Countdown to 2011

You've probably seen this image several times lately. Well, I was one of the first--here it is on my Tumblr page. Obviously I was a little off, posting it before even Christmas had passed. So enjoy it once more, in a more timely fashion!

It's almost celebration time so I'm not feeling especially eloquent. But I am feeling grateful for all the experiences of 2010. Lots of them were online--making new friendships and finding inspiration in many of the wonderful blogs out there. Thank you for visiting, reading, following and leaving comments--blogging is such fun. It was something I had been putting off for ages, then in 2010 I finally took the plunge. Personally, I'm not going to set any more goals for the coming year. I'm just going to go with whatever comes my way and see where it leads me. I like a little spontaneity with my art!

Happy New Year--I wish us all exciting new insights, discoveries of new art and brilliant new creations in 2011!!

The Beauty I Won

So many thanks to Cynthia of BeatnHeart for her wonderful giveaway that I won a couple weeks ago!! I love this necklace. It's hard to do it justice in a photo--the crystal is a smoky gray, almost violet in reality. I love wearing it, so go out check out her other necklaces here. They're 50% off til December 31, so hurry!

Happiness to All

Image via MSN

Let the spirit of love gently fill our hearts and homes.
In this loveliest of seasons may you find many reasons for happiness.
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It's Christmas night here and we have an inch of snow and are expecting 3 to 7 more inches. My first white Christmas ever! I hope everyone had a wonderfully peaceful and joyous day today.

Thanks to everyone for visiting my blog and sharing your thoughts and insights. Looking forward to a creative 2011 with you!

xoxo, Deborah

It's Beginning to Feel A Lot Like Christmas

My favorite little branch that gets decorated for many holidays

Well well, I'm finally feeling caught up enough to actually write a blog post. The house is relatively organized, the tree is decked out and my favorite part of decorating--creating tablescapes (with found objects of course)-- is done. Both kids are safely home from college, gifts are about to be wrapped and there are a whole five days left before Christmas, hopefully just enough to savor the season and process whatever last minute work comes our way this week.

Tarnished silver (another of my favorites) and sea glass

I'm reflecting on the past year and anticipating the coming year. Although I didn't make as much artwork as I might have liked in 2010, I feel that I worked through some blockages stemming mostly from what happens to my work once it has been created. I intend to keep focusing on making my art--if people don't "get" it, so be it. There are enough people who do, and let's be honest, if you're not doing illustration work, many non art oriented people won't.

Pink and gold, so I'm girly!

January is the month I'm going to finish getting organized (yes, I've been de-cluttering pretty seriously for the past couple months). February is the month I'm going to get uber-organized--that sounds sort of scary! I hope this organizational effort is going to apply to getting some serious marketing going too, but the I'm going to wait for clarity on that one as I see where my work goes at the beginning of 2011. I have several new projects in mind...

Wishing a wonderful, serene, happy and bright holiday season to all,
xoxo Deborah

Merry Christmas and Happy Solstice!

Blog Giveaway--A Lovely Necklace!!

There's a wonderful giveaway at BeatnHeart, just to let you know! All you have to do is visit Cynthia's boutique where there is a big 50% off sale going on, then leave a comment on her BeatnHeart blog. Good luck!

Stormy Weather

"Nor'easter", 30" x 40", oil on canvas with found objects.
© Deborah Jaouen 2010

Only fitting that objects that got washed around in the North Atlantic should end up as part of a piece called "Nor'easter", just a nautical sounding name for a storm driven by a northeast wind. We get them too in Virginia, but for me the name evokes New England, which is where I found all these now attached pieces.

Intriguing and Incongruous Property

We spent the morning tromping around an estate that was up for auction. It's a former horse farm on a lot of land.

We live in an area with lots of waterfront estates, however this is the first time I've ever visted one with Roman statuary attached to the roof.

As we got closer, we were treated to the Full Blown Glory that was Rome! However, the exterior of the house resembled an 80's tract home in California, right before the McMansion period.

This is the entrance to the property, it looks more like the traditional fare you usually see around here on the rivers off the Chesapeake Bay.

Inside the house, over-the-top'ism prevailed. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera so all the photos here came from the auction site, and they didn't take many of the house's interior. This mural is from the powder room--seemed like a great house for parties.

One of several living room murals complete with tromp l'oeil columns.

This was actually my favorite room, it felt almost classic with its crown moldings and arched windows. It was empty when I saw it and you could really appreciate the M.C. Escher-esque feel of the parquet, which fascinated us with its visible (on purpose?) nail holes. We couldn't figure out if the owners had done the murals and woodwork themselves. There is a boat load of work to be done, but someone with flair and lotsa money could make a great retreat here. Oh and the place is still for sale.