Pencil Shavings

72 Hours For Haiti - Live!

The Three day art auction to benefit the Haitian earthquake victims is live!  At this point in time the Canadian Government will match any money we donate to the Red Cross.  So what ever you bid will be doubled.

You can go to my Facebook Fanpage to view the pieces for sale by myself and my good friend Jaqui Mitchells.

You will have to become a fan if you want to bid (or you can contact me through my website to place a bid).  If you can't bid (I know what that's like) I would really appreciate it if you could spread the word.

The more people that know the better chance we have to make a difference over there.

I am way behind on the 365 Days of Art Postings, all my computer time has been taken up by getting this organized and off the ground, but I will do some catching up this week I promise.

My Latest Obsession

Ever since working on that "gear" business card for my husband last week I've been really obsessed with steampunk style.

And now I have a focus for my obsession.

 

There is a jewelery maker on Etsy called VividWhimsy who makes the most amazing steampunk items.  I am wondering how I can incorporate more of this mind set into my work... and how I can get some of this amazing stuff into my jewelry box!

No Coincidence

It is not just a clever turn of phrase that brought about the name of this blog.  I love pencils.  There is a specific brand of pencils that I really love.  I love Staedtler pencils.  I use the Norica ones all the time for writing, and sketching.  I have two in my purse and six in my pencil box.  My husband gave me a box of Mars Lumograph pencils for Christmas, and when I opened the box this afternoon the wood chip smell of the freshly sharpened pencils made me sigh with happiness and contentment.

It's the smell of opportunity, of possibilities, it's the smell that reminds me why I am an artist, because I love the opportunity of making something new and wonderful every time I sit down in front of the white paper, or canvas.

I was listening to Stuart McLean on CBC radio this morning, and he said, “you never know what events you are going to set into motion with your actions.  It's like playing pool, you never really know where all those balls are going to wind up.  All you can do is take your best shot.”

I'm taking my best shot this week.  I don't know what is going to come out of the events that I am going to set into motion, but I am approaching them with an open heart, and a positive intention, and the will to do something good.  I'll be teaching some grade ones and twos art this week in their classroom.  I am hoping that I will teach them some fun things to do with art.  I am hoping that I can show them how art can change how they look at the world.

I have changed the way I look at the world since I have resumed my art career after so long being absent.  The last two and a half years have brought me a lot of personal satisfaction.  I owe a lot to a lot of people. 

Marian is one of those people.  She loves paper and vintage ephemera even more than I do, and she has been unsparing in both her support and her critiques of my work, both of which have made me a much better artist.

Marian not only loves ephemera, postcards, and art, but she sells it too.  I would be very grateful if you would pop over to her new shop and have a look around.  Don't be shy about dropping her a note, you can tell her Kathleen sent you.
  The Paper-Peddler

Featured Artist of the Week – April 16

There are about a thousand things I would like to say about this weeks artist. I She does a lot of artistic things, but this week I'll focus on her jewellery. Her store on Etsy is called BodyRocks, and she is hip, modern and very stylish... so are her creations.

I know the artist, her name is Ashley, and everything she touches turns into art. She is that rare being, the Uber-artist who sees art in every facet of the world she lives in. She sees the creative possibilities in everything and in everyone. To tell the truth she is the reason why I came out of my artistic shell and started to sell my art. She was nice, she nagged so sweetly, and she told me outright that I owed it to myself to keep moving forward with my art.

Ashley isn't miserly with her gifts, in fact she is probably a bit too generous with her time and talents, but that is why we want to be with her, because we are better people because if her influence, and we see ourselves through the mirror that she holds up for us.

Just go and see her shop, tell her I sent you... and tell her how fabulous she is... she really is an amazing talent and an even more amazing person.

Featured Artist of the Week – April 9

Monique/Roseange is my Artist of the Week this week.

Monique has inspired me not only with her art but with her spirit. She is primarily an Altered Artist who creates the most amazing things from fabric, paper and her wondrous imagination. Recently she has also taken the leap to painting as well.

I love her spirit, the joy she has in creating, and the wonderful woman she is. Open, caring, concerned for friends and a great wife and mother. How can one woman accomplish so much with just 24 hours in a day?

Visit her Etsy Shop and her eBay Store – she has some wonderful things to show you.

Featured Artist Of The Week

Her ID is Loganzmeadow – I know her as a fellow mom who struggles with balancing her mom duties with being a creative soul with a great sense of humour not only about life and how we live it, but her delightful spirit shows through in her wondrous artwork.

She paints a wide array of things, but her cat paintings have stolen my heart. I own a few of her pieces and love their whimsy.

Go and check out her shop and have a look at her eBay listings too. I think you will find her spirit as infectious as I do.