Home through Star Shine....

Hand Over your Heart

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Faux ceramics artists seeks alternate life in Brooklyn....inquire within

In another life... I am a ceramic artist living in a loft in Red Hook Brooklyn, my neighbor & ride or die is Jemima Kirke & we paint for hours together in between our sashays to the local Flea and magical stick poke tattoo sessions.


Our Resident Towanda

In the meantime... I will make paper clay pinch pots in this rural central coast of California, paint by myself, settle for antique stores, wave at my sweet neighbors & plan my zillion tattoos I never get!


Towandaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!





Thank you for stopping by!

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Tattoo Towanda



Today I'm working in this Antique Feed store ledger from 1907.
Throw a little bit of clear Gesso on it and secure it here and there with masking tape and it's good to go. 
Half way through this spread I realized that this was one of the many faces of Towanda.

Happy Towanda Tuesday!








Thursday, January 21, 2016

Spectrum: BLOG-HOP GIVEAWAY !

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 IM TEACHING IN SPECTRUM  

And I'm giving away a free spot... woohoo Blog Hop Giveaway !!!!

Spectrum is an online Holistic-Creative workshop going on its third year, and organized by Hali Karla of Hali Karla Arts. Spectrum 2016 will be guided by 20 NEW featured teachers and more than 20 returning contributors offering a variety of workshops, inspiration and invitations - all intended to empower, nurture and celebrate your innate creative expression, healing journey, and personal development!

What I am Offering this year in Spectrum...

Good Medicine: The Art of Falling Apart


<>Come get Good Medicine with me while we explore the art of falling apart into the bones of a deliciously messy, inky, drippy art journal page. Starry eyed with song lyric and lines that tear at our insides only to medicate us back together again. Charting territories of emotion where words pull & tug at you, and where line and color caress & lighthouse you home.
Come fall apart with me.<>

 Here is how to enter my give-away:
  1. Follow me on instagram: kitty_o_hello 
  2. Post a picture of yourself with a caption of your favorite lyric from a favorite song & note the band! Want to elaborate on why this lyric does it for you.. go for it! I wanna know! Simple or artsy/filtered however you want to do it up is up to you! You can layer the lyric over your picture or put it in your post description!
  3. Hashtag : #kittysbloghop and make sure you tag me @kitty_o_hello

Not on Instagram?
Share this blog post on any social media platform & leave me a comment here and tell me a favorite lyric & note the band! Want to elaborate and tell me why you love this lyric so much.. go for it! I wanna know! 

I will announce the winner of my free Spectrum pass here on February 1, 2016 - the same day pre-registration opens for Spectrum 2016!
Pre-registration for Spectrum 2016 officially opens on February 1, 2016 (and the program will begin on May 2). So be sure to bookmark this page (or link) - so that you can check back to see if you win the giveaway here or sign up just as soon as it goes on sale.

About the Give-Away:
All of the new teachers are playing along - and quite a few of the returning contributors volunteered to join in the fun, too - so there are over 30 chances to win a free pass!


13 January:
Hali Karla http://www.halikarla.com/blog/
14 January:
Andrea Schroeder http://www.creativedreamincubator.com/blog                
15 January:
Bebe Butler http://www.bebebutler.com/
16 January:
Briana Goetzen http://www.orangespiralarts.com/
17 January:
Cat Caracelo http://catcaracelo.com/
18 January:
Chris Zydel http://creativejuicesarts.com/
19 January:
Elloa Atkinson http://www.elloaatkinson.com/
20 January:
Gretchen Miller http://www.gretchenmiller.wordpress.com/
21 January:
Kelly Johnson http://www.wingswormsandwonder.com/
YOU ARE HERE >>> Kitty Oppegard http://handoverheartstudios.blogspot.com/  
22 January:
Kristal Norton http://kristalnorton.com/
23 January:
Lisa Wilson http://www.beingbreath.com/
24 January:
Malini Parkehttp://www.maliniparker.com/
25 January:
Melissa Harris http://www.melissaharris.com/
26 January:
Petrea Hansen-Adamidis http://www.arttherapist.ca/blog
27 January:
Robin Hallett http://www.robinhallett.com/
28 January:
Suki Ciappara Ka'Pinao http://sukihealingarts.com/
To learn more about the details, including all of the contributors and workshop offerings for this course CLICK RIGHT HERE. 
Enjoy the blog-hop, good luck on the give-aways, and I hope to see you in Spectrum in a few months!

Sunday, December 1, 2013

{Allowing} and Tina Turner....

Fall.
I did just that. I allowed myself to fall into Sacred Space this past month.
Answering questions regarding space for myself and allowing room to grow...and making it sacred.
Falling pushed way past my comfort zones and into terrain un-ventured.

I fell back into ways that came naturally, 2nd nature as it were. 
And it was delicious and it was uncomfortable and it was scary and you guessed it, perfect.

Here's what I learned.

1. Say Yes
2. Show up
3. Work at being present the WHOLE time 

Three relatively easy steps right?
Wrong. 
Lets FALL into those Lion Hearts....

Saying yes- this means that you have to push past time, money and the importance of you creating sacred space. This means borrowing money, putting things on credit cards before the holiday. Taking vacation days that are so precious or more so sick days. Work will always be there. And the money that you are making to work should go towards sacred space, towards your growth.

Showing up-  This means not backing out, backing down, giving in, making excuses good or bad...because we are all so very good at that yes.  Obligations for the family will always be there. Your obligation to your family should be to take time for your growth and sacred space. Period.
This means getting on planes that you're afraid of, dealing with tight spaces, crowds, panic attacks, hustle bustle. This means keeping the YES alive.

Being Present- You've said yes. You've showed up. Now....can you stay present? I know you want to but are you letting your mind make that decision? 
That's the fight.
Mind/heart Mind/heart back and forth back and forth. For me personally it tends to exhaust me...if I let it. I have this inner dialogue that I've discovered lately. "Yes yes mind, I hear you- it's not your turn, it's the hearts turn. Wait your turn".
I have learned in Sedona and then with this Sacred Space trip in Oregon that it's as easy as catching yourself in your head to just bring yourself back to the heart. 
Of course it's easy to do in the beauty that is Oregon. 
Reminders everywhere that this season is fleeting and there are these moments and colors that are so temporary... just like you Lion Heart.
What types of reminders can you put into this to bring you back to center? 

The last night in Rhododendron it was a stormy one, and the lights on the property outside went out. We prepared our sacred space, lit every candle in the county, found christmas lights and strung them everywhere. Made a delicious meal and then danced to Tina Turner for hours.
It was a moment in  time I will never ever forgot Lion Hearts.
My reflection dancing back at me in all the windows of the house, singing and dancing to the Fierce and Unapologetic Tina Turner.

"you better be good to me.... it's how it's GOTTA be now"
I sang at the top of my lungs and realized...that I was singing to myself.
I was dancing to myself.
I was allowing myself to create this space, allowing my growth, allowing my time, allowing allowing allowing.
To sing "bad" to dance "bad" to let it "all hang out" to giggle like a 5 year old to cry and let the tears come WITHOUT apology.

And I did it with the support of these two women and it was the most natural thing in the universe. To allow them to take care of me and visa versa.
Beautiful thing Lion Hearts when you allow.
Say yes. 
Show up.
Stay Present.
:Morale of the story: 
Sing More Tina Turner at the top of your lungs and dance without apology.
In fact....live your life without apology...okay Lion Heart? 

Allow The Fall.


The Grotto of the Sorrowful Mother  
Oh Mother.... 
Sylvia & Kathleen: Resident Goddess'
Wear your Crown Lion Hearts
I love you two...thank you for everything

View from my Room 

Sacred
 ===== Other Life Stuffs=====

Some of you know that I have been dealing with a chronic infection on my right leg. Well in Oregon creating sacred space I broke out in 2 more infections. I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis with vasculitis and pyoderma gangreosum. This is inflammation in my body causing bursted blood vessels in my foot and lower legs to form sores and they didn't know what it was for so long that they had become necrotic (flesh was dying).  I am currently taking steroids to deal with the inflammation and blood work will be analyzed in the next week or so. There is comfort in finally KNOWING what's going on. There is of course all the other stuff that comes along with this that is scary, sad, disappointing. However... I have the support of both my families and all my friends and I feel confident that I will be able to live with this...and allow whatever is coming to just come. 

Thank you for your love and support it means every single little thing to me Lion Hearts.
And here are more pictures from my very blessed life that I would love to share with all of you. I trust you had a very Thankful Thanksgiving. As we step into Christmas lets remember to Allow...and play Tina Turner whenever possible.

My beautiful sister Monique & Nephew B and the Paparazzi


lots of BBQ's and bonfires!
Where's your tool belt babe? Making my art table!


Adam and Me

This baby just walked into our office and I tried to eat her because she's perfect Miss K
My co-worker Amanda I love you so much












Filling in the Blanks

Sunday, July 14, 2013

SOUL FOOD ~ What nourishes your {creative} SOUL?





It's here sound the trumpets and eat some .... CRUMPETS!! What? Annoucing
An amazing new art community inspired by juicy 
Art & Nummy Noshings! 


Soul Food is an online community filled to the brim with delectable artful delights....oh and food too squee!
{.35.}
amaz-za-Z I N G artist/foodies to tempt 
ALL the senses!
What more can you ask for.... art+food= H E A V E N!

I have been asked to teach in this new adventure and I am so very honored !



CLICK ABOVE TO SEE ARTIST PROFILES!






http://www.mystele.com/soul-food/




Sunday, January 13, 2013

21 SECRETS ON SALE FOR EVERYONE!


21 SECRETS FOR EVERYONE !!!
{ACCEPT}ional ART WITH ME!!!!

SIGN UP HERE HERE HERE!!!

My friend Jeff Berg of Naughty Ruby was gracious enough to do a song for me {that I actually sang on as well talk about FUN} We actually sing this at work all day long now! Here are the lyrics below!

21 Secrets it's so fun
don't you walk you've got to run
you must check in everyday
to see what Kitty has to saaaaaay

21 secrets 21 Fun
21 secrets Mixed Media Fun

21 Secrets it's a gas 
come to paint and have a laugh
don't let life get in the way
YOU MUST CREATE EVERYDAY
21 Secrets 
IT'S CALORIE FREE
21 Secrets with MS KITTY {that's meeeee}

21 Secrets 21 Fun
21 Secrets for everyone!

  {{copyright Jeff Berg of Naughty Ruby }}


SEE YOU THERE LION HEARTS!!! 



Thursday, October 4, 2012

And she said.. "Ditto".

Taking a break in the studio from the 3 paintings I am currently trying to finish.
I have creative attention deficit disorder.  Thank The Stars for Mixed Media !
I started a clay doll.
This is Ditto. I made her.
She wasn't turning out so good.
I added paper clay.
I took away.
I molded.
I sculpted.
I thought about trashing her.
Couldn't do it.
Tried to do limbs.
Couldn't do that either.

Then I surrendered and remembered that she was just a paper clay doll... FOR ME.
Oh. Breathing room. Deep breath, that's nice.

I tore off her limbs.
I made her base thick & sturdy.
And then, before I knew what was happening in between dipping fingers into the water, grabbing a clump of paper clay and molding...

she  sprouted W I N G S.


Glorious funky, clumpy, lumpy, bumpy haphazard, imperfect, small wings.
I immediately fell in love with her.
And of course, what naturally came next...

I gave her a Lion H E A R T.

I've captured her, in the moment of growing her wings.
And as I painted her tonight, first giving her a coat of Gesso, I poured out love for her, in her imperfect state, and I told her not to compare herself to others, for she's one of a kind, never to be duplicated.
I told her to see, look, feel, fly with her Lion Heart.

And she said, "Ditto".

How are you taking care of your lumpy, bumpy, imperfect parts today? This minute? This Hour? This Day? This Week? This Year?

Come on Lion Heart, it's time for some {ACCEPT}tional self care....!


Sunday, March 25, 2012

You sure must be strong...

Love such a simple thing that we do... with nothing to prove....
The Shins- Simple Song 

if you haven't heard it. Go. Listen to it. Let it marinate. Listen to it in a loop.
It does the soul good. Seriously. Go.
You're welcome.

This week plagued with 2 major migraines. Not fun. Hubby working out of town. Not fun.
Art journaling. Fun. I think I am .. dare I say.. finding my palette. Finding my "style" my "nitch".
Or not. I dunnow. Why do we have to label things. It's just a necessity really isn't it? To fit it all into organized and neat and easy identifiable containers.

I miss. ALl the time just miss.
I miss my kids being little.
I miss my son walking down the hallway and saying in his funny voice "Hey Mob"...
I miss my daughters crooked little ear and the way she'd yell for me when she was hungry... her fragile little body, constantly in my arms.. she was like an appendage.
Severed.
It's something I am really struggling with.
Trying not to fill the void with food. That was hard to type. I almost wanted to hit the backspace but decided I better leave it.

I have no idea what I will do when Rhiannon moves out.
The thought just crushes me, and leaves me with an icy cold feeling in my chest.
Deep breath. One thing at a time Kitty. Be nice to yourself. Don't overwhelm yourself. Be kind.

Are you being kind to yourself where you are?
WIth the upmost care and attention, love and kid gloves?
I recommend it.
It's highly underrated.

"Don't go thinking you gotta be tuff and play like a stone.. could be that there's nothing else in our lives so critical..as this little home"....
The Shins. Simple Song.
go and have a listen.
and be good to yourself.
right now.
wherever you are.