Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Velvet Elivs and the Silent Auction--Get all shook up!

Velvet Elvis, 24x18" pastel by S'zanne Reynolds

Get all shook up and bid on "Velvet Elvis" during this month's
SILENT AUCTION
benefiting
BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY
At
Russell's Bakery
3339 Hancock Drive in Austin, TX
May 1-31, 2012


Let the bidding begin...at $150, do I hear $170?! 

At this month's art show, I'm auctioning off the above 24 x 18" pastel sketch, Velvet Elvis, to benefit the Best Friends Animal Society in Utah. It's a terrific organization that caters to all kinds of abused and neglected critters from all over the US...from birds, pigs and horses to cats and dogs. Their motto, "a better world through kindness to animals" is near and dear to my heart and to Austin pet lovers alike. So be sure to stop by and join in the fun for a great cause. After the first $100, the rest of the proceeds goes to Best Friends. You can take this "Velvet Elvis" home with you for a great price, supporting a great cause. Somebody's best friend will thank you!

PS. The above sketch was done in a workshop this spring with the wonderful Dawn Emerson. If you haven't checked out her work before...you are in for a treat!


Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Art Shows ...Yellow Frosting

I love that I found yellow frosting on my beach painting from a sticky fingered kid who was pointing to my artwork and exclaiming in hushed tones, "That one is my favorite, mom!"


Beach Waves Study, 8x16" acrylic by S'zanne Reynolds

For the month of May, I'm serving up an art show --complete with icing-- at Russell's Bakery (3339 Hancock Drive) in Austin. So if you're in the neighborhood and your tummy's rumbling, stop in to savor some newly frosted paintings and enjoy some fine Anderson java and Russell's own pastries... or, one of the fantastic soup/salad/sandwich combos.

"I'll have a cupcake and some iced java, please...
and a side dish of Zanne's paintings!"

Oh yeah, frosting..is extra!


Paintings by S'zanne Reynolds of Studio Zanne at Russell's Bakery, Austin, TX


The Express to Success

Hill Country Marvel 1, digital photo by S'zanne Reynolds © 2012
 
"Success is not down the road. It can be precisely where you are on the road, right now, today." ~Victoria Moran

I was on my way to Houston (road trip) for several photo shoots I was hired to do. I was really nervous and excited at the same time. Thoughts like, what if I blow it, and, what if my photos don't turn out, were running through my head. Suddenly a flash of gorgeous blurred by my window so I made a U-turn, put on my hazards and donned my neon yellow vest.

Hill Country Marvel 2, digital photo by S'zanne Reynolds © 2012

Beholding a true Hill Country marvel, scenes like this make you grateful just to be alive! Surely God invented color right here--just look at this blanket of bluebonnets bathed in the early evening light. It's hard to fathom how parched the earth was in last summer's fires and drought when you see such verdant fields. It's even more difficult to imagine not taking a great photo of such a beautiful scene.

Case in point, I took it as a sign my work in Houston would be a blessing for all. And, as it turned out, I had a blast and my shoots were successful. More on those later.

I love what Victoria Moran says in her book, Fit From Within: "Start to interpret success as every day you pay attention to your inner life, eat reasonably, and treat yourself and others well.... The truest indication that you're winning this battle (life, whatever) comes in how you spend your days. The idea is to start living fully--and being a success in your own eyes--sooner rather than later."


Hill Country Marvel 3, digital photo by S'zanne Reynolds © 2012
Another way to put it is to pay attention to what's right there in front of you, or, on the side of the road. There might just be something really great you don't want to pass by. Success is in the eye of the beholder...particularly your own. Success begins with loving what you know and who you are right now...living each moment to the fullest, right now. Success is right under your own feet...or in the direction you most desire to take.

So pull over and look around...you may already be on the road to success! (If not, I highly recommend U-turns!)