Diane Clancy

Diane Clancy creates vibrant paintings that feature color and vision to inspire and uplift people. Diane says, "I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to express myself through painting. I love that people say my artwork enhances their lives."

It is easy to see Clancy’s work enhancing a variety of settings.

Conundrum

These “Bubblescapes” are delightful. She often incorporates her favorite colors of aquas, pinks, and purples into these digitally created scenes.

Evening Stroll


Ocean Dreams

Peach Fantasy

Diane also has a line of "Fanciful Animal Images." What an imaginative way to celebrate your special animal!

Freckles

These "Fanciful Animal Images" would be adorable in any child’s room, or look quite wonderful in sitting areas.

I find Diane’s work to be energetic and yet peaceful. Her color choices, design and composition show a sharp eye for a creation sure to grace your walls! With work priced from $4.00 to well over $1000.00, you easily find something for every budget, any room, or that special gift.

Diane is active in peace, environmental, health, social and economic justice issues. In addition to her artistic pursuits, Clancy is also a graphic designer and web designer. This is one talented lady!

As well as being a member of our great BBEST team, Diane is an active member of the Visual Artist Street Team and the Design Style Guide team. She is also a member of WWAO (Worldwide Women Artists Online), an international collective of women artists showing and selling original work online.

Check out these links to find more of Clancy’s wonderful art:

Diane's Etsy Store
Enhance your Spirit at Diane's web site
Diane's Blog

by: Jean Levert Hood

Mystic Silks

Mystic Silks – the name certainly stirs the imagination. What is it? What is the mystery? Who is this mystery??

I love the mystery in Picasso Moon:

Klaire, the artist behind Mystic Silks, has been painting and drawing since she was old enough to hold a paint brush or sketching pencil. She creates paintings in oils, acrylics, and water color.

Ten years ago someone suggested that she try silk painting, “To relax” they said. After taking several classes on silk painting Klaire’s instructor told her that she was a natural. Initially she created silk scarves, then went on to the more challenging art of silk paintings. She now creates silk scarves and silk pillows.

In the silk painting process, the artist applies the gutta to make the outlines, then adds French dyes. From that point on the artist is not in control. In the steaming process of the creating factor, the process itself appears to take control. So at that time Klaire flows with her muse, and the painting comes into its own. This is her favorite part, those mysterious images appearing like magic from the steaming/dye interaction. This process makes each work completely unique, and that is one part of her craft that Klaire loves.

And so, "Mystic Silks" was born - from the way the dyes and gutta, touched by the steaming process, brings out those mysterious shapes and images seen in her paintings, pillows, and scarves.

Klaire finds inspiration in nature, and it is especially important to her is those difficult times of life when creativity can be harder to find. Being with nature gives her the feeling that all is right with the world, that whatever created this whole process of life is still in control. She finds a peace in acknowledging that. In nature’s displays she has no favorites, all seasons inspire her creations and fill her palette. This is so evident in her work, as she has no favorite color. Her works are all varieties of colors, and she calls each color “awesome.”

Einstien is a wonderful example of this:

Einstein E=Mc2

Out in Nature’s inspiration, Klaire is acutely aware of those creatures and scenes that people tend to not see up close and personal. A Monarch butterfly or a small forest flower stirs in her a creative treasury. When she tells someone “This was created just for you,” she means that something in the painting spoke to you. All of Klaire’s work is original, she does not make reproductions or prints. That one piece is created for you!

Forest Flower and Friend translates one of those small scenes:

Klaire’s work has been accepted into juried and invitational shows. She continues to hone her amazing skills at silk painting, seeing each piece she creates as a labor of love, made for someone special. She has a wonderful blog post telling this story here.

"Mystic," as she is known to her Etsy friends is a member of our BBEST team. She also belongs to these Etsy Teams: Design Style Guide, VAST Team, GalleryUnited, and the WWWG Team. Additionally, she belongs to WWAO, Worldwide Women Artists Online. This is one very active lady!

Please visit Mystic Silk's Etsy store. Klaire’s store features her silk paintings, silk scarves, and silk pillows. You will also find watercolor, oil, and acrylic paintings there.

Her scarves, pillows, and paintings will share their mystery with your living spaces, evoking those mysterious images that...well, who knows?

It's Jean Hood!

This week's Meet the Boomers article is on someone whose name we've all seen on the forums and all over the internet.  Now's the chance to learn even more about Jean Levert Hood and her beautiful work!

Q. What is/are the name of your shop?  On Etsy, I am JeanHood.

Q. What kind of items do you sell?  I sell small watercolors mostly, but I generally have several of my oil paintings listed too.

Q. How long have you been engaged in your art?  I started painting in 1997, so I’m into my 13^th year!

Q. Do you consider yourself a hobbyist or a professional craftsperson?  I consider myself a professional painter.

Q. What inspires you?  Nature, colors, shapes, light, shadow. If I had to pick one, it would be “Nature,” which I guess would encompass them all!

Q. Please share with us what a typical day is like in your workshop or studio.  I try to have my studio time defined before I get in there. When I leave the studio the prior day, I like to have my paints ready, brushes ready, canvas and reference materials picked out for my next session. That way when I walk in, I’m ready to get to work. When I walk in the door, the first thing I do is put on the music!

Q. What keeps you company while you’re working on a project?  Music. Loud music and occasionally my cats Stella and Clothilde. Stella really enjoys painting with me.

Q. What is your favorite task related to your art/craft?  I love squeezing out fresh paint onto my palette! It’s so beautiful I can’t wait to dive in!

Q. What is your least favorite task related to your art/craft?  Hmmm. Keeping the studio organized, I guess. I need a certain level of organization and I can get past that rea-l-l-l-ly quick!

Q. What are some of the venues you use to promote your shop/ware?  Do you blog?  To which teams do you belong?  Which other sites do you use?  I do blog, and I have my own website. I have several other internet sites as well:

• Design Style Guide  has a portfolio of my work.
• My blog is where I share new paintings and my beautiful area of Texas.
• My website features mainly my oil paintings
• At Trunkt  I have a large portfolio of both sold and available items.
• I belong to VAST – Visual Artists Street Team, a fantastic team, and to Design Style Guide as well.
• When I blog for Design Style Guide and my own blog, I enjoy featuring my team members from BBEST. When I see BBESTers in Trunkt, I include them in my showcases (so let me know if you are there!).

Q. Related to your craft, tell us about a funny, strange or unusual situation you found yourself.  I guess the most adventuresome painting I have done is on trips to Taos, New Mexico. I went there with a friend for several years and we’d paint on locations all over the area.
     We were trying to set up to get a great view of the Rio Grande Gorge, and I had my tripod legs in positions I never knew they could be in. Rocks kept everything steady, and the challenge was to keep one of my feet braced against a tree stump so I didn’t go falling down with all of the painting equipment! We really were on quite a slant! It was a wonderful day. My friend’s entire set up overturned with a wind gust. There were little tiny bugs that were entirely annoying and bit in spite of repellant, it was dusty and hot. I love painting out!

Q. Tell us something about you that we wouldn’t necessarily know about you by talking to you in the forums.  I’m from South Louisiana and can cook a mean gumbo.

Q. What’s your favorite book and why, favorite movie and why, favorite kind of music?  I’ve been a reader all my life, and simply cannot pick a favorite!! I don’t see too many movies.  Music — I’m all over the place there. I have five CD slots in my player in the studio, and it isn’t unusual for me to have classical, rock, late '60s, opera, etc., all at the same time.  The only requirement is that the volume is up.

Q. Would you care to share any words of wisdom with other aspiring artists or crafters?  Find your passion and keep at it!

Now that you know her a little better, please leave a comment for Jean.