Kelly Jeanette Swift

I just watched this video of Aelita Andre, a child that was compared to Picasso and Dali. Certainly she makes lovely abstracts. I don't know which camp I fall in-the ones who praise her as a child prodigy or those who think she does not know what she is really doing. She seems to makes conscience decisions about what colors to use and mark making one minute, the next not. What I do see is a child who is having fun playing in paint. She has it on her clothes, on her hands and face, even in her hair. She practically is sitting on her surface while she paints it. I would love to be like that. Sitting on the floor playing with my paints (though I would need someone standing by to help me get up  :)  ).  So in 2015 I will strive to be more like a child while painting. Sometimes at least. I would like to see where Aelita is as an artist twenty years from now. See if she kept up her love of playing in paint.

This is my first finished painting of 2015. It is a 36 x 36 mixed media on gallery wrapped canvas. No name as yet as I just finished it.

I will be extending the January contest until the end of the month. The winner will be announced on the 31st.

It's time for January's contest! I will be giving away these three original 9 x 12 paintings. Some of you have seen them before. I really want them to have a new home.  Beach Time Mixed Media 9 x 12           Blackberry Winter Mixed Media   9 x 12 Dog Days                               Mixed Media 9 x 12 So, here are the rules. Just tell me what is your number one hope for the new year. That's all. You don't have to write an essay or anything. Just a simple sentence will do. Even just a word.  On Saturday the 10th I will number the responses 1 being the oldest response and up. Then at 12:00 noon EST I will pick a winner using a random number generator. Because I am posting this on many different sites I will ask those participating to follow the link to my blog and answer there, but I will not make it a have to. No jumping through hoops. I hate that. Nor will I ask you to Like my fan page or follow my blog. As I said I hate hoops. So, let's have some fun

I choose two words for 2015. Words that everyone heard a lot of during the holidays. Peace and Joy. I had not had much of either in 2014. 2014 started out with much hope and anticipation, but quickly went down hill. 2014 was a rocky year for me and I am very happy to see it gone. I want better in 2015. I figured if I seek to find peace and joy everyday even when I am under stress, then maybe things will fall into place and make life a little bit bearable to me. Maybe even help me find abundance this year. I wanted to start this year off with a give away and did a little painting to give away. As I worked on it I realized that this little painting was too personal to me. I found that I had painted my own personal nine of pentacles (or coins) only mine is a nine of roses. I counted them when finished. Nine roses. No, it is not a traditional looking tarot card. It's my card. I have always liked that card the most in the Tarot deck. It is what I strive for. Upright Nine of Penta