Darla Dixon - Art & Words

2010 Walton Tribune Article

2012-01-03T13:24:00.000-05:00

Walton Tribune article from September 25, 2010Monday will be "Darla Dixon Day" in Snellville and according to city officials - with good reason. Snellville Mayor Jerry Oberholtzer will make the proclamation at Monday's city council meeting and present it to Dixon. The reason, according to the proclamation, is in part for Dixon's efforts, primarily through her blog, to keep

I could care less

2011-11-12T09:36:00.001-05:00

Because I care a little bit, a lot actually, I can care less. He's absolutely right.

Is there a gene for clean?

2011-09-12T08:43:00.005-04:00

What is your least favorite housework chore? I really hate cleaning out the refrigerator. I don't know why, but I always put it off. Take a look at that sentence: "What is your least favorite housework chore?" The word 'housework' has 'work' in it, then that 'chore' word appears. Ugh. Just dreadful, that's the way we look at cleaning.However, I think that some people were born with a genetic

If you suffocate while taking a vitamin, is it still healthy?

2011-09-08T12:30:00.005-04:00

How far will you go to get healthy? I have recently been trying vitamins to help with some health concerns. I have trouble taking multivitamins -- for some reason, they cause me to feel nauseated. I mentioned this to a doctor friend and was told that I could be having problems with the ingredients the vitamin manufacturers use to bind the vitamins together into one pill, and recommended I take

Writing About The Arts

2011-08-19T10:00:00.007-04:00

I need to write an article for a local magazine about the art scene here in Snellville. It's trickier than it seems like it would be. It's hard to write about anything regarding the arts and not have it be perceived as an advertisement, either for myself or my art friends. I wonder if you have any ideas to share with me. For a community magazine, what kind of article relating to the arts would

Keeping Your Focus

2011-08-16T12:30:00.004-04:00

Good video about where you should have your focus, how to be aware of obstacles but not be overcome by them, but look for the spaces and the way around your obstacles. Pretty deep stuff. Bet you didn't expect to find it on my blog, huh? lol! Of extra interest, the speaker Dan Thurmon is from my town of Snellville Georgia, and his mother is a wonderful artist friend of mine named Diana Thurmon!

Early Adopter Joining Exhaustion

2011-08-15T13:34:00.009-04:00

The Internet is an ever changing place, isn't it? If you're a writer, an artist trying to promote your art, or even if you just like to stay up-to-date on new websites, you'll find yourself signing up and joining almost constantly. Okay, I admit it's not constant -- but it sometimes seems that way. I love to try out new sites to see how they work, so when Amber mentioned Triberr, I figured I

We're really tiny

2011-08-05T11:16:00.006-04:00

Look at this graphic artist's rendering of the planets in size relative to each other. It's amazing how small the earth is in relation to the other planets. Kind of puts in perspective how small we are in the universe. Pluto's in the picture, it's really really dinky! But now it's not even considered a planet, so that's probably crushed its self-esteem.I became aware of this rendering from Ken

Dear Facebook: We're Through

2011-08-01T22:46:00.013-04:00

Dear Facebook,It's nothing you've done. Oh no... believe me, it's not you, it's me. I'm just not woman enough to handle you.I'll be using my business Facebook page but I'm going to try to resist the subtle charms of my personal page on your site.There are two reasons for my change of heart.Please don't take offense to this -- I don't mean it personally, but you waste my time. You see, as a

On Education and Creativity

2011-08-01T10:07:00.009-04:00

Sir Ken Robinson speaks at a conference - "Creativity is as important as literacy and we should treat it as such." This is one of the best videos I've seen in a long time. Sir Ken Robinson, the author of The Element, is a great speaker and includes a lot of humor. This is worth your time. Books by Sir Ken Robinson (links will take you to see the books on Amazon) The Element: How Finding Your

Grumpy Woman Illustration

2011-07-10T13:21:00.005-04:00

I can’t remember exactly when and why I did this pastel artwork. I think I was just playing with my art materials, or maybe I was in a bad mood when I did this. However, I’m sure by the time I was done, I was laughing.This woman is so grumpy she looks funny. I can tell I was influenced by the 1970’s in this drawing, although I know it’s not that old. I probably did it around 1996 or later. The

My Random Thoughts Via Twitter

2011-05-29T00:10:00.006-04:00

My lovingly handcrafted paperclip necklaces have been rejected by both Etsy and ArtFire. Snobs.Do-it-yourself liposuction is not as effective as it sounds. A Dustbuster isn't nearly powerful enough.Word tips from Darla: When you're crying about Oprah's last show, you're 'bawling,' NOT 'balling.'I'm going to be assertive, if you don't mind.My daughter is using a toxic stinky paint pen on her art

How to turn tattling into an English lesson

2011-05-26T12:05:00.007-04:00

I could overhear my son from the other room, telling his brother, "I'm telling!"I explained that he wasn't telling, except that I just happened to overhear him at that moment. Otherwise, he wasn't currently 'telling,' but he was "going to tell."By the time we finished discussing and learning the finer points of English, my son forgot what he planned to tattle.Works every time.

Visiting Marietta, Georgia & the Strand Theatre

2011-05-22T08:51:00.007-04:00

Last week, my husband and I visited downtown Marietta Georgia to see a silent film with live organ accompaniment. The movie was called Sunrise (1927), starring George O'Brien and Janet Gaynor. The theater is called The Earl Smith Strand Theatre.The drive there wasn't fun, because I was getting over a virus and felt like I was going to hurl the entire trip. But I was determined to get there.

A New Day

2011-05-16T21:05:00.021-04:00

I've had a pretty cool day after all. It didn't start out so great, however. You see, I'm finally getting over a virus of the delightful "stomach flu" variety that I have had to fight since Thursday. Possibly even Wednesday, now that I reflect on that. Yes, it's now Monday. So it's taken at least five days to beat this thing. Did I mention that one of the side effects of the virus is muddled

Most. Blatant. Website. Content. Theft. Ever.

2011-04-11T13:03:00.009-04:00

I've had my website content stolen before, so I have gotten to the point that I am past being surprised. However, sometimes I still get shocked by the blatant (and I have to say "alleged" here to cover all bases, grr) theft of my website.Look and decide for yourself. I would estimate that approximately 96% of the content of this site is mine.http://www.pencilportraits.co.ke/ is the website of

Ode to Tut

2011-04-03T20:07:00.003-04:00

I greatly enjoyed this video. It's fun to see people having fun and socializing thanks to art. I met Stacey Cohen (the art instructor/narrator) from Fusionart Studio several years ago.

In the newspaper

2011-03-03T22:56:00.008-05:00

I was interviewed for an article in the Gwinnett Daily Post newspaper recently. I was told it could be awhile before it appeared, and that made total sense because you never know what big news story might break. An article about an artist can pretty much appear anytime and not really be out-of-date. So I didn't really expect it to be published anytime very soon.Tonight, I received a text message

Blogging Mom Featured on What Not To Wear

2011-03-02T15:05:00.010-05:00

Today we're watching an episode of TLC's What Not To Wear, in which a mommy blogger is being made-over. Amanda's a mom who blogs and tends to think of herself as her kids' mom and has neglected herself. No, I've never heard of anybody like that - (Sarcasm about myself -- lol!)As pointed out by stylists Stacy London and Clinton Kelly, it's interesting how the blogger (Amanda's) personality

American Pickers

2011-03-02T13:22:00.007-05:00

I like antiques -- I'm a regular viewer of Antiques Roadshow, until I fall asleep (during a pottery appraisal, usually) so several people recommended I watch American Pickers, a new reality show on the History Channel.I've now watched several episodes, and although I have an interest in the stuff they find, I have issues with the ironically un-realistic "reality" of the show, and the generally

Reiniger Silhouette Animation Art

2011-02-25T22:14:00.004-05:00

Have you ever heard of Lotte Reiniger? Lotte Reiniger (1899-1981) was a German animator who pioneered the art of using silhouettes in animation. She was ahead of her time anyway as a female animator, as she started doing this in 1917.Watch the following video to see how she created her silhouette pictures and animations, then watch the short film, Papageno, from 1935 to be blown away by all the

My Art in Exhibition

2011-02-17T12:03:00.003-05:00

Remember I said I'd keep you updated on the art exhibition in a Snellville gallery? Well, here it is. The black and white pieces were drawn by myself, and my picture and an artist's statement are on the wall. I was shocked to find out that my art is the first art people see when they come into the gallery!There are some really talented people in my area. I hope everyone will get a lot out of the

Busy week

2011-01-30T22:13:00.003-05:00

I have had a very busy week. Thursday was the ribbon cutting ceremony for our city's new police station. It's a $6-million dollar state-of-the art facility. Snellville City Council members were there, as well as political and public service dignitaries from other Gwinnett County cities.This afternoon, I took my two boys with me to an open house for the new police station. We were able to inspect

Facebook is for bugging your teenager

2010-12-05T14:01:00.004-05:00

ME: Oooh, Ren & Stimpy. Awesome.Mom, stop posting on my facebook. D:< ME: But...Ren and Stimpy!!!That show is weird...It's creeeepy.ME: Your mom is creepy.I second that. Don't you have parenting to do?ME: I'm stopping child abuse by avoiding spending time with my kids.That's abuse in itself. Fail parenting.ME: Love you, girl, but your momma IS crazy.Fosho.

Happy after Thanksgiving

2010-11-29T08:34:00.003-05:00

Did you have a nice Thanksgiving?Maybe you don't even celebrate Thanksgiving where you live - I do have a lot of website visitors from Europe. It can be Thanksgiving for you too though - be thankful you don't have the weight to work off that I do! Or the heartburn, or the gastro-discomfort that goes on for a week after such a food fest!I had a piece of sweet potato pie for breakfast yesterday. I

Painting outside my comfort zone

2010-11-08T10:06:00.012-05:00

Yesterday, I went to what I thought was just a bunch of people getting together at a community clubhouse to paint. But I had misunderstood - It was a painting class, and it was $25. Well, I was out of the house, child free, and game to try it.The instructor has a Master's degree in Fine Art from Savannah College of Art and Design. Everything was included, and we painted a landscape picture

A rare art joke

2010-10-19T10:45:00.007-04:00

My brother-in-law sent this art joke to me. I'm unsure of its origins, so let me apologize ahead of time if it belongs to someone...but you know how these things circulate the Internet. I don't come across many art jokes, unless its the classics - "If it's not Baroque, don't fix it," or "I'm Baroque, I'm out of Monet."So without further ado, here is the art joke my brother-in-law sent me.I used

Mona Lisa Costume

2010-10-17T13:17:00.000-04:00

This has to be the best costume for an artist. Love it!Mona Lisa Frame Costume - Funny costumes

Received great news

2010-10-15T13:57:00.008-04:00

Today I received some excellent news. To put it in simple terms, I had been having a lot of aches and pains, and it looked like I might have something bad - very bad, like an autoimmune disorder. But they found that I was low on Vitamin D. So, I have been on a mega-prescription-dose of Vitamin D, and after being on it about a week, I am starting to feel better. I had multiple vials of blood

"Happy" Columbus Day? Yes? No?

2010-10-11T07:46:00.014-04:00

Columbus Day is a difficult holiday. Some places "celebrate" Columbus Day by being open - Stores, mainly.Stores are always looking for anything to get us to "celebrate" by spending our money there. Some places "celebrate" Columbus Day by being closed - Banks. Ironically, when we most need the bank to be open so we can cash a check to "celebrate" at the stores.Columbus Day is a difficult holiday

Darla Dixon Day video

2010-10-08T10:18:00.005-04:00

Here is the video from the City of Snellville Council Meeting on September 27th. I received a proclamation from the Mayor. It was very kind of the city to recognize me this way. I love Snellville and have always been happy to promote it! I grab the tee-shirt and run while somebody else is looking for eyeglasses. lolMC_9_27_10_pt3 @ Yahoo! Video

Portrait of Rep Melvin Everson

2010-09-30T11:06:00.016-04:00

Every two weeks, I have an art auction at the Snellville Farmers' Market and 100% of the proceeds go to our local food bank, the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry.After the Snellville City Council meeting on September 27th, I had the honor of meeting Representative Melvin Everson (R-Ga) . Besides being our state representative, he is also an ordained minister. He is actively engaged in

A wonderful evening in downtown Snellville

2010-09-28T00:10:00.003-04:00

Snellville resident honored Darla Dixon, artist and creator of My Snellville Blog was honored with “Darla Dixon Day” on Monday. Dixon has painted and auctioned several pieces of art, donating 100 percent of the proceeds to the Southeast Gwinnett co-op. Her paintings and drawings have been sold both locally and internationally. Dixon was also on hand Monday

Gwinnett Daily Post article

2010-09-26T05:53:00.002-04:00

This is a new article, appearing in the Gwinnett Daily Post Community section today. Nice feature - I am happy it spotlights the local food bank's struggles. The photo in the article is a cropped version of a photo taken by local photographer and webmaster of www.285foodies.com, Mike Stock.Snellville artist auctions paintings for food bankDarla Dixon has her fingers in just about everything that

More media

2010-09-26T05:51:00.003-04:00

Snellville woman gets her own day in the cityWalton TribuneSharon Swanepoel Snellville artist Darla Dixon with a painting she auctioned off at ... By Sharon Swanepoel | 0 comments Monday will be "Darla Dixon Day" in ...

Featured artist on Tombow's blog

2010-09-24T09:56:00.007-04:00

Yesterday, I found out that I was featured on Tombow's company blog!You may be wondering, "What's Tombow?" Tombow is a company that manufactures art and craft supplies. They do a lot for scrapbooking and crafters. Tombow even manufactures adhesives.But I love their pencils, the Tombow Mono-Homograph. Wonderful pencil with an imposing name.Read the blog post at Tombow>>

Gwinnett Daily Post article

2010-09-23T07:34:00.003-04:00

I was looking through the newspaper this morning as part of my waking-up-ritual.I was surprised to find an article about me on page 3A of The Gwinnett Daily Post! Snellville to mark Darla Dixon DaySNELLVILLE — Snellville Mayor Jerry Oberholtzer will proclaim Monday as Darla Dixon Day in the city. Dixon, who has lived in

How to draw a nerd

2010-09-22T17:36:00.002-04:00

I found my daughter drawing a picture based on a photo of me from the late 1980's. When I asked her what she was doing, she said, "I have to draw a NERD for an art class project."And when she came to, she apologized.I said, "Pick up your tooth and get out of here!"Ok, that last bit is made up :)

Coming soon: My art in the newspaper

2010-09-22T17:14:00.011-04:00

The newspaper article in the Gwinnett Daily Post is scheduled to appear on Sunday, the 26th instead of on the 25th. It is great to be in any edition of the newspaper. The Sunday edition has a beautiful Community Section.So that's the good news. The bad news is that the article about me will have to compete for attention with the Publix Grocery Store weekly ad specials. Noooooo! Am I up to the

Happily overwhelmed

2010-09-21T18:34:00.009-04:00

So much has been happening lately, I'm very happily overwhelmed!I was interviewed by the Gwinnett Daily Post about the art auction I do on Saturdays at the Snellville Farmers' Market. Barring bigger news happening (that could bump my story out of the lineup), the article about my art auction should be published on Saturday the 25th. I added a page to my website to share the acrylic paintings

Zebra painting auction photos - still time to bid!

2010-09-18T20:12:00.006-04:00

Photo by Pictures by Mike StockPhoto by Francee Geiger-CostaSome photos from the Snellville Farmers' Market today. Silent bids will be taken through September 25th at noon, with the proceeds from this artwork going to the Southeast Gwinnett Co-Op (our local food bank.)You can see how the portrait was painted here. The Zebra is acrylic on 24"x24" stretched gallery canvas.If you'd like to place a

Cocker Spaniel Puppy Pencil Portrait Drawing

2010-09-17T23:50:00.009-04:00

Click to view portrait largerHere is a Cocker Spaniel puppy drawing I did for a client. We're still deciding on it. She seems to look annoyed, but she is still cute.I did a different sort of background than I usually do - this is kind of a cross-hatch effect. Had some fun with it. I thought a little more texture in the background would be a nice contrast to the softness of the puppy fur.In the

Zebra painting step by step

2010-09-17T18:07:00.015-04:00

Zebra painting to raise money for food bankFinished version of the Zebra painting. I will be at the Snellville Farmers' Market on Saturday, Sept 18th, and again on Saturday, Sept 25th from 8 am to noon. Taking silent auction bids on this painting, 100% proceeds go to our local food bank, the Southeast Gwinnett Co-Op.Bids accepted by email also, to darla.dixon@gmail.com - please be sure to put '

Having a balance in your life

2010-09-12T01:48:00.006-04:00

My blog posts will be about my youngest two children quite often, I think because they are giving me so much material!Today, the 7-year-old wanted to play on the PlayStation quite a bit. Well, okay, it's Saturday - have some fun. But I limit it. There is no reason a child should play video games for a longer amount of time than say, a movie. Really, I think 30 minutes is enough, but I get accused

Explaining insanity to a child

2010-09-10T10:38:00.006-04:00

We were driving to school and a Beatles song was playing on the radio. My 7-yr-old son asked me about the 2 members of the Beatles who died. He knew one of them died of cancer (George Harrison) and one was shot (John Lennon).Then he asked, "Why did somebody shoot him?" I explained that some people are insane - their bodies may work fine, but that their brain processes stuff all wrong. John

Mom was too nice and so right

2010-09-09T08:42:00.011-04:00

Have you ever experienced a 'window' of time (usually when you first wake up or when you are about to fall asleep) in which you get good ideas, solutions to problems, or random things come to mind?I think scientists have a name for it. I'm not a scientist, so don't ask me.This morning during that period of time only scientists know the name of, the little sayings my mom would use when I was

Boundaries of time

2010-09-07T08:57:00.007-04:00

If you watched the John Cleese video I posted recently (I've watched it several times), you will recall that Cleese said that to be creative, we have to set up boundaries of time and boundaries of space.I can't do much about boundaries of space right now. I have 4 kids, a husband, a dog, and a small house. But I have started working on the boundaries of time.One of the first ways I've begun to

Quoted in the paper!

2010-09-04T19:27:00.005-04:00

Here it is, proof that I was right about something! I should print out this news article, frame it, and show it to my teenagers whenever I need documented proof of my authority! lol!To almost everybody it means something to do with a relaxing long weekend — barbecues, fun with family and friends, time at the lake or watching football — anything but labor.Darla Dixon, an artist from Snellville,

Why I welcome art criticism

2010-09-01T12:28:00.009-04:00

I was once at a client's house to look through photographs to prepare for a pencil portrait. The lady went to the hall closet and from behind a bunch of old junk, pulled out a dusty framed pencil portrait that she had commissioned another artist to do. She spent quite awhile talking about parts of the artwork that weren't right that she didn't like. She explained she didn't even want to put it

Sea Turtle Painting

2010-08-30T11:26:00.014-04:00

On September 4th, I'll be back at the Snellville Farmers' Market. I will be accepting silent bids for this acrylic painting of a sea turtle. The painting measures 16"H x 20"L.Placing a bid for this original artwork will be as easy as writing your name, phone number, an email address and your bid on a slip of paper and sticking it in a box. You can do that, right? :)At the end of the following

How to draw a realistic eye in pencil

2010-08-30T01:29:00.006-04:00

A really interesting video about how to draw a realistic eye in pencil, by Mark Crilley. Of course in this video, the eye is really large - about the size of his hand - and that definitely helps a realistic drawing, but I'm sure that was just for the purpose of the video so the drawing would be large enough to be seen well.The video below shows a photo-realistic eye - so a lot more detailed than

Ergonomic pencil grips

2010-08-29T21:45:00.016-04:00

I'm going to buy myself some of these ergonomic rubber pencil grips. My hand has really been hurting when I draw. All these years of pushing pencils starts wearing on the joints I guess, and I have arthritis.These pencil grips prevent hand fatigue.I've found that I am able paint for longer periods than I can draw with a pencil. So that told me my problem is the pressure I have to apply.These

John Cleese on creativity

2010-08-24T22:34:00.006-04:00

John Cleese talks about creativity. He points out that to be creative, we need TO CREATE boundaries of space and boundaries of time.

Is 3D overused in movies?

2010-08-19T11:57:00.007-04:00

Here is a British man talking extremely fast about 3D movies. Keep up with it, and a little further into the video, he discusses paintings and sculpture and makes even more interesting points.My short answer to "Is 3D overused in movies?" (although you didn't ask me what I think) is yes. It's overdone because movie studios and theaters realize that people will pay huge ticket prices to see them.

Dog pencil portraits

2010-08-09T11:24:00.013-04:00

Dog pencil portraits are one of my favorite types of portraits to do. I do these in both graphite (black and white) pencil and in colored pencil.Today, I am working on a portrait in colored pencil of a Cocker Spaniel. I've had to start over on it, because the first version was off a bit. In graphite pencil, I can be 'off' a little bit and it's correctable, but the colored pencil is not erasable.

Machete ruler

2010-07-29T19:35:00.011-04:00

Another interesting find on a shopping trip recently was this metal ruler. I didn't buy it, but I've nicknamed it the Machete Ruler. It is shaped sort of like a machete. I've never seen one like this. Why would you need a strange ruler like this one? It makes me want to go hacking through... underbrush and measuring stuff at the same time. The wording on the ruler is: Vary Form Curve Ruler,

Zipper pin

2010-07-27T19:41:00.004-04:00

I'm sharing this because I know there have to be other artsy-craftsy types reading this blog! I did not make the flower pin created out of a zipper. This was on a jacket in a... department store. The jacket wasn't the right type for me, but I thought this pin was so cool, so I snapped a picture of it with my cell phone.Now I'm wondering how many items of clothing have I thrown away that I could

Warning: Kids WILL Embarrass You

2010-07-26T21:02:00.011-04:00

I took my 6-year-old son to the dentist today. He had sealants put on his teeth. I took my 4-year-old son along for the ride.We were waiting in the aptly named waiting room and not yet completely destroying it, when an older woman came in. She checked in for her appointment then... sat down across from me.I'm embarrassed to say that the 4-year-old (who should know better!) said, "Mommy, that

Back to school shopping

2010-07-23T15:52:00.007-04:00

Here in Gwinnett County, Georgia. School starts again August 9th. I just returned from back-to-school shopping with my daughter. We went to a major department store that normally has clothing we like.However, (WARNING!) apparently the look for Fall 2010 is paisley, plaid, or grungy. ... There are even some items of clothing that combine all three looks.It's no struggle to stay on budget when the

Another reason I love Squidoo

2010-07-23T00:21:00.014-04:00

You might be wondering what Squidoo is, it's a site where you can make pages on any topic you're interested in, and you can make money for yourself or for charity. I was scheduled to receive a payment of about $90 this month, and they only sent me $80. I thought about emailing them but I decided that they are always dependable, and Squidoo was a free sign-up, so I wasn't going to give them

Childhood pictures

2010-07-16T17:21:00.002-04:00

Darla in a tree photo montage scrapbook pageI never throw away photos, unless they are completely useless. Although I can create portraits from less-than-perfect photos sometimes to preserve someone's family photos, scrapbooking is also a useful thing to do.I did this layout a couple years ago, using some childhood photos of mine (these are the old style Polaroids that you had to peel and they

My art in a slide show

2010-07-14T03:05:00.000-04:00

It's been awhile since I updated my slide show of art, so I decided to add a few pictures tonight. You will be able to access this slide show anytime, by clicking the tab above that reads "My Art."

Bubbles painting - Sign for soap company

2010-07-12T08:23:00.001-04:00

This is an acrylic painting I made for Candy Bars Soap Company or them to use as a sign. I met Candace (the owner and soap-maker) at the Snellville Farmers' Market a couple of weeks ago.Her soap looks quite a bit like generous slices of fudge or poundcake. She puts her soap in baskets, and when I first walked by, I thought it was food out in the open! I planned to keep on walking, because

The Other Side of Summer

2010-07-11T09:43:00.000-04:00

The boys with their washable ink stamp mustachesI always hear about parenting being the hardest job ever. Sometimes I disagree (I'd rather be a mom than clean out septic tanks or fighting the Taliban). But some days, it does seem especially hard. Everything I need to get done can seem so overwhelming sometimes.I think in the summer when the kids are out of school is the hardest time. The kids

Is tea a gateway drug to coffee?

2010-07-09T09:03:00.000-04:00

Last night, I ate a few pieces of 70% chocolate and drank several glasses of caffeinated tea so I could stay up late and work.I felt sort of stressed and yet tired, so I decided to lie down "Just for a little while" and for some odd reason I slept better than I have most nights, except that I woke up briefly at 2 am & dozed off again.I thought the caffeine would cause me to wake me up and keep me

Our 4th of July cake

2010-07-08T10:37:00.001-04:00

My father-in-law sent us these photos. This is the cake we made for the 4th of July. Our presentation leaves a lot to be desired, but it is what it is...lol.It's just a basic 9"x13" yellow cake. I let the kids frost it with Cool Whip Free, then they put the blueberries and strawberry slices on to make it look like the good old stars and stripes. It tasted really good, and it was a fairly

Let's put it on our list

2010-07-05T12:15:00.000-04:00

I unexpectedly found a great new use for the cellphone camera.Whenever I go to the store with my kids, they always find some impulse item they want. Of course they do, because the stores have planned it that way, putting fun toys all throughout the grocery store. I call these displays "Venus kid-traps."The day before yesterday, my son found this toy, called Dino World. I was very tempted to get

25 things a mom can learn on the 4th of July

2010-07-05T07:45:00.000-04:00

Taking 4 kids, ages 4-16 to see a fireworks display on the 4th of July is an "interesting" experience. I learned a lot from last night's fireworks show...Although you bring teen daughters to watch the fireworks, they will watch and text on their cell phone instead.If you comment on this, prepare for teenage back-sass and attitude.Do not try to explain to a teenage girl how illogical it is for

Happy Independence Day

2010-07-03T22:02:00.000-04:00

Hope you and your family have a great 4th of July/American Independence Day!

The art of really listening

2010-07-02T21:45:00.001-04:00

Retailers should be real & encourage employees to truly listen to customersToday I went through what I creatively (not) call the "Bill Book." I went through some papers, was able to clear out some clutter.I found a Belk Department store credit card that I hadn't activated. I thought, "What the heck, I'll call the toll-free number and activate it." With back-to-school shopping needed soon, it

Busy Thursday

2010-07-02T01:14:00.001-04:00

Today I was finally able to get over to the food bank to take them the 4 bags of food we were able to collect at the Snellville Farmers' Market. I was also thrilled to take them $195 in checks and cash - the money was raised by selling art at the farmers' market. My daughter went with me. I really felt that what I raised (with help of another artist, Sharna Fulton) was just a drop in a bucket,

Muffins, tree frogs, houses, dogs, rakes, anniversary, and steak

2010-06-29T08:56:00.003-04:00

That has to be the weirdest blog post title of all time. But it just about covers everything.I have been pretty busy the last few days. With the kids out of school, we have been going to the neighborhood pool quite a bit.I did some muffin baking yesterday.Art-wise, I am working on 2 commissions right now - one is a Cocker Spaniel dog and the other portrait is of a house. The client has a line

Do you believe in dreams?

2010-06-25T08:09:00.001-04:00

Illustration: 'Colorize,' by Hermina KovacsI don't think that dreams tell you what's going to happen, but I do believe that they give us insight into what we are thinking about in our subconscious.Last night I dreamed that I won a big art competition. The dream was very detailed. There were to be several winners, runners-up, etc. The winners would see their artwork in a television commercial and

This painting is NOT called Fried Eggs in a Tree

2010-06-24T09:46:00.001-04:00

What would you call this painting? Oh I've got it - Sunny Side Up Fried Egg Tree with Bunny Ears.Nope.This painting is called Roses for Seagulls Lost at Sea and was created by artist Marsden Hartley (1877-1943). The auction house Christie's had an art auction in May, and expected to get $300,000 to $500,000 for this. Christie's took out a full page ad on the back cover of Antiques & Fine Art

Tree Frog Painting : Almost there but not quite

2010-06-24T07:08:00.000-04:00

Tree Frog, 14"x14" Acrylic PaintingUnfinished, as it turns out. Explained below!Here is a better photo of the Tree Frog, and as you can see I'm further along. I thought I was done - until I woke up this morning and had the realization (before I even got out of bed!) that I had made a mistake. When I decided to change the scenery, I made the leaves too small.Tree frogs are small creatures. By

Tree Frog Painting Continued & Cocker Spaniel Dog Portrait

2010-06-23T17:33:00.000-04:00

Tree Frog Painting, Acrylic - 14"x14"Work In ProgressIf you'd like to see how the painting looks now, click here. I had a very productive art day today. Mostly due to staying off the computer! Honestly, there should be a 12-Step program for Facebook and Twitter.I worked on a colored pencil portrait of a Cocker Spaniel. It is looking pretty good, but I have a lot more work to do on it. See it

Tree frog painting

2010-06-22T10:43:00.001-04:00

Rough sketch on 14"x14" canvasI went to Hobby Lobby yesterday and bought a 14"x14" (square) gallery-wrapped canvas for Saturday's charity painting. I plan to paint a tree frog and decided that a square canvas rather than rectangular, would look the best. The canvas is already primed.I sketched the frog by looking at the photo. I thought about using some transfer paper to get the image on the

Playing in the snow

2010-06-20T19:04:00.000-04:00

This photo is from about 1968 - I lived in Michigan and I was about 3 years old. As long as I can remember, I loved playing in the snow. I don't remember the day this photo was taken, but as you can see I was very happy! I was helping to make a huge snowman with my older sisters and brother.While I was growing up, snow was my favorite plaything. I did have toys, but it wasn't the same as it is

Snellville Farmers' Market Cat Painting

2010-06-19T16:25:00.001-04:00

Big Eyed Cat, Darla Dixon - June 19, 201024"x30" Acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvasReturned home from Snellville Farmers' Market about 1 pm. Completely drenched in perspiration. I would say "sweat," but ladies don't sweat, we perspire. Immediately took a shower and then perspired some more. It was about 91 degrees out there, but it felt hotter. The 'heat index' is 96.If you remember, I started

Cell phone for senior citizens

2010-06-18T20:46:00.000-04:00

A friend sent me this photo of a "cell phone for seniors." Click on the picture to get a closer view of it. You have to be old enough to remember rotary phones to get the joke of this photo.I am old enough to remember them, although they were on their way out already during that time. Even then, I wondered why it was circular, and why couldn't it be some faster method? In reality, it probably

Help, help! I'm being repressed!

2010-06-18T11:01:00.001-04:00

On my friend's Facebook page, I saw her teenage son had posted on her page that his mother "is a communist, she won't let me have money to buy anything I want." - The typical teenager complaint.We all went through this, but we weren't able to exact online revenge since our parents didn't have the courtesy to have Facebook pages. (Mainly because personal computers and the Internet didn't exist

Cat painting

2010-06-17T22:49:00.000-04:00

This is a painting I started tonight of a...well, pretty obvious, I hope. Yes, it's a cat.Painted in acrylics on 24"x30" gallery-wrapped* canvas, this artwork will be auctioned Saturday at the Snellville Farmers' Market. The proceeds from the art will go to our local food bank. I may finish it up there, but once I get started, I get so driven to finish.Plus, I really, really, love working in air

Watch a mural evolve

2010-06-17T09:39:00.000-04:00

Michelle Black of A Color Affair will be painting a large scale mural at Trip Elementary School in Grayson, Georgia. Trip Elementary is a newly built school in Gwinnett County, GA. Michelle is donating her time and talent to the school. She worked worked with the librarian for two months on this project. Michelle invites us all to watch as the project progresses. She'll post pictures every night

The to-do list

2010-06-17T02:16:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow, I have a lot to do. I have a portrait to start drawing, and a painting to begin. Then, I need to start getting all my art stuff organized and ready for Saturday morning's Snellville Farmers' Market. I really have so much more to do, that if I think about it too much, I'm really going to get overwhelmed. But if I can get these few things at least begun, I'll be a happy woman.Job one is

Normal Facebook discussions hijacked by extremists

2010-06-17T01:18:00.000-04:00

The political discussions on Facebook are about to drive me out of my mind! I really try to avoid them, because my "problem" is, I'm a Centrist. Some of my views are kind of Conservative, and some of my views could be considered more Liberal. It depends upon the issue. I'm kind of Libertarian, but not even that. I don't tie myself to one party or talk show host and absorb it like it's the only

I have the stares

2010-06-16T09:53:00.001-04:00

"The Stares" is what I call the effect that lack of sleep has on me. You know - when you just sit and stare and can't focus on anything because you are exhausted?Omigosh, I am tired this morning. I stayed up too late again. I don't mind staying up late if I accomplish something, but how many times do we think we'll stay up late to do something and then find we got nothing done? We think we are

What to create?

2010-06-15T10:04:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking about what sort of artwork I will create at the next Snellville Farmers' Market. I really am done painting festival tents. I guess that made the first two paintings special, but there's only so much I can do with festival tents.So, I've been leaning toward several painting topics. Cats. Mermaids. Angels.To paint an angel was suggested by someone on my Facebook page. Not a bad

Painting a brighter future

2010-06-13T08:16:00.000-04:00

Sharna Fulton painting at the Snellville Farmers' MarketYesterday, I was in my tent at the Snellville Farmers' Market. Artist Sharna Fulton, creator of Chloe Pink (TM) joined me. We both created paintings that were silent auctioned. 100% of our painting proceeds helps our local food bank, the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry.It was fun to have another artist with me to commiserate about

New artist reality show

2010-06-10T01:04:00.000-04:00

I just finished watching the premiere episode of a new reality show called Work of Art: America's Next Great Artist. It's sort of like a mix of Survivor and Project Runway.Tonight's challenge was to create a portrait of another competitor which showed the person's inner self, not just what one sees on the surface.Some of the artists didn't include any image of the portrait subject at all,

Are artists lazy airheads?

2010-06-09T11:08:00.001-04:00

I've been thinking (yeah, I know - you heard the explosion?)I think people often think that artists are the stereotype - many people assume all artists are "liberal" and "lazy," among other labels. Artists who are successful are the opposite of lazy, and I don't know about "liberal," there are definitely some "liberal" and "hippy" artists (or are they just playing to the stereotype of what people

Robin's Egg

2010-06-08T10:01:00.000-04:00

Today we found a little robin's egg. It was only half an egg, and I could see the jagged edge where the little bird had pecked his way out of the shell. Robin's egg blue, the color is called. The egg reminds me of that. Such a small, delicate thing. Hard to believe it contained life. Such a little thing, yet so inspiring. Maybe I am just weird, but I found it beautiful and inspiring.

Nice to talk to adults

2010-06-04T23:14:00.000-04:00

Tonight I enjoyed a get-together with some new friends. I got into a political discussion with one lady that probably bothered other people. I'll have to remember not to discuss politics (or religion) like my mom and dad taught me!But it's nice to have an intelligent discussion with another adult, a conversation that doesn't involve chocolate milk or Sponge-Bob. The lady and I are on near

Ow

2010-06-04T09:52:00.001-04:00

Today I woke up feeling like I've been in a car accident. I am sooo sore from Tae Kwon Do last night. If you think that TKD/Karate is just doing stances and poses, boy, it is NOT. I worked. I am sore but I won't give up. I'm hurting but I'm in better shape than I was even a month ago.I was thinking about going to Tae Kwon Do practice tonight also, but I don't think I can. Tomorrow I will be

Tae Kwon Do

2010-05-29T09:12:00.001-04:00

I've started Tae Kwon Do classes. I'd been thinking about joining a gym, and that's a lot cheaper I guess, but using a workout machine has never appealed to me. I like my exercise to have a purpose. In Tae Kwon Do, I get a good workout, and I get a skill.Even though I'm an antique girl, I haven't had experience with punching anything or anyone. Most little boys will get into a scuffle of some

ART AUCTION in conjunction with Snellville Farmer's Market:

2010-05-25T11:10:00.000-04:00

Update: I decided I can't do this during July and August .... Just too hot! But I'll be there all other Saturdays!SNELLVILLE GA: On Saturday, June 5th and Saturdays through October, Snellville artist Darla Dixon will be under a white festival tent, painting a colorful picture of the surrounding scene.Dixon says the art will be different from her usual style, which is typically pencil, realistic,

World class bog... er blog

2010-05-18T11:08:00.000-04:00

I'm still working on getting this blog world-ready. As you can see, it's not. Boy, I am sure on a lot of websites - to a ridiculous amount. It's almost a full-time job to just find everywhere I appear on the web. Well, that's my fault, isn't it? Dang my creative hide!But probably the best place to start here is to click a link above, and check out what I've added here so far.