I’ve been working on some new pieces. I find that the more I let go and relax, the more the work flows through me—from the heart through the hands.
I love working with porcelain clay. I love its purity of color and texture; I love the way it challenges me—they way it manifests my energy of the moment. Here are some small tiles that I’ve just completed, and a large piece in progress.
I have mused about art, it’s creation and what it brings to my life.What is it’s purpose? Does form follow function? What makes a piece work—or not?  And why should I buy it. Why buy art?
Art feeds the spirit and soul; it brings light and life to being. Art can make your heart sing and your spirit soar. Something that comes from the heart through the hands. It is no accident that there is art in heART.
When you support an artist, you affirm the creative spirit. You have the opportunity to see the world in a different way, as the artist’s vision is manifested in the piece he or she has made.
When you buy art, you support your local economy, both the economy of your community and the economy of the spirit. You can know that you are buying something that was made with care, one at a time, by hand.
What does art bring to your life? As always, feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by.
When I look at a photograph, I feel like I have a glimpse into how the photographer sees the world. That’s what I like about photographic images—it’s not the “prettiness” of a view—it’s the quality of the light, the slant of the sun, the place where the shadow meets the light.
And once in a while, I come across someone who sees the quiet spaces, the places where my heart stops to linger and to rest. A person who sees the extraordinary beauty in ordinary objects, and who appreciates the sacredness of it all.
Jodi Anderson captures moments in time through images and words that touch my being. She shares her work at her blog, so Not cool, and at the Women’s Colony. She has just opened an online shop where her luminous photos are available for others to own and enjoy. Jodi is hosting a giveaway of one of her pieces at the Women’s Colony as well as a 10% discount (the discount code is WOMENSCOLONY11) and is available to Jodi’s readers through November 23.
You can read what Jodi has to say about herself here. You will also find links to her main blog, her poetry, her videos and other things she shares.
A mug is a very personal thing. I have 2 that are my current sacred mugs. One for tea or coffee at home, and another at the studio. A good mug needs to fit in the hand. The handle needs to give me the option of holding it in my fist or putting my hand through it as I cradle the cup. It needs to be a good size, and designed to keep my drink warm. It needs to be able to go in the microwave, so I can reheat my drink throughout the day. It needs to come from the heart, through the hands.
Here are some mug shots. What do you look for in a mug?
Cups of Kindness, a show and sale to benefit the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, has raised enough money to purchase around 27,000 meals—that’s almost 45 meals for the 600 and some folks who live in the Village of Peninsula, Ohio.
Over 70 artists donated pieces of art, 160 pieces in all. All proceeds from the sale of the artwork has benefited the hungry in the 8 Ohio counties that the Foodbank serves. The show opened in early December of 2008, and continues.
Diane Keske Talmadge has been drawing and painting since she was a child. She is an accomplished portrait, landscape and still life painter. Her paintings have a wonderful luminous quality about them, quietly showing how she sees the world. Diane teaches painting and drawing in her home studio and at the Peninsula Art Academy.
Diane has a collection of 25 or so antique teacups, and she puts at least 1 antique piece in each of her still life paintings. When she was asked if she would donate a piece to Cups of Kindness, Diane didn’t hesitate. She painted two of her antique teacups, which are displayed on lovely small easels.This piece, along with it’s companion pink teacup are available here. Please visit Elements Gallery in the Village of Peninsula, Ohio, or the Cups of Kindness website to see this and other beautiful pieces of artwork. Every dollar raised purchases 7 nutritious meals for NE Ohio’s hungry, folks like you and me, who need a hand.
Cups of Kindness: Friends and neighbors helping each other.
I have mused about art, it’s creation and what it brings to my life. What is it’s purpose? Does form follow function? What makes a piece work—or not?  And why should I buy it. Why buy art?
You can read what Jodi has to say about herself here. You will also find links to her main blog, her poetry, her videos and other things she shares.
Diane Keske Talmadge has been drawing and painting since she was a child. She is an accomplished portrait, landscape and still life painter. Her paintings have a wonderful luminous quality about them, quietly showing how she sees the world. Diane teaches painting and drawing in her home studio and at the Peninsula Art Academy.
![[Bloglines]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/bloglines.png)
![[del.icio.us]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Facebook]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[Google]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/google.png)
![[kirtsy]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/kirtsy.png)
![[LinkedIn]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/linkedin.png)
![[Reddit]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/reddit.png)
![[Squidoo]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/squidoo.png)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/stumbleupon.png)
![[Technorati]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/technorati.png)
![[Twitter]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/twitter.png)
![[Yahoo!]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/yahoo.png)
