Marisa Martin recently wrote a very gracious article about some of my artwork and part of my life’s journey for World Net Daily.

On June 2, 2012, the Leadership Charlotte Class of 2012 will host an evening of medieval majesty and fun in support of local charities with an extravaganza known as Night of Knights, held at the Charlotte County Fairgrounds.

The costumed event will feature room-sized murals or backdrops thematically designed and painted by Shauna Lee Lange.  Attendees will also be treated to a feature performance by The BoogieMen and enjoy medieval themed games, food and beverage.  All proceeds benefit the Virginia B. Andes Volunteer Community Clinic and the Yah Yah Girls Back Pack Kids.

Leadership Charlotte, a program overseen by the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce, develops new and existing community leaders by providing an experiential education as to the heritage, resources, opportunities and business environment in Charlotte County.  For more information regarding this fabulous evening, please visit Leadership Charlotte or contact LCharlotte2012@gmail.com for sponsorship opportunities.

Shauna Lee Lange is a full-service arts advisory firm and design studio located in Southwest Florida.  We are dedicated to helping women and girls live more creatively artful and authentic lives through personal and professional art marketing & branding, art coaching & teaching, and craft workspace design & organization.  The Artist Shauna Lee Lange exhibits nationally in paper and book arts in art journaling, visual diaries, and sketchbooks.  If YOU are an arts professional, come on over and be a part of our no cost Creative Art Consultants International Network.   “More art IS more love.”

Image Credit:  http://www.bbns.org/link/nov-2011/bbn-community-revels-night-knights-celebration

We have loads of snowbirds in Southwest Florida now, many from the outer Canadian provinces.  I was thinking about how glorious it is to wake up each day in the sun and be able to slip on a skirt, a t-shirt, and some sandals.  Now THAT’s living.  External to our beautiful weather, I had been feeling kind of icy inside, with lots of conflicting emotions about very important events and relationships.  So I was wishing for buckets of snow.  The kind where you can just stay inside for days on end.  Where the snow piles up and it takes three days to clear the driveway.  Yes, that kind of snow.  Wishing for snow and lots of it, this art journaling piece shows how versatile a single snowflake stamp can be when we add layers underneath and on top.  Another hint is to use a mix of watercolor, marker, pen, and weighted coloring elements.  I’m wishing for snow and wanting to return all my nasty mail to the original senders.  What are YOU wishing for?

Shauna Lee Lange is a full-service arts advisory firm and design studio located in Southwest Florida.  We are dedicated to helping women and girls live more creatively artful and authentic lives through personal and professional art marketing & branding, art coaching & teaching, and craft workspace design & organization.  The Artist Shauna Lee Lange exhibits nationally in paper and book arts in art journaling, visual diaries, and sketchbooks.  If YOU are an arts professional, come on over and be a part of our no cost Creative Art Consultants International Network.   “More art IS more love.”

Shauna Lee Lange is a full-service arts advisory firm and design studio located in Southwest Florida.  We are dedicated to helping women and girls live more creatively artful and authentic lives through personal and professional art marketing & branding, art coaching & teaching, and craft workspace design & organization.  The Artist Shauna Lee Lange exhibits nationally in paper and book arts in art journaling, visual diaries, and sketchbooks.  If YOU are an arts professional, come on over and be a part of our no cost Creative Art Consultants International Network.   “More art IS more love.”

We recently held a six week art journaling class at the Charlotte County Cultural Center for women and girls of all ages and skill levels.  At the end of the class, the students were asked to prepare a Valentine to their inner artist, honoring the art they love even if no one else does.  Here are the amazing results, particularly since the students also had to incorporate pre-determined decorative elements.  In the example below, one student took one of the pre-assigned orange papers and transformed it into a little house.  I’m never more amazed while teaching a class then when the students show up in an authentic, thoughtful and meaningful way with assignments.  Here’s a look for you.  We have a three-hour workshop coming up on Saturday, March 17, 2012 from 9 – 12.  It will focus on map art and mind mapping art.  Contact the center to register.

Shauna Lee Lange is a full-service arts advisory firm and design studio located in Southwest Florida.  We are dedicated to helping women and girls live more creatively artful and authentic lives through art marketing & branding, coaching & teaching, and craft workspace design & organization.  The Artist Shauna Lee Lange exhibits nationally in paper and book arts in art journaling, visual diaries, and sketchbooks.  If YOU are an arts professional, come on over and be a part of our no cost Creative Art Consultants International Network because “More art IS more love.”

I’m not sure which is hotter these days, the promising potential of Pinterest or the latest career aid, resume infographics.  I tried my hand at a first attempt this evening and here’s how I made out.  I accomplished this on Word using advanced Word Art features, but once I master Corel Painter Essentials 4 (Thank you Lauren & Domenic), well you just watch out!  The light color hues are due to my low-end printer.  Overall, I am happy with the push button concept, but would like to work on the beauty a bit more.

Shauna Lee Lange is a full-service arts advisory firm and design studio located in Southwest Florida.  We are dedicated to helping women and girls live more creatively artful and authentic lives through art marketing & branding, coaching & teaching, and craft workspace design & organization.  Our firm’s gorgeous gallery pages can be seen here.  The Artist Shauna Lee Lange exhibits nationally in paper and book arts in art journaling, visual diaries, and sketchbooks.  Her works center on personal geographies and women’s transformative issues through the use of vintage ephemera, collage, and mixed media components.  If YOU are an arts professional, come on over and be a part of our no cost Creative Art Consultants International Network because “More art IS more love.”

I’m thrilled to share that two of my original art journal works will be featured in the Summer 2012 Somerset Studio Gallery Magazine on the Expressions pages.  Somerset Studio is one of the nation’s premier magazines for artists, crafters, and art journalists or visual diarists and is published by Stampington & Co.  The works concentrate on the power of words using dark paper as the substrate.

Somerset Studio Gallery is filled with hundreds of samples of extraordinary artwork presented up close and in detail. Whether your passion is rubber stamping, calligraphy or paper crafting, the newest Gallery features everything you love about Somerset Studio in 200 lush pages, including enlightening how-to-articles, beautifully photographed projects and hundreds of handmade creations by your favorite artists, as well as by you, our talented readers.

The Winter 2012 issue featured whimsical artwork by Danielle Daniel, found object assemblages by Candyce Martens, and results from Somerset Studio’s Hitchcock challenge.

Shauna Lee Lange is a full-service arts advisory firm and design studio located in Southwest Florida.  We are dedicated to helping women and girls live more creatively artful and authentic lives through art marketing & branding, coaching & teaching, and craft workspace design & organization.  Our firm’s gorgeous gallery pages can be seen here.  The Artist Shauna Lee Lange exhibits nationally in paper and book arts in art journaling, visual diaries, and sketchbooks.  Her works center on personal geographies and women’s transformative issues through the use of vintage ephemera, collage, and mixed media components.  If you’re an arts professional, come on over and be a part of our International Linkedin Arts Network Creative Art Consultants.  More art IS more love.

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The firm of Shauna Lee Lange is preparing to increase their practice without having to conduct heavy marketing campaigns.  Garry Schleifer will advise the firm’s founder with insights and experience on how to build credibility while growing a practice through speaking, writing and workshops.  Schleifer, PCC, CMC, President of choice-coach, and Owner and Publisher of choice Magazine (the magazine of professional coaching http://ca.linkedin.com/in/garryschleiferwww.choice-online.com) will be presenting “Speaking, Writing and Workshops to Build Your Practice”.

Schleifer is a business development coach specializing in working with primarily women entrepreneurs. With over 23 years of entrepreneurial business experience,  he is a seasoned businessman and brings a wealth of skill to his coaching.  He applies a signature approach of “Ruthless Compassion” when helping business owners. This technique recognizes that challenging goals must be set and rigorously adhered to – but always with an innate sensitivity, good humour and non-judgement.

Schleifer’s ”walk the talk” credentials draw from long experience as the visionary behind several multimillion-dollar corporations.  In 1988, he built Synoptic Logistics Management – a distributor of point-of-sale marketing materials for corporations – from concept into a business with $3.5 million in annual revenue. Then in 1996, he planned and managed the merger of Synoptic with a competitor, becoming President of Dyment Distribution Services, the 100-employee post-merger organization.

Schleifer’s coaching practice includes client engagements with Sysco Food Services Canada, Drake International, Dupar Controls, Street Haven Women’s Shelter and the United Nations World Food Program.  He earned his Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) credentials at Coaches Training Institute, one of the world’s foremost coach training and certification organizations. He is also a Professional Certified Coach (PCC), as designated by the International Coach Federation (ICF).  As owner and publisher of choice, Schleifer produces the magazine of professional coaching, (www.choice-online.com), distributed quarterly to subscribers in 28 countries. Schleifer is Past President of the Toronto ICF Chapter, was Vice President on the ICF Global Board, and has served on several, community-based boards or organizations.  He lives and works in Toronto, Canada.

Shauna Lee Lange is a full-service arts advisory firm and design studio located in Port Charlotte, Southwest Florida.  We are dedicated to helping women and girls live more creatively artful and authentic lives through coaching & teaching,  craft workspace design & organization, and art marketing & branding.  The Artist Shauna Lee Lange exhibits nationally in paper and book arts in art journaling, visual diaries, and sketchbooks.  Her works center on personal geographies and women’s transformative issues through the use of vintage ephemera, collage, and mixed media components.  Come on over and be a part of our International Linkedin Arts Network Creative Art Consultants.  More art IS more love.

When I was younger I belonged to the Great Books Program in middle school which deposited a love of skilled authorship that I still own and pursue today.  It had been some time since I had participated in a group discussion of a work, and so when I saw that our local Books a Million was hosting Sunflowers as its February 2012 Book Club Meeting, I dashed on over to Amazon to get my .01 cent used copy.

Sheramy Bundrick’s done a fabulous job re-imagining the love life of Vincent based on historical accounts of his long-term relationship with a village prostitute.  While the two main characters display unconventional attitudes of acceptance and tolerance towards one another, theirs is a courtship set in modern dialogue, exchange and practices.  I found a particular section of the story where the two are penning love letters completely unbelievable.  And, although the author is an art historian who has well researched her work, I suspect she is not a working artist herself.  Descriptive passages about paintings are somewhat lackluster and absent of any true emotive or visual verbiage.  I got the most excited about the use of color during a section describing train seats.

This caused me, once I finished the book, to utilize the very fine chronological listing provided of Van Gogh’s works between 1888 and 1890 because I felt to a degree that after reading Sunflowers, I had been transported in my perception of the artist and his human frailty and relational issues.  To a degree, the work felt like a chick-flick’s hot romance novel.  At the same time, where the complexity of Vincent’s state of mind, travels, emotions and finances are concerned, the book was compelling.

Nearly every artist I know suffers from a degree of self-image doubt, lack of self-confidence, delay in timely sales, inability to co-manage personal and artistic pursuits, and a degree of moodiness related to their perceived successes in works.  To read of Vincent’s shared experiences in these common ailments was a relief, as was to read of his compassion and relentless (insatiable) pursuit of drawing, sketching, painting, and mostly dreaming.

Van Gogh is currently being exhibited at Philadelphia’s Museum of Art through May 6, 2012.  While I wish I could attend, I know doing so after reading Sunflowers would have altered completely my reference and appreciation for his canvases.  As one reviewer already noted, “Forever Van Gogh.”

Shauna Lee Lange is a full-service arts advisory firm and design studio located in Port Charlotte, Southwest Florida.  We are dedicated to helping women and girls live more creatively artful and authentic lives through coaching & teaching,  craft workspace design & organization, and art marketing & branding.  The Artist Shauna Lee Lange exhibits nationally in paper and book arts in art journaling, visual diaries, and sketchbooks.  Her works center on personal geographies and women’s transformative issues through the use of vintage ephemera, collage, and mixed media components.  Come on over and be a part of our International Linkedin Arts Network Creative Art Consultants.  More art IS more love.

When you’re looking for art business guides on how to transition from just an artist to a master marketing machine, the going can be kind of rough.  Here are some guides that I’ve found helpful in everything from consigning with a gallery to working your own open studio days, to creating reproductions and sizing schemes.  Enjoy!

“Business Matters in the Visual Arts” Jeremy Stone.

“Fine Art Publicity:  Complete Guide for Galleries and Artists“  Susan Abbott.

“Artists Guide to New Markets:  Opportunities to Show & Sell Art Beyond Galleries“  Peggy Hadden.

“The Artist-Gallery Partnership:  A Parctical Guide to Consigning Art“  Ted Crawford.

“How to Find Art Buyers“  Nina Pratt.

If you’re wanting to really jump into the mix for excellent resources, nearly anything produced by Allworth Press in their Art section is worthy of your time and money.  I have read every one of Daniel Grant’s books and cannot recommend them enough!

Shauna Lee Lange is a full-service arts advisory firm and design studio located in Port Charlotte, Southwest Florida.  We are dedicated to helping women and girls live more creatively artful and authentic lives through coaching & teaching,  craft workspace design & organization, and art marketing & branding.  The Artist Shauna Lee Lange exhibits nationally in paper and book arts in art journaling, visual diaries, and sketchbooks.  Her works center on personal geographies and women’s transformative issues through the use of vintage ephemera, collage, and mixed media components.  Come on over and be a part of our International Linkedin Arts Network Creative Art Consultants.  More art IS more love.

It’s Chinese New Year today, and we’re celebrating with paper cranes.  Here’s a site on folding an origami crane.  WikiHow shows us another method here.  Be sure to use some very colorful and pretty papers when you take on the project of creating paper cranes.  Once you get the steps down, you can make your cranes as large or small as you want.  Some people create strands of cranes by tying them together in a curtain like fashion with string or ribbon.  I’ve known some artists who’ve designed an entire art installation out of paper cranes, and others who use them to decorate their art studios. 

An origami crane is a symbol of hope in the Japanese culture.  Birds have always inspired artists and the seasons of the year often have birds associated with them.  Today marks the beginning of the year of the water dragon (who may or may not have wings), a mythological creature representing prosperity, fortune, intelligence and benevolence.  

Shauna Lee Lange is a full-service arts advisory firm and design studio located in Port Charlotte, Southwest Florida.  We are dedicated to helping women and girls live more creatively artful and authentic lives through coaching & teaching,  craft workspace design & organization, and art marketing & branding.  The Artist Shauna Lee Lange exhibits nationally in paper and book arts in art journaling, visual diaries, and sketchbooks.  Her works center on personal geographies and women’s transformative issues through the use of vintage ephemera, collage, and mixed media components.  Come on over and be a part of our International Linkedin Arts Network Creative Art Consultants.  More art IS more love.

Southwest Florida Artist Heidi Saletko hand paints animals on palm fronds and calls them “FrondZoo”.  Palm fronds are in plentiful supply in this region, they hold acrylic or oil paint well, they’re durable, and they’re easily transportable.  Heidi was featured recently in News Press as having captured the imagination of school-aged children through her realistic animal portraiture.  She sculpts the fronds to create 3D creatures that almost appear alive!  She’s a member of The Naples Artcrafters,The Naples Art Association,The United Arts Council of Collier County and her FrondZoo masks can be purchased at:  The Artist Boutique, Tin City, Art Etc. Bonita Springs, Naples Ships Store,12th Ave.S.,Naples, Frame It, Bonita Springs, and Your Island Home, Marco Island.

FrondZoo is a kaleidoscope of creatures.  The wall-hanging animal masks are as unique as the trees from which they come.  The shape and size  vary slightly, but just as zebras living in the wild, no two are exactly the same.  All pieces are created from recycled palm tree materials and are carefully hand painted. (www.frondzoo.com).

Shauna Lee Lange is a full-service arts advisory firm and design studio located in Port Charlotte, Southwest Florida.  We are dedicated to helping women and girls live more creatively artful and authentic lives through coaching & teaching,  craft workspace design & organization, and art marketing & branding.  The Artist Shauna Lee Lange exhibits nationally in paper and book arts in art journaling, visual diaries, and sketchbooks.  Her works center on personal geographies and women’s transformative issues through the use of vintage ephemera, collage, and mixed media components.  Come on over and be a part of our International Linkedin Arts Network Creative Art Consultants.  More art IS more love.

Anna Corba‘s new book Doodling in French, will help all visual diarists and art journalists take a trip to Paris, without leaving your their own art studios! Since my own very best gal pal Joy is leaving in just a few days for a glorious time in the City of Light (or The Illuminated City in some circles), I thought I would share Anna’s book which came out last week.

Anna encourages casual doodles which will take on a Parisian je ne sais quoi as artists render  tiers of the Eiffel Tower, sketch the playful outlines of a fleur-de-lys, or learn to draw the perfect croissant. Amazon’s review reads:

“Sure to delight Francophiles and lovers of vintage ephemera alike, Anna Corba’s evocative collages provide an alluring backdrop to her drawing instructions. In a gorgeous little package as pretty as a French pastry, including decorative blank pages in back that tear out so readers can doodle their own masterpieces, this sweet book is an ideal gift for anyone longing for la belle vie.”

Anna’s got a cool little line of art inspired products using vintage ephemera.  They include vintage bottles, lined notebooks, shipping tags and candle jars.  You’ll love the garden serene overtones and the calming, charming undertones.  A recent article about Anna and her work can be found here.

Shauna Lee Lange is a full-service arts advisory firm and design studio located in Port Charlotte, Southwest Florida.  We are dedicated to helping women and girls live more creatively artful and authentic lives through coaching & teaching, residential craft space design & organization, and art marketing & branding.  The Artist Shauna Lee Lange exhibits nationally in paper and book arts in art journaling, visual diaries, and sketchbooks.  Her works center on personal geographies and women’s transformative issues through the use of vintage ephemera, collage, and mixed media components.  Come on over and be a part of our International Linkedin Arts Network Creative Art Consultants.  More art IS more love.

In Pam Lassiter’s The New Job Security, she advocates in Strategy #3 to stop looking for jobs.  The theory is that networking (her version, not yours) and prospecting will steer you away from job postings and search firms.  By keeping those tools in perspective, and by saucily using other, lesser-known ones, you’ll be hard at work keeping your career skills as “nimble as a sports car on the autobahn”.