Remembering

Remembering ~ That, I took part in this ~ I sculpted the head of this Goddess of Liberty.
It was summer, 1989~ I graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1984, BFA~
I was asked to sculpt her head.~ It really was an amazing moment. I say moment~ because, it was that fast. The V.C.U. Art students & graduates wanted & felt they needed to do something to honor the Art Students that had lost their lives in the Tiananmen Square Tragedy.
It was a very crazy ~ yet very organized two days.(click)
Now~ Please remember~ that I am ~ the Mom who sent her oldest son to China last summer.
And~ the really amazing thing is ~ that I was only weeks , pregnant with Gabriel at the time that I took part in this.
I have my own pictures of this day.The best are the pictures of how this very large & beautiful lady was lifted.
People ~ stopped their cars & got out & helped her get lifted up. She was on long, strong steal
rope and had to be pulled up to standing.

I have to say~ it was~ really beautiful to watch.
I remember how I felt. ~Amy~

Show

I am getting some pieces together to send to Illinois to an art show. I need a few more that will be for sale.~ So, I have been steady working on them. I will also be sending about two portraits, that I don't want to sale, because they are of my children. But, they will serve as examples of my children portraits and hopefully send some commissions my way.
And~ School starts next Tuesday~ I better be able to post @ least two finished pieces by tomorrow evening.~ Boy, I wish I were able to stay up at night & work. But~ I become completely wrecked. I am an "Early Bird". But~ those "Night Owls" seem to be super productive. ~Amy~
p.s.~ and I finally started my pallet knife painting , that I said I would try, while watching Susan Carlin do one of her painting demos. She was doing a portrait with a pallet knife . And~ I am making a fine mess of it. It is 11"x14"~ it actually looks better in this photo, than real life.

~Shelty Sullivan~1994~Aug.24,2008~

I wanted to thank everyone for the loving thoughts & prayers
that were sent to me & our Shelty Boy. I also wanted to share
this puppy picture of our handsome boy.
All I can say is,~ as hard as it was to let go of him~ he,
in his usual loving & watchful style, made it as easy on us as he could.
He died here in our home, he closed his eyes for the last time at
10:15 Sunday night. ~ We buried him in a lovely pine box that my
husband made, on a tree farm that my brother-in-law owns.
~o~
If it seems like this may not have been the best summer for our
family ~ you are so right! ~ I feel worn out. You know things have
been hard, if you are wondering if it is o.k. to be happy again.~
~ I say ENOUGH !~ I am very ready for things to lighten up!~
The last song they sang in mass on Sunday~ as Rowan & I were
leaving was~ City of God~. "He can turn tears into dancing"~
"Night into day."
I took that song home with me. I needed those words.~o~
Then today I wandered over to Pen Hallow Street"s blog &

found this quote~~ "God does not look so much at the magnitude of anything we do as at the love with which we do it."~ St. Teresa of Avila~

I always find something inspiring there.~ I took that quote with me
as I left. In fact I put it in my sidebar. ~ So, I have been going around
collecting what I need to feel better. ~~ My family has been beautiful & so
full of compassion. I am so proud of my children. I have been filling my pockets & heart
with as many wonderful thoughts & prayers as I can. So, I can smile at them & they
will know that everything is O.K.! :) ~Amy~

Best Boy

Well, I had written earlier that our boy Shelty was not doing well. He has not been feeling well this week. And, this morning I took him to the vet and she confirmed what I/we already felt.
Shelty is in his last doggy days.He is 14.~ So, we will be by his side and keeping him comfortable and loving on him. He really is the best boy ever.~Amy~

Day Trips

We did not get to go away for a vacation this summer. So, we took little day-trips.
This is at Lewis Ginter Garden, here in Richmond. 40 acres of beautiful gardens.
It is not a day trip, in fact it is walking distance from my house.
~~~ Doesn't this look fun?~ Rowan you are so lucky!~~~
This sprinkler fun happens in the children' s garden. They are built in sprinklers, coming up from the ground and overhead.




We have been visiting at least twice a week. We walk around, sit and talk. And then, I draw,
Hannah reads & Rowan splashes. These are little minnows nibbling at our toes, they tickled.
Not every time, but, sometimes, we treat ourselves to lunch
in the the Cafe. A very refreshing time. ~Amy~

Summer's End

Look at what I saw when I walked into my kitchen. From our garden & neighbors gardens. I made that plum jam. It is yummy. There was a plum tree across the street from my sisters house, heavy with plums. She made jam, I think everyone on the street collected plums from
that tree. Rowan & I went and returned home with baskets of plums. That is summer. Summer setting on my kitchen counter. Tomato sandwiches. Plum jam. Squash casserole.
I will freeze most of these tomato's for the winter.

Here is a little Angel I just finished. I really enjoyed painting him. I love his little hand in his pocket. I am not sure why I decided to give him a pocket. But, I like it & seems to suit him. He has such a gentle calm about him. He will be on ebay by tonight. Setting & painting these Angels in the evening has made my so happy.
I am also working on a portrait. I don't think I should post it, because it is a gift.I don't want to spoil anything.
~~~Amy~~~

Focus

Well, I sure have been a busy girl lately. I wanted thank everyone for all the sweet comments
on my posts lately. And, especially for the encouraging words on my little Angel paintings.
I am going to keep on doing them. And, still work on my portraits.
I have over the past couple of weeks received very kind emails from my arty, bloggy friends
and....they really have helped me put some thoughts together that have been buzzing around my mind. Thoughts about all things ,Art, that I do. Does that make since? Where to put my focus.
Susan Carlan, has posted a real list of her goals as an artist. And, I looked at it and thought
"Eureka !"....... Please don't laugh. (o.k. laugh) But, I realize that I leave to much of my artist life up to fate. Like a bumble bee, buzzing from one project to another. Working really hard on each one, but, no real direction. I love each thing that I do. But, I often feel scattered.
Susan was kind enough to write me, my very own email. In it she pretty much said, "Amy if it makes you happy, do it." "Eureka" , again.
So, I am busy writing out my goals, but not just goals, but actual ways of reaching them.
I am putting lots of thought into it. So, hopefully in the very near future, I will post them.

And, on that note I say to you all Thank You, again, &
Good Night, Sleep Tight &
May Your Guardian Angels Watch After You!
~Amy~

The Olymics !

~~~~my son, Gabriel in China~~~~







~~~my Gabriel~~~

The Opening Ceremony's for the Olympics are tonight!
So, I thought I would share some of the pictures that my oldest son, Gabriel, took when he went to China last summer. Yes, we sent our 17,( @ the time), year old son to China last summer.
He was part of the People to People Student Ambassador Program. I was very brave, because I wanted him to have this fantastic, once in a life time experience.
And, he loved it! If your child is ever offered this chance, the program goes all over the world, and you can make it happen, do it. I am not sure how, but, we made it happen for Gabriel and I am so happy we did.
I think tonight we will have to have some Chinese food for dinner. Even tho we know that the Chinese we get here is not the real thing. Like I was telling Jack,(he is going in April of next year) I am very proud of my son, because he tried and enjoyed the food that was so beautifully placed before him. A lot of the kids said they lived on fruit & rice during their visit.
I am really looking forward to watching the Olympics. So, I need to get going & get what I need to make those egg rolls. ~~~Enjoy~~~ Amy~~~

~~~~~Sunday Morning~~~~~WOW~ WOW~WOW~~~~~
That was the most amazing show I have ever watched!!!
We ordered our Chinese food. My dear friend Leslie came over and WOW! what a show.
I was so excited, I called friends & family to make sure they were not missing it. I left too many comments on poor Jack's blog, sorry Jack.
How did they do all of this? Just amazing ! My kids were glued to what they were seeing. "That was so cool !" They were completely amazed.
Click here for some high lights of the show. I managed to say AMAZED 3 times in this post, well it was "just amazing"!
~~~~have a lovely Sunday~~~~Amy~~~~

I sold my first piece on ebay! I did, I really did. So, I have just listed this little angel, holding morning glory's.
I needed this little boost.
Anyway, I have also been working on a portrait too, which I will post very soon.

I do have a funny story to share. On my travels up & down the highway last month, I drive past the exit to my old neighborhood. Well, on one return trip, I decided to pull off and drive past my old house. I haven't gone into my old neighborhood in years.My two daughters, Rowan & Hannah were with me. We slowly drove past the little ranch style house where I , "mostly", grew up. Hannah said ,"kinda small, isn't Mom?". Yep, a 3 bedroom ranch, that housed 7 children & my parents. "Girl room" , "boy room". Anyway, as I drove around the corner, it was a corner lot. I could see all the trees we had planted, not much had changed. And, much to my surprise I spotted the shed, over in the corner of the back yard.The surprise was that, it was put up some 19 years ago, and when it was, my mom asked me to paint something on it. Well, I painted this :
And, it is still there! My mom moved away from this little house like, 11 years ago, a few years after my dad died. I think there has been at least two different owners, since the Gethins clan lived there. (Gethins is my maiden name) Anyway, I got out of my car and took pictures of it. Actually, I had forgotten all about this little shed. My mom had a herb and flower garden all around it when she lived there. But, I thought it was funny that no one had decided to paint over it. The house had a fresh coat of paint, but not the little shed. Now, that tickled me. ~~~~~Amy~~~~~