TODAY i am featured as the guest ARTIST at STAMPINGTON's BLOG !!! I know flipping to the moon.

entire piece of art

details detail oh i love those little details

closer up

lots of tiny illustration work

Today I had a really big dream come true. I worked and envisioned and built a dream board around my intentions and I am marching down the list. Checking them off one by one.

I cannot begin to gush how thrilled, excited, grateful, honored I am.

Please pop over and read the story. I have a full tutorial about how I created this dream and this piece of art.

Thank you Stampington for seeing beauty in what I create and finding my art in this big world.

http://stampington.com/blog/index.php/2014/09/22/creating-clear-vision-sea-inspired-collage-guest-artist-kelli-may-krenz/

life lessons. living brave. living strong. surviving and shining.

me at five or so. i had this hair cut until i was 17.

professional photo taken of me at 30 years old.

I have decided that this is my time in life to spill it wide open = my life that is. I believe that being an artist and sharing what makes me the person i am matters, so I am sharing. I have a full life and have lived through some unusual pains.

I grew up in a tiny river town in Iowa. I am an only child. I have very loving, gracious, proud parents who love me crazy good stuff. I was pretty sheltered in this little town. I loved the simple nature of this little town.  I loved flowers, making things pretty, drawing, creating neat spaces for my barbies to live in, dolls (I so loved dolls) dogs, rabbits. My little friends were like sisters. I loved the river and boating on the Mississippi River. Trying to express I was brought up going to Sunday school, respecting others and a pretty good person.

Somehow growing up in this small town I knew I had to move and get to a big city.
I went to college and graduated with a fine arts degree. I kept moving to big cities and creating. I grew as an artist and person.

I married at 29 (not super young) I married the wrong person. I stayed in a very ugly marriage for 11 years. It was not the good stuff you wish for. I escaped in my art world. It worked. I was very successful and noticed for my design talents.

I write this to give history of me prior to a really terrible event happening. I ended up in a very love less marriage, I ended up at 39 with the renal aneurysm (I have posted about this one) Knowing that I might not survive I made a deal with God = please let me live and I will change my life. I will get out of a love less marriage. I will face the world and let my marriage go.

I did it. I confronted my husband for the zillion one millionth time. This time he admitted that he was gay. Yes, I married a man that was gay. That is why he was loveless in so very many ways. At 40 I divorced.

Tonight is the eve of my ex husbands next marriage. This time he is marrying a man. I have no issues with sexual preference. I do have major issues with lying. Lies are some of the most horrible things in the world. They destroy faith and love and hope. Faith, love and hope can be found, healed and re learned with lots of good energy around you. I know this in every way possible.

This post is mainly for me to share hope. I am realizing how much my soul is good.
I am healed and a strong brave soul for surviving the many things I have.

I am blessed beyond to be loved for real by my hubby. I am beloved by many who have no clue the paths I have walked. I feel like my life is for sharing, helping, creating goodness and gushing it into the world. So I am sharing me. I am happy and grateful for my spirit and soul. Knowing.

My wish is that this post helps a few people in ways that are needed. Love sweet love.

working so hard for this dream.

"let the beauty we love be what we do" Rumi

Iris Dement - singer songwriter

yes, we must first really love ourselves.

The wild dreamy journey continues, marching on. Today is the first day in a very long time that I am tired. I am realizing the packing every little thing one owns is a lot to process. We just did this twice in the past year and a half. The hardest part is packing my studio. Yep, that is the hard part.

I have been listening to tons of music from my past. I use to listen to tons of Iris Dement, James Taylor, Shawn Colvin, Patty Griffin, French music, old jazz standards. The list goes on and on. Music is such a safe place to land when your days are long and things seems hard. It is just a natural escape.

Balancing the packing and my studio deadlines is all consuming. I am wanting some head space of nothing. Just nothing at all. I daydream lately about decorating our Christmas tree this year. I know it will be snowy, I know we will go cut one down, I know that I will not buy enough lights first trip to the store (I tend to over light the tree) It thrills me to have a season change again in my life. I miss it. I do so love the ocean and being there on Christmas day is something to behold.

This year will be so different from last. I am forever grateful for my life. Even when days are long and harder then most I am giddy with grace for my very blessed life.

Link here for music by Iris Dement - such a beautifully talented singer songwriter

http://irisdement.com/

sharing more of me. the big stuff. i matter most. today.

coming into my own. seeing the 12 year mark. knowing.

i was saved for a reason. knowing.

dreams keep unfolding. i am here and ready. knowing.

tiny old photo of me 12 years ago.

On the eve of the 10th of September I am sharing a big personal part of my life here. Twelve years ago I was sitting in my studio full of fear, anxiety and filled with prayers that I would live. On the 10th of September 2002 I survived a life saving surgery. At 39 years old I was very sick. I could barely walk up the steps to my bedroom. I was passing out and going by ambulance to the ER too many times to mention. Doctor after doctor no one could find anything wrong with me except that my blood pressure was to the moon high. I kept searching for the perfect doctor who would listen and help me. On my 8th doctor I was given the news that I had a serious problem. I remember hearing the news in the office, you have a blockage. Immediately I went to a Vascular surgeon. I then received the phone message saying this, "Kelli you have an aneurysm, please call the office immediately."

My life changed forever. Right in this time and place it was forever changed.

I met with my Vascular surgeon who said it was very possible and likely that I would not survive the surgery. Fate right there in the cold white office on the table I heard words that were very real. I asked if I would live again. He said I cannot promise you this, your aneurysm is wrapped around your right kidney and very tricky to know how we can help you. Okay, so he shot me straight news.

Soon after I had my life laid out in front of me and I went into the hospital for my surgery. I remember riding in the car and thinking I must live I want to feel the wind on my face again. I walked into the hospital and looked up seeing the blue sky and puffy white clouds mixed with the wind and prayed again. Let me live, I have big stuff to do. Really big stuff. Let me live.

After a very long surgery with a team of very talented surgeons. I woke up the next morning in ICU.
Hooked up to every sort of machine = breathing. I kept asking the ICU nurse where I was. YES, I was ALIVE. I could do the rest. I had life.

Ended up I had probably been born with this aneurysm and as I grew so did it. It had wrapped around my right kidney. My right kidney was mostly gone (thus being so sick from toxins etc) I was saved with veins from my left leg rebuilding my renal artery. Yes, very invasive surgery. Lots of big time surgery stuff. I am so forever grateful for my scars both mentally and physically. I lived.

I still have testing to make sure the artery stays open as it is not the one I was born with it is thinner.
I am proud delighted to say that I am a miracle. My life was saved. I get to go big things with great big love. I am trying with all that I know to live a grateful, giving, art filled life. I am sharing what I know and possible teach others.

I know that I have big love to get into the universe. I am doing this with my art and my life. I want bigger. I want to be noticed on a grand scale all because I want to share joy, love and the gift of living with others.

Gratefully celebrating me. ME alive. ME. Oh, how very lucky, beloved, blessed I am.


www.facebook.com/kelli.maykrenz

shining open by art. my life. me.

section from a large painting.

section from a large painting.

section from a large painting.

so today has been a very full day of packing, designing, creating art and lots of reflection. it is impossible to pack up your life, my studio and not really take a hard look at what's around me.

i have been creating like a crazy person over for the past several months. as i look around my studio i see that i have over twenty original pieces of art just stacked up on my tables. wow. i thought to myself that i am have really been sharing lots of me on surfaces everywhere in my studio. i have created on canvas, boards, scraps of papers, notebook covers, my journal  = really i am starting to think no surface is safe.

i have long wanted to create for me. just take the time to play and see and feel all on surfaces. the tricky part then comes the sharing. i no longer feel like the opinions or judgements can touch how i create. i know that i am truly spilling from me. there is such a gift in this. i am grateful each and everyday for art in me. so so grateful.

these pieces are newly listed and most affordable in my etsy shop found here.

www.etsy.com/shop/kellimay

oh my am i a very lucky girl. friends who shine on me. wow.

each tiny detail was lovingly thoughtful and precious.

seriously cool artwork by Diana D. Darden. FOR ME.

some of my most favorite things EVER tiny pieces of bits.  FOR ME.

the notes, ribbons, treats both tiny and big. FOR ME.

insanely gorgeous artwork by Diana D. Darden. FOR ME.

Today was one of those days when the knock on the door holds extra blessings. Yes, this truly carefully artfully created box of all handmade treats came from me from my artist friend Diana D. Darden.

Quick story of our friendship. I have long admired Diana's artwork. I had seen it in galleries and online and always was blown away with her attention to details and thoughtful art. I never really researched where she lived or anything = I just loved her art. So fast forward to me moving from Minneapolis to Sarasota. I find Diana on facebook = again I am blown away by her talents and joy she adds to all of her artwork. Lucky me we become friends. We have a great connection for loving tiny details, trims, ribbons, images etc. We started by trading bits from our studios with each other.
I find out that all along she was living in Minneapolis the entire time I lived there. WHAT!
Lesson learned for me to seek like souls right when i see them in my world.

I am also very happy to say that I love designing her business cards and marketing materials.
What joy to design for a talented friend. Another blessing.

So with a gracious gushing heart I post these photos and write about the gift of precious artists in my life who are also beautiful friends.

Thank you Diana. I am humbled by your generous spirit and crazy sweet happy gifts. These are the very best of times. I am lucky to know you and be your friend. I am sending universal love and goodness to you today, this moment and always.

Please check out her precious artwork below are a few links.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Diana-D-Darden-ArtistDesigner/152672571493366

http://www.dianaddarden.com/

gratefully giving. take time to notice the gift of friendship.

created the box with layers of papers then painting and more layers.

oh the love of details 

she loved beauty = i do i do

grateful for kindred spirits

happiness combo platter = 3 gifts ready to mail

Today was a day for packing, thinking, creating and gifting. Oh the joy I feel when I create presents for others. I truly love love love giving. I am not sure what a therapist would say about this passion I have for giving. It comes from a very real pure place in my heart. I never expect anything in return. Okay, I like thank you's. I really just feel better noticing that others need to feel loved and being a tiny light shining = hopefully saying, "hey, i notice and you are beloved."

So I created three fun packages today. I am happy to say in the midst of a very busy studio day and packing. So much of life is often over looked. I love having the ability to take time to be grateful and gush out into the world.

Grab the gifts of friends and like minds. It matters. I have learned this past year about community of like souls. I have been on this beautiful key living, creating and facing every bit of anxiety, fear and doubt. I have been very alone (thank goodness for my hubby and sweet little dog Pearl Button).
Prior to moving across the country I was lucky to have several friends to call and instantly have community. I have had big surprises this past year. I am grateful for the learning however painful the lessons. I am growing stronger, braver and getting my messages into the big world.

I matter. What I create matters. I am good at being me. If a handful of people see me truly get me that is plenty. More then enough. I wake up wanting to gush joy and gratitude for my life, and that is perfectly fine. It's who I am. I am just swell with me.

Happy is the very best path in life. Take it, you can make it thru most days with a dose of happy.
It is in the noticing. Promise.

and so it begins. marching strongly. my own path.

and so the boxes start stacking.

tick tock the clock tells me to follow my heart = i am

my roads to travel ending here in galena = gratefully knowing

journey back to you. i am.

alter that will be glowing until we pack the truck.

And so it begins the packing of every single thing i own. We own. Yes, it can seem overwhelming and at the same time it can be a gift. A gift of letting go of things, of knowing that treasures wrap in boxes and go with us, of really taking a look at what makes us tick (how does our world go around) what matters the most.

I have had several people (that hardly know me) comment this week on my dream of moving from beachy sunshine to Galena. Folks think I am crazy, comments like, "I thought Florida was your dream." Really are we allowed one dream? Not for me as long as I am luck enough to be alive I will dream daily. I will march in the direction that my heart and soul tell me to. I am a really hard worker and I know that anything is possible with hard work and faith.

So I really hope that those of you who follow me get this about me. I will always be dreaming big and moving mountains and trying my very best to inspire, give from my whole heart, be a good person and create like today is my last day.

Grateful for each and every step in this life. Loving and knowing and growing every single day!!!