Experiences at beautonian arts collection

WHEN WE GIVE ~ WE RECEIVE... and sharing art and knowing it touched someone is like life breath to me.

I was five when I learned to read and I fell in love with Shakespeare & scripts, poems, music! Fell in love with theatre as it is as large as life and encompasses so many artistic endeavours from dance to set & lighting design to music!

I never got to go to college like I soooo badly wanted, but I always admired art & read alot on great artists (music, theater, painters, photographers, writers!... any art) and have a great awe, love & unyielding fascination for the process.

I write music, create beautiful artwork. You can say I'm addicted to beauty and light and I love to share that with you....

BeauTonian Arts Collection is the name I coined at 8 years old for any of the projects I created and then sold. For me the name stood for "Tonja's 'Beau'tiful Art Collection"... putting together "Beau" and "Tonian" was to create a subliminal link between my work and that of the Smithsonian... thus creating an image more than of "Tonja's 'Fine' Art". I'd like to think that all of my pieces have been received that way.

Each design had that intent at the beginning process of creation and carried out to very fine detail in the finished work. In the early days I sold cartoon drawings, still lifes, crocheted baby layettes, booties and hats, crocheted afghans and other beautiful items.

Later, I created a line of cards under BeauTonian Arts Collection that combined pictures of artwork and original poetry.

When I was 20, I registered the name as my second enterprenerial business and sold handmade wedding invitations and coordinating accessories.

At a tradeshow for BAC, I was approached to commission a piece of my art work from a card to be printed on canvas and framed in a large gallery home edition of my "Lady in Red." That was undoubtedly a highlight for me.

Beyond that, my favorite project was working on an invitation for Al & Midori's wedding. Al & Midori called me shortly after they were sent and told me that almost every one of their guests specifically contacted them just to tell them how amazing their invitations were - they were blown away! It may sound simple, but it's such a rush to exceed expectations and such a compliment to have my artwork received so generously.

Those are the two most precious moments in BeauTonian Arts history to date....