Sketchbook blog

I asked for one thing this Christmas, and my family gave it to me.  It's a cedar display for my Art-o-mat collection. I am so happy with this display.  Steve built it.  Alex and Clarice sanded it and applied the polyurethane finish.  I have added to this collection over the years, but the Swap Meet during the  Art-o-mat 20th anniversary at SECCA this year really helped me expand my vast Art-o-mat empire. Here is what started it all:  fellow Art-o-mat artist Dennis Wells put his handiwork on display earlier this month, and so I immediately put my order in to Santa . Photo courtesy of Dennis Wells, who is  an amazing artist. Check out his work here . My cedar display is possibly my favorite Christmas gift of all time.  It will bring so much joy for years to come.  Now that I have met most of these artists in person, each piece of artwork means even more to me. Essential Holiday Run to Delurk Gallery In the final ...

photo courtesy of Little Inspiration patron, Abbi Spreading inspiration, one work at a time In November, I received a lovely note from Abbi, who is a student at the beautiful  Salve Regina University in Rhode Island. She and her friends purchased art from the Art-o-mat machine at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. If you don't know what Art-o-mat is, then check out this blog post or contact me and I will explain how to get involved in this affordable art phenomenon.  Art-o-mat celebrated its 20th anniversary this year.  You can learn how it started and how many people it touches by listening to this awesome podcast . Here is Abbi's kind email: Hi Nicole! My name is Abbi and I was at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston yesterday. I wound up purchasing one of your pieces out of their old cigarette machine. I just wanted to let you know how amazing it is and how my friends even continued to put money in the machine and buy more of your work...

Yesterday was my wedding anniversary.  During the day my 15 year old daughter took the opportunity to ask me, "How does it feel to be married for 17 years?" It's nice to think I once was this young because I don't look like this anymore! How does it feel? I could not give her a brief answer that would explain the ups and downs of devoted love.  But I did remember a story that describes the value and pain of redeeming love. So, tonight as a family, we sat around the Christmas tree and re-read an old favorite,  The Velveteen Rabbit  by Margery Williams. Almost 100 years ago in 1922, Margery Williams wrote The Velveteen Rabbit , a children's classic that begins with the arrival of a stuffed animal bunny in a little boy's Christmas stocking. If you want a refresher on this tender novelette, you can find it  here on Brainpickings , along with lovely illustrations by Japanese artist Komako Sakai.   The Velveteen Rabbit  ...