Accomplishment

Crossing
6x6 Water Soluble Oils on Stretched Canvas
©BEDeuel/Bronson Hill Arts

It’s been an interesting first quarter this year. Work issues, kid issues, art business issues, house issues, etc..

All the issues have been creating challenges and opportunities, equally.

My “free” time (yes, the time for which you don’t get paid) has increased quite a lot. It’s been nicely liberating, yet, overwhelming, too.

I’ve been able to dive into all the projects around the house and in the studio that I’ve wanted to do for the last 2 years.

Rearranging, painting, planning for new carpeting in a some rooms. Cleaning and purging the other rooms. Three new paintings in as many months. Pulling prints and pieces together for various charity auctions. Developing both the website for Bronson Hill Arts as well as trying to keep up BHA’s Facebook page. Researching other online options, too. Preparing for the spring onslaught outside of the house. And, a few dozen more projects to touch on as each one is, ahem, completed.

And, all of this is being done simultaneously. Needless to say, my home is a mess and I’m tired. I think I’m wearing my husband out as well!

When this surge started, it seemed as if it was going to be so easy; all this extra time. And, really, how much time does it take to sort and dispose of the excess collection of gadgets, utensils, pans, dishes, and cleaning products in the kitchen. Well, so far, it’s been about 7 hours. Still have about 3 more hours of sorting plus another 4 or more to truly clean the cabinetry and flooring.

That’s one room. Add another five rooms currently in turmoil to that list.

But it’s slowly coming back together.

The shifting of furniture and things from room-to-room is beginning to appear logical. The rooms look and feel better as the superfluous junk is chucked. The website is starting to look like, well, a real website and the FB page is really starting to reach people and galleries. The response to the auction and show prints as been very positive.

It’s tough to tear the everyday fabric of life into so many bits and then reattach them again. That’s the challenge.

But, once the patchwork starts to take on a pattern, it’s nice to know that you’ve utilized the opportunities to the fullest. Accomplishment can never be overrated.

A Little Giving...

Pink Rose
5x8 Water Soluble Crayon on 140# Canson Paper
©2013 BEDeuel/Bronson Hill Arts

I’ve been so fortunate in being surrounded by giving, kind friends and family, that when there is constant conflict in the air, it can be difficult to look comfortably beyond my own personal world.

In this era of in-fighting, where it seems that everyone is looking to block success for anyone who doesn’t agree with them, it’s so easy to forget that the world is full of generosity.

Generosity is still an intricate part of human behavior. It just tends to be overshadowed by the rush of everyday activities. We can be moving at such a frantic pace that we miss all the little things that make society successful on a daily basis.

The opening or holding of a door. “Clicking” on donation sites to help animals. Giving your time to help someone who is ill. Brightening a stranger’s day with a smile. Appreciating the person who serves you in a store. And so many other gestures that connect us.

These are all acts of generosity that make our lives smoother, better. Small as they seem, they are the bigger part of us.

Savor every moment of kindness that comes your way!

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Along the same line of thought, the art shown here is a sample of generosity: a gift card from a dear, wonderful friend for my, ahem, 50^th, gave me the opportunity to try another medium. These are first attempts with water soluble crayons. Having fun working with something new and learning to illustrate flowers (one of my favorite things!). All thanks to the thoughtfulness of one of the many wonderful people in my life!

Purple Petunias
8x10 Water Soluble Crayons on 140# Canson Paper
©2013 BEDeuel/Bronson Hill Arts

Single Dahlia
8x10 Water Soluble Crayon on 140# Canson Paper
©2013 BEDeuel/Bronson Hill Arts

                                                                           

 

 

TMC "White on White"

White-on-White
6x6 Ink on Smooth Bristol Paper
©2012 BEDeuel

Snuggled in a warm home with my loving hubby, a glowing fireplace, and two sleepy kitties while listening to the whipping wind outside is how I would be completely content to spend the next 3 months.

Sigh…

Ok, back to reality: it’s after the holidays, a new year, cold weather to trudge through, blah, blah, blah. Yuck.

A tidbit I’d read somewhere stated that if you viewed one picture or video of a cute animal during your day, your spirit was inevitably lifted. Here is my contribution to your day. And mine: a very happy pup!

Check the link to Twenty Minute Challenge in regards to this pup’s story! (experiencing technical difficulties; unable to post to TMC.)

IF "New"

A New Position
6x6 Permanent Marker on Smooth Bristol
©2012 BEDeuel
 

Yes, it’s time for the dread New Year’s Resolution fiasco! Time to try something new, to stretch your boundaries, to turn your life around! Yay.

Oh, I mean, “Yay!!”.

One of the most stubborn tendencies we all struggle with is negativity. It’s a very easy trap to get caught in. Being weighed down by day-to-day details and frustrations, it’s easy to just throw your hands up and say, “It’ll never happen”.

Been there, too?

I know you have just by the support and encouragement I’ve received from this blogging/art community. Empathy and shared experiences help to keep the negativity at bay. Especially while learning to navigate the world of art and marketing! Not an easy challenge for certain.

That’s my goal this upcoming year: to bring a consistent thread of positive thought and action into other avenues of life. I wish I could say that this is the first year I’ve attempted this, but, it isn’t.

As we all know, though, it often takes several attempts to succeed. Sometimes, success never comes. But, yes, as we’ve all been taught, if you don’t try, success will never happen.

So, here’s to “new” (or not so new) efforts in the New Year! And, with some persistence, here’s to achieving success in all those efforts!

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For our neighbors, our friends, our heroes.

 

IF "Glow"

‘Tis the season, so we hear! The snow has arrived in just the right amount; a trace to dust the grass gracefully. Enough to be able to say, maybe, just maybe, we’ll have the traditional “white Christmas”.

Of course, the idea of the “traditional” can be difficult to pin down. What might be traditional to one, may be new or bizarre to another. In Florida, a white Christmas might indicate the beginning of the end of the world. Unless we’re talking about “white” sand!

As the Illustration Friday topics have come along, I’ve approached them as traditional pieces of art, or cartoon-like illustrations. There is an option for “digital” art which, not being proficient in Photoshop and such, I’ve avoided. Until now… Consider it a new approach to a traditional form for me.

What tradition would you like to do differently? Or would you not want to change a thing?

Hope the illustration reminds you of the beauty of the winter, of the coming of the season!

IF Snow

Fun in the Snow
4x6 Water Soluble Pencil on 140# Strathmore Paper
©2012 BEDeuel

With less than 2 weeks until the Christmas holiday, it’s beginning to look like it may be another Green Christmas.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not a huge fan of lots of snow. Recently, someone made the observation that the problem with snow is that it slows everything down. Which in our everyday lives, that makes things much more difficult.

But, for a moment, let’s take that idea, and a deep breath, and imagine our lives being leisurely enough to enjoy going slower. Let’s think of all the good things we could relish on a lovely, snowy day.

An easy walk, feeling the cool touch of the flakes landing on your face. The clean, white coating of purity on the world before you. Coming into a warm and cozy home with nothing more than relaxation on your agenda. Hot chocolate, of course. Lots of it. The feeling that there is nothing that needs to be done.

One of the most wonderful feelings in the world.

So, in spite of the lack of snow, it might be time to pretend: pretend that it’s okay to slow down and do nothing but stroll through a day.

I’m sure you’ve earned it!

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There is no possible way to offer anything to those this past week, in Oregon and Connecticut, who have lost loved ones. Just that you are all in our hearts and we cannot help but to cry with you.

 

IF Stretch

Stretch
9x12 Permanent Marker on Smooth Bristol
©2012 BEDeuel/ Bronson Hill Arts

Yes, it’s been too long a “stretch” since I’ve done an Illustration Friday blogpost. It’s been too long since I’ve blogged about something other than shows and shops.

While this may look like an illustration of a couple of basketball players (yes, it is, I know), I’m looking at this IF metaphorically.

In this world of art, of marketing, of the home business, of computers, there are so many directions for which to reach. The dilemma is multi-faceted. If I take the time to create art, I don’t have enough time to work on the business. To work on the business, I need to work on the computer which is just one aspect of marketing. Another aspect of marketing is simply hitting the proverbial pavement in search of that one shop or gallery that will find the market for my art.

Arghhh!

Over the last several months, I’ve been trying the face-to-face approach with shops and craft fairs and galleries. While the work has been welcomed, there has yet to be that one big breakthrough. This is after a couple of years of trying the online marketing.

I’m still “stretching” for that ball. It just may be time to change the game plan again. To what? What will be next?

Will I ever reach it? Will it ever happen or will it always be outside my grasp?

I don’t know.

I do know that I still love doing what I’ve been doing. For now, I believe I will keep “stretching” to try to make the magic happen.