My Bedroom Gallery

For years I have had a big empty wall in my bedroom. I dont know why I never hung anything, perhaps afraid of commitment! Anyway, I finally got up my nerve and started painting frames and putting stuff up.
I found some perfect frames with mats at a yard sale for my Gritty Jane angel cards, and I alternated them with some wonderful little folks from Sandy Mastrioni. I have an Angel painted by somebody whose name I cannot remember and I dont think is selling anymore. She is in oranges, and painted upon some lovely gritty sandy medium. After several years of attempting and failing, I finally won a beautiful Madonna and Child painted by Jane; my last on the wall is a print of an icon commissioned by the Indianapolis diocese of the Serbian Orthodox church. I embellished it in the traditional style in a non-traditional manner---collage of dozens of cut out colored gems and jewelry from magazines. The Orthodox believe in decorating their churches and their religious art in splendor that will remind worshipers of the glory and beauty of heaven. It is a very sensuous faith---appealing to the senses of sight (the beautiful icons, use of silver, gold, jewels, other rich artwork and fabrics), sense of smell (the incense used in the services swung from a brass or gold censer studded with little bells that ring with every swing), the sense of hearing( beautiful a Capella choirs,the bells from the censers and the deep voices of the chanting priests)and I am sure that they try to figure in the sense of touch there somehow, but cant think of it right now...Oh also the sense of taste in the communion wine, the salt-less bread of communion, and a special sweetened cooked wheat and walnut concoction that is served at memorial services to remind us of the sweetness of the memories of those gone, and the ultimate sweetness of heaven. Sorry...got a little carried away there, but I think that the Orthodox have a wonderful tradition that is unknown to much of the world.
I hope to be filling up with more art gradually, but I love this wall. I cannot look at it without smiling and admiring the art. Now, isn't that what Art is supposed to do for us??
oh, forgot another important part: a sketch that we had done for our 30th anniversary. It is a sketch in blue of Beauty and the Beast especially done for us at Disneyland, John's own description of our marriage (isn't he a gruff old sweetie?)