For the love of Pigs

My grand-daughter loves pigs. So I did this for her on an 8x10 canvas. It was inspired by a Christy Tomlinson sketch. I showed it to her via FaceTime so she wouldn't have to wait until I see her next time. She was so excited and said she loved it. She said she already had a place to hang it in her room. She's so funny with her love of pigs. Said she wants a pot bellied pig to raise. My DD said "no way"! Anyway, she can add this one to her collection. I forgot to ask her what she wanted to name her. Hmmm?

So now I think I'll quit for today. I'm tired but have had so much fun. My fingers are all inky but my desk is clean. I got my gelli prints cut to size and have two paintings. I think I've had a productive day. Oh yeh, I even had some Cardinals come visit on my windowsill. Don't think I've ever been that close to one. They are such gorgeous birds!


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Rainy Day Fun

I liked the idea that Marianne had of using old calendar pages. I've saved a few that were very large, so I decided I'd give it a try. I love exploring new surfaces to paint on. I saw a picture that had an island caught in the middle of a wave. It inspired me to do this piece.

Yesterday I had taken the calendar page and gesso'd it. Then I took various stencils and spray inks to create an abstract background.

Next I used my Golden fluid acrylics and my fingers to begin painting the scene. I wanted a transparent paint so some background stencils would peak through. I just kept going until I liked the result. I really should have taken a picture of my fingers. I really like the feel of the final piece. It is very flexible, not stiff like a canvas. I think I'll find a frame and mat it. I love the beach, waves and sunsets. It makes me happy. So much fun on a rainy day.



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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.

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.

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.

Inspiration Canvas Challenge

 

From this photo found on pinterest,

  I created this canvas.  It was part of a challenge from PAO to create a canvas from an inspiration photo from pinterest featuring nature.  You could use the actual image as your inspiration, the color scheme or anything that inspired you from the photo.  I liked both the theme of flowers and especially the color scheme.  My intent was not to duplicate the photo but to use it as a start for a canvas that would be created in my style.

I used gesso, golden acrylics, pan pastels, molding paste, acrylic inks, glimmer mist spray inks, stazon ink and a uniball pen for some detail. I really wanted some great texture on this canvas.

My Christmas Angel

                    Merry Christmas!  

Quote on the canvas: "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord".

Travel

My granddaughter made this canvas.  She had a blast making this great mixed media piece of art for her room.

Guitar Rocks

My grandson created this fantastic canvas tonight.  Thought he did a great job and he had a blast.

O Christmas Tree

I decided I wanted to do an art canvas for Christmas.  I did this Christmas tree using rolled paper, paint, spray mists, snowflake stencils with molding paste and sparkly paste.  The words are "Meet me under the mistletoe" and "Noel".

Day at the Park

While at the park with my granddaughter, I found these leaves.  I knew I wanted to do something to remember such a beautiful, fun day.  I created a fall background on a stretched canvas and added the leaves.  They will eventually crumble, but then I'll have a background canvas to create something else.  I created the background by adding multiple layers of color and leave shapes. I used several different types of stencils including the TCW leaves stencil (that's the underlying gold leave shape), and even used these leaves sprayed with color wash.  I used several shades of pan pastels (blues, greens, oranges, browns, purple, yellow), TH distress inks (reds, greens), Golden paint (Iredescent Gold Deep - fine) and Adirondack (Stream & Terra Cotta) spray inks.  I just kept layering until I was satisfied with the result.

Fall Fun

I did this scarecrow in acrylics on a slate panel years ago.  I've always loved it and hang it during the Fall season.

Mickey and Minnie

Mickey and Minnie are painted on 8x10 canvas.  I painted them for my youngest granddaughter who is turning two next week.  She is all into Micky Mouse (the Disney Junior version).   I used acrylic paint, panpastels and Pitt Pens.

Journey Begins with one step

I decided that I did want to keep the canvas Journey so I created a new piece for the swap.  I took a different spin on the subject and went vintage.

Journey

I did this canvas inspired by a challenge.  Will have to decide whether I want to keep her or submit to the challenge.  She really speaks to me so chances are she'll hang on my wall.

Mini canvas

I love summer.  It is a time where the warm weather and beckoning beaches slow down the pace a little.  I love to sit on the beach and relax with a good book or some soothing music.  I love to grab my camera and catch a beautiful sunset. This canvas was inspired by some of those gorgeous changes of color in the night sky.



Top canvas: Inspired by a summer beach sunset  (This one will be sent to the winner of the PAO July lottery which I am hosting.)

Bottom canvas: Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

2 1/2 " canvas done with pan pastels.  These were fun and will do some more.  They were easy and quick.  I just had to decide the subject and begin.

Awesome

Well, sorry I've been MIA.  Having vacation fun and been so busy.  I did win the June lottery for fairies and the art I've received has been awesome.  I did  have a chance to do many scrapbook pages while gone and a Christy Tomlinson inspired "She Art" canvas.   I stayed up until 2:00 AM one morning working on her.  She was such fun and I was so absorbed in the art that I didn't even realize the time.

She Art canvas

I've been doing some art on canvas to hang in my house. I did this 5x7 canvas based on a Christy Tomlinson posting I saw.  I was very pleased how it turned out and will hang it with my other CT inspired canvas. I made some changes to suit my tastes.

Spring Canvas Dreams

I had so much fun doing this canvas.  My inspiration was Christy Tomlinson.  I used watercolor on canvas, shaded with pan pastels, cut up various patterned paper scraps, vintage buttons and doodled with pens.  This one will find a place on my wall.  I was very pleased with the final canvas.