Happy Winter Solstice

"The winter solstice has always been special to me as a barren darkness

that gives birth to a verdant future beyond imagination,

a time of pain and withdrawal that produces something joyfully inconceivable,

like a monarch butterfly masterfully extracting itself from the confines of its cocoon,

bursting forth into unexpected glory."

~ Gary Zukav

Winter Solstice ~ Alcohol Ink on Yupo

 

"Of winter's lifeless world each tree


Now seems a perfect part;


Yet each one holds summer's secret


Deep down within its heart."

~ Charles G. Stater


At The End Of Your Comfort Zone

“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it,

move with it, and join the dance.”
 ~ Alan W. Watts

1996 -2016 ~ SandySandy.com

 SandySandy.com is now over twenty years old! I created it in 1996 and have updated and maintained it since then. Long story short, I moved the site, SandySandy.com over to a new web hosting site. The old hosting site, where I still have my domains registered, is merging with another company, so everything is in transition there. After days of talking to over a dozen and a half different technical support reps., in the four separate companies that are involved, I am still unable to hook up my main emails; info@sandysandy.com or sandy@sandysandy.com. I don't know if or when this - finally admitted "known issue" will be resolved, so I am notifying all friends, family and companies that I have used those emails with (99% - for the last 20 years) that my email address has now been changed to: ssandyssan@gmail.com. Ugh! So please update your records everyone!

Hugs and Happy Creating, xo Sandy

“The comfort zone is a psychological state in which one feels familiar, safe, at ease, and secure. You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.” ~ Roy T. Bennett

Learning Is A Treasure

"You don’t understand anything

until you learn it more than one way."

~ Marvin Minsky

The FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink - January 2017

The FUNdamentals videos are short and to the point. There are no long, boring demos or lectures on theory. Through various demos, you'll see that there is no one way to paint or one style. The lessons presented here encourage you to find your own way, your own voice and your own joy in painting what you love. Registration for the January 2017 Session closes December 18, 2016!

• Learn How To Create A Variety Of Backgrounds From Smooth and Varied To Abstract.

View My Last Pre-Course Sample Demo Video here.

"Learning is like rowing upstream: not to advance is to drop back."

 ~ Chinese Proverb


Removing Oil Spots on Yupo Paper

"A teacher is one who makes herself progressively unnecessary."

~ Thomas Carruthers

Use Dawn Dish Soap to remove grease spots

See the step by step slide show here:

Thanks so much for your friendship,

X ♥  O

Happy Creating!

Home For Christmas

They'll be home for Christmas,

If only in my dreams . . .

It's that time of year again when I start really missing

my friends and family that have moved far away.

"Christmas is a time when you get homesick;

even when you're home."

~ Carol Nelson

Hummingbird Feeders make great holiday gifts.

See proven methods on how to attract your own l'il band of buddies here.

Thanks so much for your friendship,

X ♥  O

 

One Day Only - Black Friday Sale

“Who you are tomorrow begins with what you do today.”
 ~ Tim Fargo 

Get 1/3 Off - One Day Only - 11/25/16

Remove stress and have FUN!

Take advantage of the Pre-Launch BLACK FRIDAY SALE

on the January 2017 FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink E-Course

Get 1/3 off the regular price of registration

ONE DAY ONLY!

Get more details HERE.

November 25th - ALL DAY to closing at midnight

Sign up to receive updates, prices and resources.

A Revolutionary Approach To Painting And Design

"Invite the viewers into the picture

and entertain them everywhere." 

~ Edgar Whitney

Ed Whitney 1979 - discussing the Three Bears
(Momma, Poppa, Baby Formula) photo by Shirley Landgraf

Edgar Whitney was a brilliant artist, writer and watercolor instructor. His Seven Elements and Eight Principles Of Design can be applied to any art medium and truly revolutionized my own artistic journey. Ed's students benefit from an accelerated understanding of art and visual design, leading to a broader scope of exploration and creativity.

Edgar A. Whitney spent twenty-five years in commercial art before devoting himself full time to painting and teaching. He taught at Pratt Institute in NYC and lectured regularly at New York University. Twenty years after his death, his book, Complete Guide to Watercolor Painting, continues to be one of the foremost and extensive manuals on philosophy, design, and watercolor painting. In his golden years, Ed demonstrated and taught workshops from Maine to Florida, producing many extraordinary modern day watercolor masters while establishing himself as a legend in the Art World Hall of Fame.

THE SEVEN ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

THESE ARE THE PARTS OF A PAINTING

* SHAPE - Anything with height and width - They can be . . .
* Curved
* Angular
* Rectangular

* SIZE - The relationship of objects to each other - think 3 bears - Momma, Poppa, Baby
* Small
* Medium
* Large

* LINE - There are two main types
* Curved
* Angular

* DIRECTION - The overall dominant direction of an art piece can be
* Horizontal
* Vertical
* Oblique

* TEXTURE - There are three basic textures
* Soft
* Hard
* Rough

* COLOR - Warm or cool, one should dominate

* VALUE - The lightness or darkness of a color
* Light
* Medium
* Dark


THE EIGHT PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

These are the building blocks OF ALL ART!
This is what we should strive to do with the SEVEN ELEMENTS, listed above.
For better understanding; read each principle and then apply it to each element, one at a time.

* UNITY - The painting must be consistent throughout. Each part must look like it belongs to the rest.

* CONFLICT - or Contrast - Must be present in all of the elements.

* DOMINANCE - The most important principle because without it, there will be too much variation and no unity of the elements. In each of the listed SEVEN ELEMENTS, one should dominate in a painting.

* REPETITION - Elements should repeat.

* ALTERNATION - Repetition with variation.

* GRADATION - Gradual change from one element to another.

* HARMONY - Similar elements.

* BALANCE - Most noticeable with shapes and should generally be informal (asymmetrical) vs. formal (symmetrical)

Come Create Online With Me in January 2017!

More of Edgar A. Whitney's Teaching and Philosophy Woven into 

the FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink ECourse coming soon!

Click the link to see a short video of student work from the September 2016 ECourse.

Registration Closes Tonight!

“Who you are tomorrow begins with what you do today.” ~ Tim Fargo      

If you don't enroll, how many of your questions will go unanswered?
How many times will you be frustrated or do something the hard way?

  Take the stress out of creating and have FUN in The FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink E-Course. Registration Closes SOON for this highly anticipated E-Course!

Birds Of A Feather

“A heart without dreams

is like a bird without feathers.”

 ~ Suzy Kassem 

The hummingbirds are fattening up for their long fall migration.

I hate to see them go. I have enjoyed their company immensely.

And even more now, that I know they'll soon be leaving me.

"The way to really appreciate and love something is to realize it might be lost."

~ G.K. Chesterton

Learn.Love.Create

“Love is a feeling completely bound up with color,

like thousands of rainbows superimposed

one on top of the other.”

~ Paulo Coelho

"There's a calm surrender to the rush of day
When the heat of a rolling world can be turned away
An enchanted moment, and it sees me through
It's enough for this restless warrior just to be with you

And can you feel the love tonight
It is where we are
It's enough for this wide eyed wanderer
That we got this far
And can you feel the love tonight
How it's laid to rest
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best

There's a time for everyone if they only learn
That the twisting kaleidoscope moves us all in turn
There's a rhyme and reason to the wild outdoors
When the heart of this star crossed voyager beats in time with yours"

~Elton John

Come feel the love and join me on this maiden voyage here.

Finding Excuses


"The person who really wants to do something finds a way;

the other person finds an excuse."

4 x 10" Alcohol Ink Painting on Ceramic Tile

 In case you might be wondering if my new Learn • Love • Create E-Course
is a good fit for you …
IT IS IF …
• You want to find more inspiration and joy in the creation process.

• You want to loosen up and experience more spontaneity in your art.

• You want to learn new ideas and techniques, without feeling pressured
   to perform in front of others or produce a "keeper".

• You love to create, but need more structure, inspiration
and motivation to get started and to keep you going.

• You like the idea of learning at your own pace, in your own place.

This is just a sampling of what this course is all about!!
See for yourself. Click here to learn more!

The FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink E-Course is open for enrollment!


The private part of the  Learn • Love • Create website is available to Members NOW!
Videos, tips, supply lists, starter kits, links and downloads are already online.
Hugs And Happy Creating From Your FUN Bringer,

FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink Registration Open!

"Anyone who stops learning is old,
whether at twenty or eighty."
~ Henry Ford

Early Bird Registration is finally OPEN for my "First Born" Online Workshop -

'The FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink'

 

See price, details and save 20% off registration now!

Learn • Love • Create

"The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies,

can continue growing as we continue to live."

~ Mortimer Adler

The Portals Of Heaven

“To live continually in thoughts of ill will, cynicism, suspicion, and envy, is to be confined in a self-made prison. But to think well of all, to be cheerful with all, to patiently learn to find the good in all;
 such unselfish thoughts are the very portals of heaven. 

  

To dwell day by day, in thoughts of peace toward every creature,

will bring abounding peace to their possessor.”

~ James Allen

I'm designing my new online course with beginners and accomplished inkers in mind. I'll be teaching classic design principles and demonstrating professional techniques for more advanced aficionados.

But I'll also be breaking lessons down into simple, easy to follow, baby steps for those just getting started with alcohol inks.

I'm developing simplified versions of more complicated lessons in the K.I.S.S. (KEEP IT SILLY SIMPLE) Section of ‪#‎LearnLoveCreate‬ . I will also have a basic K.I.S.S. Starter Kit and Material List available for those of you just testing out the inky waters.

So check out my very first online workshop "The FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink!!
I'd love to answer your questions! See a sample lesson here!

X ♥  O

Have a great weekend and EnJOY!

Ten Rules For Students and Teachers

 "Be happy whenever you can manage it.

 Enjoy yourself. It's lighter than you think."

~ John Cage 

John Cage's Rules For Students and Teachers:

• 1. Find a place you trust, and then try trusting it for awhile.
• 2. General duties of a student--pull everything out of your teacher;
  pull everything out of your fellow students.
• 3. General duties of a teacher--pull everything out of your students.
• 4. Consider everything an experiment.
• 5. Be self-disciplined--this means finding someone wise or smart and choosing to follow them. To be disciplined is to follow in a good way. To be self-disciplined is to follow in a better way.
• 6. Nothing is a mistake. There's no win and no fail, there's only make.
• 7. The only rule is work. If you work it will lead to something. It's the people who do all of the work all of the time who eventually catch on to things.
• 8. Don't try to create and analyze at the same time. They're different processes.
• 9. Be happy whenever you can manage it. Enjoy yourself. It's lighter than you think.
• 10. Break rules. Even your own rules. Leave plenty of room for X quantities.
  

To Celebrate 1,000 Likes on Facebook, I'm Having a
Christmas In July Giveaway!

Six Original Alcohol Ink Paintings Are Up For Grabs!

Get Updates About the Online Alcohol Ink Workshop with Me this September!
Learn • Love • Create

X ♥  O

A Dream Is A Seed

“A dream is a seed. Vision plants it.
Imagination nurtures growth.
Opportunities create blooms.
Thoughts become things!”
~  Donna McGoff

“Of all the words of mice and men,

the saddest are, "It might have been.”

~ Kurt Vonnegut 

Ever wanted to try watercolor?

Want to try something exciting and new?

Well here's your chance ... 

Join us for the July 23rd, Summer Symphony Watercolor Workshop on Yupo Paper 

Only 2 spots left! NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY!! Starter Kits Available.

Get Updates for the Online Alcohol Ink Workshop with Sandy this September!

Learn • Love • Create 

X ♥  O

 

Online Workshop, Discovery and Joy

“Do anything, but let it produce joy.” ~ Walt Whitman

Learn • Love • Create 
Online A.I. Workshop Starts September 2016

Sign up to join the E-Course Special Wait List
And Be The First To Know When the Doors Open For Enrollment

 (You will also get my FREE CMY / RGB Color Wheel  PDFs - 

delivered to your inbox within 24 hours when you sign up!) 

 "People who thrive on their creative energy are 

tapping into something that is innate in the human race;

 the ability to discover something new. 

What makes them different is the

desire and motivation to create."

~ Faith Puleston)

Happy Summer AND Cool Creating Everyone!
X ♥  O

The Way You See It

“No one else has access to the world you carry around within yourself;
you are its custodian and entrance. No one else can see the world the way you see it.
No one else can feel your life the way you feel it. Thus it is impossible to ever 

compare two people because each stands on such different ground. 

When you compare yourself to others, you are inviting envy

into your consciousness; it can be a dangerous and destructive guest.”

~ John O'Donohue
 

"Buttercup" ~ 4 x 10" alcohol ink on ceramic tile ~ Sold

Framed to 6 x 12" - 10 x 16" outside dimensions

The cat's out of the bag -

The Wait List For The September 2016 Launch Of The Very First
Online Learn.Love.Create Workshop is Now Available Here.

Develop your own voice without the fear of judgement or
preconceived expectations (from yourself or others).
You are spirit, pure and eternal, one of a kind, special and unique.
Lets uncover ways to make your art more powerful and distinctively you.

"The FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink"
 GET UPDATES and STAY IN THE LOOP

Thanks for your friendship and feedback everyone!!
I am grateful for you all.
Happy creating!

X ♥  O

With Spirit Full, I Live

"With arms outstretched I thank.

With heart beating gratefully I love.

With body in health I jump for joy.

With spirit full I live.
"
~Terri Guillemets

I have been under the weather with a summer cold, turned upper respiratory ailment for the past week or so and haven't had the energy to do much of anything. This morning, I received this wonderful note from one of my June 11th, first time workshop participants, Lynn Pechinski, who owns 1st Straw Marketing and Promotions. I rarely get much feedback from participants. Her card really made me feel great! Lynn clearly knows the power of gratitude and of making people feel special.

You can see amazing art from the last workshop here, where 5 of the 7 inkers were first timers!

The next scheduled "play"shop here is July 23rd. You can see details about the watercolor on Yupo paper "art experience" here. The early bird registration discount ends tomorrow, June 25th. 

It's not just a workshop, it's a full bodied "art experience"!

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that

the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Thanks for your friendship and feedback everyone!!
I am grateful for you all.

X ♥  O

Jerry's Yard Art at Sandarosa Studio

“I am enough of an artist to draw freely 

upon my imagination.

 Imagination is more important than knowledge. 

 Knowledge is limited. 

 Imagination encircles the world.” 

~ Albert Einstein

Haven't posted here in a few weeks,

so thought I'd post a few snaps from around the yard this morning.

Hubby, Jerry, has been busy beautifying the place.

Thought you might enjoy a peek!

Witchy-Poo is still enjoying the ride!

One of many.

Remember these?

Almost everything traded or found in trash.

New Studio Window - more about that later.

Nice touch Jer!

My new favorite! Jerry's King Crab. :-)

“Logic will get you from A to Z;
imagination will get you everywhere.”
~  Albert Einstein

Happy Summer everyone!!
X ♥  O

MAY MADNESS SALE!

"I started collecting art... simply because 

I wanted pictures to hang on the wall. 

I noticed what a difference a picture 

could make to the ambience of a room, 

and indeed how shifting work around 

could change a room's whole feeling."

~ Michael Audain

IN HONOR OF . . . . BIRTHDAYS - WEDDINGS - ANNIVERSARIES 

GRADUATIONS - CHRISTENINGS - FATHER'S DAY . . . . .
Buy any original painting 

(16 x 20" or smaller)

and get it framed  FREE!! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 10 DAYS ONLY - MAY 21 - MAY 31

Wishing You Much Joy and Many Blessings! 
X ♥  O

Superstitious About Friday the 13th?

"On Friday the 13th,

Don't walk under any ladders,

Don't break any mirrors,

Don't spill any salt,

And don't walk by any black cats."

Friday the 13th happens only once this year; today, May 13th. The belief that Friday the 13th is bad luck is one of the most prevalent legends of the 20th and 21st century. It is hard to pinpoint the exact origins that are responsible for it's popularity because there are so many! Follow the links to see more information about this day! 

Friday The 13th

~~ 7.5" x 5.5" original hand painted watercolor on Yupo paper ~~

Acid-free Mat w/ Backing in sleeve - 8" x 10"

Signed and certified by the artist.
Purchase the painting here.

Happy Friday the 13th everyone!