Reflection

If our artwork is a reflection of what is going on in our lives or what we spend our time doing,
what do you think I've been doing with my summer-time?

Brook Trout 

I did take a bit of artistic license with it...and Photoshop license with the one above!
The following two are of the same fish (duh) but I've done a little touch-up on the second one.

This is really my "practice" fish painting (acrylic).
As is my usual MO, I draw and paint several of whatever I am working on in my sketchbook to familiarize myself with the subject.
Then I pull out a canvas or whatever I am going to paint the "real" one on.
I will use this painting for something though...it just remains to be seen what will come of it.

The only plan that I do have is to draw/paint all of the three trout species that we have around here- Brook, Brown and the ever lovely Rainbow.
Actually, I think that the Brookie is the most beautiful one.
But the Brown does have those great orange dots on the side...

Ahhh, they are all beautiful to me.
In paint and in the river.

I hope that you all are enjoying your summer-time!

More Experiments

Drawing into plaster & molding paste.

The beginning of many layers of glazes of acrylic paint.

I've been playing around with molding paste & plaster the past couple of weeks.
I love adding acrylic glazes then sanding part of it off so I can add more glaze.

Experimental play is good for the creative muscles.

Combined Natural Surfaces

(this is being posted to the Sketchbook Challenge blog today also!)

One of the things that I love about hiking is that you have time to look at the world around you.
Really look.
We tend to miss so many of the little things because we are so focused on the big ones, thus losing out on a myriad of visual pleasures.
I have a folder on my computer that holds hundreds of photos that I have taken while hiking, kayaking or camping. The vast majority of the photos are not sweeping landscape shots but macro shots of tiny mushrooms, lush emerald moss or grains of sand that are clustered onto a dried creek bed.
Kind of like this -

A tiny little world growing on top of a moss covered rock

Long hair moss among the short

Looks like acres of emerald moss but it's really on a six inch rock

Alien growth stretches from a skinny limb

Love, love the textured tree trunks of my favorite
forest by the river

Be sure to enlarge this one

Dry creek bed

Not necessarily a natural surface but certainly
has been altered by natural forces

The peeling paint is a perfect surface to try out
some crackle paint

I wanted to create a panel for a triptych that I am working on based on the combined attributes of these natural surfaces.
Even though it isn't a drawing or sketching, I thought that you all might be interested in it just the same.

It is a combination of plaster, joint compound, molding paste, acrylic paint and crackle paste.
Oh, not to mention the fabric that is underneath all of that - vintage lace, canvas, tulle and organza.

6" x 8 1/2"

All of those crevices in the surface look
just like the rocks, compacted soil and tree trunks in the
photos above

I love the way that the fibers work their way up
to the top after sanding the surface

Lovely, unexpected surprises

I added crackle paste after I took most of the
photos above. I may go back and add more.

I hope that you've enjoyed the trip through my "natural surface" photo album.
And the beginnings of a new piece of art work - a triptych that will be based on one of the sweetest spots in Nature that I know of.

Colorado Part Two

Back to Deb Prewitt's home studio classroom.
Her shop is the "Blue Twig Studio" and man oh man, does she have some really cool things in there!

This week, Deb is the vendor at the Las Vegas "Art & Soul".
I'd love to be there with all of those crazy ladies (and guys) having fun and creating so many great projects.

The second class at Deb's was "Painted Papers" (which could actually be called "Background Painting", "Art Journal Pages" "Abstract Painting" "Decorated Pages" or any combo of those).
It's a fun, fast paced day of painting, screen printing, tips and tricks to add color, texture and movement to papers (or fabric) that you might want to use for something else.
The ladies had so much fun!
Ruth Chandler used a piece of "MultiPurpose Cloth" to paint on. You can do the very same things to this cloth that you can do on paper.

I stayed with my buddy Liz for a couple of days (I was slave labor kitchen help to her) (lol).
She did feed me (very well), let me sleep there for free (except the slave labor), drove me around, and let me launder my clothing...

Oh, and she took me to the Denver Art Museum.
Where we had arranged to met Jill Berry and spend the day with her.

The "Yves Saint Laurent The Retrospective" exhibit was there.
I thought it would be interesting, even though I am not a real fashion person (unless you count Birks, jeans and tee shirts as fashionable) (except I did wear a skirt and really cute sandals that day!).

Was I ever shocked when I got there.

The exhibit was awesome!

There was a lot of history included, tons of beautifully dressed manikins, luscious headdresses, yummy textiles, lots of audios to listen to as well as several videos to watch.
It was one of the best Art Museum exhibits that I've ever seen.
We could not photograph inside of the exhibit and I left my sketchbook at Liz's house (arrghhh!) but I do have a couple of things that I am doing in my Colorado Sketchbook I can show you later.

If you are close to Denver, you should take the time to visit the exhibit - it is well worth it.

Liz, Jill and I had a fantastic visit.
I wished at that moment that I lived there in Colorado...but then again, they could just move to SC, right?

New Work and Old Homes

I've been in the studio this week, painting away the day.
And I am paying for it too!
I have my large work table on risers because I like to stand while I work.
After two days of painting (for at least 10 hours a day), my legs and back have had enough. Even if I wanted to paint more, I just can't.

So I'm turning my attention to paperwork.
Ugghhh.

Here's a peek at one new piece.
And yes, it's that cute kitty cat again!

And I have to get back to this also.
I have the sample book pages completed but I am having to go back and re-figure my cover idea.
It was one of those "Hey, this would look good!" ideas that I failed to fully think (or work) through.
Needless to say, it didn't.
Work out, that is.

If things go as they usually do, the next idea will be even better!
Most of my (really good) work happens that way - I screw one thing up and while I am trying to figure out a different way, I hit on a really cool idea...
And that is the truth of the matter.
That is why you should keep on going with an idea or a project when you hit a roadblock (or screw it up). If you do, you will eventually work things out or come up with an even better idea!
(I would put my hands in the air and say "ta da!" here but you can do what you want to)

Now - on to other things...
This evening I'll be joining a few other local artists at the beautiful Greenville Women's Club in Greenville SC.
We're having a holiday art fair and show from 6:00-9:00pm.
I think that they will be serving wine, finger foods and providing music.
The house is just breath taking and especially so with the addition of the Christmas decorations.

Here's a peek of the home that is now the Women's Club.

This is the historic Beattie House.

Join me and other local artists tonight for an art filled evening!

Finding The Art

I did a post about that canvas (which is actually a wood panel), I think it's the previous post.
I had painted an image on it  then covered it over with gesso (didn't like it).
Then I collaged different random papers on it (yeah, I didn't really need to cover it with gesso but I didn't know at the time that I was going to cover it with paper...)
Then I scraped a couple of acrylic paint colors over it (with a credit card).
Didn't like it so I used wet/dry sandpaper to distress the hell out of it (whoops) (but true).
Liked it better but something was...it just wasn't right yet.
I drew a couple of things on it but they didn't work either.
I would add another color, sand, turn it round and round...
Leave it a day, come back and just look at it.
I really could feel that there was something there...
trying to tell me, to encourage me to allow it to take form.

But what was it?

I'll tell you this, it's kinda weird but...
weird things happen to me (in me, around me). Sometimes I hear things...
Like I'm sitting there and a phrase will pop in my head.
Or a word.
Or two words...like "Spirit Dogs"

What?

Spirit Dogs.

O.
K.

I was doing computer work (yuck) and I heard someone say this (albeit inside my head).

I ignored it for a bit.
Tried to anyway.

Then - I went into my studio.

There was that panel sitting there, glaring at me like an ignored child...

I began to turn it, like I had been doing...

Turn.
Turn.
Turn.

Hey wait a minute...
Is that...?

That looks like a...a dog...
And there is another one...
and another!

I kept looking and allowing the panel to show me what was there...
It WAS Spirit Dogs (and one elephant)!

Look at this -

There are seven Spirit Dogs and one Elephant.

If you go back and look at the original panel (above) you can see them there.

Waiting patiently.

I guess that Carla Sonheim would be proud of me.

Mr. Bluebird

"Be like I, hold your head up high,

Till you find a bluebird of happiness.

You will find greater peace of mind

Knowing there's a bluebird of happiness.

And when he sings to you,

though you're deep in blue,

you'll find a ray of light creep through.

So remember this, life is no abyss,

Somewhere there's a bluebird of happiness."

(incomplete) lyrics by Edward Heyman and Henry Parr Daves (1934)

Mr. Barn Owl

I suppose that he is finished...
although I am toying with the idea
of painting in some foliage for him...
right down there in the lower right hand corner - just covering the edge of the rock
and his sharp, dagger-like claw.
I'll have to think about that for a bit.

Mr. Barn Owl

is getting a few details...










Still a W.I.P.

Mixed Media Artist Book

I have been making plans for a while now for a mixed media artist book (or journal).
If I complete it like I have planed, or even close to it,
there should be a ton of techniques in it!
I made the first (of several) folders that will be inside of it.
This one is a manila folder that has been cut down to size,
painted, inked, sanded, stenciled, spritzed, grommet-ed, taped,
and waiting for a collage element on the front of it.
I'll use screen fabric, a copy of a bird painting that I did,
along with painted/sanded and torn tuna cardboard and maybe a few circular washers...
or a feather...
Either way -
It's going to be great!

Art Revisited

Here is a drawing/painting that I did last year.
Even though she is a product of my imagination,
she really looks like a friend of my son's.
Isn't that funny?
Maybe I had her on my mind when I painted this lovely girl...
So maybe I should call this one

"Kaitlyn"

Goldfinch Painting

Actually, it is a hand painted note card that I am sending to a family member.
I had been painting this morning and my husband suggested that a hand painted
Thank You card would be nice...
so, here there it is.
A hand painted Thank You card for a nice couple that had us over for dinner this weekend!