LA Art Show

over the weekend i attended the 15th annual los angeles art show, which is the biggest art fair happening on the west coast. it's the first time i've ever attended this event and had a great time perusing each gallery!

at the front of the convention center, large crowds formed around talented artists painting ginormous canvases, each one very unique. there were also printmaking demos scattered through out the various booths.

the subject matter and styles varied widely from traditional landscapes and prints to quirky sculptures (one being a giant walk in kiss! crazy!).

ray turner had some really cool oil paintings on glass, frank relle had awesome photographs of decaying homes in new orleans and my favorite gallery was sue greenwood fine art in laguna beach.

this is definitely a show well worth checking out next year, if you're in the area. i will be there...for sure!

rain, rain go away....

as we are saturated and overflowing here in southern california from overwhelming rain storms, the hillsides behind us are holding up well. and despite mandatory evacuations above us and school closings, we're staying as dry and safe as possible. AND...this morning there was snow! beautiful, glorious snow!

i wish i could say that i've been at home curled up next to a roaring, crackling fire drawing away...but i can't!! in fact i haven't accomplished much since i last wrote...at least where art is concerned! but i did have a wonderful 4 day visit with one of my college roommates and her wonderful son, who is just about the same age as my youngest. so i was playing instead and having a great time!

but now it's time to dig back into my art.

i'm starting a new commission soon and working on 3 new drawings. i'll have to extend some of my january goals into the beginning of february...but that's okay, it is what it is and it's all just fine!

tomorrow morning i'll be up in the mountains playing again...but this time in the snow!!yeahhhh!

fresh new year ahead!!ahhhhhhhh

january marks a fresh start and with it, optimism for tons of possibilities in the new year ahead!


i was a bit off kilter the first few days of twenty ten but since then everything has been just flowing with ease and elegance! in 8 days i feel like i've accomplished so much and am beside myself with excitement!

* designed and updated a whole new website
*created a new blog banner
*finished 2 drawings
*started 3 new drawings
*started the book"the huffington post complete guide to blogging"
*figured out how to import my blog to my fan page (we'll see if it works today!)
*ordered a t-shirt with one of my drawings on it, and it came out soooo cool!! (stay tuned!)
*working thru my fears
*signed up for an investment class
*put away all my decorations and have been cleaning like crazy
*spent some great quality time with my kids over the holidays

wow...just recapping here makes me giddy with excitement for what's next!

hope the beginning of your year is going super well...if you wanna share it would love to hear from you!!

bye 2009~ hello 2010!!

"stop thinking this is all there is...realize that for every on-going war and religious outrage and environment devastation, there are a thousand counter-balancing acts of staggering generosity and humanity and art and beauty happening all over the world, right now, on a breathtaking scale, from flower box to cathedral...resist the temptation to drown in fatalism, to shake your head and sigh and throw in the karmic towel...realize that this is the perfect moment to change the energy of the world, to step right up and crank your personal volume: right when it all seems dark and bitter and acrimonious and conflicted and bilious...there's your opening. remember magic. and, finally, believe you are part of a ground swell, a resistance, a seemingly small but actually very, very large impending karmic overhaul, a great shift, the beginning of something important and potent and unstoppable."

mark morford ~the sun magazine

reflecting

2009 was a year of tremendous heartache that could have broken me, had i let it. but instead, i did heaps of healing, maturing, mending, shifting, and rebuilding with the help of Lazaris, a few books (when things fall apart, eat, pray, love, and i need your love-is that true) and the love and support of a few totally awesome friends and family.

it was also a surprising year in many ways! much to celebrate!

i renewed old friendships through facebook, found a plethora of new friends both on-line and in person, deepened my relationship with my brother, had memorable and joyous times with my family and friends, had a mischievous kitten join our family, spent much time in nature hiking with my dog and finally discovered my path with my art.

phew! that's quite a year~one i will never, ever forget!

and

i am beyond excited for twenty ten to begin! i really feel like this is going to be my year! so many ideas, plans and goals to achieve this year with my art. i also have a few small trips planned and my most exciting news...i'm going to africa...yes!! africa! yeah!!

my year is all about adventure and i am sooooo ready to leap into it!

hope the coming year is as exciting, packed full and over flowing with magic, love and adventure for you as well!

fierce

copyright 2009 kathryn hansen

as i was going thru my abundance of reference photos a few months ago, i came across this image of a clients dog i drew years ago. the image really jumped out at me, along with the word fierce. i am guessing that it speaks to my self-determination. i've always felt like i was a pit bull, never letting go of something until i had an answer or achieved something i really wanted in life. this aspect of my personality has always served me, especially in this past year of my life.

i'm also taking this word into 2010 as i work diligently toward making my art career soar! i have lots of motivation, excitement and ideas to make it now happen. and i have this gut feeling deep inside me that after this past year of healing, growing, and changing ~a year of great transformation, that 2010 is the year that i once and for all, achieve some of my biggest and boldest dreams as an artist!

Christmas past

Wishing you all a beautiful and magical Christmas!!