Monday, November 17, 2014

My Kickstarter project just launched and is live! I know you will love it! 
Join me in The Large Print Project! 
Make a pledge and share the link!
Click here to view





Thank you for stopping by.


This is "Where Art and Beauty Meet Lifestyle"©


All images and content belong to Deborah Velásquez. Copyright 2005-2014.  All rights reserved.
Please do not use anything without permission or without making note of the origin on your blog or website.

Friday, August 1, 2014

Imagination, Possibility and Dreaming, a combination repost of sorts

Inspired by a conversation with my artist friend Julie Hamilton I pulled some Word Art I made back in 2012 for today's post. I find it funny that many conversations this week with new friends and old friends we talked about dreams, opportunity, career changes and second careers about to blossom, just great fantastic stuff just as it was back in 2012.
 I dedicate this Word Path to them today. 

We often say someday this, someday that, that someday never comes but it sure has a long list!. 
I believe that someday is today, today offers powerful change. 
Even if it is in changing your thinking, it is a start. Don't wait, lead the direction of your dreams.
Have confidence in your enthusiasm for them. Many times that is all it takes to change good to great. Set the course and watch for what intersections and paths crossing have to say or are trying to make you see.
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Everyone has a word path. For me one word leads to another,  linked by thought first then by pen and paint. 
Word Paths have  been a Friday feature showcasing possibilities in written words, creative process and artistic pieces from the beginning of my blog. You can go here, to my first post on this project and see how it all started.

Here is My Word Path for Today 
Imagine and Dream                                                                                         by Velásquez©2012
Keeping it simple but heartfelt. I truly believe these words. Work hard, keep striving and things will start to happen for you. Keep your heart open to what is possible and waiting for you. Go for your dreams. Listen to the whispers.....sometimes you have to take a dare. Jump in.


Happy Weekend • Imagine • Enjoy the Language of Words



Thank you for stopping by.


This is "Where Art and Beauty Meet Lifestyle"©


Don't Wait                                                                 by Velásquez©2012


All images and content belong to Deborah Velásquez. Copyright 2005-2014.  All rights reserved.
Please do not use anything without permission or without making note of the origin on your blog or website.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Who inspires me?


Last week Stephanie Ryan asked if I would join her for a blog hop. The blog hop was to write about people who inspire you. I am honored to say that she chose me as one of her people! You can read her lovely post here
Thank you Stephanie, you inspire me as well.

Stephanie Ryan is an artist and designer with 20+ years of experience in the product development field. With her vivid watercolors, soul soothing garden scenes & prolific style, she’s routinely lent her talents to leading companies like Lenox, Waterford Wedgwood  and HomeGoods. Stephanie’s art centers around heartfelt encouragement, with vivid, sweet colors, bold, blossoming flowers, and inspirational messaging woven throughout. 

I met Stephanie almost three years ago, when she dared me to succeed! 
On a dare from her I started to put myself and my work out into the licensing world.
Here is some of my licensed wall art. Pictured is one of my favorite pieces, which combines my Word Path art, block printing, collage and painting.
When I Saw You, Blue and Yellow Story          by Velásquez©2013


For the blog hop here are some questions that were provided so you could get to know me a bit better. The three people that inspire me follow the creative questions.

What are you working/writing on?

I just had  Gallery opening for a Two woman show called Word and Birds, where
the works represent The ‘Word Path’ series from this  blog. The series has been a weekly feature showcasing possibilities in written words, creative process and artistic word art pieces. 

As I write this I am in the process of opening a storefront with minted.com , 
the opportunity came as a part of winning  creative competitions within the company.  
I am proud to say that I have won 11 awards total. 
Currently I am creating work to sell as wall art.

I have recently seen close to final pieces from my CarpetVista rug competition win. Here is a peek:


I am just finishing up a block printed piece of art with a mid century 
vibe that I cannot share at the moment but will soon I promise!

I continue to spend creative time in my new studio working on new collections for my licensing companies. 

How does my work/ writing differ from others of its genre?


You can say there are a few of me! I have many  avenues of work, word art and my painted work. In my painted work I combine many mediums in a piece  but I do not consider my self a  mixed media artist per se. I bring together my working styles into one piece, for example  I paint, collage and overlay with a printmaking process, this is where my work differs.  At times, I just keep the mediums separate, like when I paint my watercolor abstracts or florals.  Printmaking is my first creative love for sure it continues to be a consistent theme in my work.

My Word Path paintings, block prints and calligraphy art pieces reflect on dialog and conversations with family and friends; developing singular words and segments of poetry from phrases within sentences and paragraphs of said conversations. Word paths for me are like a line of movement. One word leads another, linked by thought first then by pen and paint. The word paintings are straight forward type with an urban feel.

"Everyone has a word path, we all take different paths with our word expression 
in emphasis, pause, cadence even language". 


Why do you create/write what you do?

For me creating is like breathing, it is part of who I am. I have always said art for me is like a relationship. It is like being in love, it brings me to another level, to another place.
Nothing lights me up more than being creative, making something out of nothing.
“When I am making art, I know this is what I should be doing. 
I want my work to be,”Where Art and Beauty Meet Lifestyle”©


How does your creative process work?

I want to share two past posts which show my creative process, one here and here.

I am more and more inspired by my supplies, the feel of the brush or cutting tool as it moves with ink on paper or drawing while cutting into linoleum or rubber of a printing block. 

As I write this post I am waiting for a delivery of vintage brushes from the estate of a 101 year old woman who painted all her life. The stories those brushes could tell and continue to paint, so excited!

Here are my favorite supplies. 



Follow me on Instagram where I post fun inspiring things and what I am working on.
Here are few places to find me and my work : Moyo Directory and Etsy 
and
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Now onto the three people who inspire me! 

I call these women my friends, my like-minded creative souls. 
They all posses a determination that inspires me and I love how we connect, process, critique, and push each other to be better artists, stay on track, focus on what is important and share new ideas. 


Julie Hamilton is a surface pattern designer artfully living in the mountains of Whistler, British Columbia.

“I am passionate about paint, paper, pen and pattern. I call it Artistically Afflicted ~ to be in a beautiful state of creative chaos due to an overactive imagination that is always questioning...what if?” I create daily and love to explore different mediums”
All of Julie's designs are handcrafted. Her favorite medium is a simple black pen and a piece of white paper. Her work is organic with a touch of whimsy. Inspired by nature and her surroundings, she loves to add a modern twist to her work either through line, color or texture. I love her Black and white work!



Julie can be found weekly, blogging on her site www.artisticallyafflicted.com writing about inspiration, imagination and the creative process.

It was such a treat to go into Barnes and Noble and see my friends feature in the Artful Blogging - 2014 spring/summer issue.


She is currently working on a new collection for Modern Yardage and her illustrated maps of British Columbia.

You can find more of Julie's work here:

Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter

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Mary Tanana is a designer who is inspired by many things; art, photography, gardening, landscapes and nature. She approaches her work with a boho, edgy flair. 

She’s had a life-long love affair with anything patterned, and after a long and successful career as as award winning jewelry designer, she has once again embraced her first love of surface pattern design and I am so happy she did! 
Her work is full of joy, happiness and color.

 She is fascinated with henna designs from India, folk art from 
the Ukraine, Russia and Poland, and loves Zentangle art. 
Her mosaic style fascinates me the most. 


See her beautiful fabric design at Modern Yardage


Here is where you can find Mary's work
http://groovitydesigns.com

Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter

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Kim Gann is a licensed artist and has been painting for over 25 years. Her art expands from drawing to digital but I know Kim's passion is painting. She dreams in vibrant and intense color and it translates on to her beautiful canvasses. 
Her goal is to bring joy to the world through her art. 
You can see her licensed work here:
Fabric Collection. Flying Sweetly. P&B Textiles
Wall Art available at Laila's
**Coming Soon** Needlepoint.




Other places to find Kim's work:
website:http://www.kgartstudio.com



Thank you for stopping by.


This is "Where Art and Beauty Meet Lifestyle"©

by Velasquez©2012


All images and content belong to Deborah Velásquez. Copyright 2005-2014.  All rights reserved.
Please do not use anything without permission or without making note of the origin on your blog or website.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Last Minute Details

Words & Birds Exhibit of Paintings by Two New Artists at FVAC

The Farmington Valley Arts Center’s Drezner Visitors’ Gallery is hosting an exhibit of paintings by new Studio Artists, Susan Prentice of Simsbury and Deborah Velasquez of Pleasant Valley.  Words & Birds, will be on display July 9 – September 6, with an Artist’s Opening Reception on July 17, 5-7:30pm.  All are welcome with light hospitality available.  Gallery hours are Wednesday – Saturday, Noon – 4:00p.m., and by appointment: 860.678.1867.

Prentice and Velásquez each have studios among 26 Artists and are of the nine new Studio Artists on campus each having a second floor studio.  

Susan Prentice has a bird’s eye view of wildlife visiting the facility and has an entire series of works dedicated to many avian species including chickens, roosters, heron, raven and others.  

Deborah Velásquez displays works from her ‘Word Path’ series, paintings, drawings and block prints that reflect on dialog and conversations with family and friends; developing singular words and segments of poetry from phrases within sentences and paragraphs of said conversations. 
Framed work ready to be moved to the gallery space.
A corner in the Drezner gallery space. I hung the art scarves today.

Thank you for stopping by.


This is "Where Art and Beauty Meet Lifestyle"©

Two of my favorite things, art supplies and one of my favorite coffee cups from Anthropologie.

All images and content belong to Deborah Velásquez. Copyright 2005-2014.  All rights reserved.
Please do not use anything without permission or without making note of the origin on your blog or website.