Kristye Addison Dudley - Contemporary Fine Artist

Family photo of my husband and KJ our babymoon in June. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. (Galatians 6:9 NLT) Ok so I am 35 weeks prego and I am ready to hold this little guy (or baby Jedi as my husband likes to call him) in my arms. On July 10th, I was blessed to turn 39 years old. Yeah I know, we aren't supposed to say our ages these days, but I feel very blessed to be one of the people who lived to see another day, month, and year of this life. Was this year perfect? Not by any means. Was this year full of memories, laughter, tears and growth? Yep and for all of the things I don't want to experience again, I am so fortunate to have lived through them with my family and friends. Well this next year is full of milestones and I am only in day one! My son is due any day now. Really!!! Last night I started having "light" contractions for about 2-3 hours straight, all while ...

 The Earth has Weight by Kristye Addison Dudley I am so blessed to be able to celebrate my mother and my own motherhood (I am now 7 months prego with a baby boy and KJ turned two in April). Mom is a little woman, full of life and spunk. I think I look a little more like her everyday. She says what's on her mind and is so proud of her 4 children and 5.5 grands, you would think she worked in public relations. I had to learn early on to not be embarrassed at her announcements of family achievements to anyone in earshot. And I learned to share her with the world and I am so proud of her ability to have unlimited love to give. I thought I would take some time out and share a little about my mother. Last year, she became ill and went to live with my sister in Charlotte, NC. (I can't thank my sister enough for her nurturing spirit). My mother left her home, her church, her friends, her post office and her routine to recover and get back on her feet. This month it's been 8 mo...

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 ...

"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 ...

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 ...

More Paintings at KristyeAddison.com Latest Painting from Retreat. Acrylic on canvas, using palette knife.

Hello, I am venturing out into the big world of blogging. I hope this provides and opportunity for you to get to know me and for me to get to know you. I just returned from the most amazing art retreat and workshop at Selah Ranch with Texas Contemporary Artist Laurie Justus Pace . The weekend was more than just about painting, I had a chance to connect with some amazing women at the retreat. I really tried to step out of my comfort zone and try new things. I have always enjoyed acrylic painting, but I tried oils. I love figure painting, so I tried a landscape. I tend to lean toward earth tones, so I painted with bold bright colors. The whole expreience has enriched my life and I look forward to building new relationships with my friends. This was the longest amount of time I have spent away from my 1 year old daughter KJ. She is of course the most beautiful child on the planet in my eyes. When I returned home, my sweetie pie had two new teeth!!! They grow so fast. My husband wa...