The Gothic Garden

bernice97's photostream

2011-07-29T13:23:00.001-04:00

my most recent works

What to do??

2011-05-02T18:08:00.000-04:00

I just can't make up my mind on what I want to be working on. I've done many floral ACEO's but something stops me from putting watermarks on all my pics and list them.
One thing that I'm sure will go against me selling very many is that I can't offer to send the mini art printed.

I've got the oldest Cannon Printer, serial port which I use with my Window's 98 desktop. It prints out alright if I'm using the prints for collage but to get that real pop of color like I designed the pictures to look, you have to have a good printer.

I'm hoping they sell well, there are so many artists out there really working it and I don't have the fire under my ass anymore. My mind wants to do things that my body can't do. When did I get old, I think it was two years ago when I had the thyroid cancer. I haven't been the same since. I must admit my lack of energy is due more to my COPD. You need oxygen going to those muscles to make them work good. Damaged lungs, my fault, lucky it wasn't worse.

If anyone should stop by and read this, I was needing to know how I can put a watermark on my pics all at the same time. I have several hundred to get done before I can list them so I would appreciate any help.
Bernice

2011-04-12T12:17:00.002-04:00

The Gothic Garden

2011-04-12T12:04:00.001-04:00

The Gothic Garden, a set on Flickr.

My new art slide, digital, sketches and oil paintings

Summer was here

2011-04-11T13:45:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we had our first day of our temps getting up to 80. Today is cloudy and very windy, we have some storms coming our way. I heard that we might get more snow by the weekend. It's no wonder why so many of us get sick with the weather going wacko.

When I read that so many of you are already planting your gardens I get really jealous.I know it will come but what to expect. Last summer we roasted at 100 for so much of the summer that I never went outside.
I just want the summers like I remember as a child growing up in Kansas City, MO. I don't remember any bad weather days. Summer was about being outside all the time. Skating, biking, croquet, badminton I was always on the move.
I think I will ponder on the years gone by and the fun and freedom I felt then.

The Gothic Garden art by Bernice (Hodges) Wagnitz

2011-04-10T15:36:00.000-04:00

That second back surgery and thyroid cancer really kicked my butt. I just don't seem to have the energy to even think of doing any art. Just opening my etsy shop seems like such a chore. Another part of me not doing my art is that I have my studio in my basement. My home was built in 1920 and at least twice a year I will get the drains backing up. I'm used to it but it leaves the basement so humid I get a rainbow of molds growing on the walls near the floor. I used to spray and scrub with bleach then I read to just use hot soapy water. It goes away but comes back. I can't afford to be running my electric bill up to run a dehumidifier.
I have COPD ( Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ) and the mold makes me cough and I'm sure it isn't good to breath. So I use my laptop upstairs when all my art supplies are, yeah, in the basement.
I tried all the drying out chemicals, should have bought stock in the company. I would need the industrial size and it's only good for a month.
Anyone out there have any suggestions that don't cost tons of money. Yeah I'd love to have a studio with big windows, lots of sunshine, warm in the winter and dry all year round.

I do have an "Artist" page on Facebook, it's The Gothic Garden art by Bernice ( Hodges) Wagnitz. I'd love your thoughts on my art and if you like what you see than please "Like" it.

I've done quite a bit of new art since I last posted so I best get busy and get them in here.

More to come.......
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Gothic-Garden-art-by-Bernice-Hodges-Wagnitz/120444404698305

Please Come and Visit my new store at Earth Gaia

2010-05-07T07:53:00.000-04:00

I would like to invite all my friends to my new store @ Earth Gaia. It's named Digital Art by Bernice and the direct link is: http://tinyurl.com/2d29xh5

This is the first time that I have offered my digital art for sale. I have over 40 pieces listed as of this posting. I'm offering my digital pieces as ACEO's but you can request to have them in any size up to an 8 x 10 print. My art is offered as digital downloads so there is no need to wait to receive your art, you will have your print as soon as you have paid for it with PayPal.
I hope you will stop by often and browse all the wonderful artists from Creative Souls and their stores. Offering everything from web site banners to art supplies, collage sheets, tags, to fine art prints. You won't be disappointed.
Thank you
Hugs, Bernice

2010-05-07T07:41:00.001-04:00

Creative Souls Ning Group Will Stay On Line

2010-05-03T09:37:00.000-04:00

Creative Souls, our wonderful group on the Ning network will be staying. Yeah !!!!!
We were all so upset when we heard the news that Ning would be shutting all the free sites down. Being one of those free sites our group was in jeopardy. Our courageous leader, Izabella Pierce, sent the word out for all members to join in with ideas on how to keep our group intact. While we still await the notice of how much it will cost us to stay on the Ning Network, we are positive that we will be able to pay the fee.
With a donate button and many ideas in the works we will achieve our goal and remain together. So many wonderful groups will fall to the wayside. I belong to 10 other Ning groups that aren't as lucky as
Creative Souls. They don't have the membership that Creative Souls have and membership equates to money these days.

Everyone is so sad

2010-04-18T22:16:00.000-04:00

Well the news is out, most of us know by now that the Ning network is shutting all of our Free sites down sometime in May.
Like so many of us, I belong to almost 10 ning groups, all of which I love for their own uniqueness. Each offers something new to experience and new friends to meet.

While most of the grouups I'm in are all trying to figure out what there going to do, charge a fee to belong or move to another free site, like Yahoo groups.

My main Ning group is Creative Souls and I don't want to have it change. Izabella has put so much into the making of such a warm and welcoming group. I have my own group on her wonderful group site, Sharing Techniques. I sure don't want to see all the hard work I've done go away or to try and transfer all that information from all 222 of my members. I can't imagine how Izabella feels with over 2 thousand members.

We're all in a state of limbo for now, waiting to see what is going to happen in May. I for one am going to start to save as many of my groups techniques in the hopes that they will not be lost if things go the wrong way for us all.

Art Creations Friday

2010-04-18T13:48:00.003-04:00

This is my entry for the Art Creations Friday challenge

2010-02-25T15:43:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the wonderful Ladies at Outsider-Artists

2009-01-28T17:15:00.008-05:00

Click here to see the wonderful art of the ladies of Outsider-Artists

Here are a few of my works done with the photos given by these gracious ladies. Thank you so much for all the beautiful photos ladies, you've made my art sing.

Hugs

Bernie

Mind Wide Open

2008-11-30T13:14:00.000-05:00

Mind Wide Open

Join in the fun at Gail's web contest Mind Wide Open, it's the most fun I've had just seeing the entrants and the winners of this wonderfully creative contest.

Army of Women

2008-10-29T13:35:00.007-04:00

Our revolutionary initiative has two key goals:
To recruit one million healthy women of every age and ethnicity, including breast cancer survivors and women at high-risk for the disease, to partner with breast cancer researchers and directly participate in the research that will eradicate breast cancer once and for all.
To challenge the scientific community to expand its current focus to include breast cancer prevention research conducted on healthy women.
"Breast cancer has been around for decades, but it does not have to be our future. We can be the generation that stops breast cancer once and for all by figuring out what causes this disease and how to prevent it!" "Sign up for your sister, mother, daughter, granddaughter, best friend, and the woman you met last week. This is YOUR chance to be part of the research that will end breast cancer."
Army of Women : You can click on the title of this blog Army of Women to go directly to their page.
https://www.armyofwomen.org/getinvolved

Welcome to the Love/Avon Army of Women, a revolutionary movement to bring women and researchers together to eradicate breast cancer.
As a proud Army of Women member, you will regularly receive emails from us that announce new research studies as well as other Army of Women activities.
You will need to login into your account in order to sign up for any research studies or participate in our Town Hall.
The Army is dedicated to representing ALL women in research so that the research results will apply to ALL women. This means we need you to help us recruit women of all ages, ethnicities, sizes, and shapes. We need women who have had breast cancer and women who have not. We need African American women, Asian women, white women, Latinas, and lesbians to be involved.
You can do your part to help us spread the word about the Army and reach our goal of one million women by:
Emailing an invitation to your friends and family members to join the Army. Send an email today!
Inviting your church, school, professional organization, social group, or sorority, to join the Army. Email us for more information about group affiliations.
Using our “Share/Send to a Friend” feature to let friends or family members know about information we have on our site that might interest them.
Forward emails you receive from the Army to family members and friends.
Talk to your friends and family members about the Army and the studies you take part in.
Link to http://mailing.armyofwomen.org/rd/9z1zsvaf1usiuqaip7spgf396u0i2rpb8amafgego40 from your social networking page, website, or blog.
Thank you for joining the movement to go beyond a cure to eradicate breast cancer.

2008-10-29T12:56:00.005-04:00

"PRINCESS PINK"Her name is Princess PinkWhat else could it be?She prefers the color pinkIn everything she sees!No matter where she's goingOr what it is you thinkOne thing you can be sure ofShe's always wearing pink!-donna "cookie" gotlib
I haven't had a giveaway in a while so I decided that this is a good time to have one. As most of you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I've decided to give away a hand signed 8 x 10 matted and framed copy of my original illustration and rhyme "Princess Pink".
HERE'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO WIN: Notice the Princess Pink button on the sidebar of my blog. Please post that on your blog, then create a post on your blog letting your readers know about my giveaway. Once you have done this, return to my blog, locate this post and leave me a comment letting me know that your Princess Pink button is up and your post has been published. I'll list your name on my sidebar with a link to your site then stop by and leave you a comment to let you know you've been included in the drawing. On November 1st, my nephew Mike Hopper and I will do another video drawing and we will announce the winner!
Cancer.org says "For information about breast cancer, please visit www.cancer.org/breastcancer, or call us toll free at 1-800-ACS-2345, anytime, day or night."

http://cookiesunshine.blogspot.com/2008/10/give-away-for-breast-cancer-awareness.html

2008-10-23T05:12:00.006-04:00

Creative Souls Group
A diverse gathering of creative souls~ artists~ music~ writers~ creative people
This month's featured artist winner is..... Bernice Wagnitz!!!!!!

I would like to thank those of you that truly feel this honor should be bestowed upon me.
As I mentioned to Izabella, I have not been published, my art has not been in any galleries or even sold on etsy or ebay. My art is my own expression of my inner feelings bursting with the excitement that this new medium (digital) has brought me.
I have only been doing my digital works for a mere few weeks. I don't have the newest programs and aids that would allow me to take my art further. What I do have is a very old program that my computer seems to think is a virus and wants to destroy. LOL
What my digital art has done for me is to allow me to finally create after such a long time of not doing any art. It's been 11 years since I last did a painting or a sketch. The joy my art once gave me left me suddenly with the loss of my family. It has been a long road back and not an easy one.
Joy left my life along with the joy I felt in creating and for too many years it brought sadness instead of joy. Sadness because I associated so much of the joy with my daughter, my muse, my biggest supporter and the reason I kept doing my art.
The digital art, being so different from what I had done in the past brought back that joy I had once felt. It excited me and gave me my voice back; it allowed me to shout with color and expression again.
I am an artist, these words don't come easy for I am just learning that to be an artist one doesn’t have to be published or have their art hang in galleries. To be an artist one only has to do what comes from the deepest feelings they feel inside. The need to create, to take the feelings and give them a medium to express themselves. I do my art because I feel my art and for no other reason. It is an outward expression of what my inner feelings are.
Bernie

Creative Soul page~ http://creativesouls.ning.com/profile/BerniceWagnitz
ZNE~ http://zneiscrafty.ning.com/profile/Bernice97
Myspace~ http://myspace.com/berniceanthologyofart

Donny Osmond and Weird Al Nerdy N White

2008-09-17T18:42:00.001-04:00

Pure Energy 40

2008-08-27T20:41:00.002-04:00

Find more photos like this on Creative Souls

Pure Energy

2008-08-24T18:30:00.002-04:00

Photobucket Album

In Loving Memory of My Brother Bobby

2008-08-24T17:45:00.002-04:00

For My Jennifer

2008-08-15T02:49:00.004-04:00

If I could blow that dandelion
And make my wish come true
I'd wish the very nicest things
In all the world for you
I'd ask the fairies please to leave
The stardust in your eyes
And not disturb the shinning dreams
You hope to realize
I'd ask the shadows not to cross
Your pathway to the sun
And then I'd ask
That you'd always be blessed
Little One.
MOM

My First Blog Award

2008-08-08T02:11:00.006-04:00

I was thrilled to receive this award from my friend Donna Cook
Donna is one busy lady, she donates her time to several causes and she always has time for her friends. Check out her blog and see what she's up to now.
http://bonniebluedenim.blogspot.com/2008/07/brillante-weblog-award.html#links

Here's all you have to do.....if you "win" this award!

Here are the rules for accepting this award:

1) Put the logo on your blog.

2) Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs

4) Add links to those blogs on yours

.5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blog.

I'm nominating

http://www.bonniebluedenim.blogspot.com/
http://heartcollective.blogspot.com/
http://www.krishubick.blogspot.com/
http://rowandevoe.blogspot.com/
http://mandalasoulportraits.blogspot.com/

I Walk In The Shadows

2008-08-07T04:51:00.009-04:00

I walk in the shadows of what was and live in the fog of what is. A place where time doesn't exist, a place where the years are tallied by "when Jenny was alive and after Jenny died.
The emptiness I feel is real, I know if the doctors looked closely they would see the large gaping hole in my heart. The place where my daughter used to fill.
I grow less tired of my mask; it is now a part of who I am who I've become. Beneath it lies a face marked with grief and turned old too soon. This is who I am when I'm alone with myself.

When I'm with all of you the light shines in and a safe place opens for me to enter. Here I find friends, people I admire and I'm shy to say admire me.
Strong, not me, you haven't seen me in my grief, alone in the darkness of my sorrow. Or beating the walls for the life I had to come back again.
I am all of this, My name is Bernice and I know the path you walk.

2008-08-05T03:19:00.005-04:00

"Three passions have governed my life:
The longings for love, the search for knowledge,
And unbearable pity for the suffering of [humankind].
Love brings ecstasy and relieves loneliness.
In the union of love I have seen
In a mystic miniature the prefiguring vision
Of the heavens that saints and poets have imagined.
With equal passion I have sought knowledge.
I have wished to understand the hearts of [people].
I have wished to know why the stars shine.
Love and knowledge led upwards to the heavens,
But always pity brought me back to earth;
Cries of pain reverberated in my heart
Of children in famine, of victims tortured
And of old people left helpless.
I long to alleviate the evil, but I cannot,
And I too suffer.
This has been my life; I found it worth living."
~Bertrand Russell~