lthykeson

I am an artist, published writer and poet, have owned a couple of small businesses both online and brick and mortar, and I LOVE to write! I also love anything to do with paper. I am a member of the "International Union of Mail Artists", PostCrossing.com, Art42.org, and some other "snail mail" sites, where we do mail art and various types of swaps. I am also a member of the ISABA, MMCA, and am both an altered art artist and mixed media artist. I spend all day and far into the night either writing, painting or doing some form of creating. I work in oils, acrylics, pens, ink, markers, found items, upcycled items, and anything else I can find to turn into art. I will be thrilled when I have been a member long enough to join more of the fantastic sounding groups on this site. I like working on every format from inchies and envies to postcards to altered books and art journals. I always have 3-4 projects going at the same time.

I live with my husband, Kris, who is also an artist (plus works full-time), and our two rescued dogs and cats. I have two grown sons and two adorable grandaughters with 2 grandsons on the way! We live in a log cabin in the country with tons of huge oak trees around us. Our house isn't large, but it is perfect for the two of us, with another bedroom for guests. At night you can sit on our porch and hear the coyotes howling in the not so distance. We have tons of wildlife, and one of my other joys is watching the birds and squirrels eat from our bird feeders. I also write a blog at http://tazscorner1.blogspot.com ! I am a survivor and advocate of skin cancer,heart disease and domestic violence.

My personality is a little eccentric, a little quirky, but big-hearted, honest and down to earth. I love corresponding with people from far away, and take a lot of pride in my mail art, although it isn't as good as it used to be-some of the medications I take make my hands shake. I am a country girl at heart, and love living in the country! The smallest things can make me happy, like finding a single feather in my yard, or discovering that my newest rose bush is finally going to bloom. My family is everything to me, but still, sometimes the entire world takes a backseat to my art. I am totally self-taught, and only started painting when I was in my 30's, although as a child and growing up, I had always wanted to be an artist. When I was a child I had a pen pal and it was a wonderful experience, teaching me about other parts of the world and the difference in lifestyles and customs in other cultures. I think technology has taken so much of the humanity out of the world. We spend so much of our time in solitary endeavors, centered around our computers, cellphones and video games that we are "losing each other". I think the basic loneliness of our souls effects us more than we realize.

I love getting surprise goodies in the mail and look forward to checking the mailbox every day now! I love anything to do with "paper"-scraps, pc's, atc's inchies, twinchies, altered books, mixed media, collage, gluebooks, you name it! I love to read, bookmarks, love anything handmade by others and just generally am easy to please because I love everything except loud heavy metal music, lol!!

I am a member of IUOMA (International Union of Mail Artists), Postcrossing and Art42.com.

Now that I have gotten older and my health is not as good as it used to be, swapping is the perfect hobby for me to combine my love of art and creating with meeting and corresponding with new people. Although I am new to this right now, I have already swapped many times on other sites and look forward to swapping here!