New Year's Eve

It's New Year's Eve!  It's a time to reflect on the year just passed and plan for the year to come.  It's a time to take down all the Christmas decorations and get ready for the new.  I didn't post my wreath or tree pictures before Christmas but will post now since they are coming down and being put away for another year.   Just as with the decorations, the new year puts away the old and rings in the new.  Wishing peace and prosperity for 2013!  Happy New Year.                

Birthday

Today's my birthday.  Comes but once a year so I intend to enjoy it.  Got a card from my youngest grandchildren which said " A bunch of birthday wishes for a day that's really neat to a fun-to-be-with GRANDma who's a special kind of sweet!"  Made my day.

                           

AJ page

This is an Art Journal page in my altered book journal.  The bird is a watercolor I did of the Painted Bunting.  I used inktense blocks, inks, stencil and molding paste and tags.  On the tag on the left, I did a distressed techniques to age the edges.  It was a lot of fun to make.

Post Card Swap

I was in a postcard swap at PAO.  We had to make a postcard without using cardstock.  I used watercolor paper and inktense paint for the background.  Added sunflower printed on bookpaper.  The two flowers were made from deli paper, inks and charcoal pencil with metal charms in the center.  I added beads on wire and sheer fabric that was sewn onto the piece.

Christmas Ornament

 

Had so much fun making this Christmas ornament at our fall PAO retreat.

Mixed Media

What constitutes mixed-media art?  It is a work of art that uses more than one visual medium.  You can't categorize mixed-media art because it is art that is outside the box.  The rules don't apply and it can be anything you want it to be.  Hense, your imagination at work.

A mixed-media artist doesn't limit themselves to one type of medium.  I use anything I can get my hands on whether it is the traditional art medium or not.  I love making something out of nothing and improvising when I don't have what I want to use.

It is the characteristics of the artist that will often determine what is mixed-media art more than the techniques or the materials used.  Here are some reasons why I love mixed-media art.

1. I love variety.  I get bored very easily and can't limit myself to just one form of art.  I love to play with all kinds of techniques and explore new (to me) mediums.
2. I have a willingness to get messy.  I love to get my hands messy and I always say "the messier the better."  I use my fingers to paint and apply gel mediums.  I clean my brushes and organize my supplies but when I am creating, I can create a mess.
3. My favorite part is that there are no rules.  Tell me I'm not supposed to do that and I'll do it every time.
4. I love the sensory.  As an artist I love to touch, to feel the textures I create.  I'll scratch, reveal layers of paint, tear and apply layers of paper,  apply texture with anything I can get my hands on.  If I don't have what I want to create texture, I'll make it.  Nothing is safe from art.
5. I strive to keep an open mind.  There's no one way to create art.  I love to learn from others and share what I do.

Golden Poppies

“Through the dancing poppies stole A breeze most softly  lulling to my soul.” 
-- John Keats

This was done with Derwent's Inktense Blocks.  They are a watersoluble ink block.  The color is so much more intense than watercolor.   Once they are dry, they become permanent.  I've wanted to try them and so finally broke down and purchased a set.  I love, love using them.

Joy and Peace

Collage of pictures taken of a beautiful sunset at Myrtle Beach this winter.  Played with them digitally to alter them.  I love to take original photos and just play with them.

Winter

Digital collage of some of my altered bird photos.

Doily and She Art

I'm always on the hunt for a new stencil.  I had this thick crocheted doily that was badly stained.  I decided to prep it for use as a stencil.  I had to put several layers of gel medium on it and then a layer of gesso.  As we all know if you spray paint or ink on the cotton it will only absorb and I needed it to become more plastic like.  Above her head is how it looks when I sprayed it with ink.  After spraying the background, I decided I'd make a She Art Angel.  I hadn't done one in awhile.  I wanted the colors to be light and airy.

Wings of Love

My friend Deb sent me a package with her She Art girl.  I loved her She Art girl and it inspired this art journal page.  She loves Paris so I thought that would be just the right theme to show off her art.

This was fun to do.  I used her girl, a tag I'd made with left over inks, an Eiffel Tower stencil, some stamps,  some rick rack I got last year at a retreat and some 3D butterflies.   I wanted to try melting wax over parts of the page using a technique I saw on a video. I used a small craft iron with no holes (that's very important - no holes) and wax pellets.  It was much easier to do than when I used the melting pot.

Nature

I love this page.  I used several different techniques on it.  I printed the bug on book paper.  My ink was running out so the color is different from the original image.  I really liked it and worked my page around the colors.  The flower is drawn on a piece of parchment/deli paper that comes in between cheese slices.  It is thicker than my other deli papers.  I saw where another artist uses these in her work.  At first I thought, "how crazy".  But while getting cheese for breakfast this morning, I took a look at the paper and said "Why NOT!"  I love the way it turned out.   After I did the background on the deli paper, I saw in the colors a shape that could be made into a flower.  Hence the flower!  I used charcoal pencil to make the flower shape.  Was very pleased with the way it turned out.  I used more inks, paint and a phrase that I thought applied to what I was creating in this page.

Miracle of a Flower

 "If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change."  Gautama Siddharta

I just love the colors in this page.  It has great texture and appeals to my senses.  It makes me smile!

quote

“What would it be like if you lived each day, each breath, as a work of art in progress? Imagine that you are a Masterpiece unfolding every second of every day, a work of art taking form with every breath.” —Thomas Crum

I think these are wonderful words for artists, but imagine if we all lived this way.

Found this picture on FB and thought it worked perfectly with my quote. 

I love you to the moon

Fun little AJ page using gel medium in the inks.  It gives a really glossy texture.  Keeps the texture from being so flat.

quote

So I had this quote but wasn't sure how I wanted to use it.  Discussion on the PAO thread about mediums made me pull out my black gesso.  It gave the piece an almost chalkboard like texture where I could write the quote.  I like the black/white theme with a punch of color in the background.  I was very happy with the final page.

Ocean Pier

Here's a 6x10 watercolor of my favorite childhood pier, sadly no longer there.  I've submitted this for a PAO lottery challenge.  Some lucky winner gets to take all, sure hope it's me!!!

Life's A Beach

Here's the first version of this palm theme.  This is on an  8x10 canvas.  I used watercolor undercoating, acrylics, pan pastels, beads and shells I collected last summer.  Instead of using the Golden molding paste, I used Smart non-shrink wall fix from the hardware store.  It gives a different texture than the Golden molding paste which is smoother.  The wall fix is much rougher.  I like using both of these depending on what texture I an trying to achieve.  In "Palm at Sunset", I wanted a much smoother texture because I was using a smaller base.

Palm at Sunset

This palm is done on wood using shells I collected on the beach.  I used acrylics, pan pastels, Golden's molding paste and beads.  This is a second version on this theme.

quote

"Before you able to draw, you have to learn to see..."  Junelle Jacobsen

I've been running across this same sentiment lately.  I think there is great truth in this statement and can probably be interpreted in many ways.  I think most people can see the literal interpretation but I see more than the obvious when I create art.  I think that you have to feel your art, make it part of yourself.  What does your heart lead you to create.  What do you see that others don't see when you look at something.  I'm always thinking, even if subconsciously, how can I translate that into something artsy.  I look at things with a different eye than I used to.  

Yesterday, I saw a dead butterfly on the payment of a parking lot.  The first thing I thought of was how cool that would be in my art.  I looked at the colors in its wings and the shape and form of the butterfly.  I thought of how I could preserve it for use in art.  If I could have safely transported it home, I would have.  It kind of hurt my feelings to have to leave it.  But my point in this story is that most people would have only seen a dead butterfly.  For me it was art in the purest sense.

I know this is probably rambling, but this quote got me thinking and I just felt like sharing.

Morning Glory

Just having a little fun with my morning glory bloom.  The original bloom was purple!

Beach Peace

                                   Life's at ease with an ocean breeze.

This is so true.  I painted this last weekend when sitting by the water's edge enjoying my little slice of heaven.

Amaryllis

 Just playing some more with my Amaryllis photo.

Amaryllis

My beautiful Amaryllis as it is digitally altered.  Oh I think this is so cool!

Bluebird

                                              I created this as a postcard for a swap on PAO.

Passion

Just a fun little page with lots of texture.

The Bird Waltz

This is one of my favorite art journal pages.  I love all the texture that is in this page.  I used inks, paints, molding paste, fabric, chipboard, mesh tape, stencils, punchinella and my fingers.  There are so many layers.  It was fun to create and makes me smile every time I look at it.  I didn't paint this particular bird used here, but did paint one similar on watercolor paper.

Goldfinch x"s 4

I took my Goldfinch photo and just played to create an ATC.  Just fun!

Outstanding

I found the little guy on a brochure and wanted to use him.  Did the background and it needed something.  I found the bigger guy and the quote and they all just seemed to come together.

American Goldfinch

Adult males in spring and early summer are bright yellow with black forehead, black wings with white markings, and white patches both above and beneath the tail.

Look who visited my feeder today!

Dream In Color

An AJ page with the dictionary definition of DREAM.  While looking at the vibrant colors in this piece, I thought of  "Dream in Color".  I stamped that sentiment on the left side of the page.  In this piece, I used lots of fun things.  The flowers are made of paper towels I use when painting, so they have lots of random color on the towels.  On the corrugated cardboard piece, I glued dried pieces from my Golden paints  (you know the ones that dry inside the lids).  Lots more book pages, layers and layers of paint and more stamping.  When I looked at the piece this morning (no picture of the before) I just didn't like it.  The colors were too dull and too much the same.  So I just started adding more color and loved the final product.  As they say, let it sit awhile and come back with fresh eyes.  Then go for it!

First Class

AJ page in my altered book. I love the saying "It doesn't count if... it's the last one." Notice the cake? I used several girls that Hope had cut for me. I love the First Class stamps from an envelope I had because I thought the girls were First Class. Thought the page turned out pretty cool.

Baby Bird

While at the beach last weekend, we found this baby bird.  I think he'd fallen from his nest.  I'm not sure but think it may be a Blue Jay.

Day Lily

House Finch

I saw a bird at my feeder today that I hadn't seen before. I think it is a House Finch.

Free Spirit

 Grow wings and take flight looking for a place to express your free spirit.

Take flight!

Distressed Sketch

I took a sketch of down east and distressed it a bit. I love to take original art and make interesting changes to create a whole new piece.

Today is Memorial Day.  Take time to remember those past and present who served to protect our freedom.

Mother's Day

             Looking out across the Indian River over to Merritt Island 

I had a very enjoyable Mother's Day.  It was a peaceful and cool day.  I sat on the porch and just sketched what I saw while enjoying family and a hot cup of coffee.  It reminded of being back home and looking out over the sound to the beach.

Quote

                 Linda Naiman said, "When we engage in what we are naturally suited to do, our work takes on the quality of play and it is play that stimulates creativity." 

I pulled this quote off of a blog I was reading because her quote rang true with me.  My studio is a place for me to play and to create.  It is a place that is all my own where I can get lost in the sheer joy of creating.   It can be a happy place and a place of escape.  I recently told some friends it was great therapy. 

Play is a great motivation and inspiration.  It is liberating to just have fun with your art.  When you're having fun with your art, you will allow that which is within you the freedom to come out in your art.

Cute little blue bird

I did another version of this blue bird earlier today.  To qualify for a challenge, I digitally enhanced the frame to pull in the purple.  Love the way it turned out.  The challenge required three colors: yellow, lilac and peacock.

Peacock Tag

                                                  Peacock tag for a swap lottery over at PAO.

Bird

Have no idea what kind of bird this one is.  Just thought it was pretty and begged to be painted.

Enhanced Back to my roots

I took a photo of my sketch and enhanced it.  I think it turned out kinda cool!

Back to my roots

I was raised at the beach and around boats my entire life.  This reminds me of my childhood.

Amaryllis

I bought this Amaryllis last fall after it had already bloomed.  I had no idea what color the bloom would be, nor the size.  I think it's beautiful!