all things beautiful by alena hennessy

Another in honor of Solstice (Taken with instagram)

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:32:13 -0500

Another in honor of Solstice (Taken with instagram)

i just posted new paintings, and three have already sold! they...

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:38:37 -0500

i just posted new paintings, and three have already sold! they are infused with the holiday spirit of giving and bright colors found this time of year. you can find them all here.

many thanks for your continued support and may the christmas spirit warm your heart and bring you together through bonds of love.

Today I am giving thanks for the abundance and prosperity that I...

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:13:41 -0500

Today I am giving thanks for the abundance and prosperity that I feel in my life. I am also feeling gratitude for being the featured artist and illustrator of Soul Body Connection magazine, which can be found at all the Whole Foods stores. Let abundance in the heart and the nourishment of all bodies and souls flood and spread around this earth.

There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our...

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:19:13 -0500

There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~Minnie Aumonier

oh Chrissie —- i am so feeling you on this one tonight....

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:04:43 -0400

oh Chrissie —- i am so feeling you on this one tonight. are you hearing me universe? i am ready. there i said it —- so take note. i feel as all the pieces in my life are coming together beautifully and magically, except for my mysterious love life. dating is just not for me but i feel open to romantic possibility more than ever since my big D. my mom played this album repeatedly growing up, as we would gather round the kitchen for dinner. and oh do i love the pretenders! ms. hynde sure knows how to rock a love song.

happy autumn! i cannot remember a more gorgeous fall here in...

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:33:39 -0400

happy autumn!

i cannot remember a more gorgeous fall here in asheville. the leaves seem to be on fire from within, the sky bright bird blue, the air so warm and crisp — lets just say i am in heaven with this weather.

i am also happy to share a little interview i did from stephanie levy’s blog here.

may your autumn and the falling leaves bring you renewal and release, as winter edges near.

squam was pure magic. words seem too limiting to describe what...

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:41:00 -0400

squam was pure magic. words seem too limiting to describe what took place during those four days. i was deeply touched by the women who came to my class and allowed themselves to dive deep into the mystery. what transpired was beyond what i could have ever expected. through the unique, layered, and delicate well of creation, each woman shared, released, and transformed themselves *into* their artwork. every piece that was made was like an exquisite colorful snowflake—- rich in hue and depth of feeling and intention. the intentions that these women set forth in their lives were dripping with love and purity. each one held a space in the collective; each shiny artwork a glittering hope of whats to come. thank you all, i am deeply touched by your rawness and beauty.

please come join me for my next workshop at teahouse. you can register right here as spots are filling up. we are going to love even deeper through a multitude of materials to create two mixed media paintings that will radiate to the world just what you want to behold in your life.

*the above work is a collage of examples that students did from my class. starting from the top left is tonia, elke, brittany and cheryl.*

squam workshop (now sold out) + fair. i am so looking forward to...

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:17:00 -0400

squam workshop (now sold out) + fair.

i am so looking forward to my workshop “the joy of intention” at squam art workshops this september. in this workshop we will be exploring mixed media painting and intention for what we want to manifest and embody in our lives. the squam art fair, which i have heard lovely things about, will take place saturday september 17th from 7:30 - 10:00 pm at rockywold-deephaven camps. i will have paintings, new wraps, tees and prints for sale. come by and see me! much love and grace.

a new project. put simply, i got a book deal. i have begun to...

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:12:00 -0400

a new project.

put simply, i got a book deal. i have begun to sail into uncharted waters as i am knee deep into writing and illustrating the book of my dreams. i still cannot believe this is happening. i love everything about this project because i am writing about various passions of mine, including holistic health and how to find success as an artist. its dripping with art-friendly juiciness. i also hope (and believe) that every creatively-tuned person will benefit from this book. admittedly, its a pretty daunting task and i do find myself intimidated to open up and share so many personal things. yet at the end of the day i find that gratitude sets in and i feel immensely blessed for this opportunity. i will keep up with my progress on this blog.

“A leaf fluttered in through the window this morning, as...

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 16:35:56 -0400

“A leaf fluttered in through the window this morning, as if supported by the rays of the sun, a bird settled on the fire escape, joy in the task of coffee, joy accompanied me as I walked.”
~Anais Nin

here are some recent photos from my studio, the garden and other...

Sun, 22 May 2011 14:05:00 -0400

here are some recent photos from my studio, the garden and other fellow artists at CURVE. springtime has most assuredly sprung and creativity continues to blossom at our sweet complex down near the river.

lazoom starts a new art tour of asheville! the infamous purple...

Sun, 22 May 2011 13:57:00 -0400

lazoom starts a new art tour of asheville!

the infamous purple lazoom bus will stop by my studio every 2nd and 4th saturday of the month. the tour is led by local artist gabriel shaffer who curated a list of select studios to visit to get an insider’s look at the multifaceted and prolific amount of work happening in our small city. to find out more info read this article here.

come learn to paint and make art while enjoying wine,coffee,...

Wed, 04 May 2011 18:33:36 -0400

come learn to paint and make art while enjoying wine,
coffee, tea, chocolate and other sweet treats through
out each class. this month-long intensive is designed
for ALL skill levels where students are encouraged to
create a painting that expresses their true self and
intention for what they want to embody in their own
lives. pure expression and creative play will be a strong
focus, where students will experiment with color, line,
shape as well as have the option of collaging and using
other mixed media materials. at the end of the series,
everyone will have completed one or two works of art.

when: Tuesdays, 7 - 9pm, June 7th - June 28th.
where: French Broad Chocolate Lounge, 10 South
Lexington Avenue, upstairs in a beautiful private room.
cost: $185 + $15 material fee (canvas, paint, etc).
About the Instructor: Alena Hennessy is a full time
artist whose work is shown in galleries/boutiques
nationwide. Alena’s art has been featured in such
publications as Dwell, The Washington Post, Natural
Health as well as Good Morning America. Visit
www.alenahennessy.com to see all her art and designs..
to register: Please call Alena at 828.280.0071.
Space is limited. Visa/Mastercard accepted.

the opening party here at my new studio was great! thank you to...

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:28:00 -0400

the opening party here at my new studio was great! thank you to everyone who came out. we had a full house all night.

for those who don’t know, my studio/showroom/retail space is located at CURVE studios & garden, 6 riverside drive in asheville, nc in the river arts district. we are open 7 days a week and the hours are 11 - 4 pm everyday!

the tragedy in japan has left many of us feeling helpless and...

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 09:59:30 -0400

the tragedy in japan has left many of us feeling helpless and heartbroken. some artists have rallied and created some unique pieces where all of the profits will be donated directly to relief and rescue efforts. i was also inspired to give back, so starting today, i will donate a significant amount of profits made from my art sales over the next two weeks. together we can make a better world and safer world for all.

“Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that...

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:20:00 -0500

“Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke

i don’t know about you, but the weather here is becoming totally divine. this morning i sat outside as the sun rose brightly and birds sang and leaves seemed to dance all around. yes, spring is coming and beginning to awaken onto nature’s center stage. it really is a perfect time to implement new projects and tend the fire on old ones. and on that note: another juicy workshop alert! i do hope you’ll join me on this one. its a 2-day workshop in the bay area this july.

where: tea house studios, berkeley, california.

what: the joy of intention: a painting and play workshop. come explore your inherent creative voice in this exploratory workshop open to all levels. painting, intuitive drawing, some mixed media technique, plus some light yoga and intention setting will all be a part of this class. i will also share some art biz tips and more nuts and bolts info for all budding creatives.

when: july 23 - 24.

you can register right here.

exciting news! so happy to announce i will be leading a 3 day...

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 12:21:15 -0500

exciting news!

so happy to announce i will be leading a 3 day workshop at the lovely and renowned squam art workshops, a gorgeous retreat center on the lake in new hampshire. my class is entitled “the joy of intention” and you can read all about it in detail here. it is basically a mixed media class where i will not only be teaching painting and other art making techniques, but ways to dive deeper to find your own inherent creative voice and expression. the works you take home will be symbolic and hold whatever intention you wish to set forth in your life.

classes tend to fill up quickly so be sure to sign up soon if you are interested.

here’s to a bountiful new year with much joy and creative wonder!

"And so I came that way and made complete your thousand and one dreams. God looked at me: the light..."

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 12:50:00 -0500

“And so I came that way and made complete your thousand and one dreams. God looked at me: the...

i love florida, especially in the winter. the comfort i find in...

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 12:38:00 -0500

i love florida, especially in the winter. the comfort i find in water and light mixing together, a most effortless dance of elements, reminds me of the beauty inside of all of us. the rich blues and soft greens, the gentle cry of the osprey, the squirrels that play and tangle around cypress roots, the soft, sinking soil, the rotting boardwalk that winds to unseen corners: all of these occurrences fill my senses with serene delight. so now i am writing my book idea for the winter (orders will still be filled) and spending some quality, healing time with my family. it feels good to be here. sometimes what we least expect ends up fulfilling some need we never knew we had. the book project i am working on feels right. it is flowing like honey and has been a longtime dream of mine. so after i am done with the sample chapters and illustrations the only thing left is to find a publisher. just this morning i read a hopeful quote by sark: “publishers would not exist without authors”. so i put it out to the universe that a publisher will be *fortunate* to publish this book (wink, wink).

uniqueLA was too much fun.

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 12:20:00 -0500

uniqueLA was too much fun.