Day of the Dead Collection

Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de los Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. ~ From Wikipedia

I've been on a Day of the Dead kick since my last trip to EPCOT. My favorite pavilion is the Mexico pavilion. You are transported to a summer night in Mexico city. And here and there you see Day of the Dead decorations. So as I was saying... enamoured with the lovely fun and sometimes sentimental designs celebrating those who have passed.
So I have been working on a series of paintings celebrating The Day of the Dead while also exploring the classic grim fairy tales and a few historic figures. I'll be at the Geranium Festival this May, fingers and toes crossed my application is accepted! So till then I wanted to give you a scoop on some of the pieces that will be shown there. I'll also be doing Day of the Dead face painting for varying prices depending on what design you choose.
As I prep for the Festival I'll be sharing what is involved in getting ready for such a large event as well as tips and tricks I learn along the way to keep as many pennies in my piggy as I can. So enjoy the preview and Happy Thursday. Thursday deserves some love since Friday gets all the happy feelings!

Hugs,

Monster Stuff

 

 As you know our house is Monster Crazy. We have kindled quite a little fire in our hearts for the fury little beasts after I spent months developing them for Christina Cody's Monster Reader book. So when we came across the new collection of monster stuff at our local Michaels' we were tickled. 

Hugs,

Time with a Great and Time to Paint

When I was 13 I lied about my age and enrolled in a drawing and painting class at the local state college. It was a continuing Ed class so no one was the wiser to my ill obtained class ;) My instructor would come to be one of the most influential people in my life. Lydia Ellis, a painter, mother and most of all woman strong in her faith was that would help me channel my creativity, venture into mediums I'd never experienced. She also opened her home to me on weekends and took me to church with her. This was the first truly spirit filled church I'd been in. No ancient hymnals and tiny blue haired ladies at the organ. I do love those things, but this hit a spot I didn't know I was craving. I was nurtured by the artist in Lydia as well as the mom in her.

I took classes from her for I think about three years, then got a part time job and friends I had no business associating with and lost my way from Lydia... and God. Down that dark road I never forgot her. And eventually after lots of heart ache and messing with what amazingly did not kill me, I came out the other side ready to finish growing up, meeting the guy of my dreams, starting a family and a new life in Christ. Oh and PAINT!
Naturally my thoughts turned to Lydia, and I was happily surprised to find her quickly online and to be welcomed back into her life with happy loving arms. It feels very Prodigal Son like. So that all brings us to a day with Lydia. I took my beautiful girls for a day of painting with Lydia. She had her grand kids with her. Gaspppppp... There dad was a little boy when I was around as a teen! So my youngest and her grands spent time painting and playing in the yard while Roxanne, my oldest and I sat in Lydia's studio painting and chatting. Roxy says we need a studio like Lydia's!

Lydia has an upcoming show at the Corner Gallery in Newnan, GA. Her exhibit will be, " The Horses of Cumberland Island" and you can see little bits of horses in progress in her studio. This little gallery is a gem and her work is not to be missed. Lydia has spent years painting murals for the most beautiful estates in Peachtree City, teaching classes and doing prophetic art. You can check out some of Lydia's work online click  here.

  ©2013 Heather Ozee, all rights to these images reserved.

 

  ©2013 Heather Ozee, all rights to these images reserved.

   ©2013 Heather Ozee, all rights to these images reserved.

   ©2013 Heather Ozee, all rights to these images reserved.

 

  ©2013 Heather Ozee, all rights to these images reserved.

Hugs,

Mountain Plans

There were plans. Plans to see a favorite cousin, to stroll through Dollywood admiring the last flicker of holiday lights, window shopping and more. More plans than we would have been able to fit in most likely, but still some of them we would have enjoyed. And there was the cold. The "it's not the flu" but you feel like hell warmed up in a serving dish kind of cold. The delight of approaching the mountains in our rental car and the coziness of staying at my uncles cabin tucked away in the Tennessee mountains did suffer a bit from my hacking cough, fever and inability to tackle the great out doors more than from a passenger seat. But, there was love and giggles and some yummy meals. There was views of snow dusted mountains and a drive through Cade's Cove. We didn't do all we planned but there was still things we enjoyed and time most importantly with my husband, mom and kids. And that alone makes any trip wonderful to me.

Hugs,