Today I'm back to painting even though technically it's a holiday. I've been away from my brushes far too long and feel the need to create again. Since I don't have any new paintings to show you, I decided to share a little information about how I got started painting.
My brothers and sisters all worked for Hallmark cards as lettering artists and draftsmen. My brother, Joe was the lettering artist as well as a great artist in all respects. My sister, Patti, and brother, Keith both draftsmen, design how things work, like pop-up books, decorations, and cards. I decided to stay home with my children but still needed to work. I started teaching folk art painting classes from my home and as the kids got older I wrote my first instruction book. The book was supposed to be titled "An Americana Collection" The Village of Stoney Point. When it was published there was an error on the front cover where they left the last letter off of Americana. I started exhibiting my work at national conventions and travel teaching throughout the US and Canada. I did this for over 25 years and made many wonderful friends which I dearly miss.
When my father and mother- in- law both got sick with cancer in 2001, I decided family was more important and I stopped traveling all together. Ebay presented an easy way to paint and sell my work and still have lots of time for family. I'm so glad that I did because we lost both of these precious people soon after.
This is the cover of my first book. I still have several of the pieces from this book.
Hello Catherine, I found your blog through the "blogvine". Your work is quite lovely. I do hope you will pop by my blog sometime and say hi.
ReplyDeleteSusan K.