Saturday, October 29, 2011

Never Give Up !

I am honored to have one of my Christmas designs included in this year's Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Crafts publication.  Many years ago one of my goals was to have one of my designs published by Better Homes and Gardens.  So today I can say that I have learned a lesson in never giving up on those goals no matter how long it might take.  Once again, many thanks to the continued support of Sharon Currier, for making this happen.  And I sincerely appreciate the editors at BH&G for selecting my design out of all of those that they had to choose from.  So here it is -

Page 44 - Holiday Crafts 2011 
Photo Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications, Meredith Corp.


  
    I am also very honored to say THANKS to Sharon and Cindy Gorder, the editor of Decorating Digest Craft & Home Projects publication, for including several of my designs in their Fall issue.  This is a wonderful magazine that always showcases easy DIY home decorating projects as well as great reviews of newly published how to books.

        Pages 34 and 35 - Photos Courtesy of Decorating Digest Craft & Home Projects
Women's Publishing Co. Inc. a corporation of Grass Roots Publishing Co. Inc.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Our Trip to Italy

We returned last week from our dream 'adventure' trip to Italy. Spent 3 days in Rome, 3 days in Florence, 2 days in Venice and 5 days driving around the beautiful Tuscany countryside.  We learned how 'not' to buy train tickets and how 'not' to get on the right train,,,ahem,,,a long story.  But had fun riding 3 very fast trains and were happily surprised to learn that Ed could drive and I could navigate the highways without knowing much of the language. Each night ended with wonderful local and fresh pasta, cheese, wine and gelato.  Our short but very busy week in Tuscany was the highlight for me. We stayed in a wonderful villa at Fattoria Armena, located at the end of a dirt road, 3 km from the small town of Buonconvento.  So hard to select a few of our over 1000 pictures to post here, but I want to share a very small sample of what we experienced - - CIAO  y'all !

When in Rome -  We 'did as the Romans did' - visited the Vatican, Forum, Colosseum, St. Peter's, Sistine Chapel, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and I closed my eyes while we rode in some very fast moving taxis. Our feet were sore after 3 days of some very serious walking, and, did I mention the pasta, cheese, wine and gelato?  

The Forum and City Hall 

The Colosseum

Piazza Navona

Then on to Venice, it was so nice to escape from the fast moving cars and taxi's for 2 days.  So much water and beautiful glass art everywhere.  Our room overlooked a canal that was filled with gondola's and wonderful music.  Although we didn't spend a lot of time there, it was a beautiful view - - -  

View from our room window

Words cannot describe Venice at night - it is truly magical

Then it was our week to explore the Tuscan countryside.  Our rustic but wonderfully modern villa was perfectly perched on a hillside and we could see Montalcino in the distance.  We visited Montalcino, Siena, Pienza, Montepulciano, Volterra, San Angelo, St. Antimo cathedral, Bagno Vignoni hot springs,  Asciano and the abby at Monte Oliveto Maggiore.  One day we got lost on purpose and ended up at the unbelievably huge Banfi winery. 
It was very warm with record setting heat everyday of our trip.  The days were sun filled and hot but the nights were very comfortable.  We needed our air conditioning at night while in the cities but did not need it in Tuscany.
The entrance to our Tuscan villa.  Each room had a beautiful view of the rolling hills
 
Absolutely some of the most beautiful landscapes we have ever seen !

Every morning we visited with our friendly neighbors who were very happy to see us and our carrots.

And everyday we discovered new places more beautiful than the last. 

One night Ed had dinner with a 'boar' - - - and I enjoyed gelato in Siena - - -

Our last three days were in Florence.  We enjoyed seeing the gigantic Uffizi Gallery and also visited Accademia where Michelangelo's famous impression of David is proudly displayed.  We visited the huge street market and fresh food market, the beautiful Duomo and Santa Croce church and strolled across the romantic Ponte Vecchio bridge.  

Florence Duomo

'Mirror view' from the Ponte Vecchio bridge

Spectacular art inside the Duomo Dome


The overwhelming amount of history, wonderful art, religious symbolism and sheer beauty in this part of Italy was inspirational and breath taking at times.  This was truly a wonderful life changing vacation.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Last Marietta Artwalk Tonight


October is here and this means my last Artwalk Show in Marietta tonight.  If you are nearby I hope you can plan to stop by to see us at Dupre's Antiques, from 5 until 9pm.   We just arrived home this week from our Italy vacation, so looking forward to sharing our stories and photos with everyone.  I am overwhelmed with new ideas inspired by the beautiful countryside of Italy, and tonight the weather will be perfect for a relaxing visit to the square. Will see you there !

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

"The Beach #2" Donated to Taste of Habitat Auction Event

"The Beach #2"

Taste Of Habitat  - Metropolitan Club

The Lutheran Coalition for Habitat is hosting the seventh annual Taste of Habitat Friday, September 23 at the beautiful Metropolitan Club in Alpharetta, Georgia from 7-9 PM. The Coalition builds Habitat houses in the north Atlanta area. Taste is for adults and includes a trivia contest, live piano music, silent auction, coffee bar and a full cash bar in addition to the tasty treats from over 60 Lutheran chefs. Individual tickets are $25 and other sponsorships are available. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
If you would like to purchase tickets or are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please visit their website - http://lutheranhabitat.org/tasteofhabitat.html.

  I am honored to have the opportunity to contribute "The Beach #2" for their silent auction this year and hope that you can also help them to help others.  

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

ART does NOT have to match your sofa or draperies

"Blue Tree" 
Hi everyone, just finished reading a similar blog title post today and this phrase came to mind as it seems to be the biggest concern when potential clients are considering buying my art these days.  Quite honestly, 'sofa and drapery art' is not the kind of artwork that I  want to create but I am willing to make some adjustments if the colors are vibrant and if the client will agree to allow me some measure of artistic freedom while using them.  Don't get me wrong, I love it when my art perfectly 'fits' with someone's home decor color scheme, but let's be honest, how important is it to be an exact color match with your sofa, walls or drapery fabric? I previously struggled with this issue and discovered that I preferred to have a background color on my walls to allow me the freedom to display the things that I love.  Now that I have my background walls, and after eliminating my draperies, I discovered that I can make anything work if I love it - and I mean LOVE it ! Please believe me, when you love a piece of art, you will know it, and you will also figure out a way to display it so that you can enjoy it everyday.  So go out and find a piece of art that you absolutely LOVE !  

Saturday, August 6, 2011

A Really Good Week !

"Sunrise"
24" x 30"
Acrylic

"The Rapids"
24" x 36"
Acrylic
I don't mean to brag - but - last week was a really good one.  "Sunrise" and "The Rapids" originals have both found new homes, one in Alabama and one just a few miles from us.  So I am celebrating with renewed energy and confidence to keep going on my creative adventure.  Never thought I would say this, but I am enjoying the show experience more than expected.  The interaction with other artists and visitors and the wonderfully positive feedback fills my heart with a calm sense of happiness.  
I am so lucky to have such a wonderful husband who helps with all of the physical (and emotional support) work - could not do this without him !  Thank goodness, we were fortunate to arrive early enough so we could setup under the a/c unit again. 
Now praying for cooler weather for the September 2nd. show.        

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

The Binder's Limelight Gallery Show

"Big Sunset" has been selected to appear in the Binder's Limelight Gallery for the month of August.  The gallery is located in the lower level of the Binder's store in Buckhead, so if you're in the area this month, stop by to see the fabulous art for sale, all from the wonderful artist members of the Atlanta Artists Center. 
About the Limelight Gallery - If you lived in our area during the 80's you will remember "The Limelight" nightclub - a BIG wild party spot that was well known for their wonderfully talented bands, dancers, live tigers (in cages) and beautiful models and mimes that graced the grand stairwell as you entered the club level.  They also had the biggest speakers around at that time and everybody would climb up on top of them to dance.  I'll never admit it to my kids, but I may have climbed up there a few times myself.  The Limelight gallery is located in the same space where all of those parties took place.  So this show has special meaning for a lot of us who are old enough to remember those late party nights.  

"Big Sunset"
24" x 30"
Acrylic


Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Chalk Paint Experiments

A few weeks ago I discovered chalk paints, fell in love with the color selections and decided to experiment.  After one day of playing with them, I'm starting to like them - a lot.  Here's what I've done so far.

Would love to hear what you think - - good or bad.  Any suggestions for improvements? 

These paints are intended for use in furniture refinishing but I think they are perfect for painting landscapes.  Flat finish, water based, easy cleanup and super fast drying. 

You can order them at www.colormefrench.com



Sunday, July 10, 2011

"The Rapids" in the Atlanta Artists Center New Members Show

One of my paintings has been selected to appear in the New Members Show at the Atlanta Artists Center.  The show dates are July 12th. until August 5th.  This small intimate gallery is located on Grandview Avenue in Buckhead next to Basil's Restaurant.  Hours are 10 to 4 Tuesdays through Saturdays.  Everything in the show is for sale and hopefully you can find some wonderful artwork that you cannot live without !  Many thanks to the AAC members and volunteers for supporting this wonderful organization for new artists in our area and also a big THANKS to the show judge for selecting my art.  For directions to the gallery visit their website:  www.atlantaartistscenter.org

"The Rapids"
24" x 36"
Acrylic

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Marietta July Artwalk

First Show - Done !  A great big fun party !  Big crowd, lots of mingling, sold some things and looking forward to August 5th.  Notice above my head, in the second picture, the new a/c unit, could not have done this show without it.  I was lucky to have my pick of locations and when I saw that a/c unit there was no doubt where I would be sitting.  Must give credit to the Marietta organizers, they know how to do things right.  A night I will always remember. 

Friday, June 10, 2011

Marietta ArtWalk

Making new art with a purpose !  Getting ready for Friday, July 1st.   My first 'art show' setup.  Words cannot describe how nervous and excited I am feeling right now.  This week  I ordered new 'dianeflowersart' chairs, prints, cards, and a new sign, knowing that I'm forgetting something.  Found some wonderful, like new, used display walls and started doing test runs with my setup.  I will be participating in the Marietta ArtWalk Artists' Alley at Dupre's Antique Market in the square.   
Ed and I visited the market on June 3rd. The crowds were HUGE, so I hope this will continue through the summer months.
They have been advertising this event since March with several local TV segments and most of the businesses located in the square sponsor and participate in some way. 
I am very thankful for large fans, iced tea (cold beer) and the fact that I will only be there from 5 until 9 on the first Friday of each month during some hot summer months.  
Heat, schmeat, I am excited and happy to be getting out there - meeting other artists and making new friends!
Check out their website http://www.artwalkmarietta.com/index.html for the details and I hope to see you there !   

Friday, May 20, 2011

Decorating Digest Craft & Home Projects Magazine

Many thanks to Cindy Gorder and the publishers of this wonderful home decor crafting magazine for their May/June issue which includes a collection of my wedding ideas.  The pomanders were so easy and the cake looks good enough to eat in this shot.  All of these projects were developed and published with the marketing support of Sharon Currier and the Dow Chemical Company's products.
Visit the publishers' website www.grassrootsmag.com to order your own copy of this magazine and find a lot more wedding ideas on the www.styrofoamcrafts.com website.

Monday, May 9, 2011


This week I have one piece of my original art in the Cumming First United Methodist Church Arts Festival which started Sunday May 8th.  This is their 4th. year of offering new and established artists an opportunity to showcase their work.  I am  honored to be included in their list of 197 artisans this year.  This is a wonderful 8 day event, with free concerts by several professional and high school musicians and orchestras each day during the noon lunch hour.  Lunch is available at their Art Cafe.  The galleries are open from Noon until 8pm each day during the week and 8am until 3pm on Sunday the 15th.  This is a large exhibit of mixed media artwork, with a wide variety of pieces and also includes a very special students' show of kindergarten through 12th. grade artists.  It is worth the short drive up 400 - exit #15 !
For directions visit their website http://www.cfumcga.com/
As a member of The Atlanta Artists Center I can submit my artwork for showing at several local facilities, so I submitted 3 pieces to be included in the May Buckhead Library Mixed Media exhibit.  I also volunteered to help with the show setup, tear down and reception.  We had 90 minutes to take down about 60 pieces and hang another 60 pieces.  What a great group of artists !  They welcomed me with open arms, showed me how it was done, and everything was magically done just in time.  The next day we were there again introducing ourselves to the visitors at the opening reception.  This is a wonderful mixed media exhibit in a modern library building that is flooded with lots of natural light.  Will be doing this again next year - in a bigger way ! 

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Moonstar Gallery

You can see my original art at Moonstar Gallery in Foscoe, NC
If you ever take a trip to the beautiful mountains near the Blue Ridge Parkway just north of
Asheville, North Carolina, near Grandfather Mountain, you will find this wonderful place full of mixed media art, pottery, jewelry, hand blown glasswork and lots of beautiful creations by a unique collection of well known award winning artists.  (and me too!)

For those of you who do not know him, Byron Gentry, from Palmetto, GA, has opened his own gallery and is kindly sharing my art with his world of friends and clients.  Byron creates the most wonderful BIG abstract pieces of art. (the opposite in size that I create)
This area enjoys a very heavy influx of people who live a little further south for the winter and come north for the hot summer months.  A thriving community with small town atmosphere, rolling mountain country, full of beautiful scenery, fast flowing cool water rivers, massive rock formations, cool summers and friendly people.
So if you are looking for a new place to explore, and some new artwork, visit Byron at Moonstar Gallery in Foscoe, you will enjoy it,
I promise !

 

 

Friday, April 22, 2011


Here it is - You can see some of my newest artwork at The Buckhead Library Atlanta Artists Center
Multi-media Art Exhibit - April 29 to June 2, 2011 -
A good time to support and visit your favorite library !!!

Buckhead Library May Exhibit 
                   TULIPS   
The Seventh Annual Buckhead Library  
AAC MULTI-MEDIA ART EXHIBIT
(Collage, Jewelry, Painting, Photography and Sculpture)

 May Exhibit Dates 
April 29 - June 2, 2011
Reception: Saturday, April 30, 3-5PM
Library Community Room
Catered by: AAC members and Goldberg's Bagel Company & Deli     
Parking is free on the library lot

Featured Artists 
 Gay Allen, Rick Bell, Jacqueline Chester, Sharon Crumbley,  
Cheryl D'Amato, Paul H. D'Amato, Clyde Draughon,  
Erin-Elizabeth Durham, Evita Eberhardson, Diane Flowers,  
Mary Frances, Paul Frick, Fran Geiger, Ruth Gogel, Bert Grant,  
Pete Hughie, Tom Jenkins, Teri Levine, Mickey McConnell,  
Daryl Nicholson, Hart Paul, Keiko Richter, Scott Shira,  
Penny Treese.


Saturday, April 2, 2011

FAVECRAFTS Reader Rave of the Day !

Discovered this wonderful ad featuring one of my designs in  FAVECRAFTS' email today.  These little cubes are so easy and fun to make. 
Many THANKS to http://www.favecrafts.com/ for choosing my design and many THANKS to - 'yogie' - their reader,
you made my week !
Reader Rave for Gerbera Daisy Cubes: "Fabulous idea. I made some to put on a shelf that sits on the outside of my kitchen window. Gives my kitchen a fresh spring look. Thanks so much for the idea. LOVE IT." -yogie

Time to Create:
Evening Project
Difficulty: EasyRating: 4 Star Rating

Photo and ad courtesy of http://www.favecrafts.com/

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Creative Home Arts Club Project

One of my Easter Cards appeared in a recent email post by The Creative Home Arts Club.
Many thanks to the club for chosing my design !  Happy Easter everybody !

Photo courtesy of The Creative Home Arts Club

You can make your own Easter cards - click on the link below to see the instructions for this card.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

New Website - dianeflowersart.com


Announcing my new artwork website - http://www.dianeflowersart.com/ -  Take a few minutes today to relax and sit down with a cup of your favorite coffee or tea and tour my new website.  After selecting 'Paintings and Prints' then select your favorite pieces of art to see the variety of options for ordering giclee prints along with a large selection of mats and frames available from Artspan's frame shop.  The above picture is just one example of the many options available. I like what they are doing for artists and highly recommend their easy to use hosting and website creation tools.  So sit back and ENJOY your visit !   

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Spring Weddings

My designs in the latest Crafts 'n Things - April Issue













Photos courtesy of Crafts 'n Things - http://www.craftsnthings.com/
 



Here are two of my spring party and wedding designs from the Styrofoam(tm) Brand Foam crafting website

Photos courtesy of Styrofoam(tm) Brand Foam crafting website.



Friday, February 4, 2011

Changes Coming !

Having so much fun doing new things ! Working on a new artwork portfolio website and will be posting announcements soon for new exhibits and shows.   Will be redoing my etsy shop items and offering cards and giclee prints. 
Lots of exciting things are ahead !