The Tweet Life...

Here is a commission piece entitled "The Tweet Life".  I hope 2011 is "Tweet" for you too!

Dreamin' of a White Christmas!

I love snow...and at Christmas!  What a lovely gift.  This is a picture of my son at his favorite sledding site.  Yes, I did some sledding too!  Thank God those pictures have been permanently deleted!  Talk to ya soon...

Peace on Earth....

And couldn't we all use some Peace on Earth.  This is Margea 8x32 on wood canvas.  "Where there is peace, God is."  Pretty much says it all.  Have a great holiday!

Happy Thanksgiving...

This is Sheila...."we cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own."

A person's world is only as big as their heart...

Howdy Ya'll!  This is Regina (latin for "queen").  She is painted on a wood canvas 8x32.  Lots of rich color and texture. 

When you're Really, Really Stressed Out...

Here's a Chicken Nugget...This old bird is all stressed out with no place to go!  There are days when I've repeated this bird's motto too:  "That which does not kill me only makes me really, really tense..."

I'm as Mad as a Wet Hen....

This great southern sayin' has met it's match...

New Art!

Howdy Ya'll!  New art is now available at Slick Rock in Lake Lure!  Here's a wild dude aptly named "Wild Ron" (and hairy too!).  His motto:  "chicks dig me..."  Of course! What an attitude!  Wild Ron is 8x32 on wood canvas.  Remember, I'm not a photographer.  He's much more colorful in person.  (I really do need to invest in photography lessons...).  See ya'll soon...

XerXes, The Wonder Chicken!

Howdy Ya'll!
As promised - here is one of my "chicken nugget" chickens - XerXes, the Wonder Chicken!  Such an attitude! His quote is "...and I ain't finger-lickin' good, either!"  XerXes is 3'x2', wood canvas with lots of layers of acrylics, inks and pencil.  Remember, I'm not a photographer - the original is beautifully colored and bright.  Hope you enjoy this quirky dude!

Where has the time gone?

Howdy Ya'll!  I can't believe it's been a month since my last post and still no new paintings!  Sure, I'm working on 9 new canvases, but they are no where near picture ready.  Thankfully, fall baseball is over and no more sports until basketball practice in December!  I'm hoping that's where my time has been spent.  Oh, and I hope you noticed the new "decor" on my blog...Since my paintings are distressed and layered, I wanted to find a blog background that conveyed the same sentiment.  Hopefully at least one completed picture will be posted before Thanksgiving!  See ya soon!

"Falling" Back In...

Howdy ya'll!  Alas the summer is over and with the fall comes a return to "normal", with school and holiday activities.  Hope your summer was a blast!  This summer I decided trying to "find" time to paint was like herding ants - so I've just taken time when I needed it.  This seems to be working out well and it's amazing my family can actually clean up after supper and do the dishes!  Who would have thought....

I'm starting a new series entitled "Chicken Nuggets...words of inspiration from some wise old birds"...these are a hoot! 

Yes, my website has been discontinued - I needed to perform an electronic de-clutter!  The website was a pain in the neck (as well as various and sundry other areas too) and I enjoy the blog much more.  My pics can still be seen on the blog and I can be reached via email at pickyeunice@bellsouth.net.  Please keep in touch - new pics coming soon!

Toodles.....

Big Chicken

Howdy Ya'll!  This here is my Big Chicken.  I love it soooooo much!  My inspiration was a trip my husband and I made before we had kids, to a little town in Georgia.  They boasted about the BIG chicken - with billboards everywhere taunting us to "SEE THE BIG CHICKEN"... Everyone in the town told us to be sure and go see the BIG chicken.  We asked directions from just about everyone we saw - all were different - but we never found the BIG chicken.  It must have been a great folly created by the marketing committee for the town - cause we certainly saw the entire small town, but we never saw the BIG chicken!  We laughed on the way out of town thinking the chicken was so BIG, one leg was planted in one county and the other leg was planted in another county...I still haven't see the BIG chicken, so I created one of my own...  He definitely has a little bit of an attitude - painted on a wood plank, he measures 41X36.  The chicken body is made from my favorite mixed media material - light weight drywall spackling.  Of course, he's much prettier in person (a photographer I'm not...)

Echos of Mercy...Whispers of Love...

Every summer, as a kid, I went to church a lot with my Nanny - there was always the smell of peppermint in the air.  Nanny kept peppermints in her purse to help us sing and so we wouldn't cough during the service. Nanny couldn't "carry a tune in a bucket" but I could sing and she loved to hear me.  Her favorite hymn was "Amazing Grace". Her second favorite was "Blessed Assurance".  These angels reminded me of a line in that hymn "angels descending bring from above, echoes of mercy, whispers of love".  Thanks, Nanny, for the wonderful memories.   I hope you, dear friends, hear the echoes and whispers today...

New Art...

Finally...I've been just a tad busy.  Our house is for sale and whew - I did not know I had so much junk....I mean "stuff".  Anyway, I 've got some new art on its way to Slick Rock!  The piece below is entitled "Beginnings" and features a nest made of shredded papers (children's books and scrapbook papers) along with bottle caps.  Really neat 3D effect.  It's 18x32 on a solid wood canvas

Happy Easter Ya'll!

New Art...

Hi Ya'll!
Spring has sprung, the flower's have riz...tell me where all them birdies is....
I just love spring....and this week is supposed to be beautiful!  I've delivered 5 paintings to Slick Rock Cottages - they have a bunch of new stuff - go and check it out!  Here's a sneak peak of a painting.  Oh, by the way....I have a few more in the works including a BIG CHICKEN and several angels!  Enjoy!

My Heart Is Yours...

Hester & Prudence

Hi Ya'll!

I've been experimenting with oil paints in combination with acrylic and did these 2 "ugly" beauties. They are very folky angels - Hester & Prudence.  Both are 18X8 on wooden plank using oil, acrylic, inks, oil pastels, straw and charcoal.  They are very different from my usual works but I love 'em...

Hester has red hair and is holding a birdy - her quote is "The bird of paradise alights only on the hand that does not grasp." by John Berry

Prudence has black hair and is holding a birdy nest - her quote is "My favorite weather is bird-chirping weather." by Loire Hartwould.  Very appropriate from the snowy winter we have had....

Hope you enjoy...

New Art!

Hi Ya'll!  You know how I love interior decorating.  Well....I've started a new venture - but will keep on painting too!  I have a booth at New Visions Marketplace in Fletcher/Hendersonville area with lots of vintage and antique home decor goodies.  I've entitled it "Twigs and Feathers - uniquely southern nesting necessities..."  Please check out my blog at  Twigs and Feathers.  I've said all that to say, I placed one of my paintings there and am happy to sell her through my website if any of ya'll are interested.  This piece is entitled "A Messenger..."  She is large - 4'x2' - on a wood canvas with lots of textural goodies.  The heart she holds to her chest is made up of many different papers and has a mosiac look and she is crying. Note:  These pics do not show the entire painting.  On the back of the painting is that beautiful quote by Washington Irving "There is a sacredness in tears.  They are not the mark of weakness, but of power.  They are messengers of overwhelming grief and of unspeakable love."  Please email me at pickyeunice@bellsouth.net if you are interested in purchasing her.  Also, please check out Twigs and Feather and New Visions Marketplace!  Thanks bunches!  Cindi

Those Pesky Resolutions!

A new year always brings those dreaded resolutions. It doesn’t help when TV is bombarding us with advertisements for weight loss, organizing, reducing monthly bills and getting our lives “back” in shape. I’m sick of it and January isn’t even over. I’m not interested in your resolutions and I don’t what to tell you mine. I believe resolutions are like birthday wishes – won’t come true if everybody knows ‘em….. But I want to ask -how are you doing with yours? Have you failed yet? If not – fantastic – more power to ya! Way to go! If you have – well….


I’m not here to criticize. Personally - I haven’t begun my resolutions yet – procrastination or fear can be blamed here. Mostly fear. Who said it – “Fear not”? Uh, Oh…

So, I decided to give myself permission to fail ALL my resolutions. I know – failing so early in the game – but here’s what it means to me - I’m going to take all those chances and push to make those changes– and some – maybe all - may not work out. But that’s okay. I have found that I learn a lot when I fail - much more so than when I succeed. When I fail I learn what I can do without, what I’m willing to sacrifice, what I’m made of, where my limits are and where I have hidden strength and what I dare to dream and how far I can to bend. I learn to lean on others, and I find my real, true friends (who will help me bury the bodies!!! :) ). Failure makes my love emphatic and enormous, my laughter more precious, my tears true and deep, and my reach for God persistent. Failure gives me access to a power no amount of success can. I am in a constant state of silent prayers unbidden from my mind and lips, I discover a God who can take my anger and my rage, my When’s, How’s and Why’s and yet remain firmly by my side.

I hope this post doesn’t come off as negative. I am a realist and yet an oddly positive person and I’m certainly not advocating a ban on success. I’m thoroughly FOR success! I yearn to succeed in a multitude of areas. I even have a sign in my kitchen that says “If at first you don’t succeed, redefine success.” So, should failure come, I’m ready, cause it’s gonna be okay. I’m gonna revel in it. I’m gonna cry (and definitely cuss) and find somebody to hug me and pray “why, why” for forever. But, I’m gonna be okay…and you will too.
Peace,
Cindi

And there I am - by the Grace of God....

The holidays are always wonderful.  And every year, just as the holidays end and everything gets back to "normal", I'm left with an emptyness.  I don't know if others share this emptyness or "post holiday blues", or if I'm mental...but that's where I am today, by the Grace of God.  Which is weird, because I'm not the least bit sad! 

But there is just "something" missing.  Perhaps it's all the twinkling lights! Or it could be that the dawn of a new year brings out my mental list of all those things I didn't accomplish last year (I tend to hug the overachiever tree more tightly than others). Fortunately, I'm old enough (i've seen many, many moons) to recognize the feeling as "ok" and move on - over the years I've tried to analyze it and been bogged down til spring.  But I've found it entirely beneficial to myself and those around me (especially those around me) to acknowledge the "feeling" and move on.  I call it one of God's Grace Things.  Didn't want it, didn't expect it, didn't know I needed it, wrong color, size, shape  - but there it is - by the Grace of God - So now what am I to learn from it?!?!  Some years are worse than others.  This year, I found myself WAITING for the depression in the midst of happiness.  An unusual combo - kinda like sweet and salty.....

Anyway, I heard this quote and could not stop thinking about it - and just had to share.  Just think of  it as one of those Christmas presents that was hid so well, it was just now found (those are always fun).  I'm certain this quote will turn up in a painting. But for today, if you find yourself  in need of a good cry - it's okay - in fact, it's better than okay.  Just be your wonderful self!
Cindi

There is a sacredness in tears.  They are not the mark of weakness, but of pain.  They are messengers of overwhelming grief and of unspeakable love. Washington Irving

Happy New Year!

Hi Ya'll,
Hope your New Year is starting out well.  The holidays were wonderful - especially with the snow!  And it's still hanging around.  We've had snow and snow and now COLD...with more snow expected this week.  I LOVE IT!  Perfect painting weather......Thought ya'll might like a peek at some commission pieces I did for holiday gifts.  The first one is owned by Tim Justus & Diana Howell of Charlotte, NC and is entitled "Perfect Peace".  The next one is owned by Mr. & Mrs. Michael Justus of Hendersonvile, NC and is entitled "Love is the Greatest Gift."  The cutie snowman was made by my son and he took the pics - looks like a new (and good) photographer in the family - you know how I am taking pictures!  Stay warm and pray for snow!
Cindi