AN INTERVIEW ON GROWING BOLDER RADIO and SOME INSPIRATION FOR YOU

I'm a little tired today and not feeling real inspired. I need a little of my own inspiration so I've posted this DREAM TILE from my PopArtDiva Boutique - it's from my Inspirations Collection of Pop Culture art at the boutique!

If you're feeling a little bedraggled in the inspiration department, stop by and buy some inspiration for yourself!

I was interviewed by Growing Bolder Radio on my Baby Boomer inspired web enterprises recently! Stop by and read the profile and listen to the interview!

Have a great day and get inspired!

Buy Great Art Inspired Products at The LIFE IS LIKE ART Shop!

Free audio teleseminar on "How to Sell Art"

I've just uploaded my third free teleseminar on "How to Do Art and Craft Shows for Profit and Fun" at my artists resource blog, The NORMAL CHALLENGED ARTIST™.

Click here to listen to this free audio file is Part Two on "Sales Techniques for Selling Your Art", which you can also download for free.

Enjoy! Hope you all had a great Memorial Day. I was, as usual, doing an art show in the Sedona area. We had some freak weather on Saturday and it was raining and cold - it even snowed up in the higher elevations! The rest of the weekend was perfect - about 70 degrees and sunny with just a few wind gusts so I didn't suffer too badly, lol.

I am back to completing my new store, the The PopArtDiva Boutique , where I am offering my pop culture art on products like cups, tees, aprons, tiles, cards and more. Stop by and pick up something for yourself.

(BTW, Father's Day is just around the corner and I have some really fun guy-type images on great merchandise for those men in your life that love beer, sports and remote controls that would be perfect for Father's Days Gifts, but you'll have to order soon to get your purchase shipped in time for Father's Day!)

Buy Great Art Inspired Products at The LIFE IS LIKE ART Shop!

IMAGINE

Imagine the world if it was filled only with artists.

Everything that was functional would also be beautiful, designed to complement and harmonize with it's surroundings. Color would be everywhere and form would not only fill a function but would become a feast for the eyes as well.

The joy and passion that drives the artistic soul would vibrate through everything and everyone. Maybe the positive energy that resulted could bring about the happiness that we all seek.

The creative impulse that drives the artist's imagination could be applied to all aspects of life and perhaps we might fight answers to some of the problems that face our planet.

Maybe then we could find a way to peace. Just Imagine.

Buy Great Art Inspired Products at The LIFE IS LIKE ART Shop!

MY NEW ARTIST SHOPS OPEN

I just opened two shops at CafePress for artists:


The LIFE IS LIKE ART Shop

The NORMAL CHALLENGED ARTIST Shop

These two shops feature these fun designs for artists on products like Tees, Caps, Mugs, Aprons, Pillows, Cards, Tiles, Magnets and more!

If you're an artist or know an artist that you need a gift for, stop by and purchase a completely unique gift that can only be found at my personal stores and shops!

Just click the links above to go to the stores OR CLICK THE ICON OF THE IMAGE YOU LIKE!

The Mayonnaise Jar and Two Cups of Coffee - oh, and My New LIFE IS LIKE ART SHOP is Open!!

GET THIS FUN DESIGN ON MUGS, TEES, APRONS, PILLOWS, POSTERS, CARDS & MORE AT MY NEW LIFE IS LIKE ART SHOP!

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Now, back to my regularly scheduled programming. . . . . . . .

Here's a great parable on life, which is why I'm posting it here because LIFE IS LIKE ART, IT'S ALL IN HOW YOU LOOK AT IT. Borrowed (with permission!) from my Diva bud Eileen Williams - thank you , Eileen, it's a great life lesson!

**THE MAYONNAISE JAR AND TWO CUPS OF COFFEE**

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day is not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and two cups of coffee…

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “yes.” The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things—family, children, health, friends, and favorite passions. If everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house, and hobbies. The sand is everything else—the small stuff. “If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there’s no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.”

The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you’ll never have room for the things that are important to you. So… pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness:

· Enjoy your children and grandchildren

· Make special time to celebrate with your partner

· Play every day.

· Be grateful for your blessings.

“Take care of the golf balls first — the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked.” It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”

TAKING A BREAK IS AN ART TOO

It's stormy here today and I have decided it's a good day to take a break from work. I won't turn my graphics computer on during a thunderstorm and the light isn't good for painting in the studio so I'm caught between a power surge and a dark place.

This makes it a good day to practice the art of kicking back and doing nothing. You heard me right, doing nothing. It's a hard thing to do when you're a driven type-A personality with more work to do than time on your hands to do it with, but it's healthy for the soul.

I had planned to write my PopArtDiva Newsletter and start editing my video interview of fellow artists, Rudolf Cavalier and Darlene Ryer for posting to The NORMAL CHALLENGED ARTIST™ on Friday but I never fire up my graphics computer in an electrical storm. Even with a battery back-up/surge protector I'm not taking any chances of damage from a power surge or a lightening strike! The newsletter and video editing will just have to wait until the storm blows through.

Fortunately, I a big believer in learning to take a breather and refreshing yourself with some quite time of having a nice latte, reading a book and taking a break from work. A stormy day is a perfect time to practice the art of doing nothing. The sound of the rain is a gentle soothing rhythm that can relax your mind and body, the cool winds give you an excuse to cuddle up with a cozy blanket and the thunder is a great sound effect while reading a Stephen King novel.

So, after I post this I am grabbing my book and my blankie, tucking Pixel in with me and cozying up to an afternoon of horror, lattes, Oreos and doing nothing that comes close to work. Today I am practicing the art of taking a break.

JAVA ADDICTIONS is available as archival prints and giclees on canvas in various sizes at PopArtDiva.com. Copyright 2008 by PopArtDiva.com. All rights reserved. No permission is given to copy, distribute or reproduce without written permission from PopArtDiva.com.

It's Hard to Paint and Create Art When You're Sick

I sorta feel like this abstract art I did - BIODEGRADABLE ALIEN GOO

I've been "under the weather" this week, probably from all the stress of trying to do art shows, run a website, 8 blogs and write articles for my How to Do Art Shows for Fun and Profit" series of teleseminars.

So I didn't get much studio time. It's kind of tough to struggle with guy type tools like nail guns and such when you're scrunched over and moaning "whoa is me, I be icky".

But I did manage to get the important stuff done like broadcast my second free teleseminar "Techniques for Selling and Marketing Your Art at an Art Show".

And I took some time to visit one of my favorite artist sites, Empty Easel to peruse their plethora of artist goodies! I love that site - and not just because they published one of my articles - really, it's just packed with great stuff for artists of all kinds. I wanna be like them when I grow up!

The rest of the time I'm resting up and trying to get back to my Normal Challenged™ self in order to be in tip top shape for yet another art show in Sedona this weekend!

After all, "icky" is not the best attitude for selling art!

BIODEGRADABLE ALIEN GOO is available as archival prints and giclees on canvas in various sizes at PopArtDiva.com. Copyright 2008 by PopArtDiva.com. All rights reserved. No permission is given to copy, distribute or reproduce without written permission from PopArtDiva.com.