May flowers

May flowers...I do see them everywhere!

With all the rain here in SW Ohio, the flowers are thriving. 

"Blossoms" Acrylic on canvas Painting Party Class.
Call Darla for details!

Though all the extra seasonal rain has kept me indoors.  

I find myself pushing my creative side to paint and play with my photographs more.

A good thing...Sigh.

  

"White Iris" Photo Art available in print, canvas, panels.
Contact Darla for details.

However when I was able to get out and take a few shots, I got lucky 

and wanted to share a few with you.

"Stargazer"  Photo Art.  Available in prints, panels and canvas.
Contact Darla for details.

Happy May everyone!

Darla

  

Hello Spring!

Hello Friends and hello Spring! 

Sorry I haven’t been in for a little while.  I took Spring Cleaning to a whole new level and decided to work on a few things…

First I started to redo my business plan…Yikes!…I know!  Crazy!  A constant work in progress!

Darla Kirchner Designs, LLC

Business Plan -2011

That lead to reworking my website and then my blog.  Which lead to lots and lots of research.  Am I making you tired yet? 

Be right back…out of coffee...

With my new found clarity, I began a body of meaningful pieces.  Some are what I love...one is Coffee and then there is chocolate…ah.  ADD moment...I will more of that soon.  

Back to focus…

I promise to update you here with my new post while I am preparing my shiny new home.  You are always welcome to drop by as I settle into my new home.  It is truly is like a moving into a new home.  A little overwhelming…but good for me too!  Let me know your thoughts!   

http://www.darlakirchner.com

 I better get back to work.  Then I REALLY need to do some spring cleaning in my actual home and studio...Lots of cobwebs there!  

Talk soon, 

E. Roosevelt stated..."The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams". I believe!

Had a wonderful class last night. Turned our snowy night into a warm beach. All with paint, good company and popcorn!

Wearing lots of hats today! Working on some special designs today; a Wedding invitation, Christening gift for a special baby boy and a corporate design project too.

Excited to have my Artsy girlfriends come over to paint and play today! Happy dance!

Creativity for Cabin Fever

I love art! 

Composition, brush strokes of paints, Discovering new tools...and canvas.

  

Landscape Beginning Acrylic  2 hour Painting workshop

I love to learn, to read and create.  

And I love to share my passion with other creative souls.  

So I do.

Floral beginning acrylic 2 hour painting workshop

Do you like art?  Playing with paint?  Learning about your inner artist?  

Join me in a workshop!  

Children's Mini Mosaic Masterpiece workshop 

Visit my calendar tab of upcoming Workshops.  

Let's get creative...and cure that cabin fever!

Do you have another project idea in mind?  Share it with me!  


Have a creative day! 


~ Darla

I am all ears for everything Ingrid Michaelson sings. What music are you listening to today?

Come and join us at our monthly Arts Council Meeting! Tonight our guest speaker is Malinda Hartong of Hartong Digital Media. Lot's of creative things happing in YOUR neighborhood! For more info. www.artscouncilwcl.com

And the winner is.....Honeysuckle Pink!

I see lots of Pink, rose, magenta, blush
and now Honeysuckle too! 

I had my "aha moment" a few days ago.  Since then I have been researching the Internet, my magazines, books etc. to get ideas to create some concept/design boards.  Every artist and designer needs inspiration, honestly it is a very rare moment when the stars are aliened and beautiful art/design just flows with out planning. 

So in my research to create concept boards around Spring trends and Mom's day and I found

Pink. 



http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/colors/pink-decorating-ideas



This powerful punch of color is everywhere! 



http://www.pantone.com/



If you know me well you would know I am not a pink girl. 
I rarely wear it, perhaps when I actually have lipstick on.  And the only place in my home that has PINK is in my daughters room.  

Pantone states “In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. 



pantone.com



I have to say this Pink trend is growing on me.  

I am ready for some uplifting spirits.  If this color chases away the winter blues then bring on the blush!  

I could even wear it (in small does) or even add a pink pillow in the family room too. 

This adorable pink rose pillow is perfect for a girly room with silver and white...ooh.

What are your thoughts on the color for 2011?  Please share...I would love to hear! 

Have a rosy day!~ Darla

Happy Valentine's Day from Darla Kirchner Designs!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Just a little something warm & sweet...from

me to you!

  

I hope your Valentine's Day is

warm, wonderful and filled with lots of love.

xoxo, Darla

A Love Story

I love a Love Story...

Recently a client commissioned me for a very special event.  Her dad was getting married.  She and her sister were told not to bring gifts, but...She thought of me. 

What do you give someone who really doesn't need anything?  Something special to commerate a very special event?   This is why I love what I do too!  

 

12 x 12 Mixed Media on canvas Framed.  Contact Studio for details. 



The three of us met and brainstormed ideas, colors options and here is the result.  I entwined each of the families names, their wedding date, the couples names and mixed in hearts of course!  

I was excited to receive the nicest email today from my client stating "Everyone loved the gift!".  It made my day so I wanted to share.  I do love a love story!

I think I have my Valentines Day gift for my hubby....what about you?

Take care,

~ Darla

A glimse into my happy place

Hello there...Happy February! 

It is cold here...snowy, gray and challenging to find inspiration.  

So, I thought I would share with you a glimpse into my happy place. 

Today Jack Frost took a deep breath and blew HARD.  Much of the center of the country is under a weather storm.  
Here in SW Ohio we woke up to ice!  Yippee! 

I love the snow...ice not so much.  Beautiful to look at, not to drive or walk on.

So I thought I would share with you a piece I created for one of my classes.  I needed some inspiration and saw it propped on my filing cabinet in my office.  Sigh. 

 It was pretty easy to paint mostly because I love the water. 

Paint what you love... 



Seascape Acyclic painting on 9 x 12 Canvas board  See Classes Tab for Workshop details!  



In fact I am pretending to be there now.  Warm and sunny with a nice breeze.  The soft sand between my toes.  
This is one of my favorite happy places.  

Where is yours? 

I dream I am there walking with my husband as the kids chase our dog Wrigley.  A mid morning stroll.  Then I will go back to my studio ( that overlooks the water of course) and paint. 

A little slice of Heaven.  Hey a girl can dream....it doesn't have to be a big slice. 

Dreaming BIG today...I feel warmer already!

~ xoxo Darla

A quiet moment with Mother Nature

Hi there...

Is is as could where you are?  Here in Ohio Mother Nature layed a thick blanket of fresh snow.  Then Jack Frost blew in overnight.  Before it hit a balmy 10 degrees, I grabbed my camera and braved the great outdoors.  Well at least to my back yard!  It was refreshing to grab some creative moments with mother nature.

And so quiet...

   

I hope I captured a little of the still...Peaceful...beauty.  Even when she is asleep, mother nature still shines.  Looks like new inspiration to me.  I am thinking of "Warm Winter Whites".  What do you think? 

I am off to my painting demonstration today.  Wish me luck!  If you are in the area, drop by Michael's in Mason off Field's Ertle.  I will be there with my art bag of goodies from 12-4.

Enjoy your weekend...and stay warm. 

~ Darla

is working on connecting all my networks. Then on to updating new workshop classes. Wish me luck:)

A new year...Yes I am ready!

Hi, Happy New Year! 

I do love a clean fresh slate and shiny new year to begin...create...learn...grow!

A sometimes sparkly studio...and tidy home (as much as that can be with a family of 5). 

But mostly a clear head and honest heart.

So in order for me to start the "New" year I have to say goodbye to 2010.  Blogging, journals and learning from other fabulous artist have helped me grow last year.  It has been tough, scary, creative, tiring, financially stressful and overall challenging year. 

"Transition" was the  word for 2010.

I am happily walking into January with a clearer head.  I have to admit I was a little afraid to share that it is time...to completely move away from creating hand painted ceramics. 

Typing it makes it "official".  

It is time to move on for so many reason.  But mostly because I missed all the other art and design mediums.  I missed getting my hands dirty with paint and glue, using my camera and the excitement of the creative learning process...      

So now that the holiday decorations are boxed away, my studio ready for some new art and my office getting prepared for the new year...I see the light. 

A forever "half full" kind of girl, I REALLY do see it.  And it looks like a beautiful new canvas begging me to play, paint, textures and...oh...perhaps collage!  

So my word for 2011 is "Love"

I promise to share much more the next time we talk.  Bear with me as I finish up the last of my "cleaning".  I guess it is all part of my creative process.  I think, plan and dream while I clean.  The creative wheel is starting to move and I have lot of ideas to share with you.  

It's going to be a fun year...be back soon!

~Darla