Sharing Happiness...

 

Happy Fall to all of you!

I'm so excited to be featured on C.R. Gibsons

 Designs for Inspirations Blog!

Please stop by and read the interview on ways I get inspired to create and how I got started in the business of art!

And to sweeten the pot, there is a drawing for a fabulous prize...

All you have to do is leave a comment after the post and your signed up for a chance to win a beautiful photo album featuring my artwork...

Stop by the Freebies section of the site and download the image below for you computer, tablet, or smartphone...

How cool is that!

 

 

Coming Soon!

Art and Soul Portland Vendor Show

Saturday Oct 6, 2012
4pm - 8pm
Red Lion at the River Ballroom

This coming Saturday I will be selling my originals, prints, licensed products and my new jewelry collection at this event...

The Art and Soul vendor event is free to registered attendees and is open to the public for a fee of $10 at the door. There will be approx. 60 vendors, offering finished artwork, art supplies, vintage findings, fabrics, jewelry, collage items, assemblage--something for everyone! A no-host bar will also be available to enhance your evening. Please stop by to say hello and do some shopping!

 

The Red Lion on the River
909 North Hayden Island Drive
Portland, OR 97217

Trust.....

The word TRUST as defined by Dictionary.com

"Reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence."

Put into a sentence "Relying on a person or beings integrity, strength and ability; confidence."

It was brought to my attention recently that I might be lacking in this area. With all the circumstances happening in my life right now and in this blog post I won't go into too much detail on that this time, I find myself searching inward to try and really discover what the word trust means.

 After much prayer and meditation, I was directed  to "lean into"...

On many different levels I have struggled with Trust lately...

As an artist of 20 years and just venturing out into the big world of art licensing for the last three, staying true to who I am, trusting myself  and my abilities, IS what makes me unique and different than everyone else. That's a good thing! I speak on this frequently in workshops, emails, and illustrate this in my art, but I can get caught up in all the chaos of the world and forget what really matters most sometimes. Finding the balance as a commercial and fine artist can be challenging for me, but at the end of the day, I have to lean into my integrity and abilities as an artist and know that I am in the right place, right now, doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing!. To create art that is meaningful to me first, and knowing that I am not able to please everyone but if the work comes from my heart, that it will resonate outwardly...

Trusting loved ones integrity, and strength is all about submitting and leaning into that person. To give up control over something I really have no control over. To realize they are not perfect and to know there will be disappointment sometimes but to trust that I am loved is what matters most. That's alot to take in yes?

In the big picture, it all starts with HIM...Leaning into HIM, trusting in HIM. We have all been commanded to  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind"-Luke 10:27
Love is all that and so much more...
Knowing this and practicing these truths make the above two paragraphs above alive and real. When I lose sight of this passage and try to take care of life to my own accord, it's when things go sideways and I create the most disharmony which is definitely not a good thing!

But, I am so blessed to have such beautiful, loving and supportive people in my life! Especially right now as I go thru a major transition. I thank God and lean into Him for this... 
Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers...

God Bless!
xo



Artist's Cafe'-With One Palette

Stampington is republishing an article I wrote awhile back ago in their current Artists Cafe' Magazine....

Titled "Dirty Pink, Warm Green and Cream", it a summation of my three favorite colors used together in one palette.

Here is the link to where you can go to purchase the pub online, but lot of craft and art supply stores carry this magazine...

Artist's Cafe'

I've never considered myself a girly girl that indulges in all things soft and feminine... Growing up I was quite the tomboy playing out in the woods, getting muddy and tearing up my jeans while making trails in the backwoods of the Pacific NW, but as I have gotten older and living in a testosterone filled household, I have gravitated and craved all things feminine, or at least what this culture defines as is.
My art has always been a playful saturation of diluted color. Intense but soft, with lots of textural movement. Using this palette of mossy green, the dirty pink and cream creates a soft feminine but intense palette when you add other elements such as a graphite pencil to smudge into the pigment.

I love the pink but it can't be "too pink". I create the "dirty pink" by smudging with with a graphite stick. This takes some of the "cutesy" out of the pink and gives it a great edgy quality! One of my all time favorite colors used in combo with the pink is mossy green. A warm green with plenty of yellow in it. Green has an energy to it that is just intoxicating! Cream with a bit of smudgy graphite is the neutral color that ties it all together. Its so beautiful and reminds me of chippy shades of days gone by...

So I guess being a tomboy as a little girl wasn't so bad after all. The girl who used to get her jeans muddy making trails in the woods is now making her own colorful path in green, pink, cream and whatever other color I feel like!

New Year...

Hello Peeps,

Thanks to all of you loyal girls who keep checking back to see if I've posted anything new. I won't make any apologies, but I haven't been the best blogger. My life has been a little upside down lately and my posting to my blog has not been made the highest of priorities...

As an artist though, my career has grown by leaps and bounds! I just got back from the Atlanta Gift Show and saw lots of my new product collections debuting for the new year. That is so exciting... I could never have imagined that in 3 short years, art licensing would be taking me this far and there is still so much room to grow and expand the business!

 Here I am at the Demdaco Showroom in front of the "Joyful Nest" Collection.

Me signing the "Color My World" calendars in the Lang Showroom.

I created this art recently as it comes from my heart...

I  feel so blessed with a beautiful family, and very joyful in the LORD. But because of personal issues, I have days of sadness, and some fear... Mostly I feel strong, brave, beautiful and full of LOVE.

Ready to fly on whatever level that might be and I pray the same for all of you.

Blessings and LOVE to you all!

Studio Workshops with me this November!

Studio workshops with me this November!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/In-the-Studio-Workshops-with-Lisa.html?soid=1101436636189&aid=sHS5dQDmcMo

Here is the newsletter link to read all about it but I am also listing a link below to go right to my

Workshops page...

http://www.lisakaus.com/showsandevents.htm

Hope to see you there!

xo

Facebook Chat with Lang!

I'm so excited to be featured on Lang Arts Facebook page for a FB chat tomorrow at 1p.m. CST. Hope to see you there! To join in the fun, go to The Lang Company FB page and click "LIKE" and your in!!!

The chat is an interactive convo with me about my art, business and life so feel free to ask away!

Here is my FB link to access their page!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1528371128995&set=a.1484877561683.2062287.1226201024&pid=31666816&id=1226201024#!/lisakaus

Blog talk radio....

Hey folks,

I have a blogtalkradio interview you are welcome to listen to....

 Fresh off the airwaves!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/lisa-kaus-life-lessons/

Artistic Affaire Workshops

Just a quick update to the blog....

I am excited to announce that I will be teaching a set of workshops in sunny Southern California with Kim Caldwell of the famed Artistic Affaire. She puts on a first rate event and is such a pleasure to work with. I also really admire her integrity and thoughtfulness that she puts into each of her events. 

 I am so excited to get an opportunity to be apart of her venue....

I will be teaching two workshops- Gridlocked and Color my World. I haven't been down to California to teach in awhile and I am really looking forward to it.

June 25th and 26th

Gridlocked

Color my World

Here is the link for all the info needed to sign up

Registration begins April 7th

Space is limited...

Crescendoh and new Original work!

Authentically Yours...

This week I am so honored to be a guest Alumni artist on CRESCENDOH. Jenny Doh founder of Crescendoh website has been featuring artists for almost a year now on her site. It is really an amazing place to visit with lots of articles, things to see and learn!

Please wander over and read the article that I wrote as a follow up to my first ART SAVES article. It really has been a transformational year for me on so many levels. The piece I wrote was not easy for me to write and truly comes from my heart and soul. I would so love to hear your thoughts and words, kindly drop me your comments on the Crescendo site when you finish reading my story...

~

 

~

New Original work added to the site...

Stop by and see some new original work available for purchase and for a limited time free ship on

 all orders over $30.00 on the Shop section of the website!

"Create, Inspire, Dream"

Free Ship and Workshops...

~Free Ship and Workshops? ~

Well no free shipping to the workshops...lol...okay, dumb joke, but I do want to mention that tomorrow is the last day of my free ship promo on the website, so take a peek at some of the new images I posted recently of all things hearts plus all your other favorites are included too. In the coming months I am going to be doing some major updating to the site with lots of new product offerings. Its way overdue but finally I feel I am in a place where I can start moving forward and making the necessary changes.



~Art and Soul~

Next week I am off to Las Vegas to teach workshops at Art and Soul. I am so looking forward to meeting new and old friends and gleaning tons of artistic inspiration from all the girls. Yes, even in Vegas there is artistic inspiration! I am teaching three daylong workshops and I am sure it is going to be a blast. When I get back, I will post pics of all the happenings.

~New Workshop!~

I am also so excited to share another workshop announcement, but not just yet since I am firming up the little details. Soon though, but let's just say the Beach Boys "California Girls" is a bit of a hint...

Have a great week!

xo

Pieces of my heart...

Unlike painting where I can just walk into the studio and begin creating as long as the mess is not too out of control, writing for me requires a certain amount of preparation. I have to go through the steps or ritual of sorts to get mentally in the mode to sit down and write a story. It starts with closing  the door to my office, turn on the appropriate music, maybe a glass of wine, and then sink into the music I am listening too...That starts the process of putting down the words.  The elements of my writing I am discovering  are much like my painting. Bits and pieces of my thoughts scattered about on a blank slate hopefully to be  turned into a well thought out finished piece. I have never considered myself a good writer and that's probably another reason why I have not blogged much as of late. I sometimes look at my written work and think, "Who wants to read this?" A little self doubt? "Yes!" However as I tell my kids almost daily, "Practice makes perfect". I should follow my own advice. If I only had the same confidence that I have with my art! But don't we all have areas of self doubt? Sometimes we carry around  the weight of doubt  in our hearts so much that its a wonder we get through the day. Letting go and letting loose is so hard sometimes. Practicing letting go does not neccessary make perfect but does and will give us the courage to stand a little taller within ourselves. That said, on Facebook last week I created  a heart a day for the last 8 days in honor of Valentine's Day. Little bits and pieces of my thoughts scattered about on a colorful canvas of color, collage and hearts. I am very pleased with the collection and I think that it has a great year round quality to it. I have hearts of one sort or another all throughout my home hanging all the time to be reminded what is so near and dear to me, I hold close to my heart. 

For a limited time, these images available by going to this LINK.

Free ship on orders of 30.00 or more till February 22nd.

Enjoy...

xo

Pieces of My Heart

Reinvention....

When I teach workshops, one topic that comes up over and over again is the topic of  finding your own voice, your own true self.... This last year I have to admit I have been a bad blogger... Not tending to this space has weighed on me heavily but I felt such a great desire for the year 2010 to be about taking care of  me and searching for something different yet very familiar. So here I am at the start of a new year, a brand new me of sorts... I have received countless emails about this new different me...A couple of very typical questions have been, "What is your secret?"or "What did you do different?" Ummm I don't know... I thought, I just do what I always do, work hard and keep trying to be as true to me as I can...That sounds so simple doesn't it? How many times have I wished that I could have just clicked my heels three times and instantly I would be transported to my final destination.. But isn't it about the journey? The journey... Two words that are so loaded. Up the hill, down the hill, tired, exuberant, sad, happy, joyous, prayerful... All of that and more and the journey still continues...It is so hard sometimes to make changes that are difficult when it is so easy to backslide into our old comfort zone, but I knew I really needed to be in a different place, and it was going to take alot of all the above to make it happen.

Yep, from the inside out, 2010 was devoted to a complete overhaul. I have changed my attitude, my hair, makeup, clothes, my self perception, anything that I thought could be changed about me I did it different over the course  of 2010 and I'm not finished yet...I'm sure I will never be finished.  That's just not my style!

 My art? well that goes back to the first part of this post... My work has always run on its own current. It is every bit connected to me and who I am as it is separate and its own entity. This last year was and has been about change with my work... As some of you know, I have run a successful wholesale/retail business for the last 15 years... Its been a crazy whirlwind and I am so thankful for it, but it is time to move on to new opportunities.  I am thrilled that I have moved forward into working in partnership with various companies that are now licensing my art into a wide variety of products. It's not something that I planned at all but usually that's the way it works, yes?
My goal is to get back to creating, truly creating... Something that has so been lacking in my world for the last couple of years. A desire to reconnect with myself and see if there is more of me that needs to be transformed.  I want to dig into all my old and new treasures, get my fingers full of paint, glue, and lose myself in creative bliss.  Well that's the plan anyway. The desire for authenticity in my life runs deep and has existed since I was a little girl. I have always strived to be push the envelope, be the best that I could be, and maintain my sense of self in every facet of life.  

My website, another area that has been so neglected is soon to be updated within the next month or so with new product offerings and such. I am just so excited about all of this. And... I will continue to teach workshops across the country as well.
I've got some really fun stuff coming up so stay tuned.

On a side note, I do regularly post on Face book and would love for you to visit me and say hi...The link is to the right. Be true to you and all you were meant to be!
xo

Days of Summer

A couple more weeks and the days of Summer are coming to a close... Kids back in school and a somewhat normal schedule for the Fall season will resume... I can't believe it's about over... I have not posted to the blog since the beginning of Summer, but thought I would share some of the high points...

  I turned 43 this year... We had a big party to celebrate another year older... I'm pictured here with my dear friend Sally Jean...I have been having a hard time with that number.. So much has happened this year for me on an emotional level. It really has been the year of personal discovery and growth for me, why not celebrate?

My first trip out to the Atlanta Gift Show this last July... My Sweet Treats Collection by Demdaco...A project that I have been working on for some time now and so amazing to see it come to fruition. This collection is already in the marketplace and has been doing just amazing!

The line is a very whimsical and colorful collection of my signature cupcake and cake images for all things party!!!  I thought I would don the crown for the photograph!

I made frequent trips to the Oregon Coast with my family to relax and and spend time goofing off..

Henry in the surf ( to be 9 again)

Astoria Oregon, where I grew up has changed so much over the last 20 years...There is so much history and heritage in this old fishing town. Its nice to see the ship traffic as a constant daily occurrence on the towns busy waterfront.

In Astoria at the Rusty Cup for coffee of course!

The summer was filled with everything from a class reunion, concerts, camping in the backyard and take-out... I don't like to cook when its hot!  We recently came back from a short trip to the Puget Sound area. We stayed at one of my family's summer cabin that I spent much time at growing up. The cabin is within walking distance to this lake and we had so much fun swimming and boating...

The Puget Sound  in Washington state is such an amazing area... One of the ferry boats on its way out in Bremerton Wa.

As far as art making goes, I always have lofty goals of creating lots of goodies and there are always those deadlines to meet... Business as usual, but have been working on a new batch of art that is almost ready to be posted to the site. Stay tuned and please sign up for the newsletter on the right for all the latest workshops, art and product releases etc. My workshop schedule for 2011 is starting to shape up and I will be posting that soon as well... I'm so glad I took the time this summer to spend with my beautiful family and cherished friends... Those are the things that I hold so near and dear.. Blessings!!

Make a Wish....

With my 43rd birthday coming and passing, I felt the need to do it up a little extra special this year. I celebrated by having a birthday week instead of just one day. It was a blast!  My emotional landscape has been on quite a roller coaster of sorts over the past few months so I really needed to not let the numbers 4 and the 3 get in the way... As mentioned in a previous couple of posts I have been going through some past trauma from an incident that happened long ago...Time has a way of softening the blow, but it has been a slow process of going through the steps of recovery... Funny thing is I'm not like that- I'm such an instant gratification girl. I want everything fixed now. I want me to be fixed now, and I will burn the candle at both ends to make that happen. I've always been like that, very driven. Its always been a positive part of me except when it comes to this... I need to slow down and breathe, and maybe CREATE...

Thankfully a wonderful project came my way for a girl who happened to have a birthday just around the same time as me. She is a dear client/friend who has some really special pieces of mine and this piece was requested as a commission for her birthday.

I have not done three dimensional cakes in awhile but they are always so fun to do.

(my favorite contrast is soft and pink with chunky little nails)

I like to add some edgy elements to an otherwise very pretty surface

Queen A...

What is her desire???

Many textural elements add to the final outcome. Occasionally I teach this workshop in my studio. I think the most important message that I try to convey in this workshop is that it is all in the details and less on the big stuff. aka (found object)

For me the found object pieces are the secondary players in my work. The backgrounds are what define and give my work its character.... the little smudge of graphite or doodle, collage elements, etc... Adding the sweet little doll head is like icing on the cake!

My favorite elements, rusty doorknobs, pearls and polkas combined!

I hope the birthday girl loves her cake- it is on its way soon...

Thank you as always for stopping by...

Little gems...

Look at all those little gems in the studio, so close to being on their way to being finished... I've been working on them for the past month or so and for one reason or another I keep running into road blocks for not finishing them...

 All of them need the final details of additional paint, crayon, wax  and found object... It sounds like alot. I suppose it is.  I work on many at a time because I tend to be more productive and creative when I have many to play with at once. It's like one idea feeds off the other.Something does not work here, so I will add it there and so on and I will keep with that pattern till all the pieces of the puzzle fit together.. I will note that even if I am working on a batch of twenty, I give myself room for toss aways. Pieces I do not feel guilty about if they do not work out for whatever reason. They go back to the stash for next time or get painted over, no second thoughts...

I also have a cake I am working on in the background. I hope to do a separate post on that. That is a special piece for a special person.

A question I get asked about frequently in workshops and e-mails is brushes. I generally use flat-tipped watercolor brushes in a range of sizes depending on the size of piece and degree of detail.  I do not get very expensive brushes either because I tend to be very hard on them. They have a short life span at my studio...

I hope to have this collection out and up on the site in the near future. If you want updates to when it is posted to the site, there is a sign-up box to the right for signing up for my newsletter, artwork releases, etc... 

Thanks for stopping by!