Feeling Cheesy Today!

Or maybe in my Five Hungry Mice's case, they get the rice......A little mouse humor to brighten your day:)

Art Quote

A little inspiration from Picasso to get you through your day!  Make some art today even if it's just a doodle:)

Because you wasted so much time....

I was listening to the radio while driving into work the other day and I heard the speaker say that the greatest form of love we can give another is the gift of our time.  Because when we give our time, our undivided attention to another, we are giving a piece of ourselves that we can never get back.  The words of the fox from the The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery, sums it up perfectly.

Art Quote

Inspiration Quote

Art Quote

Art Quote

I can't believe that I missed Dr. Seuss's birthday last week!  I have many of his books in my children's book collection and I have read them over and over to my own children.  I can recite them from memory just like I'm sure many of you can.  They are so much fun and I love his quirky style of illustration.  So to make up for it, this week I have chosen an art quote by Dr. Seuss.  This one seemed appropriate to me because if you have met me then you know, I stand out in a crowd, just like the llama:)

Enjoy!

Art Quote

A great sentiment to guide the start of a new year!  I would love to say that I have committed to making art everyday in 2016, and that is my New Year's resolution, and you would see my blog blow up with all kinds of new art.....but that would be a lie.  I would never be able to keep that resolution because there is just too many other things I need to do in life, in addition to art.  But I do think about art every day and am inspired by it every day.  And I do have goals for my art for this year, but I don't want to detail them all in case life barges in again, and I get sidetracked with important things like family and health. But one thing is for sure....art does make everything awesome!  

I hope you have some art in your day today!

Selfie or Not to Selfie

art from Roswell Park Cancer Institute

It's no surprise to anyone that we are living in a time of the glorified "ME".  Most people I know are sick of the "selfie" and the focus on "me, me, me" by our society.  Even the college students who I teach are sick of our culture's obsession with "constant self promotion".  They tell me they find it annoying.  

While I was driving home from work today I was listening to the radio I heard a great talk from David Jeremiah on the opposite of the selfie.....being humble and humility.  He had such a great quote I had to share it with you.

I love that!!  Thinking of myself less and thinking of others more is all I need to do to counter balance this culture of "self obsession".  I hope this quote is as motivational for you as it was for me!  What do you think humility means?

A child has no trouble believing.....

A child has no trouble believing the unbelievable, nor does the genius or the madman. It’s only you and I, with our big brains and our tiny hearts, who doubt and overthink and hesitate.

- Steven Pressfield

artwork by Machael Knapp

Snow Day!

Well, in case you didn't know, I live in Buffalo, NY.  Actually south of Buffalo, NY in snow country.  He have had an epic storm this week, and yes, epic is the right word here, that has dropped 4 feet of snow on us in 36 hours.  So the last 3 days have been snow days!!!!  All the schools are closed, including my college, there are travel bans so no one can drive on the roads, and even if we wanted to drive we can't get out of our driveway!  So it felt appropriate that I post snow art and snow quotes today:)  The above painting is an oil I did a few years ago and the quotes below I found on the internet.  Since we can't beat the snow we might as well enjoy it!

This quote is a good one because we have spent the last three days at home with a fire in the fire place and something yummy cooking on the stove.  Movies, playing cards, and painting are the things we have been doing to pass the time.

I love this one because winter is really beautiful in a silent way and you need to be quiet and in the moment to appreciate it.  Snow actually has so many colors in it and snow covered forms can be turned into anything.  Let your imagination run wild.  Do you know how many creatures I see in my yard from the lumps of snow that have formed there...I could create a whole story from it.  Maybe that's what I'll do today:)

Art Quote Time!

So I felt it was time for another art quote. I'm sitting outside enjoying the final days of summer weather and contemplating what is predicted to be another rough winter.  I love the seasons, I have to admit, but last winter was tough and I'm not sure I'm up for another like that one.  I guess harsh winters make for lots of opportunity to produce art, doesn't it!
As I was contemplating this whole thought I found this quote at mandogtruck.com.  

I love the story of the little prince and the artwork.  

This quote felt apropos for me right now, because I am working on developing a fox
character and this quote was said by the fox to the Little Prince.  Here is the context:

In the Little Prince by St. Exupery, the little prince meets a fox and tells him about a flower on his planet that he cared about but was demanding and irritating as well.  The little prince then saw a field full of identical looking flowers and was dismayed.  "I thought my flower was unique in all the universe" he told the fox.  The fox then helped the little prince to see that his love for his flower made his flower unique to him. The fox then told the little prince his very simple secret: "it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye."  


What I see with my heart is that I love illustration, especially picture book illustration.  Even though there are so many talented illustrators out there who might look just like me, I am still unique in the universe and someone will find my artistic voice essential:)  I have to just keep pushing myself! 

Art quote

I love inspirational quotes, especially when they are about art!  So I thought I'd add a few quotes to my blog that have inspired me!  I'll post them from time to time for you to enjoy!

And another great quote….