We are expecting 4-10 inches of snow tonight and this weekend. The good news: I can stay inside and paint all weekend!!! The bad news: The Nansemond-Suffolk Academy (NSA) opening reception tomorrow has been cancelled as they are expecting the same snow in Suffolk, Virginia. Oh, well! I hope that once Monday rolls around, everyone in the Tidewater area will be anxious to get out and go buy art! The attached painting, BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER, is one of my new mixed media pieces in the NSA show.

Here is my Christmas card from last year...My husband did not like the fact that someone had "taken a bite outta him". It was funny, some people noticed and commented, others did not. I love a little humor this time of year! Hope your holidays are wonderful!

The truth is...that in the South...we wear flip flops year round. They are not just for summer. And if they wear out, we ALWAYS have at least one more pair in the closet. Okay, so maybe we don't wear them in the snow, but seriously, who has snow more than one or two days in the winter? And if it does snow, we don't have snowplows, so we can still wear our flip flops in the house while we drink hot chocolate.

Last month, I was the featured artist on the Community Arts Cafe website (www.communityartscafe.com). This is a great site, full of all kinds of information for the Triad area. I was also thrilled to have my paintings hanging in Chelsee's Cafe on Trade Street, home of the perfect coffee drink! I painted this painting specifically for the show, it will be the first in a series, so stay tuned!

This is one of my most popular paintings, and such fun for me, too! I sell these limited edition giclees matted in either 8x10 or 11x14 mats.  I will put initials in the tree! Dates or quotes along the roots! I love to hear the stories about them, too. Many are purchased for weddings (especially this time of year), anniversaries, the birth of a new baby, and on and on.  For more details, and to purchase, please visit  my etsy shop: www.chrissutherland.etsy.com.

O.K., I admit it. I love American Idol. And this year has been great, thanks to the unbelievably talented Adam Lambert. I cannot believe that he is not already a star. And I was just shocked tonight when he was in the bottom 3. This must be some kind of joke...to keep everyone watching, since we all know he is in a class alone, a true ARTIST. If you did not call in this week, shame on you!

The last time I enjoyed the show and contestants as much, was 2006, the year Taylor Hicks won. I was fortunate enough to go to Birmingham, AL to see the American Idol tour. Birmingham is Taylor's hometown, and the Soul Patrol was out in full force. One of Taylor's fans is depicted in the photo.

If you are not an American Idol fan, oh well...you are missing out on some fun....

I just added this painting of a butterfly, "The Beauty of a Butterfly" to my etsy shop: www.chrissutherland.etsy.com. The background is multi-colored, and the pattern was created by dropping salt into the wet paint.  Purchase it painting for $55.00 by May 5, 2009,  mention this blog and I will ship it free of charge! I am so glad that spring is around the corner (although after a perfectly delightful weekend here in Thomasville, it is much colder today... Oh, well, it snowed in Detriot last night and our Tarheels still won!!!

Okay, cat lovers! It is here again! One of my very favorite art shows! It is The Cats Meow (No Dogs Allowed!) at the Artists Gallery in Virginia Beach. (www.theartistsgallery.org). This show is so much fun! Many artists and guests come dressed in cat costumes, with cat faces, in cat clothes...and some wearing cat tails ( a few reluctantly...good spirited artists who don't like dressing up but are really good sports, too). Of course, this is not a requirement. What is required is a can of cat food or a small donation for the Virginia Beach SPCA. The gallery provides the wine, beer and people treats, and commission taken on sales benefit the SPCA. Usually, a few baby kittens come looking for adoptive parents. The big reception is Friday night March 6th, with an all day reception Saturday. The show is on display for a month.

I will be selling notecards, bookmarks, giclees and the original painting "Cats and Hats" at a discounted price. If you purchase this original at the gallery and e-mail me, I will contribute 20% of my profit to the SPCA. And if you can't go to the show, please visit my etsy shop: www.etsy.com/chrissutherland.

An "ATC" is an Artist Trading Card.  Each card is 2.5" X 3.5'. That is basically the only rule. They can be made of mixed media, fabric, mini watercolors, prints of original work and even embellished with jewels. You get the idea! Originally, these cards were traded among artists. A more recent development is the "ACEO" which stands for Art Card Edition Original. These are the same cards, but sold by artists. They are great fun for everyone to collect! I have started selling them in my etsy store. Last time I checked, there were over 2,000 available for purchase! They are the perfect little gift for a friend and the prices vary, but they are certainly less expensive than a larger piece of work... and a great opportunity to get an affordable original from your favorite artist. I am also selling mini mats in my store so that you can put your ACEO in a ready made standard 5 x 7 frame. Anyway, take a look and let me know what you think. I welcome any ideas for new cards, too. 

Well, after a very long wait (hope no one was holding their breathe waiting for my new blog post...), I have been making soldered jewelry! Unlike a lot of artists who are using prints, I decided to place original watercolors on both sides of the pendants. I have been giving them as gifts, and you can now purchase them from me in my new store at www.etsy.com. The easiest way to find me: www.chrissutherland.etsy.com.  My store is called chrissutherland. (no space between my first and last names, no "o" in Sutherland, and "art" is not attached to my last name as in my website). If you like what you see, please "heart me" by selecting my store as one of your favorites. The more people who "heart" me, the more visibility I get!!!

If you are not familiar with etsy, be careful, it is great fun and very addictive. Unlike e-bay where you bid on items and you can basically sell anything, etsy is limited to handmade items, vintage items and supplies for art making. The prices are pre-determined. The creativity of the artists/crafters is mind blowing! It is eye candy to the nth degree. What I don't make, I try to buy on etsy, as a part of my pledge to help the small businessperson/artist trying to compete against big chains and our current economy. I hope you will consider doing the same!

In addition to jewelry, I am selling notecards, ACEOs (Artist Trading Cards), mats for ACEOs, and I am adding prints and original work everyday. So please keep looking.

And I hope that 2009 will be a healthy, happy year for everyone. Think positive thoughts!!!!