Newly Commissioned Painting, "In the Garden of Truth and Light"

Mr. D and I recently returned from a weekend in Las Vegas with some dear friends. While the boys were gambling, we girls went shopping in one of the totally outrageous and over-the-top (what else would you expect in LV?) malls they had there.  Amidst the high couture and garish lighting and fountains,we were captivated with these beautiful clusters of poppies that were blooming.  My friend Erin even mentioned that they reminded her of one of my paintings.  It was so random, but we just played the tourist card and snapped a few pics.

Believe it or not, a few days after our return I was commissioned by a Client to make a poppy painting.  

(Cue "Twilight Zone" music.)

Just goes to show if you are patient, listen, and have faith, you will find that the Universe is unfolding exactly as it should.

In the Garden of Truth and Light
24" x 24"
Acrylic and Mixed on Canvas
SOLD

This painting was made especially for a woman who truly comes to life when she is outside working in the garden. I light-heartedly refer to Cathy as a "plant artist". I wanted to create something that stayed within the confines of her request for a bright poppy painting, but also conveyed her own personal warmth and light.


I wrote a personal message to her on the back that read: "While spending time in the garden, you can fall into a deep meditation...one where you have complete identification with the earth.  At this higher conscious state, we realize that the light of love is all around us because it is a part of our divine nature."

The Young Housewife, by William Carlos Williams

"La Bella Vita"
Fine Art Prints available here.

The Young Housewife 

At ten AM the young housewife

moves about in negligee behind

the wooden walls of her husband's house.
I pass solitary in my car.

Then again she comes to the curb
to call the ice-man, fish-man, and stands
shy, uncorseted, tucking in
stray ends of hair, and I compare her
to a fallen leaf.

The noiseless wheels of my car
rush with a crackling sound over
dried leaves as I bow and pass smiling.

by William Carlos Williams

A Poem for Wednesday: The Child Angel

"Just Like Heaven"

The Child Angel

Let your life come amongst them like a flame of light, my child,

unflickering and pure, and delight them into silence.

They are cruel in their greed and their envy,

their words are like hidden knives thirsting for blood.

Go and stand amidst their scowling hearts, my child,

and let your gentle eyes fall upon them like the

forgiving peace of the evening over the strife of the day.

Let them see your face, my child, and thus know the

meaning of all things, let them love you and love each other.

Come and take your seat in the bosom of the limitless, my child.

At sunrise open and raise your heart like a blossoming flower,

and at sunset bend your head and in silence

complete the worship of the day.

By: Rabindranath Tagore

Love Grows

8" x 10"
Acrylic and Mixed on Canvas


“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.” - Albert Einstein


This new little painting is now on display at The Blues Jean Bar in Snider Plaza. I always love to be reminded that my outlook on life is a choice. Here's to choosing to live today like it's a miracle.

The Heart is a Bloom

The Heart is a Bloom
8" x 10"
Acrylic and Mixed on Canvas


Many have remarked that my floral paintings resemble hearts, and although I never intended that initially, I guess that came from somewhere within. Having a platform to express my emotions on a subconscious level is one of the things I love most about painting.

This painting is available for purchase on my Etsy site and is on display at The Blue Jeans Bar in Snider Plaza.

I was inspired by the lyrics of U2 (who isn't?) and the lyrics from "Beautiful Day" were really speaking to me through this little painting.

The heart is a bloom
Shoots up through the stony ground
There's no room
No space to rent in this town

You're out of luck
And the reason that you had to care
The traffic is stuck
And you're not moving anywhere

You thought you'd found a friend
To take you out of this place
Someone you could lend a hand
In return for grace

It's a beautiful day
Sky falls, you feel like
It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away

You're on the road
But you've got no destination
You're in the mud
In the maze of her imagination

You love this town
Even if that doesn't ring true
You've been all over
And it's been all over you

It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
It's a beautiful day

Touch me
Take me to that other place
Teach me
I know I'm not a hopeless case

See the world in green and blue
See China right in front of you
See the canyons broken by cloud
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
See the Bedouin fires at night
See the oil fields at first light
And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colors came out

Today, I Wake Up and Love You

11" x 14"
Acrylic and Mixed Media on Canvas

This painting was commissioned by a dear friend's husband for her as a Mother's Day gift. First of all, kudos to any hubby with three young kids (including twins under one) who has the foresight to come up with such a thoughtful gift to his wife for Mother's Day. Mr. O gave me creative carte blanche, just asking that the painting be something that incportporates their three children and the love and admiration he has for his wife.

I wanted to create something that captured how beautiful Mrs. O is, both inside and out, and how full of life so I went with the floral theme. One song I always sing to my own kiddos is "Three Little Birds", by Bob Marley, so that's sort of wehre the birds came from...each one represents one of their little ones.

I also love the quote:
Life began with waking up and loving my mother's face.
- George Eliot, English novelist

This is kind of where I derived the title, but I wanted the title to convey something meaningful that could be said to each person in their family, including from a husband to a wife.

Just Like Heaven

6" x 6" x 1.5"
Acrylic andMixed Media on Canvas

I painted this for a dear friend as a baby gift. She is expecting a little girl ina few weeks, her first, and is often asking me what it will be like when her little one arrives. The best way I could describe it was through this Cure song, "Just Like Heaven".

"Show me how you do that trick
The one that makes me scream" she said
"The one that makes me laugh" she said
And threw her arms around my neck
"Show me how you do it
And I promise you I promise that
I'll run away with you
I'll run away with you"

Spinning on that dizzy edge
I kissed her face and kissed her head
And dreamed of all the different ways I had
To make her glow
"Why are you so far away?" she said
"Why won't you ever know that I'm in love with you
That I'm in love with you"

You
Soft and only
You
Lost and lonely
You
Strange as angels
Dancing in the deepest oceans
Twisting in the water
You're just like a dream

If you are looking for a sweet original baby/wedding/housewarming gift, these paintings are highly textured, full of layers of color and are available to be custom-ordered. Priced from $75 - $150, email me at utopiapkwyarts@yahoo.com for more info.

A Poem for Wednesday

Dance in the Sun
12" x 24"
Acrylic andMixed Media on Canvas
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=38863596

Let it enfold you
by Charles Bukowski (excerpt)

either peace or happiness,
let it enfold you

when I was a young man
I felt these things were
dumb, unsophisticated.
I had bad blood, a twisted
mind, a precarious
upbringing.

I was hard as granite, I
leered at the
sun.
I trusted no man and
especially no
woman.

I was living a hell in
small rooms, I broke
things, smashed things,
walked through glass,
cursed.
I challenged everything,

I changed jobs and
cities, I hated holidays,
babies, history,
france, italy, walnuts and
the color
orange.

peace and happiness to me
were signs of
inferiority,
tenants of the weak
an
addled
mind.

but as I went on with
my alley fights,
my suicidal years,
my passage through
any number of
women — it gradually
began to occur to
me
that I wasn't different
from the
others, I was the same,

they were all fulsome
with hatred,
glossed over with petty
grievances,
the men I fought in
alleys had hearts of stone.
everybody was nudging,
inching, cheating for
some insignificant
advantage,
the lie was the
weapon and the
plot was
empty,
darkness was the
dictator.

cautiously, I allowed
myself to feel good
at times.
maybe the other life had worn me
down.
I no longer found
glamour
in topping somebody
in conversation.

I re formulated
I don't know when,
date, time, all
that
but the change
occurred.
something in me
relaxed, smoothed
out.
I no longer had to
prove that I was a
man,

I didn't have to prove
anything.

(the whole world is at the
throat of the world,
everybody feels angry,
short-changed, cheated,
everybody is despondent,
disillusioned)

I welcomed shots of
peace, tattered shards of
happiness.

(don't get me wrong,
there is such a thing as cockeyed optimism
that overlooks all
basic problems just for
the sake of
itself —
this is a shield and a
sickness.)

The knife got near my
throat again,
I almost turned on the
gas
again
but when the good
moments arrived
again
I didn't fight them off
like an alley
adversary.
I let them take me,
I luxuriated in them,
I bade them welcome
home.
I even looked into
the mirror
once having thought
myself to be
ugly,
I now liked what
I saw, almost
handsome, yes,
a bit ripped and
ragged,
scares, lumps,
odd turns,
but all in all,
not too bad,
almost handsome,
better at least than
some of those movie
star faces
like the cheeks of
a baby's
butt.

and finally I discovered
real feelings of
others,
unheralded,
like lately,
like this morning,
as I was leaving,
for the track,
I saw my wife in bed,
just the
shape of
her head there
so still,
I ached for her life,
just being there
under the
covers.

I kissed her in the,
forehead,
got down the stairway,
got outside,
got into my marvelous
car,
fixed the seatbelt,
backed out the
drive.
feeling warm to
the fingertips,
down to my
foot on the gas
pedal,
I entered the world
once
more,
drove down the
hill
past the houses
full and empty
of
people,
I saw the mailman,
honked,
he waved
back
at me.

Happy Words from a Collector

Here are a few pics one of my dear friends and collector of my art, Kelley, sent to me of what she now refers to as her "Ginatastic" dining room. :) She ordered some fine art giclee prints of my original paintings and then did a beautiful job framing them. Giclee prints are available of all my paintings and many are featured on my Etsy site.

"I'm really, really happy with the way they turned out," she told me. Yay! I can't think of a better compliment than for someone to display my artwork in their home and love how it looks.

Happiness is Smaller Than You Think

9" x 12" x 1.5"
Acrylic and Mixed Media on Canvas

I'm currently reading "Happy at Last: The Thinking Person's Guide to Finding Joy" by Richard O'Connor, Ph.D. Slowly but surely, I make it through a few pages every night before my eyes close from the sheer exhaustion of moving our household and raising three children under four. This book's philosophical approach to happiness and its message of being mindful is so simple, yet so easily forgotten. The author offers hope that we can somehow rewire our brains to be mindful, and by doing so experience a heightened state of happiness.

Although I feel so blessed to have the life and the family that I do, I am always restless, always searching for something. Does this mean I am unhappy? I don't think so, but I long for an inner peace that I feel often eludes me. Maybe it's just the chaotic state of life my right now, a season that will pass. I feel glimpses of the calm when I practice yoga, so I know it's there within reach. As an artist, I feel some of my most significant work has come out of painful or difficult experiences. Is it harder for me to be "happy" because I am genetically wired to find the difficulty in each situation that leads me to create, to process turmoil into my art? As I try to be more mindful and more present, I look at all the beauty in life, especially my children, and I can't help but smile as I watch them every day. To them, life is so simple, so full of wonder. I think they're onto something...

The Golden Afternoon

12" x 16" x 1.5"
Acrylic and Mixed Media on Canvas

I love the movie "Alice in Wonderland", it's one of my favorites. The title for this painting comes from one of the songs Alice sings, called "The Golden Afternoon".
Alice:
You can learn a lot of things from the flowers
For especially in the month of June
There's a wealth of happiness and romance
All in the golden afternoon

Yes, that sounds all dandy and carefree, but there is a lot of depth to the story of Alice in Wonderland. I can really relate to Alice's struggles with the importance and instability of personal identity. She is constantly ordered to identify herself by the creatures she meets, but she herself has doubts about her identity as well. This concept of "finding yourself" is intriguing to me. It is one of my goals this year to put together a series of paintings based the themes explored in Alice in Wonderland of identity, curiosity, growing up and achieving social position. This painting is a step in that direction.

Valentine's Paintings Series

A Prayer in Spring
11" x 14"
Acrylic and Mixed Media on Canvas

This is the latest of my custom commissioned Valentine's painting series. A client selected the poem, "A Prayer in Spring", by Robert Frost, to be collaged into the background of her painting, as it has a very special meaning to her and her husband. She even chose to handwrite the verses herself which makes the painting that much more personal, a little piece of her heart that she's offering to her husband immortalized on the canvas.

I have had great success with this series and feel so happy to have created so many commissioned pieces over the past month and a half. It's kind of like my own artsy way of playing Cupid. Several paintings from my Valentine's series are available at Artisan Style Gallery Uptown. Brandon Lynch, one of the Owners, recently informed me that they are soon going to be featured in Daily Candy Dallas. Can't wait!

"For this is love and nothing else is love,
To which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends he will,
But which it only needs that we fulfill." Robert Frost

Dance in the Sun

12" x 24"
Acrylic and Mixed Media on Canvas

I thought I was done painting until after baby arrives on Thursday, but somehow this one just sort of finished itself. I think the excited energy of all the changes about to take place crept out through my fingertips and manifested itself in this vibrant image. I applied a thick layer of texture to the canvas and basically carved in the images before I painted them and then I added the paint.

This pregnancy has been so difficult, full of surprises and ups and downs. I feel so thankful I have my artwork to channel all of this tension. The past six months or so I have taken the term "art therapy" to a whole new level.

I'm making a CD to listen to when baby is arriving, and this song will definitely be on it: "Dancing Nancies" by DMB

Sing and dance I'll play for you tonight
And thrill at it all
Dark clouds may hang on me sometimes
But I'll work it out then I

Look up at the sky
My mouth is open wide, lick and taste
What's the use in worrying, what's the use in hurrying
Turn, turn we almost become dizzy

My Valentine's Series at Artisan Style Gallery!

I have had great success with this series, as the timing of my desire to paint hearts and the impending arrival of Valentine's Day could not have worked out better. The paintings make wonderful gifts, and I feel blessed to share the love I feel with so many.

Artisan Style is wonderful and eclectic space in the Uptown area by the Crescent Hotel. The gallery is situated in a lovely Victorian home dating back to the early 1900's and is filled with colorful, energetic art carefully curated by owners Brandon Lynch & Steve Iha. Their goal? To provide a twist on the traditional gallery and offer affordable artwork to everyone.
www.artisanstyle.net

For more info or to purchase one, please stop by the gallery, visit my Etsy site or email me at utopiapkwyarts@yahoo.com

We Belong Together

11" x 14"
Acrylic and Mixed Media on Canvas

This painting is a continuation of my Valentine's series. It was inspired by one of my all-time favorite love songs, Edwin McCain's "I'll Be". I love how listening to a special song can be like stepping into a time machine that takes you right back to a significant moment.

The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful
Stop me and steal my breath
And emeralds from mountains thrust towards the sky
Never revealing their depth

And tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

And I'll be your cryin' shoulder
I'll be love suicide
And I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life

And rain falls angry on the tin roof
As we lie awake in my bed
And you're my survival, you're my living proof
My love is alive, and not dead

And tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love.
I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

And I'll be your cryin' shoulder
I`ll be love suicide
And I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life

And I dropped out, I burned up, I fought my way back from the dead,
I tuned in, I turned on, remembered the thing that you said.

And I'll be your cryin' shoulder
I'll be love suicide
And I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life

This Valentine's Day, I invite you to ignore all the commercial marketing of the season and select a truly personal gift--an original painting--that expresses your genuine affection. I have started early this year creating a series of artwork which especially fits this occasion, paintings that come straight from the heart and illustrate love in its purest, most organic sense.

These paintings are created using acrylic and mixed media, and each one has a particular love story, song or sentiment which inspired it. Paintings are highly textured, containing multiple layers of handwritten love letters, parchment paper and mixed media collage. They are fully wired and painted on all sides so there is no need to frame.

I am also able to create custom commission works featuring any personal handwritten notes, love letters, or lyrics to special songs that you would like to present to your loved one in a truly unique way, as long as you place your order to me by January 15.

©2009 Gina Marie Dunn

Free delivery in Dallas.

You and Me

11" x 14"
Acrylic and Mixed Media on Canvas

This painting is a continuation of my Valentine's series. I love the Dave Matthews Song, "You and Me". It's one of the few love songs that I can think of that talks about loving your spouse AND your children. It always makes me think of my sweet husband, who is so supportive of my artistic endeavors and helpful with our growing family. We both know that one day the kids will be older and life won't be quite so hectic, and we try to enjoy these days when everyone is so small while at the same time looking forward to our family growing up together. He also knows that if I don't get out into the studio to paint I just don't have a "balanced" day and I love him so much for recognizing that.

Wanna pack your bags, Something small
Take what you need and we disappear
Without a trace we'll be gone, gone
The moon and the stars can follow the car
and then when we get to the ocean
We gonna take a boat to the end of the world
All the way to the end of the world

Oh, and when the kids are old enough
We're gonna teach them to fly

You and me together, we could do anything, Baby
You and me together yes, yes

You and I, we're not tied to the ground
Not falling but rising like rolling around
Eyes closed above the rooftops
Eyes closed, we're gonna spin through the stars
Our arms wide as the sky
We gonna ride the blue all the way to the end of the world
To the end of the world

We can always look back at what we did
All these memories of you and me baby
But right now it's you and me forever girl
And you know we could do better than anything that we did
You know that you and me, we could do anything

Til Kingdom Come

12" x 12"
Watercolor and Mixed Media on Paper

Here is a continuation of my Valentine's Day Series. Listening to comforting music is essential when I'm working in the studio, and this little watercolor just sort of poured out of me while Coldplay was playing. It was almost like the song was working through me...I love when that happens.

Til Kingdom Come, Coldplay

Still my heart and hold my tongue
I feel my time , My time has come
Let me in, Unlock the door
I never felt this way before

And the wheel just keeps on turning
The drummer begins to drum
I don’t know which way I’m going
I don’t know which way I’ve come

Hold my head inside your hands
I need someone who understands
I need someone, someone who hears
For you I’ve waited all these years

For you I’d wait 'til kingdom come
Until my day, my day is done
And say you'll come and set me free
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me

In your tears and in your blood
In your fire and in your flood
I hear you laugh, I heard you sing
I wouldn’t change a single thing

For you I’d wait 'til kingdom come
Until my days, my days are done
And say you'll come and set me free
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me

Beautiful Soul

11" x 14"
Acrylic and Mixed Media on Gallery-Wrapped Canvas

"Love is the beauty of the soul." St. Augustine

This painting is one of my series of Valentine's Day-inspired abstract poppies/hearts.

This Valentine's Day, I invite you to ignore all the commercial marketing of the season and select a truly personal gift--an original painting--that expresses your genuine affection. I have started early this year creating a series of artwork which especially fits this occasion, paintings that come straight from the heart and illustrate love in its purest, most organic sense.

Paintings are highly textured, containing multiple layers of handwritten love letters, parchment paper and mixed media collage. They are fully wired and painted on all sides so there is no need to frame.

I am also able to create custom commission works featuring any personal handwritten notes, love letters, or lyrics to special songs that you would like to present to your loved one in a truly unique way, as long as you place your order to me by January 15.

I have several in stock, please email me or visit my website to see more pictures.

web.mac.com/utopiapkwy

Original Valentine's Painting Series

Dear Friends,

This Valentine's Day, I invite you to ignore all the commercial marketing of the season and select a truly personal gift--an original painting--that expresses your genuine affection. I have started early this year creating a series of artwork which especially fits this occasion, paintings that come straight from the heart and illustrate love in its purest, most organic sense.

These paintings are created using acrylic and mixed media, and each one has a particular love story, song or sentiment which inspired it. Paintings are highly textured, containing multiple layers of handwritten love letters, parchment paper and mixed media collage. They are fully wired and painted on all sides so there is no need to frame.

I am also able to create custom commission works featuring any personal handwritten notes, love letters, or lyrics to special songs that you would like to present to your loved one in a truly unique way, as long as you place your order to me by January 15.

I have several in stock, please email me or visit my website to see more pictures. This week I will be featuring each painting with a detailed description on the blog.

Sizes range from 8" x 8" to 11" x 14". My hope is for these paintings to be affordable gifts, so they are priced between $75 and $125. Original 8" x 10" or 10" x 10" velvet giclee prints are also available for $30.

For more details or to purchase, please contact me at utopiapkwyarts@yahoo.com. Thank you for looking!

Love is the Answer

8" x 10" x 1.5"
Acrylic and Mixed Media on Gallery-Wrapped Canvas
SOLD
Velvet giclee prints of this and all my original artworks are available.

I was working on a looser style of poppies in this painting, and I love how when my sister took a look at this she saw the poppies as hearts. My family and I were listening to one of my favorite Jack Johnson songs, "Better Together", the evening I finished this painting. My favorite line from the song is, "Love is the answer at least for most of the questions in my heart," which is where the title of the painting comes from. That song always reminds me of my sweet husband, who told me he really liked this new work. I think this painting is going to make a perfect Valentine for somebody.


There's no combination of words
I could put on the back of a postcard,
No song that I could sing
But I can try for your heart,
Our dreams, and they are made out of real things,
Like a shoebox of photographs,
With sepia tone loving,
Love is the answer
At least for most of the questions in my heart ,
Like why are we here? And where do we go?
And how come it's so hard?
It's not always easy,
And sometimes life can be deceiving,
I'll tell you one thing, its always better when we're together

MMM, it's always better when we're together
Yeah, we'll look at the stars when we're together
Yeah, it's always better when we're together

I believe in memories
They look so, so pretty when I sleep
Hey now, and when I wake up,
You look so pretty sleeping next to me
But there is not enough time,
And there is no, no song I could sing
And there is no combination of words I could say
But I will still tell you one thing,
We're better together