EverGrowing Opening + a Giveaway!

I have practiced meditation for years.  I've studied Shambhala Buddhism and clairvoyant meditation.  A few years ago I participated in a ZAZENKAI (a Zen Buddhist retreat during which you spend 14 hours in silent meditation, both seated and walking) at the Upaya Zen Center as a way to explore a different form of meditation and in order to give myself the gift of some time to myself.  While spending the day in silence, the zen tradition teaches you to clear your mind of all thoughts.  Man, was that hard!  Throughout the day, as I had practiced not thinking, a new idea for paintings came to mind and I just couldn't shake it!  At the end of the day, I left feeling nourished,  refreshed, and inspired!

I promptly came home and started planning how to paint what I had envisioned.  The paintings needed to be 3D, something I'd never done before.  At that point I'd been painting for a few years, but only for myself and never in anything that could be even remotely considered 3D.  But the trees I saw had to be in 3D, they had to come out at you, speak to you, feel alive (this may all sound a bit woowoo, but there are no other words for it).  After thinking for a bit, I realized that I still had some of my dad's joint compound in the garage from a window fixing task!  And so began my adventures with joint compound as a medium for art!

Fast forward a few years.  I now have several paintings on my walls and in my closets (there are really only so many paintings you can put up on your walls).  I've created one painting as a gift and one painting for an art show at a local music and art venue for teens (it was a retrospective and my piece represented what we did here in town before W21 opened, because...well...I'm old ;-)  ), but I've never tried to sell them or necessarily put them out there in any way.  That is, until now.  Yes, my friends, I've done it!  I have finally opened my own Etsy shop.

For now I'm selling 3D paintings and pendants, all one of a kind.  I love playing with size and color and have paintings of trees as well as pendants with trees and other symbols.  I will also do custom work and have begun creating Family Trees, with my own little spin.  In addition to my 3D work, I'm also working on a few 2D pieces as well.  As everything is an evolution, so shall be my art ;-)  I've put a little link up and have intentionally tied my shop into my blog with it's title EverGrowing. 

I have also started a facebook page on which to share all my Etsy postings and links to this blog.  I'll also post links to interesting articles and short tidbits about everyday happenings that don't warrant a full blog posting.

Alright, now on to the good stuff!  Who doesn't like a giveaway?!  I would like to spread the word as much as possible about this new adventure, so, in order to do so, I thought I'd offer a little incentive :-)   Here's how to be entered in my first ever giveaway:

• Visit my Etsy Shop and have a little look at my work
• Come back here and leave me a comment on this post telling me which item you like best

Everyone who has done both will be entered in a random drawing for a custom pendant.  That's right, I will make a pendant specially for you!  Remember, you must leave a comment on this post.

I will also be holding a giveaway on my facebook page, so if you LIKE my page, you will entered again.  Two shots at a custom pendant for the price of a couple of minutes of your time!  

This giveaway opens now and will run through Friday, December 2nd at midnight (ish).  I will draw the lucky winners on Saturday morning and make the announcement.

BTW-I'm still trying to figure out how to get a button onto the sidebar of this blog that will take you directly to my EverGrowing facebook page, so if you have any tips, I'd love to hear them!

Thank you in advance for your support and good luck!!!