My ART 'Then and Now'

I am organizing photos of my art to create a Portfolio.

It's amazing even to myself to see how my Art has evolved over the years. 

                (1984)                                     (2008)

The chicken on the left I painted way back when I first 

learned how to do decorative painting beginning in 1972.  This is a chicken cookbook holder. The design is from Jo Sonja Jansen. 
I Loved and still Love Jo Sonja's whimiscal designs. 

 This is a neat story about how I came to own this chicken cookbook holder again.

I worked for a gal named Brenda McKinney, of Marquez,Tx.

We painted up a gazillion products and her husband would go selling to shops all over Texas. I was making really good money doing that, but it got to be really tiring, and boring-painting in mass production style. I was living in Iola, Texas at that time. This chicken cookbook holder got sold to a shop somewhere in Texas. Years later while living in Brenham,Tx (and presently), I rented a studio behind a Beauty Salon in Brenham. One of the hair dressers name was Sharon Gross (rhymes with Boss).  Sharon was one of the nicest friendliest people I have ever met. She was adored by so many folks in Brenham. She treated every customer like they were family. She genuinely Cared! Sharon and I could converse between the walls of the beauty salon and the studio because the walls only went up so far, not all the way to the ceiling. Sharon built the wall herself, with a little help from Me and my Hubbs. She knew how to do it, but needed some muscle to help out. There was nothing that girl would not tackle. Sharon would bring her hair customers over for a tour of my studio while 

their hair was in stages of treatment.  I got to know Sharon from all the stories she told clients (I could not help but Overhear)! 

Sharon was needing to move from her current living quarters and she was doing it alone. We had a pickup truck, so we went out to help her get the last load of big stuff she could not move in her car.  She was all in a frenzie because she had lost her car keys.

I went out to the car to look for the keys, as I looked into the back seat, I saw this painted Chicken that looked very familiar.

I said to myself..hmm..I know that chicken! My name was the signature on that chicken! 'Susan Gressett 1984'.

I went back and showed the chicken to Sharon and I said to her

'Guess Who painted this chicken'! Me! We both CACKLED OUT LOUD!

Bless Sharon's Huge Sweet Heart, she had a terrible disease called Alcoholism,  that took her away 

from us Christmas day, 2007. 

My brother Jake died that same year so it was a sad year for us.

Well, after Sharon passed on, her children cleaned out her house

and I often wondered what happened to all the stuff she had, maybe they kept it or what if they just got rid of it. I wanted to talk to them and ask if they were going to keep the chicken or get rid of it, but I didn't know how to get in touch with them.

One day some friends were painting with me and we went to the local Mission store to see if we could find stuff to paint on.

What do you think I found sitting on the shelf for $5.00!

I think Sharon was watching over me and knew how I Loved her and missed her and wished I had the chicken again. I do believe Sharon made that happen for me. So I have the chicken cookbook holder and Her name is 'Sharon'. She is always with me.

" Sharon,My Guardian Chicken".

The Sunshine Cafe Rooster was a Custom order for client. 

The difference in the style of my painting has really changed

over the years. It's been a fun journey.

Check out Portfolio album if you'd like to see more of

my work and fun.

See my Newly revised Portfolio album:

ART PORTFOLIO OF SUSAN DOWNEY WYMOLA

SPRING ANTIQUE WEEK REPORT

We made it out to the Antique Shows this week

in ROUND TOP/WARRENTON, TEXAS

This is at Warrenton

 My Hubbs with our cart. He was a real trooper. Never complained

once. We walked for miles to see all kinds of stuff.A Cart is a Must!

You can get them for about $24 with the bag inside. We carried our water and snacks, 

my purse, a little fold up chair,

a quilt for laying on the 

ground to sit and rest.

The tent you see is just one of hundreds maybe thousands of what you can see 

at the Antique shows.

It's not Just Antiques. 

There is a lot of repainted furniture and shabby chic style things.

Lots of retail stuff too.

 

 The BEER BOOTH was the only one I saw people waiting in line.

 We saw a lot of the Metal art from Mexico.

I love it all.

MOO!

NEXT STOP, Emma Lee Turney's

ROUND TOP FOLK FAIR

THIS IS POLKA DOT PIG PRIMITIVES BOOTH 

 

 I got to meet Julie Miller who is the owner

of Polka Dot Pig Primitives, from Oklahoma. 

Julie displays her wares on the neatest old junk with such a creative touch.

 Me with Julie.

 I am so happy I went to this show to meet Julie  in Person. She is the nicest gal, 

and to see all her beautiful prim work 

up close was a real treat.

Next is my friend Dottie, Dorothy Shelby

 Here is Dottie with her paintings.

 It is amazing to see how far Dottie has grown in her  Art. She is always So 

ENTHUSED AND EXCITED.

My favorites are the colorful scenes with the people doing things.

 When you visit Dottie in her booth, she has several photo albums of pictures 

of herself with her customers,

DARN, I FORGOT TO GET MY PIC WITH YOU DOTTIE!

More Antique booths:

 I Got excited about this little tub on a stand, this is exactly what I want to 

put in a bathroom someday in my dream barndominium.

 Cowboy Tubs and Water Cans galore!

 This is the Pink Elephant booth owners trailer. It's for sale! Very tiny, but it has a bathroom!

LuluBelle's Antiques and Flowers.

We really enjoyed looking at the flowers,

her booth was in her front yard. Oh so Fragrant! I guess she was wore out

because she never made eye contact with us, jst talked while looking down at a book.

We enjoyed it anyway.

 Pegasus Pottery was a favorite to see.

You don't see much hand turned, hand painted pottery.

These folks are from Madelle, Texas.

They were set up at the Round Top Folk Fair.

I LOVE the Texas Bluebonnets and Wildflowers this lady paints.

She was working on a turning wheel making pottery right before our eyes. It was amazing see all her beautiful work.

 "SALT PIGS" DON'T YOU LOVE EM?

I GUESS THEY COULD BE A SUGAR PIG TOO.

 Mr. Pegasus Pottery and his Chi-Weenie dog, "Yankee Doodle"

 

 I fell in Love instantly with Yankee Doodle.

And then I admired his lovely bandana and his Pop   told me that Yankee Doodle had 

his own line of Dog Accessories.

 It made my day to meet Yankee Doodle!

 We had the best time walking and looking and visiting all around the booths, 

but this one was our Very Favorite,

"The Texas Pizza Wagon"

Oven Fired Homemade Pizza.

 Pizza anywhere else will never be the same.

I'd love to have a brick pizza oven in my back yard.

 

 Here is Dave with the owner of 

Texas Pizza Wagon, Chuck Sullivan.

Dave used to do some work for Chuck and they had not seen each other since then, 

which was about 3 years ago.

As we drove out passing by the booths, on our way out of the parking lot, we said

goodbye junk and cool stuff!

See You Next Year! 

We drove past such beautiful scenery in Fayette, Austin and Washington Counties. 

If you have not been to this part of Texas, you should really make the trip sometime.

I bet you'll be glad you did. 

Bird Nest Collage (New Art)

I was in a Swap project and it was for a 

Spring Nest/eggs...

So, I used a square 6x6 canvas.

I Painted it orange with acrylics.

I have a collection of old books and sheet music and stamps and old maps that I have been saving to use for Collage.

I layered the stripped paper and began 

gluing it down with Gel Medium.

  I wanted a 3-D bird and eggs so I used caulking in the tube that has the tip you

cut off. It takes about 24 hours to dry. 

Once you basecoat over the caulking, it is dry to the touch in minutes.  

This project was really fun and easy. 

I love painting on textured surfaces. 

Painting over the textured bird

was really fun and easy.

I sealed the whole canvas with the Gel Medium.

My Swap partner really liked it I think.