Act of Faith

© Kristye Addison Dudley

I just wanted to give you an update. My mother is doing much better. She is out of the hospital and with my sister. We have so many decisions to make, decisions that we have all put off for so long. But I do have faith that God will provide all that we need if we seek him first.

I have a bad habit of knowing what is right and veering off on my own. Then God puts people in my path to remind me of the straight and narrow. I have said it before, but I am so thankful for my family and friends. All of the love and support over this last week has help renew my spirit and my faith.

Instead of staying sorrowful, I have been able to look forward. I have been really hard on myself about where I am with my art career. But the truth is, I am where I am and that's that. If I am truly present, I am much farther along than I was last year, so I need to stop beating myself up and embrace progress. (Even if I feel a bit like I am moving at a snails pace. LOL)

I painted this painting above for a charity auction in Atlanta. If we have faith all things are possible. I am stepping out on faith next week. I am having all of my finished paintings in storage professional shot. That's right, I have over 50 paintings in storage! They are not being shown, they are not being shared, they are just sitting all alone in storage. It's time to let them see the light of day, and maybe they will find homes.

I have always believed that even if a painting is not sold, that doesn't mean it's a "bad" painting. It just means it hasn't found it's perfect mate. So I guess in the coming weeks I will start a "matchmaking" of sorts for my artwork. I hope they all find a loving home.

Again, thank you for all the love and prayers. Have a blessed weekend and I will be talking to you soon.

Kristye
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kdudley@dorilam.com

Crashing waves

"Crashing Waves" 8" x 10" © Kristye Addison Dudley

I have been having quite a week. I have felt like I have been riding on waves and being thrown and tossed around. From work, home and family it felt like a roller coaster. This past week my husband traveled to San Antonio for pre-deployment training. Although he goes to work in his Air Force uniform everyday, I still don't like to think about the commitment that he has made. My first cousin was deployed today, bringing the military life back into reality. Our plans for where we are going to live changed in an instant. And it seemed like there were challenges everywhere I looked.

While Mark was gone I found myself appreciating all that he does for us. KJ and I went on with our usual schedule, but each night we Skyped "Da Da". KJ started waving as soon as I brought the computer out. It really made the week go by faster to see his face and hear his voice.

I had been trying for days to get my mother on the phone. She is a bit of a busy body. Between church meetings, church plans and church she is hard to keep up with. I have tried not to worry about her every time I she doesn't pick up the phone, but this was different. She didn't return my calls either. My 3 siblings were going through the same thing. We all live out of state, so we called a neighbor to check on her. She had gotten sick and fallen. She couldn't get to the phone to answer our calls.

Later, when I did get to talk to her, her speech was slurred and incoherent. I remember the way my father sounded after his stroke, and I didn't want to lose my mother too.

She was admitted to the hospital and her glucose was stabilized. Her diabetes is something that she has sort of ignored. Parents are really hard to change aren't they? After a night in the hospital her speech improved, her laughter returned, and I heard my mother tell me she loved me. I said the same.

The sound of her spirited voice was the final wave that crashed into me. For the first time this week I was able to breath and let out the emotions of stress, fear and doubt. I was able to cry tears of joy.

This painting represents the changes we are constantly going through. Even when there is a dark moment, there is light and hope with each passing wave.

Blessings,
Kristye

Kdudley@Kristye.com
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Using my hands - Going 3D

Hand sculpted ceramic figure © Kristye Addison Dudley

I have always loved working with my hands. From building mud pies as a child to painting, I really find that the creative process of making something feeds my soul.

The figures that I paint have always had a life of their own, but I have wanted to see them as 3D figures. So I just took a leap of faith and started to pull them off of the canvas. Small collections of figures like this, will soon be available on my site in limited editions. If there is a painting that you would like to see in 3D just let me know.

I find myself always driven to make things. I can't seem to find enough things do do with my hands. The trouble comes in when instead of doing, I start to think and plan about the details. The devil truly is in the details. I am going to search for some new projects for this fall. I have been wanting to try to make jewelry. Maybe that's next for my busy hands.

Blessings to you all,
Kristye

kdudley@kristye.com
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A Southern View

At Ease © Kristye Addison Dudley

There are a few things about living in the south that are often talked about, but there are hidden rules that we abide by too. One of those things happened to me last week. In the south, we pull over for funeral processions.

I remember growing up and seeing the cars go by and not understanding why we stopped and pulled over on the side of the road. My mother would say, we are showing our respect to the family who lost someone. I never really asked why, I just learned this was how it was done.

This week while I was grabbing lunch, I saw a procession coming my way so I pulled over to the side of the road. I was kind of in a hurry, with a long list of things to-do, but for those few moments, I took some time to pay my respects to a family who had lost a loved one. I didn't know the family, but I have felt the loss. I took time to pray for them and for my family.

So in the South, we do lots of strange things. As a matter of fact we do a lot of things really wrong. We have a history filled with turmoil and hate. We are polorized on just about everything except for football and grits. But there are somethings about being southern that I really like. We smile at strangers, children learn to say "yes mam" and "yes sir" and we sometimes slow down long enough to see our neighbors as ourselves.

Luke 6:31
Do to others as you would have them do to you

Kristye

kdudley@dorilam.com
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Iron Sharpens Iron

"Iron Sharpens Iron" 24" x 24" © Kristye Addison Dudley

Whew, I am tired.

But, I am the best kind of tired. My brain is tired, but I keep thinking of new projects to do! The commission shown was a purchased as a gift. My good friend Dr. Antwan Treadway wanted a gift for his mentor, Dr. Paul E. Gates, brother of Dr. Henry Lewis Gates. I found a scripture that gave me inspiration to create this work.

Psalm 27:17
Iron sharpens iron and one man sharpens another.

We went through a number of drafts, and he selected this theme. The reflection of mentor and student. I have really found that using the palette knife and expanding my colors has brought an exciting dimension to my work.

This painting does make me want to reach out to people who have encouraged me along the way. There are so many people that have in large and small ways touched my life and helped me to grow.

That includes you. Thank you for reading my blog and sending your kind comments.
Until next time...
Kristye

kdudley@dorilam.com
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