock. Sure enough, it was. Thus became our ritual of passing the clock back and forth. In the beginning, we were rather boring. We would send it with a Christmas present or Birthday present. The clock would travel across the country a few times a year. We decided to get more creative in our passing of the clock. My uncle once slipped it to my husband during a family dinner, and he placed it on my nightstand during the middle of the night. I woke up to discover it. I had a co-worker who was traveling to San Francisco deliver it to his office while he was at lunch. His most original method was to send me a wooden box that looked like a clock face. I was sure I was going to open it up and discover the clock. When I lifted the lid, I found my favorite Grandma See's candy. I reached in to take a few and yes, found the clock underneath the candy. I managed to slip the clock in the pocket of his coat at the airport, saying goodbye. He found the clock as he went through airport security. I also sent it to him at the end of daylight savings taking advantage of the line, "time to change your clock".

We should have marked the back of the clock each time it was being shipped. At best estimate, it has been across the country over a hundred times. The joke was always the first to die was buried with it. Now that it has so much history, that won't happen. It's a family heirloom. I am sure Oo-hoo would have enjoyed this all.

The clock is in San Francisco right now. I can't wait to find out how it makes its next appearance. I will keep you posted.

Inspiration Series - Part 14

As I have stated before, one of the great loves of my life is the game of baseball. My father got me interested in it when I was little. He was (still is) a huge sports fan. I used to wait for him to get home from work so we could play catch. I'm sure the guy was dead tired from the long day but he would quickly change clothes, and we would head to the backyard so he could throw the ball with me. Once I got older, I liked to watch the game more than play it.

One of my favorite places to watch baseball is Wrigley Field. A day game there is something everyone should experience at least once. Several years ago, we took our sons to a game there. A family member got us seats fourteen rows behind home plate. My eldest commented that he could call balls and strikes from the seats. We managed to see a ball get lost in the ivy. A home run ball hit by the visiting team thrown back onto the field, and participate in that Cubs tradition of the 7th inning stretch. It was a magical day that we still talk about.

My love of Wrigley Field is what first attracted me to today's artist, Stephen Fowler of Gemini Studio Art. I love the graphic quality of his work. I decided to ask him the question,

What inspires you?

For me, inspiration is found all around me. When I first started Gemini Studio Art in Chicago, I was living in Wrigleyville and naturally was inspired by the Cubs and baseball became a big part of my work. As a graphic designer by trade, I'm always seeking out new and impactful graphics that I find intriguing and visually interesting. Of course much of my work takes on a vintage feel, so I definitely gather inspiration from stuff that isn't new, like vintage advertising posters and signage.

You can find Stephen's work at http://www.etsy.com/shop/geministudio.

Thanks for sharing your inspiration, Stephen.