Better Together

"Better Together" 5.5x5.5 inch painting. Click here to buy original.

Another owl painting! I think I am in love with these little critters. Did you ever notice that owls look a lot like babies? Okay, maybe I'm just looking at my baby boy for too long, but today I looked at his big big eyes and round face and thought -- ah-ha-- you are a baby OWL.

There is, of course, the very real possibility that I am hallucinating this resemblence due to sleep deprivation. :)

Pretty Lady

5.5x5.5 inch original mixed media painting on wood. Click here to buy print (original sold).

Continuing along with my owl theme, I finished this new little one yesterday. I must say that she is one of my favorites in the collection. I like her flowery, starry wing.

Here are two of my owls on their perch in my dining room before being shipped off to their new homes. I wish I had been fast enough to photograph "Night Owl, " too, but he is already with his new owner. "Little Dreamer" is being shipped to Dawn in Missouri today.

Little Dreamer

"Little Dreamer" 5.5x5.5 inches -- mixed media on wood. Click here to buy print (original sold).

I finished this little guy today while the moon was rising outside my window. The night sky was such a beautiful blue-gray color against the sillouette of trees and bright white moon...I just couldn't help buy be inspired.

Yay! I Made the November Cover...

The November issue of Canvas Magazine is out, and I'm happy to see that my painting, "Poem," is the background for issues on recycling and saving the planet.

This is the good news. The bad news is that we start daylight saving time today, and little Nicolas decided to awaken at 5 a.m. -- whoever invented this idea does not have kids. But the person that invented coffee certainly did.

I'm hoping to fit in some creative time as soon as my babysitter comes back from a little vacation.

We're Having a Sale!

Well, I mentioned in my last entry that I had been reunited with many original paintings after leaving the Ten Women Gallery in Venice this past month. And when I returned from picking up my daughter at playschool this morning, I found that Christophe had transformed his office into a Cathy Nichols Gallery. Before we knew it we were having a sale and then buying wine for drop-in visitors. To see the sale, check out http://www.creny.com/ and click on my name on the left for a list of special prices (they are about 10-15 percent off). If you would like to buy a painting just email me at cnichols19@aim.com, and I will invoice you at the sale price. Such fun. Now I had better not drink any more wine.

Treasures Found

"Lemon Lime" (click here to buy original)

"Red Bouquet" Original (click here to buy oiginal)

After seven years at the wonderful Ten Women Gallery in Venice, California, I've finally truly relocated all of my artwork here in New York. My mom stopped by yesterday with a treasure trove of original paintings that had been hiding in her apartment in Los Angeles. I thought some of these had been sold -- but, alas, they are still here! I will be posting some of the others and little stories about them as I begin the unpacking process. They are available on ETSY!

An Unexpected Blueness

"Requiem"-- 8x9 inch print on 8.5x11 inch velvet fine art paper. Available on ETSY.

I'm feeling unexpectedly blue today as I enter the home strech of weaning my 3-month-old baby from breast to bottle. Like most moms these days, I've read all about the importance of breastfeeding and the closeness it creates between mother & child, but, until today I hadn't realized the truth behind the hype. Today it broke my heart to say good-bye to this bond -- and this was a feeling I had not anticipated. To the contrary, I was looking forward to the relative freedom of throwing a bottle of formula in my bag and taking baby on the go. But, as with all freedoms, there is a price to be paid. Yes, it could all be the hormones (isn't everything?), but it could also be the loss of something more powerful and mysterious than I had understood. And, while I am at peace with my decision, this experience fills me with wonder at the other forces of nature we modern, technologically-advanced humans overloook in our rush to adapt to this fast-paced world. Hmmm... 'food' for thought.

Night Owl

5.5x5.5 inch original mixed media painting on wood. Click here to purchase print (original sold).

I completed this new piece today in honor of my little guy... and well, actually, myself, as I am now painting in the evenings when my two babies are sleeping. Who knows what direction these nocturnal hours will push my creativity? I remember attending an amazing carnivale exhibit at the museum of folk art in Los Angeles several years ago and remarking upon the great talent of one of the painters. In his bio it said that he worked at night while his family was asleep because that was the only time he could concentrate. I remember thinking -- oh, that poor man. I could never do that. Ahhh.... the delusions of youth. :)

A Sweet Sunrise

"Morning on the Lake" (original sold, but prints available on ETSY)

Sometimes there are benefits to having a 3-month baby, and watching the sunrise is one of them. This morning there was a glorious red, orange and blue sunrise over our little harbor, and I got to see it with my baby Nicolas after he successfully slept through the night.

This is a particularly sweet sunrise because 2 days ago, I tried "Ferberizing" him. At 4 am. when he woke up for the 2nd time in row. I decided, hey, I'm going to let him cry it out. Well, 2 hours later, I was feeling a bit skeptical. But he did finally nod off at 6 am ....until 7. Hmmm.... did this work? I was very unsure. So, last night, when he woke up at 2, I just rocked him until he fell asleep (I couldn't bear to just let him cry again). To my complete joy, he did fall asleep again until 5:30. That makes 9 hours of foodless sleep in a row! I'm ecstatic. Now he is sleeping peacefully in his (awesome) Bobby bouncy seat without a care in the world. If he keeps this up, I may just get some new paintings done in time for the holidays...

Another Canvas Cover Coming Soon

"Poem" 8x8 inch acrylic, paper and gold leaf on wood. Original is sold, but prints available on ETSY.

I received a nice email requesting this image for the upcoming November issue of Canvas magazine, so I'm hoping that it makes the cover. This painting was originally titled "A Poet's Work," and it represents -- to me -- the artists's phoenixlike ability to transform loss into beauty. I'm very glad the editor chose this piece because it contains such a fitting message for our troubled financial times and reminds me that every problem is an opportunity. I'm looking forward to reading the articles Diana from Canvas has paired with this image. Here is the link if you would like to check it out. You can find the paper version in many stores & restaurants on Long Island.

A Taste of Freedom

Every artist needs a little inspiration, and sometimes that is spelled b.a.b.y.s.i.t.t.e.r! We had a wonderful night last night celebrating the joys of sushi & ice cream. Here I am joyously happily getting ready to order a big cup of peanut butter cup and chocolate at Baskin & Robbins. Now I need to wait until that ice cream melts through my veins to see what sweet creations arise. I must say that I had very vivid dreams last night. Yum. Sometimes it's the little things that keep us sane. :)

French Kiss

"French Kiss" -- 8x10 acrylic & cut paper on wood.

After weeks of painting a stroke or two on this piece between bouts of baby cry interruptions, I finally woke up today at 4:30 am and finished it. My little guy has been sleeping almost through the night lately (yesterday he went from 9:30 pm to 8 am!) so I think I was just restless after sleeping for 6 hours. I decided, after lying in bed for 20 minutes, to just go downstairs to the studio to paint. It was a tad cold, but after a cup of coffee, it was SO fun. And as an added bonus I got to see the sunrise over the water through my window! Gorgeous.

This painting was inspired by my recent engagement (well, Christmas...) in Paris and all things romantic that come along with crisp fall air, love and freedom.

It will be available on ETSY by the end of today.

Fine Art Print Giveaway!

"Sanctuary" 7x7 inch print on 8.5x11 inch velvet fine art paper.

Good morning! I want to announce a special giveaway of my print Sanctuary on the great blog, "Wishing Willow." The giveaway will end on 10/8/08, and to qualify, you just need to visit my ETSY store and write a comment at Wishing Willow specifying your favorite print of my collection.

Click here for more details at Wishing Willow. And click here to visit my ETSY store.

Good luck! :) Now I must get back to the wild little munchkins!

Enormous Tiny Art Show IV Opens Tonight

I'm excited to say that the 4th annual Enormous Tiny Art Show at Nahcotta gallery opens tonight!! So, if you are in Portsmouth, NH, be sure to stop by to check out this amazing collection of small artwork by artists you have probably seen all over the web, ETSY and everywhere else. Three of my pieces were sold at the preview, but there are still 3 left and lots of other artists to choose from. Check out their wonderful website above. They are offering free shipping through the end of September, too! :))

two little paintings

"Hello Friend" (5.5 inch mixed media on wood) -- original available on ETSY.

"I Believe in Love" (5.5 inch mixed media painting on wood). Original is sold, but prints available on ETSY.

Yes, I am finally re-emerging afer the birth of little Nicolas. He will be 6 weeks old tomorrow, and thanks to my wonderful babysitter, I was able to do these two small paintings! She is such a sweetheart, and today she told me that she had two of my prints framed in her room all through college! I feel so grateful to have such a lovely person looking after my little ones. And I'm so thrilled to be able to paint again. :) Now if I could only sleep through the night...

Finished! And Thank you...

"Magicland" 7.5x10 inch print now available at ETSY

Miraculously, I was able to finish this painting today -- in no small part due to my fiance, Christophe, who took care of Annabelle all day so that I could "rest" (oops... I didn't quite manage that part of the bargain) . But I'm so happy that this piece is finished because I really love it. I will always cherish this image because of the circumstances in which it was created -- and the colors and little creatures make me happy. After looking at it again, I decided to rename it "Magicland."

I also want to say THANK YOU to everyone who sent me congratulations here on the blog. I feel so blessed to have such nice readers out there in the world sending us happy thoughts. It means so much to me. :)

Painting Process on Poppytalk Today!

You can read all about my painting process today on Poppytalk! You can't quite see my enormous belly, but it's still there.... a day after my due date. :)

Wedding Day

Well... it seems that baby Nicolas is taking his own sweet time to arrive. Today is is official due date, and he seems to be in no hurry to be born. This is actually just fine with me as I have an awful cold. The good news is that my doctor gave me some fabulous cough medicine that really has inpired me to be creative (don't even think too much about the contents of this medicine -- I'm trying not to). I was even able to finish a brand new painting over the weekend. This one is called "Wedding Day," and Jan over at Poppytalk will likely be running a little piece on its creation in the next few weeks. I made the whole process into a photoshoot and explained a lot about the way I create my work. I will be sure to post a link to Poppytalk if/when the piece comes out. In the meantime, this original painting is available on my website at http://www.cathynichols.com/ and 8x10 prints are for sale now on ETSY.

Have a fabulous Monday! xxoo

PS -- I am also part of this month's lovely "Home Sweet Home" marketplace on Poppytalk. Lots of cute houseware treats there!

Almost Here...

"Little Star" 8x10 print on velvet fine art paper. Available on ETSY with or without personalization. :)

Well, I've finally completed a painting for my baby-t0-be -- who appears to be about to arrive any day or minute now. The doctor said that "the process has begun." A tad vague, but I am packing my bag for the hospital. We won't be going there until I get clearer signals, but it's nice to know that things are in motion and that we'll be meeting baby Nicolas soon. I can't wait!

I promise to be up and blogging again as soon as time & strength permit. Big hugs until then, and wish me luck...

xoxo

Beach Day!

"Beach Day" prints on velvet fine art paper are available today on ETSY.

I had so much fun doing my first surfing painting, "I'll Follow the Sun," that I decided to do another in this theme. I'm really feeling summery -- probably the recent 90+ heatwave we've been having in NY-- and we've been taking the family to the beach a lot. We bring a little kiddie pool with us for Annabelle and just filling it with sea water. She loves it! What an innovation for toddlers. :)

Speaking of summer, I was selected as part of Poppytalk Handmade's "Here Comes the Sun" markeplace from now through July. Come visit!

Falling, yes i am falling...

"falling, yes i am falling" 8x8 inch mixed media on wood panel.

Prints available here.

This is my newest piece -- created on my favorite, day, Thursday (my offiical non-childcare painting day). I guess this cold snap we've had here yesterday and the torrential rain has made me think about autumn. And blue. But, contrary to the colors, I'm actually in very good spirits.

I was also able to finally ship out some new prints on wood to the Ten Women Gallery in Venice! After long last. They are mostly new pieces that are not yet for sale in the original. I decided to photograph them because I think a lot of people don't quite know what to picture when I say I create "prints on wood" or "art blocks." But here they are...
And, last but not least, here is the very first work by a brand new little artist... Annabelle! She painted the blue mark here on this fish. I think it's perfect. Very minimalist. :) The teachers at her school (well sort-of-school because she's only 16 months) said that she didn't want to get her hands dirty!

3 Little Birds

I finished this painting today, called "Three Little Birds." I experimented a bit with my color palette, and I am really liking the greenish tones. It looks pretty against the taupe walls of our living room. Too bad it's not staying here. It must go forth to meet its new owners someday, somewhere. Prints of this piece will be available on ETSY this evening.

But enough about me, I want to send a big THANK YOU out to everyone who sweetly left me birthday messages here on my blog. That was so thoughtful -- especially when we all know that past the age of 5 birthdays can be a tad disappointing. But with all of your nice well-wishes I had a wonderful day. :)

I also want to say thank you to S.HOPtalk for this nice post on Monday.

I just adore the collage created by Suzanne, the curator. So pretty!

Well... since it is Thursday, my official painting day, I must get back to work ....

Happy Monday and Happy Birthday!

"Wild at Heart" $15 for today only -- 5/19/08 --on ETSY.

Yes, today is my birthday. I am officially one year older on this lovely Monday morning. And it has been a nice birthday so far. Yesterday Christophe surprised me with a pre-birthday lunch and gift certificate to a local spa. I am SO excited for a massage and facial. It was the perfect gift. And tonight I am going to see a movie too cheesy to mention here with my dear friend, Ellen, who has also been released from childcare duties for the occasion. Last, but certainly not least, my sweet mom sent me a tiny digital camera so that I can finally take pictures outside without hauling my huge one around everywhere (really, aren't two babies and a diaper bag enough to carry on every occasion???)

All in all, it is a wonderful birthday so far. :)

Girl in Conch Shell Necklace

This piece is a work in progress. She has more layers to be applied, but I kind of like her softness right now, so I wanted to share her with you. Plus, I've always thought it was fun to see the stages an artist goes through when completing a painting. Sometimes the first version is the best one. I will find out tomorrow.... hope you had a nice Sunday!!

I'll Follow the Sun

Print available on ETSY.

With all of the rainy weather we've been having in NY, I am really craving the sunshiny days of summer!! This is my newest little painting, and just creating it warmed me up a bit. Today I followed this piece up with a portrait called "Girl in Conch Shell Necklace" that I woke up thinking about yesterday morning. I couldn't wait to paint it -- I ran into the studio the minute my little girl went down for a nap. It should be finished shortly. But tomorrow I won't have time to work on it as I'm off to JC Penney to buy zip-up footed PJs for Annabelle (and they're having a sale). I'm finally breaking down and buying them because I can't BEAR another night of snapping up a hundred snaps while she squirms and cries. Whoever thought snaps were a good idea for babies probably didn't have any kids. Ok... I will return to my focus on the art. :)

A warm thank you to Leah over at her blog, More Ways to Waste Time, for featuring me as her ETSY find of the day today. What a sweet surprise for a rainy Friday!! And Leah's commentary on my work was very interesting & insightful, too.

And, last but certainly not least, if you live in the LA area, please stop by the Ten Women Gallery this Sunday from 11-6 for our annual Spring Fling & Venice Artwalk party.

There will be a vintage collage workshop, on-site pet portraits and lots of original artwork, jewelry, art glass and more. Oh, yes, and refreshments will be served! For more info, visit the Ten Women Venice blog.

Have a great weekend!

Happy Mother's Day!

My first Mother's Day flower from Annabelle (16 months).

Well, of course, Annabelle didn't exactly pick this out herself, but the lovely teachers at her "school" gave one to every mom... and that is just so sweet. Every time I look at this little flower I think of my adorable baby girl and how she is a blossom herself.

I hope that all of the mothers out there had a terrific day. We had a delicious breakfast out, and I received a great gift -- the Boppy Total Body Pillow -- so that I can finally get a good night's sleep (not to mention read in bed). Now that was thoughtful, Christophe!!! Thank you. :-)

Another happy surprise today: as I was browsing Poppy Talk for no good reason, I saw my own print, "Hello Summer 3" featured as part of an adorable piece on affordable art trios. What a happy surprise!!! Here is the link. The curator of this post really did a great job of linking art together, and she lists about 5 different combinations.

Hello Summer 3 (original available on my website)

Color Me Martha

"The Two of Us" 8x8 mixed media painting on wood panel. Click here to buy print.

This is my latest painting. And it was actually inspired by the gorgeous color schemes in Martha Stewart's Decorating With Color book. Yes, yes, there WAS the insider trading and little stint behind bars, but Martha still knows how to pull a room together. I loved this bedroom in "jonquil" and think my new piece would look really swell there. :) This painting is not yet for sale, but prints are available on my ETSY site today.

This orange painting, "Venice Bouquet," also looks pretty nifty in a yellow and white room. Maybe I should call Martha.

I am excited to see what her "sea glass" section inspires....

PS -- To those friendly fellow bloggers who have tagged me recently, I apologize for not yet fulfilling my duties. I'm just a tad busy and as big as a house (only 2 more months until baby boy arrives).

Happy Monday Print!

"Sweetness" 7x7 inch print on velvet fine art paper on sale today for $15 at ETSY

I put this one on sale in honor of Mother's Day. It seems like a favorite for moms out there. This plus a bottle of delightful rose-scented bath gel would be a nifty gift. Gosh, I should send an art block of this one to my grandmother -- Rose! :-)

Have a beautiful day!

Happy Monday!

Today's "Happy Monday" $15 print is a new one I completed in my floral bouquet series called "Venice Bouquet" in honor of the beautiful gerber daisies always on sale at the Venice farmer's market. I so miss shopping there on Friday mornings before work. It is for sale as a print at my ETSY shop and the original will soon be for sale on my website today.

A Drawer Full of Flowers

I've finally finished my collection of small floral paintings, and I just had to take a snapshot of them before they're shipped off to the gallery in California! I love the way they look all lined up in my new Alex drawer set from Ikea. We purchased it this past weekend when outfitting my new sun room studio!

I can actually look out over the harbor as I paint (or sip coffee, or daydream) while my little girl naps. Such bliss after living in Manhattan!! I am in heaven out here.

I will be posting more pics of the studio as it evolves (I can't wait to trade out that decrepit picnic blanket for something more neutral). Hope you are having a happy weekend.

Happy Monday Prints are BACK!

Today's $15 "Happy Monday" Print: Home by the Sea

I've decided to showcase this print today as my Happy Monday sale item in honor of Earth Day tomorrow! I'm going to try to recycle for the next few days. So far I haven't used the lights. Okay. It's 8:30 a.m., so I'm not such a hero. ;)

And, by the way, if you're looking for another fun activity this morning, check out Poppy Talk's glimpse inside artists' studios. I'm creating a new studio space on our sun porch, and looking what other artists have done is very inspiring.

Lovely Lavender

"Au Printemps" 5x5 inch acrylic & mixed media on wood.

(click here to purchase original from my website)

I've never actually worked with purple before, so it was fun to experiment with today's 'bouqet.' I had the whole day to paint on this sunny Saturday, so I was able to complete a comissioned triptych and this little floral piece as well! Plus, I may get more work than I'd imagined done due to this pregnancy -- it seems like I've expanded to mammoth proportions overnight. At only 7 months along, I can no longer find a comfortable position for lying down. Maybe I'll learn how to sleep standing up!!





Well, I hope you enjoy this little lavender confection!

Some Flowers for Mom

I've been very busy getting some little flower paintings ready for Mother's Day. I enjoyed myself tremendously creating these -- flowers are so beautiful and soothing. Just painting them can be a meditation. I hope you enjoy them, too. The originals are for sale on my website & prints will be up tomorrow on ETSY.
"Yellow Bouquet" 5x5.5 inch acrylic on aspen wood panel (click here to buy original).

"Blue and White Bouquet" 5x5.5 inch acrylic on aspen wood panel

(click here to buy original).

"Red Bouquet" 5x5.5 inch acrylic on aspen wood panel (click here to buy original).

A Little Fun for a Monday

"Garden Tour" -- Watercolor, pencil, paper sketch

As I may have mentioned we had a little mishap with our wood for my upcoming triptych commision the other day... so I've decided to do a fun, creative abstractish diptych with the remaining two blocks of wood. This is today's sketch. There will probably be others. I had actually intended to reverse the order of the pieces, but Photoshop would not comply. Perhaps this is the way they were meant to be displayed. In any case, it was very freeing and fun to create these today! Sometimes you just have to cut loose!