Photos Not Paintings!

This morning when I logged in to Facebook I noticed that someone had shared one of my newest artwork images from the new Land O' Make Believe collection, which is always appreciated.

I clicked to see who it was that shared and then I saw the comment she added to the shared image...something along the lines of "someone spent a lot of time painting this!"

So.  They think my work are paintings.
I think that's good...but it's kinda bad.

Good, because that is sort of the look I am trying to achieve in my work.
Sort of, almost, but not quite.

Bad, because it took me two years of trial and error, studying, researching, purchasing various software, to achieve the Land O' Make Believe artography look.

Remember, ART(digital) + PHOTOGRAPHY = ARTOGRAPHY.

I will probably never do this again but here is the original photograph that the above piece started as:

See?  A photograph!

New T-Shirt Line!

Home Fires Burning T-shirt with Quote by EverydayMagic4u
Browse more Quote T-Shirts

June 2013

My June 2013 month-long exhibit/show at the Ocean County Library has (sadly) come to a close but I want to share some of the highlights of it with you.

The curator of the show shared with me this snippet regarding my art/show in an email message she received from one of her colleagues:

"...I took a swift gander at the exhibit on the wall...Ms. O'Brien-Huey's...perusing some of the online sites that have her listed show such a sensitive touch, but then, after putting her "artography" handout* together with her visuals...well...I was just floored (actually, the opposite...put into a metaphysical orbit).  What an amazing touch, awareness, poetry she has.  I'm definitely a fan.  Can't wait to look into her stuff even more deeply."

Then, from the curator herself in a wonderful card she made for and presented to me when we were uninstalling my artwork on Saturday:

"...All of us here in Toms River - our staff, our patrons, but most especially me! - are grateful beyond words for the magic you brought to our gallery wall.  The experience of partnering on the wonderful exhibit with wonderful YOU has cast a glow over my whole summer!  Please stay in touch...because we GOTTA do this again!"

 On Saturday, June 15th, I held an informal Meet & Greet at the library.  I got to talk to some of the patrons about my artwork which was really nice and of course I had some free stuff to give away because nothing makes me happier than giving things away and seeing the surprise and delight on their face.

One of my giveaways: moonflower seeds, my favorite.

(back of seed envelope - CLICK to read it more clearly)

And speaking of those two things - surprise and delight - one of my bestest friends from high school showed up that day.  I haven't seen him in 30 years!  B drove two hours to get there!
But wait there's more!
When I was very little (late 60's/early 70s) my mother converted our house in Elizabeth, NJ, into a two-family.  She was a single mother who worked as a waitress so renting out half the house did a lot for the family finances.  Mom rented out the upstairs to a woman, D, and her two young boys and wouldn't you know she and Mom became great friends and - from the stories I hear - had a lot of adventures together!
Once we sold that house though, everyone lost touch...until I found her on Facebook last year!  I want to tell you that D came to the library on 6/15, too!  My mom was there, they got to reconnect, after about 40 years!  Wow.  D also brought her sister and brother-in-law along and I'm so glad she did because I don't often get to meet such nice people.
Honorable mention has to be inserted here for another of my best friends.  K, who is more sister-like to me than BFF - there's a significant piece of my heart with her name on it - tried so hard to be there too but wouldn't have been able to make it in time.

So, yeah, now you will understand the whole surprise and delight thing.

I had a Guest Book at the show and I'd like to share with you some of the entries from it:

These are all so great but I think this one says its all:

Ha!

Some people measure success exclusively by how much money they make doing something.
Sure, that's one kind of success but it is not my primary definition of the word.
In this last month it looks like because of me some people were...touched by (my kind of) magic...brought back together...reminded of what might be bittersweet memories....etc.
I'll take that.
I'll that that any day of the week, over and over again, above all.

Success, indeed.

*The handout referred to above was a collection of quotes from books/authors that matched up with each of the pictures I had on display.  I often include a quote from a book along with my pieces because the quote captures perfectly, eloquently, the message I'm trying to deliver when I created the piece.
Using quotes from books along with my artwork marries perfectly two of my greatest passions.

Faux Living Room

Last night my husband and I were hiding from the ☼heat☼, having a glass of wine in the living room.

I've got several pieces of my artwork scattered about in that room and we were talking about each piece (there's no television in this room on purpose so that whoever is in there has to relax, converse or both).
There is one picture that is in a tiny 5x7 frame and we both were saying that its small size does it no justice.
It is the one called "Sunset At New Castle" and its one of my personal favorites.

We both agreed that so much of its nuances are lost at such a small size and that it really deserves to be and would look great blown up super big and hung on a living room (bedroom, hallway, etc) wall.
So this morning I did just that!

Below is a photograph of my own living room with "Sunset At New Castle" photoshopped in.

I think I'm going to do this with all of my artwork...show how it looks framed and hanging on a wall.

Maybe I'll even wind up making more sales! ☺

Getting Ready & Book/Author Quotes

Well, in just about 24 hours I will be installing my exhibit at the Ocean County Library.  It's terribly exciting but it's also kind of scary; putting yourself out there is always worth it though, yes?  Better to take risks and chances than to sit idly and dwell in "if only's".

Being that this exhibit is taking place in the gallery of a library, I have a list of quotes from books/authors that go along with each of the images that will be displayed.  Truth is, I do this for each and every picture that I complete.  As a book and word lover, a piece is not complete to me until I find the perfect quote (to me) that captures the essence of the image.
I believe that the curator of my show is going to make a printout of these quotes available as a handout and I hope she does because it will add a really nice touch to the show.
I thought, too, that it would be a good idea to post the quotes here, along with their corresponding image...even though there are 26 of them!

Speaking of 26, there are only supposed to be 25 on display.  We miscounted somewhere along the line (don't ask; there are framed pictures stacked all over the living room.  He counts, I count, we add...and still something goes wrong!  lol) and now I have to decide which one to cut and I hate doing that.  It has been so hard to pick out which pieces to use when there are - what? - a hundred to choose from.  Maybe even more than that.  Oy.

So for now, I'm keeping it at 26.
And here they are, with their quotes...

Press Release For June Show

Upcoming Events Announcements

Meet & Greet with Sharon
June 15th
12-2pm