What's The Deal With Abstract Art?

If I had a nickel for every time I've heard the phrase, [with redneck accent] "I coulda painted that!" or [again, with a redneck accent] "My kids could make that kinda art!" when observing an  abstract piece, then I would be a very rich woman! Honestly, I get it. Aren't these works of art just a bunch of paint blobs? Why are those "paint blobs" so expensive? What's the big deal about modern art? 

In an attempt to answer some of these questions, I will quote Pablo Picasso, one of the world's great abstract artists. He said, 

"Everyone wants to understand art. Why not try to understand the song of a bird? …people who try to explain pictures are usually barking up the wrong tree."

 He is right! Abstract art is relative. Everyone sees something different. That's what's so beautiful about it. And sometimes it's more about the artist who created the piece, moreso than it is about the person looking at the piece. As for me, I create abstract art by putting my feelings down on the canvas. Sometimes, it's a visual temper tantrum or a celebration. The picture above is what happened when a client wanted a certain type of piece (one I had done for someone else), and I couldn't recreate it properly. So, I got frustrated and just experimented to make something really beautiful.

Abstract art is so much like life: We get certain supplies handed to us and we have to try to make something worthwhile with them. When we get started, we might have in mind what we want, but the finished product is rarely what we plan. And God makes it more amazing than we pictured! THIS is why abstract art is my favorite. No two pieces are ever the same.

What are your thoughts on art and life? 

Tree House Hidden Room Mural: Day 2

I spent about an hour adding more clouds to the ceiling and upper wall today. No big changes, except I decided to give each of the owners' grandchildren their own cloud. This one is for Gabe:

More to come this week! 

 

Tree House Hidden Room Mural: Day 1

Today, I embarked on an art adventure. A big one! Some good friends of mine have hired me to paint a tree house mural in their new home. But wait...there's more! The mural is being painted in a 114 square foot hidden room. That's right...a HIDDEN ROOM!!! It's even behind a bookcase! I feel like I'm in a dream! Follow me through the bookcase...

To the left, there's going to be a big tree house, complete with a play kitchen, a ladder, and a beautiful view! (It's not there yet, so use your imagination)

To the right, there will be a large rock wall from floor to ceiling and a chalkboard wall. 

On the ceiling, there will be clouds on a clear, blue sky. You just saw the "before" shot, now check out the beginning of my cloud handiwork:

I'll keep you all posted on my journey. It's going to be so fun! What would your hidden room look like? 

 

 

 

 

 

Mod Turkey Feather Front Door Thankfulness

There's just something special about a front door. It's the gateway into our daily lives. Sometimes I drive past homes with bold front doors and think, "What's going on in there?" And then, sometimes, I peek in windows just to find out….

Okay, fine. I'm kidding about the creepy window peeking! 

But, I can't help but be curious about those doors and the lives of the folks who walk in and out of them every day. Do they kick their shoes off into the middle of the entry hall and frantically search the two-day-old clean laundry pile on the couch for pants with an elastic waist and soft fabric, like I do? (My friend calls these "house pants" and I think that's the perfect description for them) Do these people's kids leave the door open when coming in from a long day of school, only to hear their mother's muffled voice (she's under the laundry pile, remember?) say, "Shut the door!" ? Do these families sit in their living rooms together and pray for each other and talk about important philosophical topics like how teachers need to use green stars for good behavior instead of gold stars because green is always more fun? 

Home is where we dig deeply for comfort and it's the primary place where we learn how to take care of each other. It's where we sit and be together, even when the conversations don't make sense and everybody's too tired to listen to a prayer from their long-winded sister. It's also where we learn how to be thankful, even when we can't find our house pants and even when we trip over shoes left in the hallway. 

So what does all of this have to do with a big, wooden letter painted in bold, Fall colors? Well, I guess our homes and lives are kind of like turkey feathers: They go in all different directions and they fall out sometimes, but they sure do add a lot of beauty! 

From now through tomorrow, November 4th, at 5 pm CST, I am offering one of these 24-inch wooden Mod Turkey Feather letters for $50, plus shipping and handling. Email me at: KaSoulStudio@gmail.com to order one. 

Personalize It!

This weekend, I had the privilege of attending a monogramming shower for a close family friend. What a neat party idea to celebrate a friend's marriage or birthday! No Southern home is complete without a monogram. Or two. Or 16!

This was painted on a 10 x 10 stretched canvas with acrylic paint. Picking out just the right color for a friend's home can be tricky, but this multi-colored background will look beautifully coordinated anywhere. If you are looking for something more neutral, this could easily be done in monochromatic tones. It would be beautiful set in a frame, too. I love art that is versatile! 

What's your favorite type of monogram?

Family Tree

Awhile ago, I posted about my husband's sister, Amy, and her husband, Robert, and their desire to adopt a child. My brother, Ike, and I (i.e. The Rough Drafts) wrote some songs together and recorded an EP to help them raise some of the funds needed for this journey. You can still download that album here. Name your price! Even if you don't download it, though, you still need to visit the webpage, so you can view the cover art for the EP. Pretty cool tree, huh? It was created by my husband, Mitch, who-in addition to being a brilliant family man, commercial construction manager and organizational guru-is quite an artsy-fartsy fellow. He sketched it with pen and paper in only a few hours!

As far as the adoption journey: After a long, hard couple of years full of fasting, praying, and fundraising Amy, Robert, and their daughter are hoping to add a new member to their family very, very soon! The donation link posted on The Rough Drafts' Bandcamp page is no longer working, but I know they would appreciate your prayers over these next weeks and months. We couldn't be more excited to see what God has in store for their family!

As a gift, we gave Amy and Robert a canvas decoupage made from the sketch Mitch drew for the EP. I used oil pastels for the bold colors. The aging effects took several weeks. 

The tree, itself, is so symbolic of a family. No 2 trees will have the exact same features because so many outside elements determine how a tree will grow. No 2 families will look exactly alike, either, for the same reason. Ultimately, what helps us grow stronger is how we respond to those outside elements to grow into something strong, useful, and beautiful. I could go on, but I'll let you look for yourself to see what other family correlations you can find. 

What makes your family tree strong, useful, and beautiful?

"This is the Church…This is the Steeple.."

It's been awhile since I've posted. I've been a very busy mama! I now teach 2 and 3 year olds at a wonderful preschool here in Little Rock. It's been a challenge, but I'm very thankful for my coworkers and the valuable lessons learned so far. This job has also provided more opportunities to create art--my greatest love outside of children!

The preschool had an auction to raise money for improvements to the grounds. Of course, I wanted to donate some items. Here is one little jewel. It's the steeple of the church where the preschool is run and it is a beautiful landmark here in West Little Rock:

This is a 16x20 acrylic painting on canvas. It raised $210 at the auction!!! Since then, I have been selling these like hotcakes! I'm so excited to have been able to help the school, too. 

Please contact me at: KaSoulStudio@gmail.com if you would like me paint your church steeple as a work of art!