Garden of a Joyful Heart...

That's the name of this print by Etsy artist, Trmackstudio. With the bright colors and fun dots of color, I'm not sure how anyone could be less than joyful!

If you haven't already figured it out, I'm a sucker for anything that is full of bright color. To me, color means happiness and joy. So the title to this piece of art was a siren call.

This is an art print, and with a cost of just $13.50 (and that includes postage, folks), it is a major steal of a deal. Tom will even sign it for you! Now, it is an open edition, which means that he'll keep making 'em as folks wanna buy 'em, so if you are looking for a piece for investment purposes (hey, you never know, Tom could become the next big 'thing'....! Just hope he doesn't cut an ear off, or something (Van Gogh did, you know)), then check out his original art. He does a variety of grouped images, too.

I mentioned before that art is a panacea for what ails ya. And I do mean it. This piece is small enough to frame for that boring office cubicle but large enough (with the impactful color) to liven any room. Check out his shop at www.trmackstudio.etsy.com.

Personally, I'm looking at one of his series for when I redecorate. I am tired of the boring reprints found at the local hobby store. And gallery art, at least around here, is so expensive as to be ridiculous. I went into one gallery not that long ago and found a small piece (not nearly as cool or detailed as Tom's pieces) for more than $500.

Sorry, but that just won't knock my socks off. But this one did. And I'm sure you'll find one, or more, that make you smile, too.

Cold where you are?

It isn't that bad here...one of the major benefits to living in Texas is the winters. (Don't EVEN get me started on the 'simulation for hell' that the summer provides....good training for wanna be demons and fundamentalist preachers....)

Today it was 65 degrees. That's in fahrenheit, folks. Nice and balmy for winter. But still...it isn't spring. And I have to keep the windows shut and the furnace going (because it does drop a bit at night)....

So what can you do to dispel the winter doldrums? Buy art. Seriously. I'm not joking. Something lively and fun. Something that will intrigue your eye and put a smile on your face. Or maybe even, both. Above is a piece that I personally own from Etsy artist, Justin Vining. Check out his work at www.justinvining.etsy.com.

I love him. Now, if you are his wife or girlfriend, relax. I mean this in the most artistic way. I love his work. I bought some of his art last year (Sorry, Justin, I still haven't framed them...but I will) and I just adore the brightness and the funky take on reality that his work exudes.

Ok, maybe Martian landscapes aren't reality as most of us know it (Justin is, after all, working on a law degree AND a creative type....not sure if there is joke in there...but as a 'once long ago, wanna be attorney' myself, I 'get' that there needs to be a fantasy world. And he's found a cool vibe to enhance his...). And YES, he is known for doing some really cool Martian style landscapes, retakes on classic art (particularly of Van Gogh) as well as stylized (and slightly warped) views of landscape, complete with interesting horizons and buildings that seem to jut out of the earth with little regard for physics.

The guy only has 5 items in his shop at the moment. I'm rather sad about this, but maybe law school is the culprit. Write the dude and let him know that you want ART.

I'm sure he will oblige.