http://fineartamerica.com/featured/tree-bark-mountain-tapestry-lincoln-rogers.html

My bark is worse than – uh… wait a minute.  That sounded better in my head…

I was playing around with some textures in onOne software’s Perfect Photo Suite 8 yesterday and was able to get this look.  I like how the peeling texture gave off a look of old tree bark laid flat, especially when paired with my photograph of a mountain scene from Keystone, Colorado.  Nothing like a little tree bark art to mix with a high mountain forest.

I came across the Perfect Photo software when I found a free download of Perfect Effects 4 from onOne a number of months ago.  I liked how it worked and so I tried the free Beta of Perfect Photo Suite 8 to see what I thought.  It’s a dizzying array of effects and options to make any photography sing.  I now have the full version that was just…

Hello Sharon,

We now have your work on our walls. Congrats to us!

http://blog.redbubble.com/2013/11/redbubble-sem…

Lovely to have you as part of RB and hope you have a great holiday season. 

Martin (RB’s CEO) (Redbubble’s Jared holding my art)

Every artist is excited to see that they have sold a piece of artwork.  But it was especially rewarding to learn that out of the thousands and thousands (or as they say zillions) of images that RedBubble had to choose from that they picked one of mine for their new Headquarters in California.  And I got paid in FULL. 🙂  Sound the trumpets…that is cool as hell!!

http://www.redbubble.com/people/sharoncummings/works/10460616-colorful-trumpet-art-by-sharon-cummings

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-sharon-cummings.html?tab=artworkgalleries

I recently read an article that explained that Black Friday was just hype.  That the so called “deals” at department stores and bricks and mortar retailers were really just psychological number games.  People get caught up in the frenzy of the sale and totally forget to analyze whether they are actually saving anything.  To me, even if there were real deals, there is no way I’d risk my life (people get trampled!) or that much of my time and energy just to save a few bucks.  Have you seen the parking lots at malls on the day after Thanksgiving?  I personally have better things to do with my time. 🙂

A colorful hummingbird that we spotted while visiting the rain forests around Quito, Ecuador. The feather colors are amazing, a delight to the eye.

Image Captured with a Nikon D300S Camera, Nikon 80-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 lens, focal Length 280 mm, ISO 3200, 1/80 sec at f/5.6, hand held. Noise removed using Nik Dfine 2.0.

I received a text message from the Universe this morning.
She said:
Two of the most powerful words in the English language for bringing about change are “thank you.” Especially when offered before the change even occurs and everything still looks pretty much like it did yesterday.

What are you thankful for today?

Jo Ann Tomaselli Fine Art Photography Gallery:  http://www.joanntomaselli.com/

Soooo… is it obvious that I’ve got pie on the brain?  That’s all right, there’s no need to panic.  It’s not contagious… unless you happen to be near our kitchen.  Then those simple ingredients in the photo above will leave the pleasure center of your brain begging for mercy.

Isn’t that how life should be?

Simple ingredients.  Nothing fancy.  You can find them anywhere.  In this case, it is chopped pecans, caramel squares and eggs.  Combine those simple ingredients with a few others, bake in a heated oven and voila!  Caramel Pecan Pie.  Your taste buds will never be the same.

In the case of life, it’s much the same way.  Really.  Simple ingredients combined together can make life sweet.  Ingredients like love, respect, trust and faith.  We’ve all got them inside of us.  Every one of us.  And you know what?  It’s up to us whether we will share…

Thank You…

If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.

Meister Eckhart

This is one of my favorite prayers and I say it first thing every morning when I awaken and last thing before I go to sleep.  I am truly grateful for my life.  I have had a hard one, but I have always had gratitude in my moments of prayer.  I understand that my presence here is a gift from the Universe. Challenges are what allow me to see all of the good in my life with absolute clarity.  Right now I have so much love, health, friendship and success that I can see no other way to live it but in gratitude.  I still struggle at times, but even in the darkest hours there is always something to be thankful for.  Happy Thanksgiving!

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/charmed-abstract-art-by-sharon-cummings-sharon-cummings.html

When was the last time you met someone who was really charming?  You know the type. Someone who has an open, friendly and contagious smile.  A person who has a real way with words and could convince you that just about anything was absolutely wonderful simply because they believe it is!  I am talking about the genuine type and not the sleazy car salesperson who is trying to be charming just to sell you a car.  Do you even know someone like this?  Are you sure?  You may not be able to know the motives of people, but look deep into my new painting and be “charmed”……be sure…..