Holiday Freebies

Hope this little gift guide is helpful if you're still looking for that perfect gift for someone. I've extended my holiday offer through Tuesday, December 14, so take advantage of the freebies offer!

1. Artistic drinkware options from $12.99
2. Accessories for home and self from $6.49
3. Originals priced from $40
4. Prints from $20 to $30
5. 2011 Calendars for $15
6. Artistic clothing options from $21.99

P.S. Happy Holidays!

Whimsical Paintings

I'm delighted to be a featured artist on WhimsicalPaintings.com. This site is for art enthusiasts who love colorful, whimsical art. Who doesn't love a little whimsy? Thanks to talented Oregon artist, Lindy Gruger Hanson, for this gorgeous site and for the invitation to be involved.

Check out her beautiful artwork. I'll be the featured artist in Lindy's enewsletter in January, so make sure you sign up!

A Little Bird Told Me...

I'm delighted to be the Featured Artist on the Brave Girls Club's A Little Bird Told Me Daily Truth email! If you've never seen this blog, it's worth checking out. It features a piece I just finished called "Grandma's Songbird!"

First Time Event

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! Don't forget that today is the first ever Small Business Saturday. Support your local small businesses this holiday season. I just opened up the Holiday Sale Room on my website, so stop by and check out the great bargains and freebies!

Thanks to everyone who came to the Home Show last weekend! I really appreciate the great turnout - it was so nice to see everyone.

I got on a role and actually got my Holiday Sale Room up on the website earlier than I expected. I'm offering a selection of originals at discounted prices and also freebies when you order prints and cards. So make sure you check out the link to the sale room off my home page. Happy holidays everyone!

Home Show Week!

I'm so excited for the upcoming home show at my house this Saturday! I'm being joined by my fabulous artist buddies Yvonne Thompson, Debbie Egizio, and Owen O'Reilly. I've just finished some great new pieces - hope you'll stop by to get a start on your holiday shopping! If you can't make it, don't forget you can purchase directly from my website.

P.S. Check out the current issue of Where Women Create for the wonderful article about Debbie!

Illustration Friday – Spent

"She spent all her money on seeds, so that the world could grow peace one seed at a time." I started working on this piece a few weeks ago for my home show in November and just finished it Friday. I couldn't resist tying in the Illustration Friday theme of Spent. It may be a far reach, but I love the message, especially of late.

Loving Fall!

My favorite season has rolled around - the trees are starting to turn, there's that crips air in the morning - I love fall! There's something about this time of year that gets my creative juices going. I'm finishing up several pieces, but here's one I just posted on my site, called Moving On. Check out Mixed Media Gallery XII on my site for all my new works.

Final Outdoor Art Fair!

It's the final outdoor fair of the season for me - this weekend in LaGrange at West End Art Festival! Don't forget the promotion on my Facebook page (Valerie Lorimer Contemporary Arts) - you can still use this at the LaGrange fair this weekend. Hope to see you there.

I'll be at the Downers Grove Art Festival this weekend. Hope you can come!

Illustration Friday – Star Gazing

Happy Friday everyone! I was just finishing this piece for an exhibit next week when I saw this week's theme. It just seemed perfect for my version of "star gazing." Hope you enjoy it.

Print Giveaway!

You can win two of my prints - starting August 11!





Just head over to Spring's site next Wednesday to enter to win. I'm the Wednesday Artist Spotlighthis wonderful site. Good luck! And if you don't win, but really like the prints, they're both available on my website for purchase.

Illustration Friday – Caged

When I saw this week's theme, this piece instantly popped into my head as the perfect entry for Caged. It's called Locked on the Edge of Time. It was done for a recent show at a local art league.

Moody Blues

Love these little artist panels mounted on wood! They're so much fun to play with. This is my latest creation called Moody Blues.

Illustration Friday – Diary

What a lovely topic this week. It brought back all kinds of memories of my junior high diaries. If I kept a diary, which I don't anymore, this would be my entry for the week. To live joyfully, experience simple pleasures, and breathe....

Occasions Anniversary Event

I have a fun event coming up next Thursday, July 15 at Occasions in Naperville (Rt. 59 and 103rd in the English Rows Towne Centre). If you've never been to Occasions, it's a wonderful store, and Donna (the owner) is a terrific supporter of the arts. So stop by on the 15th and support the arts. Also, I'll be donating ...

Daily Herald Article

I was interviewed last week for a Daily Herald article about Cantigny Art Festival this weekend. Actually, made the paper - and they have three of my images posted. Here's the link if you'd like to take a look...

Hope you can make it to Cantigny!

Art Fair Season

It seems there's so much going on lately - the art fair season starts tomorrow for me with the Lincolnshire Art Festival. Hope you'll be able to stop by! I was also interviewed by the Daily Herald for next week's show at Cantigny. Kind of exciting! If you get the Herald, look for the article on the fair around June 17 or 18.

Also, the Geneva Arts Fair (http://www.genevachamber.com/artfair.html) is using one of my pieces (Summer Meadow) on all of their promotional materials! Such an awesome honor and great advertising for me. If you've never been to this fair, it's well worth the trip. Geneva is such a charming town and the quality of this fair is outstanding.

Illustration Friday – Coccoon

I just finished this piece for a local yoga studio. They close every class with this wonderful blessing that seems to just wrap itself around you like a cocoon.

Illustration Friday - Dip

The cool, clear water beckoned to her...she couldn't resist taking a dip. This piece is called "Emergence."

Illustration Friday - Expired

Wow! What a theme this week. I finished this piece a bit ago for a theme show - and it fits this week's theme. It's called Gone Too Soon.

Illustration Friday – Subterranean

Here's a pen and ink piece that I did titled "Roots." Seemed to fit the subterranean theme this week.

Illustration Friday – Adrift

This piece, Waiting for the Flood, but seems to fit the theme this week. Bad fortune seems to follow some people around naturally. Is it something they invite by their state of mind or just bad luck? It somehow seems to set them adrift on their journey as they wait for the next disaster to hit.

Illustration Friday – Focused

Here's a piece I just finished called "Juxtaposition" - they were "focused" on getting into position.

Illustration Friday – Clumsy

The very first thing that popped into my head was high heels! Remember that first venture out on heels and how incredibly clumsy you felt? So glad I don't own a pair anymore!

Illustration Friday – Wilderness

The first thing that popped into my mind when I saw this week's IF theme was "wilderness of the heart." This image followed shortly after, and I just finished it today. Hope you enjoy viewing it...

Illustration Friday – Confined

I did this piece a while ago, but it seemed appropriate with the start of a new year...and this week's topic! "Don't be confined by a lack of imagination."

Illustration Friday - Renewal

Happy New Year to everyone! May 2010 be a renewal/awakening of creative opportunities. Just finished this piece entitled Awakening. Had started it back in December but it was too nuts to have time to finish anything. It's a joy to be creating again...and back on Illustration Friday!