Please visit my new website

Please visit my new art website and blog at www.carrieschmittdesign.com 

Thank you!

...MOVING!

My hubby landed his dream job and it just happens to be in the most perfect place for our family...the beautiful state of Washington.  And one of the best parts for me is the climate! 

The average temperature is 65 degrees.  It is overcast 80% of the time--just what I need to live a more functional life with my severe heat and sun allergy!  The heat and humidity of Cincinnati really made this summer difficult for me and my family.

I fought to keep depression at bay but questioned how much more I could take--being under house arrest for months is NOT my idea of a good time.  I feel like this is a wonderful gift that has brought me so much hope!

Things might get a little crazy here as we prepare for a quick departure--they want him to start soon!  But, I can't wait to share this experience--we are ready for an adventure!

My First Public Art Showing...The Bowen Center

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am in LOVE with all things BIRTH. 

I have had lifechanging, wonderful births that have made me feel more connected with my sense of spirituality and magic than any other moments of my life. 

I used to be a labor doula as well because I wanted each woman

 to have a positive birth experience!

So, it only seems fitting that my first public art showing (that is if I have time to make any) will at the Bowen Center for Women's Health. 

 I've finally finished a few pieces that I've shown bits and pieces of in progress over the last couple of weeks.



Part of Tree of Life 16 x 20 Original Painting



I'm very excited to get my work out there!  And thanks to my two-time doula and friend, Jamison, who works there, my art with hopefully be inspiring and empowering pregnant women who visit their center. 

(Oops.  that's what my face is expressing after i accidentally had nora at home in a labor tub.
 jamison, the proud doula who saved the day, looks on!)



  Jamison and I have had the best time during the labors and births of my last two children.  We talk and hang out and just totally are in sync. 

Having a doula was hands down the best decision I ever made to prepare for birth!  It is a totally different experience when you have one! 

If you live in Cincinnati, the Bowen Center is having an open house on September 30th from 6 to 9pm. The address is 11317 Springfield Pike.  Cincinnati, OH. 45246.

Mountain Girl 12 x 12 Mixed Media Original

PS--I finally finished my sister's painting with a quote from the book, She. 

I've decided that I'm going to do a series of paintings based on quotes from that book and hopefully hang some in the Bowen Center.



PPS--Big, Big News to Share Next Tuesday! 

Hope you'll stop back to share some major excitement with us!

Art in the Garbage and Voodoo Doctors = A Very Strange Day!

Yesterday, I went to what my friend calls a "voodoo" doctor to treat my heat hives.  He came highly recommended from her mother-in-law and sister-in-law who are both physicians but send patients that they cannot help to him.  They say he performs miracles on their patients with hopeless cases.

(found art explained later)

I must say it was one of the oddest experiences I've ever had but very cool too!

His subconscious tapped into my subconscious, and he healed me.  I have to go back in 10 days, but so far I haven't had allergic reaction from the heat. 

Which is strange because I have been doing crazy things outside and been in many situations where I should have gotten my heat hives. 

I also didn't take my heavy medication last night because I ran out.  Usually, if I don't take it, I wake up and have a MAJOR reaction just from walking down the stairs.

(more found art)

So far the VOODOO seems to be working!  I'll keep you posted---I'll see how it goes over the next couple of weeks.  If this works, it would be unbelievable!

Here is one of the crazy, physical things I did yesterday in the middle of the day with the sun beating down on me, which made me on-fire hot but no hives (this hasn't happened in 7 years). 

While driving yesterday,  I found a bunch of HUGE original paintings leaning up against someone's garbage cans.

I couldn't not save them! But it was HOT, physical work. 

I also can't help but wonder if these two odd experiences yesterday are somehow related. 
I haven't quite made a connection yet, but who knows?

Here are some more of the paintings I saved (this is not all of them though!)...

Sneak Peek: What's Happening in My Studio This Week...

Here's what has been going on in my Art Studio lately...

I painted this awhile ago but just photographed it to add to my online gallery:

 

And I've been working on this (unfinished) painting inspired by my sister.  The words are from "She" by Kobi Yamada.  I think they fit my adventurous sister perfectly. 

Mountain Girl 12x12 

She has worked hard and dreamt big--and is reaping the rewards of her courage and hard work by living in a place she loves, doing the work she loves!  I'm so happy for her and inspired by her zest for life.

And I've made some progress on one of my pregnant woman paintings.  I'm so excited because I finally tried to make faces a little more 3 dimensional by adding color and shadow (not finished yet). 

In Full Bloom 16x 20

I don't know why I didn't do this a long time ago.  I think I finally just got brave enough and told myself it was time to challenge myself and push myself a little more.

Have a great weekend everybody.  Thanks for reading.  It means so much!

Where will you be in 5 years?

I found this amazing video to wish my husband a Happy Birthday.  I watched it one night before bed and couldn't sleep I was so energized.  The next day I showed it to my kids and got chills and tears in my eyes.  

I hope you will take the time to give yourself the gift of watching this.  It's also a great gift to send someone on their birthday or share with your children!  It is based on a book by Dan Zadra.  Here is the link to the video:

http://www.live-inspired.com/the5book/index.html

This image is from http://www.live-inspired.com/

So what do I want to do over the next five years?  Here are a few dreams that are on my list...

1) Become a full-time artist and develop my own style
2) Get rid of my heat allergy
3) Have an art show of some sort at a gallery or coffeeshop or somewhere--to see my art out there in the world!
4) Attend an art retreat or workshop
5) Create a living wall in our home

So, what is on your 5 List?

Learning from the Experts

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."  Pablo Picasso

The biggest struggle for me on this creative journey?  Finding my very own style.

When I asked my art teacher how to do this, he said, "That is where the magic happens."  At the time, I wanted to say, "Can you be a little more specific?" 

But today, I think I felt a little bit of the magic.  And I'm starting to keep a running list in my head that has taken the shape of a recipe, which I envision all mixed together in some ancient swirling cauldron stirred by some long-haired goddess in a flowing gown. But first, here is what came out of the magic:

In Full Bloom--work in progress

Tree of Life--in progress

Connected--work in progress

(An Incomplete) Recipe to Develop Your Own Artistic Style

1) Chunks of Time--A rare commodity in Motherland, but chunks of time are required to let loose and play with paint. Little 15 minute sprinkles here and there are not enough to get into cooking mode. Creativity, inspiration and materials must simmer.

2) A Cup of Spontaneity--This is what I learned today. I'm always amazed by my kids' creativity. Recently, I noticed they don't think while creating--they just go for it. So today, I decided to "Paint fast and fearlessly." (I know this is grammatically wrong but it is what I call it!)

I didn't let myself think at all.  I chose a color quickly, made quick lines and did not let myself make any conscious decisions.  Most importantly, I didn't critique.  I didn't let the voices of self-doubt enter my head.  It was almost as if I shut down my mind.

These random acts produced some fun results, and I finally felt like parts of myself that I didn't know existed were surfacing.  Things I could do that I didn't know I could, colors I didn't know I liked, etc.

This is all I have for now, but I'm hoping to keep adding to this list.  I'd love to hear your own ingredients for creating artwork that is uniquely yours!