The Art of Giovanna and other Ramblings

Changes and WTF? Moments

2011-12-30T17:07:00.000-08:00

At this time of year, I become one of those types of people that seem to be surprised that a new year is about to begin, as if the start of the holiday season was not enough of a heads up for me. With that knowledge, begins a process of looking back on my accomplishments, lessons learned and changes.

A number of years ago, I decided to make a goal list of the things that I would like to achieve in the coming year. These aspirations are both personal and career focused. Now, every New Years eve, I write up a new list and then seal it with a wax seal*, creating a carefully designed package that is then tucked away and not opened again until New Years Eve of the following year.

Why do I do this you ask (cheeky grim inserted here-whether you asked or not, I am obviously going to answer the question)? It is always a bit nostalgic for me to look over my goals from a year ago and see what I have accomplished. It is a confidence booster to see all these “things” that I set out to do have been achieved. However, my favorite part of this exercise, is seeing the things on my list that I did not achieve. Many of these are things I forgot about and all are things that I no longer desire. As I sit and read over this list, I sometimes gasp at the things that I once thought were important benchmarks. I often giggle at some of the other desires and then there are the occasional scratching of the head with a wtf? expression.

Somewhere, as the year rolls along lessons have been learned and therefore aspirations and desires have changed. Some years have less changes then others. 2011 was a big game changer for me personally. So, it will be particularly interesting to open up my list from the close of 2011.

As I begin to think about my dreams and aspirations for 2012, I wish all of you a very happy new year. May all your wishes come true and may your lessons learned bring you gasps and giggles of delight and very few wtf? moments.

Cheers!

*the old fashioned kind where one melts the wax that slowly drips onto your paper. As it is drying it is then pressed with a metal item. In my case it is a flat ring with my initial on it.

My Beast, Harry Potter and 80's music

2011-11-16T19:54:00.000-08:00

Today I decided to revisit my blog. Since I am now writing again (my first book is coming out in Winter of 2013), I thought not only would this be a good exercise in putting my thoughts to paper, but would also be a good way to allow all you to get a glimpse of me: the artist chick; who decided it was time to let her inner novelist out. Funny thing is, I don't think I could have taken this journey, to be an author, without having been a somewhat successful artist first. You see, I have always been a writer. Writing was my first source of self expression. Many of the artists I know, grew up with a constant supply of crayons and paints. I grew up with typewriter keys (Really. I did.*) Those that have known me most of my life, found it quite surprising that I grew up to be a professional artist. Not that I didn't draw/paint back in the day, but they were surprised that this secondary outlet for me, became my main source of creative expression. Well, you know what they say, “ when you let sleeping beasts lay, another more ferocious one will appear”. Okay, I just made that up. But I do believe it.

My beast has been laying very dormant in this brain of mine for too long now and has now begun to emerge. As I decided to lay aside my artist self, this beast took over and became a powerful force. Although, I can't say my beast had been completely silent all these years. Recently, the more I began to let my words spill out onto paper, the more my beast rose up and took charge; kicking the arse of my artsy waif muse along the way, sometimes at in opportune moments. Mostly, while I had been working on my book that is under contract. I have continued to do as I have always done over the years, whenever a story idea entered my head. Writing it down and saving it for later. I send myself an email, or write it on a corner of watercolor paper, or even further back, on old high school notebooks written in a language that even the best scholar would never be able to decipher. Now that I have given into my beast, I am having moments that look as if straight from a scene in Harry Potter. The one where he is in a room full of keys that are flying all around him, only my keys are pieces of paper with random plot lines and occasional lyrics from a Modern English song.

By now you are asking “what do beasts, harry potter and 80's music have to do with writing?”. Well, I am not entirely sure really. It is just my process and my way of unpacking what I seem to have put away for so long.

So, this week as I finished up my manuscript, right on time for my publisher, I sat back, relaxed and began to plan how to spend the next few grueling weeks awaiting my 1^st set of rewrites. While my beast sits across from me smiling, with a sheet of paper, and a pile of old albums.

(*As a child, I swallowed the letters P, B and L from an old typewriter. I had no choice. It was a double-dog dare)

GREAT NEWS!!

2011-03-18T14:24:00.000-07:00

Samples of my fairy figurines have just arrived! I am so proud to be working with Munro Gifts on this stunning new line. They will be shipping to stores around the country and to our website on April 15, 2011! I can't wait for all of you to see them!

~Giovanna

2008-08-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

I had a really productive weekend. It makes me happy to have days like that. Usually, I am stressing about what I didn't get done, so it's nice to know I accomplished much. Most of it was business stuff that I had been neglecting for awhile. My husband was off for the weekend taking a motorcycle riding course (yes, my race car driving husband is now licensed to ride motorcycles...don't get me started on that one..lol). While my little ones were doing there own thing, I did a lot of long overdue updates on my website. I added in alot of the products that I have been carrying for some time and EVEN DID my newsletter (if you are not signed up for my newsletter, go the my website and signup ).

I also started making my lists for FaerieCon. I LOVE LISTS! What to bring, etc.My husband is also building a few small displays for me that I designed, 1 that involved a trek through the woods for a 5ft branch. That was fun, especially driving him crazy when I decided that the first few 5ft branches "just weren't right". It is alot of fun having him involved this way though. Some of our conversations are so funny; I come at things from a visual perspective and everything with him is in measurements.

I am almost done with a new painting. I am really happy with the way this one is coming out (will post when finished). I am painting my first wolf. It was a challenge but, has been alot of fun!

Oh! My baby girl turns 5 years old tomorrow! I can't believe she is growing up so fast!

Hope everyone has a great week!~G

Popping cork and champagne glass standing by...

2008-07-03T17:12:00.000-07:00

I am 5 paintings, plus cover away from finishing my childrens book commission! Yey!!! My deadline is in 2 weeks. I am so excited to be so close to finishing this project. At some points I was thoroughly convinced that I would never illustrate a childrens book again (at least for someone else). Some of you know only too well how difficult this project was for me and I thank you for listening to me complain about it. However, I have now signed on to continue with the same author on another 3 books, with the last one planned to be a series. She is a good writer and has good messages for children in all of her books, so I would have been stupid to turn it down. Or maybe I am stupid for agreeing, so I forwarn my artist friends that I will probably be complaining to you for the next few years....beware even more if I have your telephone number...muwhahahaha...you know who you are.

Really though, the reason that I am so excited to be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on this one is that it means I can begin illustrating my own childrens book. My publisher has been so patient with me, but I am sure he will be happy to finally see some work from me. I can't wait to share my book with all of you. My story came from a dream I had when I was pregnant with my son (he is 2 years old now). He was born on Beltaine, and we always call him "our magikal little Beltaine babe". It is also about fairies, so I feel that the subject matter is more in my element.

I best get back to work. I also owe everyone some photos of our new puppy and some puppy stories....coming soon I promise. Happy 4th everyone!