Six years ago today...we made a late night drive to Pittsburgh...

Happy Birthday dear Marshall Cole.  You have made my heart swell with pride and continue to amaze me with your inquisitive, curious spirit.  You will change the world for the better............but I have said that since the day you entered this world.  Yippee Kayoooo! Cowboy and here is to many more.

I have had a great day today...yes I came home to finish my half of tuna sandwich and fell deep into sleep.  I was honored to work with two sweet little girls ...Cara and little Annaliese.  For three and one half hours we were all lost in playing with color, light, painting techniques and of course a happy hoppy Easter collage for the little one.  Cara has a sense of possibilities already...and asked her mother if she could come back again.  The youngest sister was so patient and supportive as Cara worked on her first landscape.  What a loving pair...I have been blessed.

Shireen came in with little Evan!  Shireen is a survivor of a kidney transplant and today I actually got to meet her mother and father.  Evan just walks in the studio with wide open arms for a hug and I so look forward to working with this energy little spirit.  I passed out sweet heart treats ........ and I know they will come back again.  A day does not go by without a sense of gratitude in having Shireen healthy and living her dream of being a wonderful, loving Mom.  Miracles are here ...every day.........when we take a moment to really see the light each one of us has to offer.  Make sure to SHINE every day!

 Ken came in to register Morgan and Lyndon for Messy Monkeys which starts next week....Sam works with her heart to guide families who are in crisis..she is such a loving spirit.

Jessica Phelps surprised me this morning.  She is an incredible photographer who has the courage to document crisis in Haiti, Mexico and South American orphanages.  She is working for our local newspaper The Advocate.  She is an amazing artist.

 Amber is getting ready for a move to Phoenix...she and one other student upstairs with COTC have landed great jobs in Phoenix.  I am so happy for her and proud of all she has accomplished!

 Cara and little Anna with their beautiful, loving mother Virginia have arrived for their ART afternoon and a lunch with Mom!  Yesterday trampolines........and today exploring several art techniques.  Cara is ready to bloom and grow ...she has focus, patience and great listening skills.  What a JOY to get to know this family!!!

 Cara is ready to gesso her canvas............

 Jay's new one week old nephew...so sweet and even looks like Jay when he was a baby....  Dad is looking very proud!

 Jay loves and respects his beautiful sister...Jay works with us 2 to 3 days at the deli...he is the proud uncle Jay!!!!

 Jackson and his sister Alex are having lunch with their Mother and grandparents......... they are growing by leaps and bounds..........

 practicing with the soft touch of the graphite pencil to lay out her landscape...Anna looks over her shoulder in appreciation..........

 Shireen and baby Evan................look at those beautiful smiles!  Are you an Organ Donor????  A simple step to save several lives when we have the opportunity........ and he gives the very best HUGS!!

 The landscape is glorious!!!!!!!  Cara is ready to paint some more...I gave her a set of acrylics...a dot to spot...and mix her colors with two tiny canvases and easels.........beautiful work!

 She should be very proud!!!!!!!!!!!

 Anna is playing with Martha Stewart's sparkle paints and bright Spring greens and a clear blue Spring sky...........

 here we have a sweet happy Easter bunny created by a sweet little girl...well done Anna!!!

 How do you like the striped whiskers???

a flood of soft colors ...spray to create a moist rainfall to water the flowers..........











Yes I was tired...but I am so grateful for the gifts I have received.  May all your days be filled with perpetual JOY!!  Imagine and Live in Peace,  Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

I am still waiting for my daffodils!!!!!!!!!!!!  Hurry up SPRING!

I love my life...........

I love my life....yes like everyone else I do have the normal ups and downs but I Am Still Here!  Today Ken brought in the three Spalding grandchildren to visit The Works and see the race car and driver giving out frisbees and Jegs hats to all the children passing through.  We all met together to have lunch and then went over to see the Inter Urban train or as Lyndon calls it "Thomas the train".  I could tell Cole and Morgan wanted to stay and work in the studio...but their time will come real soon.  Summer is coming! 

I played with my lesson on playing with watercolors to demonstrate color theory ...then we sprayed it with alcohol...creating a mirage of beautiful marks....then allowing the time for it to dry...we created a color collage with transparent tissue papers.  Isaiah seemed to totally enjoy his day in the studio ...playing with colors.

 Lunch at The Grill Deli.....a real treat to have Ken and my three little ones having lunch with me....

 Lyndon is checking out the Messy Monkey samples...he can do it!!!!

 Lybdon received a yellow frisbee and a Jegs hat from the racing team..........

 Cole is studying the collage works on the walls of this exhibit by Richard Duarte Brown...............

 Morgan Elizabeth is enjoying her chocolate milk while waiting for her mac and cheese.......

 I am so blessed........little Isaiah joined us for lunch...the more the merrier!

 Yes it was a party today.............simple gifts.....

 Morgan ringing the bell on the remodeled train car.............every child's Joy is pulling the chain..........

 an example of the advertisements used on the trains...an Arrow shirt for $1.50.........

 I love the bob haircuts...I had one growing up as a child..........look your best.....

 Ken ran into one of his Bexley students visiting the Works for the first time..............this young man is quite an artist in Ken's class...........

 The Watson Brothers racing team...........varoom..........

 three future race car drivers..............

 the kids were excited to be able to see this car up close............when the car was started it was quite loud....and that thrilled them also.....

 the modification of the car on the interior .......there were a lot of knobs and whistles..................

 JoAnna was busy making molds of French glass bottles..........

 Larry Tuber and Isaiah and Joanna Manousis posed for a group photo............

 Mr. Mike works in the invention lab with the multitude of visitors ..... at all ages..............

 Bring out the WII games Mom and Dad......they are ready to get physical....................

 Lyndon shows his muscles as he pulls up on the bar..................

Grandpa supervises the activities...........I think they wore him out today........

 Isaiah is working with watercolors here..............

 this family was pleased to be able to watch the processes we were exploring............

 alcohol sprayed .....then allowed to dry....... transparency of colors...........

 this little man helped another child clean up a spilled jello cup... he was adorable...........

 Beautiful Jodie with Kya and Gabriel came in for a late lunch and to check on their grandmother Cindi.........

 now we add the play of markers and layers of transparent tissue papers applied with gel medium...............

 two future artists from Licking Heights ............

 Gabriel has decided she want to make an owl for her bedroom.......

Kya studies my collage for baby Doyle who will arrive in about 10 days............

 the courthouse is a skyline of dark clouds and snow flurries..........

I took the bits and pieces to create a beginning of a composition .......

 the sky is opening..............the sunshine is breaking through......

coming home at the end of my day...............



I am so blessed and living my life as a working artist.visible in my community ...and modeling that an artist does work every day!  Imagine and Live in Peace,  Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart