Karen Kearney, ZeeZee Chalkboards and BONBON.

Sometimes you meet someone new and it seems like you've been friends forever. It was like that for me when I met Karen for the first time. I had seen her art, her creations, and her mural work on her website, friended her on Facebook and started following her tweets. It wasn't long before she invited me to her home for a 'painting day' with a few other like minded creative women. Finding we had so much in common, we became fast friends.

As a creative entrepreneur Karen wears many hats. She is a well established mural artist and faux finish expert and has worked with and continues to work with corporate clients such as Labatt, Joe Badali's, Hooters, Sloppy Joe's, just to name a few. Her murals grace the walls of many homes and businesses.

A large part of Karen's creative energy gets channeled into her custom chalkboards with ZeeZee Chalkboards. Classy custom chalkboards for home & business. Karen meticulously designs, carves and paints each one to her clients request. They get shipped off  all over North America. She is busily creating a set of 3 for her newest client in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It was last year during one of our creative brainstorming coffee sessions that Karen created the BONBON and instantly I knew I had to be involved. We were discussing how much art we both have and that we both wanted to do a studio sale. This evolved into having other artisans join as well as other like minded entrepreneurial woman. And so the BONBON was created.  A one day event for shopping, networking and so much more. Draws for prizes of original art and assorted 'bling' and 'swag'. Business card swap. Please check out the full list of creative talented women taking part in the BONBON here on the blog. The BONBON on Facebook.   Grab a girlfriend and join us.

The BONBON

Saturday April 28, 10-5

1437 Gibson Drive, Oakville, Ontario 

All images are courtesy of ZeeZee Chalboards.

Birches, Birches, Everywhere Birches.

Over the past few years I've created many paintings of birch trees. Indeed birch trees have been and still are a very popular subject. They can be seen everywhere from original art, illustrations, posters, home decor items, the list is endless. I just love the way they look. "Spring's Promise"  is the very first one I painted and thanks to Art Interiors, it not only sold but also made it into the pages of Style at Home magazine, October 2007. 

I feel it's time to move along creatively and have been concentrating on other subjects, so I will now be painting birches by special request or commission only. There are a few available through my galleries and a few left here in my studio (I have a few more that aren't pictured here) Feel free to email me with your purchasing questions.

 Standing Tall  

Acrylic on Canvas

36x60x2

$3800

Upward Reaching  

Acrylic on Canvas

36x60x2

$3800

My Etsy Faves Part 3

Half Dozen
By The Altered Page

LUXE Collection Smoke and Blush
By Nest Pretty Things

Small Porcelain Bud Vase
By Stepanka Ceramics

Small Woven Metal Cross
By Art by Dawn Hunt

Mainly White
by Lucy Jewel Seaglass

Hi There. Hope you enjoyed a great weekend. It's time for my 3rd instalment of My Etsy Faves. Here are photos of my favorites, but please explore each shop further. We have some very talented artists here.

Just in Time for Mother's Day, A Spring Art Show

I will be part of Hands On: Artists and Artisans. A Midtown Spring Art Show and Sale. There will be all kinds of hand made goodness from pottery, thrown and hand built, jewelery, photography, stained glass, painting and so much more. The show is being held at Manor Road United Church. 240 Manor Road East, Toronto. Saturday May 2, 10-5 pm, and Sunday May 3, 12-5 pm. Just in time for Mother's Day. Although this is only the second year for this show, the quality of art and craft is extremely high and pricing is affordable. Please spread the word and drop by if you can. It's the perfect time to treat yourself to some art and pick up something wonderful for mom.