art

Daisies, Peace & Love

/ Jodi / 48 Comments

Daisies, Peace & Love.

I wanted to paint a daisy for a special reason recently.

I’ve tried before – quite a while ago – actually three years ago – and was not really happy with the result.  (Though looking back now I kinda like it…. funny how that is sometimes.)

Anyway – I went searching on Pinterest for some inspiration and happened upon an artist I fell in love with:  Alex Tolstoy.  Her style is one of my favorite ways to paint – and to look at paintings!  So this is an attempt at her daisy.

I want to do more painting like this and can’t wait to try some original pieces based on this inspiration.

Wear daisies in your hair, peace in your soul, and love in your heart!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Three Feathers

/ Jodi / 39 Comments

Three Feathers Watercolor – 11×14

Three Feathers.

Three feathers
painted at the end

of a beautiful
three-day weekend

celebrating life and love
and liberty,

celebrating family and friends
and freedom,

celebrating nature and nourishment
and nationhood,

celebrating appreciation and admiration
and art.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Painting a Path – Preserving a Memory

/ Jodi / 32 Comments

Cliffs of Moher Pathway, Ireland in Watercolor – 11×14

Painting a Path – Preserving a Memory.

On our recent trip to Ireland, I took over 1,000 photos!

I narrowed that thousand down to about 100 that I chose to preserve in a photo book for hubby as a final gift for his birthday and memory book of our amazing trip.

One of my favorite photos is of this stone-lined path along the Cliffs of Moher.

I decided to try and paint it in watercolor – though I’m not a great landscape artist.

Hubby knew right away what and where it was, which made me smile.

I prefer to paint loose, rather than realistically, but sometimes that is even more of a challenge.

Maybe you see another spot or special place near a beach when you look at this painting?

No matter what you see, my hope is that it evokes joy and a sense of peace and happiness.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

A Book-Signing Event

/ Jodi / 43 Comments

Jodi McKinney, Author & Artist, McKinneyX2Designs, Berry Vine Gifts

A Book-Signing Event.

There once was a little girl
who dreamt of being a mom.

Her dreams came true
with two sweet little boys

who she loved so dearly,
and they grew into men.

The mom was so proud and happy,
but missed being needed as a mom.

She learned other things
in her life in between

like blogging and writing
and painting with watercolor.

Then the mom was blessed again
with an even greater gift.

The mom became a grandma
to two beautiful little girls

who brought so much joy and love
and inspiration to her life.

Encouraged by hubby
and friends near and far

The mom painted characters
and wrote silly rhymes.

Then she put them together
in books dedicated to her grandie girls.

The first was pure fun,
and the second devoted to her bestie grandma friends.

And now this mom has been honored
with the opportunity to share this joy

In a book-signing event
at a sweet local shop.

Please stop by if you are anywhere near the Pittsburgh area!
I would love to share this joy with you!

Author Book-Signing Event:  Jodi McKinney
Klaus the Mouse and Other Silly Animal Tales
and
Lucas the Lion and his Fun Rhyming Friends

Saturday, May 25th – 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Berry Vine Gifts
185 Bradford Road
Bradfordwoods, PA  15015

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

PS  Lots of fun handmade, home decor, jewelry, children’s clothing and gift items available at Berry Vine Gifts!  You won’t regret a visit to this charming little shoppe!

Both books are also available at Amazon if you cannot make it, but are being offered at a special price for this event!

An Art Exhibition

/ Jodi / 103 Comments

An Art Exhibition.

I was asked to share 20 -30 pieces of my art

at a local theater,

The Iron Horse Theater.

The Iron Horse Theater Company’s mission is to provide thought-provoking and entertaining theater that will enrich the cultural life in what is now known as the “rust belt” area of southwestern Pennsylvania.   The symbolic name, “Iron Horse” represents the hard-working and “iron-willed” people in this part of the world. It is in this spirit that they create theatrical experiences that celebrate the grit, determination, and strength of the human character.

I was asked to display (and/or sell) my art during their upcoming Mother’s Day Cabaret

and their Harps and Harmonicas show during the month of June after a patron of Berry Vine Gifts saw my art.

I’m quite humbled and excited to be given this honor, and I can’t wait to see the show!

If you are anywhere near the Pittsburgh area, I hope you will consider visiting and supporting this wonderful community and theater.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Bee Happy!

/ Jodi / 48 Comments

Bee Happy!

Did you know that honey bees — wild and domestic — perform about 80 percent of all pollination worldwide. A single bee colony can pollinate 300 million flowers each day. Grains are primarily pollinated by the wind, but fruits, nuts and vegetables are pollinated by bees. Seventy out of the top 100 human food crops — which supply about 90 percent of the world’s nutrition — are pollinated by bees.

According to Greenpeace USA, bees are dying from a variety of factors—pesticides, drought, habitat destruction, nutrition deficit, air pollution, global warming and more. Many of these causes are interrelated. The bottom line is that we know humans are largely responsible for the two most prominent causes: pesticides and habitat loss.

So what can we do?  Greenpeace says these three things can give us a strong start:

  1. Ban the seven most dangerous pesticides.
  2. Protect pollinator health by preserving wild habitat.
  3. Restore ecological agriculture.

Just a few thoughts buzzing through my head about saving the bees as I share this recent watercolor painting.

Bee Happy and have a great day!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

April Showers Part II

/ Jodi / 41 Comments

April Showers Part II.

After painting April Showers, I wanted to expand on the idea with a mom and two daughters walking in the rain for this watercolor.

Those that know me may recognize the inspiration. ❤

The Easter bunny brought a yellow umbrella with pink flamingos on it to Grandma’s house for Grandie Girl 1, and she is such a good big sister to Grandie Girl 2.  They both (and I) adore their Mommy!

So this one is in honor of them as well as all mothers of daughters and grandmas of granddaughters.   It makes my heart smile.

Wishing you a joy-filled day!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

http://www.mx2d.com

 

Watercolor Blues

/ Jodi / 62 Comments

Blue Irises Watercolor 11×14

Watercolor Blues.

I had the watercolor “blues” this past weekend.

Not the sad blues, but the HAPPY French Ultramarine and Cerulean and Cobalt Teal blues with a punch of Crimson and Quinacridone Gold for more fun!

The flowers and trees are just bursting right now during the Spring rains and sunshine creating such inspiration.

It was so wonderful to spend a few hours painting and printing and framing and organizing supplies in my art room.   Treasured, cherished, creative time…. at life in between.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

mx2d.com

Etsy

Society6

Hoppy Easter

/ Jodi / 50 Comments

Hoppy Easter!

May your day be filled with
joy, love, peace, and hope,

happy surprises,
and at least a little bit of chocolate!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

April Showers

/ Jodi / 56 Comments
April Showers Red Umbrella Watercolor 11x14

April Showers Red Umbrella Watercolor 11×14

April Showers.

We are expecting April showers today.
That’s okay, because they will be bringing May flowers.

The daffodils and hyacinths and forsythia are already painting a bright and beautiful Spring.

I woke up early yesterday and felt like painting, but didn’t know what to paint.  Scrolling through Pinterest, I found some lovely art done by Antigoni Tziora of Greece.  This artist uses oil, acrylic, and watercolor mediums to create romantic figurative work.  I tried recreating one in just watercolor, and this is what resulted.  I’d like to try more experimenting with this.  It was a fun practice to do.

Wishing you showers of joy, love, peace, and happiness!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi