Facade ... (a watercolor)

Puchase 'Facade' via Ugallery


... It was a might bit cool this weekend so I decided to skip out on the studio and break out the watercolors... just for a bit of fun.... The part that I love the most about painting is the mystique of waiting to see what will appear on my canvas. This one, if you are familiar with my work, might take you as much off guard as it did I. Just to explain a tidbit... when I set out to create a work... I usually try to sit down with no intention or expectation of what needs to be done. There are only a few details that I am striving to portray, which I won't go into great depths explaining at this time. To share with you... the unveiling... of the watercolor (and a bit of quache) titled 'Facade'- actual painted size is 13.5 inches by 20.5 inches, with an approx 3/4ths inch white paper edge... To answer the... what does the title mean question... simply this, the exterior is not always a match for what is inside, judging a book by the cover is not always advised.

... a few new 6 inch pieces.. and a little news :)

Purchase 'Best Dress' .. 125.00 shipping included (with tracking and insurance)



... I have been working, really, I have! I have a few shiny pictures to share... not the kind of shiny that I like... but still. I hate when my battery wears out- both mine and the camera! Hopefully very soon I will have some more work to share... (I worked on 5 today... 2 are ready to go aside for the drying and such.) Oh... and the little bit of news ... If you are in the Evergreen Colorado area stop in at Stoneheart gallery to encounter a real life viewing of my work... only a few pieces there currently... but soon to be shipping more. A link to there online page with other necessary information.

Purchase 'Day Dreamer' 125.00 shipping included.... (insurance and tracking included)

SOLD Sydney, Australia

....Backers Blog....

... The Backers Blog is available only to those who financially backed my kickstarter project.... I promised them a link on my public blog so they can easily access the site... ...but just for looking I will share a little treat.... a recent painting of mine available on the Ugallery site... follow the link here to view the details .

Remember you can always click on the images on this blog to view fullscreen.

** a little provision** if you have purchased, or in process of purchasing ..(monetarily supported my work) ... send me a message and I will send you the password if you like.


..To view a selection at my DPW Gallery Site....use this link.

a bit like my ma's cooking...

...Anyone who knows my mom, knows she loves to cook. Anyone who knows her kids knows they love to eat anything she makes. I guess I safely could say, I wouldn't limit it to just her kids. Biting into anything she makes is like tasting a little slice of heaven, which brings me straight to the point. Only this time... it isn't wolfed down in 2 or 3 gulps... a bit temporary at this point..... 4 WHOLE MONTHS (thanks to some wonderful support)!!! ... If you need me I will be floating on one of those clouds... look for the one with the smile.

...the art of juggling...

Just wanted to give a quick update ... have a bit of coordinated juggling to do...

Aside from the normal household/ kiddos tasks etc.....I am expanding my working
area to include TONS of room for at least 4 months... which will feel great..and give
me gallery show space. I will update with some pics after I get all set up.
I am looking forward to the experience in seeing how the extra space can affect my
productivity etc...

So far this year I will be showing in Staples... (thankfully the FWAC will transport
my work..as I am a bit short on time) ...

During the St. Urho's celebration a nice gallery show would be fun.....
a little something springy,green...and oh, purplish too...

Of course in April is the 2 week workshop in Scottsdale....

Super excited to show with Raymond Wattenhofer July 20th thru the 22nd at the C'mon Inn- Park Rapids !

Waiting for a confirmation yet... hoping my solo show at the Nemeth Art Center is in August...

Commissions and fundraiser rewards...

Lots and lots more painting..and lots and lots more painting..


...............seriously, can I take a vacation yet?

..pinch me...

Wow... I am trying to take it all in... and say a sufficient thank you to all who helped make this dream come true!

I can't believe after all these years... I will finally be able to attend the dream of my life workshop. Excited isn't even the right word! Right now, to describe where I am at.. la la land... in a good way. It still hasn't hit me. I am not sure if I can accurately explain how this is affecting my emotions... there are so many thoughts running thru my head.

Thoughts like ... my dream has come true... but wow, do I really deserve it? Just one of those self defeating nags that need a good toss. I guess it is time to throw them out and look towards the new year with achieving old goals, chipping away at my forever dream.

If you followed along on my kickstarter project you might understand that my forever dream is simply to enable myself to financially afford to paint full time. As much as I would like to think, I am not a young pup, and the times don't look like they are going to get any easier. Decisions are sometimes hard to make, your support made this choice so much easier.

For those of you who have contributed, I will be getting in touch with you shortly to finalize all of the rewards and plans. I will also be doing a prize draw for those who have helped spread the word, and of course contributors have an automatic in. I apologize for the wait as I am having a bit of holiday lag along with being slightly under the weather and have additional need to catch up on items on my plate. If anyone knows how I can retrieve the list of 'likes' from the kickstarter project, it would be a great way to gather names for the draw.

...a few 8 by 10 inch oil paintings on gallery wrap can be found here... but here is a little peak...

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

... Down to the count....

SOLD....Spartanburg SC

....Is it possible that there could be just a little too much counting going on? ...feels like a bit much over here... but it is all good... My kids are counting the days until they are done with school... and how many days until Christmas of course!!

....I, on the other hand, am counting the days until my kickstarter project, An Affair Of The Art, is over... January 2nd is the big day... And with a bit more luck and some kind hearted souls I will be dreaming..and again counting, the days ahead.

....Don't get me wrong... I am thrilled at the thought of taking a first ever class...and with a sought after artist, none the less- , I am really looking forward to and waiting for the newest mystery to unfold.... what will I learn... and what will unfold? I am excited to get back to the studio and put all of this generosity to good use!
...My feelings have given me a bit of a shock, I would have thought that I would be drooling at the thought of actual attendance at the class and gosh, getting to see tons of fabulous galleries and works! -Afterall, it isn't often...well, it hasn't happened at all...that I would get an opportunity to work and fill my head to the brim for 2 weeks straight uninterrupted of such things like...'mom, can you make me a sandwich... or where are my socks?'

...And then there is the money count...will I make it or not... about 16 days left... and I know folks are tied up this time of year with Christmas and all... not exactly the best time of year to be doing a fundraiser- things get a little tight!

...If you looked at my kickstarter project, the donated amount will currently read 1926$ ...and only 42% raised... just so you understand we are closer than that... Thankfully I can report that the amount left is roughly 700 dollars to raise. The difference is due to direct donations and commissions towards my project, via snail mail and such... Shhh...don't tell anyone but I am secretly hoping that Santa spreads some magic to help me finish it off

I know he can do it... we have been in touch to set a few more paintings on Santa's sleigh... 'Boisterous Blossom' (left) will drop off in Spartanburg South Carolina and 'Minding Her Own' (lower right) will continue on to Miami Florida...... (click on the images to view full screen)

...Thank you to the kind folks who have supported my project, purchased my work @ ugallery this month... hopefully Santa has a few more on the sleigh before the Rudolph leads the way.... here is a good selection of artists/ work if you want to catch the latest sale http://www.ugallery.com/most-popular-artists ...though I have to say there are many more great artists/ works that are not on this list... to see them all go to the main collection page..

SOLD....Miami Florida

...A Good Cap...

SOLD ...FAIR OAKS RANCH, TEXAS

























If you thought that I was referring to a good cap and how it would be fitting for this time of year, I would understand...it has been a bit chilly here. The good cap that I am referring to is just a few more small sales... always fits in right and never hurts this time of year.





SOLD ...FAIR OAKS RANCH, TEXAS



























Just for good measure, and to share with other artists who may want to know..(in particular, those that are thinking of submitting their work for review with Ugallery) I am happy to say that in my first full years time, slightly over by a few days, they have sold 25 of my paintings...plus some prints. To see the pieces that have sold with them, follow this link , or to see my available works, just click here...


I have had a few other good caps come my way this week... words can't express how happy I am , whether I make it or not... Thank you so much for all your help with my kickstarter project! The amount shown isn't actually the correct amount as I have had some donations come via the good old fashioned snail mail. The Fashionable Way :) .... Thank You again, for all the sharing and caring :)

...so much to be thankful for...

There are so many things to be thankful for, where to even start?

Of course there are things that I am more appreciative for, in a
spiritual and emotional sense, like my family and faith. Health,
warmth, and friends.

It can be so easy to get in a negative frame of mind when nothing
seems to go right. It is so much easier to not dwell on the negatives,
if we can remember to be thankful for the things that we should
be thankful of.

To put myself in a good frame of mine as I begin my day, physically,
a hot shower gets me off to a good start. There are many in this
advanced world of ours that can not even do that. How fortunate
we are, to have the warmth of a fire, and food to fill our tummy.


In relation to my work I am most thankful for those who have supported
me with words, be it kind, or even critical. Both have helped me to
learn and understand. Those who have 'signed' on the line, and purchased
work in the past have helped in financial ways.

With 38 days left in my kickstarter project I need to say a special thank you
to all who have helped in any way, to raise nearly $1530 raised (some has come
in the mail) and just $3000 left to go, it warms me to know that what
ever is meant to happen will. It isn't the end of the world if I am not able to
make it to the class in Scottsdale, AZ, either way, I have much to be
thankful for.

...sometimes it just needs to be fun...

I have been feeling a bit worn out and overloaded having a flu bug of some sort that doesn't seem to want to shake... I know I should have likely just hung out in bed and did a little 'sleep it off'...but I know with the holidays coming I won't have as much time as I want to paint...so I headed into the studio for the weekend... I wasn't there the entire time, I don't sleep there... living close to home is handy...and with the school right across the street helps a ton, too. I also want to mention a huge thanks to all who have viewed, and even supported my kickstarter project... last I checked the funds raised are 28% closer to reaching the goal.. and about 43 days left or so... Off and on I catch myself dreaming about how grand it would be to actually go to a painting class...AND be able to study high end work...IN PERSON... for a whole TWO WEEKS!!! DREAM ....sigh.... :) I am all for taking the positive out of anything I can... so in the end...which ever way it goes..there will be good.


...and now for some of my weekend fun...... the 2 smaller paintings (oil on gallery wrap canvas) are approx 12 x 16 inch.... the tall painting, titled 'FRAMED', is 12 by 48 inches... gallery wrapped...oil painting..
Remember...you can always click on any of the images to view full screen.

Recently Sold...

The following paintings were paintings that were recently sold...A HUGE Thank you to a few very kind individuals! for the record...I like to track where they are going so from left to right..top to bottom.... Lamont, FL... United Kingdom,... United Kingdom,... Park Rapids, MN...Atlanta, GA....Texas...

For future use, it doesn't hurt to keep track of a few uplifting testimonials either.... (I love it when customers...or even those that browse leave those little comments on my blog...right on my gallery page @ Ugallery)

I too am an artist. An artist who admires works of many of my fellow artists. However, I like most artists are stingy with our cash because we usually like to eat and have a roof over our poor talented souls. So, when an artist makes an effort to pry open their wallet in order to purchase a piece of work from another living artist it must mean there is something special about the work and the artist. - I purchased Kayleen Horsma's 'A Good Cup' and was excited to have received it last week. Kayleen's style and compositions are in a class of their own, truly unique. The subject matter of Kayleen's paintings appear to be a snapshot of pensive repose with an undercurrent of unresolved emotion. Kayleen's use of the pure and unmuddied brush-stroke work exudes that ‘Less is more’. This artist has the gift of sublime understatement, a gift that few artists are privy to understand, much less able to master. I will cherish this fine piece of work always.
- W Luchsinger after purchasing work by Kayleen Horsma


If you havn't had a chance to check out my slide show and project... this is the link for 'An Affair Of The Art' at Kickstarter.com

Remember... you can always click on any image to view full screen.....

My Art Affair... kickstarter...

I am running a bit of a fundraiser on a great site - Kickstarter.... Thought I would share just for fun. The last thing I want is for people to feel obligated to back my project, though if you would be so kind as to pass my project along I would so appreciate it. There is a slide show of my work as well as a video.....hope you will get a little entertainment out of it at the least :) ...this is the link

Going With The Flow .....lithograph print

'Going With The Flow' lithograph print hand signed (rolled in a tube) actual image size is approximate 12 and 3/4ths inch by 16 and 1/2 inches. (posting for my kickstarter project)



CLICK ON IMAGE TO VIEW FULL SCREEN

...A Flip Book.......

...just working on a little project and needed to host some pictures online... soon you will know...the rest of the story ... :)

Her Own Tune.....

" Her Own Tune"
Oil on gallery wrap canvas...36 x 48 inches.. ready to hang.. Available at $1200- click on any of the images to enlarge.


...........................

The Finish American Reporter.....

(the insert below is what was written
on the cover about my work..or click on
the picture for a closer view)

"Let It Ride" illustrates why Menahga,
Minnesota Kayleen Horsma is a
rising star in the Finish-American art
world. The painting is derived from a
photo that her father Chester took of his
siblings at his parents'- Jack and Edna
Ylitalo -farm in Wolf Lake, Minnesota.
Watch for a feature about Kayleen in an
upcoming issue.

...when the tire goes flat...

I have been working on a new project, as well as trying to keep up on what needs to be done at home, and finish up on some commissioned work...AND get some new work done, meanwhile...adding to the pot..being sick now for about 8 or 9 days.  We have had a flu and sinus bug going rampage at our house.  Now, is it a coincidence, or is there more to it?

My project has been forcing me to review where my artwork is taking me... and at times I get so frustrated that I feel like the air is being taken out of me.  Well, not literally, but I kind of liken it to the explanation.  I was trying to think how I would describe it, a few days ago, so people would understand.  My thought was that, if the air goes out of a tire, it doesn't quite go around and around.  It stops.  Then the metal part of the wheel gets all banged up and pretty soon all kinds of things go wrong.

So today my daughter calls from the school, she is sick.  I drive to town in our little but trusty subaru.  On the way there, things are going ok, except I noticed the car not driving quite the same.  It was pulling a little funny..like kind of going where it wanted to.  I kept it on the road.

I stopped by the sidewalk when I got uptown and some nice man told me I had a flat tire.  I of course then had to go fill it back up.    It isn't hissing... and appears to be staying in there just fine.

I am not sure if someone, or what let the air out of my tire, ... but I guess the moral of this story is...when your tire goes flat... just put a little more in.

As for the project... I will be sharing the goods on that soon... so stay tuned......

... close up of  'A Good Cup'... a 6 inch oil...sold today and is moving to Texas... 

SHADES OF BLUE

I seem to be having a problem loading my images so I am going to, until I figure it out, post links to my work..... Shades Of Blue is a 30 x 40 inch gallery wrap oil painting...ready to hang... 1.5 inches deep, sides are painted deep umber....

The piece will also be available, as well as a few other works of mine, this weekend during the annual studio arts tours that stretches from the Menahga area, Park Rapids, Nevis, and even Detroit Lakes. Maps are available at any of the studios, or downloadable at the PRLAC site on line... havn't been there yet, but heard on the radio. (prlac.org) .... My work will be mingling in the great room with the old 16th and 17th century works at the Nemeth Art Center, previously known as the North County Museum of Arts...

You can view Shades Of Blue by clicking HERE

Discerning Prudence available in print...

...Just thought I would share with you the first of limited edition prints... Discerning Prudence now available in various sizes view by following this link.... here ....