DeborahCavenaugh.com "Best of" lists

Thanks to the following sites for featuring DeborahCavenaugh.com in their "Best of" lists!

WordPress Design Inspiration 5 – for Header Design for a Blog

blogdesignstudio.com

60 Mind-Blowing Hand Drawn Website Designs For Your Inspiration

www.1stwebdesigner.com

40 of the most beautiful hand-drawn site designs, (China)

uuhy.com

7 Sites Da Vinci Should Have Painted

"Some web designers like to push the boundaries in terms of artistic design, and for most of us it’s nice to come across some eye candy once in a while. Here’s a selection of a few of the best." www.touchtaboo.com

60+ Amazing Examples Of Illustrative Web Designs With Overview

www.instantshift.com

Blog Design: Beautiful templates from Photoshop, (Germany)

www.drweb.de

The 50 backgrounds of the web's most creative, (Italy)

www.yourinspirationweb.com

20 Creative Hand Drawn Websites Designs

"cool creative hand drawn design style" creativenerds.co.uk

43 Impressive and Fully Creative Hand Drawn Websites

"trendy and unique design" designbeep.com

Showcase: 30+ Creative WordPress Blogs Design Layouts

www.dynamicwp.net

Nice & Creative Website Headers for your Inspiration

www.hybridlava.com

25 Incredibly Artistic Websites

vandelaydesign.com

60 hand-painted graffiti style sites, (site is in Chinese - rough translation)

www.iguoguo.net

Getting Inspired by 35 Eyecatching Illustrated Websites

"inspiring creative talent" www.reencoded.com

Hand-drawn website designs

"beautiful websites that were based on hand-drawn designs" www.thenextbigdesign.com

Showcase Of Websites With Watercolour Effect

acrisdesign.com

40 Beautifully Designed Search Boxes to Inspire you

"examples of search boxes that push the envelope" www.tripwiremagazine.com

CSS design SOURCE D'INSPIRATION POUR WEB DESIGNERS,, (France)

www.css-design.fr

30+ amazing “cartoony” websites

indeziner.com

30 Creative Examples of Illustrations in Web Design

sixrevisions.com

50 Awesome Examples and Tutorials of Illustrations in Web Design For Your Inspiration

designtutorials4u.com

17 Dazzling Hand-Drawn Website Designs

www.webdesigndev.com

Web Design Trends 2010-2011

blog.websitetemplates.bz

56 websites with awesome footers

www.csstea.com

Web Design Inspiration – 25 Websites With Beautiful Background

dzineblog.com

20 Super Search Bars

www.design-heaven.com

40+ Websites with Awesome Backdrops

www.bestdesigntuts.com

Getting Inspired by 35 Eyecatching Illustrated Website

www.elsterama.com

Comunitatea Wedmasterilor din Romania - Art Web Designs, (Romania)

www.cwr.ro

16 Beautiful and Creative Website Headers

www.demilked.com

20 very creative design of search box, (China)

www.333cn.com/media/jdsj/114128_4.html

50 superbes designs, (France)

www.felix-girault.fr

CSS Bag Daily Inspiration

www.cssbag.com

CSS Dance web design inspiration

www.cssdance.com

69 Attractive Hand-Drawn Website Designs

psdcollector.blogspot.com

21 Great Examples Of Artistic Websites Design

aceinfowayindia.com

This Week's Top 10 Web Design, (Netherlands)

dailyinspiration.nl

Creative website designs

appslog.com

30 AWESOME WORDPRESS HEADERS FOR CREATIVE DESIGN

www.chotoan.com

20 must-see eCommerce sites

www.designstuffdaily.com

the souvenir tree

Remembrance / 6 x 8 / torn paper mosaic

$200.00

to frame, first have the art mounted on paper and let the raw edges show  -- a great effect

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At our house, we call our Christmas Tree the Souvenir Tree. Every year since my children were born, I have given them an ornament that relates to their life that year. Some are pretty funny and some just make my heart soar. Once they got old enough, they started doing the same for me. Our tradition is to put the person's initial and the year somewhere discreet on the ornament. It adds an element when we remember. And, when I travel, I collect a little something to add to the tree...a small bronze Eiffel Tower, a tiny carved red Danish horse, an itsy wooden Maine lobster boat, and so forth. I also add things I have saved to the tree like a ribbon from my baby shower 24 years ago, a tiny Santa from my son's first stocking, a little bear that was hanging on my daughters hospital bassinet, and the like. Putting up that tree is some experience, I'll tell you. I cherish every ornament and every memory. Last year, when we took the tree down, my daughter, Lani, who is 23 and lives in Washington, DC, packed her ornaments up and took them home for her own Souvenir Tree. I will miss them. But, I still have all the memories of good and happy times that they represent. And, long after I am gone, my daughter and her daughter and her daughter's daughter will gently unwrap the memories the Souvenir Tree holds.

Christmas 2010

I guess what I am trying to get to is this...many things come and go. Life is always going on--the good and the not so good. At some level though, all of it is precious. I can say with pretty much certainty that, even on the worst day of my life with my loved ones, there will surely come a time in the future when I would give anything for just five minutes back there...on that worst day...with them. Make a space for happiness, and it will find you!

Awaken each day and rejoice for your blessings are too many to count

awaken each day and rejoice for your blessings are too many to count

$40.00

11 x 17 Watercolor Print.  Click image for larger preview.

Need a different size? Framing? Canvas Print?

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Everything comes and goes. I am always amazed at the speed of life! In the blink of an eye, another year of living is gone. Why didn’t I pay more attention? Why didn't I spend more of my time enjoying my days? Why didn't I breathe more fresh air and contemplate more blue skies?

It is, for the 58th time in my life, Christmas. I have always loved Christmas and never had even one cynical thought about it. I love the decorating. I love to give gifts. I love the music, the family, the whole kit and kaboodle of the day. I still wear Christmas jammies and get out the Santa mugs. I cling to the traditions of my family like they were lifelines...and, maybe they are.

Everything comes and goes. But, on December 25th for the 59th time, I will rush downstairs with my family to laugh and celebrate and love each other. I wouldn't trade that moment for all the riches in the world.

This is Charlotte - Interview

Deborah Cavenaugh Introduces A Collection of New Paintings By Eight-Year Old Wilmington Artist, Charlotte Armitage.

Charlotte, a student of Deborah's and the daughter of Dr. Sam and Debbie Armitage, created these paintings from October 2009 through June 2010. Having just completed the second grade at Friends School, Charlotte paints about the things that interest her, delight her and tell her own story. Her works are complete, composed, colorful and, just like Charlotte, bring such joy to the world.  With impressive drawing skills and tremendous brush control, her technique, artistic insight and abilities belie her age.  Charlotte also writes fiction and poetry, composes for violin and piano, and sings in a beautiful, child’s soprano..

Bald Head Island Art

I am so pleased to present the newest print offering in my Bald Head Island series. “Life is easy on the isle of dreams,” is a great little artwork featuring the BHI Harbor, Eb and Flo’s, Old Baldy, and (if you look close) even a bit of the Bald Head Island Chapel.

“life is easy on the isle of dreams”
Watercolor Print - $40

The idea came to me when I was arriving on the island by ferry one day last fall. It was a beautiful afternoon, folks were around, a couple of little sailboats were at play. Perfect, really. I carry a notebook everywhere I go. When I got off the ferry, I sat down and sketched this idea out. I really love this print. “Life is easy on the isle of dreams” brings back many memories of good vacations and coastal cottages and the great Bald Head Island, North Carolina… and that just makes me happy. I hope it will make you happy, too.

Bald Head Island NC

An absolute favorite place of mine is Bald Head Island, NC. I have had some wonderful family vacations out there, away from everything, floating in the deep blue sea.

“Coastal NC Map”
Watercolor Print - $40

“The Marina at Bald Head Island”
Watercolor Print - $40

BHI is a beautiful island just off the coast of North Carolina reachable only by ferry.   Upon arriving in the charming marina, you board a trolley for the ride to your rental.  There are no automobiles on BHI.  All the homes come with a golf cart to tool around the island in.

“Life is always better with a dream”
Watercolor Print - $30

“the gift of an unhurried day”
Watercolor Print - $40

There is much to love about Bald Head.  The beaches are never crowded.  The roads are never congested. Everything you might need is right on the island.   There is a rare maritime forest with walking trails.  The fishing is good. The living is great.

“who could foresee this day”
Watercolor Print - $30

“we are a gift to each other”
Watercolor Print - $40

Just at the edge of the marina, there is a beautiful old light house,  Old Baldy. Worth the trip, just to see that.  Next door to Old Baldy is the island chapel, popular for weddings and an inspirational place to worship on Sunday.

“Old Baldy Light”
Watercolor Print - $40

“The Chapel at Bald Head Island”
Watercolor Print - $40

On BHI, they look after the sea turtles marking and protecting their nests.  The island has a Turtle Conservancy that studies the turtles and offers workshops and camps.

“Sea Turtle”
Watercolor Print - $30

“there is a language which has no words”
Watercolor Print - $40

Nighttime on Bald Head is special, Whether you stay in a hotel or rent a beach house, it is so quiet and peaceful.  With no cars to interrupt the sounds of the ocean and breezes, it is grand way to sleep with windows thrown open.  And the stars are abundant in way you don’t often experience any more.

Not a lot is out there on Bald Head Island…a little bit of shopping… oceanfront…beach houses…a chapel…a lighthouse…peace and quiet…a slow and steady pace.  Not a lot, like I said….but just exactly right.

“life is easy on the isle of dreams”
Watercolor Print - $40

Nursery Wall Art for Kids

The very first thing we do for a new baby is to decorate a room for them celebrating their imminent arrival by picking out the furniture, decorations, baby artwork, themes, and colors. I have been working on my line of art for kids—both nursery art and children’s art--for a long time already and plan to add to it for years to come. I have lots more ideas to paint.

I really enjoy the process of developing the children’s art. There are so, so many great children’s and nursery themes to explore…transportation (Tractors, Planes, Trains), safari animals (Tigers, Elephants, Giraffes), Mother Goose (Humpty Dumpty and Baa Baa Black Sheep), sports (football, soccer, baseball), sea creatures (Fish, Turtles, Mermaids)…

It is just plain fun to work with all of the themes and designs and color stories.

But, here’s the thing I love best about working on Nursery and Children’s art Better than all of the above, is knowing that my artwork makes it’s way to a boy’s or girl’s wall somewhere and becomes a part of their young lives. Now that is certainly a great privilege.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/2337751[/vimeo]Original Custom Watercolor House Portraits

Personalized Nursery Art PrintsBeach & Nautical Nursery Art PrintsJungle & Safari Nursery Art PrintsFarm Life Nursery Art PrintsBugs, Blooms, & Creatures Nursery Art PrintsPets & Pals Nursery Art PrintsMother Goose Nursery Art PrintsNoah\'s Ark Nursery Art PrintsTransportation Nursery Art PrintsSports Nursery Art PrintsPirates & Princesses\' Nursery Art Prints

Nursery Art Slideshow

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/2337751[/vimeo]

Slideshow of images from my Children's Print line

Browse the Children's Print line

Family Portraits

• About Family Portraits
• Examples of Family Portraits
• Contact Deborah Cavenaugh

Painting the portrait of a family is such a rewarding part of my work.

I create the portraits from photographs.  All I really need is one photo of each person and about 20 minutes of your time for an interview.

I’ve painted families just about anywhere you can imagine the family gathering--sitting around the living room, on a boat, in the yard, piled up in bed listening to a story, at the beach, gathered around the kitchen table—you name it, and I have probably painted it.

A really fun part of these portraits is discovering what is important to the family and to each individual. I use this information to set my portraits apart from more straightforward renderings finding ways to subtly tell the family story using mementos and symbols I tuck away in the painting.

For instance, if the couple went to Paris on their honeymoon, I can hang a little Eiffel Tower chime somewhere.  Or, if they fell in love at Dunkin Donuts, I can add just enough of the logo to a small glass filled with flowers to memorialize that memory.  If dad likes to garden, I can stick a trowel in his pocket.  If mom loves tea, I can paint a teapot birdhouse.  You get the idea.  It’s really a lot of fun for me and for the family, too, as they discover and relate to others their story told in paint.

Now lots of folks worry about what type of information they need to think up (especially the husbands!).  But, no worries!  I have a pretty good interview process that gets me the information I need to make your family portrait personal.  I want your ideas and input, for sure, but you don’t need to worry if you are not quite sure what to use.  Together, we will figure it out.

A really interesting thing has evolved in regard to family portraits.  Those of you familiar with my regular fine art know that I don’t put faces on my people.  It is the same with the family portraits.  No one ever wants the faces because then it doesn’t look like a work of mine.  Once or twice I have been asked and have accommodated it, but ultimately this disappoints because friends and neighbors think it doesn’t look like a “Deborah Cavenaugh”.

So, how do you have a portrait without a face?  I think of them as emotional portraits.  I really understand how to show the relationship between the family members and portray each person with special tenderness.  In fact, I spend so much time thinking about the family when I am working on their portrait, that I do come to feel like I know them.

When I paint a family portrait, I am endeavoring to create a blessing for the family by memorializing a happy moment in a happy place at a certain and definite happy time in the life of the family.  I am weaving in the elements that tell about the family…just how it is on this good day.  Once I am done, I write a blessing on the painting, something that anchors and states what is good about belonging to each other.  Sometimes it happens that the family has their own blessing, something they say to each other, a favorite scripture, or the like, which serves or can be used for inspiration.

When all is complete, my goal it to have created a portrait that will, even on a tough, hard day, remind everyone how great it is to belong to each other and how deeply their love goes.  It is a great part of my job to be entrusted with such a duty, a privilege and a blessing for which I am thankful.