I Am A Success Because…

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art, Artist, childhood, courage, dreaming, healing, health, hope, how to be successful, inspiration, life, play, success, success definition, what is success

What defines success? It’s a good question. So many see it as money/sales and fame. While I am really happy that my artwork sells, it isn’t the biggest part of how I define my accomplishments. It’s actually quite small…

I thought today would be a good day to remind ourselves of all of the “good” in our lives and what truly makes us a success. It’s a simple little exercise that might take some thought, but surely success can be found in even the smallest of things…

I am a success because: in my life, the people around me have always underestimated me. When they said “you can’t do it”, I always did. Whether it was mucking horse stalls in Florida’s Summer heat, defeating cancer naturally 15 years ago or selling my art and earning a living with it. When they said “no way”. I’ve done it!

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I’ve Got Your B.A.C.K…

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africa, african, african theme, animal, animal prints, animals, anniversary, baby, birthday, child, Children, colorful, colorful giraffe, cute, engagement, friend, friends, friendship, fun, gentle, gift, giraffe, giraffes, hide, inspirational, love, loving, maternal, mom, mother, mothering, nature, nursery, play, romance, romantic, safari, sharon cummings, sister, sisters, skin, skins, soft, spots, sweet, tender, wedding, wild animal, zoo, zoo animal, zoo animals

“I’ve Got Your Back”

New Mixed Media Art

Sharon Cummings

2014

Whose got your back?  In my lifetime, I’ve heard the words many times, but have learned that only a precious few have actually meant it.  I can count on my fingers the friends and family that have truly been there for me through thick and thin.  Today I solute them and am thankful that I only have ONE back. 😉

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Free S.P.I.R.I.T…

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10 speed, babies, baby, beach, beach cruiser, bicycle, bicycles, bicycling, bicyclist, bike, bike wheels, bikes, biking, child, Children, colorful, Colorful Art, colorful bike, cruiser, cute, cycle, cycling, cyclist, de, france, free spirit, fun, handle bars, happy, hobby, kid, kids, leisure, mountain bike, mountain biking, nostalgia, nursery, outdoors, play, playing, primary colors, rainbow, rainbow art, road, sharon cummings, spokes, sports, tour, tour de france, toy, Toys, trails

“Free Spirit”

New Art Mixed Media Painting on Fabric Fused Digitally.

Sharon Cummings

2014

I’ve always been a bit of a free spirit since the time I could walk, but today I am not talking about that personality trait.  When I was a little girl, I loved riding my bike. Being the younger of two girls, I always got the “hand me downs” from my sister.  So it was her old beat up economy cycle that I learned to ride on.

My older brother had a beautiful bike.  It was sleek and colorful and oh so enviable.  It was way too big for me and every time I tried to sit on it, that painful bar would get me right between the legs!  His was a “Free Spirit”.  It was red, white and blue.  I wanted one so badly.  Every Christmas it was all I would ask for.  One season went by and I got a play stove set and the next I got some barbies.  I just wasn’t into all of that girly stuff, but was thankful for the gifts anyway.

Then the day came!  It was the Christmas of my 7th year.  My parents had wrapped a few small gifts for me and placed them under the tree.  There was no huge wrapped gift, so I assumed that the bike wouldn’t come yet again.  We all opened our gifts and everyone was happy….well mostly happy.  I am sure I looked more than a little disappointed. Then my Mom and Dad started laughing and asked me what was wrong. I shrugged. My Dad then left for a few minutes and came wheeling in my new bike….oh boy!   She was a beauty.  I jumped on that long bright yellow banana seat and I rarely got off it!

Here is a picture of the bike I loved so much.  Time for a ride down memory lane!

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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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Gimme A Break…

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abstract art, art, Artist, earth, faabest, figurative art, girl, impressionism, impressionist art, landscape, nature, painting, play, summer, travel, vacation, women, work

The weather in Florida is really lovely right now.  It is not too hot yet.  I have been working really hard on commissioned paintings for the last two weeks and have been taking some much needed time off.  A nice stroll by some water…getting in touch with nature…..taking photographs with my husband. This is what a day off looks like for me captured in the art above titled “Summer Stroll In The Park”.  I absolutely love what I do when I am creating for myself or for a collector.  Art is my passion!  But even I need to take breaks now and again. 🙂

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Simple Pleasures….

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anna maria island, babies, baby, beach, beaches, blonde curls, bucket, child, Children, children playing, curl, curls, curly, curly headed, feel good, girl, girls, girly, happiness, happy, joy, joyous, kid, kids, life, lifestyle, little girl, mood, ocean, play, playing, sand, sandcastle, sandcastles, sarasota, sarasota beaches, sea, shovel, siesta key, Siesta Key Beach, surf, toy, Toys

 

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/simple-pleasures-beach-art-by-sharon-cummings-sharon-cummings.html

I will be busy this week with family and Thanksgiving festivities….went down south today to spend some time with relatives who flew in from Colorado….It was a little chilly for a beach day, but this little girl was determined to enjoy herself.  She was so caught up in the simple joy of digging in the sand when her parents graciously let me take a few quick snaps….aaaahhhhh I remember….

Perfect Company

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beach, beach art, beach print, child, childhood art, childhood prints, Children, dream, dreams, florida, girl art, girl photograph, girl prints, happiness, happy, happy art, happy prints, home, joy, kid, kids, landscapes art, landscapes photograph, landscapes photography, landscapes prints, little girl, Mom and Dad, ocean, ocean art, ocean print, Parenting, peace, play, playing, pretty, sand, sand castle, sarasota, sarasota art, sarasota florida, sarasota print, serenity, spiritual, tides, Tourism, United States, water art, water prints, waves, youth

Sometimes you have to take a new look at an old piece and see a better way to present it.  This one has languished in my portfolio long enough.  It was good, but not great.  I took this photograph a few years ago while on vacation with my husband in Sarasota, Florida.  It was high tourist season and the beaches were filled with screaming children, lobster people and old folks slathered in sunscreen. As we walked the shore after dinner, there was this one magic moment.  A little girl playing in the sand all alone.  She was not playing with any of the other children nearby.  Mom and Dad watched from a safe distance and it just struck me that she looked so happy.  Completely oblivious to her surroundings…totally absorbed in the pleasure of the beach sand….she had “Perfect Company”.

See more here:

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/perfect-company-sharon-cummings.html

 

Guitar Sunset…

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acoustic, acoustic guitar, acoustic guitars, art, Artist, band, bands, classic, classical, club, clubs, collection, collector, cool, country, dance, def, guitar, guitar pick, guitar player, guitar strings, guitarist, guitars, jazz, lyrical, lyrics, Music, Musical, Musician, night club, paintings, photo, photograph, photographs, photography, photos, pick, play, player, prints, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock n roll, sharon cummings, string, strings, strumming, tune, tunes, unique

 

Everyone who follows me online and in real life knows that I love the beach.  I also adore anything to do with music, especially guitars.  I decided to combine the two to create one beautiful piece.  I do not have a lot to say about this work as I believe it speaks for itself…..

Not Yet…..

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beach, black, boy, boys, child, childhood, childhood memories, Children, children at play, children playing, children's, coast, coastal, florida, florida beaches, healing, high contrast, kid, kids, landscape, lido beach, little boy, love, magic, magical, memories, natural, nature, ocean, orange, orange and yellow, play, playing, playtime, sarasota, sea, seascape, sharon cummings, sky, spiritual, summer, summer vacation, sun, sunrise, sunrise on beach, sunset, sunset ocean, sunset on beach, surf, vacation, water, wonder, yellow

 

Walking along Lido Beach with my husband waiting for that last glimmer of light, I see some children playing in the surf.  Two little girls and one boy squealing with joy as the waves splashed at their backs.  Parents were chatting and pointing at the horizon.  This guy was a whir of activity with limbs going every which way and toys thrown about.  He payed no attention to people passing by.  Then for a split second….just a small moment, he stops and looks at the setting sun as if to say……not yet…I am still having fun.   I cannot believe I captured this….

See more here:

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/not-yet-sunset-art-by-sharon-cummings-sharon-cummings.html