Tapestries of Gold

Tapestries of Gold is a song produced by Deborah Keily Hanson with words by Mary A. Hannon . Truc Mai Nguyen and Jeffrey Alan Hanson sing the vocals. Listen to the song. Tapestries of Gold ℗ 2023 Deborah Keily Hanson The album cover is a redesign of my painting Welcome Home. Welcome Home is my tribute …

Pretend Until you Are

One of the Twelve-Step recovery slogans that empowers me to become the person and artist I dream of being is... “Act as if!” Simply put, emotional health often results when you practice a particular character trait you want to possess. Even if you feel quite the opposite, shaking in your shoes, you “act as if” …

Dream Eye Water Color Portrait Lesson

The Dream Eye Watercolor Portrait Lesson is a fun and easy art activity. Learn how to use carbon paper to transfer a copy of the mixed media painting I created, and how to use water color pencils to create your own artwork: Supplies: All you need are watercolor pencils, carbon paper, watercolor paper, a ruler, …

Art is the soul made visible

Art is the soul made visible... the spirit tangible... the unseen possible! Lately I've been contemplating the transformative power of art. How amazing that something envisioned can come to life through an art form! There are other benefits as well. For example, when you can’t find words to express your feelings, artistic expression can become your …

The Ebb and Flow of Artistic Ambition

Every creative experiences the ebb and flow of artistic ambition. Whatever your creative expression is, you feel the phenomenon. One day you’ve got it—enthusiasm bubbles over and your art form flows. Then the unexpected happens. The desire, chutzpah, passion, or however you describe artistic ambition, evaporates until the once flowing stream becomes a dry riverbed. …

THE GIVER GRACES THE COVER OF AN EBOOK, WINDOWS ACROSS OCEANS

Today was the book launch of Windows Across Oceans, an eBook in which nine women from around the world share their remarkable stories of overcoming.  I created The Giver to express the mission of literacy, a glorious burden shared by those who long to help people learn to read. Recently, Aliyah, the book’s editor, found my painting through …

Forest Adventure: Mask Portrait in Process

Forest Adventure is my recent portrait painting in process. Lately, I’ve been on a roll with portrait painting, so I decided to use one of my photographs as the inspiration for this new painting. My daughter, Elya, painted this mask and is the model in the photo. One of the many reasons I love this photo so …

Chosen

I created this mixed media to visualize what it means to be Chosen. In My Father’s Vineyard by Wayne Jacobsen inspired Chosen. I’m reading this wonderful book and savoring every word, like a glass of fine wine. Having grown up on a vineyard, Jacobsen’s knowledge about vineyard husbandry brings scriptures to life. Jacobsen explains how God has grafted us into the …

Technology-assisted Art

My husband calls my technology-assisted art “cheater art.” When I showed him my latest oil painting in process, he chuckled and teased, “So is this the real thing or your cheater art?” His comments rolled right off my back like water off a duck’s feathers because my method helps me to grow as an artist. …