Forgiven, another byte from my book

 

Forgiven

“Forgiven” 8″ x 8″ Acrylic on gallery wrap canvas 

Writing my book has been very cathartic. When you review your life as Chapters in a book, like I am doing, you begin to see the whole picture; the good, the bad, and the ugly. I ask myself, “Do I really want to make this public?”

My answer is “yes, a resounding YES”; if my transparency helps one person identify with my strengths and weaknesses. As a former therapist my words may help that person step out of their own dark space and forgive themself and love themself, and through that transformation become a new person.

An excerpt from my book Drawn by the Light, Finding Strength in Dark Spaces: “When you venture into a dark space, say a cave, the smallest spark will create the brightest light. We can’t always predict or know why life takes us into dark spaces, but when they come it is the greatest time of growth. Those of us who come out of dark spaces are transformed into new people, and we find the light”

As I write this book I am sharing excerpts and paintings that will be in my book. The painting above is calledForgiven”. If you want to follow along and are not on my mailing list you can sign up HERE and receive a free digital download of one of my paintings, or just scroll below and you will also find a link.

A New Book Is Coming

 

 

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“As I begin my story and describe an important first picture, I will take a moment to paint the background. When one thinks of creating a new painting, the background is the first thing that needs to be laid down. With the appropriate background, the things in the foreground are noticed more easily.” An excerpt from my new work in progress. “Drawn by the Light, Finding Strength in Dark Spaces.”

After five years of procrastination I have finally hired an editor and started working on my book. For the longest time I did not know how to start. Fear can stop you dead in your tracks. This year I promised myself that I would be unstoppable, so here I am. Six Chapters in to my faith journey and how it has influenced my art. This is the tentative Cover.

It will be a beautiful book, full of art and hope. Release date should be sometime in July.

~Pam~

 

Reaching Your Highest Potential

REACHING UP

Reaching High 24″ X 24″   TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PAINTING

As you know I love to paint inspiring and up-lifting pieces.  I thought these Cone Flowers were just right for that kind of motivation.  Stretching themselves to reach to the sun, they are the tallest plants in this garden.  Just like these Cone Flowers we should be reaching ever upward, seeking to have a most productive and joyous life. Being the best we can be, and living the life of our dreams.  It doesn’t matter what stage of life we are in, we can always look forward to greatness, joy and abundance.  Whether that means we volunteer our time to help others, travel to places we have always wanted to go, or seek new talents, we can always reach our highest potential.

Go out this week and find the time to do something wonderful.

Pamela is an Art workshop instructor, and a motivational teacher.   To find her CLASSES and  to enjoy her Positive-Energy ART

Thriving

 

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“Thriving” 10″ X 10″  LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PAINTING      

Hi Friends,

We all want to feel like we are thriving, but sometimes that perception is hard to accept. This happens a lot to artists; it is the culture of art, the mystic of art.  Actually it is the fault of Vincent van Gogh!  After all van Gogh only sold one painting in his entire career, so he was the first and foremost “Starving Artist:.

So I try to thrive, and fortunately have never had to starve. I diversify my assets.  What are my assets? I could include my portfolio, but that is between me and my broker, what I really want to talk about is my skill sets.

I paint powerful, energy driven paintings full of color and movement.  They come from my faith-based life, the spiritual side of me, the side that finds joy in life, the side that want’s to lift others spirits.  My other skill set is actually two-fold, the therapist and teacher side of me.  I use these skills in my workshops and individual lessons and soon in my on-line classes.  I diversify these skills to create my purpose: “to lift people’s spirits and bring people to wholeness, by finding the beauty in this world.” 

It’s not a bad way to live, doing what I love and know best. Thriving in a beautiful art career, and helping people lift their spirits.  Let’s take the Starving out of the Artist.

Pam

 

 

My #1 question? What’s yours?

 

PRESCOTT SUNRISE, 16 X 16 ACRYLIC ON 1 1:2 GALLERY WRAP CANVAS, $320.00 BY PAMELA DUNMIRE

“Prescott Sunrise”   Learn more about this painting

Hi Friends,

Today is a question and answer session.  So I will try to answer the #1 question that people ask about my art and let you ask me some.

People always ask,  “Why do I paint what I do?”

Short answer is that it makes me happy, but the long answer is more complicated. My previous career was in Social Work; twenty years working with families, with a Masters in Counseling Psychology .

I saw that people who had broken spirits rarely picked themselves up. A single reflection of hope, in many cases, could be the trigger to make all the difference. Art became my solace after a long day of helping others who were stuck in a mire of self-destruction and hopelessness. It brought normalcy and hope to my life, so why couldn’t it bring this to others? If I were able to help a person move into a positive direction simply by viewing my art or teaching them how to create their own art they could look at life differently and change their lives for the better.

It is little wonder I try to find that spark of hope in all I do. As an artist the themes of hope and positive energy carry through all my work. I choose to paint art that is full of movement, positive-energy, and color to uplift my spirit and the spirits of others. Through my workshops I teach others to find wholeness through art.

So there you have it… I paint to heal grief, disappointment, and failure. I paint to give hope to others. I paint to help people have a joyous life.

So ask away, and then let me ask you how my art can help?  When it comes to picking art for your environment, what is your single greatest challenge?

Have a great day and continue enjoying life to its fullest.

Pam

 

Creating Early Morning Studies

SPRINGTIME ON THE MESA

“Spring Time On The Mesa”  9″T X 12″W  Acrylic on Vellum

I started a practice at the first of the year to force me to hone my skills and bring me into the studio and away from the office.  I have found that this art business of mine renders me more time in the office doing marketing than in the actual studio.  I must get an assistant, but I digress.

I call this practice my early morning 10 to 15 minute study. I have a pad of Vellum that I use strictly to create quick studies.  I work the first 10 minutes of the morning laying down on the paper what ever comes to mind. This practice really is a marker as to how I am thinking that day and the mood I am in. I never finish the study in one sitting but instead put it aside and pick it up again the next morning.  The next day my mood may have changed and I may go in another direction with the study. Eventually I finish it and may find I like what I have created so I will mat it and sell it way below what I charge for a normal acrylic painting done on gallery wrap canvas. The customer ends up with a Boutique Art Original at a much lower price. That is how many of my new customers have started their collections of my work.

This practice loosens me up and allows me to experiment with new techniques so I am constantly getting better. It also quickly gets me ready for a day of work in the studio.

So what do you do to start your day?

“Spring Time On The Mesa”

9″ X 12″ original acrylic painting on vellum paper, matted to 12" X 16" and ready to frame.

$75.00

From Creation to Resurrection… looking forward to Good Friday

Deep Under

“Deep Under” Acrylic on Gallery Wrap Canvas, 30″X30″ View it Here

This is Easter Week and I received a message from our “Friday Project” leader that our church Trinity Presbyterian in Prescott, AZ was having a very unique church service Friday evening, in remembrance of Good Friday.

No pressure here… “Do you happen to have a couple of paintings that would work well with our Good Friday Service? We are leading the congregation from the creation story through the fall/brokenness then through the incarnation to the cross and hopefully to the joy of resurrection.”

If you know my art most of it is brightly colored with lot’s of movement and positive-energy.  So I looked through my inventory.

Finding The Path

“Finding The Path” Acrylic on Gallery Wrap Canvas, 30″ X 30″ View it Here

Yes, I did find two awesome paintings that will work well for their intended mission. These two paintings above are perfect in their story of hope.  The story of Christ is about finding love and being born again in hope and mercy.

“Deep Under” can be expressed as this…  “The murkiness of life can sometimes feel as if we are drowning. What if we dove deep to find our inner peace? Instead of drowning we would be floating in love.”

“Finding the Path” can be expressed as this… “After a bout with cancer I attended a life changing retreat to transition to  a new life path.  I traveled from darkness to light, as I opened my eyes to God’s marvelous creation of me.”

So even the darkest of paintings can shine with the light of resurrection. I am looking forward to Friday night, and the Friday Project. 6:00pm at Trinity.

 

 

Morning On The Mesa

Morning On The Mesa

“Morning On The Mesa” 12″ X 13″ Acrylic on Gallery Wrap

Wow, this is my first post of 2018 because of six weeks working on a Wizard of Oz set for our local Youth Theater.  As their set designer I have been busy down in the basement of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Prescott, AZ creating a large, 7′ X 12′ story book that will be the backdrop (Center Stage) for the show.  But more about that on a later post.

So you can image how exciting it was to finally paint for fun today.  So I choose some of my favorite colors, purple and teal, and used their softest hue for each by adding white and formed a pastel palette.  Then I took my favorite subject a desert mesa and added a river (always wanting to quench my thirst) then drew my inspiration from memories.  A soft, dreamy painting of a sunrise, that mirrors my expectations for a new beginning to 2018; a year of possibilities in the studio for teaching, showing and selling art.

I am so glad to be back in the studio creating one panting at a time…

 

 

SOLITUDE

SIERRA FALLS

Sierra Falls  14″ X 11″ acrylic on 1 1/2″ gallery wrap canvas

There is nothing better than sitting by a forest falls, water rushing into a silent pool, Jays squawking and sun sparkling on the water.  To me this is a reflection of solitude, and oneness with God.

As I get older I spend more time on spiritual endeavors and less on worldly thoughts. Peace and tranquility is what I yearn for and seek out. A few close friends and love of family is all I need. Solitude becomes my friend.

Alone with my thoughts, one painting at a time…

 

Sierra Falls (One of a kind Original Acrylic Painting)

One of a kind Original 16" X 12" acrylic painting on 1 1/2" gallerywrap canvas, sides painted black and ready to hang. Originally $240.00. Year end sale discounts of 40% and FREE SHIPPING burings this to $154.00 1 only

$154.00

MY WHY, how I came to be the artist I am.

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River Bank  30″ X 30″ Acrylic on Gallery Wrap Canvas

Here is a flash back from 2014 when I began to paint bigger and bolder with Color, Energy and Movement. At that time I was in an experimental stage with my art and not knowing where it would lead me. Little did I know that 2014 would be the pivotal year in defining my work and finding my voice.

It certainly didn’t happen all at once but with a conscious effort to dig deep into my inner self I discovered my “WHY” ( why do I paint).  It took an extensive and intense workshop in North Carolina, and much soul-searching to find the Why of my art.  Slowly my work became more cohesive, more me, and I was able to speak to its depth of meaning. It now defines who I am, and who my audience is. It has made all the difference in how successful I have become.  As an artist who struggled I can only say you must know where your WHY comes from in order to be great at what you do. Art now defines my life, gives me a voice to speak about a future of abundance, and helps others find the happiness that I have found.

Finding my WHY one painting at a time…