Kristye Addison Dudley - Contemporary Fine Artist

Untitled © Kristye Addison Dudley Have you ever watched the show hoarders and immediately wanted to throw away everything you own? Now that we are in the military, we are sort of gypsies. We will move every few years. Keeping lots of stuff doesn't work with this lifestyle. Yet and still, I keep collecting. I watched one Hoarders episode last week and I felt the need to purge things I hadn't worn, used or looked at in a year. Then I watched a documentary called Beautiful Losers. It's about outsider contemporary art culture. I looked at the studios of the artists and thought back to what my studio used to look like. Simply put, organized chaos and at times could have been its own episode of art hoarders. I used to collect things that inspired me. Magazines, toys, pictures, fabric, equipment (screen printing, laminating machine, book binding, cutting boards, seeing machine and more), history books, music and whatever else I found. Recently, I found some of my magazine c...

Reflections © Kristye Addison Dudley purchase prints This painting is called Reflections. I painted it years ago during a time when I was just pondering what my life would be like. Would I get married? Would I have kids? Those questions have been answered, but there are so many more like... Which do you prefer pizza or sandwiches? I have always been more of a pizza gal myself, but recently I seem to always end up with sandwiches, or actually IN sandwiches. What's my affinity for pizza? It's an open in your face complete meal. Sandwiches are sort of sneaky. Even though you know the ingredients, there are always surprises when the whole thing comes together. Right now my life is like that. It used to be sort of like a pizza. It was pretty easy to see what you were working with. But now, I am totally in a sandwich. I am in an interesting little tortilla wrap that is my family. It's odd being sandwiched between your kids, your deployed spouse, your parent and everyt...

Painting by KJ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13 KJV) As you know I am now the mother of two kiddos! It's pretty awesome. KJ loves her little brother and Lil Mark can't get enough of her. Today she got him to make his first smile. My husband is away for two weeks training and once again, I am so thankful for my mother being here to help out. I am also grateful that I have the flexibility to help her with whatever she may need too. I have to admit that I have used Disney Junior on TV to help me keep KJ occupied. I tell myself, she's learning. And she does pick up some educational tools, but really it gives me some time to make dinner or other chores. So I am on a mission to find other, more engaging things, more artful things. She is liking the change and so am I. Her latest finger painting master piece is above. I am so proud. Now every time she sees a brush she says she wants to paint. I love that! My other little wo...

Painting by KJ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13 KJV) As you know I am now the mother of two kiddos! It's pretty awesome. KJ loves her little brother and Lil Mark can't get enough of her. Today she got him to make his first smile. My husband is away for two weeks training and once again, I am so thankful for my mother being here to help out. I am also grateful that I have the flexibility to help her with whatever she may need too. I have to admit that I have used Disney Junior on TV to help me keep KJ occupied. I tell myself, she's learning. And she does pick up some educational tools, but really it gives me some time to make dinner or other chores. So I am on a mission to find other, more engaging things, more artful things. She is liking the change and so am I. Her latest finger painting master piece is above. I am so proud. Now every time she sees a brush she says she wants to paint. I love that! My other little wo...

Winds of Change , Acrylic on Canvas © Kristye Addison Dudley It's been a great holiday week so far. I am getting tons of rest and working towards a new year full of personal goals. One of which is running my first 1/2 marathon. So far I have only gotten new shoes, but you have to start somewhere. I am so grateful for so many thing I can't even count them. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving Day. We spent the day with friends of ours here in Bossier City. They have a 2 year old little girl, who our 18 month old KJ couldn't get enough of and a 5 week old little boy, who has given my husband a little baby fever. We did a pot luck and completely stuffed ourselves. I have been trying to make those left overs last as long as possible, I really don't want to spend this weekend cooking and cleaning up the kitchen any more than necessary. I have also been helping do graphics for a dear friend of mine who is getting married on Sunday. We are not going to be able to make i...

 "The Team" Acrylic on Canvas 30" x 24" © Kristye Addison Dudley Purchase Prints and cards Last Friday, the opening was great! I met so many kind and talented people in the art community and I was surrounded by our new family of friends here. It felt so good to share my art with them and receive positive feedback. Since art is so personal, art show openings tend to make me feel a bit like I am standing exposed in a room full of judges. But luckily I made it through without a scratch. The next morning, I awoke with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. As I mentioned in my blog last week, I "Remember when..." I used to go and visit friends at the drop of a dime. Being married with a little one, makes that spontaneity a bit less spontaneous. But, because of my amazing husband I was able to catch a last minute flight out of town to go and visit with some girlfriends that I have really been missing. So Saturday morning, I got on a plane and flew back ...

Leap of Faith - 6ft x 6ft Acrylic on Canvas © Kristye Addison Dudley Purchase Prints of my work Last weekend I participated in a charity benefit at my church. It was for breast cancer awareness and pay tribute to survivors in the community. There was a great turn out, and I was one of the vendors on hand to share my work. I met so many wonderful people. I donated a print of " In the Huddle " To the speaker. Her story of her life's trials and tribulations was astonishing. But her spirit of thanksgiving was inspiring. The next day we went to the church of a family friend. The pastor is discussing a series on joy. And the message was right on time. One thing that I find myself constantly battling with is keeping my mind focused on pure and simple joy. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. I pray and I give thanks in all situations (not just for my b...

By Gods Grace - 30" x 30", acrylic on canvas © Kristye Addison Dudley We are on the road doing what I am calling the "East Coast Tour". Much of my family hasn't seen KJ since we moved away. Now she is 17 months old and full of personality (some of which are characteristic of all little toddlers). We are driving from Louisiana to Georgia to North Carolina to South Carolina and then a 14 plus hour drive back to Louisiana. We are so thankful for this time with our family and friends. We can't see everyone, but we are seeing as many people as we can. Today is my mother's birthday. I feel so blessed to be able to spend the next couple of days with her. Just a few weeks ago I was afraid for her life, but by God's Grace we are celebrating instead of morning. My husband and I are also having some uninterrupted time to think. To really listen to the wind in the trees, hear the birds sing and just have our minds eye opened to life around us. We ha...

The Dancer - 8" x 10" acrylic on canvas board © Kristye Addison Dudley purchase originals and prints This couple of weeks is a blur. We had a great anniversary. Mark took me out for a wonderful dinner and we reminisced and thought back over our lives so far and about our future. For Labor Day weekend we started a "remodel" of our apartment. We are trying to be present and not constantly feel in transition. When we married we knew we would only be in our first home for three years. We didn't take full advantage of that time. We didn't really put down roots until it was time to leave. Although we are only slotted to be here for 3 more years, we don't want to make the same mistake. We are making new friends, getting out and simply trying to enjoy the world around us. We aren't focused on what's next like we did before. What's next will come soon enough. “Do not make a noise about tomorrow, for you are not certain what a day's outco...

© 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 ...

"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 ne...

Watercolor and Acrylic, brush and knife © Kristye Addison Dudley 2011 I am sure you have been wondering where the paintings are. Well, I am happy to report, I have been painting! I am currently working on two commissions. One is a wedding gift and the other is a gift from a student to his mentor. Both are figures and feel very blessed to be creating them for my collectors. I really love commissions and the development process between myself and my clients. They provide photos, feelings, quotes or a general concept and I look for inspiration to transform that into a visual medium that can speak volumes to others. While I am working on those I continue to work on smaller pieces too. This magnolia study was really fun (yes my work is fun). Since I am also a graphic designer, I have to sometimes force myself to loosen up and paint "outside" of the lines. I wanted to leave just enough of the form of the flower and the leaves to show the shape without taking away the airiness of t...