Happily Ever After by Corey Kneedler

Artwork by Julie Akeman

“Happily Ever After”
By Corey Kneedler

It’s cold tonight but you don’t care. Right now you’re safe and warm in my arms. While the wild eerily howls through the cracks of the windows, you feel secure.
Before, when you were all alone, such sounds would have terrified you. Such feelings would have reminded you why you had to escape, why you felt like you weren’t god enough to move on.
But you finally learned to let go this year, didn’t you? Finally decided to let the past die like an old withered tree. I’m proud of you for that.
I’m glad you decided to take that chance you were on the fence about taking. Glad you chose to open the box your heart has rested quietly in for the last five years.
It was worth it, wasn’t it?
As our souls draw near to each other, both of us can feel that it was worth the wait, worth all the pain and the tears it took to get here.
All you had to do was take that first step.
I know it was hard for you. One of the hardest things you’ve ever done.
And I want to thank you for doing that. For being brave again, for your willingness to fall in love again. You are truly the bravest person I know.
The night is still young, and we’ve got plenty of time ahead of us, God willing.
It’s not too late to write new chapters. Not too late to wipe the slate clean and start over.
As it turns out, love really can be found.
There is life after divorce, life after the abuse, the sleepless nights, the cold lonely nights.
Love is still out there waiting for you. All you have to do is take that first step.
You aren’t broken. You aren’t a waste. You are good enough. You are stronger than you were yesterday. You’re worth more than the rarest gem, more beautiful than the Northern Lights.
No one is holding you back but you.
There’s a whole universe of adventure waiting for you. Countless happy memories to be made.
Yes, life is still worth living.
And happy endings still exist.

This could be you.
What are you waiting for?
What are you afraid of?
Take that first step.
Don’t be afraid.
Love is already ready.
And it’s waiting for you.
You just have to find it.

Find your happy ending:

Ghosts Of Home

Crazy Work Space

I started a new project when I have two others to finish, which is how it goes with me..I love to paint fantasy but asking my questions to myself about where I want to go with my art. Obviously I want to make a living at my art, how am I going to achieve that?  Need to get my projects done that's for sure. 

This piece may look pretty much done but it's so empty, I want to add maybe a mysterious whisp, and then something in the water..I do love this piece and don't want to mess it up, though it is water soluble oils which is pretty easy to clean.

This is a watercolor on watercolor canvas and I love the canvas better than paper.  It is a lot sturdier and easier to manage as stretching papers has proven very tricky for me. The background has been worked a little more and I will make another shot when done..but I think I want to make a burning forest in the background..just painting on a whim here.

This Is A Horse

This is a horse.
Oh yeah, I know it's not as well done as it should be.
But I was only doing a sketch wash and then messing about in India ink.
It's not perfect.
It's not supposed to be.
Art does not have to be perfect.
Art is about learning what art means to you,
What art does for you,
And what it can do for others.
Try your hand at it.
If you start criticizing yourself...you hit on something
How do you treat yourself in your mind every day.
We are often too hard on ourselves, mean to ourselves without knowing it.
Do a piece.
Try to draw
What does your inner voice say?
Working on a piece can help draw that out.
What do you say to yourself.
This art is just for you, your eyes only
Why the hell are you criticizing yourself.

This horse, this horse, you can still tell it's a horse, it's got the parts
But it does not look like it's real.
Well, I didn't use a photo reference
I went with my gut, my intuition
and besides.
I've seen art of animals where lines are curvy, wavy
Different colors
Tribal art where there is more circles or zig zags
So...there is no wrong way of doing a horse.
Julie Akeman
 

Wild Horse Woman

A small project I did that I call Wild Horse Woman.  I am of maybe a couple of drops of Cherokee Native American though I had more comments about how Jewish I look (that is also in my family line)  but I always love the legends of Native Americans and the music that is part of that culture..and it's my dream to finally attend a Powwow.  We have one close to where I live I just get so skittish around so many people and I don't have somebody to be my buddy and walk me through it.

This painting may not look like much but I bought this stylized horse stamp since it was deeply marked down, and wanted to use it in something so I did a quick wash and stamped it.  I then added the woman there.  I didn't really paint her well, I didn't use a photo reference and how I do people needs work.  It's a pretty color and I might do it again with a better drawing of the woman if I find a good photo reference that fits what I want to do..sketchwork is relaxing and keeps one able to try new things without getting as bent out of shape as I would over a bigger project.