Artist's Choice Update!

Wow, I'm moving up in the world. My paintings are now ranked number 8 and number 15 thanks to all the support I've been getting. This is totally awesome! Here, feel free to vote some more lol.

One painting

And the other

I'm also getting a little further on the viral meter which is great! This whole thing works on how much traffic you can bring to your campaign. I doubt very much it's based on real talent and believe me, there is some major talent in this campaign! I've voted for several people myself who are in the same one...just can't help it! lol

59 Days Left...Will I Make the Cut?

Hi friends,

I've been sick the past three days with either the flu or possibly even pneumonia. I'm not sure which but am improving in some ways and not improving in others. I always get respiratory crud around this time of year and it sucks. But I do have an arsenal of medication so I think I can avoid the doctor and the expense that entails...considering I'm poor! lol

My "Artist's Choice" campaign is going better than I thought possible. I am still ranked fairly high considering there are now over 2,000 entries! I'm ranked 10 on my hands painting, and 16 on my volcano abstract. Please continue to vote and show your support...simply click on the links I've provided above. I think I still have a shot at making it in the next round.

Part of my success will depend on how viral my campaign goes. That depends a lot on you folks out there. If you can pass along my links in your blogs, live journals, facebook, myspace, emailing your friends, etc...I stand a better chance. Also the more comments that are left on my art and the more views I get, the better it will go for me. Judging is done based on these criteria. My viral meter is low even though my ranking is high. So I'm appealing to you all to help me with that and to add comments...even as a guest it counts. You don't have to register!

This could be a very good way to get my art noticed and I'm working so hard to do that. I'm not having any luck finding a suitable job and my spirits are low as a result. I just don't think I'm cut out for the corporate world and am trying to pursue my dreams of earning a living using my creative ability. Of course I still need a day job to support myself but will never give up on my real dreams of making it in the fine arts industry, whether it be through my photography or painting or both. I would love to do commission work and when Sean asked if my painting was for sale, my heart soared! Thank you Sean. And thank you too poodles for throwing in a little competition there. ;)

You are all so wonderful and I appreciate the community that has come to me through this blog. It has become very important and I wish that I hadn't let it lapse for so long, but I couldn't help it. I will blog on and grow in this community and with you all for ages to come. The friendships I've made here are valuable to me and I feel like a very rich person in that respect. :)

Love to all,
Me

My Latest Painting

It's a work in progress but I wanted to post this picture for Jesse. He showed interest in a new technique I came up with. This is a canvas that I poured Gesso all over and then made a design in the gesso for texture and as a guide.

The back lighting is so I can see the patterns in the gesso and I'm going to paint those patterns on the top side. You can see that it is started, but no where near finished. This one is going to take a long time as I plan on using many colors and put in as much detail work as I can possibly cram in.

I believe this will be one of my best paintings to date when it is finished.

It's all Good

I just want to send a very special thank you to my good blog friend Jesse. I haven't known him long, but it matters not. He is a special guy in my eyes and I am grateful to him for reaching out to me.

As you remember, I sent him a painting that means a lot to me, and now he is the proud owner of it and that makes me so happy. He totally gets what I was saying in this piece and why I wanted him to have it. Go check out his blog...it's linked above. He has so many things to show us all, and his readers have all joined in a special community. And in honor of such wonderful people and amazing things in life, here is a short poem I just wrote...

When I find myself in a dark place
all I have to do is reach out to you and I'm healed

I always knew there were things greater than myself
And when I reach out they are revealed

I must always remember what is important in life
and reach out for others too when they appeal

My Paintings are Doing Well!

Thanks to all of you who are supporting me, I'm ranking pretty high still. Wow, I'm really blown away by this. Email me if you have any trouble voting...there have been reports of the links not always working.

Thanks again Friends. This means more to me than you can know. :)

Hugs,
Ginny

I need votes!

Vote Here and Here!

Please go see my new brickfish account and vote for the two paintings I entered in this competition. You can vote multiple times, and I need all the support I can get. The competition is tough! Feel free to pass my plea for votes on to other folks who you think wouldn't mind helping a gal out.

Love to you all! Thank you so much!

If I Could Have a Super Power...

I would want to be able to teleport myself to other places, or anything I can think of to me. I'd be able to teleport others as well. I'd start off with a few known terrorists and teleport their sorry asses into deep space.

If I wanted a rocky road ice cream cone, I'd think of it and *POOF*, it would appear in my hand! Need to go shopping but have no desire to leave my house...well easy...*POOF*, a new pair of shoes and some awesome clothes. I'd leave the money in the cash registers to pay for it.

If I felt like giving money to the poor, I'd poof myself into a drug lord's vault and take their cash and give it to the poor. I'd poof food and medical goods to nations in need and redistribute wealth and achieve balance in the world.

Need a vacation? No problem...*POOF* and off I go to some gorgeous tropical place for an afternoon. I'd take all my best friends with me. Oh if only....

Went for a Walk, Lake Georgetown

Went hiking today with my friend Linda and her friend Kathi. We walked a fast pace for about two hours...probably a six miler. Felt great! I even wore my large pack with some weight in it. Need to get back into backpacking shape. The new shoes are working out great.

Here are pics of my two favorite dogs in the world...they were about the only interesting thing to photograph today.

Angel is pretty beat. They were off leash today...no one was on the trails. It was great.

If there is water, Angel and Mercedes will find it! They have very thick coats.

They're just so damn cute and a blast to hike with.

Congrats Caitlin!

Caitlin just made all straight A's on her report card. Not bad for a kid who missed a lot of school due to illness. She's one smart cookie! :)

Okay Snake Wrangling For your Enjoyment

My tomboy side. "nice snake..."

Wanna Arm wrestle now?

My New Resume...An effort to Network

I am going to scan a copy of my resume today and figure out how to display it here on a permanent basis in an effort to network to help my career search. I am looking for work in the Austin area and if anyone in blog land who happens to read this knows of a job I would be suited for in my area, or people I should contact that would be very helpful.

I appreciate you all who take the time to visit!

Unamed

Jesse I think this painting should be yours. Email me at: happyhiker41@gmail.com with your shipping info and I'll get it right out to you. :)

Btw, it's a little brighter than what the picture shows...you know how it is.

Introducing Jesse

Hi Friends,

I've got a new blog friend for you all to check out. His name is Jesse and he's very talented. It's awesome to make new friends and Jesse is Warm and inviting. So stop on by his place when you get a chance and say hello.

My Most Recent Picture

Another Snake on the Trail

Okay, one more post...

I got out on a real trail today for the first time in ages and it felt amazing! My mood lifted instantly especially when my friend Linda spotted a huge rat snake right at the trail head. I wrangled it of course...I can't resist catching snakes...and Linda got some great snaps of the event. Eventually it calmed down and I let it go about it's business. Rat snakes are not poisonous but they can deliver a nasty bite that could get infected, so I was just as cautious with it as I was with the copperhead.

Hopefully Linda will get those pics to me in the near future so you can see Ginny "Irwin" in action. For the record, I won't be going near any sting rays!

Happy Birthday Lee!

Lee is my youngest sibling and I can't believe how old he is now. I was 13 when he was born...wow.
He is a good guy and funny as can be. Lee and I have had tons of fun when we were growing up and now our lives are far apart. I will reflect on all the times we have laughed till we cried...sometimes at the expense of our other sibling Lynn. Sorry Lynn. :)

Happy Birthday little brother. :)

Happy Birthday Caitlin!

I'm late posting this, but yesterday was Caitlin's birthday. She is 16 and more feisty than ever! This is a girl who knows what she wants and is determined to get it. I hope she uses all that fire and brain power for good not evil! Some 16 year olds are too smart AND too dumb for their own good...know what I mean? Just a couple of more years of teen insanity and we're home free. ;)

She Actually Showed Up!

So Ms. Palin made it to the debate after all...good for her! I still don't like her lol. But to be fair, I thought she did way better than anyone expected. She didn't win the debate obviously... Hmmm, can we even call that a debate? It was the weirdest debate I think I've ever seen. I can't put my finger on why really, but it was odd.