Two original oil painting by HMBT copyright 2009

Two - close up

‘Two’

18″ x 24″

oils on gallery wrapped canvas

Finished sides, ready to hang

Original is available for sale at the BAD! kitty art studio web site.

Here is the quote that goes with this work:

“Persistence is the twin sister of excellence. One is a matter of quality; the other, a matter of time.”

Marabel Morgan

This has been a Public Service announcement, brought to you by BAD! Kitty Art Studio, Lexington KY.

In the event of a real art emergency, this message will be followed by holiday art sales, you will be directed to the BAD! Kitty Web Site, where you can find soulful, original artworks to heal the spirit, and sooth your worried mind.

As of today 11/16/09 there are 39 shopping days left before Christmas. BAD! Kitty Art Studio offers interest free art-lay-a-way for your shopping pleasure.

This has been a test of the International Art Emergency System. Stay tuned to this channel for further news and information.

Thanks for being here today, I hope your week rocks the house. Happy Monday.

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Support living artists, buy some original art today, because you deserve it.

Tips for buying original art online – from Contemporary Art Blogs

Buy Cards, Calendars & Prints- Red Bubble

Buy Cards and stretched canvas prints – Fine Art America

Close up view

‘Watch Tower’

20″ x 24″ x 1.5″

Oils

Gallery wrapped canvas, painted sides, ready to hang

Available for purchase at the BAD! Kitty Art Studio Web Site

Here is the quote that goes along with this work:

“Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don’t give up.”

  ‘Languish’

20″ x 24″Gallery wrapped canvas, painted sides, ready to hang

Available for purchase on my web site

The quote that goes with this work:

For here the religion that languishes in crowded cities or steals shame-faced to hide itself in dim churches, flourishes greatly, filling the soul with a solemn joy. Face to face with Nature on the vast hills at eventide, who does not feel himself near to the Unseen?

 W. H. Hudson

Blue is a very hard color to get correct pictures of, so bear in mind…this is a deep, velvet study of the color blue. My favorite color when thinking it seems.

Have a great day and thanks for being here today.

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Support living artists, buy some art today

Maggie original oil painting by HMBT copyright 209

‘Maggie May’

oils

18″ x 24″

Finished sides, painting on back stapled gallery canvas, needs no frame and is ready to hang

The quote that inspired the work:

We women, when we’re searching for a meaning to our lives or for the path of knowledge, always identify with one of four classic archetypes.

The Virgin (and I’m not speaking here of a sexual virgin) is the one whose search springs from her complete independence, and everything she learns is the fruit of her ability to face challenges alone.

The Martyr finds her way to self-knowledge through pain, suffering, and surrender.

The Saint finds her true reason for living in unconditional love and in her ability to give without asking anything in return.

Finally, the Witch justifies her existence by going in search of complete and limitless pleasure.

~Paulo Coelho

It’s hard to see in the picture, but she has rich sparkling green eyes. She really is a very pretty girl, with a warm and loving heart. I hope you enjoy my newest work. Thanks for being here today.

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Stand True oils copyright HMBT 2009

‘Stand True’

18″ x 24″

oils

back stapled canvas, finished sides, ready to hang, needs no frame

Will be available at web site shortly

Here is the quote that helped inspire the work:

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed. ~Albert Einstein

Stand True started as an experiment with oil paint, texture and powdered metals. Without really thinking too much, I spent time on how I felt about what I was doing instead of having a plan from the start.  I like the textures, the repeated circles are very serene, the colors are muted but rich, and the figure is from a dream I had recently. It is under painted a deep crimson red and then brushed with a rich ancient gold. I kept seeing this image carved into the buildings of the town that I was in, in my dream. So, the next morning, before I could loose the image, I ran in and sketched it onto the background. I thought it was interesting and made me feel powerful looking at it. Like I can stand true and take whatever comes and make it into something beautiful, something powerful, something real and more than just an artwork…a message, a healing, a talisman, a sigil. I think it works.

Thanks for being here today, I hope you enjoyed.

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Art from the edge, looking back

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Ironwood Bent not Broken oils copyright HMBT 2009

 

 

close up

Close up

” The Ironwood Tree: Bent Not Broken’

24″ x 18″

oils

Finished sides, back stapled, ready to hang

Available for sale at web site.

Here is the quote that inspired the work:

“The world breaks everyone, and afterward some are strong at the broken places.”  ~Ernest Hemingway

The Ironwood Tree is all about bending, all about being able to not get out of the rain, but dance in it. This time we are living through is tough, hard on the ego, hard on the stress, hard on the pocketbook. Times they are tough. Many of us are trying to find our way back to who we thought we were, I’ve decided to stand true and bend. Lean into this time, ask what I can learn, and continue forward. I paint. I create. I love and live right out loud. I am in harmony with my true self and this storm will pass and I will still be standing, Bent but not Broken.

Have a great day and thanks for being here,

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Support living artists, but some art today

Blue Moon oils copyright HMBT 2009

 

 

Blue Moon Close Up

Blue Moon

18″ x 24″ x 2″

Oils

Ready to hang, thick box canvas w/ painted sides needs no frame

Here is the quote that goes with this work:

“We are the music-makers, And we are the dreamers of dreams, Wandering by lone sea breakers, And sitting by desolate streams; World-losers and world-forsakers, On whom the pale moon gleams: Yet we are the movers and shakers Of the world forever, it seems. “

Zoltans Dive oils copywrite HMBT 2009

Zoltan close up

The bird painting is inspired by the Dark Tower series of books by Stephan King. I’m re-reading the series at the moment and one character always strikes my imaginary muse…Zoltan the giant mutant raven. So here is my version of Zoltan…as he puts the moon to bed for another day. His eyes really get me, he looks serious about his job. I like his work ethic.

Acrylics & Mixed Media by Max Stone age 10 Copyright 2009

“People Power”

Acrylics & mixed media

24″ x 18″

Painting wraps around edges of canvas, no frame needed

Max’s words: I wanted to show that boys and girls, all kids, have rights and feelings about our country too. That’s why I used boy and girl paper cutouts in all the colors that people come in instead of stars on my American Flag. We all count, and we all want what’s best for our country and our world. Kids matter too.

Max is 10 years old. This work is available for purchase at the BAD! Kitty web site. Max just recently sold his painting “Block City’!

Oils Original artwork by HMBT copyright 2009

“With Liberty & Justice for All”

18″ X 24″

Oils

Finished sides, needs no frame

The quote for the work: “I am leaving this legacy to all of you … to bring peace, justice, equality, love and a fulfillment of what our lives should be. Without vision, the people will perish, and without courage and inspiration, dreams will die– the dream of freedom and peace.”

Rosa Parks

 A few words from me: I painted this work in honor of all the brave and selfless patriots that have fought and died for what they believed in, our freedom as a people and the right to liberty and justice for all; they also happen to be gay people. The right to be openly gay in our military is a right of being a human being with civil rights. I salute and thank all the patriots of this battle, the one that is still being fought now, and the ones that they have fought for and died for in the past. Thank you to all our fighting men and women, no matter who they love in private, the color of their skin, their gender, or what God they kneel before in private prayer.

Max and I created these Works, in honor and celebration of Independence Day. We both wanted to create something for the world that also resonated with what makes us great as a people and a Nation.  Dissent is Patriotic, in other words.

We are One Nation From Many. That makes us special and brave. We still have a long way to go as far as civil rights for all, and justice for all. I know with love and understanding and Tolerance of difference we can harness the American Spirit and change the world for the better for all humanity. That is our fondest wish for the world…we all count, we are all important, and we all deserve Liberty & Justice for all.

Thanks for being here today, we hope you had a wonderful July 4th.

Heather & Max

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

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Rebellion by HMBT 2009 oils

 

 

close up

 

‘Rebellion’

18″ x 24″

oils

painted sides, needs no frame, comes ready to hang

Here is the quote that was so ugly, I had to instantly defy it:

Anybody who paints and sees a sky green and pastures blue ought to be sterilized. ~Adolf Hitler (1889 – 1945)

So, I of course needed to paint a blue tree, I’ve never painted an all blue tree before so it’s a good thing. I never in a million years would have thought that a quote from the Evil Adolph, would inspire me to create, but here it is. Just goes to show that you don’t know, what you don’t know.

Then I read this quote:

A little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.

Thomas Jefferson (1743 – 1826)

Source: Letter to James Madison, 1787

and I knew I was on the right path. Being in the studio and working like I do is an active act of rebellion! I will work my day job and do my very best to be my personal best at it, but art is my life. It is my talisman, my touchstone. It is my life line in a dark world. So…take that (BAM!) social standards, I am the BAD! Kitty and I have a mighty rebel yell, oh yeah, and I’m not afraid to use it.

I think a blue tree is just what I needed to take the edge off this sepia tinted reality. The lighter shades you see on the tree is really silver not white, it’s sparkly but only a little bit, not too much. My ability to take pictures of my work is not as good as my skills at creating the art itself.  Such is life, and that means that all my patrons say the same thing when they get their new art…”It’s so much BETTER in person!” yes, that’s because I suck at picture taking. Sheesh.

 I only paint trees when I am thinking about something internally, really hard. I don’t know why this is true, it just is. This tree is representational of my inner conversations with my soul.  The world I was born into, well it wasn’t that into me, you know….so, being that I am who and what I am….

I just created my own world, instead. Put that in your little red wagon. My work is not about solving problems or answering big questions or being the smartest or the most perfect….it’s about the moment, it IS the big questions, it is also my revelations and rebellions. Maybe that will mean something to you too, and if so, that’s just wonderful. Hello kindred soul, nice to meet you. If it means nothing to you, that’s no skin off my back. I refuse to continue to treat my art business as just a money- making enterprise. It is my life’s work, if it resonates with you (or maybe just matches your decor) take out your wallet and buy it. I am letting go of making money, I am embracing my real self, and that person may not sell a lot of art, maybe she will, who knows? I don’t care any more; my intellectual freedom and talents are not up for sale, just the artworks that will come from that magical place. If I make money, great, if I don’t, it does not mean I am not a successful artist, it means my kids will make a ton of cash when I am dead.

I feel so much better, letting this years sales and numbers go…I feel free again, I feel like me again. I paint because I have too. it’s just that simple. If you like it, I have made it super easy to own original art, so… I guess if you like what you see…just do it.

I hope that everyone is having a great week. We just had our first salad greens harvest from our modest garden, and that was wonderful!  Keep on keeping on, and I’ll see you all in the funny pages.

Raw & Radiant,

Heather

Live your Life Out Loud, buy some art from a living artists today

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Monster Suit #5 oil painting by HMBT 2009

close up

‘ Monster Suit Series #5- Anger Mangement’

18″ x 24″

Oils

Finished sides, needs no frame, ready to hang

Now available at my web site in the Monsters gallery 

Here is the quote that inspired the work:

“Let everything happen to you, beauty and terror, no feeling is final.”

~Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 – 1926)

Now I could go into a rant about why I needed to paint this painting, but I really don’t think I need too.  We have all been there, true that. I have had three occasions this past week to want to wear this suit. Instead I painted it. Much more healthy I think for everyone.

I hope you enjoy the new work, and are having a great weekend.

Don’t miss the Fine Art Auction that is now going on over at Overstock, you can hit the link, and/or even scroll down one post, to see the paintings that are on sale. Happy bidding!

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Live your Life Out Loud buy some art from a living artist today.

PS. Dear Universe, it’s me Heather, I really need to make a sale, and it’s not for my ego Universe, it’s for my current electric bill that is out of control, and my kids…well they like have lights and the like. So, I know you are busy and all, but if you’ve got the time, I sure would appreciate a little help over here, Thanks a bunch.

Hello everyone,

I started some new art auctions tonight, I figured what the hell? You never know unless you try right? Well I am trying, so here it goes. I offered up 4 works, (pictured below) all opening bids start at 95.00 USD and have no reserves. Now would be a great time to get yourself a BAD! kitty Original for next to nothing, and feel so good about it knowing that you’ll be helping to keep the lights on at a hardworking living artists studio.

So, it’s the Keep the lights on BAD! Kitty Art Studio Sale, don’t miss it ya’ll. Here’s the link for your shopping ease and pleasure:

BAD! Kitty’s OverStock Art Auctions HERE

Have a great weekend,

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Live your Life Out Loud, buy some art from a living artist today

From the bottom left: fop in lime, summer slice and lemon salsa

So, here are the three latest works all together, Fop in Lime, Summer Slice and Lemon Salsa.

They were painted to bring a smile to your face. In these trying times, all I wanted to do was make something that could bring people to a moment in time, just a moment, where everything that is wrong in the world right now, lifted. Where for a minute, you could just laugh at the silliness and the stress of it all and just, smile. I wanted a moments rest from the real world, so I created my own world where ladies wear fruit for hats and the air is fine. No worries, just fun and laughs. Creating the good old days right here and now. This world isn’t much fun right now…so I created my own world, where it is nothing but fruity good fun. I hope you enjoy and I hope you smiled.

Have a wonderful day!

Thanks for being here.

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Support living artists, buy some art today.

"Betty" original oil painting by HMBT copyright 2009

Close up

‘Betty’ from The Pin-Up Series #2

Oils

18″ x 24″

Back stapled gallery canvas with finished sides, needs no frame

Comes ready to hang

Available on my web site for purchase (in the 2009 gallery)

Betty was fun to work with. She’s a high flying, adrenaline junkie. I mean she would have to be right? Those kicks on a rope ladder? Well she’s a might more brave than I am at the very least.

This series is turning out to be a lot of fun to do and I am once again enjoying myself and painting what ever pleases me. The economy can do what it likes and the bone crushing wheels of capitalism can keep turning, and I’ll be here painting what ever I like and loving my life. Waiting for the fickle light of this economy to shed its light on me once again. I am enjoying this respite from the shows and constant marketing and loving the fact that I am a artist…in good times and in bad…I am an artist. That’s enough for me right now. Sales like I am used to (over the past 11 years of being a full-time artist) will return to better levels…someday. I can wait. This has been good for me, I am self directing my artwork in a way that has not been entirely possible for many years. I am not painting what is selling, I am for now, painting what feels good and re-discovering my work in a new way. It’s really great. As you can see I’ve not quit marketing all together, but the traveling shows were just not an option this year and that’s ok!

Hey, oh yeah…todays my birthday. I am 40. Can you belive that? I mean really…me 40?! WTF? Well…Okay, it’s not so bad…I’m having a relaxing day at home with the family. My Mate Man has just acquired a new job, one much more befitting of his abilities I might add, and after waiting for 18 months to get this job, we are all very happy for him. My kids are both on the honor roll for the first term, now continuing a 3 year run of both of them being on the honor roll every grading period. It’s cool that they are into school and getting as much out of it as they can. We are now in middle school and they still want to do their best…no complaints from this corner. We now have insurance again too…I mean three years with no health coverage was a living hell and expensive too. I’m all for reform and a public option, but I am also relived that we are no longer in that boat for the time being. Whew! I can get my cancer panels done and my sore tooth fixed. Life is good I tell you.

So, in short my,  life is getting pretty groovy after three years of crapola. And thats great and all, but I guess the nicest thing is that all of the getting better stuff really has not changed me/us. I was happy even when we were poor and struggling every day (that was three days ago, btw) because I choose to be happy. So now that it’s easier to be happy,( and it is easier to be happy with money and health insurance, Oh yeah it is) I’m still just happy that my family is whole and well and this is just a chapter in the story. Nothing last forever, so we will just enjoy the good times as well as we did the bad. 40 years of living hard as taught me well…I choose happy. No matter what is going on. I choose happy and love first…the rest is all logistics. Every day above ground is good. Keep it simple and choose happy where you can. Train your mind for the situation at hand, what ever that may be.

Be well and have a great day!

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Lola original oil painting by HMBT copyright 2009

‘Lola’

18″ x 24″

oils

Gallery wrapped canvas with finished sides and back staples.

Comes ready to hang, no frame needed

Available for purchase at my web site.

Here’s the quote that goes along with her:

She didn’t mean to be sexy that moment, but even a winter nightgown couldn’t hide that lovely outline. When will I outgrow my simple-minded fascination with the form she had happened to choose for her body?  Never, I thought ~Richard Bach

 Lola is the first of a new little series I want to explore right now…yes another thing I am checking out. I know, I just can’t seem to stop myself. This is all about fun for me right now, if it makes me smile or laugh I want to express it in paint. So, for now a little side jaunt to the garages and barber shops of my youth where pin-up girls where all the rage and tolerated by the women folk well enough, as long as it wasn’t in your face.  When just about everybody has jobs, homes and a car or two. People where happy to have survived the wars and were ready for a little peace and prosperity.  You know the late 70’s and early 80’s! Yup, I had you going there, didn’t I? *wink, wink*

I loved those pin-up girls back then and thought they looked like they were having a good time in life, happy and free; drawn and colored into perfection. They would never look like Kate Moss, and it was cool, and they were sexy and beautiful. At least in calendars, it was all possible. 

Well, they say what goes around, comes back around at sometime…and besides I like to leave you all wondering what the heck will that BAD! Kitty do next? You just never know. 

Take care and I’ll see you all in the funny pages.

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

 Support living artists, buy some art today

Lemon Salsa Oils original fine art by HMBT copyright 2009

close up

Lemon Salsa

18″ x 24″

oils

finished sides, gallery wrapped canvas, ready to hang

Original available for sale on my web site.

Here is the quote that helped the work along:

“Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.”

~Alice May Brock

What does that quote mean? Heck if I know, I just liked it.

This is the last sister. I had a lot of fun working on these ladies, I hope you’ll scroll down the next two posts and see them all.

Have a great day and thanks for being here!

Heather

 http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Support living artists, buy some art today

Summer Slice oils original fine art by HMBT copyright 2009

Close up

Summer Slice

24″ x 18″

oils

Gallery Wrapped canvas, finished sides, ready to hang

Available for purchase on my web site

Here is the quote that helped inspire the work:

When I was four years old they tried to test my IQ, they showed me this picture of three oranges and a pear.  They asked me which one is different and does not belong, they taught me different was wrong. ~Ani Difranco

This obsession I’ve had with hats made of fruit has sprouted  another lovely. I have already started a lemon sister as well, so I think that these are going to end up as a series. This would be sister #2, and I think they are the three daughters of Hesperus.

So, she is bright and richly sweet. Her orange hat is brimming with golden sun warmed juice. It sparkles in the sun and smells wonderfully in the salted breeze. She looks wonderful on the drying wall with her big sister ‘Fop in Lime’. The Lemon nymph that I am working on now is just as pretty as these two. They are not Vogue cover girls these three, no. They are wild seed. They are themselves, brave and unapologetic for who they are. They are the real deal,  with edible fashion statements.

Yeah baby, that’s what I’m talking about. Stay tuned for the final sister and I’ll take a picture of them all together too, so I may formally introduce the Hesperides in the proper fashion.

Have a great day, and I thank you for being here today.

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Fop in Lime oils original fine art by HMBT copyright 2009

Fop in Lime

24″ X 18″

oils

Gallery wrapped canvas, finished sides, ready to hang

Available on my web site for purchase

Here is the quote that helped inspire the work:

Being ‘weird’ is one of the most best complements you could ever give someone. If no one in the world was weird, everything would be normal, and that’s boring. Be different. Stand out. Be the sore thumb that got hammered
a couple times by a heavy mallet. Be that sole bird that’s flying in the exact opposite direction everyone else is and hasn’t a clue it’s winter.

~Sarah Palermo


Painting this weird, funny wonderful person; I had such a blast! I imagined her sitting on the beach, wearing a wedge of lime for a hat and sipping Sangria over ice, in the heat. Her makeup all waterproof so it won’t melt off as she sits thinking of strange, off-the-wall questions…pondering the many meanings of this reality and life. I could smell the salt in the air and hear the kids playing and screaming just down the beach a little ways. I imagined I was sitting a little distance off from her, and in the shade of an overhanging rock, I captured her far away thoughts and froze time on the spot. In my world, fruit is also a fashion option. Edible fashion, practical yet fun. It was like taking a vacation painting this work.
I hope you enjoy her too.
If you can’t tell in the picture, this work is rich in color and tone…and fun weirdness. It’s a make you smile and feel good painting. How’s it working?
Have a great day and thanks for being here,

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Monster Suit #6 oils by HMBT available for sale on web site

Rejection, it’s good for the Ego.

“In rejecting the Beatles, 1962: We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.” Decca Recording Co.

 How does one deal with the inevitable rejections that we get along the path of the creative? Well, one of the best ways to deal with rejection is to embrace it. Yes, I said embrace it. Learn to love rejection, failure and disappointments.

 Rejection is our friend; it tames the ego, creates drive and ambition, and clears the mind.  Rejection is always part of the path, for any endeavor, creative or not. You will encounter it at every turn, even if you are the most creative, most skilled and most passionate person in the world. Rejection is a numbers game. I feel pretty good when I get a rejection notice. Why you ask? Why good and not bad or self-pity? Every single NO is another no on the way to my YES. You have to accept that fact. If you allow yourself to take rejection to heart, you will die, wither on the vine of life and give up. If you fear rejection you will never succeed.

 Your ego is not that fragile, your work is important to you and the world. We take rejection because it is part of living; it is part of the equation of life itself.  It only matters what you think of yourself, your own work, and your desire to accomplish whatever it is that you are working towards. Never ever, let anyone disrupt the relationship you have with yourself; it is the most important relationship you will ever have in this world.

  No matter what we do in this life, there will be someone on the sidelines that is pointing a finger and telling you why it and you are wrong. We must have the courage to face those people with the convictions of self-love and say, my own opinion of myself is much more important than anything else. If we fail, fail with grace and grit. Learn to fail with grace. Become aware of your inner self and motivations. Embrace that you will not always be a winner and rejections and failures cease to be difficult to endure and grow from. It is just another no on the way to your yes.

 Rejection keeps you humble, keeps you motivated, keeps you striving. It is not the end of the world, just another disappointment on your path. There will be many disappointments, many bends in the road you will not see around. If you have the courage and conviction of self-love then that is all they are, just potholes to sidestep, lessons to learn, another no for the bone pile of life.

 “There are a billion people in China. It’s not easy to be an individual in a crowd of more than a billion people. Think of it. More than a BILLION people. That means even if you’re a one-in-a-million type of guy, there are still a thousand guys exactly like you.”

A. Whitney Brown

 I want to share a story, my own story. When I started out in the world of art, I started with painting recycled furniture. I did my first work and liked it. I went on to create four more works. At the time, I was sick, out of work, facing my own mortality and penniless. I was painting to keep my mind sane while I dealt with my very possible death.

 I wanted to see if my friends were just being kind to me when they told me my newfound passion for art was a latent talent. To me the only way I could find out was to try and sell the work to strangers. So, when the fifth work was done, I loaded my works into the back of my rusted out Volvo station wagon and set out to find a buyer. No plans really, I just started with the phone book and a list of galleries. Never having been to school for art and having no resume for my works I had no idea what I was setting myself up for. I did not know any of the art world rules, that galleries don’t appreciate people just walking in and asking for a showing. I did not know that I was setting myself up for a day of rejection and heartbreak. I did not know what I did not know.

  The first three places I stopped at were really mean to me. I almost stopped right then and there. The fourth place I walked into, when they said no, I asked why and what could I do better to get them to say yes. I was lucky, that gallery owner took a moment to tell me I was breaking all the rules in the book. I asked what the rules were, I said thank you and left.

  I went into a coffee shop to take a rejection break and sat down. The owner had local art on the walls. It gave me a thought; maybe this is where I should start. I approached the owner and asked for a moment of their time. They were nice folks and stepped outside to my hunk of junk on the corner and peered in. They were not interested in my works either, but they were kind enough to tell me I should try a consignment furniture store that they frequented. I looked the store up and drove across town to see them. I got there filled with hope. They were not interested either, but were kind people and suggested another store for me to try. I drove back across town and tried them. No go, but I did ask for another suggestion from them, I also asked what they looked for in hand painted furniture and home décor. They told me, I wrote it down, said thank you and left.

  In this day I am now up to my seventh no. The last store gave me three other stores to try. The first two, they were big fat no’s. Now at nine rejections and counting, I was starting to loose my faith and determination. I almost just went home, but instead I steeled myself for another NO, and drove over to the last lead I had for the day. They were very excited by my work! They took me on right then and there. Five days later they called to tell me that all five of my works had sold and asked for more. My career had begun.

 I spent the next two years doing furniture and up-cycled works of all kinds and selling them as fast as I could make them. I also started painting on canvas for the first time. I took my works around to restaurants, frame shops and coffee shops and booked several shows. I started selling my canvas works just as fast. I was off and running.

 I then started learning about the world of galleries and self-representation on the web. I started a rejection pile from the galleries and at the same time I started a web site and a blog to sell my works directly. Three years later I got my first gallery acceptance, this is now five years into my working full time as an artist. By that time I had sold over 200 works so I was feeling pretty good about myself. The show was a total flop. The gallery owner suggested that I remain a “hobbyist” painter. I was crushed.

  I never let anyone tell me what I am, or what I can do in this life. I plunged ahead and kept trying. Eventually I found some success in the gallery system, but I found that I liked selling directly because of the personal connections I was able to make with my patrons. That was all 11 years ago this year. To date I have sold 557 works worldwide.

  If I had let my first 10 rejections infect my self-belief system, I would never have made it at all. Success is self-defined. If you are too afraid to fail, then you will never begin to live your dreams. That’s why I truly believe that Rejection is good for the Soul, Ambition and the Ego. Rejection is the foundation for the great things that come from perseverance and faith in self. Embrace rejection and the world will be yours.

Heather Brown Truman

BAD! Kitty Art Studio

 www.badkittyartstudio.com

Block City at Sunset, on the road less traveled acrylics by Max Stone 2009

‘Block City at sunset, on the road less traveled’

24″ x 18″

Acrylics

Finished sides, ready to hang

This Work Is Now Sold 6/29/09

Max Stone is the very first resident artist here at BAD! Kitty Art Studio. I have been teaching Max painting for 3 years now and this is his first large work that he completed without help from me, his humble teacher. Max is 10 years old, he will be 11 this October. I am very proud to announce that Max’s work will also be in the new Artist Challenge Show, The Road Less Traveled. The show is to go live on June 1, 2009. Please hit the link and check out all the uber talented artists this month that are in the challenge. (I have a work in the challenge too) Max is very excited to be a part of such a stellar group of artists and that he was invited to join made him over the top happy. Please watch this space for Max’s next works and mine too. BAD! Kitty art studio now has two working and soulful artists to choose from, and that my friends is a very good thing.

Have a great day and thanks for reading. If you would like to purchase ‘Block City at Sunset’ from Max, please email him at browntruman5@msn.com. It will soon be on his web site, his site is undergoing a spruce up and will be down for a couple of days while we do that.

With a whole heart,

Heather & Max

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Buy some art from a living artists today, we like eating too.

Tree of Giving acrylics Max Stone 2009

‘Tree of Giving’

18″ x 24″

acrylics, back stapled, finished sides, needs no frame

Ready to hang

Available for sale on  web site

This is Max’s entry for this months theme ‘The Giving Tree’ over at the Artist Challenge Site. He really was pleased with himself and in how it turned out. I am proud of him too. It’s really fun to have another working artist in the studio. Even though Max is only ten years old, he is a real pleasure to share space with. He’s always got something going on in his little corner, and the challenge site has really inspired him to create on a deadline. He’s a kick in the pants that kid. This work is bright and fun too.

Here is my entry

Tangled Hope oils copyright HMBT 2009

 ’Tangled Hope’

24″ x 18″

oils

back stapled canvas, finished sides, needs no frame

Ready to hang

Available for sale on my web site

‘Tangled Hope’ was a work of healing for me. A real bear to paint out, with much fretting over the hand itself. I really like the way it turned out, and because this healed a place inside my mind, this work feels alive and powerful. Its fun having it on the studio wall for now. Here is the quote that goes with it…I hope you enjoy.

“There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer; no disease that enough love will not heal; no door that enough love will not open; no gulf that enough love will not bridge; no wall that enough love will not throw down; no sin that enough love will not redeem . . . It makes no difference how deeply seated may be the trouble; how hopeless the outlook; how muddled the tangle; how great the mistake. A sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all. If only you could love enough you would be the happiest and most powerful being in the world . . .”
~Emmet Fox

Thanks for being here today we sure appreciate you stopping by.

Heather & Max

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

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oils original art by HMBT 2009

‘Sign on the road less traveled’

24″ x 18″

oils

finished sides, ready to hang, needs no frame

Here is the quote that goes with the work:

“Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult – once we truly understand and accept it – then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.” -M. Scott Peck

Of late I find that I am struggling a little bit, to make the connections in my mind that used to come so easy. The economy is basically making me focus on making money, not marketing, making and selling art. Let’s be honest, no one is buying art right now and that may not change for awhile looking at the reports. So, I have choices to make, do I hang it up? Do I just throw myself into my day job as a intuitive life coach in order to keep the bills paid? Do I give up making art so I can save money on the costs of making art? Well after much thought and some tears too, I have come to a conclusion. I don’t give up anything. I can’t give up art making, it would be like cutting off my own arm to lose weight. That’s just dumb. I work hard at my day job in order to feed and take of my family, sure that’s a no-brain-er. I may sleep a little less, I may eat a little less, I may make do with supplies and find a challenge in that, and all that is okay to do. What I must not do is let my circumstances dictate my actions. I have never had a year that sales were so bad, but that is not because my artwork is failing, it because no one has any money to spend. That is something I can not control. I wait it out, I keep calm, I carry on.

 I painted this simple little painting to remind myself and others that the end is not near. This is temporary,  it may last longer than I would like, but it is still temporary in the scheme of things. I’ve been full time as an artist for 11 years now, I can’t stop or walk away from my true calling or my passion, it would be easier to just stop breathing. This is my life, suffering allows a soul to grow and offers challenges for the spirit to overcome. This isn’t a problem, this is a challenge to grow, to explore, to innovate, and to learn a new form of endurance and faith in self.

I hope you like the painting, that would be nice. But you see, I have never painted for the now, or the people outside my studio. I paint for me and if you find resonance or something that fits your style and decor that’s the bonus of living out loud for me. That super, that’s great and I live for those connections I am privileged to make with my patrons; patrons that I can talk too, get to know and be inspired by. If I sold my work through the traditional gallery system I would lose that one to one connection and that would make me sad. I love knowing my patrons, I love the friendships and connections I get to make. You inspire me, yes, you. So, everyone far and wide, stay calm and carry on. This too shall pass.

A little background on the message. These words are taken from a WWII poster that I found. It was plastered all over Great Britain as the bombs fell everyday on the populace of London. The words were bold on a pink background. I thought it was perfect for the conditions we all face right now, around the globe.

So my friends, Keep Calm and Carry On, we will make it through this crisis and hopefully be better for it. Love, live,  laugh, and most of all stay true to yourselves.

Raw & Radiant,

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Support living artists, there is no unemployment or bailouts for the starving artists, & we like eating too.