The Final Countdown....

Well, just five days left until we pack the Beetle (and I do mean PACK, teehee!) and set out for Michigan, and the most magical Halloween art show ever, the Ghoultide Gathering! I know I've posted this video before, but for anyone who hasn't seen it, here's a little sampling of last year's extravaganza....


I'm excited and terrified, thrilled and sleep deprived, and with just a few days of painting time left, have more ideas spinning around in my addled brain than I know what to do with, haha. But I know it will work out, it always does.

The most exciting part is the friends and collectors traveling from all over the country to see the show, and I can't wait to meet everyone in person!

In four short years, Scott Smith and Stephanie Rawson have created what has become the country's premiere Halloween art event, and I can't thank them enough for including me. I'm truly giddy with anticipation, and grateful beyond words for the opportunity to share my work.

Soooooo, I hope to see you there!!! (I'll be the roundish one, dressed in black, with the cane and the dark circles under her eyes, hehe.)

In the meantime, it's back to work!!
♥ Carolee

Fun With Hardware...

Just popping in to share the latest primitive creation, an antique cabinet door adorned with rusty hardware and a single Swarovski crystal...

It's up for grabs on eBay now. :)

♥ Carolee

♥ Collector Love ♥

I'm overwhelmed. :)

There I was yesterday, sitting in the studio, painting a piece for the upcoming Ghoultide Gathering, and nursing a nasty head cold, when I heard the Aussies barking their heads off up at the front of the house. Immersed in work, I ignored it, yelled at the dogs to be quiet, and went about my business.

Fast forward to 6PM, when John came home from work, saying "Hey, are you expecting a package from Wisconsin?"

"Um, nooooooo, but give it here!!" Teehee....

Sure enough, it was a parcel of collector-love from my friend Marge, filled with assorted Halloween candles and candies, and the most amazing beaded Bat necklace, with matching bracelet and earrings!

Check out the necklace...

I'm thinking it will look amazing against a black sweater, and am sooooo taking it to Michigan with me next week!

One again, I'm completely amazed and overwhelmed at the generosity and thoughtfulness of my amazing collector friends. Packages and cards, letters and e-cards - and all this in addition to supporting my work, which enables me to live this artful life in the first place!

Okay, just had to share that with you. Back to the studio now, feeling very touched and very grateful. ;)

(Hope to see some of you soon at the show!!)

♥ Carolee

An Enchanted Halloween Party!

And you're ALL invited!!

Given my love for All Hallows Eve, for all things magical and enchanting, and for entertaining, it's not surprising one of my dreams is to invite all my friends and collectors over for a wicked good Halloween party; elaborate costumes, delicious treats, intoxicating spirits and brews, and all manner of revelry until the wee hours of the morning...

Sadly though, our little abode is just too small, not to mention too far away for most of you.

But thanks to Miss Vanessa Valencia over at A Fanciful Twist, we can all attend the next best thing; an Enchanted Halloween cyber party, right here in the blogosphere...

Click here to be magically transported to Vanessa's blog, where party details are fully explained. If you have a blog, do sign up, and if not, just mark the date, and when the time comes, grab a cup of your favorite brew and settle in for a bit of visiting!

And what would a party be without presents?

With that in mind, I'll be offering a giveaway here - not sure what yet, but something magical and enchanting, I promise. ;)

Won't you join me?

♥ Carolee

Finally, Some eBay Magic....

To say I've been having anxiety over my empty eBay page would be an understatement - in the nine years I've been selling my work there, I've nevereverever gone so long (weeks - eek!) without an offering...But such is life when preparing for a show. ;)

So I'm happy to report I've remedied the situation this evening, with not one but two new pieces listed...

The first reflects my love for my beautiful black cat Merlin, and for all things TEA - indeed a magical potion, a cure-all for what ails you - truly a cup of liquid wisdom and tranquility...

This hand painted tea chest is listed on eBay now, with a buy-it-now option. :)

The second piece was also inspired by Merlin, and by the old English charm I've written around the edge, used to invoke the blessing of a black cat...

(As anyone who's ever been owned by one of these gorgeous creatures knows, they are indeed good luck!) It's also listed on eBay.

I'll try to list another piece or two before the big show, but no promises. ;)

In the meantime, it's back to the studio....

♥ Carolee

Of Blessings, Challenges, and Celebrations

I think we've all had those days, weeks, months, or even years that highlight the extremes in our lives; times of great joy mixed with those of great sorrow. Such has been my September.

The beginning of autumn - of the calendar year, and of our lives - is always a time for reflection, but never more so than now....

I've said before how incredibly blessed I feel to live this artful life, but it bears repeating. To spend my days with paintbrush in hand is a dream come true, and to see my work recognized is just icing on the cake.

In fact, I'm sure the people at the Lancaster Barnes and Noble thought I was a lunatic when I "eeeeeped!" out loud yesterday after sighting this copy of "Celebrate Halloween"...

There's a four page feature on the Ghoultide Gathering inside, and a photo of my work on page 59! I know this sounds silly, but I just never tire of seeing my creations in print. ;)

Another blessing arrived in the mailbox this week, from the studio of Canadian artist Hilary Leehane of Sea Beacon Art. I won this little gem in a giveaway last week...

It's titled "Pumpkin Garden on the Shore". Isn't it lovely? It looks like a place I'd love to visit just about now - so peaceful and serene...Thanks so much, Hilary!

Blessings came yet again in the form of a call from the vet giving all three cats a clean bill of health (yay!)...No more catching cats for vet visits (double yay!) And of course the blessings continue minute by minute hour by hour, as I immerse myself in this most magical season, painting flying leaves, starry skies and enchanted creatures...


There have been challenges as well; serious ones, as an insurance snafu cut short John's cancer treatment this month, as a dear friend battles leukemia, and as another dear friend nears the end of his journey in a long and valiant battle with diabetes and it's complications. I have such love and respect for these people, and remind myself of the challenges they face so bravely whenever I'm tempted to complain about some minor difficulty or inconvenience in my own life. Makes my aches and pains and stresses seem incredibly insignificant.

To quote Kurt Vonnegut "and so it goes"...The joys and sorrows coming together, the seasons changing, the cycle of life.

I'd like to add one final blessing, if I may, taking the liberty of speaking for those of us who make art for a living - the collectors; those of you who enable us to Do What We Do. Your support and encouragement mean the world, and we should celebrate you too. :)

Okay, enough reflection....back to the studio now!! Hoping to see many of you at the show, and give you a big hug in person....

♥ Carolee

Sneak Peek

Just popping in for a moment to share what is actually the first piece I've painted all month - eek!! Okay that's not completely true - I have been painting madly here, but it's all been for the upcoming Ghoultide Gathering show.

This one however, (which is based on an old English charm invoking the luck of a black cat) will be making it's debut on tonight's PFATT Marketplace update...

Black cats are indeed lucky, as anyone who's ever owned one will tell you. ;)

I hope to get something painted for eBay very soon too, but the clock is ticking and the show fast approaching, so we'll see...

In the meantime, it's back to the studio. :)

♥ Carolee

Delicious Autumn

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." ~George Eliot

I know, I know - the official first day of fall is September 22. But in my mind it is, and always will be, the day after Labor Day. Can't you just feel it in the air?!

As a rule, I try to live in tune with the seasons, savoring each turn of the wheel, enjoying the cycle of the year as it unfolds. But there's a special magic in autumn, don't you think?

Crimson and ochre leaves crunching underfoot; the scent of woodsmoke from nearby farms; jeans and big, comfy sweaters; steaming mugs of hot apple cider (and pumpkin spice lattes, hehe); geese flying south, backyard squirrels gathering their store for the winter ahead; the last herb garden harvest, and the first frost....Heaven!

The dilemma of course is finding time to enjoy all the beauty in the midst of what has become the absolute busiest time of year!! The final painting stretch for the Ghoultide Gathering is here, and I'm determined to make it the best display I've ever had...If you're attending, DO stop by and introduce yourself - the best part of any show is meeting collectors and artist friends in person!!

With that, I'm off to the studio, where there are several treat boxes calling my name....

Wishing you all a very happy - albeit unofficial - first day of Autumn!!

♥ Carolee

The First Step is Realizing You Have a Problem

Hi. My name is Carolee, and I'm an addict.

When I'm not making art, I'm online chatting about it, dissecting it, obsessing about it, and even as I create one piece, jonesing for the next.

The house frequently looks like a war zone, and while I'm happy to chat on the phone (can do that as I paint), I've completely stopped answering the front door.

There isn't a room in the house (save maybe the bathroom) that isn't filled with projects in varying stages of completion, and I own very few pieces of clothing not covered in paint.

Do you suppose there's a rehab for this?

Do I care?

Am I alone? (doubting this, hehe)....

What do you suppose it is that keeps us addicted? I know there are people out there who don't feel the need to create something, but how is that possible? How does one get through the day, nevermind life, without it?

Pondering this as I return to the studio, where several pieces are in progress, and others are waiting in the wings...

The breakfast dishes can wait. ;-)

♥ Carolee

Art Workshops and Retreats?

An entire weekend, or better yet, a week, of total immersion in art; not the kind where we're fulfilling obligations and orders, but the kind where we soak up more inspiration and knowledge than we know what to do with...

Sounds like heaven, right?

I've been browsing the John C. Campbell Folk School site of late, dreaming about the luxury of taking a little trip to N.C. sometime next year, perhaps meeting some friends there as well...

Folk art and the Blue Ridge mountains - could it get any better?

There are other retreats and workshops I've considered as well - watercolor, colored pencil, etc...And of course, there's Art and Soul, although I'm not sure I have the sensibility and patience for mixed media...

How about you? In the workshop and/or retreat of your dreams, what would be taught and what would be included? What would the setting be like? How long would you stay?

Just curious. ;)

♥ Carolee