A Life Lived To The Fullest...

I am writing this as a tribute to my cousin Stephanie...who's Funeral Services where earlier today or should I say Friday morning...and my heart is so saddened by her loss...more because she was battling cancer for about a year...and I so wanted to see her conquer it.  She was my age...and last Friday was the last time I seen her alive but I could tell...as much as I prayed and prayed for a miracle healing...I had to accept that she was already leaving us...and she taught me a lot that last day...

She taught me not to take my family for granted...to keep giving and to keep reaching out to others...even when I am not feeling well...to not allow time to steal away from my relationships...to live with no regrets...so I began as soon as I could...I am telling all my family how much I love them...that I want to see more of them...not to let so much time pass...I want to live fully...I want to leave a legacy of love and joy like my Grandmothers...to inspire others like Stephanie...

She was a warrior...full of courage and strength...battling and enduring to cling to her life for her family...but when it's our time to leave...when we've done all that we were meant to do in this world then it is time for us to go...and I find peace knowing that she is with our Lord and no longer suffering but so joyful.

I am so moved by her amazing battle of courage that I will be creating a series of pieces similar like this one here to capture her example of living life to the fullest...this was my first one as I was keeping hope for her miracle lifted up in prayer...

and I sang with all my heart for her today with the choir for her services...these are some of the words of the last song that are still in my mind for her:  "and he will raise you up on eagle's wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of his hand"

Love you my dear cousin Stephanie...you lived a wonderful life and I am so happy I got to be a part of it...

*My Artistic Inspirations*

I am so humbled that I was recently encouraged to share my story about the artists who have inspired me and my artwork throughout my art journey for *Artist Appreciation Month* by Patience Brewster .  Let me begin by saying that I am so touched that I was even approached by Patience Brewster that they even noticed my artwork in this big old "World Wide Web"...especially with her beautiful artwork surrounding their world...I am completely honored to be a part of this awesome project!

So here is my story of my Artistic Inspirations...as far back as I can recall...I have always wanted to be an artist...I was always attracted to color and patterns (I was a child of the 70's) so that was all around me!  I grew up in a musical home as my mom was a singer and my parents were always playing music...singing and dancing was the norm in our childhood...as well as playing outdoors and exploring.  I grew up with happy childhood memories and loved drawing ever since I could hold a crayon.  My early inspiration from various artists included: Many Book Illustrators (way too many to mention), Disney Art,  Hello Kitty & Lisa Frank.  In my teens I was always trying to draw the Lisa Frank and Hello Kitty art.

My first real exposure to the Art World happened to me in my first year of College in 1987, when I stumbled into a painting course going on and immediately joined it and took painting for that first year.  I did a little realism, scenery and abstract (which I also love).  During this time of early adulthood is when I was inspired by various artists like Folk Artist Diego Rivera but my favorites were the older artworks of angels which I cannot seem to find all those artists names but one who was Bessie Pease Gutman.  I was also fascinated with Catholic Iconic Art that you see in most artbooks.  After my 1st year of junior college, however, life took over and my creativity became dormant.

It wasn't until I got married to my husband Art in 1995, that I discovered the whimsical art of artists Debbie Mumm and Mary Engelbreit and they opened my eyes to whimsy which I just absolutely love!  These artists are the ones I learned about art licensing, which began my dream to one day become a licensed artist.  This reawakened the artist in me and I began drawing more as I was always doodling here and there but when I realized I can do more with my art so I began drawing illustrations for a children' book I was working on in 2001.  In late 2004 I actually self published and illustrated my very first Children's Story "The Rose In Floralsopar".

I was in the planning stages to launch my children's story out into the world in 2005 when sadly, I lost my dearest grandma...and all went dark in my artsy world...but that didn't stay dark for too long as I discovered Mixed-Media art in 2006 and my art world was lit up once again!  Then I discovered so much inspiration on YouTube and found the sweetest artist Paulette Insall in 2007, painting a face and she made it look so exciting, fun and easy that I decided to try it out!  Her willingness to share is why I credit her the most to get me to try it out and then realize that I did have enough talent to create art in this new fantastic way...collage, faces and texture...oh my!  I even had the chance to meet her and take a workshop of hers two years ago while passing through Oregon!

As my style and skills progressed I have been and still am inspired by many artists that I have come across through Face Book to YouTube to Pinterest...there is so much inspiration all around us.  There are so many artists that I would love to mention but I will only mention those who have somehow impacted me in a personal level more recently as I am entering in a new direction with my art...to take it to more of a profession.

In watching Wyanne Thompson's process videos, I feel like a child again watching her work with amazement.  With Artist Teresa Kogut's Angels she inspires me to keep developing my own style of angels.  Artist Valerie Sjodin has the most amazing detailed work I have ever seen and her lettering skills are to me by far the best.  Artist Karla Dornacher's art has inspired me to continue to have fun with my art.  In my most recent inspiration comes from Artist Patience Brewster, who to me is the best whimsical artist I have ever come across...I love the delicate whimsiness with the bright and delightful colors that bring her characters alive!  Just visiting her website is magical!

I am Cre8tvlyYrs, Gina

Thank you very much for visiting my blog and reading my Artistic Inspirations!  For more information about me and my art you could visit my website which also includes my book information.  If you'd like to see my work in progress you can like my Art Page!  Have a blessed week everyone!  Cre8tvlyYrs, Gina

Wonderful Surprises...Wonderful Life!

Life is full of surprises!!  Today I received a beautiful e-mail that has humbled me so and I feel so blessed right now!  {More to come about that later!}  I feel so excited of all the doors and windows opening up before me!  So, I am just like my artwork in real life...whimsy with a touch of quirkiness...other times deep and soulful...anyways, I'm mentioning this because for those close to me, they all know that I love keeping my little Fortune Cookie messages...I know, that's my touch of whimsy...lol!  Well, my most recent message really blew me away it said:  "The world will soon be ready to receive your talents."  I am also deep and soulful so that little message to me was a little sign from God letting me know that I am on my way!  So the e-mail I received just this morning was such a wonderful confirmation...I'm not sure where that will lead but I know that it is a good start!  :) 

My 1st time using ColourArte Silks Acrylics - Magenta Cross 2013

The Lord is leading me down a beautiful path right now...in all areas of my life...in my own personal growth:  spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally.  I can already see the impact these changes I have began to implement in my life are making things in my life better...especially with my little girl Cici...yesterday we had an amazing bonding experience that only another Mother of adoption can relate to...and I know that even though she was not born of my womb...she is born of my heart!  Last year was one of the most challenging times of my life and when I reflect on everything I am so thankful for the Lord's Faithfulness to me...how he got me through it..I feel this painting I created the same year we actually received Cici in our lives captures that part of my life!

So now, I feel so truly filled with joy and I know that it's because of my little Cici...my own little cheerleader who tells me everyday such beautiful things and her laughter fills our home with such delight!  Such as another reminder of how much I am blessed as she squealed with excitement when her Home School Curriculum arrived in boxes here today...as we are going to do Home School again for her 1st Grade.  I think Home Schooling has been good for us...we're going to take this step by step and plan for a great future!

Well, hope you all have a fun day!  God Bless and Cre8tvlyYrs, Gina

Happy Coloring Day!

Hello Everyone!! Hope your having a blessed Sunday! I have a lot to share with you today...First of all "Happy Coloring Day"!  Did you know that therapists are suggesting coloring for adults to help relieve stress?  I think it's a wonderful idea...it's why I love what I do!  I believe that arts and crafts are very healing for our minds, emotionally and spiritually...now I'm not an expert but it's what I personally experienced and why I want to help support this new method of reducing stress.  In fact, I was so excited when I learned there's such a day that I decided to share an image of mine away for you all to 'Color'...Enjoy!

*All you need to do is right click and save as into your computer,

print on your computer and then color and enjoy!!   :)

*Also...I'm getting ready to start on recording again and I am overwhelmed with so many ideas swimming in my head...so I decided to do a few challenges to get my mind to let out some of these ideas...so there are 2 awesome challenges going on for this new month of August and I'm going to try both...they are the "Doodle A Day" and the "31 Day Drawing Challenge". If anyone would like to join me here are the lists with links to those challenges.  I will also daily post each 'prompt word' and my artworks for them on my FB Art page!

https://www.facebook.com/ellolovey/photos/a.132672633482217.35683.127346304014850/887884604627679/?type=1&theater

Okay...for some reason I cannot recall where I found this list so please if anyone knows - let me know...and I will add that information.

Okay, so now I'm going to get on to recording my test video for my ColourArte Video Team and doing my challenges since I am already behind...if you'd like to see them and my works in progress don't forget to check on my FB Art page!  Have a fun and blessed day!
Cre8tvlyYrs, Gina :)