Spring Cleaning + House Plants

TODAY when I woke up, for the first time this year, it finally felt like spring. Probably because the sun is shining, and because my house is full of plants and flowers, including this palm tree that could be considered a tad out of control.



(He hasn't been re-planted yet, because I can't carry the 100-pound bag of dirt up to my apartment... I literally have no idea how I'm going to get it out of my trunk. Oops.)



My whole house is also perfectly clean -- dusted, swept, washed, everything. It took an entire day of cleaning (and singing and dancing); who knew cleaning 500 square feet required so much effort?











Back to the palm tree: lying on my back underneath the Christmas tree, looking up at all the branches and lights, used to be one of my favorite places to be. That's what sitting under this palm tree feels like (now that I've raised it off the floor so the branches don't hit you in the face as you sit on the couch), and it's become my best thinking spot. Historically speaking, I haven't been very successful at keeping house plants alive... but I'm hoping to break the losing streak with this tree.

What type of plants-in-the-house person are you? None? Jungle queen? Fake? Real? I want to be a jungle queen, with plants all over the place (like these spaces), but my green thumb must greatly improve before that happens.

[All photos and content by Ann Howell Brown, 2013]

Color Drips + Sparkles

This has been my visual landscape this week. Spring needs to HURRY UP.


[All photos and content by Ann Howell Brown, 2013]

Weekend Visits and Easter Eggs

This weekend I got to try a new creative outlet at my mother's suggestion -- making traditional pysanky eggs! (Confused on how to say "pysanky?" It's just like "spanky" with the p and the s reversed... I still have to resist the urge to call them "spanky eggs" and laugh hysterically.)



Starting with just a raw egg, it's a very labor-intensive process, but totally consuming and relaxing and almost therapeutic.



Using just a block of pure beeswax and a kistka stylus, you layer on melted wax and dip the egg in dye, then repeat the process over and over again.











If you're super curious, you can read more on the traditions and symbolism behind pysanky eggs here and here.

Also, my mother and I were discussing -- what do you do with these eggs after you've created them? They're super fragile, roll around, and can't be in bright sunlight. I put them in a dish with some plants (you can see them peeking out below)... any other ideas?



As always, more photos on Instagram and Tumblr.

[All photos and content by Ann Howell Brown, 2013]

Bits of March - Jesus, Lentils, and Sketchbooks

On the road near my school there's this old abandoned building, with the words "JESUS SAVES" and "JOHN 3:16" in red letters on the boarded up windows (if you look really closely, you can see them in this picture, right above the truck thing that is permanently parked out front). Anyway, this building has always fascinated me, and today there was the most crazy light shining down on it right around 3:00 -- right after the world found out that we have a new pope! When I was little, I always thought that's what God looked like -- light shining through clouds.

Recent sketches of jewels and wheat grass... 

...and, a DELICIOUS goat cheese and lentil salad. You have to try it.

xo

[All photos and content by Ann Howell Brown, 2013]

Etsy Updates/Exciting News!

"You May Say I'm a Dreamer" (which you might remember from this post) and a brand new, un-introduced piece, "When Skies are Gray," are both up on my Etsy shop, if you'd like to see!

Also, the exciting news... YOU GUYS!!! Imagined Art has had it's first sale!!!!!! This makes me beyond excited -- SO excited, in fact, that this is what I did once the order came through:



We also worked out our first custom order! Please let me know if you've got a particular idea, space, or budget in mind for a piece of art -- we can easily make it happen. :)

email: imagined.byannhowellbrown@gmail.com

[Video via Facebook; All other content by Ann Howell Brown, 2013]

The Creative Process: Dreamer

Color inspiration -- leftover rose petals, these doors, this art, and daytime fireworks.

Today, on the fifth anniversary of Eve Carson's death, I re-read these words spoken by her father and was struck by his expressions of faith in the power of dreaming, believing, knowing that we can solve problems. 

***

"The irony of Eve’s murder is that she, along with these blessed friends and fellow students, are the ones who can solve the most pressing problems of this time. Please don’t attribute this to hyperbole or relate it to a father’s sadness. I see a stunningly beautiful convergence of talent and caring in this, our children’s, generation. It is the most fantastic realization.

I believe that these kids, along with their peers around the globe, can reach reasoned solutions for mitigating violence and tackling many of the inequities of poverty, prejudice, inadequate health care and under-education. This is no pie-in-the-sky wish! These kids are smart! They’re so capable."

***

Though unfinished, this art work represents a commitment to being a perpetual dreamer, and serves as a reminder of the power of love, kindness, caring, and perseverance as problem solvers in an enormously complicated and fascinating world. 

Thank you, Eve, for continuing to illuminate the path to a better world by your example, and thank you, Mr. Carson, for believing in us -- we may all be dreamers, but we're not the only ones, and therein lies our truest power. :)

For more on Eve's life, see here.


[All photos and content by Ann Howell Brown, 2013]

Ann Howell Goes Shopping: Part 3

Remember when I went shopping all those other times?

Rural North Carolina has some major perks. I mean, check out this antiques shop -- are you curious why it's raised off the ground like that? Because, it is a Civil War-era TRAIN DEPOT. According to the sign out front, Robert E. Lee came through that junction while he was visiting his daughter.

Being a nineteenth century building, un-heated, un-air-conditioned, and totally dark on the inside, the shop stays closed most of the time. In order to get in, you call the number on the door, and the owner jumps in his pickup truck and drives down the road to open it for you. When you're inside the shop, you can hear frogs croaking. I think they live underneath...



I really wanted that drafting table on the porch with the x-shaped legs (previously used by an architect or engineer, great waist-high surface and perfect for making art), but as I told the owner, the real truth is that I wanted to buy everything in the shop but have neither the cash nor the space. Sigh.



What I did walk away with (and also the purpose of my whole visit) -- FRAMES for art! I am beyond excited about these frames -- they've got the coolest shape and texture, and are in really good solid wood condition. I can't wait to make art to put in them, and see how their new life and character emerges. :)







I did buy one other object, and it's probably my favorite out of the whole bunch: a mint green pie safe door. There were two of these doors, but I only had the budget for one... the man who sold it to me actually went in to this old dilapidated house that was ready for demolition and pulled these doors, hinges and all, off the built-in pie safe. 



The mint green paint is original, and it's the most magical color ever (I wish you could see it in person!).  All the beautiful little poked holes were supposed to let air in but also keep the bugs out of your pies. Nom nom nom.



Stay tuned to see what those frames transform into! And, as always, more photos on Tumblr and Instagram.

[All photos and content by Ann Howell Brown, 2013]