Sold the House and Moved!

My old studio




Dear Friends,

This month was really tough. I moved...yeap, long hours of packing, having 3 garage sales, donating things, and even storing some things, as I down sized. How I had accumulated so much stuff that I don't need is hard to understand. I intend to change this from now on.

It took a lot of physical work, time, and help from friends, but glad it's over.  New changes I'm still adapting too, as well as our dog Oliver, seem to be for the better.

Didn't have much time to paint at all in a month, until today. I missed it so much and found it kind of hard to get back into the level of skill I had before I went on vacation and then the move. But the joy of painting is still there, regardless of the results from my painting.  That is a reassuring feeling.

In keeping with the spirit of down sizing and not keeping anything in my new place that I don't absolutely need, I am participating in the Escondido Art Association Starving Artist Sale.  All the small artwork from my art school studies for the last year will be on sale there, about 23 pieces, from July 29-August 3, 2013.  Get this...are you ready...All original artwork will be priced at $50.00 or less!!!!  If you appreciate art as I do and would like to start or add to your collection, you don't want to miss this event. I'll be at the Gallery most of the day August 3, 2012 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. Stop by and say hello.

I hope you are all having a wonderful summer.

With Love,
Glad

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What a Ride!

Yosemite by Gladys Jimenez



Dear Friends,

I hope July finds you well.  Looking back at June all I have to say is "What a Ride!".

I began the month by traveling to Yosemite.  My favorite place on Earth. I was hoping to take many photographs so I could do several studies for my oil paintings of this magnificent place but I was just caught up in the beauty of it instead. Participating in several hikes, the most difficult for me being Vernal Falls, but the most rewarding as well. You just can't beat that constant rainbow and view from the top :)

My daughter also graduated from Stanford. Very proud of her and the things she has accomplished, but mainly of who she has become.  

No time for art competitions this month.  I did meet with two art directors this month, one in Laguan Beach and the other in San Clemente (I just fell in love with this town!). It was interesting to see what they are looking for in art but couldn't shake the feeling that art galleries are not for me.  My collectors like unique different art, and I'm happy to provide them with my art in a more organic way, through my website, Facebook, and through them getting to know me, as I them.

Many changes ahead, for one, I'm not taking any art classes this fall. Time to build up my own body of artwork for my collectors and new fans.  Stay tune, as much is happening :)

Love,
Glad

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Art, Art, and more Art...

Red Barn, 48"x36" oil on canvas


Dear Friends,

I'm so happy to announce that for the month of February, my work will be on exhibit at three galleries.  There will be on piece, "Diana", at the Municipal Art Gallery. Three pieces at the Escondido Art Association, "Deer", "Mr. Rooster", and "Music and Dancing".  Those will be on exhibit for one month.  At 57 Degrees, down town San Diego, for two months I will have on exhibit "Red Barn", "The Southwest", "Lady in Red", and "Michael Hanlon".  So very excited to be at this exhibit among other fellow artists.

Today I taught an art class to 5th graders. I volunteer at the local elementary school since 1998.  I had so much fun teaching them about art, complementary colors, and Paul Klee.  Kids have such a thirst for art and happy to be able to do my share my love for art with them.  I wish more people donated art supplies so we could reach more children. Volunteers are available but without the supplies even with our most creative resources, it's tough to do.  The non-profit organization I founded to raise funds for art supplies is Boldly Creating Life Foundation. If it's in your heart to promote the arts to children, please stop at the website http://www.bclf.org and make a donation. It will be greatly appreciated by me, the children, teachers, and families.  Of course, your donation is tax deductible.

I hope to see you at one of the art reception events. Please do stop by and greet me, I would love to meet you, or see you again if you are a fan.

With love,
Gladys

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My Creative Space

Horse, 8"x10" oil on Canvas


Dear Friends,

This month I began a "Farm Animals" series of paintings.  I began with a "Piggy", then "Mr. Rooster", and just began a horse painting.  All of these are small, 8" x 10" on canvas.

I also signed up to take a semester class from artist Michael Steirnagle at Palomar College.  I'm really looking forward to taking his figurative painting class, as I thought I was not going to be able because of the class schedule I had at CSUSM.

Due to health reasons I am unable to continue my plans to attend CSUSM full-time to get a Visual of Arts degree.  Sometimes you want something but life takes you a different direction. We don't always know why, but by now I do know it's because there are higher better plans for me...one good benefit I can already see is that I'll be able to spend time painting, as the full-time schedule of classes ahead at CSUM would have kept me so busy, that I would have hardly had anytime to paint.

I began reading this month a book, "Alla Prima"  by Richard Schmid.  I love his style of writing and looking forward to applying his tips after I complete my Farm Animals series and begin a series of landscape paintings. I hope I can incorporate some of his tips so I can paint more "painterly" as he does.

This is it for now, stay cool.

With love,
Glad

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Yes, I do Pet Portraits Too

Bonnie, 12"x12" oil on canvas

Hello Friends,

Yesterday I met a friend I had not seen in 6 months.  Her dog had just passed away a few days earlier. Her dog, Bonnie, was in too much pain and the vet told her it was time to let her go.

She called me as she recalled I had taken some photos of Bonnie a while back because I felt the desire to paint Bonnie, and wanted to know if she could have copies of the photographs.

I emailed her the photos and told her I had completed the painting of Bonnie months ago and it was hers. She immediately came over to pick up the painting. Losing a pet is like losing a family member whom you were very close to.  She told me letting her go was the hardest thing she had to do.

When I showed her the painting she started crying. She said I had captured Bonnie's spirit and she would hang the painting in her living room, as an honor to Bonnie.

She then told me how people told her how lucky Bonnie was to have had her as her owner as she took great care of her but people didn't understand that it was her, who was lucky to have had Bonnie in her life. That people had no idea how much love and joy Bonnie gave her.

It's so true! Our pets give us unconditional love no matter what, even when we neglect playing with them or are too busy to really connect with them.  I have painted our three pets and have the paintings in our living room.

I wanted to capture their spirit so I could always remember them, and feel their love, if some day down the road they too depart from my life.

Love,
Glad

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