Summer Dream in the Making

I enjoy challenging myself with a new project. So my latest piece is something different. I was inspired when I took a trip this summer to Cannon Beach, Oregon in June with a very dear friend, Nancy. We had just spent a fantastic week with Sue Scheewe Brown in her watercolor seminar and then took a little weekend jaunt with the Browns up to Cannon Beach.

The day we arrived at Cannon Beach we took a talk along the water's edge, down to Haystack Rock. This place seemed like heaven to Nancy and I because we spend most of our days in the desert of Nevada. It was raining lightly and we had to wear borrowed boots to walk down to the tide pools.

It was really fascinating to see all the life along the rocks. I took several pictures with my camera. You should have seen me trying to balance the umbrella and take pictures while walking in boots two sizes too big.  The starfish and sea urchins seemed like a magical discovery to me.

14 x 18 inch Canvas board

In the center of a canvas board I spread some gesso with a palette knife. Salt was sprinkled here and there too, but that would melt away with the watercolor paint that came in the next step, leaving little pits.  I created shapes in the wet gesso for sea creatures with my palette knife. I do enjoy using a palette knife, as you know. By drizzling String Gel along the sand's edge,  I gave the surface even more dimension. Some details were added with a graphite pencil also.

"Summer Dream"

The blue at the bottom was made by washing blue watercolor along the canvas and then sprinkling in drops of rubbing alcohol. A light coat of fixative was needed to seal the watercolor and pencil lines. I think they look like those sea urchins clinging to the rocks in the tide pools. The piece was mounted to a wood board with brass corners to make it finished in a unique way. 

The Sea Calls to Me

The sea has always been a mysterious and magical subject for me. When I was a child, my family took vacations to the California coast. We rented a hotel room and walked down to the beach to walk in the sand and play in the waves.  I can recall the feeling of the sand between my toes and the smell of the salt in the air.  In fact, right now if I close my eyes, I can imagine myself standing on the beach. It's still a wondrous memory for me.

Today the collages I am displaying are made on two canvas boards and have a mini canvas mounted on top with lots of paint and tissue and printed paper overlay. For personality I have added my little clay birds, tiny seashells, and vintage music to create a story picture that is very sweet.  For easy hanging, I also glued a ribbon cord to each one. Over all size is 5 x 7 inches.

"By the Sea" 1






"By the Sea" 2

Take a Vacation.

Been away from my desk for awhile, but that doesn't mean I haven't been creating. Here's a peek.

Who doesn't like vacations? This little bird took a vacation and found some wild flowers along the way.

I call it "Vacation" because it looks like a summer day and "vacation" was a magical word when we were little and stuck in school for most of the year.  Sitting at our desks, we would daydream of a favorite place and wish we were there instead of having to do endless math or English worksheets.
Well now I can do endless art.



"Vacation" 8 x 10, Acrylic, with mini-canvas, clay bird, and map.
Take some time and enjoy a vacation.

CalicoStudio: WOYWW.....My First Wednesday Reveal

CalicoStudio: WOYWW.....My First Wednesday Reveal: "Well you are probably saying, it's about time I post about my work desk on Wednesday, so here goes. I don't know what took me so long. For..."

WOYWW.....My First Wednesday Reveal

Well you are probably saying, it's about time I post about my work desk on Wednesday, so here goes.  I don't know what took me so long.  For a while it was a mystery to me what WOYWW really was.  Ha! or Lol, depending on which generation you are from!!

This week I have been working furiously to finish some new pieces for First Friday in the Art District.   Actually not all of them are for FF. I started the little pansy box a few months ago at our painting chapter meeting. And have been thinking about the perfect finish for it. The pansies looked pretty but there was too much empty space left around them. So I solved it with some stenciled leaves and dots for a lacy look. Now all it needs is the latch.

In between coats of varnish on the jewelry box, I finished two Monarch butterfly pictures with ordinary acrylic paint in tubes.   These will be displayed for Friday's Art walk.  Fun to do more than one at a time and sort of bounce back and forth with the paint.

"Visiting Monarch #1" 5x7

 

 

"Visiting Monarch #2" 8x10

 

 

 

 

 

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