When Quartz Becomes Stars and Serendipity Visits ~

Serendipity ~

I've always loved that word and the idea of it.

I stumbled across a serendipitous occurrence just this morning.

So, I finished a new art piece last night and listed it in my Zibbet Shop.

It's the first piece I've ever created that is in the night-time.

"Let's Gather The Stars"

The illustration is based on 2 characters from my book named Alice and Junie.

"Alice and Junie are gathering stars on this clear and warm April night. Junie is curious and ready to collect so many stars in her wooden bucket. She hesitates, but Alice assures her that all is well and the collecting night is upon them. Junie knows that tomorrow morning when she wakes, she will have a bucket full of wishes. What will she wish for?"

 I am sort of in love with the idea of star collecting. Gathering stars to distribute wishes to friends and loved ones.

Anyway...I created this piece with my little cottage in Northwest Arkansas in mind.

It was an amazing  wonderland filled with colorful turtles, chipmunks, wild honeysuckle and quartz.

We had these spectacular thunderstorms in the springtime and the rain would pound the ground so hard that the quartz would come to the top of the dirt ~

My boys were little at the time ~ 

(Sorry about the matching outfits, guys)

and we would go outside the morning after a storm,

buckets in hand,

and collect the quartz for wish making.

My new piece was based on our quartz gathering.

Only....Alice and Junie gather stars for wish making.

You're probably wondering where the serendipity is in all of this, right?

Well, this morning I received a note from an art friend/jewelry maker.

We only recently became friends through facebook.

After we met, I found out she grew up in the area near my little cottage.

She creates lovely pieces of jewelry and was very inspired by the quartz and fossils and rocks in that Northwest Arkansas region.

So, I received a note from my friend saying she wanted to buy this new piece.

She had no idea that the piece was inspired by the region that we both grew to love so much.

She had no idea that the star gathering in this new piece had anything to do with our quartz gathering.

Yet, for some reason, she was drawn to the new art.

She bought it immediately.

I am over the moon happy to know that she is the one who will love this art.

That she knows how the hills of Fayetteville smell after a thunderstorm.

That we share the knowledge of the quartz and fossils and secret treasures that can be found in nature in that particular region.

This made me happy today.

Until Next Time:

Kim

Gerushia's New World

"The Beginning Day For Huck and Pan" and Springing Forward ~

Traditionally, I love this week....the first week of Daylight Savings Time.

Long lasting light and a promise of warmth is just around the corner.

I don't mind losing one hour of sleep.

The trade-0ff is well worth it.

Spring is peek-a-booing in my yard today.

Just a few pink nectarine blossoms ~

Soon, very soon, my nectarine tree will be covered in a riot of pink ~ 

...and I've just spotted the first secret nasturtium hiding under the daylilies ~ 

Looking forward.

Staying focused.

Believing that there will be softer days ahead.

Life can be so harsh and ugly sometimes.

Unexpected struggles and long drawn-out darkness has a way of stealing hope.

I cling to the Springtime.

Thankfulness.

Kelly is better ♥

She is taking her medicine and eating her special food.

She's been playing a bit too!

So thankful.

While taking care of this little girl, I worked in the studio ~

and finished this piece ~

"The Beginning Day For Huck and Pan"

This particular piece is very important to the over-all story of "Gerushia's New World."  You see, Huck and Pan (Huckleberry and Pansy) are two of the strongest and boldest characters in Gerushia's World.  They are helpful in the battle against Serafine ~ 

"Serafine's Mountain"

See, Gerushia's New World is not just the name of my art business.

It is the name of an epic fairy tale that I am writing.

Huge fairy tale!

Every piece of art I create has a character that lives in Gerushia's World and is part of the over-all story.

Serafine is, well, sort of like the Lucifer character in Gerushia's World.

Huck and Pan are very important in the battle against Serafine.

Anyway...if you're interested in either of these original pieces, you can find them in my Etsy Shop.

I am keeping busy in the studio.  Going forward with my art and my story.

Working on a new piece that, I believe, is going to prove to be a challenge!

 I am super excited to sink my teeth into this new piece.

I am off to take a long walk.

Clear my head and make plans for the week.

This will be a rough few days for my family and me, but somehow, we'll get by.

Thank you for stopping by.

Until Next Time:

Kim

Gerushia's New World

Celebrating My New Etsy Shop...

Well,  hello there.

I hope you are feeling great and enjoying the weekend.

This is just a quick pop-in to announce my current art sale.

In celebration of re-opening my Etsy Shop, I'm having a sale.

This weekend only (February 23rd - 24th) purchase any 4" x 6" Print and get a second 4" x 6" print of your choice for free. This is just a little celebration for opening my Etsy shop! Once you purchase the first print, simply convo me with your choice for the free print. Easy Peasy !

There are 2 prints included in this sale that you can only purchase through my Etsy shop today and tomorrow.  After the weekend sale, they will be taken out of my shop until the originals have been purchased.  I just wanted to add them for an extra fun weekend sale!

"Jubal's Gift to Lucy"

and...

"Serafine's Mountain"

I am having oodles of fun in the studio and am in the process of writing new stories for both of the above pieces.

So....if you are interested in purchasing prints from my shop, now is a great time to indulge!

Until Next Time:

Kim

Gerushia's New World

P.S.  I am planning a give-away early next week!!  :-)

Everything Old Is New Again and "Serafine's Mountain"

Art.

Marketing.

Selling.

Craziness!!

Art is the easy part.  

Marketing and selling are the difficult parts.  

The time consuming part.

The thing that takes me away from my studio and forces me to sit for hours at the computer.

I am so very grateful for the online opportunities that allow my art to reach people all over the world.

But, the venue choices are overwhelming.

Finding a good fit for my work has been a relentless struggle.

I've traveled around, I admit it.  

I started selling my art on eBay.

Then....I moved to Etsy.

Big Cartel.

Storenvy.

Zibbet.

Now, back to Etsy.

Everything old is new again, yes?

(But, I am keeping my Zibbet shop open too.  The people there are so nice and the site is very friendly and easy.  Just haven't been able to direct many buyers to Zibbet).

If you'd like to see my new Etsy shop, just click Right Here.

I just listed my first ever Etsy Daily Special.  

$10.00 Art Print Entitled:

"The Keeper of Odessa's Hymn"

I've also listed originals,  prints, and my series that includes short stories called Tiny Tale Art.

So....here I go again.  Looking for a comfortable fit.  

Somewhere to list my art that feels right

Hopefully, Etsy will be a better fit and I can finally unpack and call it home.

So, today was busy with shop work.  Computer work.  Tapping fingers while sneaking dreamy glances out the window, wishing I were in the studio.

Along with my new shop announcement, I also have another new original to share with you.

This piece has been in my heart and bones for a long time.

You see, Gerushia's New World is more than a shop name.  It's actually the name of an entire fairy tale that I have been writing for years.

All of the characters that I create and introduce to canvas are characters from my fairy tale.

Each art piece has a short story written to go along with it.  But...there is an epic tale that gathers all of my characters into Gerushia's World.

Most of my characters are curious and harmless

Odd and kind.

But ~

in Gerushia's World, just like in every fairy tale world, there exists an evil power.

Serafine is the evilness that threatens Gerushia's New World and the characters within.

She is the collector of sin.

A deceitful and fiery power.

For the first time ever, I have created a visual of this evil side of the world.

Entitled:

"Serafine's Mountain"

Serafine is not kind or curious.  

She is fire.

Evil.

But the inhabitants of Gerushia's World are so strong.

Bright.

Warriors for the better side.

Every world has a version of Serafine.

Not just fairy tale worlds.

Until Next Time:

Kim

Gerushia's New World

...and, we have a new title ~

Hello There:

My previous post asked for help in naming this "Queen of Hearts" piece.  After taking into consideration the titles submitted here on my blog, on both my facebook pages and my twitter, I have decided to call this piece:

"She Wore Her Heart on Her Cape".  This title was given to me by Rochelle Rosenkild.  (Thanks Shell)!

The Queen is now listed in my Shop in a print version.  I have only 5 of them at this time.  The original is being held back for my show in September called "Connecting Spaces".  I need approximately 20 original pieces for that show, so for now, I am hoarding my originals!

This print is a 4" x 6" with a nice wide border, ready to frame.

If you have any questions, please just give me a holler.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Gerushia's New World

Another Hopeful Sunday ~

James and Humphrey are hopeful....they are hopeful on each and every Sunday. You see, James and Humphrey were abandoned by their family just when they were wee infants. Such a terrible tragedy. Since then, the twins have been fostered by their local church. Every Sunday, after services, James and Humphrey run to the front bench to greet and charm the congregation as they leave for home...hoping against all odds that maybe, just maybe, one kind hearted family might take them in and raise them as their own. But alas ~ for all these many years, the families pass by the twins with nary a word. But...on this particular Sunday, something fantastical and unexpected is about to happen....

James and Humphrey can be found HERE.

Thank you so much for having a look at my newest piece. I truly appreciate it!

Until Next Time:
Kim
Gerushia's New World

Celebrations and Chitalpa Snow ~

A week of memories and celebrations. Reminders of days gone by. Heartwarming and melancholy all at once. June 13th marked the 23rd year of my marriage ~



As always, Gary gave me two dozen red roses the day before our Anniversary ~



So sweet and red and delicious ~



We celebrated and indulged for days ~ finally making the decision to open our cherished blue bottle of White Cabernet Sauvignon ~



June 17th marked the 22nd birthday of my first born. The first of our 3 blessings ~



Again, we celebrated and ate cake and gave gifts of the most curious kind ~



So much fun, so much goodness, but my heart is a little blue. I feel a small glitch in my throat when I realize that the years have swiftly moved onward. Wondering where the next path might lead ~



But alas ~ we go forward ~



Reaching onward and upward is nature. Even a simple orange Nasturtium reaches for light and life ~



This time of year is full of celebrations for us, and those celebrations always go hand in hand with the blooming of the Chitalpa trees ~



I associate my celebrations with these trees...givers of the Orchidy blossoms ~





and Chitalpa snow ~



Even Junior is breezy and frisky on these Chitalpa days ~



These 4 lacy trees stand just outside my studio window. Inspring me to use pink ~





They quickly call me away from my desk. Luring me to take a stroll. To see, to look, to smell. To find hidden treasures that entertain and warm me ~



To dance through it all....to breathe.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Gerushia's New World