Ramifications from the Bluebonnet Show Continue

Actually have now sold 31 paintings from the show as things keep happening after the fact of the show.    Taken several commissions from the show as well as selling more paintings.

A long-time friend, Bonnie, (real estate) brought a neighbor over here.  The neighbor, Betty B., had purchased several paintings from the art festival days.  She bought a large 30x40.  When she came to pay for it, we had the most fun two hours of conversation and  catch up from 45 years of earlier contact!  She is an adventurous lady.  This was her painting:

DO I HAVE SOME KUDOS TO HAND OUT FOR A FABULOUS ART SHOW

On Sunday evening, Dec. 6th, from 6-9 pm, Bluebonnet Funeral Home and Cemetery hosted an Art Show for me (their idea).  My liaison was Dee McIntosh, the person I went to for a final resting place.  And, he has been terrific to work with on both accounts, reception and show and final resting place.  But, let me give you a forerunner  of the event.  Friday night about 10:30 pm I started vomiting my innards out and continued until 6 am., Saturday morning.  Was supposed to load my car and take in several loads of my 68 paintings (and my frames are all really good, heavy frames).  Stayed in bed until mid afternoon and then made my first trek with paintings.  Came home and went back to bed.  Sunday finished the loading and set up.  Telling you this to say I was not sure I would function at any capacity at the Reception.
  I could not have done the show without some wonderful family and friends:
Hix and Amy made a banner for me.  Dee McIntosh had it installed.  Hix Hardy was my cashier and  record keeper of all paintings sold, and exactly 25 paintings sold.  That was a great night.  His side kick was Sandra Eddy, long time friend of mine, that manned the guest book and had people sign up for the drawing.  Carol Rasco and Shirley Eblen, from the Singles group at First Methodist downtown, were my name taggers, and they were hard workers.  The location was great, the music lively, and the reception superb.  Best idea of the evening came from Dee on how to get paintings out of there in one fell swoop.  Can you guess what vehicle was used?  And then my other Son, Hunter and his wife, Liz, showed up and helped tear down, so Dee and his lovely wife, Hix, Hunter, Liz, and I got it done in record time.

25 PAINTINGS ! !  WHAT A NIGHT.

Just got word: Have been named a MASTER SIGNATURE MEMBER ARTIST for Outdoor Painters Society. Humbled.

Outdoor Painters Society has only yesterday named 5 MASTER SIGNATURE MEMBERS to their ledger of painters:  John Cook, Fran Ellisor, Kaye Franklin, Ann Hardy, and John Pototschnik.  Am humbled and honored to be in their company.

While I was in the midst of judging online the NOAPS (National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society) Fall Online Show, I happened to go to my email while waiting for a phone call for information on submitting my vote.  The information stated above came to me from Tina Bohlman, President, and it rather stunned me.

By the way, there were 791 entries into the show and you give considerable time to a good many of the entries.  Went through them three times, and the second time voted and then checked myself.  Wonderfully interesting experience.  This was my third National Show to judge.

So, I have been working like a beaver to get my "Painting for the Living" Show all framed and labelled, the NOAPS judging done, my Christmas cards made (which I painted the image), dancing lessons attended, college attended, and Christmas decorating done.  Whuff ! ! !

Here is a small painting that will be at BLUEBONNET FUNERAL HOME SHOW, this Sunday, Dec. 6th, 6-9

Show is a Week Away

December 6th, Sunday, from 6-9 Reception, will be the Show at BLUEBONNET FUNERAL HOME,  5725 Colleyville Blvd., Colleyville, Texas, 76034.

I will have 40 NEW paintings and 30 sale paintings (demos and quick draws).  Don't Miss This.

Bluebonnet Funeral Home asked me if I would like to do this and am loving working with them.  Dee McIntosh has been my connection person.

So after a wonderful Thanksgiving at the Hunter and Liz Hardy home (16 of us there) and getting my Christmas decorations up on the following rainy Friday, sharing a wonderful time after dancing with Corky, having dinner with Ppac Group at Paulas's and viewing her new library  am getting the last paintings into frames and documented for the show.

Here are a couple of new paintings:

Scams and Fraud

Be smart and don't fall for the many scams and fraud that abounds in this world we live in, both via the internet and our telephones, and on the street.  Just in the past week, I have had two on my doorstep.
  Had a telephone call come in six days ago that a "legal matter" was pending and to immediately get back to them.  Tele number given and case number given for referral.  I was also told that I would have no longer than 24 hours to respond.  Each day another call comes in.  Today was my "final chance" to rectify the situation.
  I immediately did my homework and went to the internet to check on scams.  Found the exact scam plus a variety to others.  Called a Son and he verified he had been approached with a similar one.

And, in this same week, had a woman from the panhandle of Texas write me an email that she had seen a "hand painted, genuine oil painting, unframed still life" of mine on Ebay that she was going to buy but determined it to be fraud.  Appreciated the alert from her.

.  Sellers were from China and had two more of these paintings.  She saw my name on the signature and looked me up on internet and found me.  The painting is on my web site,   www.AnnHardy.com  
  Went to Ebay and notified them of fraud and copyright infringement and gave the number of the still life.  Recognized some of the other paintings that were being reproduced fraudulently and emailed other artists.
  The above is not the painting, but one I have just done for upcoming show.  Hope to see you Dec. 6th from 6-9 pm at Bluebonnet Funeral Home, 5725 Colleyville Blvd, Colleyville, Texas.

Sometimes Paintings Resurface

This painting came back with a couple of others over the internet from J. Henderson.  She bought some ten paintings in the late 60's from the Starving Artist Shows that I was doing every week end.  She gave some away as gifts and kept some.  What an appreciated collector she was.
  Let me tell you about those few years of Starving Artist Shows.  I would load car up and head out every Friday or Saturday morning for a day, sometimes week end of selling.  Because I was selling so incredibly many paintings, I set a goal of 20 new paintings a week.  Because they were all still wet, they had to be in frames.  So, I was painting 5 a day for four days and then framing them on last day and loading my car or horse trailer.  Never will I make that kind of money again (bought the 20 acres in Colleyville with sales dollars, bought horse trailer,  put the road in to the 20 acres, and bought a four stall barn that was later enlarged.)  Nor, will I ever want to work that physically hard again.
  Evelyn Schmedt was my running buddy.  Can't tell you the giddy times we had sitting in the middle of a floor and pulling the money, checks from various areas of

our clothes, and counting.  Sometimes we were so tired on the way home that we would stop our cars, get out and run around the car, breathe deeply, chew ice, drink coffee to keep our eyes open.
  The years were 1969-1973.  Then I slightly retired from painting when we moved to Colleyville and the next stage of life opened up:  children in upper grades, horses, and the Chamber of Commerce.
  Thanks to J. Henderson for sharing the past.

While Living Life You Meet Some Mighty Special People

  I use Market Street on a regular basis.  Many years ago I met the person below that became the Produce Manager.  Immediately knew he was a helpful, kind, and a very sweet human being.  Watched his dreads grow over the years and then last year told him I wanted to paint him.  Two weeks ago he told me he was leaving Market Street, so I rushed home, got my camera, came back to  the store and set up the painting.  Loaded his arms with pumpkins, corn, and a butternut squash, pulled his dreads over his shoulder and took some photos.

The store just doesn't seem the same without his cheery presence.  Know his fellow workers feel the same.

Hold the December 6th date

Bluebonnet Hills Cemetery and Funeral Home is giving me a RECEPTION on Dec. 6th, from 6-9 pm at their location on 5725 Colleyville Blvd., Colleyville, Texas, 76034.  I will have 30 NEW paintings and some great oldies of demos and studies.

Here are a couple of NEWBIES:

Ahhhhhhh LIFE. WHAT BLESSINGS ! ! ! ! !

This week end, packed up my most adorable dog, Trudy, and headed for Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where we spent a couple of days reuniting with wonderful friends of many decades ago. (seen many of them over the years at same reunion, but, somehow it seemed more special this year). My Junior year roomy, Kathleen, was driven over from Austin by Carol.  These two women have been a great contribution to the world.  It is definitely a better place for their being in it.  Got to see my Granddaughter, Madison, and she looked glowingly beautiful. She even had the courage to take me to her apartment and show it off. Got to meet her roommate. Met and talked with Dr. Berger, SU President, and I told him I had a Granddaughter there and he quickly corrected me that she was not a freshman, but a sophomore, and her name was Madison Hardy. He even remembered giving her a ride in his golf cart to an early breakfast at the commons.

 The week end before I went out to the Ft Worth Nature Center and painted at Stormy's home there.It is located in the middle of the Center with a 12 foot fence around their place to keep the critters out of one of the most wonderful gardens.While there I painted tomatoes, shown below, and came home with some of the best yard long green beans (ate the entire amount in one sitting that very night), tomatoes, and huge sweet potato. Stormy ended up chatting with me for almost an hour as I painted her tomatoes. Beautiful day in a beautiful place with a beautiful person.

Downsizing Your Home

I have a son, Hunter, who this past year sold their (He and Liz's) home of too many square  feet on a couple of acres and bought less than half the square footage in a gated community. The Reason for selling is because two daughters have married and the third is in Southwestern University.  The maintenance of a large lot and swimming pool had become excessive in time and money, especially time..

  Now someone else is responsible for exterior maintenance and lawn care.  He and Liz are free to do more travel and enjoy a simpler life.  LOVE this thinking.

OUR CULTURE, OUR SOCIETY

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst us.

In a class in college, I have an autistic young man as a class mate.  I have had some experiences with him that range the spectrum of emotions.  Autistic children, people, do not like to be touched.  I have made the error of hugging or patting on the back and been strongly rebuffed.
  In a recent class, a fellow classmate tried to hug him before I could say he does not want a hug.  He then gave her a strong push into me and my palette later as she and I were talking and her back was to him.   This is a rather typical inappropriate action that an autistic person might take.  He can also be fixated  on things.  The first painting session he was fixated on my painting supports.  I use a variety and he did not understand why I used what I was painting on and asked dozens and dozens of questions.  Some of his questions were very smart and reasonable.
  The point of this blog is he is in college and gaining in skill.  Professors and students are willing to take his inappropriate social skills and strange habits into consideration and give him a chance.

 I painted the below painting using real spaghetti for the spaghetti in the painting.  He walked in and said with a matter of fact voice:  "Don't think I have ever seen a painting with a shelf life before."  It took me a minute to understand what he was saying.

What My DOG HAS TAUGHT ME.

Trudy, is my rescue dog of several years now, a black Aust. Shepherd/Lab mix that resembles a large Border Collie and with all the same brain matter.  She is WAY too smart.
  Every meal when I put her food into her bowl she looks into my soul with her warm brown loving eyes and then whomps me with her tongue across my arm.  She has never missed doing this.  Always I tell her "You are welcome" and only then does she put her head down to eat.  I feel a sense of JOY because of her gratitude.  We can't experience joy without gratitude coming before it and knowing what we are grateful for.  Never have I met or talked with a single person with the capacity to really experience joy who does not also actively practice gratitude.  The owner of this painting is such a person.

I've Got a Friend

who loves me not despite my vulnerability and imperfections but because of them.  She is my daughter's age, but we have shared some grand and not so grand experiences of life.  You only need one of these kinds of people in your life that when you call and say "I have just done such and such a terrible thing in my life and am ashamed", she or he will say "Ok, let's talk it through.  Been there and  done that and understand".

Hold the Date: December 6th, Sunday, 6-9 p.m. Paintings for the Living" at Bluebonnet Hills Cemetery in Colleyville, Texas

This coming December 6th, a Sunday, from 6 until 9 p.m., Bluebonnet Hills Cemetery is hosting a Reception for me.  Will have 30 NEW paintings and a selection of others at a greatly reduced pricing that I have had for more than a year.  Bluebonnet is supplying the music and reception in a beautiful room and I am supplying the paintings.  Here are a couple of my newer paintings:

Art in the Gardens Show THIS WEEK END, SEPT. 12, 13, 2015

Come to the Art in the Gardens Show at the Ft. Worth Botanic Gardens this week end.   Botanic Gardens are located at 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd, FT Worth, Texas.  Reception will take place on Saturday, September 12th in the late afternoon ending at 9 pm.  The show is over at 4 pm on following Sunday.  Come  comfortable and wear really good walking shoes.

Here is one of my three entries that was accepted into the show.

this

Tower Gallery Show this Month September 2nd-September 27th, 2015

The beautiful Tower Gallery in Grapevine, Texas, is hosting a show until September 27th.  The Tower Gallery is located at 636 S. Main, Grapevine, Texas, 76051.  Hours are: Mon-Fri:   9 am - 5:30 pm,
Sat: 10-6:30, Sun: noon-5.

This Saturday and Sunday I will be at the Gallery doing demonstrations each day.

Here is one of my paintings in the show:  Rabbit, Thistles, an Brass        Will also have a box of studies and demos that are great prices.

Life, What a Trip ! ! ! !

For some reason, probably my Psychology courses in college, I am deeply interested in the emotional health of friends and how people interact with each other.  Recently connected with some folks via Ballroom Dancing lessons.  They are remarkably healthy:
  Connectors-watch out for splitters (they split you away from friends/family)
  Are not possessive
  Supportive
  Not jealous and petty
  Kind
  Non-judgemental
A whole new family has been established around the core of a very "healthy and corky" individual.

Life, what a trip!

Here is a new painting of one of my favorite critters, the Hummingbird.  (Have actually said that I want to come back as a Hummer, until I swam with the Dolphins.  Now, I want to come back as a dolphin.)

FOUR Big National Shows this Summer accepted my entries. All Four with Different Paintings

Have FOUR National Shows that have accepted entries into them this summer, plus several minor shows.  But, it keeps me hopping, that is for sure.  The interesting thing is that the Major shows have all been Figurative paintings. The most important part is that the images (photos or plein air painting or set ups) are all original creations of my own.  That is a must.  Image is going into a local show.

MY FAVORITE BOOK and What it has Taught Me.

I remember exactly where I was when listening to this book on tape, laughing and crying out loud.  Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" was listened to as I painted on a low water bridge off Hwy 281 in South Texas.
  He lost every one in the four Nazi camps he was in:  his parents, siblings, and pregnant wife.  The inspiration for me was that while he had no choice over these happenings of life, he had the choice of his reaction to them.  He could not avoid the awful suffering, but he could choose how to deal with it.
  MY POINT:  We as artists also have the ability to choose how to deal with what life throws at us.
    Rejection from a show-how do we handle it?
    Selling?  Actually better to have less stuff to have to insure, repair and maintain.  Nice to simplify life.  Have a Son and Daughter in Law who have just "downsized" because daughters are leaving or left nest.  More "stuff" does not make us happy. You make you happy.
    Responsibility?  Once again I bring up the discipline of taking responsibility for our actions and not blaming any other person, school, government, church, entity.
    Actually know what happiness is for you.  Be grateful for things we often take for granted.


Here is a part of life that makes me happy, the act of getting to paint and then interact with people with those paintings.

Brunch for the Swans

Have a group of women that have met for approximately 27 years each month to celebrate birthdays that fall in that month.  I had the lunch here and worked hard to have a varied menu. Could not have made the day without the serving prowess of Jean.  She was invaluable.
     Made up a cold soup that I want to share with you.  It was wonderful (I thought).  Will title it "Cold Creamy Tomato Soup"

Cooked in a pan with 3 T of olive oil-two large onions chopped, 2 carrots chopped, and 6 cloves of garlic chopped, 10 leaves of basil, until onions became translucent.  In my Blend Tek I blended two pounds of tomatoes and a couple of 8 oz cans of spicy tomato juice with the mixture of onions, garlic, carrots, and basil.  Then combined and blended with a pint of heavy cream.  Salt and pepper to taste.
Topped with a dab of sour cream mixed with who knows what, and a basil leaf.

One of our group of Swans, Sally, brought a couple of hand outs from my show in Granbury, and acted as my marketing director.  Should hire her.  Here is one of the paintings from the show that I have not referred to before:

What Could Be More Fun

than some of the teasing and jokes we pull on each other in the college classroom.
Someone had put this Care Bear in one of the schools outdoor sculptures.  For some reason they thought it was me.  I'll accept the responsibility, but it really was not me.  Had fun with one of my professors giving CB painting pointers.  Posed the two of them and did a three hour study of the two.  Battles is the profs name.     

The Opening of a Show

What could be more wonderful than to have an artist you have not seen for maybe a couple of decades send flowers to your opening reception with grand words of good wishes and then show up at the reception and buy one of your works ! ! !
 
What could be more wonderful than having a woman who bought a painting from an exhibition come to your show and introduce herself as the person who bought the painting and tell her story of how much she loves the painting to the entire gallery of people and then buy another painting! ! ! ! !

What could be more wonderful than seeing your children walk in with your daughter in laws Mother.  They have driven a long way to be there.

What could be more wonderful than having another artist you hold in high respect buy one of your paintings ! ! !

What could be more wonderful than having old school friends, old horse friends, friends from your Singles class of many years ago, your Sunday School friends that came from a long way, old art friends, old real estate friends come to your show.  My heart is muy heavy with appreciation and love.

This painting is one from the show.

UPCOMING SHOW AT TARLETON UNIVERSITY

The Show will actually be at:  (even though it is sponsored by Tarleton University)

Gordon House Gallery    
308 E. Pearl Street
Granbury, Texas, 76048

Time: June 27th - July 22nd, 2015

Reception:  June 27th     5 pm-8 pm
(I will be present)

And, on July 4th, Saturday, I will be demo-ing all that day.

I will have 30 NEW paintings for this show.  Hope to see you there.

How We Spend Our Days is How We Spend Our Lives

If you are waiting for everything to fall in place and all conditions be "ripe" and right to paint, to write, to practice piano or guitar, to clean out a closet, or organize a desk, that time will probably not  come.

My biggest irritation with my fellow man is the idea that one workshop, or one class, or one video will    make them a master of their craft.  I know we have all heard of 10,000 hours to produce a real artisan.  I am thinking that may be a fraction of the time required.  It is all a comparable measurement.  With 2,000,000 artists in California alone, just think of how many people are wanting to become artists.  And, just think how many of them are working and have been working for decades of their lives.  Their production has been consistent.  Their production has taken place with wise decisions and enthusiasm.

So, what I am saying is you had better be able to enjoy the preciousness of the journey.  Who knows when you become the Master of whatever you are trying to achieve, or when you are "successful".

Just had a 2nd cousin ride her motorcycle from the North and spend some days with me.  We talked non-stop.  What a great experience to get to know this cousin and her story.  Hope she came away with the same feeling.  We ALL have a story.  Some are tougher than others.  But, we all have a story.

Just doing a bit of reworking on this painting.  It  will still take some more strokes before I am happy with it.

This I Know for Sure ! ! !

Now don't accuse me of being toooooo opinionated, but this I know for sure:  From my trips over the world to paint and see other cultures, I  know everyone in the world wants the same thing:  love, security, some enjoyment in life, TO BE VALIDATED.  Even with the differences in our cultures, we can look past the superficial and relate to everyone.

When I did the renovation of an apartment and home in Belize through Habitat program I really got to know my families in Belize and realized the above, regardless of poverty.

Here is a painting done from a village in Belize.  Women carried the washing in these 5 gallon buckets, and they were heavy !

Just became a FEATURED ARTIST in Fine Art Services Online

This went out to right at 28,000 subscribers and I was mighty thrilled  to receive this recognition on FASO.  They used three paintings in the article from my web site, a landscape (Cross Country Skiing), a figurative (the painting of the man on the street in preceding post), and a still life (Apples, Glass, and Flowers).

Here is my latest painting of a Cyclist

THESE THINGS I KNOW FOR SURE

With my years and years and years of living in this ole world, these things I know for sure:

1. Relationships count in life and not the things you do.
2. Eat decent food and not all that crap out there.  Actually go for the 5 to 9 veges/fruits a day.  Drink water.  I start my day with a cup of hot water and juice from a half lemon/lime.  And, floss  your teeth.
3. Get your finances in order:
   a. pay off that one credit card every month
   b. save NOW for retirement, your emergency fund, children's education.  And, save consistently by
       having it deducted from your check each month
   c. stay out of as much debt as possible by postponing gratification
4. Know that you aren't the person pigeonholed into the high school label.  Don't let someone else define you.  A strong sense of self is personal power.
5. Don't drink too much.  Really discipline yourself in this direction. A glass of wine at night is fine. Don't do drugs-period
6. Don't be desperate in seeking love, it's a big turn off.  Don't expect to meet your soul mate at a bar at 2:00 am.  Get involved in things that really interest you.  Take some classes, meet people at Church activities, volunteer.
7. Exercise on a consistently regular basis.  Remember that Silver Sneakers is free with some health insurers.
8. Keep the technical games and TV watching to a minimum.  You will kick yourself one day that you blew so damn much time on such putrid stuff.
9 Play some sport, individual or team.  It's a great teacher.  Learn to play an instrument.
10. Get a dog and be a good owner.  You'll live longer.

This is one of my selections for a National competition coming up:  wish me luck