Four New 8x8s - Upcoming Event Tomorrow Night!

Holy Smokes!

Can you believe we have reached 35 8x8s
together already?

Thank you for joining me on this journey, I am so grateful for the mothers I have met along the way - the feedback & blessings I've received, the lessons I've learned... Thank you.







JUST RELEASED THIS AFTERNOON!

Perhaps
Point Of View
Heart Wide Open
Affection

See them and the entire collection here!



Don't Forget Mother's Day!
(Artwork makes a fantastic gift)



I have a Mother's Day Gift Pack available which includes a print for you, a print for your loved one and three 5x7 art cards! A $32 value for just $20!


For the locals: TOMORROW NIGHT!
The Uncommon Gift in lovely Camas, Washington
Friday, 5-8p, - See you there!

Come for Mango Margaritas, snacks and new paintings, as well as shopping for unique treasures


Tomorrow - Free Cards Friday - comment on the Friday Morning Blog Post and be entered to win Free Cards! Check back on Saturday to see if you are a winner!

Have a wonderful evening!

Thank you ~ Love & Sincerely, Katie

Progress on 4 New 8x8 Paintings, Spring Optimism

I adore change ~ I adore spring because it invites new life, new optimism, ideas and freshness. I hope I always find things to change – tightening up certain aspects of life so that other aspects can flow free. I want to bake with my boys and not look at the clock – I want to look into my email box and find emails representing abundance and possibility – I want to look around my house and have my eyes only land on things that belong and nothing that confuses or annoys me. Ah, I guess we all go through things like this – I know my thoughts are not original –everything has been done before, right?

I'm working on 4 new 8x8s for Thursday's release, titled clockwise from upper left:

Point of View

Perhaps

Heart Wide Open

Affection (inspired by a painting I did for my brother and his wife for their wedding in August of 2007)

Have a wonderful week!

Love & Sincerely, Katie

I Can See Clearly Now progress & Card Winner!

I've been thinking, an artist's mind is like a sieve... life and daily events flow through it freely, and some of the "larger" moments, ideas, emotions and observances are held back, reserved (hopefully written down), to inspire later...

I started this painting I Can See Clearly Now while visiting with buyers at the WSU-Vancouver art fair on April 10th (see earlier post), 8x8s have kept me busy since then, but I have enjoyed some more hours with this painting. I am anticipating a May completion as I am prepping four more 8x8s for next Thursday's release.

I have a new item in my Etsy shop a Mother's Day Gift Pack which provides 2 prints (one for you and one for mom!) and three 5x7 full color art cards (keep one, give one, mail one!) - all for just $20, a $32 value. When you purchase a Mother's Day Gift Pack in the Etsy shop, please make a note of which two prints you choose!

Kim and Marie are my Free Cards winners for this week! Thank you for playing!


Have a wonderful Sunday!
Love & Sincerely, Katie

Parenting ~ Painting ~ Promoting & FREE Card Friday!

I’ve created a filter for things that come into my life: Parenting ~ Painting ~ Promoting. If something arises that requires my time and energy but doesn’t support my life and well-being in one of these three areas, then I let it go ~ with a smile.

This isn’t fool-proof and I don’t always succeed, but having it posted in the studio does help to remind me of the direction I want my energies to flow and helps me to pin-point my most popular energy- and time-suckers!

Today is FREE Card Friday! Comment on this post and you are automatically entered to win FREE cards! I will randomly choose and post my winner on Saturday, so be sure to check back!

(above image: Clarity, learn more about Clarity here)

Have a great day

Sincerely, Katie

The Mother Of All 8x8 Releases!

Good morning! Today is the MOTHER of all 8x8 releases (thus far) at least for a painter-mama like me! I've been increasingly inspired and lifted by the feedback I've received, THANK YOU.

FOUR more 8x8 paintings have been released into the 85 8x8s for $85 Collection and I LOVE them, so get your hooks in 'em while they last!

From top to bottom, pictured on left:

Small Talk
Perch
Elate
Show You The World






See them here:

(Plus there are 6 to be snatched up from previous weeks)

All Is Well
Sweet
Promises Kept
Taking Time To See
From Within
Sugar & Sunshine


See them here:



Mother's Day is coming and MORE mothers than I can count have told me that they'd love a painting for a gift... seriously!


Upcoming Event - Friday, May 1 at The Uncommon Gift in Camas, WA - come enjoy Mango Margaritas, new paintings, giveaways and shopping from 5-8pm see more details here:



Don't Forget ~ FREE Cards Fridays! Tomorrow: respond to the morning blog post at (I have something good to say!) and you are in the running to win FREE cards ~ I will randomly choose and post the winner on Saturday - be sure to check back and see if you won!


Have a wonderful Thursday!


Thank you!

Sincerely,
Katie

6 8x8s ~ Don't Let Them Get Away!

A recap of six 8x8s that have been released in the recent past - don't let these ones get away! See/learn more here!

Promises Kept ~ Sweet ~ All Is Well ~ Taking Time To See ~ Sugar & Sunshine ~ From Within

Have a lovely evening!

New Process Photo

Well, it happened a bit earlier than I thought, I've officially painted every last drop of energy from my body for the night, but I thought I'd post this updated image of the new 8x8s coming down the line!

From left to right (bottom row): Elate, Perch, Small Talk (I may switch these names around a bit upon completion)!

The painting on the top left is just a bud at this point :)

Also, I've added FollowSite to this blog (see right column where it says "Keep Me Updated"), click and enter your email address, and any old password you want, to be notified via email whenever the blog is updated, fun, eh? I also have it on my website and it has been very helpful in keeping folks connected.

Have a great night! Love & Sincerely, Katie

Process of the Next 3 8x8s & Cards Winner

Good Saturday Morning!

First off, Thank You so much for the positive feedback and overwhelming kind responses that you have been continuously sending my way... I credit the music... and the melding of umber and titanium on canvas.

Here, I'm showing you the process images of the next three 8x8s cooking in the studio:

Elate, Small Talk, and Perch ~ due for release on Thursday, April 23rd!

Didn't I say this blog was a newborn? I had only two comments for Free Cards Friday, so I'm giving Free Cards to both Andreanne and Rebecca! Thanks so much for playing!

Have a wonderful day. Love & Sincerely, Katie

2 New 8x8s - Free Cards Friday!

Two new 8x8s were released yesterday: Mother's Day & From Within. You can view them here with detail images and their statements.

ALSO! Comment on this post and you are automatically entered to win Free Cards for Free Cards Friday! I'll choose and post the winner on Saturday, so be sure to check back and see if you won!

Have a fabulous day! Quick post today because I am co-opping at the preschool this morning :)

Love & Sincerely, Katie

Upcoming Event in Camas Washington

Hello! An exciting upcoming event at a darling shop in Camas, Washington - here are the details!

Friday, May 1, 5:00 to 8:00pm

The Uncommon Gift, 415 NE 4th Ave, Camas, WA 98662 visit their site

Motherhood-themed paintings by Katie m. Berggren at The Uncommon Gift in Camas, WA. Meet the artist and enjoy new paintings, mango margaritas, shopping, refreshments and raffle prizes. Bring mom and celebrate motherhood with Katie’s award-winning paintings featuring Intimate Moments of Motherhood!

Katie m. Berggren’s acrylic paintings featuring intimate moments of motherhood will be featured at The Uncommon Gift through May 2009. On Friday, May 1, The First Friday event from 5-8pm will feature new paintings, mango margaritas, refreshments and raffle prizes! Come enjoy this event at The Uncommon Gift then stay to enjoy downtown Camas s a shopping destination featuring over 30 boutiques and restaurants, upscale salons and spas and a historic theatre.

I would love to see you there! Don't hesitate to contact me with any questions!

Sincerely, Katie

Thank You, OregonLive & FREE Cards Friday Winner

Thank you to all who came to the WSU Vancouver event last night, and helped to make it a fun and successful event! During the event I was working on a new painting titled "I Can See Clearly Now". Thanks to Ray Klein for his photography.

I was recently approached by a writer for Fifty Two Pieces - a blog that discusses a new painting per week featured at The Portland Arts Museum (Portland Oregon). They had an interest in my painting Two, because of my inspiration from Karl Hofer's painting Early Hour, and today I was notified that OregonLive's Blog had picked up Fifty Two Pieces' posting - where they featured Two and Early Hour - Thank you LaValle! And Thank You to my dear friend Antje who mailed me the postcard of Early Hour years ago, intriguing and inspiring me.

The Free Cards Winner for this week is... Amy AND Stephanie! It was a quiet holiday weekend, so I'm giving cards to both of my commenters. Thanks for playing!

Have a wonderful weekend. Love & Sincerely, Katie

Sneak Peek at 2 New Paintings and FREE Cards Friday!

Good Morning! Here is a sneak peek at my two newest paintings - they are each 16x20" and are so new they are not even available on the website yet - you are the FIRST to see them! Feel free to send me any feedback.

SPIRIT SOARING -->

And, along those lines, submit a comment to this post today and you are in the running to win FREE cards! I'll randomly choose the winner tomorrow morning - good luck and thanks!

<--- SUN BEAM

Have a great day, Sincerely, Katie

ALSO: Tonite is the art fair at WSUV - I'll be there from 4-7:30pm in the Sixth Street Gallery tents, I'll be presenting Sun Beam, Spirit Soaring, Crush, Pearl and Tiny Moment, as well as cards and prints! Hope to see you there - see earlier post for directions to the event.

Two new 8x8s Released This Morning!

Good Morning!

Taking Time To See and Sugar & Sunshine have just joined the 8x8 Collection!

Learn & See More Here

Also - a reminder about tomorrow afternoon's event - for those in the Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA area: Come and visit with me at the WSUV Campus for the WSUV Art Fair ~ I will be releasing two brand new 16x20 paintings! (Sun Beam and Spirit Souring)

Friday, April 10 ~ 4 - 7:30pm ~ Firstenburg Student Commons ~ 14204 NE Salmon Creek Ave, Vancouver, WA 98686

This event is FREE and open to the public. Browse the wares of over 35 local artists & crafters, tour WSUs outdoor artwork, enjoy Art and Web classes.

DON'T FORGET! Free Cards Friday is tomorrow!

Comment on tomorrow morning's blog post and you are in the running to receive FREE cards!

Have a wonderful day!

Love & Sincerely, Katie

Why I Love Not Being a Clean-Freak in the Studio

I have a tendency to want things clean and “just right” in my home... but the studio is an exception – a place where creative abandon rules, where paint blobs can be found on the floor and cupboards, light switch and walls. Where resource materials pile (but not too much) and canvases stack in corners (in a rather organized way).

Mostly, however, it’s my painting counter that shows the intensity that happens in my studio – where my ipod sits waiting for the next session, with paint on its cord and earplugs; where my jars of Golden Acrylic rest, their lids having been used as palettes, over and over again.

Zinc white – it is transparent, and it blends beautifully with other colors – this works well for me because I do not often clean my brushes in between paint colors – when you peer into my zinc white you see a myriad of other colors swirled within – I love laying down some zinc in an eye or on a cheek and seeing swirly remnants from a painting past.

To me, my paintings are created from pure emotion and intensity. For me, they represent pure emotion and intensity – and they are born in a place where passion rules over tidiness!

Have a great week!

Love & Sincerely, Katie

FREE Cards Winner and Absorb!

Yeah! The winner of my FREE Cards for Friday was Kim! Shoot me an email, Kim, and I'll send you your FREE Cards! Thanks for playing! Let's do it again next Friday!

I also wanted to show a recent painting titled Absorb. And my short but honest statement:

"Absorb...Sometimes the only word I can use to describe how I feel about my boys..."

Lately, I've been thinking about this painting (which is hanging at WSU Vancouver in Vancouver, Washington) as my charming little three year old climbs all over me whenever I sit on the floor to play. I become a jungle gym and although my neck aches later, I find it a great opportunity to enjoy the closeness. He is growing up quickly and his little voice and soft little body just thrill me to the bone ~ making me want to open my soul and stuff him in so that I can hold him as close as possible. It is so hard to describe the feeling, but I know you will understand, and you can probably put it in words better than me - comment and let me know!

You can see more images of Absorb here: http://kmberggren.com/g153.htm

Have a beautiful weekend ~ the sun is shining, and so are my little boys' eyes ~ we have a birthday party to attend today, and then I need to make a massage appointment (for my aching neck!)

Love & Sincerely, Katie

FREE Cards Friday & Taking the Time to See

The days get so busy and I find myself pulled in a million directions (happen to relate?) – one task leads to another ~ it is easy to forget what is really important.

Looking back through my journal recently, I found something I wrote a couple years ago about taking time throughout the day to remember to look into the faces of each of my babies – to ensure that they are happy, safe, comfortable, satisfied and healthy - if so, then we can comfortably move forward with whatever we are doing.

Win FREE CARDS Today!! Submit your comment to this post right away and on Saturday mid-morning I'll choose a random winner to receive a couple FREE cards in the mail!

You have a GREAT chance of winning, because this is my FIRST giveaway and the blog is a newborn :) Have a great day! Love, Katie

Three New 8x8s are Released!

Mid-day today, three more 8x8s joined their friends in the 8x8 collection: Bare Essence, No Regrets, and Change The World.

Putting these out into the world is my way of grabbing hold of the moments of motherhood, in an attempt to capture, display and enjoy them for many years to come.

See the full 8x8 collection including detail images and statements here: (http://www.kmberggren.com/portfolio-85-85.htm)

Thank you for joining me in my adventures!

Have a great night!
Love, Katie