Twitter Art Exhibit

It's happening again in Moss, Norway. The Twitter Art Exhibit!
My art is on its way as I write this. I worked in watercolors and watercolor pencil on Arches paper. The title of my art is "For the Love of Owls." The two owls I painted are indigenous to Norway.
I was happy to be able to participate again in the exhibit. Sure wish I could be at the event. Maybe one year!

Totally SWEET!

I have two sides to my artistic talent- one side is the graphic arts side, and the other is the fine arts side. Each one takes 100% of my time and effort, and both do really well for me. But strangely enough, my fine arts side is winning out because I actually sell my paintings. Still, it's hard for me to let go of the graphic arts side and the link to how I made a living for so many years. Granted, the greeting card biz is a whole different animal from the ad biz, and one that I feel isn't going to make me rich and famous, but I do enjoy creating cards and I try and design cards that I would buy myself. I'm particularly proud of my latest creation which involved many skills in PhotoShop that I was completely unable to do just a few years ago. I'm total proof that you CAN teach an old dog new tricks. I think the real key in keeping the brain sparking is to accept change and go with the flow every inch of the way. When you resist change, your mind closes up, and can't be receptive to new things. There are so many new things happening every day in technology. Why not embrace it? Learning new things is truly what will keep you feeling young and current. You may not look the part ( hehe ) but you'll certainly feel it! Check out my new "Sweet 16" card at my Card Gnome store. You can also comment on the card there if you'd like. See you there!

A Vision to Help the Healing for Newtown

Thinking about the tragedy in Newtown CT, USA, a vision came to me. While I didn't draw every child and adult, a loving crying angel has taken the innocent victims into her protection forever...

My Boxed Fine Art Cards

There's nothing like sending a boxed set of your fine art cards along with your sold art to a buyer.
You can find them on my art FB fan page.

Inspiration and Support from Fellow Artists

I have to say I've met some really wonderful artists online. Not only are they supportive of their fellow artists but also very talented. Artist and friend, Martice, has a wonderful new site, and linked artists that inspire her to one of the pages on her site. I'm honored to be one of them. Thank you Martice! Check out her art and beautiful new site-

Martice's link to her inspiring artists.

Wonderful Opening. Sold a Painting.

The gallery opening night was filled with wonderful family and friends as well as many gallery patrons who had wonderful feedback regarding my work. I even sold a painting on opening night- my beloved "For the Love of Pia" but I'm so happy to say it's going to a good home; to a home of a person who collects art. My painting will be among some famous artists. That certainly made my day!

Lemur Painting Number Three

I don't know what it is about these wonderful primates that I'm obsessed to paint, but I'm now on my third one. Untitled at the moment, I wanted this one to be a little more dramatic; the eyes more riveting. I think I accomplished a lot in three hours yesterday.

The Wind and the Lion

The wind circles around the Mountain Lion and settles languorously on a couch in a room of sunflowers. She's a breath of fresh air. No one knows for sure how long she'll stay.
Pastels on Canson's Mi-Teintes paper, 19.5" x 25." © Laura J. Holman 2012.

Gallery Show Coming Up!

This Saturday I will be bringing my framed art to the studio to be hung for the Group Show Opening ( Art Gust ) on August 31st at Gallery Godo in Glendale, California. If you live nearby or are in the area that evening, stop by and say hi. There will be a lot of other artwork to see also!

Framed Art

I think one of the most exciting things about getting ready for the exhibits is having the art framed. The difference is night and day. I had the "Cherry Tree" art hanging around for awhile, and to my surprise, the gallery owner chose it for the exhibit. Seeing it come to life framed was so rewarding. I want to keep it. But as the gallery owner said to me, "Laura, they ( the paintings ) are like children, they eventually have to leave the nest and bring happiness to someone else's life." While I inherently agree with that statement, I will still miss the originals and some of my walls in my home will be empty. But then, they will be in someone else's home making them happy, just like the gallery owner said.
I'm actually considering buying another easel so that I can jump immediately onto another painting when I'm just ending the one I'm painting. Klimt inspired me when I saw a shot of his studio with two easels. Two large canvases graced them. One day I would love to paint something large. I'm looking forward to it.

Two Exhibits in August

I'm thrilled to announce that eight of my paintings are going into a group show in August at a gallery in Glendale, CA. Then they will be on display at the LA Art Walk in September. I will post the flyer and more details soon. In the meantime, the gallery owner has put a fire under me to produce more work that I sorely need to do! So I will be super busy in the weeks to come. I will try and post works in progress and finished pieces! Thanks for all the lovely comments and your support. It's beyond appreciated!

Needless to say I have to photograph "For the Love of Pia," but you can get a glimpse of it behind my precious dog.

Schmincke Pastels

Having a great time working with my new Schmincke pastels. Expensive, but so worth it! I'm working on a wedding card right now for my Card Gnome store.

"For Love of Pia" Still Work in Progress

Sometimes letting a painting sit and stare at you unfinished gives you, the artist, the chance to decide how the painting should proceed. Many times I have other paintings in my head while working on the present one. It's a bit distracting, but I'm doing everything in my power not to be too ADD when it comes to creating. I'm hoping to be done with this one before the end of the week.

Father's Day

It's so easy to get Mom something for Mother's Day, but what about Dad for Father's Day? Another tie? A fishing rod? I choose to usually go the food route and fill my wonderful husband's tummy with a great meal of his favorite things. He can relax by the tv, feet up, as I drop grapes and other goodies into his mouth. Well, it's not exactly something out of the days of the Roman Empire, but you get the picture. Give Dad what he wants, and sometimes it's as simple as a day of rest and relaxation and the wife and kids at the grill for a change.

At Card Gnome where I have a card store, they have a great variety of cards. Hurry, though, because the deadline to send a card is just a day away! And speaking of fishing rods... I couldn't resist creating a fish card for those Dads who are truly gifted in the art of catching fish.

To all the great Dads out there... Happy Father's Day!

My Fishing card on Card Gnome.

"For the Love of Pia" WIP 2

There's something about painting to music that makes a painting seem so poetic. And painting alone with the music in a rarely empty house is a treat. Of course, there's the ringing phone and text messages that I need to answer. Heaven would be an art island in the middle of a sparkling, clear, blue ocean.

The owl... low res shot, but it will give you the idea of where I'm going.

"For the Love of Pia" WIP

I saw a photo of an Eastern Screech Owl recently and became immediately taken with its haunting, human type eyes. I knew I had to incorporate one into my next painting... hence the birth of "For the Love of Pia,"- an owl in love. We always think of our feelings about animals, but what about our impact on their feelings. While owls are not typically pets, I'm sure in their world, they have some sort of perception of us. What if an owl fell in love with a human? One that is as beautiful as Pia ( a name that popped into my head for the title for no particular reason. I don't even know a Pia )?
This is a work in progress. I'm not even sure how it will end up. Many times I can visualize the completed painting, and sometimes I let the painting dictate its end story to me, albeit it may take some time to finish.

We Imagine Peace Art Festival June 16th

If you happen to live in the Los Angeles area or will be visiting in June, come by the WIP Festival and enjoy the incredible exhibit of art that has been created for this wonderful art collaboration. The themes of Tolerance, Humility, and Love among others will be represented in this exhibit of artists from all over the world that have come together to promote the conceptual elements of peace through art. I have two pieces in the exhibit and I'm looking forward to attending. The art will be auctioned off and the proceeds will benefit a charity. Hope to see you there! And make sure you meet Kira Rose and April Brosemann. They're the ones responsible for pulling this whole event together.

Creative Typography

Designing with typefaces can really enhance your work, whether you're designing an ad, logo, or placing a beautiful font in a painting. It's all about treating type as you would a painting. Looking at type as art and not just as boring letters can really open your mind to expressing yourself in a different way. This link will inspire you to see the fun in typography. Notice that the one thing that makes all of these work is excellent kerning and line spacing. The type hangs together as a design unit because of the attention to these crucial basic elements that can either break or make your design with fonts. So be inspired and take a look at some Creative typography.

The Field of Dreams. The Dream of Tolerance.

My second finished painting for the concept of Tolerance for the "We Imagine Peace" art collaborative on June 16th in Covina, CA. Both pieces of art are at the location now and I'm looking forward to the festival. This piece is 8" x 10" acrylic on canvas board.

Mother Universe and Daughter Earth with the Lemurs

Sometimes, certain animals come into my head and I'm just compelled to draw them. They usually are the unusual and have something unique about them. I love the look of Lemurs and their name refers to "ghost spirits" in a tribal language. They are actually owned as pets here in the U.S and their original habitat is Madagascar. This is my second Lemur painting I've created. The first one has sold. This 19" x 24" pastel painting is a complete vision in my mind. The only reference I used was a picture of a Lemur, and a plant indigenous to Madagascar to authenticate where the painting was set. From my RedBubble site I offer this description: A surreal pastel painting of Lemurs, a beautiful woman, and a child; one represents the Universe, the other, the Earth. They flow and balance together to create harmony, and to stress the dependency we have to one another and our environment. Original art by © Laura J. Holman.


This painting took me almost a year to complete. It sat staring at me from the easel, half finished, for months. Many times, I haven't a clue where a painting should go until I step back from it. Some take little time, while others seem to take forever. As with any creative endeavor, we can liken it to the process of giving birth.