Blog Awards and One Painting

I HAVE WON AN AWARD! Wow!
Amazing to me, since I have only been blogging for five months. But I am "pleased as punch" to receive it from Mary at Tincantart.blogspot.com.  Thank you Mary!

So now I have a special message to post naming my own list of 7 of my favorite blogs, a difficult task.  There are soooooo many blogs out there and each day that I sit down to explore the net, I discover more fun reads. So it is hard to choose, but a fun job because I get to explore some more in the name of research.  I hope the links appear correctly and everything works, as this is my first time to do the link thing. And then I must notify them of their award.

Some favorite blogs I hope you will explore:
1. I love checking out the shrines that Mary at tincantart.blogspot.com She is so creative, you will enjoy seeing each one. 

2. I really enjoy looking through the variety of pages and fun posts by nicks at http://nicksartystuff.blogspot.com/    . 

3. Next on my list is Emily for her amazing art in which she combines digital art and hand embellishments for innovative collage. You won't be disappointed if you visit her blog at 
creativeartjournal.blogspot.com

4. Love looking at the amazing photography by Jan at crowzenart.blogspot.com
5. Lorraine has a marvelous list of fabulous videos that are so inspiring on loveofcollage.blogspot.com  

6. I love the creative and innovative artwork by Angela.   I need more time to try out all of her ideas at pagesbythesea.blogspot.com

7. Palma Rea  is next on my list today for her artful creations and collages so full of textures and colors. athena-myfirstbloggy.blogspot.com
 
As part of the posting, there are a few rules to follow.  And I hope each of the bloggers will follow up with an award list of their own.
**1. The first is to thank the blogger who named me on her list. Mary you are the best.
**2. Make my own list of favorite blogs.
**3. List 7 things about myself and here they are: 
       1. I am 60 years old and have been married for 38 years.
       2. I am an "empty nester", since my two sons have left home and are pursuing their own destinies with work and college.
       3. I have a  bossy calico cat named Domino. 
       4. I am a retired art teacher and I love repeating it. 
       5. I am a painter and mixed media artist now that I can do my own art, but sometimes I teach or share art projects with friends.
       6. I love to travel and attend art conferences or workshops. Is this a surprise?
       7. I am a bit challenged on the computer, but willing to learn so I can have an even better blog and maybe learn how to use digital collage in art.


So there you have it, all the bits about this fun award. Again please visit the blogs I have named above.
It will be a great way to start your day with a cup of coffee or tea. 

And as promised a little painting from a few years back with acrylic gouache, image transfer, paper collage, and texture beads sprinkled here and there. Hope you like it.

"Keeping Watch" 

Latest Art Swap

My latest swap in Milliande Art Community for Womenwas themed "Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History."  Love seeing everyone's different take on the fun theme. My cards were inspired by Georgia O'Keefe, American artist who challenged the art world to look closer at nature and the world around us with her contour shapes and varied colors in the 1920's and 30's. 

Her paintings elevated ordinary things to a new level.

Here are the ones I was delighted to receive in the swap from the top: beautiful Marilyn by Deesie van Deelen, a delicate lily by Trine Pettigrew (another O'Keefe admirer), and the graceful lady by Liz Monaghan.

It's such fun to trade bits of art with friends across the world.

"To create one's world in any of the arts takes courage." O'Keefe

  

Adding to the collection...

"Curious Kitten"

"Frisky"

"Tiger Kitten"

These friendly fellows were painted last week.  They were a delight to paint. My picture references came from some vintage postcards passed on to me from a friend. They are not exact copies, but sparked my interest because of those dear little creations from long ago. But they don't bat at the birds outside the window or demand that you lay perfectly still in the bed!!

They can be found at my personal gallery upstairs at the Dinosaurs and Roses resale shop in Las Vegas.

Letting the muse lead the way...

Sometimes I really don't have a preconceived plan for the painting or collage. I just start with a background of some comfortable colors and patterns and begin to play around with the materials.  Like with the cloud-like texture on this basket and the tree branches. I did not know an owl would make it's home in the branches at first. But with my latest fascination with owls, it just seemed natural to put one there. And what else would an owl listen to in the night besides the music of the night itself.  The basket measures 13 x 13 x 6 inches.
                                                                                                                                               

"The Night Sings" 

What a great way to..........

begin the week! I sold my triptic print painting, "Under the Sea".  And it swam,... or rather flew across the Pacific to Hawaii to its new home.  Yay! I am very happy. Although I did enjoy looking at it and remembering how the paint went down and how it was to roll the paint over the fish for the printing step, I am really jazzed that someone enjoys it now in their home.  Actually she purchased it for her sister. How very nice that she bought it for a gift.

Several layers of paint were applied with brush, rubber fish, real shells, stones, cheese cloth, etc. to create this under-the-sea view. I really had fun experimenting with the paint. More is more, as they say. More paint, more texture, the more it seemed to look like I was really swimming with the fishes.

Made the smaller sections so that you could move them around in different order and the fish swim from one canvas to the others.  This was painted in 2007 for a Art teacher gallery show and has also been displayed in my home and in City of the World Art Gallery in Las Vegas.

Pull up a Comfy Chair

Here's some more texture-filled fun I had with paper mache. I was sooooo inspired by Sue Pelletier in the May/June 2008 issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors that I had to create my own versions. I hope you like them.

They turned out very cush-ie, I think. I even had a fellow come to the viewing during First Friday at City of the World Art Gallery and say, "I know those chairs..." and proceed to name them.  What fun!

Art Makes my Heart Beat...

Lately my schedule has been overwhelming. When this happens I know that it is time for some art therapy.
So I make up a project that involves my hands in a very tactile way. A project where I have to really get my hands into the medium in order to create what I have in mind. Like modeling papier mache hearts, for instance.

Recipe: white glue + water (1 to 1 ratio), stirred well; plus torn tissue paper. And the fun begins!

Hot tip: It is a good idea to tear a bunch of tissue paper or soft paper before beginning the process. Not so easy to tear strips after your hands are all sticky. Lesson well learned!

 "Fleur de les Heart"

  

"Silver Springs Evening"

"Blue Heart Key"