****Artist Inside****

(Click on photos to make them larger)

So what is a "Artist Inside"? 

Well it is me! There is a Artist inside this body of mine. Sometimes I keep it hidden from the world. but lately I have brought it out of hiding. I have been into Art since I went to grade school and all through High School and then after I graduated High school I dabbled at it again. I even tend to doodle when I am talking on the phone, sitting in bible study, at church at times, and more. It is funny when I doodle I tend to focus better on what that person is saying. Funny isn't it! No I don't always doodle but sometimes. 

So who is this **Artist Inside**??

Hi I am Lauri ! I want to tell you something that happened to me in high school. I had this one teacher and her name was Mrs. Ruth Hanson, she was one of my favorite teachers in high school. She was my Art teacher all 4 yrs in HS. One day she came up to me and said "Lauri I don't completely understand how you manage to draw or paint with those bad hand tremors that you have, but you do some wonderful work." I looked at her and I just said "I don't know why I even shake no one has ever diagnosed why I do and there is some days I can't do anything." Mrs. Hanson said "Lauri you have a gift and I am amazed." You know she was a great teacher and when I graduated from HS she said "I am not sure what you are going to do after HS Lauri but you have a gift and I hope that you use it someday in the Art field."  I graduated in 1985 from Harvard High School in Illinois. I went on to Cosmetology School to become a Professional Hairdresser. Hmmmm now you know why my hair is always different. Then as time went on I went to college to be a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). That didn't work because of my disabilities, so I looked into being a Activity assistant in a local nursing home after that. so I dabbled into the artist world with that also. Till the day I couldn't work anymore. I am very limited....

But Look!!! Here I am today in 2011 even though I have severe hand tremors today still doing what I love doing when I am able to do it. I have been diagnosed by a few different specialists with (Link to find out what it is) --> Charcot Marie Tooth Disease (Form of Muscular Dystrophy) in my feet and legs. What does this have to do with my hands and the tremors? A LOT - your feet and your hands work together. I have been told that the severe hand tremors is part of what is going on with my feet and legs. It is part of the nervous system and I was born with the feet that I have and so I was born with the hand tremors too and other things too. Not to mention that I have Fibromyalgia & Trigeminal Neuralgia which also effects the nervous system as well. So yes I have learned to live with it all my life and even those all these things are progressing and getting worse everyday. But you know what  I am a fighter and I will always win! Yes as Mrs. Hanson said "I have a gift" That I do and it was a gift from GOD and I use that gift to share with all people. 

So what do I like to do? 

Well I like to paint with "WATERCOLORS." I used to be a fanatic about Acrylics, but they are no longer my favorite. I am totally into Watercolors, so challenging! I love a challenge in art! Painting with water colors is so relaxing and more. If you haven't tried painting with them, you should. It is fun yet challenging! Try watercolor pencils - oh boy are they fun!!  I also like to just draw with a #2 pencil or use colored pencils. I still do some Acrylics too but it is just so much more relaxing to me to use watercolors anymore.  Mrs. Hanson would be so proud of my work today if she seen it! (I never knew whatever happen to her after I graduated.) Does anyone know that is from Harvard, Illnois? 

I am here to tell you that I sit at my desk that my Dad built me. So I recently got out my paint brushes and paints and started going for it!! Since I have been painting & drawing again and YES I have even SOLD some of my Art to the general public already. Isn't that Great!! I do requests so if you have something that you would like to see or buy let me know. I am game for new ideas! I don't want to forget this: I also draw designs for people that want a tattoo, yes I do charge for me drawings so be prepared for a price. For ALL Art pieces I will tell you, that I am not a artist of the human face. Some can draw them beautifully and some cannot. I am more into the faces of an animal more then a human being. You will see my people drawings have no faces. I love nature, animals, flowers, abstract, scenery, bodies of humans, angels, and more just no faces please.  I just hope someday I can get a easel that sits on the floor so I can place my artwork on it and paint and paint and paint....oh did I mention paint and more painting. hahaha

So what are watercolors?: 

Watercolor is a transparent fluid medium that lets the light shine through it. Water, pigment, and paper interact spontaneously, creating interesting colors, shapes, and textures. When viewing the paintings on exhibit in the gallery, notice the fluidity of how the colors mix, creating new colors. Water can dry, creating hard edges to define the silhouette of shapes, or soft edges, producing the illusion of atmospheric depth. are usually applied with a brush, using a variety of techniques, such as wet-on-dry and wet-on-wet, and the so-called dry brush techniques of dry-on-dry and dry-on-wet. Other techniques, such as blotting and combining watercolors with pen and ink, lend variety to the textural appearance.

What are Watercolor Pencils?

Watercolor pencils deliver watercolor pigment in a different way. Watercolor pencils can be used dry on dry paper, but when used with water, they work best on watercolor paper.which has the necessary strength. The color intensity will result from how thickly the pencil is applied. One can use watercolor pencils by:creating a drawing on dry paper and washing over it,creating a drawing on dry paper and washing over only particular parts of it, creating a drawing on wet paper, dipping the watercolor pencils' tips in water before drawing on dry paper, drawing on top of work already created and allowed to dry, combining the use of watercolor pencils and crayons along with brushed on pigment, wetting the brush and using it to gather pigment from the sharpened end of the pencil. There is so many things you can do with watercolor pencils. 

You will see some of my Artwork below that I will share with you. (Please do not take the photos without asking for permission first and please make note if you do get permission - please make sure that I get the credits to the artwork because I am the original artist of these paints and drawings - they are © - thank you) 

Please read descriptions underneath the photos :) 

ENJOY! (Please use comment box and place your comments in there for all to see) I LOVE COMMENTS!

SOLD - Monarch Butterflies 

I created a wrap around effect 

on this watercolor canvas. 

No frame needed. 

Watercolor canvas is something that is placed on a board frame and wrapped around it - you can have it framed or not have it framed to place on your wall, it is up to you.

Watercolor Angel #1 (Part of series) "God's Messengers" SOLD 

Painted on Watercolor paper, matted, and framed. 

My work station 

(hope to get a artist easel someday)

My supplies

Funny thing is My son Mike always makes fun

of me when I got buy sunglasses all the time 

- my favorite thing in the world "sunglasses" 

I have to have one for every look I have. 

My husband Don on the other hand says I am 

constantly buying purses to have the best looking 

one that fits my style.Well what they don't know 

is that I have this thing about buying 

paint brushes.Boy I do not need another 

paint brush that is for sure because 

I have ALL kinds of sizes! :-) 

Ok now to show you a few of my drawings: 

(Note some of them have typed in LLH© and these

are not wrote on my drawings in the middle originally)

These are all drawn with a #2 pencil and one you will 

see color (Colored pencil)and that isn't done completely.

Bobcat SOLD

For Sale: Fawn

For Sale: Tribal Dragon

(Note Christians do not like 

dragons because they are EVIL)

I am a Christian and this drawing was done long ago. 

I draw what people want, not what I want. That is called business.

Soon to be For Sale: Not done yet

(just a sample to show you what I can do)

Soon to be For Sale: "Wolfie"

For Sale: Tattoo Design

For Sale: "Adding color to your life"

For Sale: "Fixing the puzzles of life"

SOLD: Oh boy not another dragon!

This is colored pencils and this was drawn when I was going through a nasty divorce with my ex husband. There is a story to my dragons back then. One day I will post all 3 of them and tell you the story behind them.That is when you will understand why I drew the dragons. Some I will post them.

For Sale soon: Colored Pencil drawing

"Lady in a picture"

Ok now for a few others that I would like 

you to know about: I not only paint or draw, 

but this gal has talents in other things as 

well. Please note: When I have my good days

 I can do many things, but when I have my 

bad days I cannot do a lot of things. Pretty 

much my life consists of bad days 365 days 24/7 

I have tremors and pain. My life goes 

on and I do the best that I can and when I can. 

Please enjoy my artwork and my blogs. 

I am a Fighter & I WILL WIN!

So what is this going to be? 

(please leave a comment in the COMMENT BOX)

(This will be For Sale eventually)

Or what is this going to be?

Soon to be For Sale

Here are some of MY OTHER Talents

My Photography

(MANY Love my Photographs)

Soon they will be framed and be For Sale

(All my photography photos are watermarked and can be traced - do NOT take without prior consent - thank you)

Ok that is a sample of my work

Now a sample of my Graphic Designs

This is Photo Manipulation and Alterations

If you have anything that you would like me 

to do for you or work on please contact me. 

My Graphic Designs/Arts are NOT for Free.

Photo Editing

Desaturation

Added Color

Photo Editing

WOW!!! 

My Masterpiece FINALLY made it to my living room wall.

Hope you all Enjoyed all my Talents!