Ok. This is my life now and It’s not going to resolve anytime soon.
I’m such a control freak, I solve problems, that’s what I do…so this is a super tough test for me, coupled with my new joint pain. These are crazy times, but feeling sad about the fact it’s over for me. This is my life now. Lol! We are nomad.
Anyway, if this doesn’t resolve by like April 15 – we must have a place by May 15 – I’ve got to look for more temporary living space for, say, three to six month’s worth of some kind of rental.
Ok, know me? For those that do…which would I enjoy more? An apartment with a pool? That’s a built-in community, and I bet moms and kids would paint around the pool with me. They have a garage I could rent to have one last, huge garage sale.
Or, should I rent a house with a garage and a yard for the dogs, and then rent a small co-op art space in historic downtown Bastrop?
Buying anything permanent is off the table right now as we still do not have a clue where Kevin’s final store will be.
FYI – HEB is the bomb! Crazy good how they favor the employees. Need a job? It’s the best health and life insurance we’ve ever had. They need you.
Last day in the pool and hot tub today. We move back to Harmony House on the river tonight.
Thank you, Best Western, for bailing us out for 5 days.
Lady at the Best Western hot tub.Completed at BW on 3/15/22 and available for your personal collection.I’m grateful I get to work on Monster High Doll House next. Way, way, way lighter subject than the bleeding Statue of Liberty.
This piece is close to being done. Her hands, the torch, the snake tongues all need work. I can’t stand the way the torch doesn’t overlap the book. Lol. Like I said, it needs some work still. And it needs about two weeks of me just looking at it to see what else it needs.
FYI: Her tears are printed in my blood and the fingerprints on her tablet are blood. So I guess this is mixed media. Putty, acrylic and blood.
Nathanael Chavers has first right of refusal. It was because of him that I realized its importance. It’s probably my most important work to date.
Titled: No longer viable, a cautionary tale ® 2022 Jana’s painted ArtistSecond photo shows my view from my Best Western bed; strange days we are living in.
Then one day you wake up and realize you’ve got a million addictions that got you into this shit show…then it’s a sad day when you can’t get drunk no mo or smoke no mo or eat processed foods or sugar or nothing fake (I’ll pause and take a deep breath). You’ve got to work double hard not to lose your muscular system. It’s hard fuckin’ work, but you hope to not be like every other old person with a million doctor’s appointments every month, taking tons of pills that over time cause cancer and shut down your bodily functions…
And you better add a chiropractor because your spine is compressing, which means your brain isn’t receiving the information it needs to keep all systems on “go.”
I’m writing to help “laugh at myself” because basically I’m dying. Yep…we all are.
Get used to that thought my friends, because if the thought of death scares you, you’ll waste your life.
I’m looking forward to what’s next on the other side of this deal we call human life. Sadly, unless I get hit with a piece of shrapnel, I’ve got more time here because I did all that stuff I said above. I even get my teeth cleaned four times a year. Lol.
Why am I motivated to do all this? No idea. God has a plan for me.
New art I painted for Neighbor’s Kitchen and YardBrandy, the best bartender in town! Go meet her!
It’s Thank You day for the employees at Neighbor’s Kitchen and Yard who tolerated my ass over the last four weeks. It’s been so much fun painting here! I can teach anyone to do this, so whatcha’ say we start an interest list? Who would like to learn to express themselves through art?
I started teaching art a few years ago in Ruidoso, NM at Jana’s Art Cave, my working studio. It became a tourist attraction for visitors looking for entertainment aside from skiing, hunting, and fishing. It was so much fun for all ages to enjoy together. If you guys are interested, I would love to do it again in Bastrop. However, I’m going to need a location.
Originals will be available soon on my new website that’s being built. You’re welcome to watch the progress at JanasPaintedArtist.com.
I hand signed the front and added a special note to each employee who assisted me over the last 4 weeks.
My Artists…you won’t believe what we are trying to build for you!
Sarah and Cameron are two really neato kids. They will rise to the top like cream in a butter churn!
The food is so good. Here is a bread-less Italian sub. It’s not on the menu but Neighbor’s Kitchen and Yard aims to please!
I can teach anyone to paint what they see with a twist of fantasy. I’m collecting an interest list NOW, Bastrop Texas. I need a location, but that’s usually not a problem. If you’re looking for exact, take a photo…’cause this class ain’t for you.
Student work from a 4 week paint class full of drink and eats over at Lost Hiker Brewery, Ruidoso NM
I so wish I could just paint on the more light-hearted “A bedroom suite for my favorite Monster High doll,” she’s vintage now, and deserves a place to live in some lucky little girl’s bedroom.
But I must carry on in a dark, but not hopeless place. As so many of you have expressed interest in the piece. Nathanael Chavers gets first right to refuse her. Lol! After that it’s open game. Lol!
So I must complete it.
This part will be hard to paint. This piece that I’m calling “People desperately fleeing the USA,” is from a vision I had over seven years ago.
I feel perhaps it’s important, but ! I’ll let the world decide. For all this is “no longer viable,” but it’s a cautionary tale, if only we can stop looking for relief in all the wrong places.
Oh, some fun news today!
I can teach any of you to paint what you see with a twist of reality. If you want your art to look exactly like your scene, take a photo; this class ain’t for you. Lol. I’m looking for location to offer a class. Any ideas?
The prints of my Nieghbor’s painting are complete, thanks to the help of Bastrop Signs & Banners. Love those guys. Check ’em out local artists!
Anyway, the sun is out and I’m going to go for a run/dance and then deliver to the hard working staff these hand signed prints today. They’re now my new friends over at Neighbor’s.
I had so much fun with you all over the last month painting your scene.
Fun news: Bastrop Opera House, thank you for inviting me to help paint sets. Omg. What a blast!
I started this painting 7 years ago; I had a vision I fear is coming true.
Sitting in front of this painting is daunting. It’s a sad look at the possible decline of my home country.
My skill level back then didn’t allow completion, but I believe I can finish it now. We shall see.
It’s titled “No longer viable” a cautionary tale. We can turn this around if only we would look up. God is in this deal if you want the help.
I accidentally cut myself opening the packaging on my new blade. Believe me, I was not looking forward to cutting myself on purpose. Thank you God. Your timing is always perfect, for today was the day. Lady Liberty needed to be crying tears of blood.
That hurt. So does my heart looking at this painting, but I believe it needs to be said.
This is where I leave it tonight. My own blood all over it. Just as my heart is heavy, this canvas is heavy with plaster.
Shipping it will be spendy. Lol. Just say’n…
Doing this painting hurt my soul. It’s dark, and I’m a light.
Heavy with plaster.
Update: Lady Grace, my dog, tried to clean up the blood spill on the painting.
She’s my little wound care specialist. She tried to extend help to Lady Liberty. We need to take a lesson from her. Lol. But please don’t lick my painting.
Lady and Sissi Grace enjoying the sunshine by the Colorado River
It’s not too late to turn our country around. I pray daily for the USA, that her leaders will make wise, selfless, decisions in her regard, and that God has exposed evil for the world to clearly see.
I’m afraid this is where the world is headed. Totalitarianism. Is this what we want? Total annihilation of individuality and freedom? They are sugar-coating this deal to make our youth think it’s a better plan. It isn’t. And if all you elites think you will benefit from this, you won’t. Only a very few, very evil trillionaire, dictator-type rulers will benefit, and I bet you ain’t one of them. It all looks so pretty and correct to lure you in. Change your mind, all of you amazing, creative individuals. We need you now more than ever. Learn tolerance, grace, forgiveness, and integrity, as all are essential elements of love.
Well, I’ve brought these paintings out of storage to work on, along with Marta Swanner’s Boogie Board®. My goal for completion is March 8th, 2022. Cross your fingers…
I wanna thank my cousin Jay Lynch, all things online genius Guru, for teaching this goofy artist “how to fish online” to make money, instead of simply giving me a fish. He’s now helping me develop my website, blog, and online store, not leaving me alone to flounder…Ha! get it?
If we’re correct about the direction he’s taking us, to all my artists that I love with all my heart, we be onto something big for you guys.
All the while it’s just me, hanging at the “Zen River House,” the new name we’ve given our small space near the river in Bastrop for now. I’m a little nomad at heart.
Hey, Neighbor’s Kitchen and Yard, I had the art that I painted at your joint digitized at Bastrop Signs & Banners. Now I’ll be thinking about what we can do with it! Lol! I fell in love with the Manager, Matt Murphy, over their banners. Check ’em out local artist!
Jay Lynch is teaching this old dog new tricks. Here we go…NFT designs to the MetaVerse and Beyond!
So here’s a bit about me as I’m hoping you will be interested in creating a hopeful community driven art installation with Down Home Ranch as my charity.
I am a graphic/commercial artist/art director by trade, but I went back to Fine Arts school at University of Nevada Las Vegas and College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas in 2011, and it was there that I met kids who were trying to get a Fine Arts degree. As I attended classes alongside them I was thinking to myself, “How in the world are these kids going to make a living doing Fine Arts?” So in response I opened a gallery for them that I called Jana’s RedRoom. It was located at the end of the Las Vegas strip near downtown Las Vegas. We even had our own TV show.
The ArtCave in Ruidoso, for me, was about me making more Fine Art with the help of emerging artists as my Art Apprentices. They helped me build my art, and in return I represented them and their art. It was a wonderful experience for the Art Apprentices, but it greatly enriched my life!
The ArtCave was reminiscent of Andy Warhol’s “The Factory” in the 1970s, where he and a bunch of emerging artists who made art with him. Many people don’t know that some of Andy’s well-known art was produced by artists who came out of The Factory, but the art bears his name.
Vanna Mae – artist in resident at the ArtCave
The main difference between my artwork and Andy Warhol’s is that my art is always HOPEFUL. My art is inspired by – and communicates – hope. You may have to study my work and think, but the underlying message is hope. I believe the world needs Hope, and I believe that my ministry is to help others discover their Hope. BTW, the greek word for hope in the Koine Greek of the Bible is elpis, which translates to confidence, or confident expectation. I want to help others find their voice and build confidence.
by Cheri Chandler, one of Art Caves Art Apprentice.The patio tiles of the original Hope Garden being painted, now completed and located at Wingfield Park in Ruidoso, NM
During my time In Ruidoso, a brilliant idea came to me: It was to get the entire Village of Ruidoso involved in a community-wide fundraising effort by building a giant, hopeful, community driven art installation and my first community art installation is now located at Wingfield Park in Ruidoso, New Mexico. The installation always starts with that one piece of art that represents their community.
Wingfield Park is inside Ruidoso’s fairgrounds where all community events are held. I retained the merchandising rights for products that have been created as a result of the installation, but Ruidoso gets to keep as a permanent part of their community the original art installation that we created together.
Jana Lynch glueing community painted butterflies honoring their loved ones.
Some of the proceeds for the charities that I select are a result of individuals painting butterflies to honor their loved ones, in addition to the sale of the matching merchandise. It never stops. As more people paint the butterflies and purchase the matching merchandise, the charities benefit. In Ruidoso, my charities are Lincoln County Food Bank and Keep Ruidoso Beautiful.
I am extremely interested in doing this with Down Home Ranch here in Bastrop. Although I am new to the area, I can see that I would like the community installation to be at Neighbors Kitchen and Yard for all to see, right here on the beautiful Colorado River.
And I’m, 100%…just thinking out loud here…as I have no idea if either of you two, Neighbors and down’s would be interested in this concept, but I can tell you that the money for my designated charities just keep coming in because of a never ending art installation. People continue to paint wooden butterflies to honor their loved ones, and the older butterflies at some point fly away as new ones get installed. It is a wonderful way to honor someone and then demonstrate that, during our lives, things change.
I plan to put this all together by inviting the entire community to become a part of helping me build a giant hopeful art installation for Bastrop community where we can honor our loved ones.
The reason I believe that your residents would be exceptional in this project is because I learned one thing in Ruidoso, it’s that I’m a great teacher. I never knew that ’til like 2 years ago. You put a paint brush in the hands of these extremely kind and creative souls, who are so willing to listen to a seasoned artist like me…their hands plus my words ?!? Wow! Well, together we are making exceptional art!
Picasso worked a lifetime to get back to being childlike, and once we go back there, the art becomes profound.
I believe that through the merchandising of this community art installation, along with the help of your residents as my Art Apprentices, we will be able to collect money for them and for Down Home Ranch, for Nieghbor’s Kitchen and Yard, and for myself. It’s a huge win-win-win-win for everyone involved.
When you help someone honor a love one in this very personal way…well simply put, it’s the greatest feeling there ever was.
I’m Jana Lynch, I’ve got a high IQ but I’m severely dyslexic, I’m on the spectrum which makes me laser focused. I’m like a dog on a bone when I set my mind to something. I know what it feels like to live with a disability. I just wanna build HOPE with my new community.
And I can not wait to meet you, your residents so that we can build that piece of art that represents our community!
Jana Lynch, owner of PaintedArtist.comArt Cave & Message of Hope Garden 702-524-4527
