About Me

My photo
I've been an artist my whole life and have had so many exciting art related jobs, which makes me kinda of a jack of a bunch of trades. I'm also college grad with a BFA and went to the High School of Performing & Visual Arts here in Houston. Visit my shop at Etsy and I promise you'll most likely receive a Smile to take with you! I decided to mention that about 10 years ago I was on chemo for 2 years. The chemo worked, but left me with other Heath issues, such as a case of Fibro which left me with having to get disability.Sad news, since I had a great career, that I can not work anymore. With my Faith and determination, I am determined to still do my art. My art gives me inspiration and thank you God! Oh, and please follow my blog! I'd love to have yall join me in my show and tells and also would love to hear what yall have to show and tell!:)

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Dachshund Mania!!!





So my friend, Pam, who has an Etsy shop...(http:SerendipityRose.Etsy.com)just adopted a miniature dachshund she named Carly. OMG!!! She is just too cute for words. I put a couple of pics of her in my Flickr site & someone asked me to use the photo on her blog about puppies & their need to find homes. You can find this gal's story by going to: http://my.nowpublic.com/import/49c7f23a2deee7.58415368
Whew!That was a long one! Well I had to show at least the 2 pics I posted on Flickr. Along with the celebration of my new niece, Carly, I also found a wonderful shop on Etsy that sells dachshund magnets as well as other items, (http://doxiedoodles.Etsy.com) This "oh so nice warm lady" also has a few sites/blogs & she finds homes for animals! You will see them listed if you visit her shop, but here is one she told me to go to: www.dailydachshund.blogspot.com
She also takes animals in that don't have homes. This week she lost a kitty to cancer. Not a good week for her at all. I am showing 2 of the magnets that I bought from her. I hope yall will enjoy these pics as well as visiting these shops & sites & blogs I've mentioned!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Some of my Art & More to Show Off!


I suppose now I should show yall a bit of my art & tell yall about other artisans I show off as well as favorite pets. I have said before, my site or shop actually is http://LindaGJ.Etsy.com so if yall want to mosey on over there, you'll be taken good care of. You will, at least, leave with a smile on your face. If not while leaving that you experience a smile, I am willing to bet most of you will have the experience of at least one smile! Maybe yall have figured out that I also made the fish that is in my title as well as the picture I showed with my very 1st post.
This particular painting above is an illustration I did of Miss Peanut Jones. It's taken from one of my unpublished children's books, Miss Peanut Jones, The Itty Bitty Kitty from New York City. I was working on this particular painting during 9-11 of all days! It then became a memorial and has little messages within the painting that mean something to me. Loved ones that have moved on to Heaven. Peanut was alive at the time, but this was a such a sad time as she was from NYC & I had lived there for around 12 years. We'd been in Houston for a few years but NYC was still fresh in our minds. The original painting is around 22" by 18", but I sell 8" by 11" laser prints of them, and notecards printed from my computer. Yall may also go check out my Flickr page which again is: http://www.Flickr.com.photos/VisualSmilesGallery
On my Flickr pages, I have collected some of my art as well, along with some purchases I have made from other people that are from Etsy, as well as pics of some of my favorite housepets, and Etsy Treasuries I have made as well as the ones I have been in. Treasuries are hand picked items grouped together and shown on the Etsy site itself. They stay up on Etsy for 3 days, yet I save them and also list the shops that the items are from. I eventually made this a project and feature Houston artists! I also have a show off section where I've been shown elsewhere on the internet on other sites. From now on, I will share the pics I show on Flickr along with showing them here. To tell you the truth, I don't know where this blog is going, so I am taking it one day at a time to see what direction it takes me.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Miss Peanut Jones


Wow, we're having delicious weather here in Houston. Wish I could save it all in a bottle & use it to mend our upcoming 'hotter than hell' days that we get here. I had to show yall Miss Peanut Jones whom was my favorite muse with a mighty lot of my art explorations! This here kitty cat that yall see above was born & raised in NYC, a runt of the litter, as her head, legs, and tail stayed small, her body did not, yet she lived to be 20 yrs old! My illustrations and 3d characters color the traits of her fabulous personality.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Visual Smiles Gallery

This being my first entry, I must say that I stay really busy with my Flickr page (http://Flickr.com/photos/VisualSmilesGallery) and especially my shop on Etsy (http://lindagj.etsy.com/) . I am an artist of mixed media & when you enter my etsy shop you will find whimsical fun art with dogs, angels, fish, sculptures & prints of my featured feline, Miss Peanut Jones, cards and magnets, as well as illustrations of differerent subjects! On my Flickr, I just have fun showing other people's art work, my own, and pets I love, along with some "show off myself" things about my art featured elsewhere. I do a lot of Treasuries for Etsy featuring Houston artists and post them in my Flickr! I also enjoy doing art festivals, my favorite being the First Saturday's Market in the Heights. I don't take pictures of myself much on those but have done quite a few fests. I will say, I don't visit here often as my art production keeps me very busy! So you can keep up with me mainly through Flickr and Etsy. I joined a Texas Team on Etsy and also a mini team here in Houston called the Artisans of Houston. I met these talented people through Etsy & through festivals! I hope yall will visit my sites often to see what I'm up to as I keep producing. The next fairs I'm doing is one in Katy on March 28, 2009 at The Village at Old Katy 1512 Ave. C. You may call them at 281-391-4480 to find out more details and the next one will be the Bellaire Artisan Festival & Spring Market on April 18, 2009. Their location is 4800 - 5000 blocks of Bellaire Blvd. on the esplanade of Paseo Park!
I am new to doing blogs, but you have to start somewhere! Right? :)