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If you have tried meditating and have had trouble getting into a routine with the process I have a suggestion for you.

I have written several blogs about the health benefits of having art around you that speaks to you. You know that it speaks to something deeper inside you because you feel the same sensation every time you view it.

Reflecting Fondly

Your first reaction at a gallery or at an exhibition will be a connection and as you go around and look at other art, your mind will wander back to it. And in your home or office, after it belongs to you, you will always feel that same feeling.

Art promotes faster healing and relieves stress, and gives some of the same health benefits as meditation. That is why hospitals, doctor’s offices and health centers have art on their walls. People heal faster and need less medications because of their reactions to Art.

Illustration by Joyce Wynes: Happy Thoughts

Meditating proclaims to relax, refresh and revive you. It lowers blood pressure and reduces stress. And it helps you feel less pain. Less pain means less medication.

Art does the same thing as a healing method. I have never been able to keep up a steady routine of meditating because I lose focus after a short time. 

But I find just sitting in a chair with my legs raised on a stool and in the presence of an art painting that speaks to me relaxes me and calms me down. What a great feeling it is to just focus on that painting and relive the feeling that it inspires in you.

left to right paintings: Joining Together No Matter Race Creed Gender , Joining Together No Matter Race Creed Gender 2

Try it. I think you will really find that it takes you to a deeper, calmer, and relaxing place. And your health will improve without costly medications, doctors or hospitalizations.

Illustration by Joyce Wynes: Doctor Bag

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2.  And then go to my social media and follow me there. A big thanks.

Connections #2

There are many people who love art and know that it has a profound effect on their mood and health.

If we had to live a life without art, it would be devastating to our state of mind.

Those people who love art but have no idea what to do to own it or how to collect it are many.

If you are one who is part of the crowd that would like to become more knowledgeable about selecting art that will fit your needs, I will give you a few suggestions how to proceed.

1.  Go to art exhibitions, museums, or visit the online portfolios of artists that appeals to you.

Become acquainted with the many styles of art there are. For example, realism, abstract, abstract expressionism, landscapes, representational, non-representational, etc.

These 2 Small 12” X 12” paintings on canvas are Abstracts. And they are a series of 2 acrylic/mixed media paintings.

From left to right: Following the Arrows 1, Following the Arrows 2

2.  You will be able to tell eventually what type of art appeals to your senses because you will feel a connection to it.

It will speak to you and you will recall what it looks like long after you leave it. It will make an impact on your mind and your soul.

3.  Ask the artist, gallery, or whoever represents that artist all about the artist and their history.

Try to analyze what it is about the art that strikes a reaction within you. 
It might be the bold colors, the texture, the shapes, the subject, the action, the soothing quality, or the message it imparts.

If you want to find out more about me read my art statement.

4.  Once you have found the type of art that appeals to you, you can start by buying an art print or some small original pieces of that art and live with it.

You can put a small painting in many different locations. On a bookcase shelf, in a corner on a wall or on any shelf that you have hanging in your home or office.  This painting, A Flower in My Window, is 10” x 10” X 1.5”, Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas.

If it is art that speaks to you, you will have the same reaction whenever you are looking at it. You have found the art that was made just for you. Not all artists sell art prints of their work. Any painting on my website is available as art prints.

      This art print comes in fine art paper or canvas from sizes 10” to 30”.

One Power Flower Art Print

5.  You may find that you love more than one style. If so, continue to collect small samples and evaluate your reactions to them.

       
These are a series of 2 of small paintings that I still have to have professionally photographed yet. They are not on my site yet but if you are interested in them email me. They are 6” x 6” x 1.5”, Acrylic/mixed media on canvas, $125 each.

That is the only way you can determine what it is specifically that is drawing you to that artwork. See tip #3. 

Feel free to contact me for information or to purchase any of the paintings above.

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2.  And then go to my social media and follow me there. A big thanks.

It is all about what looks right in my design world. So let me help you with that.

I am now going to show you how great this original art can look in at least 4 different home decor styles.

Life is difficult enough today so let’s try to simplify things once we shut the door on the rest of the world...in our home.

The painting I am going to demonstrate with today is “Global Consequences”, 36” x 36” x 1.5”, Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas.

https://www.joycewynes.com/workszoom/1409824/global-consequences#/

Look how great it goes with everything in the space around it! It blends in with all the colors around it while remaining stimulating with its bold colors and shapes.

It is an environmental painting created for you, the individual who believes that we have to be mindful of what our environment is saying to us. HELP me NOW...

Just so you know, you can have stimulating, mindful art for your home and live your values at the same time.

We are in the dining area where again it fits in with the surrounding furnishings and color palette. And it lends a spark of life to the neutral objects in the room.

And look at what it does for the room pictured below. WOW...

I have to say that it ties together the elegant sofa with the brick painted wall superbly with the darker tan in the painting and the richer and darker red as well.

The next room could be in your office or your home. It is a resting spot for you or maybe a patient.

Who wouldn’t feel comfortable sitting in this space with that painting speaking to the value you put on society to keep our environment safe?

Let me help you design my paintings in your space so that your home or office becomes a place for comfort, healing and stimulation.

You can email me for a FREE consultation using photos of your space. For those within my district I will be happy to make a house call.

Remember, I love to design as well as create so it will be my pleasure to help you plan your environment.

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2.  And then go to my social media and follow me there. A big thanks.

There are many stops and roadblocks along the way during your life, no matter what you are pursuing.

The roadblocks in my life while pursuing my fine art career, have given me a roadmap for you with the 3 steps that are necessary to carry out your passion and keep it fresh in your mind. Believe me, as a female, a female artist, a widow, a mother, and a member of a large extended family I have had to work around some roadblocks.

So what does it take to get where you really want to go? To pursue your passion in life?

What did I learn along the way that will help you get there quicker than I did? Believe me, being a female, fine artist is not an easy path to choose. To this day only 20% of female fine artists are chosen to be represented in galleries, the rest are men. And less then 13% of their work is in museum collections! It continues to this day. So that is another roadblock I need to fight all the time as a female artist.

And world events happen that push our dreams into the closet as well. The depression of 2008 and the Pandemic of 2020 are just 2 examples that made people’s dreams be put on hold. 

1.  Don't forget your passion, your dream.

Find something to put in your path as a reminder and make sure to keep it there.

For me, that was a painting. A very special painting. When I graduated from Nazareth College of Rochester with my coveted art degree, the college wanted to purchase one of my paintings for their collection! I thought about it and said "NO". I know you and many people would say that was a stupid response but that painting in my possession was what kept my dream alive all those years of detours.

It kept reminding me that I had what it took to be a good fine art painter. In 2010, I donated the painting to Nazareth College because I no longer needed it as a reminder. I was well on my way to becoming the fine artist of my dreams.

You can do the same thing. For example, if you want to own your very own bakery one day, enter some baking contests. If you are a winner, continue to enter with other creations that you make. 

2.  Continue to make plans and take the little steps to keep your dream alive.

For me that was to continue in the arts field but in a different capacity (but a close cousin) to what I wanted to become. My illustration career took off and at that time there weren't digital illustrations so I was painting them. And on canvas or canvas paper keeping true to my style as an artist/painter. That gave me the ability to mix colors and develop other skills that I could perform in my fine art as well.

My graphic design business gave me the continual practice on layout and design which was important to my paintings and illustrations. Developing your EYE is important especially in the art field.

In the example above, wanting to own your own bake shop, go to work for a bakery either part time or full time. Take in all the information you can about procedure and the business side that you can.

3.  Try to keep a positive attitude and always follow others with the same passion.

If you have to, repeat a mantra to yourself five times a day. And be determined in your pursuit of your dream and that you will get there no matter what happens in between. Look and listen to others who have succeeded in the field and get advice from them.

Take courses from other people in your field to learn the things you need to succeed. I am always taking courses or listening to webinars to keep abreast of the changes in my industry. Or to learn an easier way to accomplish something. Ways to market are always changing. New apps are always coming out to help you make your business easier. It takes time to put these additional things into your schedule but it does pay off.

A positive attitude is a must. I have had a lot of burdens and tragedies put in my path to overcome besides just earning a living. I can only attribute my positive attitude, a gift of heredity on how I overcame adversity and still stayed on my path to become a fine artist. It made me a strong, independent woman who could fend for herself, think for herself and ask for help when I needed it.

Don't get me wrong. Negative thoughts will pop up every once in a while. But you need to keep them at bay. What I did was start writing out a list of all the positive things that happened to me each day, week, month. Then at the end of the year I would look over the list to plan what to do the next year.

If you are a journal writer then this will be easy for you. I have never been able to make that a habit. But when I was feeling like "failure" was my middle name or I was never going to make it, I would take out the list and read it. It would make me feel much better and that would put me back on the path.

I hope these tips help you stay on course for anything you pursue.

For some that may be weight loss or weight gain or an athletic pursuit. For others it may be to start a business or to write a book. The more reminders you give yourself and the information you find out about your choices, the better able you are to withstand the detours.

There are more tips that you will find out for yourself along the way but these are the big 3.

If you can conquer these, you will be on your way to making your passion a reality.

Art that speaks to you of encouragement and empowerment is a great idea for your walls while you are working around those roadblocks.

          
I Am Woman, I Can Fly, Butterfly            I Am Woman, I Can Fly - American Kestrel Bird

Have a look at my portfolio as many of my paintings speak to those 2 powerful words (encouragement and empowerment) that keep you going to fulfill your dreams.

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2.  And then go to my social media and follow me now. A big thanks.

May 9th is Mother's Day and it is just around the corner.

I bet she would love an abstract floral art print for her wall decor.

She can hang it on a wall in the home or in the office. But wherever she hangs it, it will remind her of your love.

The art pieces shown here are in my Art Prints Portfolio under the Art Gifts Items menu my website.

Each one has a link that will take you to their page at the print shop so you can look at the sizes available for that print along with their prices. Your print can be ordered on Fine Art Paper or Canvas. And you can have it framed there also! Complete job.

You better hurry though, because the printer needs to have time to print and ship it out!

The link under each flower image takes you directly to that flower in my art prints menu on my website.

Flowers on Antique Table                          Flowers on White Antique Table

One Power Flower                                                       Healing Power of Flowers

Gold Flowers on Red Background                           Gold Flowers on Blue Background

There are more flower paintings in my Floral Paintings Portfolio you can choose from. However they are not on the print shop website yet.

If you would like one of those in the floral portfolio, email me the name of the painting and I will upload it to the print shop and email you the link.

Don't hesitate because time is running out very quickly to get your gift by Mother's Day.

And you will want to join my email list to get ideas for other gifts for others such as friends, family or yourself. 

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2.  And then go to my social media and follow me now. A big thanks.

We all nest in one way or another. We are like birds in that we feather our nests with all kinds of items we find that catch our attention. 

Look how bold and exciting Nesting would look in your kitchen at breakfast.

Certainly starts the day off for everyone with lifted spirits. Family is important to us so being happy together is great start to anyone’s day.

The painting, Nesting, 30” X 24” X 1.5”, Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas, can be viewed larger in my portfolio.

Many of us want to have a nest that shows our creative personality and style. That says something about us.

My new painting contains birds nesting on a hand and certainly has style. But it also carries the message that our home, our family is important to us.

Hands reflect who we are in sometimes very simple ways. They reflect if we are stressful, anxious, excited, and the way we accessorize them reveals a side of our personality.

How is your nest doing? Does it need some stimulation and excitement added to its walls?

A place where your spirits are lifted so you can rest your mind and let it wander freely?

Nesting, 30” X 24” X 1.5”, Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas, gives you a lift to your spirits and can be viewed larger in my portfolio.

More importantly, do you need something to lift your mood on a daily basis and put some happy into your life? 

I accept Payment Plans but I have to do that by email because my cart system on my website does not have that capacity to do that as of yet. No excuses now. Go for it.

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2.  And then go to my social media and follow me now. A big thanks.

Psychology studies have resulted in books written on these tells that people do with their hands.

When a person interacts with another person, how they express themselves and what they do with their hands tells a lot about that person.

Their comfort level, their joy when they use their hands to paint an invisible picture as they talk, or the covering of their mouth as they speak to hide their expressions.

When I started painting full time, hands along with figures were uppermost in my art dialogue on canvas.

Art: Helping Hand    20” X 16”     Acrylic on Canvas

I am still so inspired by the thought of what hands disclose to us and what they do for us.

You can tell so much about a person by how they accessorize their hands, how they hold them and how they extend them.

And let’s not forget how much they help us accomplish.

Just think of the careers that depend on hands to accomplish their success or that we depend on to help us live our daily lives!

Art: Counting Hand   24” X 30” X 1.5”   Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

Cooks, architects, handyman, gardener, artist, chauffeur, sports, and on and on.

We should play homage to to hands. In many cases they are essential workers on our bodies.

Art: Nesting   30” X 24” X 1.5”   Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

Hands also look great as abstract art in your home or office.

Art: Directional Hand 2   24” X 18” X 1.5”   Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas

And hand wall art can serve as a motivational force and a source of accomplishment.

My website has a hands portfolio with many more paintings just waiting for you to visit. 

I accept Payment Plans but I have to do that by email because my cart system on my website does not have that capacity to do that as of yet. No excuses now. Go for it.

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2.  And then go to my social media and follow me now. A big thanks.