Storewide Thank You Discount

20% off Discount Code ELEVENTHHOUR1

I’d like to express my thanks further by offering the very first ever storewide discount. In all my years of public and private sales I have given 3 discount coupons to individuals. This is the first public discount at 20% off store wide. Share on social media if you will.

Although you are seeing the Etsy Mini, you may still purchase through PayPal and receive 20% off. The discount code should be entered at checkout.

ELEVENTHHOUR1

Faith

Some Things Aren’t Easy to Look At

Ariel knew d1 They just aren’t, some issues are so frightening that even in the line of the sun they are still pitch black, still frightening.

When I painted this child, I did so with full knowledge that she may not sell. I have a problem though, I can’t paint gentle art if that’s not what’s inside. So I did what I do. I painted what I know.

Little Ariel knew it would rain. How does a person with Fibromyalgia and /or Lupus know it’ll rain even without turning on the weather report? Our bones tell us. The pain level shoots up high. Our eye sight is affected. Our fingers, lips and toes get cold. The pain level shoots up so high and so fast that it’ll double the body over. What’s interesting to me is that I’m caught off guard every time.

I hold my side. I’m bending down, seconds from loosing lunch, but it hasn’t clicked. I don’t understand what’s happening to my body. When I try to get to the car I see its sprinkling, raining or even light snow. Now it makes sense. Finally I realize the weather system has changed  and that has affected my pain, my complexion, fingers, lips, eyes and my ability to think rationally. It’s as if I’ve been sucked in and can’t see my way out….  but not so fast. I can see my way out. Continue reading “Some Things Aren’t Easy to Look At”

Bruised Reed

Bruised Reed
Bruised Reed

When I posted this work on Etsy where I offer original art, I got a comment from another artist that really made me smile. Right away that artist recognized from where I got the phrase, “bruised reed.” I was surprised by that but it was a welcome surprise.

Her face is striking; I know.
She pulls at the heart; I know.
She’s stripped to the bone.
She’s bruised but not broken.

Art Title: Bruised Reed
Art by: Faith Magdalene Austin
Size and Medium: black ink, strikes of color on light grain sketchbook paper. 4.5 × 7, signed, sealed, mounted. * SOLD *

Continue reading “Bruised Reed”

The Wanderer – On Fallen Trees

1 In the woods d7The Wanderer is a nature scene of a young black boy sitting on a tree stump. His shirt is the same color as the roots of the trees that continued to grow the day I wandered into the woods through a host of fallen trees. I couldn’t believe the color. I’d never seen anything like it, such a beautiful and vibrant orange roots coming right out of rich, black earth. WOW!

This scene with the African American boy is based on that moment, the moment when I wandered into the woods.

The boy is sitting on the stump in his orange shirt and navy blue jeans with a tiny button. Beside him is a small red bird (cardinal). The bird is also hand sculpted without a cast. Meticulously placed are curly twigs from grape vines and blackberry vines. As in the real life wooded area, large flowers stand nearly frozen in time, as if dried in a flash. Yellow flowers, two white bushes, small hand picked rocks as well as tiny hand painted flowers have been added to a carpet of reindeer moss. The scene is stationed on a ceramic tile with a felt bottom. Continue reading “The Wanderer – On Fallen Trees”

What the Heart Wants

Heart Wants fmaShe stands 6.5 inches tall and is 4 inches wide on heavy weight paper. In order to create your painting I first used crayola crayons then began to smooth the colors together with my fingers. I etched with my fingers then used crayola markers. Water was used to move the marker around creating an etched finger painting in Crayola. Details were added in oil pastel and black ink.

Here she is full of emotion, with her eyes closed, head to the side and heart exposed and open. She is vulnerable, full of love, capable of loving much. But what is it that her heart wants? She closes her eyes and she listens. Continue reading “What the Heart Wants”

Dream Catcher

Dream Catcher fmaDream Catcher – a crayola etching on paper. How did such a small yet intricate piece of art get a big name? The paper was originally used as scratch paper for other art work. I tested colors, tested pens to see if they worked and blended crayons to see if I liked the colors. After a little bit I began to see the figure bending over. Of course I had to bring him out more.

 

He reminded me of myself, bent over, hanging on but still chasing after the thing he desires most. For me, that desire is to paint.

A scratch piece of paper with bits and pieces of hard work come together as an etching called Dream Catcher.

Dream Catcher is 6.5 x 4 inches and was created on sketchbook paper. You will find purchase information in my Etsy shop.

Thank you

Venture to Know

Venture to Know by FMAA large sunflower mandala, a white butterfly and stone embellishments cradle the main subjects of the painting called Venture to Know. Her hair becomes the tree that reaches into a red and turquoise sky. Her face is divided into copper, wood, bark, Indiana yellow and flaming red. Deep set are the dark eyes of this figure, deep set lined in turquoise, Indian yellow and coal black. Her lips are white and cracked like the detailed crags and bare tree.

Are these scars on her face or life experiences? Are the divisions made to keep peace or to keep away? Continue reading “Venture to Know”

Iesha – She who lives

Iesha School Girl

In a village or town somewhat far from here lives a mother and father who work hard and feed their family with food sufficient for each day. They go about sweeping, sewing, mending and patching, etching out life. They scurry here and there, rushing this one, readjusting that one, forgetting another. In this village or town far away from here there are the higher ups and those low on socially carved totem poles. Somewhere in the middle, growing up with sisters but no brothers is a little girl named Iesha.

I used my hands to work the oil pastel then added ink details. About 90% of this is a finger painting in oil pastels.  Continue reading “Iesha – She who lives”

Rustic Sunflower

Rustic Sunflower fmaAt 9 inches by 6 inches this painting is stunning when matted and framed. It’s worn look gives an emotional feel for which I have no words, so I can only describe to you what is in the painting.

There is one large sepia toned sunflower in full bloom surrounded by large, dark green leaves standing tall and reaching high. The forest green leaves mixed with spring green and black contrast against an aged turquoise background. The background has a rubbed, antique worn, wood appearance. The two stalks merge at soil level where small white and small black flowers emerge.

Other details: Colors bleed from green to black to turquoise. The leaves of the sunflower as well as the entire background itself are texture rich. If you are a sunflower lover and like the sepia tone, red sunflower or autumn colors with a snap then you will love this painting. Continue reading “Rustic Sunflower”

The Stream Carried Wonderment and Joy

The Stream Carried Wonderment and JoyThis painting is on of the very first collages I’ve created and thought good enough to post. The tall, elongated woman with her face divided by cream and blue stands with her eyes closed taking in everything. The secure and at peace woman stands with her feet in the stream and allows joy and wonderment into her life. There is no struggle, no working against the tide. She takes it all in and is entirely in the moment.

Her hair is adorned with flowers. Her dress is yellow at the top with two butterfly cut outs. The butterfly details also appear at the side of her skirt. The remaining cut outs are small flowers made from hand dyed coffee filter cut outs. Food coloring was used to stain the coffee filter cut outs. The painting has been sealed with a matte acrylic seal.  Continue reading “The Stream Carried Wonderment and Joy”