From H.U.M.B.L.E. Beginnings….

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art, Artist, artwork, blessings, blue art, career, career change, contemporary art, eBay, encouragement, faabest, goals, hope, modern art, painting, paintings, sharon cummings, Sleeping Beauty, tampa artist

Since this week has been dedicated to artwork of the past, I thought I’d share a little about the history of my online art sales.  I have always been an artist.  But I have only been creating professionally for about 12 years.  Before my career transition, I was a personal trainer, kick boxing instructor and nutritional consultant.  I enjoyed working with people and inspiring them to make healthy choices in their lives.  It was very rewarding and I had no plans to do anything else.  However, a nasty fall that broke my left foot and a car accident that left my shoulders and neck in disarray provided me with an opportunity to choose something different.  It took my body about 3 months to heal enough to even consider working again, but what happened next proved to be the best healing of all.

When I graduated from high school, I wanted to be a writer, but art seemed like a more viable option.  I couldn’t have been more wrong “at the time.”  I signed up for art school with the excitement and delusion of youth.  I worked hard and did well.  With a degree in hand and a few interviews under my belt, I soon realized that there was no money in art “at the time” so I put my dreams on the shelf and pursued other ventures.

It’s funny how a tragedy like a car accident can sometimes lead to something wonderful in your life.  That is exactly what happened to me.  I was broke, disabled and too stubborn to take financial aid.  Then my husband asked me if I could just find a way to make 1000 per month so we could pay our bills.  Personal training was off the table as my body has never been the same since my injuries.  One night while searching the Internet for inexpensive business clothing, I discovered something that I had never even considered.  People were selling their art Online!  I was pumped because I knew it was something I could do with hard work and perseverance.  I had been there and done that already.  So I got that old dream off of the shelf and got going!

This piece above titled “Sleeping Beauty” is the very first painting that I listed for sale Online.  It sold for 75.00 on eBay.  I was hooked!  And I have never looked back……

You can see more of my artwork here:

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-sharon-cummings.html?tab=artworkgalleries

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Child’s Play…

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art, art therapy, Artist, artwork, Children, faabest, frida kahlo, fun, humor, inner child, kid's art, kids, life, painter, painting, play time, sharon cummings, silly, spirituality, stick figure art, stick figures

There are times in my very adult world of career, parenting and home ownership when I just have to let loose.  A time to get in touch with my inner child and see that she gets adequate play time.  Painting commission work and new pieces is quite rewarding, but there is still a “work” element to it.  Listing and marketing my art is definitely a full-time job!  But there is silliness when I allow it.  Letting go!  It’s like being a kid again with big smiles and jumbo crayons.  Yes, I still finger paint too!  Whether you are an artist or not, it is good to go back in time for awhile…..When was the last time you played marbles?

See more of my inner child work here:

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-sharon-cummings.html?tab=artworkgalleries&artworkgalleryid=258335

Not So Angry Birds

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art, Artist, beach, beaches, birds, bradenton, coastal living, faabest, florida, gull, gulls, miami, naples, photograph, photography, photos, sarasota, sarasota beaches, seagull, seagulls, sharon cummings, siesta key, Siesta Key Beach, siesta key florida, vacation

Growing up, my Mom always admonished me to “never feed the seagulls!”  For one thing they may poop on your head and for another they can become aggressive and come for food that you have not released from your hands yet. Then Alfred Hitchcock came out with the movie “The Birds” which further instilled the idea that these creatures were angry little monsters.  The truth is that I have been around these beauties of the beach my whole life and I have never been attacked.  Yes, I have fed them (shhhhh….don’t tell Mom!).  I find them to be shy and aloof most of the time.  To photograph them, you have to be quiet and move gently.  It is true that they will swarm for food, but that is just normal animal behavior.  In this photographic art piece I try to capture their beauty and gentleness.  These two look to be dancing.  While they may not be angry after all….they just might drop a bomb on you when you aren’t looking. 😉

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We Make A Family

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abstract art, art, Artist, blue and yellow, blue art, blue paintings, bold abstracts, Children, colorful, colorful abstract, colorful abstract art, Colorful Art, contemporary art, energy, faabest, Family, Fine Art, fun shapes, healing art, love, marriage, modern, modern art, relationships, retro, sharon cummings

People often ask me about what pieces of art I have in my own home.  I not only create, but I also collect.  I have some amazing pieces from all over the World.  Paintings and sculpture.  Fine art from artists from Canada….Australia….Japan….France….The United States…and more.  I am highly eclectic in that if I see art that I love and can afford, I just buy it.  I do not worry about whether or not it will match the sofa.  It matches my soul.  The piece above titled “We Make A Family” was painted (by me) around 10 years ago.  It symbolized me, my husband and our daughter and the bond we share.  It hangs over my bed and I sleep under it every night.  Enjoy!

You can learn more here:

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/we-make-a-family-abstract-art-by-sharon-cummings-sharon-cummings.html

I’ve got CRABS!!

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aquariums, art, Artist, beach, beach art, beach house, cajun food, crab, crab cakes, crab facts, crab legs, crab shack, crabby, crabs, faabest, facts, Fine Art, fine dining, florida, food, fun, humor, kitchen art, maine, new orleans, ocean, ocean life, restaurants, sea, sea life, seafood, seafood restuarant, sharon cummings

No not “those” kind!  But now that I’ve gotten your attention, let’s take a look at this strange looking ocean creature. Crabs are decapods (ten legs) crustaceans (their skeleton is on the outside) and arthropods (they have segmented legs). Interesting FACTS:

If a crab loses a claw, it will grow back.

Males grow one larger claw.  It’s purpose is to impress female crabs rather than for attack or defense.

A crab’s teeth are in its stomach.

Crabs can be carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores.

Crabs can also be cannibals and will sometimes feed on weaker crabs of the same species.

There are 6,793 species of crabs divided into 93 families.

King Crabs are not considered true crabs.  Neither are Hermit, Porcelain, or Horseshoe Crabs.

We began on a light note, so we might as well end on one too. 🙂

Man walks into a restaurant and says, “Do you server crabs here?”

The hostess replies, “We serve everyone.  Have a seat.”

Learn more about my CRABS here:

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/two-sides-duality-crab-art-sharon-cummings.html

Forgiving Our Fathers…..

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Artist, Dad, Daddy, faabest, Family, Father, Father's Day, Fathers, Forgiveness, hope, love, Men, sharon cummings

This is my second Father’s Day without a Dad.  I lost my “Daddy” when I was 10 years old and my “Pop” two Summers ago at age 43.  Both loses have their own particular kind of sting. That’s me in my Daddy’s arms as an infant in the first picture and me in my Pop’s in the later.  As with Father’s Day in the past, forgiveness always comes to the surface.  It isn’t that I have not forgiven these two men for their shortcomings.  Both had many and I have long since come to terms and found peace.  It is more about the fact that without either of them here, forgiveness is something that I can cherish.  It is much easier to celebrate someone’s life and their positive role in yours if you can let go of past hurts.  If you can see them for their humanity.  See the ways that they must have felt pain inside and the ways they tried to make themselves feel better.  I have had to forgive alcoholism, physical abuse, suicide and more. I have had to go beyond my inner child to see theirs.  It took years for me to fully open up and allow their love to move freely through my thoughts and my heart.  But I have and they do.  So today on Father’s Day I want to celebrate love and be thankful for forgiveness which truly has set me free!

I Stone Rock’d A G.O.A.T!

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abstract art, animal mosaics, animal prints, animals, art, Artist, contemporary, cute animals, faabest, farm, farm animals, fun, funny animals, funny art, goat, goat art, goat paintings, goat prints, goats, happy, humor, joy, modern, mosaic, mosaic art, mosaic prints, mosaics, paintings, pink, pink art, prints, sharon cummings, zoo, zoo animals

I am always trying to think of new subject matter to Stone Rock….one of my signature art styles.  Lately I have been taking a second look at images and paintings that I have had up for a long time that have not received much attention.  And it is working.  I have sold pieces Stone Rock’d that never sold without it.  My latest transformation is here.  I have taken “Pinky” below and added my trademarked Stone Rock’d pattern for an interesting and “Pop Art” effect.  I had a pet goat as a child named Lulu Bell….she would be proud. 🙂

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See “Pinky” Stone Rock’d Here:

A Caged Bird S.I.N.G.S…

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abstract, abstract bird, abstract birds, Angelou, animals, art, artwork, avian, aviary, beach, beach home, beach house, bird, birds, books, canaries, canary, contemporary, contemporary art, contemporary bird, contemporary birds, creativity, dancing, emotional, faabest, Fine Art, freedom, hope, I know why the caged bird sings, Maya, Maya Angelou, modern, modern art, modern bird, modern birds, Music, muted colors, nature, ocean, painting, paintings, pastel, pastel art, pastels, pink, play, prints, sea, sharon cummigns, sharon cummings, sing, singing, songs, tropical, tropical bird, tropical birds, vacation, wall art, work, writing, yellow, yellow bird, yellow birds, yellow canary

 

With the recent passing of Maya Angelou, I was inspired to go through my books and find a few of hers for a reread.  A favorite is “I know Why The Caged Bird Sings.”  It has been said that a caged bird sings because it wants freedom. I’ve had a bird and he sang whenever he was in his cage, but he also sang when he was freely moving around my home.  He sang on my shoulder as he nuzzled my ear. He sang when he was having his bath.   He even sang when he was eating.  In fact, the only time he didn’t sing was at night when I would cloak his cage in darkness.  Only then did all go quiet.  I believe we are all like birds.  We sing because we must.  Whatever your song is be it art, music, writing, cleaning, building things, dancing, speaking, etc. it is something that you MUST do.  A deep yearning within that moves you without thought.   I do not ask myself why I create art.  I simply do it.

Rest In Peace Maya…

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Do You D.R.E.A.M.?

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art, Artist, astronomy, boat, boating, boats, dream, dream interpretation, dreaming, dreams, faabest, galileo, hubble, hubble telescope images, moon, nebula, painting, sailboat, sailboats, schooner, schooners, science, sharon cummings, space

I’ve always been a dreamer……but I’m not the only one (ha ha).  Some of my nighttime imagery is wild with amazing colors and detail.  It is inspiration for my painting and other creative works.  I see places that certainly do not exist in the realm I currently inhabit.  I have lived and died in my dreams.  Heaven has been at my doorstep many times.  I also travel to far away lands and meet interesting people.  I wonder what some people dreamt when they were here. What did Da Vinci see in his visions?  Andy Warhol?  Elvis?  Alas we will never know, but I like to think that Galileo might have experienced something like this piece.  My art is my dream and I thank you for joining me on my voyage…

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Let The M.U.S.I.C. Play…

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&, abstract, abstract art, and, art, bands, blues, blues songs, brass, buy, classical, classical music, classy, College, director, faabest, for sale, french, french horn, french horns, horn, horns, instrument, instruments, jazz, jazz band, marching band, marching bands, Music, music instrument, music room, music teacher, Musical, musical instrument, Musical instruments, musical notes, online, paintings, prints, rock, rock and roll, rock&roll, roll, room, sharon cummings, song, songs, teacher, university, violin, violins

With the incredible success of my abstract guitars have come requests. Can you do a violin? A saxophone? A banjo? I created a beautiful violin two days ago and was inspired to keep going. The french horn is a work of art in and of itself. I love the circular patterns and detail. Music is as much an anchor in my life as artwork. I play tunes when I paint or create on the computer. Some days it might be rock and roll or country. 80’s music is also a favorite. But many days it is classical.  Just the sound of the musical instruments and nothing more…..

See ALL of my musical instruments here:

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-sharon-cummings.html?tab=artworkgalleries&artworkgalleryid=255306