My Baby!

My son Antoni will be turning 9 months in a few days and I am kind of stunned by this! I know he is not "1" yet but 9 MONTHS is getting close. I still remember that day in the labor room like it was yesterday, except for the fact that it was not.


June 2,2014

                                                                      
I feel like this time has gone by so fast and it is hard knowing that he is not that little 6lb. 13oz. baby any more. Antoni from the get go was actually never really small to me, I feel like he has grown so fast. When he was 3 months; to me he looked like 5 months. I know he gets it from his fathers side of the family. However this little baby is not so little anymore and it makes me a bit emotional to think about. My husband and I were looking at pictures the other night and just laughing at all the funny faces and how dark he was. HAHAHA we were cracking up. Antoni has seriously been such a gift for the both of us and even though he is giving us a run for our witts he is our sweet gift from God. We have been learning so much with him and at times I feel like the poor kid is the lesson run. An example; At first he slept so well through the night, and then after Thanksgiving last year it has been a battle to get him to sleep the whole night without even waking up once, this has seriously been a ride for us. However I feel like I know how to handle it better now then I used to. I am constantly just seeing the new things he achieves and seeing his strength. My son is pretty strong for his age, at least that is my thought. Let's see some things he has learned to do in the 8 months of life:

• To smile and laugh more often ( I honestly don't think this is something he learned, but none the less he has become way more out going)
• Rolling on my belly
• Kicking my legs and feet
• Army crawl
• Pick up my bottle with one hand
• Roll a ball
• Throw things on the floor that I don't want.
• Grunt
• Yell
• Crawl
• Stand up (then yell and cry because I do not know how to get down, and I am stuck!)
• Stand up in his crib (many of the reasons why we have to lay him like 10 times before he falls asleep)
• Bounce up and down on my crib mattress
• Talk to myself
• Talk with my cousin
• Drink from a straw
• Pick up food with his fingers and put in his mouth.
• Find every single thing on the floor. (where does it go? Straight to his mouth)
• Shake his head "NO"
• Swim in the bath tub
• Sit and look at book
• Follow me every where, not kidding he will not leave my side
• Sing to music (every now and then anyway)
• Bang on cans with our made at home drum sticks
• Bang on the keys of his baby grand piano
• Turn when you call his name
• Knows to get mad when you take something away from him (not like this is something I am going to condone, but the reality of him responding that way makes me know he is developing his social emotional skills)
• He is still working on playing and entertaining himself for a while.(we are working on that one)

My son has really started to go through his different milestones (from loosing hair to growing more back) and it is astounding to see him develop. I love this little boy so much and can't wait to see all the different hurdles he will overcome. When we get alone one on one time, I just love to kiss on him as much as possible, he is not one for cuddling but when I can, you better be for sure that I will. My son is a one of a kind soul and I hope that Ray and I will be able to bring him up to be a God fearing man. My prayer to God is to always give us the wisdom to raise him correctly; that he be a man after God's heart, loving, respectful, mindful, have a sense of humor and be outgoing. To remember others before himself. Antoni is a pride and joy of mine. Every moment that I have with him I know is a blessing, there I times where I have to remind myself that these moments only come once and that I should savor them to the max, even when he is getting into something that I have pulled him away like 15 times.
That is one thing persistence is key to raising a child, that and so much love.

Love my book
Ikea soft book: $4.00
Ikea Shark: $10.00 he loves to wrestle with it.

            

                                                    

See I love to put anything and everything in my mouth, this is how I learn.

From latest to most recent.

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cake Cookies!

I had been thinking the other day, that I still had not posted any of the recipes of cooked or baked things that I have made. Today while I start baking I remember "o yea, my blog". So I grab my phone and start taking pictures, (please excuse the pictures for the lighting in my kitchen is not the best)either way I had made these already with yellow cake. I was thinking hmmm a chocolate covered strawberry, that would probably be awesome as a cookie. To the kitchen I go and experiment this is what you will need:

1. Duncan Hines Strawberry cake mix
2. 1 tspn. Baking powder
3. 2 large eggs
4. 1/3 cup oil
5. 1/2 tspn. Vanilla extract
6. 1 and 1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
7. 2 separate bowls (1 larger than the other)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Get a cookie sheet either lined with parchment paper, or a nonstick cookie sheet pan.
3. In your larger bowl mix the cake mix with the baking powder. Set that to the side.
4. In your smaller bowl whisk together your eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
5. Now grab your egg mix and pour into your dry cake mix, make sure to combine well until you get an almost shiny doughy mix.
6. Now fold in your chocolate chips, to incorporate them really well I did it by 1/4 cups at a time.
7. After you have it all mixed for smaller cookies take 1Tbspn fulls and put on cookie sheet. For larger cookies do 2TBSPN full.
8. Now let them bake for about 10 min. After you take them out,let them stand on the baking sheet for 3min. then transfer onto a cooling rack!

Mix before adding in the chocolate chip cookies
 

                                                       

The larger cookie was with 2tbsn of mix, the smaller was with 1tbspn of mix!
 

Last Step:
Grab a cookie and a glass of milk or coffee, sit down and enjoy!
I am not going to lie, they are pretty good not totally like a chocolate covered strawberry but good never the less.

Heavy Heart/ Wonderful Husband

Today I have had a heavy heart, I have been getting back into the arts after being gone for like 2 years. This has seriously been very difficult for me in the sense that I almost feel at a loss. I had entered a juried art festival in Chicago in the sense of "if I take a risk then maybe, just maybe." I knew in the back of my mind that is was a long shot considering that this was an open call to everyone in the U.S. and who knows how many people entered. Either way today I got the email that I did not get in. In all honesty I took it hard, I know that as in artist there is a whole lot of rejection before acceptation. Well some artists have the gifts of making it more quickly then others. Either way this road has been affecting me lately in a huge way. I have tried different things and just do not see any improvement, I do not know if it is something that I am doing wrong. Questions I constantly ask myself are:
1) Is this really my calling?
2) Where do I need to go?
3) Who do I need to contact?
4) When will my time come?
5) Will I sell any work?
6) What is the next painting that I need to work on?
7) What can I do to expand to more viewers?
8) What galleries, or shows should I apply to?

So as I am feeding my son his squash and my husband is building a shelving unit outside in the freezing cold (We were going through an ICE STORM), and see the email that I did not get in to the festival I truly became upset. My husband comes in from outside and sees me and asks "what's wrong" I let him know "I did not get accepted" "Accepted for what?" he asked. I then respond the art show. He then comes sits next to me and starts to console me with his words. After I start numerating all the negatives, he then says "babe you are only looking at the negative, you have accomplished many things." He starts to remind me of the different shows I have been a part of, the publication that I had and some of the purchased art works. Little by little I start to feel better, still some what upset. I finish feeding my son and just think about those opportunities that I have had. We then go into our extra bedroom and my husband built me this unit for all of my paints and supplies, he blew me away with everything he did, considering the weather. I mean he even made me a bench and a few more things to be able to organize all of my stuff.
It was great and my studio space is starting to really come together, the space is more practical then it was before, if feels great!
Later on today I get a phone call from a really great friend, we started talking. I knew she had been going through some things lately and just wanted to know how she was doing. She let's me know what is going on, and I immediately felt bad for becoming so upset about the fact that I did not get in the show. After listening to her and what is going on, I felt as though what I am going through is not as bad as it could really be. After getting off the phone I just kept thinking of this sweet girl and how I hope things get better for her real soon. Probably an hour passes and I get on facebook, I then see some of the people that are artists as well and begin to get the feeling of disappointment again. I see that they are getting their work out there and that they are selling and getting into showings. I truly am happy for them, and I hope they reach all the success that they can, because I know they have worked hard for it. However I feel upset because I want to see improvement from my end.
Now that the day is winding down and we put our son down to go to sleep, I sit down with some coffee and truly start analyzing the situation and just think.
I am blessed, I have a husband who loves me that will build things for me no matter how cold and wet it may be outside. I have a son that needs me and loves me and never ceases to make me smile. I have health, and aspirations to make it big one day in the art world. No matter how many times I may fall and fail (which I know will be many), I must get back up and keep trying. My husband says he has faith in me, and will keep supporting me. My family has been very supporting of my arts, they seriously have gone to almost all of my shows and have let people know about me. I know that this discouragement that I felt today will be gone with in a few weeks. Also after talking with my friend it truly just reminded me that everything happens according to the will of God. I know there is a reason for me not making it into this festival, what the reason is I do not know right now, but I do know that I have a mighty God who sees further than I will ever be able to. Who knows maybe by the time the deadline came to pay for the booth fee which was over $300.00 we wouldn't have the money. Maybe the fact that the festival landed on the weekend of my first born 1st birthday. What ever the reason may be, I know that if it did not happen is for something and that when one door closes another one opens. One of the things for me or that I have always believed is that one should work in what they love, and I just want to work in what I love and be able to help in supporting my family financially. I do have a part time job teaching Spanish so I do not just sit and not help out, however my dream is to just be able to paint. I know right now that this is a battle God wants me to go through, because He truly wants me to depend on Him. It is also crazy because for the past few weeks God has been ministering to me through bible studies and preaching's about this situation. Every study and preaching that I have heard lately has been about this very thing, how to glorify God through our talents, and not let other people bring us down, and to not give up easily. We must keep fighting for it and putting it in the hands of the Lord. So I know me going through this is just a molding situation, I am being molded to a better me. The way a clay master molds their pieces to the utmost best.
I am not going to surrender and give up because of this, I will keep pushing forward till I get to where I must get. When that day comes I know I will be able to look back and be happy and conformed with everything that I went through. All of the situations we face is for a purpose and that which does not kill us, only makes us stronger. This being said, I am out and best wishes to all of you who are working hard to make a living and helping those around you.

Studio Space is coming together, it is a very good feeling. The fact that I have more ample space to work in.

The shelving unit my husband made for me, he also made a stool for me to sit on.
He pretty much Rocks and is the best!
 

Happy New Year (February?)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I know it is already February

 

 

I know it is already February, but Happy New Year just the same better late then never right????.....
 

Now that February has hit I have been trying to seriously become more productive in my career, this is something that I have a strive for to be able to succeed. I do not take my career lightly as it may look, the only thing is in the art world for someone to be successful, one has to first be recognized by that one person. Once that happens then things get better, now that being said I have to make sure I become more productive in advertising and promoting myself.

Who ever thought that art is an easy way to make a buck, please think again. Not only as an artist must we strive to create unique pieces of work, but also try to appeal to different audiences. We have the Gallery audience, festival audience, seller audience, publisher audience, your own art audience, and then everyone else that encompasses. When making art that is not what truly comes to my mind first. First I think alright I want to make something impacting to myself, but also something that is aesthetically pleasing.

 
One thing that I tend to do is look at other artists work, I look to see what is going on in the world around me, also I like to see some of the old school artist work for example, Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Kandinsky, Basquiat, just to name a few. I do this to see what different ideas I can come up with to use as an influence in my work. One thing I learned as a BFA major was that an artist should always stay true to their work, not try and imitate someone else or make art to simply sell it. Yes as artists we all want to sell, but that should not be the driving force to why we produce it. One huge thing that always baffles me is how I can go to any home goods store and see so many prints that sell for $80.00 to $100.00 dollars and people buy them. Not that it is wrong, but I just feel that there is no real special connection. These pieces are bought to just fill up a space on a wall, or a table. They are what I like to call filler art. The piece may be very pretty, but one it is not the original piece and #2 I am sure there is at least 4 other people with that very same art piece. Art should be a reflection of you as the buyer, it should speak to you and cling to your soul and heart. A good art piece is one that you think about over and over again when looking to buy. Not just a piece that matches your area rug, couch, or throw pillows.

When you buy art and you keep thinking is this going to match with my furniture? One, you already started the process of art buying wrong. If you fall in love with a piece for any reason you should buy it, because original art is an investment. Your couch, area rug, and throw pillows will wear and tear, but your art piece should last you a lifetime of happiness. That every time you see that piece you can go to those happy memories in the back of your mind that you forget about, but as soon as you see that one piece they fill you up. You become warm and giddy, happy. There is a pleasant feeling that can not compare.

A painting is more than just a buy, it is an investment just like you invest in a camera to capture special moments in your life. The birth of your child, the warm embrace of a mother, grandmother or even the memory of a special place or smell. Playing sports with your father or grandfather. The love of your marriage all of these memories are captured by that one purchase of a camera and because of that one purchase you now have some special memories. This is how in art piece should make you feel.
See an artist does their best to be pure at heart and paint or sculpt what they know and who they are. Another tip when buying an art piece is to know the artist themselves, speak to them get to know why they choose to do what they do. Not all artist have the same story but they are willing to let you in. I know that as an artist it is nice to share to people what I do, and why I get up everyday with a determined mind to paint my life. Some people can relate to my work, others may not however that does not matter, what matters to me is if I can just make that one person have an emotional connection. I then know that my intention was not in vain.
I love creating art: abstract, impressionist, or even what I like to call the influence of street art. When I have pieces purchased or even hung in galleries and see the reaction of some of the viewers it just truly fills me up, because it makes me know that I was able to spark an emotion with out even knowing the story of the viewer.
See every single person has a story behind them, in plain day or sight we do not know it or cant even tell. However put that person in front of a painting that impacts them and you will see it slowly come out of them on its own. Art has a way of speaking to people in a way that no one ever can. Many of us are introvert and do not like people to see us broken down, excited or what ever it may be that is hiding. However for a brief moment when you stand before a painting that speaks to you nothing matters, you don't care if some one sees you smile from ear to ear, or shed a tear.
Those are the sentiments I mean when I speak about purchasing art, you purchase it because it makes you feel either; happy, stronger, or even more courageous.

Here is another reason why I create art (which is my #1 reason for doing so); God has given each one of His children a gift. Through out many years I was searching for what was His purpose in my life, what did He want me to do to serve Him foremost and then others. After many years and until recently it has become more clear to me that he wants me to be doing this. He wants me to praise Him through my paintings. I can honestly say that my mind does not relate with many other people, I say it because even my husband sometimes thinks "What are you seeing, what are you talking about, you have a wild imagination." When I look at the day and my surrounding I do not just think "oh there is another tree." No it goes beyond that, I see the detail or how God made everything so different. They all may look the same but go in deeper and you see the beauty of every different detail. Where you may think it is just an ugly branch, God created this tree which produces oxygen for us to be able to breathe, this tree gives us paper, can give us healing, food, so many resources come from that one tree. This is just an example of my thought process, and then my imagination comes into play when I begin to go deeper in my thoughts. I love having this because it helps me develop my love for Christ even more. See God uses the smallest things to speak to us, and when I can portray that in a painting and spark some ones emotions when they see it, then I know I have been able to serve God and then others. I see color, shapes, images forming in clouds. I don't know about you but when I was younger I would always do this. I would stare at clouds and would form different pictures in my mind. I would see hands, faces, houses, and even sometimes dragons forming. I know this may seem childish but in reality this is who I am and how I see things. God uses people to teach, act, read, sing, write, clean and etc. every job has a purpose and mine is to be a painter and serve Him. I even feel that a painting can bring emotional and even physical healing to a person, brighten their day and help them see that God is not done molding them.

Now with me trying to be more promotional about my art, I decided to create an Etsy account, I have thought about it for a few years now. Finally I took the plunge, I do not have every single piece up, because I want to see how it goes. For me this is a big deal because it is scary for me to have paintings up and not ever have one taken home, but I know I had to do it, I must put all fear aside and just wait to see what happens. Through this time of opening up my shop, I have also applied to some festivals, some volunteer projects and some other things. I am my biggest critic and it is hard for me when I have to wait to see what happens, or where I must turn next. However you must give to get so I spend hours searching for the next place to send my work, go store to store, gallery to gallery in hopes for the next opportunity to show. I literally will take a day and just walk to different places, take a night going through different Art applications and trying to document my work. It takes time but I am convinced that my day will come. I also recently partnered with a local charity that will be opening their doors soon for Hispanic pregnant women. The charity is "Manos Dispuestas" they will be giving education maternal classes and offering essential resources ex; bottles, pacifiers, diapers, wipes etc. I know that this will be a very beneficial charity for the community and one that I want to be a part of. So for every painting that I sell I will give back to this Charity in hopes that it will help fund for some of the necessities.
I am excited to partner with them and I hope that I will be able to give back.

<a href="//www.etsy.com/shop/DamarisNinoPaintings?ref=offsite_badges&utm_source=sellers&utm_medium=badges&utm_campaign=en_isell_2"><img width="500" height="500" src="//img0.etsystatic.com/site-assets/badges/en/en_isell_2.png"></a>