Thursday, October 16, 2008

Forgive Me Artists For I Have Sinned......

At least I think I have....you see I have had this dilemma for several years and I finally did something about it but I am feeling a bit guilty now. Nine years ago my husbands great aunt Betty passed away. When we helped to clear out her house we found a bunch of old paintings she had done out in her garage. I brought a bunch home and shared them with my sister. None of them were really my style but I felt bad letting them go to thrift stores or the dump. So over the years I have had this one hanging in my family room. I always liked the houses and that they were "sort of" red but the modern style really wasn't my taste.




So last week I thought, you know what, it's either make it mine or it has to go. So instead of donating it to charity, I made some small changes. Here is the after. It's not completely finished due to my beloved Phillies making the playoffs and taking up my evening painting time but I'd say it's about 2/3's done.

So what do you think? Is Aunt Betty mad at me up there?

I also have good news that construction on my studio is going to begin on Monday!!! YAY! French doors so I can see my family but they won't be running through my work space and wood floors and the best part is I can paint it any color I want! I'm thinking "Paris Pink" by Martha. It's kind of a pale peachy pink. So I will be posting before and after photos in the next few days or so.

Here is the cutest little house I scored at Home Goods for only $10.00. I love the wire smoke and felt roof.



Look what I received in the mail last weekend! I was so excited I started ripping open the package before I even got in the house. Every year I buy a more pricey piece of art from another Etsy artist I admire as a Christmas gift to myself.There are soooo many it's very difficult to decide but this year I fell in LOVE with this hand painted Frida doll by Tascha. She is more beautiful in person, believe me. I need to sew a small loop on her back so I can hang her up because I want to show off her little boots. Tascha was also soooo kind to add the extra little goodies you see plus two other tiny prints that aren't in the picture. This is why I love to shop Etsy! Thanks Tascha!

Well, I'm off to make room in the garage for the construction...wish me luck! Have a great day!!!!

19 comments:

Diane Duda said...

I'm sure Betty is looking down from heaven and smiling at what you've created! It's so cute!
And, speaking of heaven, what I wouldn't give for a studio space right now! Paris Pink sounds lovely.
I was also admiring Tascha's Frida doll. (The boots are my favorite part too.)
Sounds like all good things are happenin' at your place!!! :) Yay!

Di

jen duncan said...

Well, maybe if you told me over the phone that you recreated over an original of your dead aunt's I'd have gasped, but SEEING what you did--oh yeah; that DEFINITELY needed to happen! Brilliant!
Thanks for the heads up on Tascha. Those boots slay me!! YAY on the studio! It is just the best thing in the world to have one. :-)

Anonymous said...

I KNOW that Aunt Betty is so happy to see that you changed up her work and made it your own using hers as a back ground! It is GORGEOUS!

Oh la la Paris Pink sounds delightful!

Anonymous said...

know what??? forget aunt betty, girl! it rocks, and how genius of you to even think to tracy-fy it rather than donate it! i sure hope you will make some more tracy house paintings (HINT, HINT!!!)

Jenny Holiday & Aaron said...

LOVE it!!! And I am sure Betty would too!! A piece of her and a piece of you!! Very very COOL!

And oooh your Tascha goodies...to die for!!!

Love your work...and blog!!

Love from the Jersey shore!
xoxo Jenny

Mandy said...

I LOVE your painting, Tracy, and I bet Aunt Betty is happy. Her "original" un-altered art is still hanging in my house...although it is over two toilets. I bet if she had a choice, she'd choose your adorable houses over my toilets! :)

CourtneyP said...

I just love the houses!!! I did something similar to a painting of my grandmothers..... I think of it as a collaboration. I still am reminded of her when I see it .

I am so jealous of having a studio of my own. I share my space with my kids toy storage.

sMacThoughts said...

There are so many talents over at Etsy and I myself have decided to little by little start to collect original works by some of the ones who I most admire. It's wonderful to surround oneself by inspiring art, as well as to support each other's work.

Sandy Mastroni said...

I love what you did with the houses !
she would get a kick out of it
love the Frida doll too!

SunshineandRavioli said...

You still think of Aunt Betty every time you look at the painting, right? I think that's what she would want...plus how could she NOT like the improvement?! It's lovely, as usual!

Anonymous said...

I`m sure aunt Betty love your altering. I love what you have done with it.

The Frida doll is amazing btw :)

noodle and lou said...

ooooh I think Aunt Betty would be proud Tracy! It's a great tribute to her and to you!!! I love it!!!
WAY excited to hear your studio is in the works. (paris pink? ring it!) and yippeee for owning Tascha's darling Frida dollie.

happy weekend to you!! xox...jenn

suze said...

Aunt Betty is smiling down on you. It looks great! And I am also a huge Tascha fan. I guess I am guilty of an art sin too. I commissioned Suzi Blu to make a painting for me and I reworked it a little.Don't tell.

Trevlyn said...

Your painting is wonderful! What vision! And those little boots on Frida are too fun!

Erica Herbert said...

hEy! i just wanted to INVITE YOU to the Big Halloween BASH ~
today! over at my blog! Stop by & have some cider :)
eRiCa
www.blujaystudio.com

julie king said...

oh, i think your aunt betty is glowing with pride!! your re-painting is just delightful!!

Anonymous said...

The houses are so sweet and happy now! I love what you did (and I'm sure Betty would agree!)

POPIN Sisters said...

Tracy...I am in LOVE with the art re-do!!! You are so talented, there's no way Aunt Betty wouldn't have loved that too! ~jamie

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