DAWG TEAM Blog Giveaway

Designing Artists Women Group is having another great blog giveaway. The prize consists of 6 aceo's created by some of our talented artists. To enter go HERE

Watch Johannes Vloothius paint Live

Forest Wonder

I want to share with all of you that Award Winning Artist Johannes Vloothius will be painting live tomorrow, Sunday Dec. 19, 2010 at 2 pm EST, or 1pm central , this is the link http://cyberartlearning.com/webcam/webcam1size.html
Jo is an excellent artist and teacher and unlike all other instructors, he gives you the golden nuggets, or secrets that only the top professional artists know. He focuses on abstract shapes or interesting shapes and color values and gradation and harmonizing.
I encourage you to sign up for wetcanvas and read the threads posted there to give you an idea of what other artists have to say. http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=778261&page=12&highlight=landscape+clyde+aspevig
and http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11818791&posted=1#post11818791
There's a lot of useful information in those threads. I have them bookmarked.

CTVreportNG

I would like to share this news cast with you about the best art instructor in the world, as far as I'm concerned.
You know how they say 'that he who can't teaches", well definately that's not how it is with Joe. His paintings are fabulous and gorgeous and he is an Award Winning Artist. You can check out his paintings at http://cyberartlearning.com/onlinegallery/
I have known Johannes for 7 or 8 years now, and was his student for 3 years. I also am proud to say that I've been to his home in Canada, and met his lovely wife, Patty, and his sons. Johannes was gracious enough to give me a one on one painting lesson that lasted all day long. I do have to admit that I really pushed myself that day and just about collapsed at the end. I have a neuro muscular disease, basically it's a muscle weakness called Slow Channel Myasthenia Gravis.
He is such a caring and giving person, not willing to give up on you until you understand. As you can tell I think the world of Johannes Vloothius, and am truly blessed to not only have stumbled across his live on-line art class years back, but to have met him in person and painted with him. You can check out his classes for yourself, just go to http://cyberartlearning.com/ and click on the yellow school bus. Free classes are being held this week at 5 Eastern Standard Time, every day.

Check out Interview with Luvs2paint Fine Art of Brenda Thour

I am so honored to share with you my interview: Interview with Luvs2paint Fine Art of Brenda Thour
with Design Style Guide.

Have a wonderful day,

Christmas is Coming Treasury

'Christmas Is Coming' by luvs2paint

Original artworks by the members of the Dawg Team.

elves ACEO watercol... leepierce $10.00	Christmas Cards backroomtreasu... $10.00	Silver and Sparling... TheRubyBoutiqu... $4.99	pastel drawing 16x2... artistsuetaylo... $125.00
Christmas Card set ... backroomtreasu... $8.00	ACEO Cardinal Bird ... thanks4lookin $7.50	purse sunnyplainquil... $11.50	Christmas ACEO Orig... LindaLMartinAr... $14.00
Pointsetta throw pi... sunnyplainquil... $15.00	Art by Darla Handpa... artbydarla $22.00	original aceo draw... artistsuetaylo... $8.99	snowball ACEO water... leepierce $10.00
Kristy Kringle Sant... artbylisak $4.49	Hand Painted Metal ... JYWheeler $24.95	OVERGROWN - Red bri... menuchaprints $12.00	CARDINAL Open Editi... luvs2paint $22.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Christmas Light Christmas Blank card from Zazzle.com

Christmas Light Christmas Blank card from Zazzle.com

I am so excited, that I just had to share with you that someone named Lyle from CA just purchased 225 of these cards! That's my biggest sale yet! Thank you Lyle, whoever you are. The funny thing is, I was just thinking yesterday that it would be really nice if someone bought a big quantity of something from one of my shops and said a little prayer. Isn't that just like God? He rocks!!!

Sale Sale Sale!

Christmas is just around the corner. Have you considered giving artwork as a gift?

I am happy to announce that I am running a 25% Discount off total purchase of prints and cards in my Fine Art America Shop http://brenda-thour.artistwebsites.com/ This sale will continue through December 31, 2010. Use Promo Code VDEECZ

I am also running a 20% off total purchase of all items listed in my Etsy Shop http://luvs2paint.etsy.com/ which includes original paintings, aceo's, pendants and magnets. This sale will run until Sunday, December 5, 2010. Use Promo Code CYBERMONDAYSALE

Don't miss out on these great deals and happy shopping!

Winter is the Word aceo

Here is another fun little aceo that I did with a winter/Christmas theme. I used Prismacolor colored pencils on card stock. I love this time of year, everything's so beautiful!

The original can be purchased through my Etsy Shop, and I have created gifts and products at my Zazzle Shop

Now on to some bunny news. My daughter rescued this adorable rabbit this past Sunday from the Humane Society. She named him Moe, and he is the sweetest thing ever.

For about ten years we had house rabbits, but when the last one passed we went for about 3 years bunny-less. I did not realize how much I missed having a rabbit in the house. I guess we are just rabbit people. I can't wait to do a painting of him!!!

Swan Lake aceo

I created this little aceo this weekend, and had a lot of fun doing it. This is colored pencil on card stock. Reference photo was taken by my dear friend, Lisa Kinler.
The original can be purchased through my Etsy Shop, and as always, I will be creating gifts and products in my Zazzle shop.
Hope you are having a wonderful weekend.
hugs,
Brenda

Pink and Yellow Rose Painting

This is one of my latest paintings called Blushing Delight. I painted it in October and finally got around to taking a good photo of it to get it ready for the web.
My daughter and I went to a beautiful flower garden this summer, and this is where I saw this gorgeous and perfect rose. I took many pictures of it. This is my favorite rose.
It can be purchased through my etsy shop.
As always, I will be creating gifts and products at my Zazzle Shop very soon. Just look under my Flowers catagory.
Fine art prints will also be available through my Print Shop later today.

I am off to wash some lunchroom tables at the elementary school that I work at.
Hope you have a wonderful Thursday,

Brenda

Laura Regan - featured Artist

Let There Be Peace on Earth... card

I want to share with you these beautiful Christmas paintings by a very talented artist named Laura Regan. Laura Regan has been selling her paintings since 1974. Many of her paintings have been used to raise money for charities. Laura has also illustrated 12 childrens books, and some of them have won national awards.
When I look at her work, I feel like I'm in another world.

Penguin Christmas Card

Polar Bear Holiday Card

Penguins Holiday Card

Polar Bears Holiday Card

Elephants Holiday Stamp

Tree Frog Holiday Card

Tree Frog Holiday Card

Otter Joy Holiday Card

Giraffes Holiday Card

View Laura's Zazzle Shop

I hope you have enjoyed seeing some of Laura Regan's artwork as much as I've enjoyed sharing them with you.
Have a wonderful week,
Brenda

DAWG Team Giveaway

My DAWG team is having a free giveaway. You could win these 6 beautiful little aceo's. Aren't they adorable? You have 4 chances to win, so don't miss out. It's easy to enter, just GO Here to find out more and enter. Be sure to tell your friends.

Wolf At Rest

I've been under the weather lately with bronchitis, so I haven't been up to doing much art. But last weekend I was cuddled up on the recliner under a blanket, with a sketchbook, a pad of watercolor paper and my watercolor pencils.
I first tried painting the wolf in pink since it's Breast Cancer Awareness month...but I didn't like how it was turning out. I had done a Pink Tiger aceo a few years ago that I just love, but a pink wolf was not a go.
This is what I then came up with. I call it Wolf At Rest, and am thinking of using it for my Christmas cards this year. The reference photo was taken a few years back at a wolf sanctuary in Forest Lake, MN. I do have to admit that I really like how it turned out, and I already created products with this image at my Zazzle Shop.Coming soon is a beautiful pink and yellow rose painting that I did before I got sick, but it still needs some finishing touches. I will post it when I get it finished.
I hope you are well.
Blessings to you all,

hugs,
Brenda

Bags, Bags and more Bags

I've been creating products in my Artamatik shop lately, so I thought I'd share some of the items with you. Ya, I know, I must be nuts to take on another online shop. But what can I say, I love seeing my paintings on merchandise. Things that I want to buy.
Everything you see here can be found under the Cougar Bags & Purses, except for the wallet, that is found in accessories.

Wallet $13.99

Cosmetic Bag $11.99

Mini Toiletries Bag $12.99

Classic 20-CD Wallet $19.99

School Bag Large $25.99

Girls Sling Bag $13.99

Shoulder Clutch Bag $14.99

Oversize Office Handbag $36.99

Classic Shoulder Handbag $41.99

Classic Handbag $22.99

Thank you for stopping by.
Until next time,
Brenda

Pendant Winner

I am very delighted to announce that Marlene aka lazyhawk is the winner of my pendant giveaway. Congratulations Marlene!!!! All you have to do is choose which one you want from my etsy shop and let me know.

***

I finally took some time to go through some of my photos that I took this summer at the Como Park Zoo. These are some of my favorites. They had a butterfly garden, it was a tented area, where there were tons of beautiful butterflies of all kinds. Everywhere you looked, butterflies. It was like being in a fairy land.

You had to be careful where you stepped, because they would land on the sidewalk.

There was this one kind (above), it was quite big, that we were trying to capture (with the camera) with it's wings spread, but they just weren't cooperating with us. Then at the end there was this guy, showing off his beautiful colors! It was magnificent!!!! What a treat.

Spread your wings and fly.

Have a wonderful weekend.

hugs,

Brenda