Dynamic Dreamer ~ Art Weaver

Posted By lisahuntart on May 11, 2012

The kit includes: A high quality signed archival print with a certificate of authenticity, a GST tarot deck signed on both the box cover and the little white book or "LWB", a signed "extra" card, and a custom original colored pencil drawing using a keyword of your choice. Everything is wrapped with loving care to assure safe delivery.

I’m offering a Ghosts & Spirits Tarot limited edition kit numbered 25. As of this writing, nearly 10 orders have been placed by individuals from as far away as Thailand. I’m always excited to put packages of my art creations together for people. For the custom colored-pencil drawings, the keywords so far have included: raven, enchantment, cat, Rainbow Bridge, dreamer and reincarnation. I don’t pre-plan these pieces, but allow the automatic function of my subconscious to deliver the image or mental “impression” onto the page. The results are undiluted energies that reflect the unfettered creative spirit. I love making art and hope the recipients will connect with these snippets of vivacity.

"Enchantment", "Rainbow Bridge" and "Raven". These "impressions" were rendered using colored-pencil on cold-press watercolor paper.

The print is of excellent quality and perfectly captures the richness of the original paintings. I’m quite pleased with the quality of the paper and inks and thank Kort (hubby and assistant) for designing the layout of the images. Also, the Ghosts & Spirits Tarot deck feels nice and sturdy in the hand. I’m happy with the results and hope you will be too! If you would like to order a limited edition Ghosts & Spirits Tarot kit, visit Lisa’s Ghosts & Spirits Tarot page for availability and ordering information. Please be sure to include a keyword for the “Impressions” drawing.

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Meanwhile, I finally finished the Grouse-Shapeshifter watercolor painting. I posted the initial sketch back in December, but allowed this piece to rest until I felt compelled to tackle the rather challenging subject matter. After spying the finished drawing from the corner of my studio, feelings of guilt started penetrating my internal muse. I couldn’t ignore the grouse any longer. I picked up the art board, placed it in on my art table and got immediately hooked. Once I started painting, that was it. I lost myself to the drumbeat of the intriguing forest dweller and felt myself yearning to bring it to vivid life.

It took a long time to capture depth and detail. I don’t know if it was the watercolor paper’s sizing (or if it was because I let the stretched paper sit around for months), but the surface kept sucking in the pigment as if the forest was thirsty. This made color application somewhat tedius, but the end result was a richness and warmth that really helped elevate the image’s luminosity.

sequence of painting-in-progress

Part of being a watercolorist is learning how to work with the unpredictable. For me, this is partially what makes the medium exciting! There is no erase or undo button, there is no opaque savior and there are no do-overs. You either get the medium to work with you or you don’t. I find it has a rather anthropomorphic quality to it—and feel that going-with-the-flow is the most effective relationship you can establish with these wonderful paints. In my humble opinion, if you don’t feel challenged or a wee bit on edge when using watercolors, you’re probably doing something wrong.

In other Hunt-Kramerville news:

May has been an exciting time for the kids: Kyra accepted her ‘Reflections’ art award with her other school-mates as our local Congressman Ted Deutch stood by. For those of you who have been following Hunt-Kramerville news, Kyra spent hours upon hours, days, weeks working on her “Sunset Sea” entry. We were so proud that she placed 2nd in her age group. Yeay Kyra!

Kyra and the other winners being recognized for their work. BTW, Kyra insisted on wearing a purple tu-tu to the event. Who am I to argue with an aspiring artist's wardrobe choice?

And here’s Kyra playing for the Spring piano recital at Lynn Preparatory. It’s the first time she admitted to having butterflies in her stomach before going on stage. The boy behind her cried his eyes out before entering the auditorium. I believe going on stage is a frightening prospect for most people and our usually confident 7 year old was no exception. I’m impressed with anyone who can perform in front of a live audience. Fortunately, once on stage, Kyra handled herself with complete composure, even when her music sheet flew off the piano. Watch the video to see her flawless catch. The “technical difficulties” are definitely grooming her for future performances.

Last but not least:

Connor, the more solitary artist (like his Mom).

I think this is kind of a cute piece, despite the typo.

~ Lisa 

Category: Announcements, Bird Oracle, Custom Drawings, Fairy Tale Corners, Family, Ghosts & Spirits Tarot, Music, Out and About, Paino, tarot | No Comments »
Tags: art award, artwork, bird, courage, creativity, drawing, Ghosts & Spirits Tarot, grouse-shapeshifter, Impressions, inspiration, Kyra Kramer, piano recital, studio, watercolors

Posted By lisahuntart on April 27, 2012

You can order Ghosts and Spirits Tarot at the USG website under "New Releases"

Ghosts & Spirits Tarot is now available for purchase! I would love to hear what you think about my latest tarot creation and am looking forward to receiving your comments and feedback along the way. Thank you everyone who has watched this project grow and flourish over the years.

In other Hunt-Kramerville news:

Connor has been dazzling the neighborhood with his driveway chalk art. Our UPS man stopped dead in his tracks and gazed at the drawing of the spaceship—I thought something was wrong, but then he gushed about how AWESOME the drawing was. It was the first time I had ever seen that delivery man truly smile from ear to ear. Did my 11 year old’s art trigger some wonderful childhood memory for him? Or did the unexpected of seeing a rendered rocket on just-another-driveway break his hurried routine across miles of tarmac? Art has a way of inspiring people in surprising ways. If anyone questions the purpose of art—look no further. Connor’s drawing certainly proves that a drawing of a spaceship can create momentary sacred space and happy smiles!

Connor creating chalk art on the driveway

My 7 year old daughter Kyra has been busy working on her “Animals Talk Back” project for school. Gifted Education has proven to be quite demanding when it comes to the big assignments like this, so time management is essential (good training for freelancing and deadlines). She had the option of creating either a mask or paper-mache sculpture, along with requisite research and “interview”. Kyra decided to build an elephant! I have to admit I was intimidated by her ambtious ideas, but willingly prepared the supplies and let her go to town. I am not a sculptor and was unable to offer any valid advice, so I was relegated to clean-up gopherness as such artistic endeavors are obviously messy!

Kyra building her elephant using styrofoam, wire mesh, paper-mache, toothpicks and glue. After drying for 5 days, she spent many meticulous hours painting "Pooky", as she affectionately named it, using various shades of purple and gray. She was determined that "Pooky" have a purple cast. Note: Yes, that is "Spock" in the background.

"Kippers" wanted to claim the finished masterpiece for his cage. He has impeccable taste.

Art is life! Treat everything you do as if it’s a new adventure.

~Lisa

Category: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Tags: animal, artwork, chalk art, creativity, Ghosts & Spirits Tarot, Lisa Hunt, paper-mache elephant, U.S. Games Systems

Posted By lisahuntart on April 13, 2012

The finished Blue Jay-Shapeshifter watercolor painting

April is one of those pivotal months during the year that marks a time of transition and preparation. I spent two weeks giving my house a deep spring cleaning as a way to purge the debris of a season gone by and to commemorate new beginnings and a period of creative fecundity ahead. Even though I was busy renewing my surroundings, I continued to work on my bird project along with some Spirit Drawing orders. All the while, thoughts of the Ghosts and Spirits Tarot‘s imminent release is having me doing the pre-publication anticipatory dance—waiting, wondering, hoping and a host of emotions that accompany getting published.

I think Blue Jay-Shapeshifter is symbolic of this dance with all the feathers and roots symbolizing an extension of fervent activity. My 11 year old son Connor, who is becoming quite the artist in his own right, is a wonderful, candid critic of my work. I had hit a wall and wasn’t sure how to bring the visual chaos together. He looked at it and said “Mom, those details are crazy—how do you keep it all in order?” I suppose it’s metaphorical of a busy life. How do we keep balance during these busy days? I rarely go to bed thinking, “I got so much done today.” I’m usually lying there thinking about all that I have to do tomorrow. But I’m also realizing that this is not a bad thing—this is one’s motivational force, the part of the daydreaming ego that keeps us pushing on. I’ve also learned to pace myself and enjoy the process along the way. Rather than one big achievement, it’s the balance of energies that provide us with daily feelings of accomplishment. There is no next big thing. The next big thing is always here in your heart and soul fueling an inspiring life along the way. The recognition of this internal divine, one’s personal power is the very definition of success.

The Blue Jay understands this:

“Connecting with the power of blue jay means becoming the master of your energies. Work on completing one level of achievement at a time…”~Lesley Morrison, The Healing Power of Birds

Blue Jay watercolor painting in progress before Connor provided invaluable advice.

Back to Connor. He provided an objective view of a painting that I’ve been spending far too many days on. “Mom, you need to push the warmer colors at the top of the painting and I think you need to make his face more colorful”. How right he was and how thankful I am to have a child who appreciates art and everything that I’m doing in the studio. Thank you for helping me see Blue Jay-shapeshifter with more discerning eyes, Connor.

In other Hunt-Kramerville news:

Welcome to Fairy Tale Corners

More cozy corners

Here our cat Timmy is King of the Castle

Toys and books are an integral part of Fairy Tale Corners' decor

This is one of my favorite cozy corners in the house. There are fruit trees and a vegetable garden right outside the window. Kyra swears she has spotted fairies dancing amid blossoms.

Spring cleaning includes taking the bunnies out for tea

This pretty much sums it up!

Art is life! Treat everything you do as if it’s a new adventure.

~ Lisa

Category: Bird Oracle, Fairy Tale Corners, Family, Inspiration, Life Lessons, Pets, Spirit Drawings | 1 Comment »
Tags: animal, artwork, bird, blue jay, cats, Connor, Cozy Corners, Fairy Tale Corners, Lisa Hunt, pets, shapeshifter, spirit drawings, studio, toys, watercolors

Posted By lisahuntart on April 2, 2012

The more I think about my evolving drawing technique, the more I see the correlation between my visual art explorations and my current Jazz Piano studies. I’m letting the energy take my mind and fingers to new heights—to places that were once too scary and intimidating for me to explore but are now becoming a source of inspiration and creative dynamism. Some of my art used to have a finite, constrained feel, much like my piano playing—stiff, stagnate and safe. But I’m learning to let go and enjoy the process more than ever before. If I stumble, oh well. Better to stumble while moving forward than to fall standing still. Am I becoming more comfortable and trusting of myself as I grow older? Is it the years of experience that is allowing intuition to take over the wheel? Hawk is such an awesome reminder of all that I feel about letting go and learning to trust one’s inner power.

Finished drawing of Hawk-Shapeshifter - graphite on watercolor paper.

Vancouver-based author and bird expert, Lesley Morrison: "Learning to respond to your inner visions in the physical world is likewise something you will develop as you grow in hawk/falcon vision, as well as your ability to trust in that which you see."

Hawk-Shapeshifter is another piece that evolved rather spontaneously on the page. I began by drawing the head, using my friend Lesley Morrison as inspiration. Lesley expressed interest in being portrayed as hawk and the more I progressed through the drawing, the more I can see why it’s a good match for this bright, young woman. As I drew (in radiating motions from the face outward), it became apparent that this piece would encompass vistas and layers of landscapes—internal and external. I wanted to capture a sense of adventure, hope, creative thinking and optimism by merging feather, flight and inspiring glimpses through a daydreaming lens. To me, these are fundamental components for writers, artists, musicians and anyone who chooses a creative path.

“Hawk is considered a visionary in many cultural traditions, and is often a totem of those who have bold and original ideas. Those with a hawk totem have sharp minds and keen intellects, and are able to detect the slightest movement of energy around them. Many hawk totem people have acute psychic abilities, and have mastered their inner vision by trusting what they see. Part of the visionary power of the hawk totem is using its power to help the world in some creative way”~Lesley Morrison from her book: The Healing Wisdom of Birds: An Everyday Guide to Their Spiritual Songs & Symbolism (I highly recommend this book!).

Are you a hawk totem person? Are you helping the world in some creative way? Are you learning to let go and trust what you see?

In other Hunt-Kramerville news.

We have given our house a name! For those of you who have ever visited my home or who have glimpsed pictures of “cozy corners”, our home is our fairy tale sanctuary.

Here we believe that creativity is essential for an inspiring life.

We all love toys including Timmy. We encourage imaginative play and enjoy watching kids and cat engage their storytelling senses.

Art follows all of us everywhere, even out on the driveway.

Who need video games and expensive gadgets when you can just give 'em chalk!

Here's Connor drawing one of his amorphous characters.

Some of the kids' chalk drawings

Meanwhile, us parents sit on the sidelines and watch the chalk show!

And what does Connor do to relax and recharge his batteries? Well, draw of course. I truly believe my preteen processes his anxieties through this creative outlet. Anyone who knows Connor says he’s a “great kid” though some might think otherwise if they judged him by his “scary” drawings!

This is Connor's latest artistic direction. He calls this one "Combobulator".

And here’s Kyra with her latest school project. She was required to choose a famous woman in History and decorate a can in the woman’s likeness. Kyra went “overboard” and created an entire scene including a panoramic landscape painting inspired by the art and writings of Beatrix Potter. Kyra had read the entire Beatrix Potter “Little Books” collection in addition to her requisite biographical research.

Kyra's love for Beatrix Potter shined through her creative efforts.

Art is life! Treat everything you do as if it’s a new adventure.

~ Lisa

Category: Bird Oracle, Family, Pets | 1 Comment »
Tags: artwork, Beatrix Potter, chalk art, courage, creativity, drawing, Fairy Tale Corners, hawk, hawk-shapeshifter, inspiration, journey, Lesley Morrison, Lisa Hunt, sketching, The Healing Wisdom of Birds

Posted By lisahuntart on March 16, 2012

Kyra gardening in our yard

Yes, Florida has seasons though the one’s I experience here in South Florida are subtle and less dramatic than other corners of the world. But having been a resident of the subtropics for a good portion of my adult life, I am familiar with the harbingers that signal new cycles. As April approaches, mango trees begin to bud, tomato plants flower, the days are getting longer and warmer, and snowbirds (both animal and human) begin to migrate North. The days of open-window freshness will soon shut with the arrival of the hot, humid, rainy season–a period I call Florida hibernation and long days in the studio. I love all the seasons and feel every month has its special charm and sources of inspiration. Oftentimes my artwork will reflect how I feel about the natural world and how it mirrors our own cyclical tendencies.

Finished Robin-Shapeshifter watercolor painting

Robin-Shapeshifter signifies the “dawning of the new, resurrection, and birth”. It is a hopeful piece serving as a reminder that nothing ever really ends but merely changes form.

Bluejay-Shapeshifter watercolor-in-progress. What a fun painting to work on! The finished painting should be posted at the end of March.

With the changing seasons, I’m also working on giving my entire Lisa Hunt Art website (with the help of webmaster Kort) an overhaul with simplicity and clarity being my main objective. If anyone has any suggestions/ideas about what she/he would like to see on my new site, please leave a comment. It would be greatly appreciated. I think a good rule of thumb is to renew a website every 2 years or so, reflecting changing styles and technology. Over time, what I have now has become obsolete and woefully disorganized.

I’ve also finished up over 50 Spirit Drawings. What an inspiring adventure it has been! Check out my growing gallery of drawings commissioned by people from all over the globe. Thank you to everyone who purchased a one-of-a-kind drawing from me. Keep an eye out for a future offer as the Ghosts and Spirits Tarot release draws near. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter if you haven’t already.

Spirit Drawings ready to be shipped out.

Speaking of which, my 3-part interview for US Games is now live. If you leave a comment, you will automatically be entered into a drawing. The winner will be announced at the end of the month. For best viewing results be sure to use Firefox as your browser when reading the USG interview otherwise the images will look like film negatives.

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In Other Hunt-Kramerville News:

Kids, cats and books: sharing in the joy of reading. This is the one room where the kids are quiet for long periods of time. When books and toys ARE the clutter, that's okay by me.

Life as art…

When feelings get hurt, what better way to help patch things up than giving a little art? This made Kyra's friend Emme very happy. Now they're back to being BFF. Good job, Kyra. Too bad you can't see the long ponytails here. They are really cute.

Kyra and I taken on March 11, 2012

Wishing everyone wonderful thoughts of Spring!

~Lisa

Category: Bird Oracle, Family, Inspiration, Life Lessons, Out and About | No Comments »
Tags: artwork, bird, blue jay, cat, creativity, gardening, inspiration, robin, shapeshifter, U.S. Games Systems

Posted By lisahuntart on March 2, 2012

Watercolor painting-in-progress: Robin-Shapeshifter

No, none of us were instant rock stars. Our success is an ongoing journey where evidence of our wayfaring hopefully runs deep into the roots of lasting impressions. The successful people I most admire are those that keep on trekking without looking over their shoulder; those who elevate others in the process and who see “competition” as inspiration rather than a source of contention or an aberration. I’ve always thought and said, (especially while I was a teacher) “Be who YOU are and don’t worry about what you think you have to be!”. Make your own mark and people will notice by default.

Lisa in the early 1990's

Lauren Mills, award winning author/illustrator of children’s books, sculptor, painter, and instructor

Jeffrey Zurawin, A.P., D.O.M, Acupuncture Physician and Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Owner, Lifegate Acupuncture

Tara Larsen Chang, Children’s book illustrator,  Event Organizer for TLC Workshops/Professional Art Series

Gary Lippincott, Gary A. Lippincott, Artist & Illustrator specializing in fantasy and historical Illustration and children’s books

Joanna Powell Colbert, Artist ~ Writer ~ Teacher

"Stroll into a Fairy Tale" by Kort Kramer

Sell sheet for Ghosts and Spirits Tarot. To be published in April 2012

Connor created a cool 3-D Animal Cell Project for Science class. It was a good review for us rusty-brained parents too. I almost forgot what Mitochondria was! Thanks Connor.

Kyra did a timeline report on one of her favorite Jazz singers, Billie Holiday. I highly recommend you search "Fine and Mellow" on YouTube to get a taste of live Cool Blues/Jazz of the 1950s at its finest.

She was also chosen "Super Star Student" and was allowed to take home the class mascot "Coconut" home for the weekend. Part of her selection required that she/we create a poster of her achievements and snapshots from her life and family. Coconut approved.

~ Lisa

Category: Family, Inspiration, Life Lessons | 1 Comment »
Tags: adversity, courage, creativity, dreams, drive, inspiration, journey, Lisa Hunt, satisfaction, success

Posted By lisahuntart on February 17, 2012

I’ve never really thought about what it means to be “successful”. To me, it’s a concept loaded with complexities relative to time, place and personal philosophies. I think most would agree that success serves as a personal measuring device built on how we handle challenges and situations that test our fortitude and will. I don’t subscribe to the idea of “instant” success. That overused phrase is as flat and fleeting as a cup of tepid watered-down coffee. To me, success is something much deeper, richer, robust and full of vibrant life.

With all these thoughts of what success means percolating in my mind–especially during an era of uncertainty–I asked esteemed colleagues how they define it. The array of insightful responses delighted me. I was immediately struck by a collective motif of self-awareness: success is not necessarily a tangible measurement of material gains but rather, it is a state of mind. When most people hear the word “success”, they (at first anyway) may think fame and fortune; an alliteration fixed in the psyche. But monetary reward is not the defining element in these interesting reveries. Read on and judge for yourself. I hope that you derive much inspiration from these fabulous contributors who have created their own unique paths to success!

I've had this quote by the late actress Betty Davis hanging in my studio for years

Kris Waldherr, Author, Illustrator, and Designer

I define career success as the ability to make a good living creating publications which have meaning and integrity to me. The other part of my equation for success is that every project I take on should help me grow as an artist and as a human. I need to feel that I’m never stagnating with my work—that I’m constantly learning and evolving. And I think I have: my first job in publishing was as a children’s book illustrator and designer. (It shocks me to realize that this was over two decades ago.) Since then, I’ve expanded into writing and packaging gift books, creating iPhone apps, tarot decks, and so much more. And now my work has evolved into writing historical fiction, a whole new world. All of this progression feels organic, though if I’d known where I’d end up when I’d started out as a twenty year old, I’d be pretty surprised.

Lynn Araujo, PhD Director of Communications U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Early in my publishing career success meant setting and reaching goals. Success was measured by specific achievements, or the final product of my work. Now, it’s more about the way I work, and the integrity of the
process. I feel successful knowing that the energy I put into my creative projects comes back multi-fold as part of something bigger.

Barbara Moore, Author/Tarotist/Blogger, Acquisitions Llewellyn Publications

To me, it is imperative that everyone define it for themselves. And the definition, I bet, changes for people over time. I am successful because:

• I do what I love (mostly)

• I get to be creative in work and “work-related” things

• I feel like my peers know who I am and what I’ve done.

• I feel very recognized and valued by my peers.

• I love having some control over my earnings because I feel financial independence is empowering.

Brenda Parker, ATCL (Piano)/ LTCL(Piano)/ LTCL(Violin), Pianist/Educator

Success is a reward of overwhelming happiness you feel in your emotions after achieving your heart`s deepest desire. Like me or my students accomplishing playing a difficult piece of music fluently after studying it and practicing it a lot. I also feel successful when I feel like I have helped someone or an animal have a better life or managed to advise someone and help them overcome a difficult time in their life. Success the best way for me would be in a win win situation that has everyone involved happy. Success comes in many ways and many times in different forms.

Rebecca Zins, Senior Editor Llewellyn Publications

I think it’s a balance of internal knowing you done good and external reinforcement of that via others patting you on the head. Both have to be in place in order to truly feel successful.

Kort Kramer, Art Director PDI-SAT / Freelance Photographer

I think some form of recognition is a key component to “success”, but you have to feel happy with what you’ve accomplished otherwise it rings hollow. External validation is wonderful and monetary reward is always a plus, but what you think of yourself is the only true way to lasting happiness. If you feel you’ve done something and done it well, then you can move on to the next goal with a clear mind and not need further reinforcement. Fame is ephemeral, but true success is your lasting mark upon this world, whether it comes from creating masterpieces of art to raising your children to be good people.

Mickie Mueller, Owner The Mickie Mueller Collection, Author / Artist

Doing what you love and being happy while being able to pay the bills and have a little left over for some fun.  Just getting out there and taking a chance on yourself makes you a success. Taking that big leap of faith is something that everyone who ever found success had to do, they might have been scared to do it, but they just did it anyway. You have to dream it first, and then of course you have to do it, believe it and make it happen!

Thank you everyone who generously took time to contribute to this post.  More to come so stay tuned!

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In Hunt-Kramerville news:
Valentine’s Day Fun

Kyra's homemade Valentines for school

Purple tulips, 'champagne', chocolate and a fairy tale book. What more could a woman want?

~ Lisa

Category: Family, Inspiration, Life Lessons, tarot | 2 Comments »
Tags: inspiration, journey, Lisa Hunt, satisfaction, success, transform, Valentine's Day

Posted By lisahuntart on February 3, 2012

Whenever I tell my friends that it’s Hermit-time, they know I’ll be largely unplugged and holed-up in my studio. If any of you follow my posts on Facebook and Twitter, you can almost identify these creative intermezzos by my virtual absences. The silence is a sign of an artist in her zone when all one sees is the magic happening between mind and paintbrush. For me, it’s a timeless space where technology ceases to be and the communication with the Muses becomes the focal point.

In the case of Magpie-Shapeshifter, I spent my days (mostly while kids were in school) slowly formulating color patterns as I saw them in my mind. I never know exactly where a painting is going to take me. In the case of Magpie-Shapeshifter, the only thing I was conscious of was my desire to achieve a sense of dancing birds, dappled lighting and a forest full of animistic energy. I documented the progression of this painting by making daily scans of my work.

The first few days of painting focused on establishing a value pattern

After the first day of painting, I decided to change the position of the Magpie-Shapeshifter’s bird eye. It didn’t make sense to use a side view of a bird on a front view of the shapeshifter’s face. You can decipher this change on Day Two.  The bird’s eye shape takes on a more elliptical form. The shapeshifter’s face was inspired by a Facebook friend who kindly sent me a lovely photo of herself to use as inspiration. Thank you Cesca!

Cesca's eyes are striking and served as a wonderful source of inspiration.

Days three and four included lots of dry brushing (more paint, less water) in the foreground and a slow buildup of warm yellow/greens in the background.  I loved working on all aspects of this painting. I would bounce between painting rocks in the foreground and creating dappled lighting on the trees. If you look closely, you might discern a face or two in the tree bark.

I love to achieve a sense of elemental integration in my paintings—the approach has Jungian overtones with its metaphorical ties to the psyche. The roots, the water, the trees, the sky and of course the birds–all can be seen as symbols of the mind and thought processes.

Here’s the latest scan. I may work on the foreground rocks a wee bit more, but overall I’m satisfied with the results.

Just about finished--maybe a few more touches of dry brush and it's done!

In other art news:

As many of you know, another facet of my creative journey has entailed creating special “Spirit Drawings” for fans and friends around the world. Here’s an updated gallery showcasing the many visions brought to fruition with the help of my creative customers’ keywords. It has been a wonderful way to connect with fans of my artwork in a personal way. Thank you to everyone who has participated in this fantastic creative process!

Here's a recent set of wrapped Spirit Drawings.

Spirit Drawings

If you would like to be a part of this gallery, I’m still taking orders. My goal is to complete 50 drawings before the release of my Ghosts & Spirits Tarot deck in April. Yes, it looks like April is the month we’ll finally get to hold this long-awaited deck in our hands!

In other Hunt-Krameville news:

Hubby turned 41! Kyra and I saw to it that he had homemade goodies for his big day. I made the homemade pizza and Kyra decorated the requested carrot cake and cream cheese frosting.

Kyra, the triumphant cake decorator.

There I am working the pizza dough. I have a long way to go before I master the technique!

Life is art. Treat everything you do as if it’s a new adventure!

~Lisa

Category: Bird Oracle, Family, Inspiration, Spirit Drawings | No Comments »
Tags: artwork, creativity, family, food, Ghosts & Spirits Tarot, Jungian, kitchen, life is art, magpie, pizza, shapeshifter, spirit drawings, studio, watercolors, work

Posted By lisahuntart on January 20, 2012

All photos taken by Kort Kramer copyright 2012

January is turning into a “studio hermit” month as drawing and painting have slowly supplanted the hullaballoo of the holidays. The Swallow-Shapeshifter painting-in-progress had been on the board for a while due to other pressing commitments. But the “break” allowed its after-image-glow to seer into the depths of consciousness and materialize into a more thoughtful, well-executed image. I like this piece as it encompasses everything I love about doing art. It’s always hard to explain exactly what the creative drive is all about, but in the barest of explications, I think it’s a transverse humming of the soul; an intersection of energy that coalesces into something penetrable and emotive.

Finished pencil drawing and initial watercolor washes.

Washes are followed by the drybrushing of details.

The finished Swallow-Shapeshifter watercolor painting

In other Hunt-Kramerville news:

A creative life is anything but a pristine one, as many of my author, artist and musician friends would concur. As much as I would love to maintain command of my surrounds, I often have to make choices that exclude household fastidiousness. I probably take the “A clean house is a sign of a wasted life” too much to heart. Given how jam-packed my days are, negotiating studio time and/or practicing piano or well, just being mom; dusting and other mundane labors are allowed to languish on the backlog of to-dos.

The happy corner of the kitchen and the magical realm that is Kyra's bedroom.

My mother-in-law, who has the “perfect” home,  passes on her House and Garden-style magazines to me—often somewhat butchered by her gregarious scissor hands, but with enough intact to provide me with sensual escapism. I don’t really read these periodicals, but I will leaf through dreamy pages of idyllic perfection as I proceed to fantasize about my own interior decorating choices. But more times than not, rather than being dazzled by overall layouts, I will hone in on nooks and crannies and the details that give personalized expression to one’s domicile. In between piles of chaos, I nurture cozy corners in my home; little pockets of pleasure that tell stories about the inhabitants and offer temporary reprieve from the debris of a life well lived.

The corner of my bedroom, a space of quietude and good fairy tale reads. On the shelf I have a book entitled "Colors" that friend/fan Lloyd Goatee had made for me. You can also see my dear friend Kris Waldherr's portrait of Isis and a gorgeous Waterhouse poster that she had sent to me. The teddy bear is one of my oldest possessions circa 1970--full of patches and holes from a lifetime of adoration. Every single object in this photo tells its own story.

This is all I seem to be able to maintain without big fuss—a small blissful exercise in nesting. Do you have sacred spaces in your home? Do you pay close attention to the apexes that bring a room together and perhaps serve as subconscious stability?

I think for me, my cozy corners help to balance creative distractions and smatterings of overwhelmed-ness. I notice that our furry, feathery creature companions tend to gravitate to these comfort zones. I think this says it all.

Kippers and Snowy in the corner of the library. Elsa with her alligator friend on the corner of our bed.

When I walk into my studio, the first thing I see is one of my cozy corners. That seems to set the right balance for a day that will certainly be filled by messy creative activity.

Kyra doing what she loves to do the most: reading fairy tales.

In this house, we all like to curl up to a good book in a cozy nook.

~ Lisa

Category: Bird Oracle, Books, Family, Inspiration, Life Lessons | 1 Comment »
Tags: animal, artwork, bird, cozy corner, creativity, fairy tales, inspiration, Lisa Hunt, shapeshifter, sunny, watercolors

Posted By lisahuntart on January 5, 2012

A Yuletide gift from my dear friend Cindy Coombe

The transition from 2011 to 2012 was a mix of excitement and tumult. We finally finished our kitchen, with a mere few days to spare before visitors descended on Chez Hunt-Kramerville. During that period of “out with the old/in with the new”–my press proofs for Ghosts & Spirits Tarot finally arrived. The smell of new kitchen and fresh press proof sheets were acute reminders of how life is constantly changing. It feels good to enter 2012 with a sense of newness and fresh opportunities. We also added a few home accouterments that helped to enhance our abode including the above new message on our reading room wall. My friend of 25 years sent this incredibly thoughtful gift to me as it so encapsulates what I do. I toyed with putting in my studio, but felt it was an important message to share with the whole family. We’re a wee bit creatively eccentric here, so this quote resonates for us all.

Dark, rich and delicious. The proofs are stunning like sinfully mouthwatering chocolates, at least that's how I feel!

Meanwhile in the studio, my family was as excited about the Ghosts press proofs as I was. These are by far my darkest, rawest, most subconsciously driven works to date. I really surprised myself with this body of work. I didn’t know I had it in me! But obviously things had to come out, and boy did the ghosts pour through keyholes in the mind.

Kort and the kids holding up the Ghost goodies.

Here I am holding the cover proof. This is what a box would look like if flattened. Lots of careful planning for the designer! Also, my fans chose the cover art! Yup---we had a vote on Facebook and "Snow Ghost" prevailed. For those who voted for "King Hamlet", it was decided that his presence would grace the back of the box, so everyone wins!

I’ve also been “letting go” of some original watercolor and pencil artwork, much of it published as I realize I can’t hold on to them forever and prefer if they would be in the hands of those who would truly treasure my creations. Here are some samples of reasonable offerings I’ve made exclusively through my Lisa Hunt Art Group Facebook page. So far, everything I’ve posted has sold which is really nice. I also know that my customers are getting wonderful deals for original art with an added personal touch. Thank you for your continued support. Keep an eye for future art postings!

This is a watercolor illustration for a book entitled Magickal Mermaids and was sold to Mary.

This one was a book cover image for "The Guide to Little People" and sold to Kelli.

This monochromatic watercolor painting appeared in D.J. Conway's Elemental Magick. I added a remarque on the mat board. As of this posting, this piece was still for sale.

In other Hunt-Kramerville news:

The kids have winter break, so it was nice to see Kyra being creative as she was teaching herself how to draw fairies, elves and princesses. She is adamant that I don't help her as she thinks she's already better at drawing them than I am. Hahahah!

Connor, having just earned his Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do "Foot and Hand Way" has been studying anatomy. He did a pretty good job drawing his own arms on notebook paper. I like the fact that he colorized them with his new colored pencil set.

And last but not least…

After 15 years in darkness, Kort has finally graduated to an office with a window. He seems much happier these days as a result! Congrats Kort!

Happy Hunky Hubby in his new workspace

Wishing everyone a fabulous 2012!

~Lisa

Category: Announcements, Family, Ghosts & Spirits Tarot | 2 Comments »
Tags: artwork, creativity, drawing, Ghosts & Spirits Tarot, Lisa Hunt, press sheets, studio, watercolors