Hello, My name is Judy O'Hara. I live in East Tennessee. Welcome to my blog. My blog is mainly about Art and painting. I love to paint. I have been painting for about 15 years or so. Currently I have 2 shops on etsy. In case you are not familiar with etsy, it is a site that has only been in existence for just over 1 year. The site is set up for crafters and artist to sell their work. It is very inexpensive and unlike ebay, it is not an auction.

You can view some of my artwork at www.backroomtreasures.etsy.com and www.eltonious.etsy.com. I hope that you will visit and let me know what you think.

I will be talking a lot about artwork, not only my own but friends and other artist as well. I am a member of two art leagues. One is the Watauga Valley Art League of Johnson City Tenn. The other is the decorative artist club, Different Strokes for Tole Folks in Kingsport Tenn. (that's the local chapter-I am also a member of the national association)

There are many talented artist in this area. Something about artist, I find them to be the nicest people. Many are just so talented and humble as well as very helpful and many are also great cooks.

As an artsy kind of person, I am not the best organized person, I have to admit I am sadly lacking in organizational skills. I do try hard but it sure doesn't come easy.

I gotta say that I believe practice is the thing that has helped me to improve the most. I am mainly a self-taught artist, although I have attended a few classes and workshops. Probably the second thing that has helped me is Betty Edwards book, "Drawing on the right side of the brain." If you would like to learn to draw but feel you can't, just look at the first chapter of her book. What an improvement those students made in such a short time! Wow, it showed me that anyone can learn to draw. The talent is not in the hand, it is in the eye. You must learn to really see, not just to glance at something and think you know what it looks like. Check it out and better yet, try it! I know you will be surprised to find that you really can do it.

I love to look at other artists work and occasionally to buy other artist work. The last couple of pieces I bought are, "Greg's quilt" from Sharon Foster on etsy. It's a beautiful watercolor painting of course, of a quilt. The other, I bought at the Sycamore Shoals Art show from a friend in the league, Barbara Jernigan. The print is called "Capitol Nostalgia" another watercolor- doesn't just about every major city have an old Capitol Theatre? Maybe you notice that both prints are watercolors! I am just learning to paint in watercolors. I plan to take a class this fall from a very talented watercolor artist in the area. I can't wait.

Right now, I am just about to finish up a mural I am working on in an area Spa. I will post pictures of it when I am finished. Murals are one of my passions, my entire house has many murals, it just gives the home so much character. Maybe I'll add some pictures later on. The only problem, I'm pretty much out of space and I'v found a few things I's like to add. What will I do??

I will also post some of my favorite recepies later on for others to try. I have millions of them- I'm not kidding. I finally broke down a few months ago and got rid of a couple of boxes of recepie books- thats when I was doing the flylady.com thing. I really need to get back to that. It really works. Probably helped me more than any other thing I've tried to get my house in order.

Another artist friend of my is Arlene, she has a site on etsy also, don't know if she has anything listed at the moment. She lives in Michigan, where I used to live. Her site is www.paintindaze.etsy.com. She is so talented and so humble. She also has encouraged me more than any other friend, although I have many friends who have encouraged me so much!! Thanks to all of them. Arlene encouraged me when I felt like giving up. She is also a wonderful christian friend and sister in Christ.

I think I've said enough for now and its getting late--so until next-May God Bless