OdetaXhekaVisuals
Art &Books
Who I Am: artist, author, mother
Known mostly for her unique brand of mixed media on canvas, Odeta Xheka is an artist, writer, poet, and debuting picture book creator. In recent years, alongside focusing on raising her family, Xheka has continued to produce work that aims to decipher the various ways that a lived reality and an emotional truth can be represented, especially when it comes to mothering-while-creating as well as childhood education via process art and open-ended creative experiences.
Her mixed-media on canvas, fine art photography, and limited edition fine art prints are included in several collections. Currently, Xheka is working on a private commission and preparing work for future shows.
Her debuting picture book Here Comes Ingo is IndieReader Approved and Creative Child Magazine's Book of the Year.
Her creative nonfiction can be found at Mutha Magazine, Literary Mama, The Today Show Parenting, and Her View From Home among other online publications.
* Note to Self
Making art can feel like an act of exposure. Don't allow yourself to be restraint by conventional expectations. But also remember that just because it is your own story, that doesn't entitle you to an audience. You have to earn that.
Books
Books by Author Odeta Xheka
Best children's picture books of 2019: Here Comes Ingo is here!
Here Comes Ingo, one of the best children’s picture books of 2019, is a great example of the benefits of art in early childhood development. Here Comes Ingo is IndieReader Approved, is recognized by The National Parenting Center (Seal of Approval), is the winner of Creative Child Magazine Book of the Year (picture book category), and recipient of the Mom's Choice Gold Award.
This unique picture book encourages children to switch seats with the illustrator via painting, coloring and drawing directly ON the page in order to tap into their creativity and let their imaginations soar. The book presents the multi-layered tale of Ingo, a scarlet macaw who drifts off to sleep while sitting on her eggs and dreams of flying into the lush tropical rainforest she calls home. While the storyline is intentionally loose, each illustration inspires a tale of its own, with the recurring opportunity to spot Ingo on each page amidst minute details unexpectedly colored in a Disney-like palette.
Learn how you can create quality time with your children through open-ended creative experiences and see for yourself why Here Comes Ingo is one of the best children’s picture books of 2019.
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Art Collections
Framed Artwork
Henri Matisse wants art to be "a soothing, calming influence on the mind, rather like a good armchair.” Exploring abstraction, color field painting, abstract expressionism, and textured painting, my Framed Artwork Series invites you to add a touch of sophistication to the coziness of your home.
Unique Nursery Artwork
Art for children needn’t be complicated, however, simplicity of imagination won't do. Gift your children with unique nursery artwork that speaks to them in a relatable way. The best thing you can do for your little ones is to encourage them to express themselves through the magic of open-ended art.
Selected Writing
Creative Non Fiction: Selfhood, Motherhood, The Creative Impulse
Language is power and protest, inclusion and exclusion. It communicates our deepest selves back to us, as if words were a shroud that give form to our inner world. Through language, we're allowed to bend time, jump forwads and backwards, circle back to our thoughts and memoreis picking and choosing the most meaningful to us.
Within a culture that likes things to be simple and pigeonholed, through my writing, I like to engage in complex conversations about the structure and meaning of emotional truth, while making sure to keep a firm eye on the very thin line that divides the sincerity of expression from sheer banality.
Blog: Have Child, Need Art
Beyond arts & crafts: visual literacy and the benefits of open-ended creativity
Generally speaking, art is a way to encourage the process of thinking in an innovative way and art-related activities have been proven to boost a child’s self-image by instilling a sense of pride in the self-directed project. The purpose of this blog is to encourage visual literacy and show how the joys and benefits of children's creativity go beyond mere arts&crafts:
- growth mindset
- help enrich the learning experience
- help retain information in the long run.
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