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Hi All,

For all you horse lovers out there I'm pleased to announce my new horse website at EquineSpot It's more than just horses....it's a way of life!

You'll find something for every horseman. Beginners can learn everything form how to ride a horse, how to saddle a horse and how to feed a horse. Experienced equine owners can look up information on horse diseases, get tips on camping with horses and enjoy true horse stories. It's all about fun, family, friends and horse ownership.

I invite you to stop by and check it out

Sincerely,

Cathy

And the hands down winner is…..Tourmaline, the peacock fantasy horse!

When kids are asked to choose their favorite horse from Fantasy Horses Coloring Book, the peacock horse proves to be the most popular. Followed by….this is where things get sticky….. they simply can’t decide!

The typical answer goes something like this; “My favorite horse is the peacock horse! And my second favorite is …well, I really like the puzzle horse, and cadence (the dark winged horse) and the butterfly horse, and I love the baby Pegasus and the genie horse and the robot horse is so cute…and the alien horses, I’ve never seen horses like that before…I just like them all!”

Thanks kids!

Here is a sampling of the feed back I have received from people who have enjoyed their fantasy horses coloring books.

“My girls love the pictures so much, they don’t color in it. They just look at the pictures! “ Tami

“We love the "Fantasy Horses" coloring book...her favorite page is the peacock page!” Nikki

“My daughter can’t put this coloring book down! I am definitely going to buy another one.” Michelle

“When they saw the inside, they were all over it!” Becky

“I took my coloring book to school and showed it to my friends. I could tell by the look in their eyes. They really wanted one.” Rebecca

“My Children LOVED the copy you dropped off here at the house! I will be making a purchase & congratulations, How exciting!!!!!” Jenna


Wow, talk about a vote of approval! Thanks all!

See Fantasy horses Coloring Book at Amazon

Follow Up to “Local Horse Artist Gives Back”

I want to give a huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated in my ‘Fantasy Horses coloring book’ fundraiser for Miranda’s Rescue. Thank you all for forwarding, sharing, and posting my announcement on facebook! I could not have done it without you!!

As announced, I am donating 100% of the royalties earned from sales made between February 19th-26th to Miranda’s Horse Rescue for Large and Small Animals. With your help we sold 25 coloring books, raising a total of $53.75 for Miranda’s. Yay!!!

If you missed out on this fundraiser and want to help out, I encourage you to visit Miranda’s Rescue and click the Donate Button. Any donation helps, be it large or small…it all adds up!

If you are interested in the ‘Fantasy Horses Coloring Book’, you can check out a sneak peak of the interior on Amazon

For of those who purchased and are enjoying your coloring books, please consider sharing your thoughts and write your review using the link above.

Most Sincerely,

Cathy Cleveland

Local Horse Artist Gives Back

I am so proud to announce my ‘Fantasy Horses Coloring Book’ is now published and available on Amazon, but more importantly; I want to share my success! I am donating 100% of my royalties on all coloring book sales from now until 2-26-2013 to Miranda’s Horse Rescue for Large and Small Animals.

I want to give a GREAT BIG Shout Out to Shannon Miranda and his crew for all they do! As a local Eureka resident, member of the horse community and parent I want to personally thank them for the countless horses and other animals they have rescued and re-homed. It takes a big heart and lots of money to feed all those mouths. This is our chance to help out. Spread the news…tell all your horse and animal loving friends.

I will be posting an announcement letting you all know how much money we were able to raise for Miranda’s Rescue. Please help me to make it a number I can be proud of! Click on the link below to purchase a ‘Fantasy Horses Coloring Book’. Buy one for your kids, grandkids, a friend or give as a gift. You’ll be helping animals in need and getting a great horse lovers coloring book to boot.

The clock is ticking…click the link below right now!

Fantasy Horses Coloring Book on Amazon


** The donation amount raised and paid out to Miranda’s Rescue will be posted on my blog http://cathy-cleveland.artistwebsites.com/myblog.html and on Craigslist (Humboldt County, Ca) under farm and garden approximately March 1st…. when It is made known to me on Amazon Sales Information for Authors.

Simply Art and Coffee

Did you ever notice that it’s the simple things that make the most cherished childhood memories? Not the big stuff like getting a bike for Christmas or a trip to Disneyland; but the small stuff, like your Mother laughing in the kitchen.

One of my fondest memories is of my Mother and my step Father chatting over a cup of coffee at the kitchen table. My real Father left when I was three years old, leaving my Mother to raise six kids by herself. Which she did. Which meant, that between her three jobs, I rarely saw her. When I was seven, my step Father did something my real Father was unable to do. He gave me my Mother back. I used to listen to them laughing, making plans and enjoying each others company. Always there was the coffee and my Mother’s beautiful art that hung on the kitchen walls. It was homey and cheerful and everything was well in my small world.

By the time I caught the oil painting bug I was hopelessly addicted to coffee. When I got the urge to paint, I would put the coffee on and lay out my supplies. There I would sit, with a fresh hot cup of coffee and a blank canvas…pure heaven! Before long, the table would be completely cluttered with brushes and paint tubes and muddy jars of turpentine and a half drank luke-warm cup of coffee. Inevitably frustration would set in. There would be nothing left to do but pick up the phone and call my Mother.

“Mom, have you got a minute? I’ve been painting…and I’m stuck.”
“You’ve been starring at it too long,” she’d say. “Pour yourself a cup of coffee and go drink it in the other room. By the time you’re finished drinking it, you’ll know exactly what you need to do to fix it. I’d love to have a look at it next time I come by. All you need is a fresh eye.” That’s the kind of advice to live by. It worked every time.

The walls of our house are adorned with oil paintings. Most of them are my own and some of them are my Mothers work. It’s comfortable and inviting and it feels like home. Many a time I have sat at my kitchen table chatting over coffee with family and friends. Their obvious appreciation of the artwork that surrounds them brings a simple satisfaction. I’ll admit, every once in a while, when the kids are at school; I’ll grab a quiet moment and sit with a cup of coffee and shamelessly admire my own work.

I can’t help myself, so many of my joyful memories seem to be wrapped up in coffee and art. It is the good stuff.

What are your memories tied to?

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Tropical Paradise Mug in Hunter Green by CathysFineArtShop
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Your eyes are genius. You knew everything you ever needed to know about art, design and composition by the time you were three. Well, seven anyway.

Allow me to illustrate. You’ve experienced this before. Your in the store and you ask the nearest clerk where you can find the Fluff N’ Stuff laundry soap. When the clerk turns to help you out, you immediately notice she has a huge mole on her forehead. And if that’s not bad enough it just happens to have two long black hairs sticking out of it!

Now if it weren’t for that huge hairy mole you might have noticed that she is actually kind of cute. But at this point, you can’t get past the mole, let alone pay attention to anything she says. No matter how hard you try, your eyes insistently zero in on that mole as if they were possessed.

It’s not your fault! Your eyes are doing exactly what thousands of years of evolution have trained them to do. They are master at discerning differences in things. From the minute to the obvious. Slight changes in the landscape, tell tale differences in the in the brush that lines the trail. It all harkens back to our ‘eat or be eaten’ caveman days. When something doesn’t fit in to the landscape, your eyes will notice it!

Now let’s take this illustration a step further. Let’s say you spot a bathing suit model in a magazine. Let’s make it a male model. Water is dripping off his wet hair. It’s running down his smooth sun bronzed skin. He’s got rippling muscles in all the right places, strong well proportioned limbs, a masculine jaw line and sparkly sexy eyes…oh yea! Notice how your eyes joyously dance about from one perfect body part to the next. Happily drinking in every luscious detail.

Again your eyes seem to have a life of their own. They certainly don’t wish to be torn away from such a sight! Unlike the mole, they are not focused on any one thing in particular. In fact you would be hard pressed to pick just one favorite feature on this well balanced model. Your eyes are appreciating the whole package. Your eyes are roaming. And loving every minute of it!

Hello? Stay with me here, remember were still talking about art!

Now let’s put a little spin on things, shall we? Let’s put the big, two haired mole on our model’s forehead. Remember, this isn’t a cute little Marylyn Monroe mole. This is a huge misshapenly thing with two long black hairs sticking out of it… That changes things a bit doesn’t it?

Ok. The guy is still terribly sexy, but no matter how hard you try, your eyes keep going back to that mole. It goes something like this: six-pack abs, mole, broad chest, mole, hunky shoulders, mole, sparkly sexy eyes, mole…Awkward isn’t it?

By this time I bet you are wondering what in the world has any of this got to do with paintings, design and art! Only Everything! Let me explain.

The whole point of this mole & model scenario is to help you understand patterns in eye movement. Happy eyes dart from here to there in a pleasurable relaxed manner. Eyes that have spotted an ‘interruption in flow’ will keep returning to the discrepancy. I repeat. Eyes that have spotted an ‘interruption in flow’ will keep returning to the discrepancy.

Now for some practical application.

You can look at any piece of art work; abstract, realistic, modern, whatever and know immediately if its ‘good’ or not. You’ll know because of your eye movement. Are your eyes roaming happily or do they keep getting distracted by some discrepancy? Do your eyes keep finding the mole?

How do you know if design is good? Same thing. Pay attention to your eye movement. Do your eyes happily roam from one tantalizing feature to the next (like an ad in a designer magazine) or do they get bogged down in an interruption of flow? Great design and great art irresistibly draw your eyes in. You can’t help but look. It is ‘happy’ eye candy!

One thing I must mention before you go. About the cute clerk with the mole. If she were your friend, eventually you would learn to look past the mole. And so it is with our homes. We train our eyes not to see. We look past the unsightly stack of magazines on the bathroom floor. We learn to ignore the couch that’s placed in an awkward spot.

Reclaim your genius! Take a look at your place with a fresh eye (pun intended) and pay attention to what your eyes are telling you. Stop ignoring the mole! Just have it removed already. Balance it out with good design and great art so everyone can appreciate how cute and attractive your place really is. Let your eyes be your guide. Your eyes are genius!


Now I am able to offer my artwork on gift items as well at CathysFineArtGiftShop

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Yeah! You’ve decided to decorate with art! The idea of decorating with art is so basic that we’ve been doing it since cave-man days. Yet art is one thing that so many people neglect to add to their interior spaces. Why is that? I believe that many do not hang art because they believe they can’t afford it or they just don’t know what to buy. I’m here to show you that buying and choosing art is simple, fun and rewarding!

Buy only what you love! Let’s face it. Art is personal. The clothes you wear, the way you style your hair and the things you keep around, all say something about you. They’re all a reflection of your personality. Don’t feel like you have to go with the crowd when it comes to choosing art. If you just don’t ‘get it’ when it comes to Abstracts, it’s quite alright. If you’re a Country girl at heart, let it shine! Art is a beautiful way to let your personality come through in your interior design. It’s your home, not a waiting room. Choose something dear to your heart. You’ll love it forever.

Still not sure? No worries. Choose art that embodies something you admire. Look for pieces that remind you of something wonderful. Something wonderful from your past or something wonderful you’d like to make part of your future. If you’ve always loved watching graceful dancers, perfect. If you have a long time fascination with mermaids, you’re on to something. If every time you see a romantic tropical setting and you get all goose bumpily thinking of your lover…you’re getting the idea. A theme emerges. You might find yourself decorating a whole room around your art! Suddenly you’ll find your self in a space that you love to be in. That’s the idea!

What if you feel like a total art moron and nothing talks to you? Should you even be allowed to hang art? Absolutely! There is art for you too! Simply choose the art pieces that best enhance your space. Look for three things. One, pieces that have all or most of the accent colors in your room. Two, art that supports the style or theme of your room. Three, pieces that work well together. It’s not unlike choosing an area rug to enhance what you already have in place. As if by magic, your whole room will look ‘pulled together’. Who knew you were such clever designer?

Now that you know what to look for when buying art, let’s address the issue of affordability. You know that art can run anywhere from many thousands of dollars for an original oil painting, to cheap posters and everything in between. No matter what your budget, there is art available to you! Just buy the best you can afford. You can always upgrade later to nicer frames or something on canvas. You see, what you pay for it isn’t really the point at all. What really matters is how it makes you feel when it’s around. The sole purpose of art is to bring you pleasure right where you live today.

Make a point to look at art whenever you get the chance. Some of it you’ll hate, some of it you’ll love, some of it you won’t understand. The more you look, the more you'll develop your own taste and deepen your appreciation for art. It's fun too! And when you find that special piece for your home, the pleasure will be all yours!


Now I am able to offer my artwork on gift items as well at CathysFineArtGiftShop

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What Willie Nelson Reminded me About Art

Ever wonder why some artists can be so successful while others, who are seemingly more talented, never seem to get recognized? Why is it that some weird looking piece of art can sell for thousands, and others get passed by?

When I was 13 I found one of my Dad’s old cassette tapes with Willie Nelson’s ‘Red Headed Stranger’ album on it. That did it. I was hooked on Willie. I must have listened to that tape a million times. My Mother never cared for Willie Nielson’s music, although she was a County music listener. But let’s face it, Willie is no Dean Martin. With all of those rich baritone voices of the early County era, it’s no wonder my Mother would prefer someone like Jim Reeves and Charlie Rich over Willie. Many years later I gave my Mother a CD with a Will Nelson’s ‘Stardust’ album on it. She loved it!

Certainly Willie’s voice had not improved. In fact quite the opposite, it was high pitched and nasally as ever and the years had left his voice rather rough around the edges. Why the change of heart? And then it hit me. It wasn’t Willie’s voice, or his stellar guitar picking skills, or even his choice of songs for that great cross over album. It was something more than that. It was Willie, unpretentious (not that he ever was) singing from the heart. Absolutely, thoroughly enjoying himself. He was sharing his joy. The album was rich with passion and my mother recognized it immediately.

“So I have finally converted you over to Willie Nelson,” I joked.
“His voice is terrible,” she laughed. “But, it’s a great album.”

My Mother and I are both Artists. She taught me most of what I know about oil painting. She was good enough that she actually supported six kids with her art work, painting murals and commissioned pieces. She is one of those rare artists that can paint passion. It’s just there. Her pieces are full of emotion. She can paint an emotional pile of rocks that are screaming with passion. It was not the quality of Willie’s voice, but the passion. That’s what she heard in Willie’s nasal whine. That’s what made her enjoy the album so much.

It’s not the medium you work with. Not the quality of your paint brushes or the brand of paints that you use. It’s not the classes you’ve taken or your ability to create a prefect rendition of your subject matter. It’s the passion that you bring to the table that makes art great. It’s not an easy thing to describe, but you know it when you see it. Truly blessed is the Artist that can paint with emotion. Just ask Willie.

Curious to see my Mothers work? visit http://rebecca-kimbel.artistwebsites.com/index.html


Now I am able to offer my artwork on gift items as well at CathysFineArtGiftShop

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