This is a piece inspired by my father's journey through the disease. Sometimes he surfaces up out of the sea of Parkinson's.  Other times he is lost at sea.

I do wish things were like they used to be.

Look for another piece about my dad in Pam Carikker's book Art at the Speed of Life to be published next fall.

Well back to work on a huge commission piece due by Christmas!

Thank you all for looking.

Brandie

This is a picture of the house my grandfather grew up in...  I thought to myself... I can select my great grandmother, enlarge her and see what she looks like... for the first time...  Just look at how pretty she is...

I wanted to take time to share this with everyone... I am a little moved by this discovery...

Brandie
  

I have been asked to be a contributing artist for Pam Carriker's book "Art at the Speed of Life" to be released in Fall 2010! 

I have an article to write and a lot of artwork to do... all circled around a perfect theme for me. 

I have been very consumed lately... hence the great expanse between blog posts.  I Recently started a full time job and reunited with my husband.  We moved into a bigger place.  I HAVE STUDIO SPACE!  YEAH!  We have been painting walls and unpacking.  Now that I feel I can breath, I am ready to rejoin blogland. 

What have I on my plate for you to look forward to?:

Classes to teach at The Art Store, and a cute little shop in the East Village, Ephemera

Long awaited online workshops,

I will post pictures of our new home...

And Pam's book!

I am working on about several pieces of art...  a couple finished, a couple in progress, a few more ideas laid out...  All loosely or tightly wrapped around the idea I have for the article for Pam's book... They have to be kept under wraps though so they will be a surprise when the book comes out. 

I will try to sneak in a couple of now and then to build my inventory of art for sale.  Those will be posted as always.

Thanks for visiting,

I will be back soon!

Brandie

This piece was created as a gift from a friend to a lovely couple about to be married this weekend! 

I was very inspired by the bride's wedding plans given to me for inspiration.  She is incorporating lots of vintage details and her plans are very considerate of the wedding party.... Which, can be a rare perspective.

The piece was created on watercolor paper in warm fall colors!

I hope Mary loves this piece as much as I do!

Thank you all for looking!

Brandie

I'm sorry about my long absence around here and everywhere else... I have been out of my head a little...

This piece is about being a little girl, about what it was like growing up adored... It's about having a dad... who didn't see any other girl in the world, only me.

My dad has been very sick over the last few months.  He was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's years ago and it has progressed very quickly in the last year or so. 

He has trouble moving the lower half of his body and often falls down and he cannot get back up on his own.  He sometimes, not often but enough times, has a hard time communicating one coherent thought to the next. 

He is now in a nursing home for physical therapy and they are adjusting his medications while they can keep a close eye on him, in hopes that his current issues are due to improper dosage.  They don't think he will be able to go home. (ever) He will at least need assisted living care (at 63).

It is so hard to find words right now... This piece has taken me three weeks to complete, unheard of for me. 

I miss my dad.  Yes he is still here.  But at the same time he is not.  He is a different person... devoid of most of the person he was before... he seems sad and depressed most of the time.  I want the dry sense of humor... the pride in his eyes when he looks at me... when he looks at his granddaughters.  I want his passion for travel, for gardening, for his home to come back.  I want him back.  Every now and then we have glimpses of his sense of humor, thankfully it seems to be the easiest to come back when he is feeling better.

Even though I know it is my art that will help me most, I am having trouble pushing myself to my art table...  I have been afraid I guess of what would come out.  I have dark visions and I find myself thinking that, you know, maybe I should own a black dress, I don't have one, I might need one all too soon. 

Finally, I pushed that thought out of my head or at least I put it in the closet, I shut off the light, so now it is in a dark place in my mind and I finished this piece. 

"The Only Girl in the World" is a happy piece.  It goes back to a very very happy place in my life.  Growing up with Grandparents that thought the sun rose and set according to Brandie's existence.  Parents that worked so hard everyday to make sure I had everything I needed.  I look back and think of what I took for granted...  There is nothing compared to being adored, and not all little girls are so lucky.  My father told me he loved me every single time he talked to me...  every single time.  He still does. And when I can see his face, I can still see it in his eyes...  I guess that is something, isn't it?

I believe some kind of magic happened inside my dad when I was born...  I hope he still has it.  I miss seeing it.

Parkinson's is an ugly disease. It not only has it's awful physical symptoms, but it attacks your dopamine receptors. These receptors help us to feel passion and happiness...  They are the driving force that lights our faces with excitement.  How easy it is for the Parkinson's patient to fall into depression... the disease is killing their body's defense mechanisms needed to avoid depression.

This photo was taken before I was born, but I think I followed shortly...  My grandma has been racking her brain, trying to figure out which dog this was... :) 

"The Only Girl in the World" was created on 12 x 24 x 3/4 inch cradled gessobord.  I love the brilliant color and that the words in the sheet music make sense with the overall piece.

Thank you all for visiting and lending me your ear...

Brandie

This piece was commissioned for a wedding gift from Kenneth to his brother and new bride, Scott and Fabiana.

The bride is from Brazil.  I can't believe how beautiful she is. "Eu te amo" means "I Love You" in Portuguese. The piece was created on 8 x 10 cradled hardboard with 2 inch wood sides.  It was requested I use "outdoorsy" colors... I love working with reds and oranges!  The sides are collaged as well.  I hand wrote their vows on the sides of the piece.  I didn't know if I should post the scan of the sides, wedding vows are personal.  If I get the go ahead from Kenneth, I will update this post.

I had fun doing this.  It brought me great happiness!

I hope he likes it!

Brandie

This piece is a remake of an earlier piece that was not recoveredfrom the Omaha Summer Arts Festival storm last year.  I decided that if I was going to redo this one that it would have to be on a larger scale ( this version measures 30 x 30 inches ) and that it would delve deeper into the emotions and life experiences that inspired this piece. It took me a longer time than usual to finish this piece.  Each element was carefully thought out.  It is a powerful piece for me, releasing some demons, that unfortunately will resurface... but in the mean time cleansing my soul a little.

As a visual thinker with a very visual memory, I am often frustrated when trying to communicate.  I don't mix well with literal thinkers if they do not understand or do not at least try to understand the way my thought process works.  When recalling an earlier conversation, I will never be able to offer exact words to you... If you allow me to speak in context, or to describe the conversation... I am better. 

Most of the people close to me understand this about me and are supportive.  Problems occur when you are confronted with someone who has a manipulative personality.  Someone who claims you must be lying because you can not bring to mind the exact words.. Someone who may use this against you.

I am sorry for the delay in posts... I have been going through some personal things that are slowing me down... :(  Be patient with me... I feel I am on a roll!

Brandie

P.S.  To give you grasp of the scale of this piece.  The girl in front (literal) measures 17 inches tall!

I watched Iron Jawed Angels again last night... Of course it inspired me... it always does.  I just need to be reminded of the struggles our ancestors went through to pave the paths we walk on today.

You can see this piece and much more beginning tomorrow, July 7th, 2009 at the Ritual Cafe, 13th Street, Downtown Des Moines!

My first solo exhibition!

I will be having a reception Saturday, July 18th, 5-7 pm.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, in advance to all of you who attend.

Brandie

"Learning from Each Other Can be Simple"

I faced two challenges with this piece. 

A.  I have an existing piece of the same title with the same picture done on a vintage tile that measures 3 x 9 inches.  Well, it gets a lot of attention, but it seems that people don't really know what to do with it, although they love the sentiment.  So I decided to create the piece on cradled clay board it measures 6 x 12 inches.  It can sit on it's own or it is ready to hang on the wall.

B.  I wanted to see if I could look at a prior technique, composition and color scheme from an earlier piece that I really loved and try to duplicate it... I even wanted to use the same mediums.  I totally pulled it off!  I was looking at "Pride".  Here it is:

OMG!  I won 3rd Place, over all, in Omaha this past weekend!  I love that show.  You really need to go next year if you can.  It is the best location, the best attendance, and absolutely unparalleled artist hospitality... Truly amazing!  (and not just because I was there... although... that was a plus...)

Lets see... What else...

Oh yeah... I will be having my first solo exhibition at the Ritual Cafe beginning July 6th!  A cool cafe in Downtown Des Moines... They are known for their stunning art and Live music!

There will be an Artist's Reception (that's me) on July 18th from 5-7, be there!

Also...  I am working on launching on-line workshops!  They will be affordable and fun!  Hey, you can learn how to do what I do!

I will be back soon, with more art!

Brandie

Forever is the promise of never forgetting someone... for even if you are no longer together, the experiences you shared will be with you your entire lifetime...  Please remember me even when I am no longer your friend...

Yeah for me!  I managed to finish a piece before this weekend!

So tomorrow morning bright and early, we are off to Omaha for the Omaha Summer Art's Festival...  I hope we don't cook in the hot hot sun!

July 6th, I hang my Artwork in the Ritual Cafe, Downtown Des Moines.  I will be having a reception July 18th from 5-7pm.  Everyone is invited!  I should have time to breathe and get a few new pieces done before the 6th... we'll see!

Thanks for visiting!

Brandie