Made the American Heart Association Homepage!

Well, I didn’t expect this—to be on the homepage of the American Heart Association. I did an interview for an insert in the February issue of Kansas City Magazine for “Heart Month” but it wound up being used by the national AHA, too.

Sharing my story feels very good. Women need to know about the risk factors for heart disease. I was one of those people who never dreamed it would happen to me, and certainly not at such a young age. My life has changed due to my event, but women shouldn’t wait for an event to happen. Exercise and eating a healthy diet is important for every woman at every age.

Happy Heart Month!

Busy bee

I’ve been painting 16 hours a day to get ready for the big event next week. My daughter requested “sloppy” photos until I can get to shooting good ones just to see what I’ve been up to lately. No time for lots of explanation, but thought I’d post the progress…

This one’s done on clayboard–something new to try. Felt different, but good.

A new mandala with a Torah, rainbow and tree of life, but in a looser style. The color palette is a little different too–warmer.

A different take on the Jerusalem scenes….

This one’s still in progress…

Illustration Friday: Red

This coming Friday, February 2nd, is National Wear Red Day. It is the beginning of Heart Month and is aimed at raising awareness of heart disease and stroke in women. I am a survivor of heart disease. Just over a year ago, on January 16th, I suffered a heart attack 10 days after my 45th birthday. Before this happened I had no clue to the time bomb ticking inside my chest. I had three stents implanted in my heart and a year later I am so much healthier. I exercise at least five times a week and eat a very healthy diet, which has helped me to lose 53 pounds. And, I intend to keep up the regimen so that I will be around to see what course the lives of my teenage daughters take and to enjoy sharing that with my husband for a very long time.

How appropriate that the theme for Illustration Friday is red. The red dress is the symbol of the American Heart Association’s movement to get the word out about this often-misdiagnosed disease, which is the number one killer of American women. Join me in taking care of your heart to improve your health and live a longer and stronger life. And, please wear red next Friday.

Keeping the ball rolling

I hope the client is pleased with this invitation sample! That’ll be one more “To-do” item checked off the list.

On a roll…

Well how about that. With all of the craziness going on I’m making time to post some stuff. Here’s another. This is a painting honoring a Jewish educator to be presented to her and used on invitations for the event. The Hebrew reads “Teach them diligently to your chilldren.”

This painting is done in acrylics on Canson Montval 140 lb cold press watercolor block. I like the look and feel of it.

Bat Mitzvah Invitations

I’ve been a busy girl! 400 Bat Mitzvah invitations that I illustrated, reproduced and trimmed and assembled are ready to go out the door and into the mail. Yay! I hope everyone enjoys them and the Bat Mitzvah girl is pleased with the finished product.

Exciting Event Coming Up!

I am so excited and fortunate to be participating in the opening event for the Dead Sea Scrolls! I’ll be wearing a Middle-Eastern 1940s period Bedouin costume and selling my wares (paintings, prints, cards, etc.) along with 22 other vendors in an amazing marketplace atmosphere created inside Union Station. More info later–I have so much painting to do!

Holiday card art

Trying out a new technique I think I’m liking–acrylics on 140 lb. Montval watercolor. The color is laid down a little more loose and painterly. I’m going to use this illustration for holiday promo cards.

Made the Etsy Homepage!

One of my paintings was chosen in someone’s Treasury a couple of weeks ago. Making a Treasury list is very exciting, but this time it wound up on the Etsy homepage. Yay! Thanks RainbowMermaid!

Mizrach Mandala I

Mizrach in Hebrew means “east” and decorative signs with this word are hung on the eastern wall of a home as a reminder of the direction of Jerusalem. When a Jew prays he or she is supposed to face Jerusalem. Since a mandala is to be used for focus on prayer, the combination of mandala and mizrach seems appropriate. In this painting the Torah is the guide for the journey.