Doesn't Play Well With Others

I don't have much time to post. I'm going out to eat at one of the best places on the Island, Barbara Jean's. And if you don't get there early...you can be sure to be waiting hungrily outside for quite a while. But she has crabcakes and cooked carrots to die for....I know...carrots...but they are the best...and I'm a bit odd.

Anyway...

I just finished this painting. It was a fun piece because I had to put up a lot at stake for it! Two whole rolls of Smarties and one candy necklace to be exact. You see, they scored me the 1st grader's writing in the middle of the painting. Now, this 1st grader has greatly improved on her writing skills over the school year...but needs a little more work in the spelling area. But...I loved it just the way it was. What do you think? Does it work or is it a distraction?

Also, I finished a new video. I'm so glad you guys are letting me know how much you are enjoying these. And I'm so thrilled that several artists have written that they have actually learned a few new things. So cool. I'm having a great time making them. I just wish I had a better camera...but for right now this one is doing an okay job. Maybe I can send out a Mother's Day hint here....

Enjoy...I'm off for crabcakes and carrots.
Love,
Wyanne

An Award for me...Thank you So Much!

I really hate to sound down...but I am a little. You see, my little one...Logan is sick again. The key word is AGAIN. The poor child has suffered on and off since January. We moved from Atlanta to get away from the pollution to help her asthma. But, apparently there are a lot more new pollens down here, and she has to get used to them. So, any little cold turns into a major ordeal. She was fine yesterday morning, and when I picked her up from school...she could barely talk, over 102 fever and lethargic. Any one who knows Logan, knows she's always going a mile a minute. So, off to the doctor we went. The Strep and Flu tests came back negative. So, basically there is nothing I can do. We tried to come to the studio for a little while, but she's just too miserable. So, I apologize to everyone...I'm taking her home. I have no computer at home right now...so I'm extra behind on emails, youtube replies, blog replies, and shipments. On a brighter note, Wine Husband is on is way back from Atlanta and I'll have help soon. :)

But, on the most bright note of all....

I got an award. It's my first too. I feel so honored and special. Annie Beez Folk Art awarded me the "You Make My Day Award". And she said some really nice things on her blog about me. How cool is that! Well, she definitely made my day! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Please show her some love too by checking out her site... Annie Beez Folk Art.



There's lots of new work up on eBay. So, I hope you will check that out too. And I had to relist "Play", because the highest bidder didn't respond. I hope they are okay.

Much love,
Wyanne

say some prayers

This past week, Wine Husband...(I call him that because he works in the Wine Industry...and is considered somewhat of a guru)...was in Atlanta. He was putting on a special event at the Georgia World Congress Center for the Atlanta Home Show. It was a big deal because it was the 1st time the Home Show offered wine tastings. After a night of really bad dreams, I was woken up to the telephone before 8am. You know when that happens, it's probably not good news. It was Wine Husband. He wanted to let me know before I saw the news that downtown Atlanta had been hit by a tornado. He was fine, and so was the rest of our family there. They all live within minutes of downtown. But, the Atlanta Home Show had been canceled because the GA World Congress Center had been damaged. This is a photo of inside the Congress Center. The worst part of it is that they are expecting more storms later today. I was hoping that he would tell me that he was coming home early. But, he's not. He is staying to help out with the clean up. So, say some prayers for everyone effected by this disaster. And hope that this afternoon storms are a lot less eventful. Stay safe and come home soon.

UPDATE: 4:30pm Sat. - I just talked to him. The sirens have gone off again and he's in the basement. Scary. I'll keep you posted.

UPDATE2: 5:45pm Sat. - The sirens have been turned off, and everything appears to be okay. He said that they are expecting this the rest of the evening. Meanwhile, we had our own little wind problem here. The gusts took out my huge canvas umbrella in the courtyard at the studio, and shattered my glass table into a million pieces. Bummer. I won't be posting again today because I don't have a computer at home.

UPDATE #: 7:00pm Sun. - All is well and every one is all safe. Thank goodness........
photo by Phil Coale, AP

Why Wyanne?

A couple of people have noticed that I have been signing my new work Wyanne...instead of just Wy. They wanted to know if there was a reason for this. Well, there is. It is...quite frankly...you don't know what you have, until it's gone. I know, I know...that doesn't make sense...so let me explain.....

As many of you know...I was adopted at three days old by wonderful, older parents, who couldn't agree on what to name me. They had a natural son who was in college when I was born. He suggested Wyanne, pronounced Y-anne, because his name was Wayne. They decided to go with it, but then both grandmothers wanted me named after them. So, since they couldn't decide what to name me...I got 3 names. Sally Marie Wyanne. But, they decided to call me Wyanne. Do you know how confusing that is for a child growing up? Remember those standardized tests where you were given 3 blanks to write in your first, middle and last name. I never knew what to write first. Then, there was the whole issue of no one knowing how to pronounce my name. In the late 60's and 70's, the teacher would just assume that it was a misprint on the school roster, and call attendance for Wayne. I went to 7 different schools between elementary and high school. The schools would list Sally, my first name, instead of Wyanne. The kids would laugh, and tease me. I hated it.

In college, my friends started calling me Wy. I thought this was cool. No more teasing. No more...(imagine in the most drawn out country accent) "Wyanne...is that like Cheyanne". No...it's really Cheyenne...not Cheyanne. Grrr.... Or "Wyanne.....Why Anne?", and then an abundance of laughter followed, as they had cracked a joke. Ha, Ha...I only heard it a thousand times before. So, I kept "Wy", and insisted others use that name.

As I began my art career, I slowly began to think that the name "Wyanne" was pretty cool because it was unique. There were no other Wyanne's out there. It was a really good "Art Name". But, because of the long history of problems with the name. I still signed everything just "Wy". Sometimes I would put a little line behind the "Wy-" to symbolize "Wyanne" without having to actually sign it.

Then something happened...the Internet became bigger and bigger. I happened to be on eBay one day (my main selling arena for 10 years) and did a search for my name, just to try to bring up my auctions quickly. Well, a bunch of auctions showed up and they were not all mine. They were from another artist, named Wyanne. They were really good too. Nothing like my whimsical style, but tight realistic pencil drawings. I was horrified. There was another Wyanne! And worse yet...she was an artist too! The name...my name...was no longer reserved just for me. Further Google searches proved it....there was a Wyanne in Hawaii who was a real estate agent, another in Switzerland, etc.

My heart sunk.

For years, I took it for granted, never celebrated it...almost tried to hide it....and now it was no longer reserved just for me.

So, you see....you really don't know what you have until it's gone. So, I decided to start celebrating it. The way that I should have always celebrated it. Now, I know that even if I had embraced it long ago, there would still be other "Wyanne's" in the world. But, that's not entirely what it's all about...

How many times do we suppress our talents...the things that make us special...because we are worried about what others think? Because we think we're not good enough. How many times do we buy new supplies, new books, because we "think" we have to have those things before we can be a good at something. How many times do we put off trying something new, because we might fail...or worse...someone might laugh at us.

I've done this for 45 years of my life. I'm not doing it any longer. I had to study photography in college, because my father thought it was the only acceptable, somewhat profitable art form. I struggled for years after college, and didn't paint what I wanted to paint, because my college art instructors had ingrained in my head that whimsical was not what a "great artist" painted.

So, I will sign "Wyanne" to celebrate all that is me. All the roads I've been down, all the laughter endured, all the missed time by trying to please everyone else, all my quirkiness, all my faults, all my specialness, and all of my loves. I will know that...just because there are other Wyanne's out there....there will never be another "Wyanne" like me.

Trust that you are special. You have everything you need, and don't waste another minute.

Love,
Wyanne
and sometimes just "Wy" because that's who I am too. :)

Here's a new video for you. Enjoy.

It's My Birthday...and I'll ____ if I want to....

Today's my birthday, and I'm really trying hard not to feel the birthday blahs. This is the big 45 for me. For some reason, I think I could handle the big 50 better. It just seems to be that big middle number. I don't feel young, I don't feel old...just in the middle.

When I was about 13 and decided that I wanted to become an artist...I can actually remember visualizing what my life would be like at 45. I also remember thinking how old I would be then...ancient! Well, most of it turned out exactly like I visualized...except for the feeling ancient part (thank goodness). I work full time on my art, in a gorgeous studio, on a beautiful Island...and have 2 fabulous kids, and a husband... that is so totally great... I have to pinch myself sometimes, to make sure, I'm not dreaming.

But, for the past few months as the birthday grew closer and closer...I kept feeling like I had let the 13 year old me down. I kept thinking...I should be making more money, I should be thinner, I should be taking better care of myself, I should have a nicer house, I should, I should, I should..... You get the idea. Then last night, I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't go back to sleep. I kept thinking about all of this. Why was I feeling this way. Why does a number matter so much! In my mind and soul, I feel no different than when I was 13...except a whole lot wiser. The same girl is still around...and man...has she accomplished a lot! And best of all, I did it on my own terms.

I didn't become the lawyer that my Dad had planned on me becoming. I didn't marry the successful, financially secure, guy, my family wanted me to. I didn't work full-time at a unsatisfying job, just so I could play around with my art, as a hobby. All of these things have been implanted in my brain over many years, by loved ones and friends. But, they didn't know what was really right for me. They didn't want me to suffer or struggle. They really did have my best interest at heart. And that's where all the "I should's at 45" came from.

But, all the struggles, uncertainties, have been part of this wonderful 45 year adventure that I've been on! And best of all, they have made me a much better person. I've learned how to be a loving, open, relaxed mom, even though I didn't have a role model. I've learned that true love with your soul mate can overcome all obstacles and it only gets better with time. I've learned that to be a good artist, you have to realize that you are constantly learning...and that journey never ends.

So, in the middle of the night...I realized that all the "I should's" were not really mine at all. But, other's interpretations of what they thought "I should" be doing. This 45 year old, was in the middle...in the middle of her adventure...her own way. And the 13 year old me was really, really proud.

Here's some new work inspired by that inner 13 year old. I hope you enjoy it.



This was in my email box this morning from www.tut.com ...

The very best moment in any long journey that makes your dreams come true, Wyanne, comes not on the day you realize they have, but on the day you realize how little they matter compared to loving the adventure they've inspired.

Don't ask me why, I just know what I know -
The Universe

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Youtube was down last night and this morning...but here's a new video for you.

Love,
Wy