New watercolors from my art a day challenge

Hello my friends! As you probably notice my latest absence this week, I have been busy with custom work and creative challenges.  But as my b-day approaches this weekend, I have decided to post something fun and little bit personal.  To get started ...  here are my favorite quotes (not original to me, but I hope you will find them inspiring)

Motivation is what gets you started.  Habit is what keeps you going!

Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. 

Creativity is not the finding of a thing, but the making something out of it after it is found. 

-James Russell Lowell

Drawing is a valuable life skill - it helps you think, invent and communicate - 

regardless of our age or ability. 

Only mediocrities progress.  An artist revolves in a cycle of masterpieces, the first of which is no less perfect than the last! - Oscar Wilde 

Actually I turned to art as plan B after stubbing my toe on my first passion - ballet!   As a young ballerina, I agonized over my failure to live up to the ideal feminine overachiever.   Often I would sit in the corner and do some sketches of the dancers (just like Degas, but I only found out this analogy much later).  My favorite subject is dancers and the female subject with subtle movement and sometimes vulnerability, and I have filled my home with paintings!

If colors were dating, subtle shades of black and pink would be the perfect couple for me!  Sometimes no combination is bolder and more delicious than opposites.  Pink is so feminine that it shouts princess while black is so masculine and the real bad boy of color!  You'll see these two colors in a lot of my paintings.

P.S. I hope you enjoyed my little journey here ( all collection of ten pieces see in my IG with daily posts) and I will see you soon with new updates and more special announcement about my new work and lovely Mothers Day dedication... but it is later :)   xx, Lana

Latest updates from my art studio ....

Hello my lovelies,

As February is almost over and so many things are happening in my studio, I feel like my blog is not getting as much attention as I'd like.  I'm busy traveling, doing custom paintings and working on new collaborations with my clients.  So, I will have to be very brief with my posts and latest updates.

More new original paintings inspired by my forever love of Paris are posted in my shop: lanasart.etsy.com  Get a slice of Paris for your wall! These new large prints are absolutely amazing ... love the texture, colors and the look stays very true to the original!  I'm so excited to add them to my shop - for a limited time only!

My IG circle is growing (most of the time I find it even more convenient than any other social media tool, I don't even know why it took me so long to get started :) ... with new daily updates @lanasartstudio 

Commissions have always been a part of my art life, although I'm doing fewer and fewer due to my work load at the moment.  As a painter for 25 years I've had numerous clients (from larges churches, investment companies, largest collectors of art, etc.) and I never take for granted the love and joy these projects bring and the loyalty of my many returning clients.  I would like to share a recent email with you here and I must admit it brought tears to my eyes (I'm very sentimental if you have not guessed yet:) "I received my two prints late yesterday.  Thank you SO very much!  I love them both;  I was beyond delighted to receive "tulipmania" in a larger size!!!!!  I waited all January for you to return from vacation!!!!!  I had wanted that print for ages!!!!!  I absolutely love all of your work, and even have some things in my cart to order in March!  I am a (......) young interior decorator, who is trying to "do" a bedroom on  a budget!!!!!  Not an easy task in Arkansas!!!!!  At any rate, thanx again and you will be seeing another order soon!!!!!  -V.

Last but not least, I'm so excited to give you a hint of another new collaboration with White House Black Market for their Fall Collection, but this is in the process of development, so stay tuned for more updates on this very exciting project....

As always, thank you for visiting and please be kind to leave me your comment,
with love, Lana

Romantic Bliss Continues ...

Hello My Friends! It is seems like Valentine's Day is just around the corner and today I have a special treat for you. These new pieces are from my Romantic Bliss collection for this special occasion and may be just what you like. If you interested in seeing more, please go to my shop 

I must be feeling sentimental lately ... all my new art pieces are filled with nostalgia and a sense of romance.  I posted this new piece last weekend and it has already sold. This Parisian inspired painting found a landing place in the beautiful state of Kentucky.  It 's so nice when my work finds a permanent home.  They are better out in the world, hopefully brightening peoples spaces and bringing back some happy memories!  Safe travel dear "French Kiss"!

If my work inspired you to ask about a custom piece - This is how the custom portrait process works: You send me an email from here or convo from etsy shop telling me as much about your idea as you want to - every little bits help: personality, stories, colors, all that. You can send photographs if you like.  Depending on my current schedule, it can take up to 2-3 weeks after you buy the listing for me to complete the piece and mail it to you. You will receive one 10 x 14 or 16 x 20 sized original watercolor.  The piece will be signed by me unless you request otherwise.

Check the images above to see if you like my style. As you can see, I work in a loose, semi-abstract style, so you will NOT have an exact reproduction of your photograph, but rather a loose interpretation based on what you told me about your subject and the images you sent me. 

As always my hugs and sweet wishes to all! What is your favorite Valentine's Day memories? 

xx, Lana

New Summertime Treasury and Society6 Latest Updates

Hi sweets! I’m busy working on a few commissions and also I’m hoping to add more pictures from our Bahamas cruise last month.  Look for them this weekend or next, but in the meantime I wanted to let you know that I’ve just added two watercolor prints to my Society6 shop

Let me know what do you think.... I really like the clocks and bags from there 

Bonus…if you shop via the links found in this post you will receive Free Worldwide shipping through 6/8/14! See everything in my shop: http://society6.com/LanasArt

Welcome to my new treasury for the month of June!  'Summertime Blues ' by lanasart

FÄBODA bracelet // aquamari... MagpieBlues $18	Linen smock. Women pinafore ... bymamma190 $65	Copper and Ceramics Necklace... MaryBulanova $35	Blue summer, travel photo pr... prosinemi $17
Love Heart Pinata (Large) PartyPonyPinat... $90	Statement embroider leopard ... RasaVilJewelry $85	Personalized Couple's Cu... efratul $19	Blue Wedgewood china collect... janeheller $30
50% SALE Haute couture gold ... NATIPUREIDEA $389	dream boat of Greece travell... dreamaspiratio... $45	Bird illustration, bird acry... inameliart $17	Geometric earrings Tetragon ... UnrealColours $15
Blue Tie Dye newborn socks, ... SplendidLittle... $5.5	Tooth Fairy Fox Teepee Toy P... AppleWhite $24	A Bespoke Bonnet BespokebyEL $38	Blue Batik Sea Turtle WOD Cr... StalkingTheWil... $20

Powered By Handmadeology - Also, grand thank you BBA team for helping me figure out how to use Treasury Maker for posting on my blog.

Have a Fabulous and Fun-Tastic end of the week!!!!  

xx, Lana

Weekly Diaries

 Hello my friends!

The Emotional series of "Paris for Two" is growing ….. In the underbrush there are so many colors that I can see, that I must explore them with new series of watercolor paintings!

They are always different and new to me, like the colors of the soul of a person. Even of who is next to us every day: they show themselves little by little, if only we have the patience to really look... The nature and the soul are a great palette to discover! Here is my discovery continues…. What do you think?

Many Best Wishes to All and Happy May!

xx, Lana