Dancing Rabbit Dreams

Sometimes the best ideas and inspiration come when we've fallen deep into the arms of Morpheus.

I'm one of those lucky people with a very active dream life, and I tend to remember most of them. And sometimes they stay in my consciousness even after I've awakened, the lines between fantasy and reality blurring ever so slightly, so that although I'm physically awake, my head is still in the dream....Do you ever do that? Please tell me you do, or I might get worried! ;)

Sooooo, yes. These dreams are often surreal, and often include animals with very human-like qualities. Last week, it was dancing rabbits. I'm sure that means something to someone who interprets dreams, although what I couldn't tell you. To me, it just means I must paint them, hehe. And to that end, I decided to follow last week's platter with a ballerina-bunny treasure box...

She was so fun to paint, dancing on those clouds. And the eggs around the base of the box - Oh my, it was like being a kid again, decorating them all. I just love painting eggs - two and three dimensional. One day I must try my hand at painting pysanky - those intricate Ukranian eggs - sooooo beautiful!

And have you seen these?

So delicate! You can find them here.

Eggs and rabbits abound this time of year, and inspiration also comes from some of my favorite children's books. This piece was inspired by Margery Williams' "The Velveteen Rabbit", with a beautiful quote from the book hand lettered around the edge...

"Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

So true, and always brings a tear to my eye (but in a good way). ♥

The platter and the box will both be up for grabs on Saturday's PFATT Marketplace (10AM pacific/1PM eastern) ...Oh, and I forgot to mention - I painted an egg on the interior of the treasure box, just so it could be personalized for a special someone. :)

One or two more Easter/Ostara pieces are in the works too, and possibly another St Gertrude - this one a tri-fold table top piece. Then it's on to Halloween and Ghoultide Gathering pieces.

On the home front, I'm off to the podiatrist tomorrow, where I'll find out if another temporary brace is in order, or something more permanent. I'd really like to resolve the painful walking/blown ankle issue before the big road trip (just a few week now!) I'm still pinching myself that this lifelong dream is coming true! If you haven't already, please do drop by the Road Dust and Wanderlust blog, where we'll be posting updates from the road beginning in mid-May.

In the meantime, it's back to the arms of Morpheus for me, and more crazy dreams, hehe...

I'll be back very soon though, with new work, and a little giveaway!

Until then,
♥ Carolee

Many, Many Things...

Have you ever felt completely overwhelmed, but in a good way? Like there are so many projects, so many people, so many groups and guilds and shows, so many friends, so much beauty, and so many ideas percolating that you just might burst with the excitement of it all?

I don't mean to minimize life's challenges here (and believe me, we've had more than a few), but the older I get, the more I believe that happiness lies in our focus. I can look at another heart procedure for John as "Oh no! Hasn't he been through enough!?", or I can see the miraculous technology and skill which allow his doctors to fix something that fifty years ago would have been completely unfixable. I mean, that's HUGE, right?

So yes, things are looking pretty amazing on the home front, I thank everyone for the prayers and positive energy once again - it means more than you know.

On the art front, things are pretty amazing too. First, there's work to be done for the sixth annual Ghoultide Gathering...

The show has a new home this year, with all the artists under one roof! The energy is going to be absolutely electric, and it will be so much easier for collectors too. If you've been, you know what a magical time it is, and if you haven't, please consider making 2012 your Ghoultide Year!

I'm so excited, there are a few pieces already in the works, hehe. ;)

There's also tomorrow's PFATT Marketplace, where this dapper fellow will make his debut...


He's rather large (18" tall), but I think he would look fabulous sitting on a dining table or mantle. This is just one side though - check the Marketplace tomorrow at 10AM Pacific/1PM eastern to see the other side. I know, I'm a tease.

In case you're not familiar, the PFATT ladies ("Primitive Folk Art Talk and Tea", pronounced with a silent P, hehe) are a wonderfully supportive art group - a sort of sisterhood of folk artists - and I'd be remiss if I didn't share the blog giveaway the group has going now...
Click here to be transported to the PFATT blog, where you can enter to win one of the many original giveaway items. I have a little mouse print in the mix. :)

I also have the privilege of belonging to the Eclectic Halloween Artists Guild - or EHAG, as it's better known - a juried group of some of the world's finest Halloween artists. Our monthly EHAG Emporium goes live on the last day of each month, at 9PM eastern. So there's a wicked cool Emporium piece in works too. More on this later.

Oh, and just by way of useless but amusing info, some of the EHAG artists (such as myself) are also PFATT members. We call ourselves the pfatt hags, teehee.

Commissions are in the works as well, both new and old, and I can't tell you how incredible it feels to know I have commissions scheduled for most of the year already! Like Sally Field at the Oscars: "You like me!! You really LIKE me!"

Ideas for new work are swirling around in my brain the February full snow moon has passed, but the Snow Moon Goddess piece is yet to be completed. There's also a Practical Magic footstool waiting patiently in line. And a St. Gertrude piece as well - the patron saint of gardeners and cats, whose feast day is March 17th.

Meanwhile, there's housework and cooking to be done, knitting and stitching, and I'm trying to squeeze in some reading time. I'll tell you, I do not understand how anyone could ever say they're bored! Sooooooo much to see, to do and to accomplish. A hundred lifetimes would not be enough.

That's about it for today. There are two Aussies here, nudging my left elbow as I type, wanting very much to go for a walk. I think they want to play in the snow before it disappears. ;)

I'll leave you with this beautiful, wintry song. I've been listening to the Wailin' Jenny's in the studio quite a bit lately. Such lovely harmonies....



Until next time,
♥ Carolee

Two Out of Four

There are two new prints up for grabs in the Etsy shop. :)

I know, it was supposed to be four. But the gnome painting had an odd sort of blemish on the snow - probably a small spot on the scanner I didn't catch. And the Water Dragon I'd painted for Chinese New Year could not be scanned, and the photo just wasn't high enough resolution, and came out looking a wee bit soft and out of focus. John says I'm too picky, but I don't think there's any such thing as too picky when it comes to my work. ;)

The good news is there are still two new prints available! The first is an older piece (last year), but one of my all time favorites, The Owl and the Pussycat...

The second is titled "Dwell in Peace" and features an arctic fox lying down with a snowshoe rabbit, with the northern lights in the background...

There are four of each in the Etsy shop.

Oh, and the original Baba Yaga is still up for grabs too...

I'll be back very soon with new work - just catching up around here after John's last hospital stay. He's home now, and we've both resumed a regular schedule, so I'm hoping things will stay on an even keel for awhile. :)

Until next time,
♥ Carolee

Sneaky-Peeky

Just popping in with a peek at two sweet little treat boxes up for grabs on a first-come basis, on tomorrow's PFATT Marketplace...

As always, the update happens on the tenth of the month, at 10AM pacific - so 1PM eastern, and the pieces will go to the first email or emails I receive. (Regretfully, the Hershey's kisses are not included, their days - nay hours - being numbered, hehe). :)

I had so much fun with these two. There' something about the pink and red and white combination that just makes me smile. :) UPDATE - Both pieces have now sold.

That's it for tonight. But I'll be back very soon with something *WiTcHy*....
~ Carolee

A Quiet Fourth?

A girl can dream, *sigh*....

Unfortunately our neighborhood will most likely sound like a war zone, so we'll spend a good bit of the evening comforting the fur-kids. Can you tell I'm not a fan of fireworks? Oh, I like the professional displays alright, and remember the days when we lived in southern California and would drive to Anaheim to walk the grounds of the Disneyland hotel, where you could see the Disneyland fireworks for free (we were young, broke, and resourceful, what can I say?)

At any rate, it's the illegal stuff I'm not fond of - firecrackers and M-80s and the like. They're dangerous, and it never fails that following the explosions we hear ambulance and fire sirens.

But back to a quiet Fourth. It was indeed that all day - and in fact most of the weekend during daylight hours, as I finished the third in a series of Watership Down inspired paintings. Meet "Hazel"...


He's already spoken for, but I do hope to offer prints soon. :)

In fact, I'm super excited about this new print venture, and am thrilled it will make at least a few pieces of my work more accessible. And the ideas for new paintings keep my head spinning! More about this later...

In the meantime, I'm off to cut up some ice cold watermelon for our dessert tonight. John is grilling tuna steak and veggies for dinner - yum!

I hope those of you in the US are having happy - and safe - holiday weekend!

Back very soon (with a new mouse piece to share!)
♥ Carolee

Moon Gazing Hares and a Tiny Surprise!

"A Young Hare" by Albrecht Durer (1471-1528)

There times when researching a piece can be almost as fun as the painting process, when one story or tale leads you to another and another and another, until you fall down the proverbial Rabbit Hole - pun intended in this case, as the research this week has been about moon gazing hares, their presence in both eastern and western myth and legend, connection to the Goddess Eostre, and evolution into what we know today as the Easter Bunny. ;)

It's that time of year, when inspiration is found in all things Celtic and magical, and all things symbolizing rebirth and fertility...Then of course, there's the whole "Mad as a March Hare" thing...It's all just too rich and vivid not to paint! Soooooo, long story short, if you're tiring of seeing Hares and Rabbits here, I'll ask you to indulge me just a weeeeeee bit longer - and I promise I'll throw a bit of Halloween into the mix as well. :)

Speaking of which, there's a little black cat piece I call "Surprise!" up for grabs on eBay at the moment...

If you click here and check out the listing, you'll see the little surprise inside the drawer. ;)

That's about it for today, and I have much painting to do, so I'll close here. I promise to share the finished moon gazing hare piece both here and on facebook before listing it.

In the meantime, I wish you all a magical and creative rest-of-the-weekend...

Back very soon!

♥ Carolee

Finished! :)

I'm so proud of this one; "The Hare's Lament", inspired by the traditional Irish folk song of the same name...

The hare is running from her pursuers, over a a field of heather here. Celtic knotwork and floral border, which I think gives a bit of a medieval tapestry feel...Acrylic on 20" x 20" gallery canvas. The 3" deep edges are painted solid black, so there's no need for a frame. As someone who used to work in a frame shop, and knows how expensive framing is (often more than the art!) I have to say I'm in LOVE with these deep canvases. :)

I'm offering it here on the blog on a first come basis, before listing it on eBay (saves the fees and allows me to drop the "buy it now" a bit!) $325 plus fully insured shipping via UPS, which will range anywhere from $15 to $35, depending on location. Email me at carolee@kingofmice.com with questions or to purchase, and thanks for taking a peek. :) UPDATE - SOLD

More work coming very soon, and don't forget to check out the EHAG Emporium update tomorrow (the 28th) at 9PM eastern!

♥ Carolee

"The Hare's Lament"

I've always found the connection between music and the visual arts to be a powerful one, and more often than not, have music playing in as I paint. Pretty much everything finds it's way into the CD player, from classical (baroque mostly) to classic rock, to folk music, to reggae to world music...With the exception of rap and country (sorry, but nails on a chalkboard, hehe) my musical tastes are pretty diverse.

All this said, I do play favorites, and Celtic music tops the list. Steeped in history, rich, evocative, and filled with vivid imagery, it often makes it's way into the work. In fact, the current work in progress draws both inspiration and title from this traditional Irish folk song, performed here by the very talented Susan McKeown (and if you love Celtic music, her "Bushes and Briars" CD is a serious must-have)...



Here are the lyrics, written from the perspective of the hare:

On the first of November on a bright autumn's day
To the hills of Dromela I chanced for to stray
I was feeding on green grass that grows on yon ground
When my heart was set a beating by the cry of the hounds

Musha right tallyho, hark ye over high ho
Hark ye over cries the huntsman hark ye over high ho.

They hunted me up and they hunted me down
The bold huntsmen of Stratham on my trail sent the hounds.
Over highlands and lowlands moorlands also
Over hedges and ditches like the wind I did go.

There was Ringwood and Rouser they gave me a close brush
But they soon found me hiding twas in the rush bush
For better or worse I know I must die
But I'll do my endeavor these hounds to defy.

And now I must die and I know not the crime
To the value of sixpence I ne'er harmed mankind.
I ne'er was brought up for to rob or to steal
Unless for the croppings some tops of green kale

Then up steps the huntsman to end all my strife
Saying let the hare go giver her play for her life.
Wouldn't it be far better you killed Raymond the fox
Who killed all your chickens, fine hen and game cock?

The first time I heard the song I found it distressing (NOT a fan of hunting in any form), but the more I listened, the more I loved the hare's spirit, and of course, there's the somewhat ambiguous ending in this version, where the huntsman lets her go (other versions switch the two last verses). At any rate, the imagery of the hare running over hedges and ditches and moorlands, on a bright autumn day is just crying to be painted. ;)

For those of you on facebook, I'll be posting in-progress photos on my King of Mice Studios page every few hours, and offering the finished piece for direct sale here on the blog before listing on eBay.

(VERY excited about this one!)

UPDATE - Here's a photo of the work in progress - a few clouds, and the hills blocked in...


Back soon!
♥ Carolee
PS - If you scroll down on the right, you'll find a new playlist full of Celtic tunes. :)

The Year of the Rabbit, New Work, and Gratitude

Happy Chinese New Year!

Today (well, today here, but although the same date, a day ago in China) marks the shift from the Year of the Tiger to the Year of the Rabbit; A year of calm and serenity, of peace, and of good luck. Sounds good to me. ;)

In honor of the occasion, I painted two Rabbit pieces this week, both going to live with the same collector, but I had such fun with them I want to share. The first is a tea tray...

And the second is a painting on a framed panel, with a calligraphy accent...

I added the full moon because rabbits are also symbols of the moon. ;)

There will be a few other Rabbit pieces as Easter approaches, but in the meantime, it's Valentine trinket boxes, something Celtic in honor of St Patrick's Day, and some very special HALLOWEEN pieces. Not only for eBay, but for the Ghoultide Gathering as well. :)

On the home front, challenges loom, as John faces radiation therapy at Temple University, and I face combining caregiving with painting and household responsibilities. Another one of those situations where the only way out of it is through it, which is where we're going.

Which brings me to the gratitide part.

I want to thank everyone who's either commented here or on facebook, offered prayers and positive energy, purchased my work, or otherwise made this path a lot easier for us to walk (you know who you are). ;) Despite the challenges ahead, we are truly blessed, and incredibly grateful to have you all in our lives.

That's about it for now, but that's enough. It's just about 11PM and if I'm not careful, I'll turn into a pumpkin soon...

Wishing you a Happy Chinese New Year, and belatedly, a Blessed Imbolc, Happy St. Brigid's Day, and Happy Groundhog Day (I'm told there was no shadow - yay!)

Until Next time,
♥ Carolee

"Winter Angel"

Flying in quickly to share what I've been up to the last couple of days (along with commission work)...

While my own pets are cats and dogs, I've always had a special affinity for rabbits, and think no creature better epitomizes the word "Peace"; docile and loving, and like most creatures, we humans could learn a lot from them. ;)

This tea/serving tray is listing on eBay tonight at 9PM (Update - sold), and I hope it brings a smile and inspires a little winter magic.

Back very soon with new work, and pics of a Christmas show I'm attending this weekend!

♥ Carolee

A Touch of Spring

Just had to pop back in to share two more pieces added to the eBay auctions this evening - painted today as the snow fell, but with spring in my heart! ♥


Back very soon...
♥ Carolee

On Becoming "Real"

When our daughter Courtney was about a year old, a dear friend gifted her with a beautiful hardcover copy of the Margery Williams classic "The Velveteen Rabbit". I was just 23 years old myself at the time, and unfamiliar with book, but it brought tears to my eyes the first time I read it, and still does.

For anyone unfamiliar with the book, it's the tale of a stuffed rabbit who wants to be "real". My favorite passage is where one of the other animals in the nursery, the skin horse, explains to the little rabbit how toys become real:

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

I must say, this passage means even more at 50 than it did at 23. And I'm sure it's meaning will be deeper still if I'm blessed with another couple of decades. ;)

Real. It's not our outward appearance. It's not what we look like, how shiny and new we appear...It's what we are inside after being truly loved. That's what really counts, isn't it?

Sooooo, yes....maybe it's spring and thoughts of bunnies...maybe it's running across the book on Courtney's old bookshelf last week, but it's been crying "paint me!" for days now, and I finally had to oblige....

There are more pics on the eBay listing. Truly a blessing to paint this one, and a nice reminder of what's important too. ;)

There's yet another children's book, crying to painted, but it will probably be next week sometime....

Have you read this one?

It's the story of a Mother Bunny who becomes the Easter Bunny, and how, according to one review, "cleverness and kindness triumph over size and brawn". I read this one as a small child, and also read it to my daughter when she was little. It was written in 1939, and is surprisingly feminist for the time; girls can do anything, etc etc....Gotta love that. ;)

Bunnies, bunnies everywhere it seems! Never fear though, more wicked whimsy is on it's way - can't stay away from Halloween for too long, hehe....

In the meantime, I'm catching up on emails this week, after spending several days without a computer keyboard (spilled water on the old one - eek!) So if I owe you an email, it's coming!

Right now I'm off to wash out my paintbrushes and turn in for the night. Thank you ever so much for visiting me, and thank you for your comments too - I do so love to read them, even if I don't always have time to respond. (I promise to try harder though!)

Until next time,
~ Carolee

Signs of the Season :)

Has it really been almost a week since I've posted here? It doesn't seem so, yet the calendar says it's so. Sometimes life throws us challenges that make time stand still, at least in our own eyes, our own experience - and I'm afraid John's heart surgery was one of those times. Somewhere in the midst of hospital visits, traffic jams, caring for pets, and general housekeeping, we've moved from Halloween to nearly Thanksgiving, and the beginning of the Yuletide season.

Before I show you what this shift in seasons has inspired, I'll give you a quick update on the home front (skip to the next paragraph if the health updates are getting boring, hehe). John has moved from the hospital to a cardiac rehab facility, where he's gaining strength daily, and working on walking and climbing stairs (a must in this old house). I'm visiting every other day now, so as to catch up on painting, and on general life maintenance, and we talk several times a day. If all goes well, he could be home by the end of the week - giving us something to be extra thankful for this Thanksgiving!

So yes. Since I've "awakened" to the season, carols are in constant rotation in the CD player, inspiring lots of new pieces...I love, love, LOVE the old English carols, and "Here We Come a Wassailing" was the inspiration behind this first piece - a quartet of mummers setting out for an evening of revelry....

I had so much fun with this one, hope it becomes a treasured part of someone's Yuletide celebration. :)

Here's another new one - a winter bunny....

I was going for a feeling of quiet beauty in this one - you know, where you can almost hear the show falling. :)

Both pieces list on eBay this evening with a "buy it now" option. UPDATE - The bunny is sold, but the Yule sign is still available. :)

Soooooooooo many other pieces are in the works too - a cat's yuletide pantry and a mitten box are coming soon, and of course, there are always commissions in the works. (I'm booked through February at the moment, so am scheduling for March now - eek!)

That's about it for this evening. I promise to pop in much sooner next time - possibly with a giveaway. It seems like ages since the last one, doesn't it?

Thanks again to all of you who've sent prayers and positive energy our way these past weeks. It means more than you can know, and we consider ourselves truly blessed to feel so lifted up. Until next time....

Much love,
~ Carolee

Signs of Spring

I know, I know....I'm a Halloween artist. And it's February.

But we're having a bit of a warm spell this week! Well, warm for February in Pennsylvania anyway. And although there are no signs of crocuses or daffodils yet, no tiny green spears pushing up through the dirt, no robin sightings and no frog songs, the thick layer of ice which has covered the pond for weeks now has all but disappered, and that's enough to turn my thoughts to warmer weather and longer days!

Can you tell I have spring on the brain?

This little guy made his debut on the PFATT Marketplace this morning. I think the lavender blossoms and black and white checks give him a tres chic country French look...


And this is my beautiful Merlin (soooooooooooo tempted to keep this one!) Isn't he a handsome fellow? The real Merlin is strictly an indoor kitty, but this is how I imagine him in a field of lavender (I also apparently have lavender on the brain this week, hehe!) He's listed on eBay now.

And finally, St Gertrude of Nivelles. If you've been reading here a while, you may remember I painted her last year on a framed panel. She is the patron saint of cats and gardeners (yes, there really is a patron saint for everything, and how cool is that?!) Her feast Day is actually the same as St Patrick - March 17th. :) This piece is a bit smaller than the last one, and could easily be mounted on a garden fencepost, although I think she'd look wonderful indoors too and would weather a little longer. The sparkling pieces in her halo are Swarovski crystals....Look for her this evening on eBay at 9PM eastern.

The "Cafe Chat Noir" painting I promised is still in progress, along with several commissions and a few other goodies I have up my paint spattered sleeve for next week.

In the meantime, there are the daily doings around the house, the cooking and cleaning and errand running and phone calls and million other things to fill the days.....

Speaking of which, it's time to brew a pot of tea, answer the morning correspondence and get to work!

Until next time, warm and magical *springtime* wishes!
~ Carolee