Artists, will travel for ART.

Well ..here it is: our BIG announcement!
For weeks, no months... we mulled over the idea.
We made reservations. Cancelled them. Made them again. Cancelled again.

Drove the people over at American Airlines batty with our wishy washiness.... then FINALLY when we decided to go for it... and we only had 45 minutes to make our purchase online (reservations made with "miles" from our credit card)-- THE LIGHTS WENT OUT. Yes, everywhere.... so we scrambled for candles and reached for our rotary phone... (because as usual, our cells were sans batteries).  And as we struggled with the awkward cord, candles to see what we were doing etc.... I BURNED the telephone cord.... so out to the car we went ~(in our PJs)~ to plug in the cell phone and call.. shivering from the cold hanging on my words ... the nice lady at American extended our reservation by a week.

Chile has the BEST seafood!

SO... what did we do?.... we WAITED, again.  Because we were so unsure... after all, we had an invitation to travel with our art to Bulgaria.... we have summer shows to do.... and we would be leaving exactly when I need to be tending to our garden.  Our son would already be in Chile (he has never been there over 10 days, neither have I since leaving Chile when I was 13).

We decided to follow our *BLISS*
And one Wednesday night exactly 3 weeks ago: we bought our tickets to fly to Chile for one month in June.

An artist residency for us!

And guess what?  The VERY next day... I got laid off from my part time teaching gig which has supported our little family for the last ten years (since I graduated from college).
BUT... we know this is something we just have to do for our ART... so the trip is ON!

Why are we traveling outside of our fantastic studio?

This is a large oil on canvas (6 x 7 feet)

 I painted it a few years after arriving in the USA

 and it depicts diaspora/longing for our roots.

Well, honestly, first of all: because I miss my family!
I miss the places where I grew up and I want to share them all with Sergio and Julian (our son).

But also for our ARTistic journey. Finding inspiration as we do in objects, places and life experiences, we crave time away from our studio and to be surrounded by the sounds, smells and sights that formed us in our early youth spent in Chile and Mexico.

After thinking long and hard about residencies overseas, we have turned down an offer to travel to Bulgaria to paint, and will instead spend sometime re-discovering our roots 'south of the border'. Since Sergio has only been "out of Mexico" for 7 years, the longing for my Chile pulls stronger....

We are beyond excited!We plan to allow the extraordinary experience of living in Santiago, Chile for a month to inspire a palette and sensibility infused with the essence of the energy and atmosphere of a new/old place and it's people.

We are both inspired by artists like Rauschenberg who created pieces whilst traveling and utilized found objects from places he visited~ we can't wait to see what WE will create during and after our trip and we look forward to sharing it with you! We plan to make videos and blog about our experiences there.

The residency cost includes accommodations with studio space, groceries and every day necessities like water and heat. We have purchased our tickets thanks to YOU and our recent art sales (we had some accrued miles but still had to put out some $$)~ we plan to get around via public transportation, but we still need to raise funds for living expenses and some art materials and to transport all the work we will do there!
We will be doing some fundraising via kickstarter.com and hope you will help us! Donations will begin as low as $15.- and for each donation... you get ART!

We plan a studio Open House upon our return in August of this year to exhibit all our "Chile Inspired work" ... and of course to share it all with you via blogging, facebook and Youtube!

We hope you will be part of this ARTventure!

Angels in my Studio Giveaway!!

Would you like to win a spot in Angels In My Studio? I have 2 spots to give away!

I will be choosing someone randomly to take the course for FREE!

Each point gives you one more entry!  I am SO honored to be one of the participating instructors
I look forward to connecting with you and the angels
whilst I share my love of mixed media painting and creating with you!

Angels In My Studio is much more than "just" a course in art technique (though it certainly *is* that). This course is intended for those that are truly open to deepening their connection with the unseen.

Please register via this link.

Each in-depth video lesson will provide you with both the tools for creating a variety of mixed-media art from a place of connection to the intuitive realm and grounded technical skills in depicting angels, guides, and spirit. Over the course of the 5-months we spend together you will deepen your skills and abilities in allowing your artwork to unfold from a place of conscious connection to spirit.

Students in this course will see their connection to the angelic realm blossom and spill over beautifully into their artwork. Each attunement from Michael Golzmane will bring you into deeper connection with your personal angels and guides as well as more universal angels that serve us all.
Through optional weekly written exercises you will begin to hear/feel/sense your angels more clearly and begin to communicate with them through your writing. This increased angelic connection will support you in your life and inform your artwork.
There is no other course available that offers this powerful combination of art instruction, angelic attunements, and intuitive development.

When you tweet or post about this please let me know and PLEASE do NOT forget to link to this : register here

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Angels in my Studio

I am SO excited to share this with you!!

The Angels in My studio online course is now OPEN for registration!

If you are into the arts and you like things that are spiritually inclined...this is YOUR cuppa tea! 
And I do hope you will join us!  No experience required...perfect for all skill levels, from "haven't touched a paint brush since elementary school"...to exhibiting artists!

Bring the energy and imagery of the Angels into your Art and Life

This course is being taught by 11 different artists for five months-and I am honored to be one of the instructors!  I will be teaching two lessons... one mixed media on wood, and one intuitive watercolor piece.
Additionally, there will be journal prompts and we will be joined by Michael, who will be leading in Angel meditations.

The course is entirely online, with a Facebook page for community and sharing with fellow classmates and all of the instructors. All of us instructors will be joining in with project making, journaling etc.

It will be 5 months of ARTventures in the world of ART and ANGELS... won't you join us?

Please go to this link to find out more about the course and SIGN up!! I am looking forward to working together with you and the Angels!

Learn how to create and connect with Angels.

                                                             Click here to register

Frida in my dreams .....

Two nights ago Frida Kahlo came to me in a dream.She had wings and pink flowers in her hair.   An angel.

This is the piece I started in my journal after the dream.

Angels have been in my thoughts very often lately as I prepare to plan for my lesson as one of the instructors in the online course "Angels in my Studio".

In the online lesson I will teach mixed media art and "heart healing" with the help of Archangel Chamuel who is known to be related to the healing of the heart. Related to the Archangel Chamuel is also the color pink..... I imagine this is why the flowers in her hair were pink.
Frida brought me a message which was an answer to a question asked that same day by a friend of mine in regards to my art... especially in the light of my losing my adjunct teaching position.
My friend was asking and encouraging me to:

"Get pissed off. Get sad. Get offended. 

And moan it out onto the canvas."

He is not the first to advice me to do so.... I was encouraged to paint in that direction whilst working towards my MFA as many people knew all of the challenges I faced. Emotional abuse, divorce, custody fights, health issues.... *oof*

I really struggled with this piece
as I thought of the dream and literal
 references to my own hardship, pain & sorrow.

And so, I did. I made paintings full of pain and suffering....they were true to my reality; however, it is not really what is in harmony with my essence and soon enough I returned to my usual style of work.  But I had no answers as to WHY I paint work that emanates most often sweetness and innocence..... even though I have been through so much: emotional abuse, conditional love in family of origin, death, miscarriage, major health issues and heartbreak ....my art is most often not tortured and angst filled. So I have always been curious...was I being a silly "idealist"?
.....dearest Frida brought me the answer:

She told me: 

"I painted my own reality, I painted the horrible events in my life and I painted my pain.

You paint your inner self/your essence. 

You paint your inner/soul/spirit reality which is different than what may at time manifest all around you in your world-the pain, the hardships the horrible things that you have endured and triumphed over remain on the outer perimeter of your essence, and your art radiates the love of all that is truly you and that you seek to share with others.  Keep giving your attention to your heart, do not harbour the hardships you have survived... keep painting your heart"

But I am very happy with how it came out!

WOW! Gracias Frida! What a powerful message!  I woke up and wrote it down right away.... and also immediately knew what my journal page for this month would be!

My birthday is on the 13th of this month... and I believe this dream is a gift!  I feel so, so blessed and just wanted to share it with you! 

“He who would know the secret of both worlds, will find the secret of them both, is Love. ~Attar

~latest news and a huge upcoming ART sale!

Since I last wrote (a week ago today), I was laid off from my 10 year stint as adjunct faculty at a local college.  It came as a heavy "hit" as I have really enjoyed teaching there, a non traditional, sometimes challenging student body, and because I have been there for so long, the money was good. I was hired there only days after i received my MFA. It is all I have known for so very long.....

 I am so sad and at times~quite scared~ to leave.

I have an undergrad not only in painting, but also in psychology.... so I think it was meant to be that I teach at a College where the student body's needs were most often not Academic.  I taught them art techniques, but I know I also taught many of them about life.  After all, I believe that most of us who have a calling to teach....deeply care about the human condition; we care deeply about each individual.

What hurts the most about the lay off is that it clearly is corporate greed. I am not going to get into it now, because I don't want this post to be about the negative aspects of what has happened....instead I want to focus on the positive!

Positive things are already flowing,....even before the lay off!

Big news:

Sergio and I gifted our son with a ticket to visit Chile this Spring. You may remember that last Spring, our son got angry with us when we were getting ready to go on a trip to Chile which we had planned with HIM in mind..... and he did not travel with us. And you know the series of events that ocurred after that.....(thanks again to all who supported me through it!); as three months later our son was "transformed" as teens often do... and it has been blissfully AWEsome in our little family since then.

So we gifted him two months in Chile this past Holiday. He leaves at the end of May.

I miss my family in Chile terribly, but since I left years ago, I have never spent more than 10 days there... and Sergio knows my heart aches to spend quality time there with friends and family.
So a few weeks ago we began to play with the idea of meeting up with our son Julian in June, spending a few weeks there ourselves.

We toiled over the idea because it IS expensive, but we are using miles so the plane tickets were quite affordable (it will be winter there, so it is low season).
But still it will be costly, so I reserved tickets, changed our minds a zillion times, canceled, reserved tickets again...and finally we bought them!!!

The next day, I was laid off.....

I would not have bought the tickets knowing I would lose my job. I am taking it as a sign.
No matter what.... we will go.  It will be as an "Artist Residency" for us.  We will be around family and paint.... and hopefully come back with a body of work inspired by our stay there.
                                                               We will be there for a whole month!!! *woo hoo*

To this extent, we will start offering great savings to everyone in our FB page and our Art newsletter...so I hope you join in! 

We will be posting one painting weekly for savings of 50% off... the offers will be valid only for the particular piece, and only for 5 days. We hope YOU take advantage of it!

Please look around in my website and let me know if there are particular pieces that you would like to go on sale...I will be listing paintings that are over $500.- dollars for reduced prices(like some of the ones pictured here). 

We do hope you take advantage of it.... we are both quite prolific, so not only do we need the money..but we need the space for all our new work! 
We appreciate your support, and hope that YOUR home will give our babies a loving space!

Much Love & Light,
Claudia

RED... at Arena Stage... a must see for art lovers and artists!

'Red' by John Logan

Produced by: Arena Stage
When: Currently sold out through 1/26...but lucky for you: extended through March 11

Last year I visited the show of Mark Rothko's Black paintings in the "Tower" of the East Building (National Gallery of Art here in Washington DC). Previous to that visit, I had often overlooked many of Rothko's pieces... but that particular exhibit drew me in.  So much so, that I took the color theory college class I was teaching there for a visit and Sergio and I took a group of our younger students there as well.
We were amazed at how receptive everyone was once we read the captions that explained the emotion inherent in Rothko's work.  "Red" is about that. Emotion. It is intense and visceral!

Sergio and I were both excited when we were invited to review this new production at Arena Stage. Red, a Tony Award winning play from 2010 is centered on the angst and joys and madness and egotism of  Rothko, it is set in his Manhattan studio in 1958. The two-character drama follows Rothko and his young assistant as they work on a series of paintings commissioned to decorate the high-profile Four Seasons restaurant inside Mies van de Rohe's recently completed glass-and-steel Seagram Building on Park Avenue.

Throughout the play, the dialogue centers around Rothko's anger against critics, art collectors and his contemporary artistic rivals.
 Rothko and his assistant engage in topics that are still significant in today's art world-  topics abound about the meaning of art... what qualifies as "real art" and what is 'decorative art' and what I found to be one of the most interesting conversations in the play: 'should art be relevant in our culture/time ? as  Rothko voices his concerned with his legacy in the art world as a new generation of artists such as Roy Liechtenstein and Andy Warhol are basking in popularity and he is feeling left behind.  His assistant says: "You want to do your best work, not think that it's behind you. ... It does matter what other people think."

I concur.

The set of "Red" looks very much like the inside of a studio... Sergio and I found it to be brilliantly put together, the lighting design is superb as the paintings truly "shimmer" as Rothko appears to see them.  During the play Rothko and his assistant apply paint to canvasses with passion and deliberation much like my favorite 'artist' scene in the movie New York stories with Nick Nolte playing the part of a painter. The smell of cigarettes wafts through the air... they not only stretch canvases, but mix the paint in large metal containers whilst having take out from the local Chinese place.  Ah..yes...we can relate!

A most poignant part in the play occurs at the end, when Rothko decides do keep his paintings to save them from being overlooked at the restaurant.... if you follow my blog... you know that this very thing has happened to me. His sentiments about this are spot on, and I am left to wonder and thus learn more about him .... a sure mark of good writing!

The acting was superb! It is not easy to carry a two character play all within one room...but the set and the acting were just fantastic.Bravo John Logan! Bravo Arena Stage.... if you are in the Washington DC area.... it is a must see!

works in progress and stamping...

Lately I have been posting "works in progress" on our Facebook page and I have found people are quiet interested in the process.  I hope to begin making short videos as well... but first I will have to learn to do some video editing.
For now, I wanted to share these photos with you.

This was a drawing I began with the central figure. Her face was quite large and she looked angry. I began to transform her and in the process her neck became very elongated (her face came down to the black line on the white of her neck).  At the same time I realized that the hair on the figure near the bottom looked sort of strange, so I changed that too.
Changing the neck and the hair game the whole middle of the image too much uninteresting space.

This is where stamps come in handy!

I made swirls with a thick ink pen, and then added the black butterflies into the large space.... voila! I love it now!

And to think that less than a year ago I had never utilized stamps... I saw them as a sort of "cheating" on art work to use someone else's art. 
Now I happily make use of them (especially butterflies).... and perhaps I will make my own stamps in the future....though I like the juxtaposition of a stylized stamp with my own work.

I am still discovering the world of stamps... so far the only ones I have used I have purchased at my local craft store, and I only use the most basic stamp pad...though I have seen inks for the pads, embossing (still don't really understand what that is all about, but the sparkly colors look interesting)-- it is exciting to know that although I never thought I would work outside of traditional oil paints and charcoal... these last few years have brought me into a totally different world in the arts. I have to thank the recession for that.... as people could no longer afford my large oil paintings.... I turned to watercolor and mini canvases...and that has opened up a whole new world.

Although I look forward to getting back to my large canvas pieces... I am having loads of fun with mixed media, watercolors, stamping etc!

Funny how downturns in life...can lead us to interesting side paths in life!  Any stories you have to share? Have you discovered something new because you have had to cut corners economically?  I would love to hear about it!

Love & Light,
Claudia

Mailing lists and my updated website!

We have been crazy busy with online things these past two weeks.
Sergio has been updating my website, and making it easier for you to buy work from us directly through our website. Of course, you can always contact us for any work you are interested in!

Since early December I have been working on compiling a mailing list to share news about our ARTventures with everyone, as well as to share our ongoing classes; it has proved to be a bit of a nightmare! I tried mailchimp (free mail service) for a few weeks, and finally turned to Aweber (monthly fee). I am still not convinced we will continue with them. Do any of you have a  mailing list with 500 or less people on it? If so, do you utilize a service or do you send out emails on your own?
I appreciate the help! I reached out to a couple of artists we know who use yahoo for their newsletter....but alas, unfortunately some artists are not open to sharing their business practices.

I will share with YOU ....once I figure it all.out.soon. I hope.

Meanwhile, here is the image of my owl finished! I added tiny little pearls in some places, and a pretty ribbon on top. It is not as "orangey" in real life...
It is on sale on my page here.

I am done painting owls for a few weeks. I painted two sweet elephant paintings ... and I am now drawing a little bit in ink ~before I get to work on three commissions I have (one Goddess and two owls!).

UPDATE:  I found this great site which you can peruse and decide which email marketing service will work best for your needs! Thanks to my fellow artist extraordinaire: Cagney King who led me here via a suggestion to try Vertical Response....and as often it happens in the world of the internet--one good lead led to many others including this one... so check it out here and let me know if you go with one!!

Much Love & Light to all!
Claudia

As a rose in a rose garden.....so is the art in our studio's walls...

People often ask me if it is hard to let go of our art. After all, I do call them our "babies" ..but my answer is always no; I love to find loving permanent homes for our art!

First stage of the current piece I am working on...

A week ago a collector was visiting the studio and asked me that question again, and an analogy quickly came to my lips... as I gave her my answer I was elated at what came forth--does that ever happen to you: you say something brilliantly"right on"...and you think wow! that is my truth and yet I never realized it.....until you speak it out loud"?

I see our art as The Little Prince saw his rose.... special and unique...though it may look like any other rose when in a garden..she was his own special rose.

We work and value and love each piece we make. Making art is our passion, we give it all our tender love, much thought.
Sometimes, we may work on a piece for months...even years, until we are satisfied--these sometimes turn out to be amongst our best pieces.  Other times, we are so disappointed with the result, we simply destroy it by tossing it in the fire and begin anew.

Each time we finish a piece we look at it together, we discuss the process...and think about where we will go next...
Sergio scans it for documentation purposes, and we either place them inside various basket bins we have in the studio (unframed pieces)- or we hang them on our wall.

They stay this way, admired by us and our studio visitors.... until someone gives them a loving home- until it is singled out from the 'garden'.

second stage of piece I am currently working on

While our art is on the wall I feel they are all beautiful together...as though one were looking at a rose garden.... however, I think when a piece is purchased and taken to it's permanent home, it is special, just as the Little Prince's rose was special. No longer is the piece 'one amongst many', it becomes a unique piece set apart to be admired and treasured wherever it's final home is.

So no, I am never sad when my pieces leave the studio.... I am thrilled!
 I love to see the photos that people send me of our art in their living space.... it is an honour to know that our art adorns, encourages and beautifies spaces they were meant for.
A small miracle indeed..... that somewhere within us...lies a connection to all of you!

Please join us!

Dear friends,

This year 2012 will be a year dedicated to updating our websites..lots of exciting and new things to come-so stay tuned! We appreciate you SO much.....and your support via purchases/likes/comments and tweets are a HUGE part of what inspires us day to day.
Thank you!
As part of the effort to improve our online presence, we have decided to create an email subscriber list from where we can inform you of upcoming events, special offers, coupons, giveaways and the like..... as well as classes in the studio and soon to come online art classes too! 

Please take a moment to subscribe on the link to the right ->
We appreciate YOU..thank you for encouraging us by supporting our ART! 
 ~much, much Love & Light,
 Claudia & Sergio

2012 *Art Calendar Giveaway*

Another way of saying "Thank you" to all of our followers: An art calendar giveaway!!



....the winner will be announced on Friday January 13 at midnight!  And the calendar will be mailed out to the winner on Saturday morning!
Free shipping within the USA!(~please pay shipping to everywhere else....)

...excercise the: "out with the Old and in with the New"

....and a New Year begins!

As many people get ready to make new lists of goals and hopes for the New Year.... I like to practice first, the art of letting go.
Letting go of painful memories, difficult circumstances, hurtful people in our lives.... etc.

Many of you know I have gone through many tribulations for years... including much suffering at the hands of "the ex husband" and other problems and situations in my life that if I went into in detail...would transform this blog into a novel! Suffice to say: 2011 was a year of change for us. The painting here on the right speaks to much of that symbolically....

• Our son graduated from high school, leaving "the ex" powerless to continue taking me to court every year with lies upon lies (no, he never won, but the stress of it all is indescribable...  I experienced the injustice of a system that so easily allows someone to continually sue a completely innocent person).  If you follow this blog..you know all the hell I went through in May when our son moved out in anger perpetuated by years of lies and pressure from "the ex"... and you know that just as many of you told me whilst you comforted me: you were right:  indeed, our son came back to us in less than three months.. much changed.  He is the young man I always knew he would be..and I am SO proud of him! (And I am so greatFULL for all your support!).
• Sergio finished his studies!  He has been studying on and off for four years.... his studies taking all of his time as he struggles not only with learning at the graduate level in a second language, but also challenged by his ADD which led him to study on most nights until 2am. Now, I have a husband again!  I won't have to do all the household chores- leaving us both again with plenty of time to give more attention to marketing our art online...! Sergio is psyched! He walks around saying: "I have time on my hands!" ....
•  Me?  I have finally come to terms with the fact that I must 'let go' of the people in my life that bring me sadness and pain.  Being able to finally turn my back on "the ex" has served to propel me into 'cleaning' out my personal life.  With some, it will not be a pain free process.... we always hang on to the hope that relationships can heal..but sometimes, they simply can not, and one must walk away. 

I am finally ready to do that and I am beginning it all "officially" on New Year's Eve, since on the
 eve of the New Year, we will hold a small party at our home, I am going to get everyone involved in "cleaning out" the negative things of 2011..... before we focus on all of the "good things" that 2012 has in store for us!

Getting rid of the negative
I will give each guest a piece of paper sometime around 11pm...on which to write all of the memories, experiences and people they must forgive and/or leave behind.  Each paper will be folded up, and each person can throw it in the fire with a personal prayer.
Then: each person will get a colorful piece of paper to write down hopes and dreams for the coming year.  We will pass out pencils and markers so each can decorate the paper to hold in our hands as we welcome the New Year at midnight! 

We look forward to sharing a fantastic 2012 with you, and we hope the New Year brings you much Peace, Love and Happiness!!!!

Tortilla Soup Recipe

One of our family's signature meals is my Tortilla Soup.....which we just finished enjoying tonight!I make it with one variation from the traditional Mexican recipe: I add acorn squash to the mix as I enjoy the sweetness and body it adds to this lovely treat.

It is so easy to make.... and especially tasty with fresh tomatoes. However, when fresh tomatoes are most readily available-summertime- it is when I least feel like having soup, so what I do is buy plenty of organic tomatoes in the summer and freeze them.  Simply wash and throw whole in a ziploc bag, or throw in the blender before storing in the freezer bags. This way, you have plenty of flavorful tomatoes all year around... especially for winter time when all the tomatoes on this side of the world are tasteless and pricey.

Please try this recipe and let me know how you like it!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons ghee or butter or olive oil

2 medium white onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 or 2 Jalapenos or Chipotle peppers seeded and minced
8 ripe medium tomatoes, chopped
1 quart chicken stock
Salt
Cumin
Garlic powder
Chipotle powder (or Chili powder)
Ground black pepper
6 chicken quarters
1 diced acorn squash

Garnish

2 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced

1 cup shredded Cotija cheese (or Feta cheese)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for
1 lime, cut in wedges, for serving

Tortillas

Canola oil, for pan-frying

12 corn tortillas-preferably a few days old, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips.
Cut tortillas in half; cut halves into 1/4-inch strips. In 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Fry strips in oil, 1/3 at a time, until light brown and crisp. Remove from pan; drain on paper towels.

Soup

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spices on both sides.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done,  shred and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon Ghee or olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, pepper, diced acorn squash and minced garlic. Stir and allow to simmer while you place fresh tomatoes in a blender and puree. Once tomatoes are pureed (only a few seconds) add to the pot with 1 quart of chicken broth.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered, add shredded chicken and stir, allow to simmer another 20 minutes.

Check seasonings, adding more if needed. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Put a handful of tortilla strips into each bowl, then ladle the soup into bowls.
Garnish each bowl with diced avocado, cilantro and Cotija cheese. Add a wedge of lime to the side- each person can add it in to taste.

Enjoy!!

Feliz Navidad...our hearts are full of gratitude!

Thank you and Happy Holidays from OlivosARTstudio

We are truly fortunate to have such delightful followers/muses/encouragers!!

We want to express our sincere gratitude to you for being amazingly supportive of our art.

We wish you all a blessed Holiday Season and a New Year laden with Peace, Joy...boundless laughter and unmmesurable LOVE!

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts~!

We love & appreciate YOU

Claudia & Sergio

Here is a funny video we put together of ourselves and our son, Julian.... honoring the Holiday Season and Sergio's native Mexico :) ..... enjoy it!

http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/0Unh9HltvKfYkSTK

Tis the Season of :highs and lows.....

"Marker days" (like holidays and anniversaries...)~can be tough; we tend to have so many intentions.... we can find ourselves increasingly stressed due to expectations of a 'traditional Christmas/Hannuka' to media perfection.
“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” -H.Wright Mabi

Holidays sometimes may seem surreal. It can be very difficult for people who have lost someone and this is the first Holiday without them, recent break ups, job losses, family discord, etc....all these things we are supposed to 'set aside' and allow for the joy of the season.....not an easy task for people in pain. It is no wonder that the suicide rate goes up at this time of year! To compensate, many families easily fall into simply playing the role of a loving, healthy family for day as though it were a movie rather than real life, or others simply leave on vacation to escape the madness of it all.

“We all walk in the dark and each of us must learn to turn on his or her own light.” ~Nightingale

No matter how you choose to experience the Holidays, remember that you have a choice in how you spend your time and who you share it with.
This may mean saying "no" to certain invitations, opting out of certain family traditions, and even starting your own traditions......even if it is just you alone.

Many of us have bad memories of holidays past or are experiencing tough situations that make it difficult to jump on the "be happy because the Holidays are here" bandwagon... it's like anything else: do you see the glass half full or half empty?
Do you let the bad experiences/memories win or do you write over them actively creating "good memories and good experiences"?
Do you surround yourself with people who lift your spirit or with people who bring you down?
You have a choice. Choose not out of obligation, but rather choose what will be soothing to your heart and soul.

“A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson


We spend Christmas eve with my family of origin, but for Christmas Day we started our own little family's traditions: we get up early and light a fire and the three of us open gifts by our tree enjoying hot cocoa...later that day, we make a large late brunch (always Quiche and Mimosas) and spend it at home with a few good friends.

“There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” - E.Wharton




Also, each year we give to those less fortunate...it seems to help heal negative energy and puts us in the mood for this season which really, should be ALL about giving!
Give it a try: you will be amazed at the change!

As some of you know I gave away free handmade Holiday cards this year to friends and strangers...anyone who requested it via our Facebook page... and wow! That was a great feeling when I put them all in the mail~ this will be another Holiday tradition for me!

Most of all, remember that Christmas is just another day... live it fully as every other day,and always with hope for a brighter future!

Holiday Cheer.....!

Holiday time is here! Hannuka and Christmas are next week (!) We have been so busy with our open studio pARTy that our Christmas tree is standing naked in our sun room....*sigh*

This morning winter finally let us know in no uncertain terms that it is here...and we need to;catch up, decorate the tree, bring wood in for our fire and be prepared for the coming fun! Today's thick covering of frost gives slight hope for a white Christmas...
My shopping list is ready with pecans for the pies on Christmas Eve with family, and Quiche and Mimosa ingredients for Christmas Day with good friends! We wish YOU could join us too!

Many of you have become my friends although we have never met (via twitter, Facebook and this blog) and I appreciate YOU so much!
Your daily encouragement and comments really and truly help me (and Sergio) to continue giving ourselves wholeheartedly to our ART.

We are prolific artists not only because the passion burns in our hearts...but also because we know we have YOU to share with!

One way to say "thank you" is via Giveaways. I just did a "handmade original Holiday Card" giveaway on my Facebook page, and now it is time for a giveaway on this blog!-so come on and join in on the fun!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Surprises!

During our Open Studio pARTy we were surprised by a fun visit from our friend David Camero who is a performance artist! It was wonderful... and again, we are so very, very grateful to all who share with us with so much love!

This year has been exhausting for us for so many reasons (you know why if you have followed this blog!).... but all is moving towards calm now and we are excited about the many things we will do in the coming year!

Part of that will be organizing our mailing list, working on our online presence.... and of course, continuing to share with friends near and far!

As part of our gratitude to all of you, we will be doing a giveaway again! So stay tuned for directions on how to enter! :)
Additionally on our Facebook page we will give a "gratitude prize" to the person who has commented on our posts most often!

Here is the video of our friend performing in our studio:

Open Studio pARTy 2011

We had a terrific turn out for our Annual Studio pARTy! 
Sergio and I are so very grateful to all who came to share in this most important evening for us...it has now been 6 years that we have been hosting this event together...8 yrs. since I have been doing them on my own. It is the most important evening of the year for both of us and we deeply appreciate the love and encouragement we receive from those near and far! We love and appreciate everyONE  of you! 

Please remember we hold this pARTy every year, the first Saturday of December.  Come for fun, reduced prices on our work....and to have fun with new and old friends!

Love & light,

~Claudia & Sergio
Here is one of the Videos from that evening....

framing options.....

 A few days I posted photos of some of my art on Facebook seeking suggestions on our framing options -at that point all were only in black. However, thanks to the feedback we received we have been working on mounting some pieces on wood using a distressed/crackle technique. Sergio has gone through some "trial and error" days...but finally we have gotten them to look just as we want them-- and I must say they look great!

Thanks to Sergio who has spent a couple of days figuring out the best way to 'distress' the wood and attach the mini canvases in such a way as to be quite secure, while at the same time "removable" in case someone desires a different mounting/framing option. Sergio rocks!!!!  :)

But indeed: what would we do without your feedback?
I do hope you all know how very much you mean to us and our process!  We love you, we really do!

...now: back to work getting ready for our Open Studio....(coming up so soon!).....

Love & Light......from us to you! 
And on this quite blustery Autumn day.... with leaves flying all about and honey in my tea... I leave you with a bit of Pooh...(one of my favorite characters!):

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh!" he whispered. 
"Yes, Piglet?"
  "Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw
. "I just wanted to be sure of you." ~A.A. Milne

Thanksgiving and gift giving.....

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

It is that time of the year....time to start thinking of the coming Holiday gift giving rush! 
In anticipation of Cyber Monday and Black Friday....we are extending the one day coupon to all our followers  (twitter, facebook and this blog) ...the coupon is now good through Black Friday at Midnight!

This is a coupon for FREE shipping (domestic USA) for items in my etsy shop.

 The Coupon Code is: HappyHolidays2012  -you input the information at the time of check out. Please note this is for USA domestic shipping only.

This sale Includes our free Holiday gift wrapping and free handmade card (you tell me the message that will go in the card on the comment section at check out)- your purchase can go straight from our studio to your "giftee" (please don't forget to provide me with the mailin address if different than billing address).

Please visit my etsy shop and buy your treasure: a unique and
'forever lasting' gift for your self or your loved ones!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/OlivosARTstudio. I am listing more items there now....come buy unique gifts for your friends and family!

If you are interested in something you have seen on Facebook or our websites but is not listed on etsy..please contact us!  Olivosartstudio (at) gmail ....or via facebook/twitter.

Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!  We are thankFULL for you! Your support....your love

We appreciate and love you....!

Holiday time is near......!

BeautyFULL encaustic piece by Sergio-
you can see my mini canvases behind it-to see the scale of his piece

Greetings!  We have been SO busy in the studio.... getting ready for our 7th Annual Open Studio pARTy..and if you are in the Washington DC area... you know that OlivosARTstudio is ALWAYS the best place to be the first Saturday of December!! 

a small mixed media piece by Claudia

Three encaustics on wood by Sergio

Loads of unique, original beautyFULL art to gift yourself and your loved ones!
Art is the best gift!!! No sizes to worry about, fat free, and lasts forEVER!

Large mixed media piece by Claudia

All of our art is for sale ...you can look in our etsy shop, on our websites and on FB (latests pieces get listed there first!)..... we will ship straight to your "giftee" -gift wrapped and with a handmade personalized card!!

Here is the invitation to our pARTy!
We hope you can make it...but if you can't visit us online! :)

Woman

    "...I am the poet of the body,

And I am the poet of the soul.

oil on canvas "Motherhood" by Claudia Olivos.

The pleasures of heaven are with me, and the pains of hell

are with me,

 

I am the poet of the woman the same as the man,

And I say it is as great to be a woman as to be a man,

And I say there is nothing greater than the mother of men"....

~Walt Whitman

Trees, symbolism and mini canvases .....

Trees hold a multiplicity of  mythic and symbolic qualities.
I love trees .... and have just started this small collection of mixed media mini canvases with trees.

The deep-rooted meaning of trees is apparent in common and can be found throughout history, art, religion and various spiritual practices.

Each tree holds their own symbolism, for example my favorite is the Olive tree... of course (!)- because our last name "Olivos"  which means Olive trees in Spanish.... but also because they are quite, quite beautiful with their complex trunks and root systems, and their bounty of Olives and delicate leaves. I love them!

 

Olive trees symbolize peace amongst other things:

"This tree possess a wealth of symbolism - peace, fruitfulness, purification, strength, victory and reward. In Ancient Greece the tree was sacred to Athene and the first olive, which sprang from her quarrel with Poseidon, was preserved as a treasure behind the Erechtheum. In Jewish and Christian tradition, the olive is a symbol of peace and it was an olive-branch which the dove brought back to Noah when the Flood was over. And old legend tells that Christ's cross was made of olive-and cedar-wood. For Islam, the olive is the central tree, the World axis, a symbol of Universal Man and of the Prophet." (from The Penguin Dictionary of Symbols" by Jean Cheavlier and Alain Gheerbrant)

 

All trees symbolize different things, for example the oak symbolizes strength and courage. The ancient Romans thought oak trees attracted lightening and connected the oak tree to the sky god, Jupiter and his wife, Juno, the goddess of marriage. Thus, the oak is used in art symbolism as a symbol of conjugal fidelity and fulfillment.

Birch and Cherry trees symbolize new awakenings and renewal....and my other favorite tree, the Willow tree, stands for magic, healing, inner vision and dreams.

 

Behind our studio stands a huge Sycamore tree, it's white bark is beautiful and can seem to glow in the light of a full moon...I was thrilled to find out some years ago that these trees hold great spiritual meaning and have been worshipped in various cultures throughout time. The fig leaf mentioned in the Bible came from a Sycamore tree-Ficus Sycomourus- and for both the Ancient Egyptians and the Mayas, the Sycamore stood on the threshold of life and death, connecting the two worlds... it  symbolizes protection, divinity, eternity, and strength.

It is a Sycamore that survived the attacks in New York... what a blessing to have this wonderful tree looking down on us day to day!

 

Allow the image of a tree to be a visual reminder to help you heal and/or fulfill the dreams and visions for your life.

the power to just, be.

Parents and students often ask me for college advice, and as I was writing a reply to a parent, I felt this is something I want to share with all of you too... and as I was thinking about it all...I realized how this (in my opinion) relates to the Wall Street Protests.

In life...follow your heart.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
We get asked that question through out our lives... and the answer for many of us changes from time to time-- but we all want to be happy and successful.

I went into college as a psych major, then went back and forth for a year between journalism and international relations/politics.... then art therapy.
I graduated with both a BA in psych and a BFA; then struggled with what to continue with. I thought of a Phd in Psychology, an MSW or an MFA. Decisions.
I was working as a mental health counselor and at the same time actively exhibiting in galleries throughout the DC area. I was indecisive and had to consider the economic impact of  being an artist vs being a social worker or psychologist; I was a single mom, so my decision had to lead me to a position where I could provide for my child and myself.

A friend said to me: don't settle, only do what you really, really want to do.

I pondered what to persue my higher education in, I asked  myself: who do I want to spend the rest of my life around- wacky, temperamental artists...or wacky temperamental social workers? The artists won out (then I married one!).

I have never regretted my decision-it eventually led me to my initial dream: working with children (this is why I had gone into Psych) and painting.

Had you asked me years ago if I wanted to teach I would have adamantly said NO. My mom is a teacher, and I once did a few months stint teaching after school Spanish- I hated it.
I had wanted to work with children one to one... to help kids like the ones I read about in books like "Dibbs in search of self". To make the difference in one child's life.... yet now I believe I help make a difference in many children's lives through my teaching. Life is a path .... a non linear one.

I remember a very good student I had...she drew very well.... yet she wanted to be a "foot doctor".  She went off to college and focused on that. I hadn't seen her in over three years, and a few months ago, there she was sitting across from me at a County meeting as an intern for the public art dept..... and says she is loving it (!) her heart led her back around to her passion.

Amazing how life is not a straight shot, nor is it circular, but rather it seems to be as a spiral always bringing us back to center, to heart--but only when we listen to the passion within.

I believe that  the important thing  is to know what is out there.... not only in what we think we want to do/be, but opening ourselves up to the infinite possibilities...

We tend to lean towards what attracts us most.  Knowing what we do not want is a good start....(I wanted to fly, applied and got into the air force, but withdrew within the 48 hr period when I realized getting up at 6:am to yells or bells was NOT something I would be thrilled with doing).
 In time, we find we love some things more than others.

That's the main thing:  find what you love, reach for your passion within, it is always there...

 All this focus on the economics of our lives ..this drive to own "stuff"...it has always existed, but it has been exaggerated more and more as of late.  I think this is what many people protesting in Wall Street right now are all about...it is not only what "they" have done to us...but what we have done and are doing to ourselves and our world by buying into the culture society has been offering.... focused on money and five minutes of fame.
We have forgotten the beauty of simply being. Not doing, just being.

We change as we grow older....but I think one of the best things about growing up is being able to be true to yourself and your dreams-to be who we really are; and those dreams are still in the making...each day is a new opportunity to live the dream, reach for the dream...or even create a new one much closer to heart.

What is your dream?.....Now, make it your goal...now, reclaim it as a part of you: be who you really are!