Friday, September 30, 2011

Free Cards Friday | Two Years Ago While Painting Motherhood: Priorities & Conquering Excuses

Two Years Ago While Painting Motherhood


Two years ago I shared this post, containing an article that I still find very valuable today.


Priorities, Conquering Excuses & 3 Paintings in Process
The below article, first posted in the Fine Art Views Daily Newsletter, rang true with me and so I requested permission to share it with you.Time and time again I, as an artist and friend, hear similar statements from others whom I believe have an incredible talent to change the world. NOTE: While reading, please substitute "art" for any passion or career-direction that suits you - photography, knitting, medicine, business... Continue Reading



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It's Free Cards Friday ~ Add your note or insight to this blog post (here at the blog or on the Facebook page) throughout the weekend and be in the running to win some cards ~ I'll choose the winner on Monday. Come back on Tuesday to see if the winner is YOU!

Have a GREAT and creative weekend ~
Love & Sincerely, Katie

Thursday, September 29, 2011

85 8x8 Paintings: a dance of intention & creation ~ the printed book is available

85 8x8 Paintings: a dance of intention & creation ~ featuring behind the scenes notes & images, inspiration, paintings, quotes & heart-felt sentiments.

A brand new beautifully printed publication, featuring motherhood art & writing by Katie m. Berggren ~ Grab YOUR copy here!







"Katie, I just finished reading your book. Well, actually I devoured every sentence, quote, and picture. I was sad that it had an end, but giggled that it took 9 months for you to compose the pictures…the length of a pregnancy. That's perfect for motherhood paintings. I admire your approach to simply focusing your attention on your sweet boys, and letting the good energy flow. Thank you for publishing a piece of yourself. It was a delight.
Kindly, Sara ~ Camas, Washington"







85 8x8 Paintings: a dance of intention & creation features the art and writing of Katie m. Berggren, an award-winning painter, recently cited as the #1 Motherhood Artist in America.




70 pages of rich imagery featuring 85 paintings devoted to love and connection, family, touch, breastfeeding, babywearing, and the intimate moments of motherhood ~ including the emotional musings and heartfelt insights behind the creation of each painting.



This book desires to show, but to also inspire you in your own creative endeavors by providing personal journal entries and blog posts, inspirational quotes and notes from the author/artist.

Making 85 8x8 Paintings: a dance of intention & creation a perfect gift for a loving mother, devoted doula or midwife, and/or a creative soul yearning to fly higher.






Snag YOUR copy here, for just $34.99


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Do not hesitate to let me know if you have any questions ~ thank you so much!


Love & Sincerely, Katie

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

85 8x8 Paintings ~ the brand new book

I will have some photos of the book soon, but here is a link to access the 15-page preview, and a link to purchase your own copy of this publication (70 premium quality pages, gorgeous glossy soft cover) straight from the printer. $34.99








a dance of intenti...

By Katie m. Berggren





Enjoy! Sincerely, Katie

Saturday, September 24, 2011

It's beginning to look a lot like...

My boys decided today ~ September 24 ~ that we must have a Halloween party ~
and we must begin preparing ~ NOW!


So, we spent hours in the studio today, painting grave stones, skeletons, pumpkins and...
well, I painted Frankie (in 7 minutes). I most love their skeletons, though!



skeleton painted by my 7 year old :)




skeleton and pumpkins painted by my 5 year old :)


Frankenstein ~ a 7 minute speed painting of the spooky green man himself. My boys said to please paint him "sorta realistic, but not too scary".

I think these new creations, Halloween party or not, will have to become staple decorations around our house every Fall.


Skeletons, spirits and haunts,
Skeletons, spirits and haunts.
It's a Halloween sale: A nickel a pail
For skeletons, spirits and haunts.
Skeletons, spirits and haunts,
More than most anyone wants.
Will you pay for a shock,
'Cause we're quite overstocked
On skeletons, spirits and haunts.
~Shel Silverstein~



Have a wonderful weekend,
let us not forget to take the time to soak in those happy little spirits ~
and the excitement that surrounds them.
Love & Sincerely, Katie


Thursday, September 22, 2011

New Painting, Sacred Space ~ 8x8 Book Coming to Print ~ Magnets & Buttons

An Update ~ New Goodies To Share!



New Original Painting: Sacred Space, 24x24", $625
find Sacred Space in the shop







The BRAND NEW Book: 85 8x8 Paintings: a dance of intention & creation
will be Coming to PRINT in a WEEK'S TIME!
~ Stay Tuned! ~
Grab the 70-page e-book here! ~ just $4.99
featuring motherhood art & writing by Katie m. Berggren







New Buttons & Magnets featuring Home & Spinning Tales, just $3.99 for a set of two.










Have a wonderful week's end.
Thank you for following along, and for your continued encouragement & love.
Let me know if you have any questions,
Love & Sincerely, Katie




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“Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; love more, and all good things will be yours.”
Swedish proverb

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Artful Bliss ~ August 2011 ~ Portland Oregon



The paintings display beautifully at New Day Center for the Arts in Portland, Oregon. The show will come down during next week.





It was another one of those cheek-aching evenings ~ where I got to meet and visit with many new people. I know it is a good event when my cheek muscles ache from smiling within the first hour.




My buddy, Liz Ness of Liz Ness Studio ~ mixed-media artist/painter/tech-guru!




Each painting has a story ~ and we've included the stories with the paintings ~ visitors to this event remarked on how they loved to read the thoughts behind the pieces ~ the intentions.





The Four Women who put it all together (from left to right):





Linda offered Xocai Chocolate samples, Kirsten shared her activity book for children, and Liz and Myself shared our artwork. It was a lovely evening with delicious treats, conversation, and music in the air.



Visitors enjoyed the songs and stories of Portland's own singer/songwriter Mila Polevia



Our ample supply of varied hors d'oeuvres were well enjoyed ~ especially by the children who danced around and played throughout the evening.




I had the opportunity, during this event, to meet Currie, and present to her her completed commissioned painting, Over The Moon.




During our event, a special adjoining room allowed children to create their own art ~ thank you to Kirsten Klug and her family for making this possible.


It was an evening worth sharing ~ and I hope those who came and shared had a wonderful time. Thank you to Kerri Altom and Kayt Huggans for photography



Have a wonderful evening,


Love & Sincerely, Katie

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

One Year Ago While Painting Motherhood: The Great Studio Re-Do

The Great Studio Re-Do ~ Before & After... Phew!
September 2010
(holy smokes, I cannot believe it has already been a year)


"I realize that over the past year I have been so busy working and painting, that I have neglected the aesthetic quality of my studio. Deep inside I ached for new furnishings and a new look, but never seemed to want to put the money down (for fear of making a mistake ~ I'm not a big shopper, nor an interior designer). I shopped at IKEA and browsed online, but could never find the perfect set-up." Read More





You'll notice above how I have my website showing on the monitor... I have since completely redesigned my website as well :) Can't I just leave things alone? Nope.




Have a wonderful week, and remember ~
moving furniture around is a simple way to boost power and creativity for your brain :)


Love & Sincerely, Katie

Friday, September 9, 2011

Buttons & Magnets: A Fun New Inkling | Free Cards Friday

I love creating art ~ I love touching people’s feelings, inspiring moments and making folks think and remember. I LOVE it. It is my passion.


I love seeing my paintings used to create inspiring and purposeful items. I am a minsumer; which for me refers to the fact that I am not a big buyer, a big consumer. I purchase things that really speak to me, but I spend most of my money on healthy produce and art supplies so I can feed my family and my passion. I also spend on the creations of my those whom I admire, with an intention of someday having walls adorned with beautiful and thought-provoking story-infused art.






I do not love mass consumerism, I do not love multitudes of cheap-o things created just to sell, with no thought for the process of creation, or they whom created it. I struggle with this on a daily basis: supporting my family (healthy organic produce can get spendy) but at the same time creating conscious products on my own. It is indeed a daily struggle, but I know I am not alone.


Since I DO love to create things, I love handmade. The handmade movement inspires creation by hand while infusing the love and attention of the artist. We, as buyers, get so much more that way!








It is because of this careful and mindful nature that I am very cautious about how my artwork is used. I choose not to have it manufactured in ways that I cannot support and when I am unable to know the ins and outs. There are some control issues in play here, as well, but mostly, my instincts strongly suggest that I keep it as close to home as possible; keep the creation as close to the studio as possible. In the same way I like to fuel my family with foods as close to the earth as possible, and as close to homemade as possible.





This is where I am, right now, in my thinking and my life.







Today, I’d like to share with you my newest fun little inkling ~ these cute little buttons and magnets. They are 1 ¼” across, sweet and lovely.





Each Magnet Set contains:
two (2) motherhood magnets, sized at 1 ¼” across. Featuring (1) magnet of Home and (1) magnet of Spinning Tales. $3.99



Each Button Set contains:
two (2) motherhood buttons, sized at 1 ¼” across.
Featuring (1) button of Home and (1) button of Spinning Tales. $3.99





My brother made these for me, a mere 20 miles from me, as he has perfected his craft and enjoys creating them. I’m thrilled to know that my brother feels good supporting me and I, him.





I do not have a ton of buttons or magnets, but I have had them on my desk looking at me for a couple weeks and I have decided that I might as well get them into your hands, where you can put a little button on your purse, scarf, hat or baby bag; and you can stick a little magnet on your fridge. These would also make easy and affordable gifts.





I suppose, deep down, it is my hope that the little images might remind you of your intentions as a parent, and as you open the fridge to create a meal, you might again be reminded of who you are feeding; how you are nourishing them; and most importantly: why.



Love & Sincerely, Katie















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It's Free Cards Friday ~ Add your note or insight to this blog post (here at the blog or on the Facebook page) throughout the weekend and be in the running to win some cards ~ I'll choose the winner on Monday and post by Tuesday. Come back on Tuesday to see if the winner is YOU! Have a great day.




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Thursday, September 8, 2011

Yes, Certainly :)

Yes, he’s 5, but he’s my baby.
Yes, he’s 5 ½ actually, but I’ll jump at the chance to rock him in the eve ~ to hold onto that little boy-ness as long as he’ll let me.


Yes, he may be one of the only big boys in his kindergarten class to have asked to fall asleep against mama’s breast tonight ~ but I affirm he’s one lucky boy to have a mama who says Yes.


Saturday, September 3, 2011

Merchild ~ here to stay :)

A year or so ago ~ I was following a fellow young woman artist online and she mentioned how someone had her artwork tattooed upon their body. I was so surprised and just couldn't fathom the idea! I thought it was pretty cool.



Deep inside, in my tiny internal voice, I felt that I might someday find my artwork used in such a permanent fashion ~ but only because the wearer truly loves and relates to the image.








Recently, Erin in Winnipeg, Canada has asked permission to have Merchild emblazoned on her arm, and with the addition of a lotus flower ~ I think it is SO beautiful, and I am SO honored. Thanks Erin!





Spreading mother-love around the world ~ what more could I possibly ask my paintings to accomplish?







Here is the original Merchild, you can find prints of her in the Online Etsy shop.



Have a great (hopefully long) weekend,


Love & Sincerely,
Katie

Thursday, September 1, 2011

The Ebook is Here! Limited Time Price ~ Behind The Scenes, Inspiration, Paintings, Quotes, Sentiments



A brand new 70-page e-book featuring motherhood art & writing by Katie m. Berggren ~ 




This e-book includes behind-the-scenes details, process photos, inspirational motherhood quotes, personal journal entries, blog posts and poignant sentiments for each of the 85 8x8 paintings created for The 85 8x8s for $85 Collection in 2009.




A collection of intimate and emotional motherhood paintings released weekly for 9 months by award-winning motherhood painter, Katie m. Berggren.




This is a PDF formatted e-book. Once payment has processed, I will email you a time-sensitive link where you may download your product. Pick up YOUR copy here!



The intro of the e-book shares my purpose for creating this compilation:

“Thank you for joining me in an effort to grab hold of the honest, emotional and intimate moments of motherhood. Because I want to not only introduce you to my work, my process, my reasoning, inspiration and motivation ~ but inspire you in your own creative endeavors, as well, I have organized this book in a rather fun way:

As you travel through this e-book, take note of how:
The blue text provides a whisper of inspiration for you ~ bits of the information I have collected throughout my journey.
The red text emphasizes quotes and shares entries from my own personal journal and the Painting Motherhood blog.”




...to show and share, but to also inspire...

Once you have YOUR copy, please do not give or sell this e-book to anyone else.


Alternatively, send your friends over to see me at ww.kmberggren.com where they can snag their own copy. Thank you!



Katie m. Berggren
85 8x8 Paintings: A Dance of Intention & Creation
All contents copyright ©2011 by Katie m. Berggren art & design
www.kmberggren.com
www.paintingmotherhood.blogspot.com
All rights reserved.


No part of this document may be reproduced, shared or transmitted in any form,
by any means without the prior written permission of the artist/writer.

cover image: Song In My Soul,# 16 of The 85 8x8s for $85 Collection, 2009. ©Katie m. Berggren
Learn more here:
http://www.kmberggren.com


Thank You So Much for your Support during this BIG Project!

Let me know if you have any questions,
Love & Sincerely, Katie