My FUN Friend and Amazing Artist, Jodie

Jodie and I became fast friends when our now teen age girls were in preschool together. Often, our girls would play together after school. When the time came to be picked up, one of us would politely say to the one arriving to get her child .... "Won't you come in for a few minutes?"... followed, oh so politely, with, "and have a glass of wine?"

Minutes would turn to hours - we would have wonderful, deep conversations, or laugh until we cried, or talk and cry. Over time, we became dear friends. We both had husbands who worked late and if it was Friday we would completely blow off the dinner, bath, story and bedtime routine and talk until someone got hungry - sometimes one of us, sometimes our girls! Then, we'd thrill them with more play time and pizza delivered!

We have been through many creative efforts together and separately. We've shared the joys and sorrows of marriage and children. My sweet friend now lives in Houston, but our friendship endures.

She was recently in town for a visit, AND to drop off some of her latest paintings to red to be exhibited and sold. She struggles to find the time to paint like many of us do when daily responsibility has to take precedence over our passions . When she does fine the time,though, her talent flows - here is some of her lovely work and more about her, in her own words.....................


"Still Waiting"

"The Eyes Have It"

"Good for You"

"Keep on Truckin' "

"Resilience"

When did you start painting? Actually I started painting pretty late in life. I probably would've started much earlier if I hadn't had a 3rd grade art teacher who ridiculed my mushroom sculpture that I painted with polka dots. Polka dots apparently were not part of the lesson. After that little experience I just assumed I wasn't an artist. The idea of painting stayed in the back of my mind for years but I didn't pick it up again until I was 35. I guess I had had enough therapy by that point to cover the mushroom incident.


How often do you paint? Not nearly often enough. I tell myself I'm going to paint every day, but between the 5 kids, 3 dogs, 2 cats and now one dead fish (may he rest in peace) I have a hard time squeezing it in.


Do you have a studio ? do you always paint indoors? I have an art room in my home, but I prefer to paint outside. Something about the light and the breeze and the freedom from walls really inspires me to move the paint across the canvas. I used to paint outside naked (we had a VERY HIGH fence)...now THAT was freedom. But then age, gravity and a few too many desserts took over and instead of feeling free I just feel like a freak painting outside naked.


Have you had any instruction or are you completely self taught? Thanks to my 3rd grade art teacher, I'm completely self taught.


How do you think your style developed and what inspires you? When I first started painting I painted with a brush but was never satisfied. Much like my life, I prefer the edges to be not so defined, so I moved to painting with palette knives. I love the texture that the knives create and the way I can get a lot of paint on the canvas fairly quickly. I'm inspired by anything that makes me smile. Whether its women laughing or the face of a cow, I want to create art that lifts peoples spirits and encourages them to take a break from the have-to's of life.



Do you have a favorite kind of art or a favorite artist? I love art that makes me smile. Whether its a collage, a sculpture, a photograph or a painting, I want to walk by it and have my heart lifted. I'm a fan of Melinda Hall. Her work captures my philosophy about my own art.


What do you hope to do artistically in the future? What do I HOPE to do??? Well I hope Oprah decides that the world needs to see my work and puts me on her show. That's what I hope. But since there's a small possibility that that may not happen, I guess my other hope would be to just move forward with the artistic process of experimenting with different mediums and continue to get my work out there to anyone who wants to have a little more joy in their life.

"Not Just a Piece of Meat II"

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