My new favorite artist!

I love art! I think that I have a visual artist inside of me. I used to sit in a corner and either draw or color (other than reading a book). In elementary school, I remember coming in 3rd place for an Easter Egg decoration contest. My heart were set on a coloring book/crayons, but the teacher walked towards me holding a big chocolate bunny as my reward. I mumbled, "I can't eat chocolate." I desperately hoped that she'd turn around and give me the coloring book instead, but she shrugged her shoulders and whispered, "Oh," and turned around. She knew I was lying! I was a fat kid who ate sweets all the time, but I wanted that coloring book and crayons!

Anyway, I was only tramatized enough to still remember it after all of these years. (Pictures below are of Lois Mailou Jones.)

While I was researching a visual artist that I recently became captivated with, I learned of a new artist who is talented and amazing in her own right. While researching Lois Maliou Jones, a visual artist from the Harlem Renaissance period. I found Joyce Ownes, her mentee who is wonderful. Please visit her site (yes, all 11 of you and whomever else might me visiting my blog) and check out her work: http://www.joyceowens.com/. I immediately read her biography and learned that she is accomplished as so many other famous artists. I predict that Joyce Owen will be legendary.And guess what? I emailed her and she contacted me directly! If you want to begin collecting art she is one artist that you would want to have in your collection. It is my dream to start a collection for Dove and I truly want her work to be well represented in our collection.

Thank you Lois Mailou Jones for opening my eyes and leading me to Joyce Owens. (I'm giddy as I write this, excitement pulses through my veins.)

I'm inspired to pick up my sketch pad and pencils and even may pick up a paint brush. I owe my friend a painting and have been paralyzed by fear. This is the year of stepping out and finding the me within and all I have to do is pick up the brush. Yep...(taking a deep breath)  Wish me luck!