‘Languish’

20″ x 24″Gallery wrapped canvas, painted sides, ready to hangAvailable for purchase on my web siteThe quote that goes with this work: For here the religion that languishes in crowded cities or steals shame-faced to hide itself in dim churches, flourishes greatly, filling the soul with a solemn joy. Face to face with Nature on the vast hills at eventide, who does not feel himself near to the Unseen?

 W. H. Hudson

Blue is a very hard color to get correct pictures of, so bear in mind…this is a deep, velvet study of the color blue. My favorite color when thinking it seems.

Have a great day and thanks for being here today.

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

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Iron Wood Tree: Bent not Broken Oils copyright 2009 HMBT

 The Ironwood Tree: Bent not Broken
24″ x 18″
oils and mixed media
Finished sides, needs no frame, back stapled canvas
Ready to hang

Here is the quote that inspired the work:the rain, but dance in it. This time we are living through is tough, hard on the ego, hard on the stress, hard on the pocketbook. Times they are tough.
Many of us are trying to find our way back to who we thought we were, I’ve decided to stand true and bend. Lean into this time, ask what I can learn, and continue forward. I paint. I create. I love and live right out loud. I am in harmony with my true self and this storm will pass and I will still be standing,
Bent but not Broken.

“The world breaks everyone, and afterward some are strong at the broken
places.”  ~Ernest Hemingway

The Ironwood Tree is all about bending, all about being able to not get out of

In all of the pictures I took of this work, these were the best. The color on my monitor looks about right, but from experience I know that this shade of purple/blue/mauve/pink can vary widely on other monitors… this is a deep
blue shade of purple. Overall the sky colors are a study of red and blue combinations to explore the mood of the color purple, there are even hints of soft orange too. So, I just wanted you all out there to know what the work really looks like no matter how it may appear on your monitors. I hope that helps, please feel free to use the “contact artist” button in the left hand side
bar, top of this page, if you have any questions or would like more pictures of this work.

Mask Man
18″ x 24″
oils
Finished sides, needs no frame
Ready to hang
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Here is the quote that inspired the painting:
Every profound spirit needs a mask: even more, around
every profound spirit a mask is continually growing.
~Friedrich Nietzsche

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To purchase this work or see more of it CLICK HERE

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Mask Man was an accident. I was going for a completely different type of painting, but as soon as he started to take shape I knew I was going to paint what needed to be created, not what I wanted to create. He is done in rich earth tones and set in a blacker than black background. He glows from the canvas, he invites you to see what is in and on your heart, he inspires self love and inner peace. He knows that if we all could shine our inner lights a little brighter, we can change the world from a rat race to a nirvana, because it all starts inside of each of us. Inner peace is like a virus, it spreads and grows, and someday if we are all unafraid enough, it will change our world, save our spaceship earth and cure the evil of hate, greed and bigotry.

We all have masks that we wear, our social or public masks, our family masks, our business masks. Long ago I decided that I was tired of trying on all those masks just so the world would accept me as I am, with the mask I was born with; what I was born with in my heart and my soul. When I did that my life became so much easier to handle. No longer did I have to worry if I had on the proper mask for any experience, person, or place. I come to the masked ball of life, naked. I am Raw and Radiant, and have no need to pretend to be anything other than myself. Like it or lump it, this is me, and I like myself, as is. My opinion of myself and my character is more important than what anyone else’s opinion of me will ever be.

I created the Mask Man to remind myself, it’s not what is behind the masks that people wear, it’s what’s in their hearts, and what’s hidden behind their eyes that is important. This work is one of my favorites, because it painted (or gave birth) to itself. My body, mind and soul were just the instrument to put it onto the canvas for others to see, feel and learn from. This mask is a happy, loving and compassionate teacher. It offers you friendship, the wealth of a healthy soul, and unconditional love, just as you are.

May your day be filled with compassionate love, for yourself and the world at large. To every living thing, I say, I love you, you belong, you are needed and you are special.

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Maggie original oil painting by HMBT copyright 209

‘Maggie May’

oils

18″ x 24″

Finished sides, painting on back stapled gallery canvas, needs no frame and is ready to hang

The quote that inspired the work:

We women, when we’re searching for a meaning to our lives or for the path of knowledge, always identify with one of four classic archetypes.

The Virgin (and I’m not speaking here of a sexual virgin) is the one whose search springs from her complete independence, and everything she learns is the fruit of her ability to face challenges alone.

The Martyr finds her way to self-knowledge through pain, suffering, and surrender.

The Saint finds her true reason for living in unconditional love and in her ability to give without asking anything in return.

Finally, the Witch justifies her existence by going in search of complete and limitless pleasure.

~Paulo Coelho

It’s hard to see in the picture, but she has rich sparkling green eyes. She really is a very pretty girl, with a warm and loving heart. I hope you enjoy my newest work. Thanks for being here today.

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

From the bottom left: fop in lime, summer slice and lemon salsa

So, here are the three latest works all together, Fop in Lime, Summer Slice and Lemon Salsa.

They were painted to bring a smile to your face. In these trying times, all I wanted to do was make something that could bring people to a moment in time, just a moment, where everything that is wrong in the world right now, lifted. Where for a minute, you could just laugh at the silliness and the stress of it all and just, smile. I wanted a moments rest from the real world, so I created my own world where ladies wear fruit for hats and the air is fine. No worries, just fun and laughs. Creating the good old days right here and now. This world isn’t much fun right now…so I created my own world, where it is nothing but fruity good fun. I hope you enjoy and I hope you smiled.

Have a wonderful day!

Thanks for being here.

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Support living artists, buy some art today.

"Betty" original oil painting by HMBT copyright 2009

Close up

‘Betty’ from The Pin-Up Series #2

Oils

18″ x 24″

Back stapled gallery canvas with finished sides, needs no frame

Comes ready to hang

Available on my web site for purchase (in the 2009 gallery)

Betty was fun to work with. She’s a high flying, adrenaline junkie. I mean she would have to be right? Those kicks on a rope ladder? Well she’s a might more brave than I am at the very least.

This series is turning out to be a lot of fun to do and I am once again enjoying myself and painting what ever pleases me. The economy can do what it likes and the bone crushing wheels of capitalism can keep turning, and I’ll be here painting what ever I like and loving my life. Waiting for the fickle light of this economy to shed its light on me once again. I am enjoying this respite from the shows and constant marketing and loving the fact that I am a artist…in good times and in bad…I am an artist. That’s enough for me right now. Sales like I am used to (over the past 11 years of being a full-time artist) will return to better levels…someday. I can wait. This has been good for me, I am self directing my artwork in a way that has not been entirely possible for many years. I am not painting what is selling, I am for now, painting what feels good and re-discovering my work in a new way. It’s really great. As you can see I’ve not quit marketing all together, but the traveling shows were just not an option this year and that’s ok!

Hey, oh yeah…todays my birthday. I am 40. Can you belive that? I mean really…me 40?! WTF? Well…Okay, it’s not so bad…I’m having a relaxing day at home with the family. My Mate Man has just acquired a new job, one much more befitting of his abilities I might add, and after waiting for 18 months to get this job, we are all very happy for him. My kids are both on the honor roll for the first term, now continuing a 3 year run of both of them being on the honor roll every grading period. It’s cool that they are into school and getting as much out of it as they can. We are now in middle school and they still want to do their best…no complaints from this corner. We now have insurance again too…I mean three years with no health coverage was a living hell and expensive too. I’m all for reform and a public option, but I am also relived that we are no longer in that boat for the time being. Whew! I can get my cancer panels done and my sore tooth fixed. Life is good I tell you.

So, in short my,  life is getting pretty groovy after three years of crapola. And thats great and all, but I guess the nicest thing is that all of the getting better stuff really has not changed me/us. I was happy even when we were poor and struggling every day (that was three days ago, btw) because I choose to be happy. So now that it’s easier to be happy,( and it is easier to be happy with money and health insurance, Oh yeah it is) I’m still just happy that my family is whole and well and this is just a chapter in the story. Nothing last forever, so we will just enjoy the good times as well as we did the bad. 40 years of living hard as taught me well…I choose happy. No matter what is going on. I choose happy and love first…the rest is all logistics. Every day above ground is good. Keep it simple and choose happy where you can. Train your mind for the situation at hand, what ever that may be.

Be well and have a great day!

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Lola original oil painting by HMBT copyright 2009

‘Lola’

18″ x 24″

oils

Gallery wrapped canvas with finished sides and back staples.

Comes ready to hang, no frame needed

Available for purchase at my web site.

Here’s the quote that goes along with her:

She didn’t mean to be sexy that moment, but even a winter nightgown couldn’t hide that lovely outline. When will I outgrow my simple-minded fascination with the form she had happened to choose for her body?  Never, I thought ~Richard Bach

 Lola is the first of a new little series I want to explore right now…yes another thing I am checking out. I know, I just can’t seem to stop myself. This is all about fun for me right now, if it makes me smile or laugh I want to express it in paint. So, for now a little side jaunt to the garages and barber shops of my youth where pin-up girls where all the rage and tolerated by the women folk well enough, as long as it wasn’t in your face.  When just about everybody has jobs, homes and a car or two. People where happy to have survived the wars and were ready for a little peace and prosperity.  You know the late 70’s and early 80’s! Yup, I had you going there, didn’t I? *wink, wink*

I loved those pin-up girls back then and thought they looked like they were having a good time in life, happy and free; drawn and colored into perfection. They would never look like Kate Moss, and it was cool, and they were sexy and beautiful. At least in calendars, it was all possible. 

Well, they say what goes around, comes back around at sometime…and besides I like to leave you all wondering what the heck will that BAD! Kitty do next? You just never know. 

Take care and I’ll see you all in the funny pages.

Heather

http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

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Lemon Salsa Oils original fine art by HMBT copyright 2009

close up

Lemon Salsa

18″ x 24″

oils

finished sides, gallery wrapped canvas, ready to hang

Original available for sale on my web site.

Here is the quote that helped the work along:

“Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.”

~Alice May Brock

What does that quote mean? Heck if I know, I just liked it.

This is the last sister. I had a lot of fun working on these ladies, I hope you’ll scroll down the next two posts and see them all.

Have a great day and thanks for being here!

Heather

 http://www.badkittyartstudio.com

Support living artists, buy some art today