Interior Design or Installation Piece?

These spaces in homes, clubs, and various business get crazy! It's not just an ottoman and sofa combo. These rooms are carefully constructed by color schemes, textures, shapes, and style to invoke a particular feeling for the viewer or homeowner or guest. These spaces don't just feel like home, they feel more like an experience. From modern to traditional, to modern traditional. Artists or interior designers push past yesterday's limits daily. There are countless computer software programs where it can create a space and then can be manifested into reality. I guess it's true- dreams do come true.

Mitchell Horning: A childhood favorite

I grew up with Mitch Horning in Mcminnville, OR. He is a favorite amongst those folks and one of mine too. He is a painter, typographer, photographer, model, and doodler. He is talented in many ways. There are a few of his hand painted signs above. He is becoming known in Oregon for his steady hand and beautiful style. You can check him out on Facebook under Mitch Horning. 

The Elephant Art Gallery

Yes, you are correct! these are real life elephants painting real-life canvases. If you look up online elephantgallery.com you will find amazing stories of these elephants painting pictures. They paint what they see! "This website is a showcase for paintings by elephant artists at the National Elephant Institute, Thailand.
They make great gifts for animal lovers and for anyone who appreciates beautiful and unique works of art. 
We are the home of REAL elephant art: no forced or repetitive paintings like elephant self-portraits here."

They raise money for this endangered species. I think it's worth giving a try to check these wonderfully talented artists are all about. Life is amazing! You never know what you're going to find!

The moment I realized I am an artist: Michael Markwick

Michael Markwick is an artist originally from Michigan and now resides in Germany. His work reflects his childhood growing up in the Midwest. He recently came to Lyon college and critiqued our work. He gave us feedback and guidance in our artwork. One evening, he spoke at an artist talk. He was showing slides of his pieces and explained what they meant to him. My family is also from Michigan and as he was sharing his experience I had similar memories. Something inside my heart clicked with my brain and in that very moment, I realized that I too am an artist. A single tear flowed down my cheek. I realized why I was born. I was born to create, imagine, and believe. I'm so grateful that I was there that night, I could have missed the aligning of stars. 

Chris and Jenni

Here is a painting that I did to depict the relationship I have with my brother. The picture I used was when we were at a Monday night football game in St. Louis. It was the rams vs the Seahawks. We somehow got field passes (for those of you who don't know what that means- you can't buy them- they're given to people.. Out of about 50,000 people only about 500 to 1,000 people get them and they get to watch the teams warm up and get to be a foot away from the players and newscasters) this picture was taken after the game started when we had already taken out seats. I used blues and greens for our faces to show peace. We constantly work on ourselves as individuals in achieving peace. I wanted to show our growth in our relationship such as honesty, acceptance, and freedom to be ourselves with green and blue. For the background I used a pale red-orange to signify the past we come from. Sometimes it still burns us, but we find a way to use the fire to build a stronger bond through honesty and forgiveness. It takes a lot of self reflection and personal power power to be able to be in a healthy relationship with the ones we love. I love my brother and he's one of my strongest relationships I have in my life. I couldn't see my life without him. He has taught me so much that I don't mind the fire at all- it keeps us warm.. 

A real superhero

Superheroes come In various forms. My favorite hero is a woman of 78 years. Her name is Shirley Snell. She is my grandmother.

My grandmother is Native American (confederated tribes of grand ronde- northwest pacific- where I grew up), grew up in Flint, MI, and retired as a nurse. Her first husband was murdered while he was trying to save a girl from being gang raped- the girl did get away but he was beat to death. Shirley was pregnant with her first child- my aunt Jamie. After Jamie was born, Shirley ran into a mother of one of the guys that had killed her husband and she had told my grandmother that she was so sorry for what had happened. Shirley replied, "I love my baby so much that I have no room for hate in my heart." 

This is just one of the amazing lessons of love and forgiveness my grandmother has taught me. She worked as a nurse in a teen mother ward in the 1980's in San Antonio, TX. She quickly gained respect as she couldn't see the difference between skin color because she only saw the color of one's blood- it's all the same. 

There are countless stories my grandmother has shared with me of faith, courage, strength, love, and power. 

She is a caring mother, a loving grandmother, and a proud great grandmother. She prays every night for the ones she loves of protection, guidance, and care. 

She has a close relationship with the spirit of love and I am honored she has passed the wisdom of life down to me and for that I am forever grateful to be a part of this wonderful woman's family tree. Thank you Shirley Mae Snell. 

The queen of Nail Art: Robin Moses

Robin Moses is an artist who uses the tiny finger nail as her grand canvas. She is in-freakin-credible! She has the ability to paint flowers to van goghs onto finger nails. She has many tutorials online and on YouTube.com. Whether you want to learn how to be your own nail master or you just want your mind to be blown, I highly recommend you check her out..